Hagrid's Coaster Queue Updates / Questions / Reviews

[macraven]

I don’t have the app but it would be the most current info to use

Good for you!

 

[ashstat]

At what point in the queue do you go to the lockers? Is there a holding area for families waiting on one person in locker area like Gringott’s where families wait in the bank? Or do you go to lockers before getting in queue? Trying to figure out best strategy...can I send family to queue and catch up to them or do they have to wait while I fiddle with locker? Packing really light, but will need a small bag.

 

[Beer Me]

At what point in the queue do you go to the lockers? Is there a holding area for families waiting on one person in locker area like Gringott’s where families wait in the bank? Or do you go to lockers before getting in queue? Trying to figure out best strategy...can I send family to queue and catch up to them or do they have to wait while I fiddle with locker? Packing really light, but will need a small bag.

The lockers are just outside of the main queue entrance. The way it’s set up now, with an external queue for the larger crowds, it goes right past the lockers. My family waited while I put our bag away and we got back in line.

Some people let their groups go ahead and then caught up but it seemed like borderline line cutting.

I should add that when we went through the line wasn’t backed up at that point so people were walking quickly through the queue. It does get backed up though and if that’s the case you should be able to put your bag in a locker without losing your place in line.

 

[Fantasy2013]

My husband won't do this ride but is willing to stand in line with me. Can he go through the queue and then not do the ride? At what point is there a place for him to bail out?

 

[Sehsun]

My husband won't do this ride but is willing to stand in line with me. Can he go through the queue and then not do the ride? At what point is there a place for him to bail out?

Yes he can. There is one large room in the queue before the load platform. There is a test seat and a child swap room nearby. There is usually a team member when you enter this room - explain to them that your husband will not be riding, most likely they will have him wait in the child swap/family room. You will walk past this room when you exit the ride and can easily meet up.

 

[Disxuni]

I'm shocked you're offering this advice considering what it says under your name.

I think Fred would consider going on this ride a lot more of a fun version of risk then standing in an un-air conditioned stairwell with dozens of people. I'm risking with my "vertical" drop, so I don't need to die before going on the ride.

 

[NickC]

We got back yesterday. We decided to skip this ride. I'm sure it's a great ride, and we almost waited in line, but decided against it.

 

[PoohIsHome]

We got back yesterday. We decided to skip this ride. I'm sure it's a great ride, and we almost waited in line, but decided against it.

Did you skip due to the line or the ride itself?

 

[123SA]

We plan to arrive at 730am for the morning line up, next Wednesday. I understand that the current process is we'll be through the ticket turnstiles and held around Seuss for sometime before opening. Then there will be a disorganized running to the ride when the "rope" drops.

My 3 teens will stay at the beginning of the pack unless they literally get mowed down. There is no conceivable way I will be able to keep up with them. When the line forms at Hagrid, is there a general reshuffling as people reunite with their groups? Will I be able to join them?

I'm kind of leaning towards just skipping the ride and being the bag holder. I find this kind of start to the day stressful, not fun.

 

[CPanther95]

We plan to arrive at 730am for the morning line up, next Wednesday. I understand that the current process is we'll be through the ticket turnstiles and held around Seuss for sometime before opening. Then there will be a disorganized running to the ride when the "rope" drops.

My 3 teens will stay at the beginning of the pack unless they literally get mowed down. There is no conceivable way I will be able to keep up with them. When the line forms at Hagrid, is there a general reshuffling as people reunite with their groups? Will I be able to join them?

I'm kind of leaning towards just skipping the ride and being the bag holder. I find this kind of start to the day stressful, not fun.

I wouldn't risk trying to cut in line.

Tell the teens they should stick with you, not vice versa.

 

[123SA]

I wouldn't risk trying to cut in line.

Tell the teens they should stick with you, not vice versa.

I'd never do this in the middle of the day. It just seems that when they have this kind of disorganized start, it's difficult to stay together resulting in shuffling around once it settles in the first few minutes. If this isn't the norm, then I'll just let them go and skip it. It's a week away and the thought of managing the surging crowd is causing me anxiety. Seems like if it's bothering me now, it's not a good thing for me. I really wish the parks wouldn't do this kind of rope drop. I wish they'd let you through the turnstiles and go lineup at the ride. It's the crowds the result from the holding pens that bother me.

 

[Disxuni]

We plan to arrive at 730am for the morning line up, next Wednesday. I understand that the current process is we'll be through the ticket turnstiles and held around Seuss for sometime before opening. Then there will be a disorganized running to the ride when the "rope" drops.

My 3 teens will stay at the beginning of the pack unless they literally get mowed down. There is no conceivable way I will be able to keep up with them. When the line forms at Hagrid, is there a general reshuffling as people reunite with their groups? Will I be able to join them?

I'm kind of leaning towards just skipping the ride and being the bag holder. I find this kind of start to the day stressful, not fun.

