A Queue Worth Waiting For...

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Hi all!

This is our first family trip to Universal, and I have only been there once... in 1991.

We have military freedom passes, and will be staying at RPR, so we will be getting the EPs.

However, prior to our stay at RPR, we'll be doing a family reunion for a week at a nearby resort. During that week, we plan on sneaking away from the family to spend an afternoon and/or evening at Universal, mainly for shows and Hagrids, so that we can concentrate on EP attractions when we have them.

What, if any, stand-by queues would be worth going through, knowing we'd be coming back within a week with EPs? And, how long of a wait would be too long to still be worth it?

Thanks!

 

[CAPSLOCK]

Honestly, none. You will get all the preshows with EP, and queues are designed so you will walk past the majority of interesting stuff (you can slow down to look, and let other EP users pass).

Unless you are a SUPER big Harry Potter fan & want to see the greenhouses, then Forbidden Journey. But if the queue is short, you don't see much of them anyways. Even in the Harry Potter rides, the EP queue goes through all the areas (minus the greenhouse, and maybe the mirror of Erised prop, I can't remember if EP goes past that) - you can normally walk right through with EP, but you can also take a moment to watch the little preshows spread throughout the queue. There are actually little "pause and watch" areas built into the EP queue at the preshows in the FJ line, to allow others to pass without disturbing you.

For Kong, there is a really neat shaman animatronic in the queue - the EP queue passes along the left side of the room, and you can stop and watch her or just keep right on going (EP normally is short enough that you might walk right past and not really notice - she is in the only indoor room where EP is adjacent to the standby queue - it'll be a whole room full of standby switchbacks with the shaman at the front of the room).

 

[Monykalyn]

I disagree with skipping queues if it is your first time-why the rush ALWAYS? Men in Black the majority of the story is in regular queue. Kong has neat interactive elements (though it is DARK lol). Spiderman has good queue either way. Gringotts -did preshow change? They aren't doing the photos before the vaults anymore I know? That was worthwhile, plus the "experience" of taking the elevator "down" to vaults (we do single rider so often I've forgotten what EP/regular queue are like . Mummy is also a neat queue for FULL story for first time-otherwise the last Brendan Frasier line doesn't make as much sense-skippable after that (or do single rider). Hulk is skippable for EP, Don't skip Raptor encounter!.
Ask for the tour at Jimmy Fallon-better than waiting as you get "backstage" then directly to ride.
If you want to play the game (interactive on Universal app-its actually kinda fun) then go through regular queue once for Minion blast.

The shows are good-Animal Actors, Horror make upshow (funny not really scary), Bourne are all good. Also LOVE Blues brothers and Beat Builders shows (street shows).
How many nights at RPR?
Up to 45 minutes for most is my limit -else I am doing single rider or -if after 4-using the EP with my annual pass.
have a great time!!

 

[CAPSLOCK]

Gringotts -did preshow change? They aren't doing the photos before the vaults anymore I know? That was worthwhile, plus the "experience" of taking the elevator "down" to vaults (we do single rider so often I've forgotten what EP/regular queue are like .

Photos before the vaults seems to be hit and miss (mostly miss, although to be fair I typically single rider Gringotts). EP gets the same elevator experience & preshow (I believe the merge is right before the elevator).

Men in Black the majority of the story is in regular queue.

I forgot about MiB! The whole intro is in the regular queue, you can still see the props & sets in EP but you do indeed miss the initial story.

Mummy is also a neat queue for FULL story for first time-otherwise the last Brendan Frasier line doesn't make as much sense

True, although unless the line is backed up pretty far you may miss that either way (or unless you stop to read stuff along the way). I certainly missed the whole backstory the first several times I rode (standby or single rider). The ambiance is top notch (and dark also, like Kong. Mummy is the single rider queue where I'm most likely to stumble into things, since your eyes don't have time to adjust). I can't remember how much of the backstory is also in the EP queue.

 

[Monykalyn]

Photos before the vaults seems to be hit and miss (mostly miss, although to be fair I typically single rider Gringotts). EP gets the same elevator experience & preshow (I believe the merge is right before the elevator).


I forgot about MiB! The whole intro is in the regular queue, you can still see the props & sets in EP but you do indeed miss the initial story.


True, although unless the line is backed up pretty far you may miss that either way (or unless you stop to read stuff along the way). I certainly missed the whole backstory the first several times I rode (standby or single rider). The ambiance is top notch (and dark also, like Kong. Mummy is the single rider queue where I'm most likely to stumble into things, since your eyes don't have time to adjust). I can't remember how much of the backstory is also in the EP queue.

OMG the Kong & Mummy queue are sooo dark!! I usually grab onto hubs shirt so I don't stumble. Those stairs in mummy I almost always trip up on them LOL

 

[Kit Jackson]

If you or anyone in the group is a major Harry Potter fan, doing the full queue for Forbidden Journey is totally worth waiting in a longer line.

 

[Planogirl]

OMG the Kong & Mummy queue are sooo dark!! I usually grab onto hubs shirt so I don't stumble. Those stairs in mummy I almost always trip up on them LOL

I have trouble in the Mummy queue too but luckily the flashing lights when people play with the “hand” helps.

 

[georgina]

OMG the Kong & Mummy queue are sooo dark!! I usually grab onto hubs shirt so I don't stumble. Those stairs in mummy I almost always trip up on them LOL

I always do Mummy SR line now and my eyes do not have enough time to adjust to the dark. I'm feeling around to figure out where the line goes, and have to watch out for the stairs.

If you or anyone in the group is a major Harry Potter fan, doing the full queue for Forbidden Journey is totally worth waiting in a longer line.

Totally agree. I always do the whole line at least once per trip, and stop in all the rooms (talking pictures, Dumbledore's office, DarkArts classroom) to listen, letting the line pass me by. Then you go by the Fat Lady on your way into the Gryffindor common room. People miss so much along the way.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Thanks all for the info. This is exactly what I was looking for.