Celebration of Harry Potter Films, Nov 11-13, at Islands of Adventure

[fairyprincess88]

As much as I love Universal and since the WWoHP has opened, have given them all my money, this has ticked me off beyond words. Tried to book at noon, glitch after glitch ect, then sold out before I was confirmed. Load of absolute garbage. Limited should have been worded more like, "Goes faster then concert tickets to a scalper." Just ridiculous. I'm just heartbroken and quite furious. I booked the cheaper package but it's not what I wanted at all.

 

[Shannon12]

As much as I love Universal and since the WWoHP has opened, have given them all my money, this has ticked me off beyond words. Tried to book at noon, glitch after glitch ect, then sold out before I was confirmed. Load of absolute garbage. Limited should have been worded more like, "Goes faster then concert tickets to a scalper." Just ridiculous. I'm just heartbroken and quite furious. I booked the cheaper package but it's not what I wanted at all.

I told my husband, at least with concert tickets it's yours until the timer runs out!

 

[wdhinn89]

Too many people trying to book at the same time and the system couldn't handle it. I'm really not surprised. Harry Potter is HUGE.

Sorry for everyone who missed out. We will be there on the 11th. I would be happy just to see some of the charaters in the crowd.

 

[lisajl]

Too many people trying to book at the same time and the system couldn't handle it. I'm really not surprised. Harry Potter is HUGE.

Sorry for everyone who missed out. We will be there on the 11th. I would be happy just to see some of the charaters in the crowd.

My daughter just booked her flight. She and her girlfriend can hardly wait to get there!

 

[Singinglizzie]

THE US website is still showing Premier packages available for those from the UK? Has anyone tried calling to see if you could be waitlisted, or get one of the packages reserved for the UK - it's worth a call.

 

[TaylorsDad]

Has anyone made the reservations for the Q&A session or Autograph session yet. I have to still make mine and was just wondering about the times availible.

 

[fairyprincess88]

Has anyone made the reservations for the Q&A session or Autograph session yet. I have to still make mine and was just wondering about the times availible.

There were different 45 minute sets available for the Q&A on all 3 days of the celebration(don't know about the autographs as I got royally tossed on my butt by the website trying to book the premiere package). I know there was one at 10-10:45 then one at 1-1:45 then one at 4-4:45. There might have been others as well but I clearly remember those 3 times. We are booked for Sat the 12th at 4-4:45.

 

[Joanna71985]

I thought about booking, but I just couldn't justify spending $700 when I don't need the hotel or park tickets. I'm hoping they will release the celebration events individually

 

[Creatively Obsessed]

Any way to get to the Night Time Gala on the 13th? The only place I see it is in the premire package and that is sold out Can U buy tickets? Pretty PLEASE?

 

[Joanna71985]

As of now, it was only available through the Premiere package

 

[dahoov2]

I am wondering a LOT of stuff...

1) how come we had to pay so darned MUCH and have to book a "partner" hotel. I see someone got Hard Rock which is where we wanted to stay but they didn't allow that for the Premiere package.

2) They don't tell you which signers will be there... But it's not the following:
a) JK Rowling (number one on my "signer" wish list)
b) Daniel Radcliffe (he's in a play that doesn't end till December on Broadway and he's performing that night) and he happens to be number 2 on my wish list
c) Emma Watson (she'll be at Oxford and Classes will be in midstream) and she's number 3 on my wish list

3) We obviously cannot get the FULL BluRay set... which is HUGE in my opinion on my wish list.... because the Deathly Hallows Part 2 set doesn't even show up till November 18th I think they said. And they do not do the next "set" till after "x" amount is sold... UNLESS there is something special JUST for those at WWOHP who signed for these packages. BUT they didn't sound like it was exciting when we asked. They just said they could only say set which could be any combination of older sets that've come out. They never said COMPLETE in their original postings.

Hopefully this is worth it because as I figure, I've seen the Doubletree which many are at going 69 bucks a night that's less than 280 dollars plus your park passes for three days (don't know how much, but under 200 each? Add that up and it's less than half the price we paid! So let's hope the gala and autographs are GOOD as well as the bluray set!

PS It might be wise to "trade" autographs. For example, we have two in our party. I am willing to trade one set of our autographs for one of yours if you go on a different day? Let me know and we can meet up!

PS it says "comfortable" clothes like you'd wear to the park for the gala? Guess it's not that fancy then.

 

[Creatively Obsessed]

oh I did not read much on the Gala since it was already sold out. But I would not have pictured "comfortable clothes". I was thinking total geek fest, everyone dressed as characters etc.

I am really going to have to look into the Doubletree thing too. We are on a tight budget. I cant buy right now any way, gotta wait a couple weeks at least. Just thought this was the time to start looking for deals and saw this event for the same time we hope to be there. But we would be happy to trade autographs if we manage to get in.

