How to rope drop HP in Universal Studios park?

[Louie7080]

Family and I will be visiting Universal this coming weekend and staying onsite. I see that the only park with early entry for the 3 mornings we are there is IOA. Should we try to get to HP in Studios via Hogwarts Express from IOA or would we be better off lining up early at the turnstiles at the Studios? Also curious why no EE for US for most of December.

 

[David Kohn]

If you are trying to get in as many rides with limited wait times, and if EE is IOA, ride Forbidden Journey and if enough time, Hippogriff, then take HE to USF to do Minions, Gringotts, etc... you can always go back to IOA later (as long as it's not to capacity).

 

[chiisai]

Not OP, but also had this same question. Seemed odd that it's just IOA every day. Thanks for the advice, pp.

 

[Louie7080]

If you are trying to get in as many rides with limited wait times, and if EE is IOA, ride Forbidden Journey and if enough time, Hippogriff, then take HE to USF to do Minions, Gringotts, etc... you can always go back to IOA later (as long as it's not to capacity).

So if timed right people in HP/IOA taking HE to USF will beat the rush of people going through the front gate of USF? What time does HE start running? I assumed that not both HP lands are not open early, just the one in the park with EE, right?

 

[bumbershoot]

I assumed that not both HP lands are not open early, just the one in the park with EE, right?

Correct.

Fwiw I’ve only ever gone when EE was just at IOA. Doesn’t seem weird at all to me. Choose a morning or two to sleep in for the non-EE park or two or one mornings to hit the EE Park.

 

[Louie7080]

Correct.

Fwiw I’ve only ever gone when EE was just at IOA. Doesn’t seem weird at all to me. Choose a morning or two to sleep in for the non-EE park or two or one mornings to hit the EE Park.

yes, I probably won't rope drop EE every morning but I do want to rope drop a park each day, so the morning I want to be near the front of line for the HP park with diagon alley and the grigotts ride, I just wanted to know if I should enter in through hogwarts express or the USF gate.

 

[bchbetha]

I think you’ll get back to DIagon Alley faster via Universal than Hogwarts Express. You have more control as you aren’t relying on a ride.

 

[Louie7080]

I think you’ll get back to DIagon Alley faster via Universal than Hogwarts Express. You have more control as you aren’t relying on a ride.

Thanks! that is what I was wondering about!

 

[wookiebeck]

We tried both strategies when we stayed for 10 days and IOA was EE every day. In order to be on the first train to leave for US, we had to queue up around 30 minutes prior. They didn't open the ride until last minute before ropedrop. Scanning in and walking through the queue seemed to take forever. Then ride. Then got out and people from the front gates were streaming past the station on their way to DA. So I say, "fun but not worth the effort".

Instead, sleep in, and do regular ropedrop for US one day.