If early admission is 7am, what time should we arrive

[Gentry2004]

To ride Hagrids with little to no wait? 6:15am? This is for next week. TIA.

 

[CBug70]

I asked the very same question earlier today...I would really like to know!!!

 

[asuburbanman]

Everything I’ve seen seems to suggest lining up an hour before EE. That’s also typically when virtual line opens.

 

[Mr. Drauer]

it depends on the day. where are you coming from? will you have to go through the City Walk garage and security or are you on site walking/boating? You will need to add at least 15-20 minutes to your schedule if you need to park and go through security. If boating, you will get security at the hotel before getting on the boat, so that helps. If walking, security is just before you get in City Walk which is a breeze. If you get to the gate an hour early, you will be in the front of any line even on a Saturday. Still, there is no telling how many lines they will eventually open at the gates. people start lining up at the tap styles and then the TM will also open lines off to the side and right down the middle even though there are not tap styles there. It then becomes a speed walk event through Suess Land. Also, the ride can be stubborn and not open on time or go down. This past Friday, it did not open at all. VQ times used to open just before 9:00 on most days, but this past week with the EE at 7:00, I did not see any until the 11:00 drop.

 

[CBug70]

it depends on the day. where are you coming from? will you have to go through the City Walk garage and security or are you on site walking/boating? You will need to add at least 15-20 minutes to your schedule if you need to park and go through security.

Great info! We’ll be staying at Cabana Bay and I will have a rental car instead of using their shuttle. So, I think I need to park in the CW lot and was considering the more expensive parking option to be closer to the CW entrance. Do you have any tips for driving in and parking? Or is there an easier way coming from Cabana Bay? Thank you!!!

 

[CAPSLOCK]

Unless it is for Covid safety concerns, there really is no benefit to driving yourself if you're already at Cabana Bay. The shuttle buses cause you legitimately no wait and drop you marginally closer than the parking lot (you take an escalator up, and are right at the security booths). You would otherwise have to pay for parking at both CBBR and the parking garage, unless you have an AP for free parking at the garage only - you'll still pay to park at CBBR regardless.

 

[TommyJK]

I agree with @CAPSLOCK. There isn't any real advantage to driving. It will take you longer to drive than it would to walk or take the shuttle bus. If it's for Covid precautions that you don't want to take the shuttle, I would rather walk (which means you will go through the minimal wait side security) than drive.

 

[bchbetha]

I definitely wouldn't drive. You'll wind up farther away than if you took the shuttle plus have to deal with the annoyance of having a car. Universal shuttles are nothing like Disney. One will fill and the next one will be ready to load. No waiting 15+ minutes for a (potentially already full) shuttle to pull up. The shuttle will just whisk you right over to CW. I would be tempted to do the garden walk though to get out of the crowds.

 

[Gentry2004]

Thanks. We are walking from HRH. I was just wondering what time we want to be at the front of the park entrance. People will probably be there starting around 6am?

 

[CBug70]

Thank you @CAPSLOCK @bchbetha and @TommyJK - I was only considering driving if the lines to get on the shuttle were too long, not for covid reasons. OK then.....it's settled - we'll take the earliest shuttle from Cabana Bay (or we'll time the walk and figure out which one gives a few more winks of sleep).

 

[Mr. Drauer]

The buses from Cabana Bay run constantly (they say every 10 minutes, but this past weekend there was always a bus coming in or parked and ready). The bus drops you off and you go right up the steps to security. It is very quick and easy - 5 minutes from the hotel to City Walk.

 

[cfoxga]

When we wanted to get on Hagrid's early in the morning, we would arrive at the gate 45-60 mutes before opening. That would get us inside the ticket area. The line would end up stretching over the bridge by the time the turnstiles opened, which often happened 15 minutes before the official opening.

 

[CBug70]

The buses from Cabana Bay run constantly (they say every 10 minutes, but this past weekend there was always a bus coming in or parked and ready). The bus drops you off and you go right up the steps to security. It is very quick and easy - 5 minutes from the hotel to City Walk.

Awesome - thank you for the info!!! Sounds like the CB shuttle is definitely the way to go.