 

[dahoov2]

I thought the gala would be a nice dinner and people wearing at least nice clothes (not fancy but maybe business casual). I know there's a dinner. I won't be "dressing up" as a character as I am a HUGE Star Wars geek and don't dress up for conventions there so...

If anyone wants to trade, keep in touch on this board and towards the time we can give each other info.

As for Doubletree, don't wait too long; as they are filling up, the prices rise. The doubletree is right across they street. They said it's walking distance. As close as the Portifino and the Hard Rock hotels. We shall see!

 

[TaylorsDad]

Has anyone made the reservations for the Q&A session or Autograph session yet. I have to still make mine and was just wondering about the times availible.

I just recieved an email. Looks like they went ahead and made the autograph session reservation for us for Sat Nov 12, at 5:30-6:30 Pm. Here is hoping its a good one. Its just a same that the two of us will prob end up with the same autograph. Here's hoping its someone we like.

 

[dahoov2]

Ours is the same day at 2:30 Everyone who does the package HAS to go the same day. They will probably stamp your or put a wrist band on

 

[Singinglizzie]

FYI, you can purchase the HP Celebration Package at a partner hotel for only 1 night. You get 1 q&A session, a blueray DVD set, a pin, early entrance and base tickets 1 park - for 1 day. The cheapest 1 day package for "2" is about $389. The park tickets are worth $180, the hotel is worth $75 max (maybe less) so that leaves approx. $134 for the "package" items. You can also book this celebration Package for the partner hotels, onsite but the price for two is over $600. I wish US would provide more info on the q&A session like who will be there, etc. I also wonder if you would be able to get autographs or if it will be more like a speaker answering questions? I guess we have to wait and see, but most likely it will sell out by the time the details are provided.

 

[dahoov2]

Wow; for the other package, they made us book an EXTRA day even after the celebration! 4 nights hotel and three days worth of passes! RIPPED us others off I think!

 

[fairyprincess88]

Because the Premiere package was sold out I had to book the celebration package. I don't know about the one night deal but we paid about $700 for two people for all 4 nights. When booking I did not see an option for anything less than 4 nights and 3 day park pases. We booked at a Partner hotel as we didn't really care to spend the extra for onsite.

Honestly I'd have rather had the Premiere package but the website kept giving me problems and it was sold out as I was trying to book it. The celebration package is ok, but I really wanted the autograph session and gala, and feel like I got pushed into a cheap knockoff version of the event. Still mad over it honestly, but what can you do.

 

[TaylorsDad]

VACATION PACKAGES ON SALE SUNDAY, JULY 31st FOR
“A CELEBRATION OF THE HARRY POTTER FILMS” AT UNIVERSAL ORLANDO RESORT​

Special Event Hosted by Warner Bros. to Feature Three Days of
Cast Member and Filmmaker Appearances, Autograph Signings, Q&A Sessions and Film Screenings​

From Universal Orlando Resort's Press Release:


Vacation Packages for A Celebration of the Harry Potter Films

Celebration Vacation Package – Starts at $369 per person

• 4-night accommodations at a Universal Partner Hotel
• 3-day ticket to both of Universal Orlando’s theme parks
• More time to enjoy The Wizarding World of Harry Potter with Early Park Admission starting at 6 a.m.
• Reservation to one in-park Harry Potter talent Q&A session (one per person)
• Commemorative pin (one per person)
• Harry Potter Blu-Ray set (one per package)

Premier Vacation Package – Starts at $699 per person
All of the above, PLUS:

• Reservation to one in-park Harry Potter cast member autograph session
• Admission to the exclusive nighttime gala event on Sunday, November 13
• Breakfast at the Three Broomsticks

Edited To Add 7/31/11: As of 1:50pm, the Universal Orlando website is listing the Premiere Packages as sold out.

For more information about the event and vacation packages, visit www.universalorlando.com/celebration.

In my package I did not see anything about early admission at 6:00 Am , only listed as one hour before opening. Does anyone else have any info on this matter.

 

[vivaciousdame]

Hey all, I got the cheaper package for us. I too was wondering about the Gala, picturing Goblet of Fire's ball scene. That would be spectacular. However they didn't release many details and only said 'wear the kind of clothes you would coming to the park any day' (paraphrased). So we couldn't justify spending the extra money on it. It's our honeymoon along with WDW so we're just happy to go.
The blu-ray MAY be the whole set. If you think about it, why would they decide to do the celebration of the movies right then and not in July around HP's birthday and when the movie was released into theaters. One website listed the blu-ray as coming out on 11-11-11 so I am suspecting it will be the full set we get. Anytime later than that is too close to Thanksgiving. They'll want it out before xmas for the sales and before Thanksgiving for the black friday sales (huge deals, but the $ from dvd sales even not discounted are huge).
Any thoughts?