Bag and Wand question

[winnapooh]

We are going to Universal for the first time, and being used to Disneys bag policy on rides, I’m trying to figure out what to do with a wand on rides?

I’m planning to wear a running belt under my shirt to store my phone and wallet and my daughter will have a lanyard that also allows her wand to hang from it. But can we take that on rides (not the metal detector rides, but other ones like the Harry Potter ones)?

I searched here and elsewhere but haven’t really found a good answer!

 

[CAPSLOCK]

I have no actual knowledge. But the more I think about it, a wand on a lanyard has a lot of play to swing around and might be a safety hazard. I can definitely see them saying no to it on Hagrids or Mummy. I wouldn't want to be whacked by a rogue wand at speed, but you also wouldn't want it to get caught on a mechanism and yank on her neck... that would be terrible.

It might also depend on the individual team member. I have a little camera pouch that clips on a beltloop with a carabiner. It does fit in my pocket, so if a TM asks I will cram it in there for the ride. But it's maybe 5% of TMs that say anything, most of them let it ride just clipped on. They will tell you at the line entrance if they think anything shouldn't be carried onto the ride, so you can always put it in the locker at that point.

 

[Skippyboo]

They are going to make you put wands and such in a ride locker. I would bring a drawstring bag or some other bag that you can lay flat to put your stuff in. The ride lockers aren’t super tall so a really stuffed backpack isn’t going to fit in the free ones.

You use your park ticket to open the locker so you need to keep that. That’s why you see people at Universal with lanyards with a zipper pocket for their tickets.

 

[Kit Jackson]

Put it in the locker. Using lockers at Universal tends to give WDW regulars more anxiety than stress than it should. It's something new/different, but it is not that big a deal. The lockers are free and close to the rides if not something you pass as part of the queue. It does not take that much time to put something into or take something out of the locker. I've used the lockers and I never felt like I was wasting valuable park time using the locker.

I take the same crossbody bags to the parks that I use in my regular life and I have never had a problem with the bag fitting. I lay the bag on the side instead of having it stand up, because the lockers are deep but not that tall. For me, I care more about having things with me so that I can get them the moment I need/want them, which is why I take a bag.

 

[Keladry84]

As others have said, I'd just use the free lockers for the wand, and use the lanyard for the park ticket to open it. Honestly, I'd leave the phone, etc. in there too. It beats the worry that something could happen to it on the ride. The lockers are easy and quick. Just make sure anything you will store in there doesn't have a lot of height.

 

[mom2rtk]

I wouldn't want to take the wand on the ride anyway. Too much chance of hitting it on something and damaging it.

 

[Skywalker3]

I would not take that on the rides there that offer lockers, even if we could. While I do leave a few things like my wallet and phone in my pockets, IF they are deep enough, I don't take any kind of bag, large item, hat, etc. I do wear a lanyard w my ticket/AP, room key, etc. and tuck it under my shirt.
DH has taken a fanny pack on rides like FJ, Gringotts, etc. no issues, DS had his hat on Hagrid's last time, and before loading, TMs made him take it off, he tucked it under shirt, but still had a bit of time, making sure it didn't get out during the ride.
Lockers are just a part of it, often due to the intensity or mechanisms of the rides. The intensity makes them extra fun, and I wouldn't want to be worried whole time about losing items, etc. Often it's much easier to enjoy the ride if things are in lockers.
Hope you have a fabulous first trip!!!

 

[nighttowll]

Even if I could, I wouldn't want to take a wand on a ride with me. Too great a chance of injuring yourself or the wand getting lost or broken. The lockers aren't that big of a deal. We try to avoid using them just because it's one less thing to deal with, but if you have to use one, it won't add but a couple of minutes if anything to your wait.

As far as just keeping up with the wands the rest of the time. My last trip I saw quite a few people wearing wand holsters, and they were even selling them in the Lost Continent. No idea how well they work, but might be worth a look if you won't have a bag to throw the wand in. I'd trust that more than simply trying to tie one off a lanyard.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

We have a DCL sling bag that we used last trip, and I saw several other park goers with the exact same bag. The tallest side is just long enough for a wand or two to fit, and it fits nicely in the lockers. We used lockers for the bag for every HP ride except the train, all the coasters, and MiB. I once lost a pair of sunglasses on a ride, and when I went to the Lost and Found that night in hopes of retrieving them, the bags of stuff the TMs brought from each ride was substantial, and I have no idea what percentage is ever recovered by the owners. I was lucky to get mine back, but it's not worth the risk to save yourself one minute, in my opinion.

 

[kbelle8995]

I used a sling bag on my trip as well. Fitted my wand perfectly. and it was easy to carry