Bags on Rides (with and without Lockers)

[Excited123]

Hi there!

I'm going to Universal Orlando in two weeks and really excited! But at the same time I'm feeling somewhat nervous about their bag policy.
I've read a couple of threads in this forum about taking bags on the rides and this has helped me out. Now I know that I am not allowed to take any loose items on the rides with metal detectors (Hulk + RRR) and no bag on the ones with free lockers (Gringotts, MIB, Mummy, Forbidden Journey).

But I still have a few questions, and I hope someone can answer them for me.

1. What about the other rides? Do they allow bags of all sizes on all the other rides? I am thinking about taking either a small backpack or a cross body bag. Is that ok for the other rides?

2. Are the lockers really safe? Since I am travelling alone, I have to put my phone into the lockers and that worries me a lot! Did you ever get something stolen from a locker? Also, I read that I might be able to put my phone in my pockets for the rides without the metal detectors. Is that still true?

3. I was planning to put my park tickets and possibly a credit card and some dollar bills into a lanyard. I've read that lanyards are ok on the metal detector rides as well. However, is that really secure so that nothing can fall out off the pouch attached to the lanyard? And could a credit card get damaged by going through a metal detector?

I hope you can give me some clarity! Thanks so much in advance, this is a really helpful forum!

 

[schumigirl]

Gringotts, MiB and the others you mentioned allow three prong clasped fanny packs.

Rides like ET and Jurassic Park for example, you can wear bags like you described........Dr Doom has a tray at the the bottom you put everything in before you sit in the seat.

Lockers are safe. Never had any issue in all the years we’ve used them.

We use lanyards and carry the things you mentioned......never had any issues either, we tuck our lanyards into tops on coasters and we’ve never lost one yet.......

 

[CAPSLOCK]

You can ride the locker rides with whatever fits in your pockets. Had a phone and small camera in mine, 'twas no problem.

The lockers are safe - you need your park ticket or locker # and fingerprint for access.

 

[Beer Me]

I carry a small back pack. Rides that don’t allow it will have lockers.

Don’t be anxious about the lockers. After you do it once or twice you realize it’s no problem.

As far as safety - they seem safe - never heard of an issue but I suppose there is an element of trust involved. Personally I’ve put phones, wallets etc in them without a care.

 

[Disxuni]

Speaking as someone who often goes to the parks alone and has used lockers more times than I can count: Yes, they're safe.

The lockers are absolutely safe and honestly, I prefer having a few items on me than a bag to try to keep it with me.

First, having a bag means you'll have to wait in all the regular bag check lines.
- No bag line is shorter and easier. No chit chat, plop all my things in a basket, walk through, pick up, and walk away.
Second, easier to keep track of the less you have: Phone, keys, wallet into the locker -- Done.
Third, I do not have a bag to baby sit and worry about when I put it here, there, anywhere, because even if you have something like a fanny pack not all rides allow you to keep it on.

 

[CyndiLooWho]

I carry a smallish, but not too small crossbody and took it on everything (we didn't ride the metal detector rides). Mine converts to a 3 prong "waist pack" that is just a little more stylish than a fanny pack. But my guys just wear cargo shorts and do great with their stuff.

Universal has an amazing selection of lanyards, but I bought zip-lock style pouches to hang from them bc I like them better than what comes with the Universal lanyards. Got mine from Amazon, but they are readily available all over the internet.

 

[Excited123]

First of all, thank you for all your helpful responses! I feel a lot safer about the lockers now.

Concerning lanyards, do you all use ziplock pouches on your lanyards or also the "normal" ones without a ziplock? I have a lanyard here from a conference, but it does not have a ziplock. Is that still ok on rides or do you think things might fall out? (As you can tell, I don't go to theme parks that often, so I tend to worry a lot about those things )

First, having a bag means you'll have to wait in all the regular bag check lines.
- No bag line is shorter and easier. No chit chat, plop all my things in a basket, walk through, pick up, and walk away.
Second, easier to keep track of the less you have: Phone, keys, wallet into the locker -- Done.
Third, I do not have a bag to baby sit and worry about when I put it here, there, anywhere, because even if you have something like a fanny pack not all rides allow you to keep it on.

What do you mean with bag lines? Is this referring to the lines in front of the lockers, or are there actually separate lines for riders with or without a bag at all the attractions?

I feel like taking a small bag with me is better for me than trying to fit everything into my pockets since I'd like to take a few snacks to save some money for food, and bring things like sunglasses and sunscreen. I am staying off site, so I don't have the option of going back to the hotel in the middle of the day and then returning to the park.

 

[macraven]

I always write the locker number on my hand
I sometimes forget my locker number

 

[CAPSLOCK]

What do you mean with bag lines?

