Harry Potter World - First thing or early afternoon?

[atilley01]

Hi! This will be our first ever trip to Universal. We're doing a 1 day, 2 park ticket, probably with the Express Pass to maximize the number of attractions we can do. There's a few attractions we'd like to do outside of Harry Potter World but HPW is the prime focus. I've seen touring plans that suggest to head to HPW first thing and spend the morning exploring and doing all the rides and some that say to wait a bit because everyone rushes there in the morning and people tend to filter out a little by the afternoon. What has been everyone's experience? We're not saying in a Universal hotel so we'll be entering the park at the official open time.

Thanks for your help!

 

[bchbetha]

That doesn’t mesh with my experience. Crowds only build. Morning and after 4 or 5 is when you should do WWOHP. Book end your day there.
Get to the park about 45-60 minutes early to allow time for walking, ticketing and security.

 

[katie111]

Agree with the PP. Also, try to go first to whichever park does not have early opening for onsite guests that day.

 

[atilley01]

Those are both excellent points. Thank you both!

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

We went at a slow time in Nov last year. In the morning we had a lot of space, were able to ‘discover’ some of the spells ourselves and could move in the stores. By afternoon, even in a slow time, it was jammed with little room to move. I’ve heard it slows down in the evening but if you’re going during the holidays I don’t know if that will be true with the lights and castle projections.

But if by chance you wanted a crowded, wall-to-wall-people-in-wizard-robes-in-Diagonal-Alley feel, afternoon is it.

 

[atilley01]

We're going this May which is supposed to be a slower time but we have to go on a Sunday which I'm sure will bring in higher crowds. Touring Plans has that day listed as a 3 but I skeptical. I definitely don't want to deal with wall-to-wall wizards.

We went at a slow time in Nov last year. In the morning we had a lot of space, were able to ‘discover’ some of the spells ourselves and could move in the stores. By afternoon, even in a slow time, it was jammed with little room to move. I’ve heard it slows down in the evening but if you’re going during the holidays I don’t know if that will be true with the lights and castle projections.

But if by chance you wanted a crowded, wall-to-wall-people-in-wizard-robes-in-Diagonal-Alley feel, afternoon is it.

 

[HM]

If Minions is on your list...do that first thing.
Then the HP stuff, and then hit the other things. If you still have time, go back to HP after dark when it feels competely different and gets less crowded again.

 

[Jeremy Nolen]

My $0.02 (maybe too late to help you) having just gone:

Hogsmeade feels a lot more authentic in the morning, when it isn't 85 degrees (or more) and not as crowded. By mid-day, the crowd levels get really out of control and most of the experience (spell casting, exploring the nooks and crannies of the park) is not as pleasant.

Diagon Alley is best at night. The crowd levels area still pretty high, but it doesn't affect the experience as much (and I think the Alley can hold a lot more people.)

Obviously if you have early park entry, that's going to be the optimal way to experience either one, especially if you are trying to cast all the spells. Don't forget to look at your spell map under the black lights in Knockturn Alley