by robbalvey » Tue Jul 08, 2014 12:04 pm

Here is the actual entrance. I think if all the people try to pour through this at one time it might have been trouble!

Even the wand shops were not that busy!

Some of the street entertainment includes jazz music from the Celestina show! Great stuff!

NOTE: Click HERE for our report from the Diagon Alley Media Day!Just returned from the opening day of Diagon Alley - Here are some of my quick thoughts:- While there were a lot of people there, the crowds were nowhere NEAR what I was expecting.- I wasn't actually expecting to even get into the area today, nor get on the ride, and I did both with minimal wait, especially for an opening day of such an insanely hyped up attraction.- I'm not a Potter person, and while much of the "story" of the ride was lost on me, I actually liked it, much better than Forbidden Journey.- Gringotts is BARELY a roller coaster. It has a small coaster section, about the size of half of Hollywood's Mummy backward section or maybe ... *maybe* as long as the coaster section of Journey to Atlantis (Orlando version.)- The ride is mostly a Spider-Man/Indy type of dark ride with 3-D media, physical sets, and motion vehicle movements. If you're expecting a roller coaster like "Mummy", that's not what this is. Not at all.- We ended up getting to the park at 7:15 in the morning, was let into Diagon Alley at 8:20, got in the single rider line for Gringotts at 8:55, and was done by 11:00am. I feel that's not bad at all for opening day!- From what we could tell it looked like they were running the ride at half capacity. They were only using one loading station and four ride vehicles. It also broke down (we think) five times during our two hour wait for probably an average of about 10 minutes. The single rider line actually was moving pretty quickly when the ride was working!Here are some photos and video clips from our morning...We arrived at 7:15am....Current crowd status entering at Universal Studios Orlando Citywalk ... NONE!Wow! Pathways leading up to at Universal Studios Orlando are empty! Was not expecting this!Special at Universal Studios Orlando park map for the opening of Diagon Alley.No line at the turnstiles right now! (Thanks to Attractions Magazine for this photo!Last chance to get your Coca-Cola products before entering the Coke-less world of Harry Potter!Current crowd to get into Diagon Alley only back to old Amity restrooms. Not bad at all! Was expecting much worse!Wizarding World of Harry Potter Diagon Alley is now OPEN!!!I see ClubTPR members in line for Diagon Alley! REPRESENT!2nd group walking into Diagon Alley now - 20 min after official opening.Letting crowd in through one of the exits to avoid crowd control issues.Current line for Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts wraps around huge area of Diagon AlleyLots of people inside Diagon Alley - Crowd not moving anywhere, though.Dragon fire in Diagon AlleyC'mon Dragon... You know you want some!!!Gringotts is open but line is sort of chaotic. No clue if we are waiting for the ride or not!Current wait 150 minutes. Mixed signals if single rider is open or not. No one seems to really know!"I breathe fire on you because that's what I do!"Currently waiting in a mass of people in line for Gringotts. Lots of line jumping. Very unorganized.Quick selfie with Michael Aiello and Patrick! Congrats on Diagon Alley guys!Temporary queue area now being set up for Gringotts. Park is starting to get the line under control now.Line for Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts now up to 300 minutes. Single Rider line OPEN!We've moved pretty far in the Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts single rider line in only 15 minutes!30 minutes in the Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts single rider line and almost to glasses pickup!We have our Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts goggles! Hope it won't be much longer now!The Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts goblin say it's a roller coaster! Credit whores rejoice!Been in Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts single rider line one hour. I think we are pretty close to riding!It looks like Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts spins!Final staircase in Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts single rider line took 90 min. Would've been faster but it's broken down a few times.Been just over two hours in the Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts single rider line and we are almost there!Only five people away! Almost time to ride Harry Potter and the Escape from GringottsI'm in the boarding area for Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts at Universal Studios Orlando Diagon Alley Next to ride!!!LOL! We are next to ride Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts and it just broke down again!And Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts is back up and running again!!Here is my mini-review of Gringott's:Just rode Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts at Universal Studios Florida. Quick review: liked it MUCH better than Forbidden Journey. To a non-Potter fan, the story made more sense and the effects were GREAT! Very little coaster section. About half the length of Hollywood's backwards Mummy section. It's honestly borderline a "coaster credit" but I feel it wouldn't be worth the argument for counting it or not. It's mostly a "Spider-Man/Indy" dark ride with 3-D media, physical sets, and motion effects. THUMBS UP!!!Current wait time for Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringottsat Universal Studios Orlando - 375 minutes!The rest of Diagon Alley does not appear that busy at the moment.Everyone is in line for Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts! Here's the overflow line outside of the main building.OMG!!! Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts line up to 450 minutes!The streets & shops of Diagon Alley have people, but they aren't as packed as I would have expected.Bethany making it rain on Matt from Attractions Magazine!Heading out of Diagon Alley Streets are not that busy... Everyone is in line for Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts!Current wait to get into the Diagon Alley area is 2 1/2 hours!My favorite shirt I've seen all day at Diagon Alley! Gotta pay respects to Jaws!Current wait times for other attractions.Universal is currently handing out return time tickets to get into Diagon AlleySo overall. We got to at Universal Studios Orlando at 7:30am. They opened the area at 8:05 after a short grand opening ceremony. Our group was let into Diagon Alley by 8:20. Rode Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts by 11am. Not a bad opening day!Huge thanks to Matt for Attractions Magazine hanging out with us today!NOTE: Click HERE for our report from the Diagon Alley Media Day!