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Lines for Harry Potter

Universal Orlando: Want to go to US but wondering how long the lines are not to get in to IOA and to Harry Potter?

From Lorrie Hackbardt
Posted June 27, 2010 at 9:59 AM
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter has been open a week now. Does anyone know how long the lines/wait is now to get in?


Comments in chronological order. Most recent at the bottom. Scroll down to respond.

From April C
Posted June 27, 2010 at 10:25 AM
It's still pretty busy in the morning. I've heard it's still been a few hours wait just to get into HP in the morning.

I hear it dies down as the day goes on though.

From Melissa Donahue
Posted June 27, 2010 at 10:36 AM
April - Is that wait for non-hotel guests?

From Sunshine Davis
Posted June 27, 2010 at 2:03 PM
It's not too bad now, just get there early!
We got to the park at 845 Sunday morning, and went straight to Wizarding World. Once in Islands of Adventure, we waited about 15 minutes to get into the W.W. The line for the Harry Potter castle ride was only an hour, and it was mostly indoors. I liked the line even better than the ride, the effects were amazing, especially the talking paintings. When we exited the ride about 10:30, the lines were awful for the Ollivander’s wand shop and Butterbeer cart, so we didn’t do those. Wish there were more places to buy Butterbeer! They do have a wand cart between the castle and the old Flying Unicorn ride, which has the same wands as Ollivander’s. That’s a great option if you don’t want to wait for the Ollivander’s experience, but want to buy a wand.

From Hermione Potter
Posted June 27, 2010 at 6:34 PM
I hesitate to give away this "secret" because then I won't be able to get wait-free butterbeer anymore, but you can walk straight into the Hog's Head entrance and buy butterbeer there with no to minimal wait most of the day.

From Sylvain Comeau
Posted June 27, 2010 at 10:29 PM
So if you do it that way, Hermione, you have access to the rest of the Wizarding World?

From April C
Posted June 28, 2010 at 8:33 AM
Melissa - yeah, that's for non-hotel guests. So if you're staying onsite, get there before 9AM so you can get let in and avoid the long lines if they're still present.

From Melissa Donahue
Posted June 28, 2010 at 11:01 AM
Thanks, April! :)

From Hermione Potter
Posted June 28, 2010 at 9:06 PM
I just meant you can buy butterbeer without waiting at that cart outside the the three broomsticks. The hog's head is inside Wizarding World, actually inside the 3 broomsticks. I was commenting on sunshine's wish that there were more places to buy butterbeer besides the cart. You would still have to wait in line to get into the world if there was a wait.

From Robert Niles
Posted June 28, 2010 at 9:30 PM
The Hog's Head is a much, much, much better environment in which to enjoy your Butterbeer, as well. I used that trick when I was in Orlando last week, during the times when the land was open to the public.

You can get Pumpkin Juice from a cooler case in Honeyduke's, as well, so you don't need to wait for the Butterbeer cart for that, either.

From Honor Knight
Posted June 29, 2010 at 3:04 PM
There is a drink cart at the end of the village on the left hand side if you're facing the castle that sells Butterbeer as well and always has a fairly short wait, if any at all.

My friend strolled past the 45 minute wait line for the same cup of Butterbeer he bought at that cart only moments before. So let's recap:

Official Butterbeer Stand: Long, unforgiving wait in the hot sun.
Hog's Head Saloon: Shorter wait indoors.
Secret Butterbeer Drink Cart near castle: Little to NO wait.

Drink up!

From Gareth H
Posted June 30, 2010 at 6:08 PM
First visit to Happy Potter yesterday, arrived at 5.30 PM, posted as a 75 minute wait.
Half way through the line the ride broke down. Waiting (thankfully inside, in the AC) for 30 minutes and it started again.
Awesome ride, although most of the time I extended my head out to see the mechanics of the ride rather than the actual "Show" I was offer and out 90 minutes from entering the queue.

Queued for Butterbeer, that took 20 minutes due to a technical issue. Kudos to the staff who took orders and ran inside to get them. (The queue in the restaurant was much larger than outside)

Can't remember the candy shop name, but it was packed and there was a large queue to get in.

Overall, awesome attraction. With my newly aquired Premier Pass, I'll be visiting a lot.

REVIEW TO COME OF THE PORTIFINO HOTEL SOON. Am staying there in July ;)

From Nick Markham
Posted July 1, 2010 at 8:58 AM
^I will be staying there in July too! It sounds like the lines could be calming down with maybe a surge this holiday weekend. Hopefully by July 20 things calm down A LOT as that will be when I make my trip!

From Doug Kelley
Posted July 22, 2010 at 10:20 AM

From Doug Kelley
Posted July 22, 2010 at 10:15 AM
My advice: DON'T get there early! Well, get there early but ride everything else first. The lines are much shorter at FJ in the afternoon than they are in the morning. And while people are standing in line just to get into the Potter-park, you can walk on the likes of Spiderman. Save FJ for the end of your day (and skip Olivander's altogether).

From Melissa Donahue
Posted July 22, 2010 at 10:23 AM
Nick - Since you are staying on-site at Portofino, I would still recommend going EARLY. (I believe your other post said you were doing this today.) The hour-early entrance for hotel guests makes a huge difference. We were able to do both Ollivander's and FJ before 9:00 AM! I think Ollivander's is at least worth seeing once, but I wouldn't wait over an hour for it. It's not an extremely extravagant "show" (if you want to call it that), but it is a neat experience, especially if you're trying to draw a connection to the film. The similarities are uncanny. I decided to take everything in because I have no idea when I'll get back to Potterland, so it was worth it to me!

From Gareth H
Posted July 23, 2010 at 7:01 PM
Fire Dept called to HP this evening, just after 8pm.
The ride malfunctioned and the cars were stopped, but one trapped GUEST decided to call the Fire Department.

3 News Choppers hovered above until just before 10pm, once all riders were freed (47 cars run on the track and the ride was full at the time of the malfunction)

Not such a big story as rides break down all of the time, but one guest calling 911 makes this big news for local news channels!

UPDATE, 132 guests on the ride at the time of malfunction, the guest who called 911 felt like he was upside down. (Which it doesn't)

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