Current IOA rope drop strategy

[JasonMak2000]

Wondering the best way to start the day at IOA. We will be there on a Sunday and have early access to IOA on that day. Trying to decide on starting with velocicoaster then doing hagrid's or the other way around. My concern is with Hagrid's not opening on time and wasting most of that first hour if we start there. Curious if Hagrid's is like Rise or Test Track and is inconsistent in its operation and starting time. Open to suggestions.

 

[ClapYourHands]

It can be inconsistent. Due to the complex nature of the ride, there are some mornings it needs extra warm up. But I think Velocicoaster is physically close enough that if Hagrid’s isn’t running, you could double back to Velocicoaster without being too far back in that queue.

On the other hand, if you are one of the very first people on Velocicoaster you can probably get through the queue pretty quickly for a second ride, which is also fantastic!

 

[cfoxga]

During peak times, if you go to Velocicoaster first, you can expect a very long line for Hagrids. Even though we are usually one of the first to enter, it is usually around a 90-120 minute wait time by the time we get off VC. We go during peak holiday seasons, so YMMV.

If you do Hagrids first and are early enough, you should have less than an hour wait on VC. So if you are going to do both, that is the order I'd do them...

 

[cfoxga]

During peak times, if you go to Velocicoaster first, you can expect a very long line for Hagrids. Even though we are usually one of the first to enter IOA, it is usually around a 90-120 minute wait time at Hagrids by the time we get off VC. We go during peak holiday seasons, so YMMV.

If you do Hagrids first and are early enough, you should have less than an hour wait on VC. So if you are going to do both, that is the order I'd do them...

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

So for IOA if we have more than one day/don’t travel on the HE from doing universal in the morning, I like to start at marvel superhero island and then hop around.

 

[Pooh's World]

Wondering the best way to start the day at IOA. We will be there on a Sunday and have early access to IOA on that day. Trying to decide on starting with velocicoaster then doing hagrid's or the other way around. My concern is with Hagrid's not opening on time and wasting most of that first hour if we start there. Curious if Hagrid's is like Rise or Test Track and is inconsistent in its operation and starting time. Open to suggestions.

You will want to do Hagrid's once during the morning and once at night when the lights come on.

Velloic I think also has shorter line cause some are scared to do Veloiccoaster plus it has a faster single rider line I believe. The Hagrid's single rider line is alot of times just as long as the regular line.

 

[ajsamett]

I rope dropped a few weeks ago. If you get there early (45 mins before opening), hit Hagrids first and then you can either get on the 2 other hp rides and wait till midday to do Velocicoaster or do Velocicoaster (probably at most a 30 mins late). As mentioned above, if Hagrids is too long or down you can always double back to do Velocicoaster. It really is a toss up how long it would be down if it's down in the morning, but if you are at the front of the line and it's not too much of a delay, the line will not get any shorter throughout the day

 

[boxer]

Dumb question--can you tell by standing in line in the morning (early entry) on how bad the Hagrids line will be? Meaning, if you are half-way back in the crowd at the gate, it will be minimum of 45min (example). We are there this Thursday--and like to ride them both--but prefer Velocicoaster if I had to choose. If a long Hagrids lines puts us way back at VC, then I'm going to skip it.

 

[ajsamett]

I'd say if by the time you get there in the morning, you are on the bridge waiting, don't bother hitting Hagrids first. Velocicoaster has a pretty quick line all morning so doing that after Hagrids shouldn't be too bad if it's still early entry. When I did rope drop, we were waiting about halfway onto the bridge (arrived at 735) and the app had a 70 min wait by the time we got to Hagrids. The line is pretty close to Velocicoaster though so we just turned around and waited like 10 mins for Velocicoaster (getting a "you made the right choice" nod from a TM). We got through Vel, Hippogriff and Forbidden Journey before park open and hit Hagrids before park close

 

[boxer]

I'd say if by the time you get there in the morning, you are on the bridge waiting, don't bother hitting Hagrids first. Velocicoaster has a pretty quick line all morning so doing that after Hagrids shouldn't be too bad if it's still early entry. When I did rope drop, we were waiting about halfway onto the bridge (arrived at 735) and the app had a 70 min wait by the time we got to Hagrids. The line is pretty close to Velocicoaster though so we just turned around and waited like 10 mins for Velocicoaster (getting a "you made the right choice" nod from a TM). We got through Vel, Hippogriff and Forbidden Journey before park open and hit Hagrids before park close

Perfect!!!

 

[fly girl]

Thanks for the info!

We just planned our Universal Studios vacation for July and I was looking for this exact bit of information on which one to do first!
Looks like we will follow the advice, if we are not too far back for Early Entry go to Hagrids. If further back than anticipated, go to Vel.

We have 2 days to try, let's hope we will be successful.

 

[ajsamett]

I highly suggest hitting Hagrids once during the day and once at close if you have 2 days. I went end of April on a Saturday and 30 mins before close was a 50 min wait (tho they had 90 posted) and they turn on the motorcycle lights!

 

[JasonMak2000]

Thanks for the advice. We were at IOA yesterday (Sunday). In line at the gate for early entry at 7:40. By 7:45-50 people were back onto the bridge ( we were maybe 25 back of the turnstiles). Entered, straight to Hagrid's and waited maybe 25 minutes. Went to Velocicoaster after that and had completed both by 9:05. Hagrid's quickly jumped to 100 minutes by 8:50 and slowly worked its way down to 45 by noon. We rode Hagrid's again at 2 pm. Posted wait was 55 and we waited just short of 50. For reference, Velocicoaster didn't get much above 35 minutes all day. A couple times it got down to 25. At one point, Kong was 40 minutes and Velocicoaster was 25, which is hard to believe.

 

[gharter]

We were there last month. Hagrids was where the crowd headed. IF you get there 45 minutes before EE and are in line infront of the bridge, your wait at Hagrids should be under 30 minutes. Then head to Velocicoaster. 3 days in a row, I was able to do both and be off Velocicoaster by 9:20. My Hagrids wait was about 20 minutes.

 

[emmabelle]

We’ll be there in 2 weeks. What rides open with early entry at IOA?

 

[DoryGirl1963]

We’ll be there in 2 weeks. What rides open with early entry at IOA?

Hagrid's, Forbidden Journey, Flight of the Hippogriff, Ollivander's & Velocicoaster

 

[emmabelle]

Hagrid's, Forbidden Journey, Flight of the Hippogriff, Ollivander's & Velocicoaster

So if we are staying Memorial Day week would Wednesday be a good day to try and get on Hagrid’s? We’re staying at RPR. I know my husband isn’t going to want to get up super early every morning. Lol

 

[DoryGirl1963]

So if we are staying Memorial Day week would Wednesday be a good day to try and get on Hagrid’s? We’re staying at RPR. I know my husband isn’t going to want to get up super early every morning. Lol

We usually stay a week at a time & Tuesday's & Wednesday's have always been the lowest crowd days every time