can I see Forbiden Journey without actually riding

[mesaboy2]

What I meant was, Maybe the castle should have been an attraction in it's own right. FJ could have been put somewhere else and the castle used for walk through tours only!

I'm not sure I understand what the advantage would be to the current setup. Would you make a second walk-through attraction with the same or similar queue elements (at significant cost), or would you have people going on FJ just walk through some plain double-doors right onto the ride? Is there something about the current setup that doesn't let you see pretty much everything already? Just wondering....

 

[Orangeandwild]

Where should we ask for the "Castle tour" only? Neither my DH or I are physcially able to ride FJ and we just want to see the inside of the castle.

When we have been there they keep saying we need to get in the regular line and not one TM has directed us to a special line so I figure there must be a certain place you have to ask. After three trips this time we are seeing the castle

 

[SrisonS]

Where should we ask for the "Castle tour" only? Neither my DH or I are physcially able to ride FJ and we just want to see the inside of the castle.

When we have been there they keep saying we need to get in the regular line and not one TM has directed us to a special line so I figure there must be a certain place you have to ask. After three trips this time we are seeing the castle

The people inside should've directed you the the tour line. Maybe you ran into new people!?!?! But when you first enter the castle, that special line is to the right of the main line. It's usually roped off; but they move it so you can enter.

 

[damo]

What I meant was, Maybe the castle should have been an attraction in it's own right. FJ could have been put somewhere else and the castle used for walk through tours only!

I see what you mean but this is a theme park and it is Islands of Adventure. Theme parks don't spend a ton of money on walk through attractions and the "adventure" is not there if you are just looking at the rooms inside the castle.

One of the main differences between Disney and Universal, in my opinion, is that Universal is more about the rides and the experience where Disney is more about what you are looking at and not the ride itself. There was no way that Universal was going to sink such a ton of money into something without making the ride part adventurous and memorable.

The present setup allows the best of both worlds.

Also, the ride itself takes up a ton of space. To have both the castle and the ride with substantial queue space would not have been possible in the present footprint of the area.

 

[mesaboy2]

Where should we ask for the "Castle tour" only? Neither my DH or I are physcially able to ride FJ and we just want to see the inside of the castle.

When we have been there they keep saying we need to get in the regular line and not one TM has directed us to a special line so I figure there must be a certain place you have to ask. After three trips this time we are seeing the castle

The people inside should've directed you the the tour line. Maybe you ran into new people!?!?! But when you first enter the castle, that special line is to the right of the main line. It's usually roped off; but they move it so you can enter.

SrisonS is right. There should be a TM stationed immediately after the locker area. From that point there are three different queues: the main queue is straight ahead and slightly left, the single-rider queue is left (at your "9-o'clock") up some stairs, and the castle tour queue is straight ahead and slightly right up some different stairs. The TM will remove the rope for the castle tour queue if you tell them that's what you want to do.

The only major area you will miss in the castle tour queue vice the main queue is the greenhouse/outdoor area, but in my opinion that isn't a big deal. You will also see a different (not better nor worse) portrait room.

 

[cigar95]

SrisonS is right. There should be a TM stationed immediately after the locker area. From that point there are three different queues: . . . . .

Also important to note that if the main line extends past the locker area out toward the front gates of the castle, as it will on all but rather slow days, you shouldn't have to wait in this line just to do a Castle Tour.

Normally there will also be a TM or two at the castle gates - speak to them and they should let you bypass the line to get to the "split point". (Not clear to me if you can do the same bypass for single-rider or not - I haven't tried it.)

 

[mesaboy2]

Also important to note that if the main line extends past the locker area out toward the front gates of the castle, as it will on all but rather slow days, you shouldn't have to wait in this line just to do a Castle Tour.

Normally there will also be a TM or two at the castle gates - speak to them and they should let you bypass the line to get to the "split point". (Not clear to me if you can do the same bypass for single-rider or not - I haven't tried it.)

You can and I have, but obviously only if you don't have bags. Good point!

 

[Orangeandwild]

Thanks so much for the quick good answers, now I know for sure how to get to the Castle tour