I understand how you feel. I also just saw your additional post of how it gives you anxiety and I'm right there with you. It's the reason why I always use no bags and go as early as possible, so I do not have to deal with the bag security crowds. I never do "rope drops" at Disney. As they are essentially what you describe as it being like all the time period. I am surprised they have not found a way to contain the guests at this point. Typically this is not an issue.

I know in the past for guests at IoA during EE (which has been ages) they would have ropes around the area guests were to walk in when heading to WWOHP, which made things more narrower, which seemed to contain the guests. However, as I said, typically it's not an issue regardless of that being there, or not, as I've never seen this method used at USF and guests are quite chill as well typically.

However, it's just something I noticed that would be useful in today's time, as it would be pretty nearly impossible for someone to get ahead of you unless they purposely tackle you to the ground in order to get you out of the way. As the space was roughly 4, maybe 5 people across, that would be if all those people were standing in line next to each from one rope to another. So, it naturally kind of moved as if you were walking through a queue that had no wait time (steady pace, but no running, or stopping).

Most of the time I suggest people wait until a little prior to closing to hop on the ride to avoid crowds and avoid higher wait time, but unfortunately, that is not do-able at the moment for this ride, since Hagrid's is unpredictable at the moment and they close mid-afternoon (typically 5).

 

[NJdadof2]

We plan to arrive at 730am for the morning line up, next Wednesday. I understand that the current process is we'll be through the ticket turnstiles and held around Seuss for sometime before opening. Then there will be a disorganized running to the ride when the "rope" drops.

My 3 teens will stay at the beginning of the pack unless they literally get mowed down. There is no conceivable way I will be able to keep up with them. When the line forms at Hagrid, is there a general reshuffling as people reunite with their groups? Will I be able to join them?

I'm kind of leaning towards just skipping the ride and being the bag holder. I find this kind of start to the day stressful, not fun.

We will be there next Wednesday at 7:30 as well.
First time doing Universal. We will bring good vibes for you and your family.

 

[Flyg1rl]

We won't be there until next Saturday, but I will be thinking of you, and looking forward to your reports.

 

[NickC]

Did you skip due to the line or the ride itself?

We skipped due to the wait times. We got in line one morning, but the posted wait time was 180 minutes. We talked about it for 10 minutes while waiting, but decided that we could get so much more done in that time.

 

[disneywithfive]

Anyone there now to know why the ride is "CLOSED"? Wanting to take a trip down on Friday just for this ride but nervous it will be for nothing.

 

[Beer Me]

I'd never do this in the middle of the day. It just seems that when they have this kind of disorganized start, it's difficult to stay together resulting in shuffling around once it settles in the first few minutes. If this isn't the norm, then I'll just let them go and skip it. It's a week away and the thought of managing the surging crowd is causing me anxiety. Seems like if it's bothering me now, it's not a good thing for me. I really wish the parks wouldn't do this kind of rope drop. I wish they'd let you through the turnstiles and go lineup at the ride. It's the crowds the result from the holding pens that bother me.

When the crowd is released into suess landing it is a madhouse. However I refused to join in. We walked briskly and let others run and shove past. Do you meditate? it helps to be zen and let others do their own thing.

We saw plenty of people cutting line to join their families who ran ahead. Even though staff were right there watching it happen they did nothing to stop it.

It really would help if they took a lesson from Disney and controlled this a bit more - but it is what is is. Just keep calm and you will only be a few minutes behind the idiots.

 

[Disxuni]

It really would help if they took a lesson from Disney and controlled this a bit more - but it is what is is. Just keep calm and you will only be a few minutes behind the idiots.

Took a lesson from Disney and controlled this a bit more?! I don't know how bad it is at Universal it is right now, but it is absolutely insane when it comes to Disney rope drops and CMs can't do anything about it. Now they can direct people to go towards a certain direction, but all in all, it's every man for themselves and they can't control any guests in the path they're directing them too. Like I said, I haven't seen the Hagrid coaster crowds, but Disney guests are brutal during rope drops from the experiences I've had, which is why I vow to no longer do it.

Anyone there now to know why the ride is "CLOSED"? Wanting to take a trip down on Friday just for this ride but nervous it will be for nothing.

That is interesting, as typically it says "delayed" if they stop for awhile due to technical difficulties, or weather, even if it is an hour, or two.

Checking the wait time now it states 150 minute wait. So, I guess they did open it after all. I'm wondering if they had it closed all morning and it eventually opened, or they did temporarily close it and instead of doing "delay" they did "closed" initially instead, because they thought they might close it for the rest of the day.

 

[TommyJK]

It was a temporary closure mid-day.

Another board I read had a member speculate it was to put more trains on the track and then test before re-opening. He counted 8 trains running simultaneously after the re-open which is a new record for them.

Posted wait time after the re-open was 150 min but he only waited an hour (which included a 10 minute delay while in line).

 

[Cuchman]

We're going in a little less than a month. I will be anxiously watching ideas and experiences on this thread to know how to deal with the situation when we go. I am hoping it is a little more settled by the, but who knows?!?