So in answer to yesterdays question – where were all the people? The correct answer was in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios. We arrived at the park before opening time and people were already streaming through the gates with only one destination in mind. Very few were pealing off to go to other rides and no-one dallied through Dr. Seuss land. All with good reason – this new area looked just great with Hogwarts looking just fantastic. However, it quickly became apparent that there were an awful lot of people in a very small area trying to get onto only three rides.
We made straight for Hogwarts and the ride held within its walls without really knowing what the ride was! The park had only been open ten minutes but already the wait time for The Forbidden Journey was 45 minutes. The queuing was made tolerable by taking us through the halls of Hogwarts and back outside to the greenhouses of the herbology classes. There were some great touches here with Dawn French moving in the painting on the entrance to Gryffindor and the like. The ride was a journey through some of the better know areas and themes of Harry Potter on what was a cross between a roller coaster and a simulator (or a cross between Soarin’ and the Simpsons ride if you have been). I think that we all agreed that we enjoyed it but we wouldn’t rush to go back to it – which is just as well given the wait time when we existed was already up to 90 minutes.
Helen and Alex then went onto a small Harry Potter themed roller-coaster while Mat and I hit the shops or at least we would have done if there wasn’t queues for them. People were queueing for the merchandise shops. Let me just repeat that. People were queueing for the MERCHANDISE SHOPS! By this time the place was heaving and we were happy to get out of there. Will we go back, probably, but we will have to get there even earlier next time I think.
You can see some pictures by clicking here.
