Hagrid's Coaster Queue Updates / Questions / Reviews

[MeridaAnn]

So if you had to pick one over the other.....?

There's not really a good way to compare the two - they're such completely different experiences. Hagrid's is a great medium-intensity roller coaster with well-integrated story elements. RotR is a high-immersion dark ride with great ride elements. I'm likely to ride Hagrid's more often than Rise, just like I'm likely to ride Seven Dwarfs more often than Peter Pan just because I really like roller coasters in general, but I still love both (and I've done Rise 3 times now, so I certainly still think it's good for multiple times through).

If we are planning on trying to RD, last week of January, what time should we aim on getting to the parking deck? We haven't been since 2015, and I do remember the walk through Citywalk can take time. Opening at 9am. I'll have an 8 and 10 year old in our party, so no strollers, but not super fast.

I usually aim to be in a parking spot by 8am to get to Hagrid's (for a 9am opening) in order to be close to the front of the pack, but I walk quickly and don't have to make sure anyone else keeps up with me, so maybe add a few more minutes to that. With a group, I'd probably shoot for being parked about 20-25 minutes before I want to be standing in the line at the gate. And add another 10 minutes or so to drive through the line to pay for parking and to get up into the garage and into an actual spot.

 

[lizzilou]

I usually aim to be in a parking spot by 8am to get to Hagrid's (for a 9am opening) in order to be close to the front of the pack, but I walk quickly and don't have to make sure anyone else keeps up with me, so maybe add a few more minutes to that. With a group, I'd probably shoot for being parked about 20-25 minutes before I want to be standing in the line at the gate. And if you're driving, that's another 10 minutes or so to get through the line to pay for parking and to get up into the garage and into an actual spot.

Thank you! My family will appreciate not getting there at 7am.

 

[Polyonmymind]

My daughter is in line right now. Arrived maybe 30 minutes before park opening. At 9:00 am EST she sent a picture from Hagrid's and said the posted wait time is "1 hour". I asked her to text me when she got off the ride, me wanting to see just how long she waits at "1 hour" at rope drop. She responded right back with with " in the room right before boarding, so maybe a 15 minute wait ". A few minutes later a pic of her in the side car. Very short wait this morning at rope drop.

 

[christophfam]

Waits are incredibly low on everything today (according to the app). Wish I was there and hope I’ll see the same in a few weeks. App says 60 minutes for hagrids right now. So jealous...

 

[damo]

There's not really a good way to compare the two - they're such completely different experiences. Hagrid's is a great medium-intensity roller coaster with well-integrated story elements. RotR is a high-immersion dark ride with great ride elements. I'm likely to ride Hagrid's more often than Rise, just like I'm likely to ride Seven Dwarfs more often than Peter Pan just because I really like roller coasters in general, but I still love both (and I've done Rise 3 times now, so I certainly still think it's good for multiple times through).

I kinda felt the same way. I think Hagrid's is way more thrilling than Rise but you really can't compare the two.

 

[HatboxHaint]

Can a member of your party go to the lockers ahead of your group and then rejoin your group or is that frowned upon?

 

[MeridaAnn]

Can a member of your party go to the lockers ahead of your group and then rejoin your group or is that frowned upon?

It would be frowned upon because it would look like you're trying to cut, but there's no need anyway. The line goes right beside the locker section, so the one person with the bag ducks inside the locker area while the rest of your group continues around the corner in the line, and then you link up on the other side once your bag is in the locker (there's a separate entrance and exit to the locker area - it's not like Forbidden Journey where it's just a room to the side of the line, it's more like a hallway).

 

[hhoope01]

Just as a point of reference, we got in line for Hagrid's yesterday (Tuesday) at 4:45pm with listed wait time showing 45 minutes. We were off the ride and at our locker at 5:17pm. So it was actually less than a 30 min wait. We may try our luck again today and see if we can get through just as quickly.

