I decided to go to Universal Monday night since there were tons of sources that indicated that the new Harry Potter expansion - Diagon Alley was open under a "soft opening" status. Basically they open it up for the park guests at 7pm and everything in the new "land" would be available...all the stores and eateries, even some shows and the Hogwart's Express train (for guests with dual-park access), except for the Gringotts roller coaster ride.
As you'll see in the video below, I set out towards the park at 7:30. Once there, saw a large crowd but luckily they were headed OUT. Got to King's Cross station in "London" and the wait time for Hogwart's Express was only 10 minutes!
Hogwart's Express was okay but nothing exciting. After experiencing it once, I think I'd only go on it again as a lazy way to move from one park to the other. The queue was about 10 minutes but once seated it took about 5 minutes for it to get going and then the slow moving train took another 10 minutes or so for you to arrive at the other park, during which you watched, through the fake window, the English countryside roll by as you made your way north to Hogsmede.
Once I arrived at Hogsmede (aka the back side of IOA) I decided I'd make it faster back to the original park and Diagon Alley (on the back side of that park) on foot. It took me about 15 minutes total and I got a bit of a power-walk workout as well.
By now it was about 8:30, it was getting dark and I had about an hour and a half left before the park closed. Let me tell you, like I say in my outro on the video, Diagon Alley is awesome at night. Of course this was my first time here so I couldn't say for certain, but based on videos I'd seen of it during the daytime, the magic of the place really stands out at night, IMHO. The attention to detail is astounding. Everywhere you look there's something to see. What spectacle! And the fire-breathing dragon? Wow!
One sad side note: Though Gringotts wouldn't be open 'till morning, I tried out a test seat. Not good. I don't think I'd fit. Oh shit, here we go again. It took me 3 years before I could fit on the other awesome HP ride, Forbidden Journey. How long for this now?
As you'll see in the video below, I set out towards the park at 7:30. Once there, saw a large crowd but luckily they were headed OUT. Got to King's Cross station in "London" and the wait time for Hogwart's Express was only 10 minutes!
Hogwart's Express was okay but nothing exciting. After experiencing it once, I think I'd only go on it again as a lazy way to move from one park to the other. The queue was about 10 minutes but once seated it took about 5 minutes for it to get going and then the slow moving train took another 10 minutes or so for you to arrive at the other park, during which you watched, through the fake window, the English countryside roll by as you made your way north to Hogsmede.
Once I arrived at Hogsmede (aka the back side of IOA) I decided I'd make it faster back to the original park and Diagon Alley (on the back side of that park) on foot. It took me about 15 minutes total and I got a bit of a power-walk workout as well.
By now it was about 8:30, it was getting dark and I had about an hour and a half left before the park closed. Let me tell you, like I say in my outro on the video, Diagon Alley is awesome at night. Of course this was my first time here so I couldn't say for certain, but based on videos I'd seen of it during the daytime, the magic of the place really stands out at night, IMHO. The attention to detail is astounding. Everywhere you look there's something to see. What spectacle! And the fire-breathing dragon? Wow!
One sad side note: Though Gringotts wouldn't be open 'till morning, I tried out a test seat. Not good. I don't think I'd fit. Oh shit, here we go again. It took me 3 years before I could fit on the other awesome HP ride, Forbidden Journey. How long for this now?