As an Orlando local, I've been waiting for the off-season for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. In the summer I visited an hour or two before closing, especially when a good, cleansing rain earlier in the day had chased people out along with the oppressive heat. This Sunday, my strategy shifted because the off-season has already started with kids in many areas back in school. Here is my new strategy (this is for people who are not staying at on-site hotels and who do not get early access to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter:
Step One: Start out at Universal Studio, and head right to the Rip RIde Rockit roller coaster if it's open. We got to the parks around 10, and the Rockit line was only 15 minutes for our first two rides. We probably could have down more with minimal waits, but it had some down time so the line grew.
Step Two: Do other rides at the Studio till lunch time. We did the singles line at Men in Black, but we also love Revenge of the Mummy and the Terminator show.
Step Three: Have a late lunch at Universal, CityWalk or Islands of Adventure. We had a nice sit-down meal at FInnegan's in the Studio.
Step Four: Head to the Wizarding World. There was no line to get in, the butterbeer lines were minimal and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey was initially posted at 20 mins, although it eventually went up to 45. The single riders line was almost non-existent, and there were no lines for Flight of the Hippogriff or Dragon Challenge. The only thing that finally drove us away was thunder and dark clouds fast approaching as it got closer to 4 p.m.
Crowds can vary day by day, but late August and September are ideal times for the parks. Let the inital morning Harry Potter rush die down, then head over to Islands of Adventure and you might well be rewarded with minimal crowds and maximum fun.
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