Wizarding World - Diagon Alley Discussion - Part 3

[spencem]

Last I checked they were running 5 trains with 80-90sec dispatches, about 50% max capacity.

Thanks for that, looking encouraging for my trip at the end of August. We have three nights at the Hard Rock, so with the lower crowds and early entry we should be able to get a couple of rides in I hope, especially if they keep increasing capacity.

 

[TylerDurden]

Ok, The World Cup is over and Universal is still a pretty bearable place to be. Ive heard from upper level people that theyve been forcing a lot of areas to cut down on hours because theyre actually overstaffed. Something is fishy with that, unless Universal got overzealous in scheduling TMs. But a park with a brand new expansion shouldnt have a hard time paying their help. Something is up....

 

[Frogki]

Well it's smart business to cut hours if you don't need the help you expected, I can't imagine it's because they can't pay them. Just sounds like crowds are acting oddly this year. I'm sure some people decided to do other things since they weren't sure about HP... But it does seem strange that a highly anticipated expansion isn't bringing in the crowds as expected.

 

[Teebin]

Well it's smart business to cut hours if you don't need the help you expected, I can't imagine it's because they can't pay them. Just sounds like crowds are acting oddly this year. I'm sure some people decided to do other things since they weren't sure about HP... But it does seem strange that a highly anticipated expansion isn't bringing in the crowds as expected.

The news about the ride wait times cannot be helping things. It used to be we could say the average person wouldn't know about these things but today with apps and twitter and facebook... news travels fast. I have no interest in visiting until they get that ride under control.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Ok, The World Cup is over and Universal is still a pretty bearable place to be. Ive heard from upper level people that theyve been forcing a lot of areas to cut down on hours because theyre actually overstaffed. Something is fishy with that, unless Universal got overzealous in scheduling TMs. But a park with a brand new expansion shouldnt have a hard time paying their help. Something is up....

Universal has increased hours. Nothing I hear says universal is cutting hours back nor staffing.

Let me explain. Universal has been opening earlier since Diagon opened and it's now standard process. Universal might be adjust evening hours and staffing, which is what you might be hearing. Universal is doing very well, and the lack of lines (minus Gringotts) is due to UC learning from their Hogsmeade mistakes.

 

[Frogki]

I didn't even think about the publicity of the wait times for Gringotts, that makes the most sense. If I didn't have an AP, my family would be sayin screw it an waiting until next summer. As it is I'm avoiding the nonsense until August, just going to hit Islands before the end of the month.

 

[NJBrandon]

Why would we want a park that is unbearable? If I want to feel like a heard of cattle heading to the slaughter, I'll go to Magic Kingdom.

 

[JungleSkip]

USF also has the second highest OHRC in Orlando. The park handles crowds better than everywhere besides the Magic Kingdom

 

[Quint]

Park opening for hotel guests will roll back to 8am and general admission 9am soon.

2 weeks notice is not enough notice. Expect heavy attendance in November/December.

 

[TylerDurden]

Universal has increased hours. Nothing I hear says universal is cutting hours back nor staffing.

Let me explain. Universal has been opening earlier since Diagon opened and it's now standard process. Universal might be adjust evening hours and staffing, which is what you might be hearing. Universal is doing very well, and the lack of lines (minus Gringotts) is due to UC learning from their Hogsmeade mistakes.

I know theyre doing well, spending is pretty solid in most places around the park. Im just surprised that managers have been actively calling TMs telling them not to come in or getting orders to slash hours. I dont think this was a problem any other summer, why would this be the case during the summer of their biggest expansion? Im not doubting the success of Diagom, just genuinely curious. I dont really get what youre saying about morning hours because the rest of the park sans Diagon is opening no earlier than normal, and the rest of the park is where theyre seemingly overstaffed. I still think people are just scared of crowds and not coming.

- - - Updated - - -

Park opening for hotel guests will roll back to 8am and general admission 9am soon.

2 weeks notice is not enough notice. Expect heavy attendance in November/December.

Agreed...but Universal should have predicted this instead of going out of their way to take measures that were unwarranted (scheduling too many people, and even little things like having all the extended queues set up).

