FJ Single Rider "Secret" Entrance With Photos and Video

[mesaboy2]

I scouted out the "secret" single-rider entrance for FJ today, and took photos and video on the ol' iPhone.

First, four photos in sequence.

Photo 1, taken just inside the castle gates. Note outcropping ahead with white markings on it (maybe supposed to be owl droppings?). Secret entrance is just before that outcropping.

Photo 2, taken closer in. Photo 3 below was taken while standing on the drain visible here and looking left.

Photo 3, looking in between outcroppings now. Hogwarts and the "bridge" is visible above out of frame. One of the bridge's supports is that square column with bag on ground behind it. Entry is via double doors, which are out of frame on right behind column. Note you will also pass a single door on right before column (also out of frame), but this door is not the entry we're looking for.

Photo 4, double doors which when accessed put you right at base of stairs in SR line. Sorry if picture is too dark to be useful, hard for me to tell using just the phone.

Last photo I have is taken from outside the gates near the wand cart. Main entry is visible on right, "secret" entrance is on left directly behind the people. Notice bridge support column extending down from above.

Lastly, the video that should explain it all. Hopefully this will work.

http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z323/mesaboy2/Universal/fa4c41f2.mp4

While I took video, a TM told me I was going the wrong way and shouldn't be there--even when I said I was going SR. This despite the fact that other TMs in the past told me to explicitly go that way, and still others said nothing as they saw me going that way. YMMV.

 

[Marquibiri]

I knew you were intrigued from a previous thread.

Well done!!!!!!!!!!!

Marquibiri

 

[macraven]

I knew you were intrigued from a previous thread.

Well done!!!!!!!!!!!

Marquibiri

eh, i asked him, and others did also, to help with pics and info for the 'secret' door.

he did great.
if he was in one of my classes, i would have given him an all day restroom break pass for doing this thread for us!!!


yes i would but that is the type of homie i am.



that homies moved rocks for us ...................

 

[Brandis]

Is that entrance new? When I was there in October 2010, I was told to go to the regular entrance and then take the stairs on the left near the statue of the humpback witch.

 

[macraven]

it's not new.

it is a shortcut for the single rider line, not the main line.

 

[Marquibiri]

eh, i asked him, and others did also, to help with pics and info for the 'secret' door.

he did great.
if he was in one of my classes, i would have given him an all day restroom break pass for doing this thread for us!!!


yes i would but that is the type of homie i am.


that homies moved rocks for us ...................

Ooops, ok.. Nicely done! So anyone can go through here, right?

Marquibiri

 

[macraven]

Ooops, ok.. Nicely done! So anyone can go through here, right?

Marquibiri

if you want to use the slr, yes.

if you don't want to use the secret door, you can enter by going thru the regular entrance that so many others use.

the stairs for the slr will be to your left side of the wall when you enter into the building.

 

[mesaboy2]

Anyone using SR who doesn't encounter a TM like I did yesterday. The doors are unlocked, at least every time I tried them.

 

[the Dark Marauder]

I just slip through Filch's, then enter via the locker area. Works every time. And it's totally legit.

 

[MIChessGuy]

When I was there about three weeks ago, I had to put stuff in a locker and didn't really get a look at the secret passageway. The crowd levels were totally nutty anyway.

If they wanted to keep riders out of there, it seems that they could rope it off, or post a sign, etc. I'll try to remember to give this a try during my visit next year. My hope is that without a specific warning posted, the worst that can happen is a TM pointing me back to the regular queue.

 

[mesaboy2]

When I was there about three weeks ago, I had to put stuff in a locker and didn't really get a look at the secret passageway. The crowd levels were totally nutty anyway.

If they wanted to keep riders out of there, it seems that they could rope it off, or post a sign, etc. I'll try to remember to give this a try during my visit next year. My hope is that without a specific warning posted, the worst that can happen is a TM pointing me back to the regular queue.

I asked a TM about several wands I saw mounted in this crevice. She told me that Universal plans to preload the Crucio curse for use on trespassers.

 

[aubriee]

When I was there about three weeks ago, I had to put stuff in a locker and didn't really get a look at the secret passageway. The crowd levels were totally nutty anyway.

If they wanted to keep riders out of there, it seems that they could rope it off, or post a sign, etc. I'll try to remember to give this a try during my visit next year. My hope is that without a specific warning posted, the worst that can happen is a TM pointing me back to the regular queue.

I discovered it accidentally when I was there last August/Sept. I was taking pictures before getting on the ride. I wandered back there thinking maybe there would be some gaps in the wall where you could look in and see things you might not be able to in the regular line. A CM came out of those doors, stopped, and asked if he could help me. I told him I was just wandering around taking pictures before I got on the ride. He asked if I was by myself and ready to ride. When I said yes, he escorted me through those double doors and told me to just go up the stairs and said that it was the entrance for single riders. I told him I had been using the single rider entrance inside and asked if the double doors were open all the time and OK to use. He assured me it was and said it would save a lot of time trying to fight the crowds in the main line. I used it the entire week I was there in August/Sept, then used it again in Oct, Dec, and May when I was there.

 

[mesaboy2]

I discovered it accidentally when I was there last August/Sept. I was taking pictures before getting on the ride. I wandered back there thinking maybe there would be some gaps in the wall where you could look in and see things you might not be able to in the regular line. A CM came out of those doors, stopped, and asked if he could help me. I told him I was just wandering around taking pictures before I got on the ride. He asked if I was by myself and ready to ride. When I said yes, he escorted me through those double doors and told me to just go up the stairs and said that it was the entrance for single riders. I told him I had been using the single rider entrance inside and asked if the double doors were open all the time and OK to use. He assured me it was and said it would save a lot of time trying to fight the crowds in the main line. I used it the entire week I was there in August/Sept, then used it again in Oct, Dec, and May when I was there.

As did I again last night, this time with no comments from TMs. I think she was like the occasional TM at the motherland who doesn't understand they are to accept "late" FPs.

 

[damo]

As did I again last night, this time with no comments from TMs. I think she was like the occasional TM at the motherland who doesn't understand they are to accept "late" FPs.

 

[mesaboy2]

You almost had me. I see you over there sometimes.

 

[dimimi]

The second time we rode, we tried the single rider line. It took FOREVER. The regular line moved and moved and moved...and we stood there! I guess you take a chance.

 

[momabaarjo]

What happened to the photos? Were they too secret to share?

 

[mesaboy2]

What happened to the photos? Were they too secret to share?

<in best Hagrid voice> Sorry 'bout that.

I did some file organization on PB I couldn't do from the iPhone app while on travel, and made the rookie mistake of not updating the links here. Should be good to go now!

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I just slip through Filch's, then enter via the locker area. Works every time. And it's totally legit.

so do I

 

[Planogirl]

Thanks for posting this. I assume that going this way bypasses the line inside completely? It's cool to see the stuff inside but I would love to be able to get past it all sometimes.