FANNY PACKS and STROLLER PARKING

[lindamomof3]

I have been reading that you can't bring back packs on the rides. Would a fanny pack be okay? Is there a place near HP to leave a stroller with the rest of the non valuables? Thanks!

 

[Badge]

For a good number of rides at Universal, you are not allowed to bring ANYTHING with you that can not fit into your pockets. This is for your safety, and the safety of all the other riders.

Universal provides FREE lockers located all at the rides that you CAN NOT bring anything with you. This include:

Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
Revenge of the Mummy
Men in Black
Hulk
Harry Potter FJ

and maybe some others that I can't remember.

Please, do not try and "hide" a fanny pack under your shirt or something to avoid putting them in the free lockers. I have witnessed a ton of people trying to do this that get turned away once they get to the front of the line. On some rides, like Rip Ride Rockit, I totally empty all my pockets, including my wallet and cell phone, because of the lift hill. THe first time I rode it, I almost lost my cell phone that was in my pocket because of that lift hill. The lockers are totally safe, and again FREE. However, they are not extremely huge, so I would stick with the fanny pack to put into the locker, and avoid bringing a back pack into the park.

Also, for some rides (like the water rides) they offer lockers for a fee. You are not required to remove a fanny pack on these rides, but if you want to keep them dry, they offer the lockers.

All rides, just like Disney, offer a place to park a stroller and they offer child swap as well if you don't want to leave the stroller, or if the child in the stroller is not tall enough to ride. Keep in mind the height for HP is 48 inches, so you might have to use rider swap (and thus not need to park your stroller) if the child in the stroller is under 48 inches tall.

 

[mesaboy2]

I'm confused. I was sure fanny packs were allowed, especially on FJ. I've even witnessed a TM near the loading area on FJ allow it.

 

[zack123]

I had a small waist pack with a 3-prong clasp. I was asked to put it in a locker at FJ, at least once. I was also asked to put it in a locker for Hulk and RRR (which I planned on doing anyway). I was not asked to put it in a locker at Mummy, MIB, or Dragon Challenge.

 

[Badge]

Well, it might depend on the TM at the time in some cases. I have witnessed a mom turned away from FJ because she had a fanny pack on right before boarding. Same thing on the Hulk and Men in Black.

It might also depend on the SIZE of the fanny pack. If it is stuffed full adding a few inches to the persons waist, they might turn those away. On a ride like FJ where your body size can be the deciding factor on if you can ride or not, you should not risk bringing on a fanny pack.

While you might be able to ride some of the rides with a fanny pack, I still suggest storing it in the lockers for the rides that offer them. A LOT of rides have no issues with fanny packs at all, but the ones that provide the free lockers do. It can depend on the TM's you run into while getting on the ride. You might make it past the person at the front of the line fine, but the person that puts you into your row might not allow it.

 

[damo]

I've used a small fanny pack for the past 12 years and have never had an issue.

 

[zack123]

I should probably also add - maybe it's only because I was there when it was not crowded, but I did not find using the lockers to be inconvenient at all. Actually, it was nice to not have to worry that by some slim chance I was going to lose something on the ride.

The previous poster was right, some of the rides that do not allow bags have rather small seats. I'm a pretty small person, and I found taking a bag, even a small one, on some rides to be a little uncomfortable, mostly because of the way the restraints fit.

If you do happen to drop a camera/phone/etc. on one of the "no bag" rides, due to the intensity of the ride there's a good chance you will not get it back, or it will probably not be in good condition if you do.

At FJ, the free locker times were the average wait time + 20 minutes. They were maxed out at 2 hours most of the time I was there. I was using the single rider line, so I wasn't worried - I could have rode 5 or more times during that time period and still not have run out of locker time.

There are also all-day lockers at the front of each park that you can rent for $8-$10 per day. You can get in and out of them as much as you want for that price. It may be helpful if you are bringing a change of clothes for the water rides, or you have one backpack you need but not frequently, or something like that.

 

[Teleclashter]

Fanny packs at FJ are in a sense allowed, but it depends on the size and if they interfere with the harness. That being said, if you are a generally skinny person and you have a small or medium pack that can be turned to the side or backwards and the harness can still go down safely and securely on your body then it is fine. If you are a bigger person and someone sees you with a pack then chances are they will tell you to put it in a locker because they know that it will conflict with the harness being where it needs to and cause the person to be pulled off the ride and go down to the lockers.

 

[Miss Marie]

I was just wondering what specific rides at IOA would turn me away if I was wearing a fanny pack? I'd like to know so that I can take it off before I get on one.

If they won't allow you on a ride with a fanny pack, do they make you put it in the lockers, or would they allow you to give it to someone in the group who isn't riding?

Thanks!

 

[crazelion]

I know on FJ CM ask me to take off my glasses because she was afraid they would fall off. I am sorry can't do that one because I am blind without them. Lucky the other CM told it was okey for me keep my glasses on. Thank goodness. Unless they want deal with a blind person. LOL

 

[mesaboy2]

I was just wondering what specific rides at IOA would turn me away if I was wearing a fanny pack? I'd like to know so that I can take it off before I get on one.

If they won't allow you on a ride with a fanny pack, do they make you put it in the lockers, or would they allow you to give it to someone in the group who isn't riding?

Thanks!

A small fanny pack that does not interfere with the ride restraints should be fine. Anything larger than that will likely not be allowed, and of course it's your choice if you use a locker or leave with a non-rider.

Rides that have complimentary lockers for this purpose are Forbidden Journey, Dragon Challenge, Hulk, Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, Revenge of the Mummy, and Men in Black.