Is Universal worth it if you've never see or read Harry Potter?

[AEK]

My kids haven't read Harry Potter.. We watched the first film before going to universal . We really enjoyed Harry Potter, the kids all had magic wands and enjoyed the spells etc. The rides and theming were great.

[wanye]

i've been 8 times in the last 10 years or so, and still never seen or read any potter stuff (actually, not true anymore, i watched fantastic beasts last year, but does that really count?)

we see the 2 week pass not as wasting days if we don't go for all 14... but as long as we go at least 3 times in those 2 weeks, we've got our moneys worth. any more days spent there than that are a bonus.

we've only ever got the 2-park tickets, not really any interest in water parks. we usually do one day per park, then a third day hopping between the two, going on any rides we missed the first time round (or wanted to do again)

if i'd never been before, i'd say 2 days in each park should be enough for most, and an extra day to mop up what got missed due to large queues or something.

(i've also never read dr seuss, and seuss landing is my favourite area of the park!)

[novocastrian]

Originally Posted by loldis

I don't like Universal but it's nothing to do with my lack of interest in HP. Most of the rides are simulators which I don't enjoy. And outside of the HP areas, it lacks the theming of the Disney parks which is what I like most.

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total myth, there are 3 simulators at universal, the rest are dark rides with screens & physical rides... the best ride in disney is a simulator but no one bats an eyelid/moans..

anyway

for the OP absolutely go, ive probably watched the first Harry Potter film in its entirety and dipped in/out a few others. still enjoyed the rides and the overall area's . very well done and imo streets ahead of disney

i have said this before but how many people have actually watched song of the south ? but love splash mountain..?

[BevS97]

We felt like there were too many simulators. We did Simpson’s. Jimmy gallon and minions and to me they were all exactly the same. There’s also Shrek.


As for Harry Potter. These parts are superb. We really just went for Harry and we weren’t disappointed. I would read the first book or watch the film. The first book is an easy read and there are so many details from the books in the parks that it would enhance the experience for me.

[novocastrian]

^ yep so 3 , 4 if you count shrek ?

[BevS97]

Why wouldn’t you count shrek. And yes I think 3 identical
Rides in a park is too many.

We don’t do the big coasters like rip ride rocket or hulk. So I didn’t feel there was much middle of the road stuff.
At Disney we will ride everything and they have quite a few family friendly rides. Things like Pirates, or Test track that are fun but not big coasters. I don’t mind a simulator but not three which are all the same format. Even the ride vehicles are very similiar.

[Scaramouche]

Too many simulators and screens for me.

Simpson’s, transformers, minions, shrek, fast and furious, Kong, forbidden journey, Spider-Man, Jimmy Fallon, Men in Black, Gringotts all include screens.

That only leaves Rip Ride Rocket, Hulk, Flight of the Hippogrif and The Mummyf that I can think of off the top of my head (plus the water rides) that are screen free.

I know men in Black, Gringotts there is more to it, however the screens still make us feel sick when incorporated with the others.

There’s other things to see other than Harry Potter - if you’ve never been it’s worth going . But don’t exclude the Harry Potter bits just because you’ve never seen it

[novocastrian]

Originally Posted by BevS97

Why wouldn’t you count shrek. And yes I think 3 identical
Rides in a park is too many.

We don’t do the big coasters like rip ride rocket or hulk. So I didn’t feel there was much middle of the road stuff.
At Disney we will ride everything and they have quite a few family friendly rides. Things like Pirates, or Test track that are fun but not big coasters. I don’t mind a simulator but not three which are all the same format. Even the ride vehicles are very similiar.

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shrek is more like a theatre show than a ride iirc , could be wrong cant recall last time we went in?

i dont think 3 'similar' rides is too many across 2 massive parks but hey we cant all agree on everything...

[Scaramouche]

Originally Posted by novocastrian

shrek is more like a theatre show than a ride iirc , could be wrong cant recall last time we went in?

i dont think 3 'similar' rides is too many across 2 massive parks but hey we cant all agree on everything...

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Personally though it’s the screens. 3D screens make me sick

[BevS97]

They are all in the same park. We quite enjoyed islands of adventure and found a variety of rides there.
Somehow we missed Transformers I’ve read it’s likr Spider-Man so I think we would have liked it.

Shrek is a movie with individual seats that move. I rode it in the stationary seats when my kids were little so I don’t know how much the seats move. But I assume if they offer stationary they must move a fair bit.