 

[s8film40]

Predicting the attendance for an opening like this is virtually impossible. There are really only two outcomes they are either not prepared and overwhelmed or prepared and overstaffed and able to cut some hours. It's obvious that the crowds were lighter than their worst fears. It doesn't mean it's not busy.

 

[TylerDurden]

^its not "opening"...that was more than a week ago. I guess they took a better-safe-than-sorry approach. On paper it seems bewildering. But what do I know about running a theme park lol

 

[Mad Dog]

It seems I remember this very same discussion on these forums last year for the month after Transformers opened, ie. parks not as crowded as expected, merchandise & food sales under expectations etc., but then the Universal execs publicly stated that Transformers had increased Studios attendance by 25%. Some of this staffing may just be normal adjustments after the expected chaos of opening week and a different crowd flow than before expansion. I fully expect a huge spike in attendance. Two things in particular, 1)Diagon, London & Hogwarts have huge capacity, and if rest of the Studios appears to be normal than that's a lot of extra attendance. 2) Potter now has two locations, so if they're both fairly busy, that's a heck of a lot of people occupied by Potter.....If both parks are fairly busy, that's a big plus since Studios attendance was flat or slow when Hogsmeade opened, so you really only had one busy park in 2010.

 

[Prototype_82]

So they say it's a family-friendly ride but Gringotts is rather rough and jerky. (and I'd have it no other way.) However, I'm bringing my 14-year old cousin who has cerebral palsy this weekend and she is a massive Harry Potter fan. She has a hard to controlling her head and neck movement. Would the whiplash be too much on her? I remember experiencing one large drop and the rest is spinning and simulation - would they allow a rider to wear a neck brace? and if not, would you guys thing she'd be okay on it?

 

[Teebin]

So they say it's a family-friendly ride but Gringotts is rather rough and jerky. (and I'd have it no other way.) However, I'm bringing my 14-year old cousin who has cerebral palsy this weekend and she is a massive Harry Potter fan. She has a hard to controlling her head and neck movement. Would the whiplash be too much on her? I remember experiencing one large drop and the rest is spinning and simulation - would they allow a rider to wear a neck brace? and if not, would you guys thing she'd be okay on it?

I would go with the neck brace... telling them that it isn't there for an injury, but merely support.

 

[s8film40]

^its not "opening"...that was more than a week ago. I guess they took a better-safe-than-sorry approach. On paper it seems bewildering. But what do I know about running a theme park lol

I was referring to the opening month. It will take far longer for an expansion like this to completely stabilize. Probably the whole first year will be fairly unpredictable.

 

[Skipper Justin]

The park has been very busy today overall, although the lines have not been crazy. Forbidden Journey seemed to stay at 40-60 mins all day and the Hogwarts express at 30-40.
I'm currently in the line for Gringotts and it was moving fairly fast at first. It has been down for the last 20 mins.

 

[Grumpy73]

Universal has increased hours. Nothing I hear says universal is cutting hours back nor staffing.

I can attest to the cutting hours as my son works there and has been told on more than one occasion to not come back to work when clocking out for break (and early too not evening time), personally I think maybe they just overstaffed preparing for the worst case scenario and he's seasonal therefore "bottom of the totem pole"...

 

[Skipper Justin]

Left Cabana bay at 5:50 this morning. Arrived at Universal at around 6:10. I was in the line for Gringotts by 6:55. I was able to ride Gringotts 3 times in a row in the front (one of those was in single rider). As I was leaving the third time the wait time was posted at 120 mins at around 7:45. The early morning perk is definitely worth it.

 

[UNC2014]

Left Cabana bay at 5:50 this morning. Arrived at Universal at around 6:10. I was in the line for Gringotts by 6:55. I was able to ride Gringotts 3 times in a row in the front (one of those was in single rider). As I was leaving the third time the wait time was posted at 120 mins at around 7:45. The early morning perk is definitely worth it.

I'm staying at Cabana Bay July 31st-August 4th. Your post confused me a little. I thought hotel guests were let in only an hour early (so 8am). Is this not the case? Thanks!