 

[ELSA711]

We usually go bagless @ Universal so just wondering do we still need to put our phones in the locker? Between the 5 of us , 2 usually have phones @ the park

 

[MeridaAnn]

We usually go bagless @ Universal so just wondering do we still need to put our phones in the locker? Between the 5 of us , 2 usually have phones @ the park

As long as you have pockets that can fit the phones during the ride, you're fine. You just can't have any loose items.

 

[MaizeRage25]

We will be there 2/1 and 2/2 which surprisingly (to me) have early admission at IOA both days. My understanding is that Hagrid's will not open until regualr park opening at 9AM - correct?

Does it make sense to waste the early admission time just waiting in line from 8a-9a? Or is it likely I can get a <60min wait later in the day?

 

[Disxuni]

We will be there 2/1 and 2/2 which surprisingly (to me) have early admission at IOA both days. My understanding is that Hagrid's will not open until regualr park opening at 9AM - correct?

Does it make sense to waste the early admission time just waiting in line from 8a-9a? Or is it likely I can get a <60min wait later in the day?

More than likely done due to the running events and start of Mardi Gras. As for waiting, or not, it's your call. At this point, it's pure luck if someone gets onto Hagrid's for a 60 minute wait. It's rare when it's shown that. You essentially have to take a risk if it's higher than that and go onto it and hope there are no delays. They typically over estimate the wait time to compensate if there is a delay, but if there are none they get off much sooner than the posted wait time. I think I've heard more people getting a 60 minute, or less wait when they weren't expecting it rather than the wait time being posted 60 minutes, or less.

 

[Tege]

We were there 1st week in October and the wait times were over 3 hours so it looks like wait times have gone down significantly since then. Just hope they stay down.

 

[Lashed34]

We were there 1st week in October and the wait times were over 3 hours so it looks like wait times have gone down significantly since then. Just hope they stay down.

Rise of the Resistance is now the newest ride in Orlando and a lot of people will be heading to DHS if they only have a day or 2 for the parks.
Hagrids will always be THE ride to get on at Universal for some time so waiting times will fluctuate. When we were there in December we got on twice in 1 day, other days the queues were down to Mythos and beyond - you just never know.

 

[macraven]

Twice last year in the first week of October. I only waited 20 minutes and was on Hagrids

Third time for me doing the ride did the single rider line as my ride friend had to leave
Line wait in that line was 40 minutes which is still not a bad wait

 

[NYHeel]

In line at hagrids since 8:30 at the gates. Ride was delayed until around 10:00. Just through the pre show at 10:45 and now delayed again. Don’t want to get off the line since we invested so much time, but it’s getting kind of ridiculous.

 

[acarsme123]

And this is exactly why I’m not caring about trying to do a rope drop. They really need to get this ride in shape

In line at hagrids since 8:30 at the gates. Ride was delayed until around 10:00. Just through the pre show at 10:45 and now delayed again. Don’t want to get off the line since we invested so much time, but it’s getting kind of ridiculous.

 

[NYHeel]

Still sitting in line. My daughter is starting to get worked up because she’s hungry and all our snacks are in my bag that’s stuck in the lockers.

They really need to get this ride working consistently or just close it until it’s ready. At least put in a virtual queue. I’ve basically spent 3 hours already and done nothing in the parks. I’d get off the line if we’d be given an express pass for this ride. But I don’t want to get off and then never get to ride.

 

[NYHeel]

Just got off the ride at 12:20. It actually glitched and went down again while we were on it. So total time from getting online at gate was almost 4 hours.

 

[Linkura]

Still sitting in line. My daughter is starting to get worked up because she’s hungry and all our snacks are in my bag that’s stuck in the lockers.

They really need to get this ride working consistently or just close it until it’s ready. At least put in a virtual queue. I’ve basically spent 3 hours already and done nothing in the parks. I’d get off the line if we’d be given an express pass for this ride. But I don’t want to get off and then never get to ride.

Yeah, they need to take a cue from Disney and use the Virtual Line for this. It's ridiculous and ROTR proves that a virtual line/boarding group can work with a unreliable, popular attraction.