Wizarding World Touring Plans and Details

We have our trip planned June 23rd-30th. Touring plans has the crowd level at 8 or 9 everyday. So I looked into the possibility of going the 16th-23rd and the crowd levels are 5 or 6. Im surprised there that low with it being so soon after the new coaster opening.

You do know Touring Plans are just guessing and their guesses my have nothing in common with the actual crowd levels.
 
Question about Forbidden Journey. Lo those many years ago, you used to be able to do a "castle tour" where you could walk through Hogwarts without waiting in the queue to see the castle and all of the thematic elements, but not board the ride at the end. Is that still a thing? If so, is there anything similar at Gringotts?

The castle tour line is now the Express Pass line.
In any ride, you can walk through the line (Express line if you have Express Pass, otherwise, regular line) and exit before riding.
 
Question about Forbidden Journey. Lo those many years ago, you used to be able to do a "castle tour" where you could walk through Hogwarts without waiting in the queue to see the castle and all of the thematic elements, but not board the ride at the end. Is that still a thing? If so, is there anything similar at Gringotts?

We were there this week. The gringotts tour without riding the ride is the express pass line. Just tell the person you don't want to ride and just want to see. The forbidden journey/hogwarts when I asked, she told me you have to wait in the regular line to see all of the castle and when you get to the loading you just tell them you don't want to ride. There's a lot of rooms to see. We waited in the 30 minutes line just to see all the castle rooms - it moves pretty quickly since there's a lot to look at.
 


Thanks for all the tips. I’m excited just to be in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. I see there’s a new travel agent called Globus Mundi. Hoping against unlikely, but do they sell any posters there? Photos I’ve seen of the interior had one of Paris that I’d find wall space for.
 
I found a wand at a Goodwill store. It was $3. It is an official Universal Weasley Wand. Can I bring it into the park and is there any way to know if it works beforehand? I don’t know anything about the wands but if this can save me $50 then I’m for trying. Any thoughts?
 
Thanks for all the tips. I’m excited just to be in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. I see there’s a new travel agent called Globus Mundi. Hoping against unlikely, but do they sell any posters there? Photos I’ve seen of the interior had one of Paris that I’d find wall space for.

I don't think they sell the posters, I think they are just part of the decor, but I will check it out next week when I'm there. It is a really cool little store.
 


I found a wand at a Goodwill store. It was $3. It is an official Universal Weasley Wand. Can I bring it into the park and is there any way to know if it works beforehand? I don’t know anything about the wands but if this can save me $50 then I’m for trying. Any thoughts?
There are two types of wands, interactive ones that work with the spells (they have a sensor at the tip of the wand) and then plain wands that don't. Make sure you have an interactive wand. If it doesn't work at the parks, you can usually get a team member to exchange it for a working one. There's no way to test it out beforehand.
 
I don't think they sell the posters, I think they are just part of the decor, but I will check it out next week when I'm there. It is a really cool little store.

Sadly, you’re right. Universal Merchandising (very efficient) replied on a Sunday to say they don’t carry them. They have other Hogwarts prints for $600-$700 in case I’m interested. (Sorry, no, I’d like something that hints Wizarding World with all the charm of the films/books).

I hoped a few of us emailing might increase interest rather than letting individual cast members know.

I was just surprised as Minalima have done special prints for most new WB Studio Tour additions in the UK and the work feels in their style.
 
The list of how to tour the WWoHP is exactly what I was looking for. Here's my question: We will be going to Universal on either Dec. 22 or Dec. 23. Is it going to be possible to accomplish all this, or will the parks be stupidly crowded and a waste of time and money? Travelers are just DH and myself (he's 59, I'm 63). I definitely won't ride anything, he might, but we'll want to see the queues!
 
Great thread! The information is fantastic for a newbie to Universal like me.
One question I have is about the wand show. Is there only one wand show at Olivander's each day or multiple shows at different times.
And just to clarify everyone seems to recommend one of the shops over the other one because it has a better wand show than the other right? And which shop (location) is the one that is the best one to go to for the show/experience?
 
I was trying to list the link for touringplans.com for their section of Potter shows

They have some info guiding viewers
 
Great thread! The information is fantastic for a newbie to Universal like me.
One question I have is about the wand show. Is there only one wand show at Olivander's each day or multiple shows at different times.
And just to clarify everyone seems to recommend one of the shops over the other one because it has a better wand show than the other right? And which shop (location) is the one that is the best one to go to for the show/experience?

There are multiple shows going all day long. And actually even multiple going on at the same time (there are a few wand show rooms). I usually say to go to the Diagon Alley location because they have more wand rooms so the waits are usually shorter. It’s a quick little experience but well worth it for Potter fans.
 
Wanted to make sure you know that Universal Studios (Where Diagon Alley is located) will be closing early about 5 PM the whole month of October Wednesday thru Sunday for HHN.

There will be a lot of people who are staying onsite for HHN which will increase park crowds during the day.

If you are not attending HHN which is a separate ticketed event you will have to leave Universal Studios by 5 pm because of that event.

If you are not staying onsite with early entry and EP then be there at Universal Studios for RD especially if you will be there during above noted HHN days. You can get Diagon Alley done then ride the Hogwarts Express over to Hogsmeade.

There is only one ride in Diagon Alley Escape From Gringotts, but trust me you will want to ride it again.

We just booked a trip for October 2021. I was hoping to go to Universal on our arrival day so that we could do Diagon Alley first and get wands for our boys and maybe ride Gringotts if there is time. Assuming they still do HHN in the future, could we get in line for the Hogwarts Express to take it over to IOA at 5pm, or will they kick us out if we don't have HHN tickets at that point?
 

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