Refers to the security to get into City Walk and UO complex. The line is longer if you have a bag that needs to be searched instead of just walking through the metal detector. Tends to be a once-a-day inconvenience.

 

[Excited123]

Refers to the security to get into City Walk and UO complex. The line is longer if you have a bag that needs to be searched instead of just walking through the metal detector. Tends to be a once-a-day inconvenience.

Oh, I see. Thanks, that makes a lot more sense now!

So what about bags on the other rides (except for the ones with free lockers and Doctor Doom), can I just take a small bag on those?

 

[Disxuni]

Refers to the security to get into City Walk and UO complex. The line is longer if you have a bag that needs to be searched instead of just walking through the metal detector. Tends to be a once-a-day inconvenience.

Avoiding it / lessening the time helps when you feel anxiety and claustrophobic when being surrounded.

OP might not care, but just in case, we all know it isn't just one line. It's multiple lines that are insanely long depending on what time you get there, they're all next to each other, feels as if everyone is pushing and shoving, and while it's relatively big area, it's still in a convened space.

That's why if I can avoid it, or go through that area as quickly as possible, I do, by not having a bag.

However, there are times I have to bring a bag and if I do, I go very early to still avoid it.

 

[bchbetha]

For amusement parks, I have some fantastic Athleta skorts with cargo pockets. I can carry my phone (which I always double ziplock baggie if I plan to go on any wet rides), a few ibuprofen, lip gloss, small tube of sunscreen, a few Ibuprofen, credit card, driver's license and money. The pockets zip close so no worries. I absolutely love not having to deal with bags. Doesn't help on empty pocket rides but a time saver otherwise.

 

[PHXscuba]

I have bad luck with the fingerprint locks on the lockers. I have had to get an employee to help me get things out multiple times. Usually if they master-unlock it they want you to unlock your phone to prove it's your stuff. Having a family picture as my lock screen also satisfied them!

If you are traveling with a group give all the stuff to one person to put in a locker and don't crowd the locker areas. That's the most annoying thing about the lockers, especially in the HP areas.

And lanyards with ziplock closures are the best for putting ticket and Express pass in.

PHXscuba

 

[georgina]

The FJ lockers are the only ones that still use fingerprints. As far as remembering, with the ticket scan lockers if you go to the wrong terminal, it will tell you where you belong!

I guess I have never been to Universal when the security lines were very long for bag check. It has always been fairly quick and painless for me.

 

[CyndiLooWho]

We do the 2nd week in June when we go to Orlando, and I always have a small park bag. The bag lines have never been outrageously long for us; the guys usually wait less than 5 min for me to get through (they do cargo pockets).

 

[Kara315]

Gringotts, MiB and the others you mentioned allow three prong clasped fanny packs.

Rides like ET and Jurassic Park for example, you can wear bags like you described........Dr Doom has a tray at the the bottom you put everything in before you sit in the seat.

Lockers are safe. Never had any issue in all the years we’ve used them.

We use lanyards and carry the things you mentioned......never had any issues either, we tuck our lanyards into tops on coasters and we’ve never lost one yet.......

I was thinking of doing a lanyard with my cards and just have my mom keep my phone in her bag. What size is your pouch on your lanyard? Do you have just cards in it or your phone too?

They allow them as long as they are tucked in?

Thanks

 

[schumigirl]

I was thinking of doing a lanyard with my cards and just have my mom keep my phone in her bag. What size is your pouch on your lanyard? Do you have just cards in it or your phone too?

They allow them as long as they are tucked in?

Thanks

Yes, lanyards are fine for the metal detector rides, but not the ones with phones as phones aren’t allowed on those two rides. We just tuck ours into our tops as they can fly off.

Our lanyards only fit cards...Room key and AP.......the pouch is clear plastic and just slightly larger than the cards. And we don’t carry a phone with us so don’t have to worry about that.....

 

[Mark Hammond]

First, having a bag means you'll have to wait in all the regular bag check lines.
- No bag line is shorter and easier. No chit chat, plop all my things in a basket, walk through, pick up, and walk away.
Second, easier to keep track of the less you have: Phone, keys, wallet into the locker -- Done.

Do you still have to go through the bag line with a waist-pack?

 

[schumigirl]

Do you still have to go through the bag line with a waist-pack?

Yes you do.

 

[Disxuni]

Do you still have to go through the bag line with a waist-pack?

As @schumigirl said yes, but I also wanted to add that if you have something as much as a wallet with a zipper they'll make you unzip it.

Now while you can still get in the non-bag line with a wallet like that, however it's just something to add as when I had my wallet that did that, most of the time they just let my wallet go, but I've had a few people that still made me unzip it prior to walking through the scanner. Which still doesn't make sense to me since it's supposedly going through an airport security-like scan device anyway.