Rides open during Early Entry

[wareagle57]

What determines which rides are running? Is it related to expected crowds? Just whether they are done with testing the rides? Or is it totally random? I'm just trying to determine the likelihood of being able to do something other than Gringotts in the first hour. We don't really have any interest in doing Minions but we might if that's all that's available. I'd rather do RRR or Mummy...or just go line up for IoA rope drop.

 

[jacksdadcan]

Hi!

It depends on which park is open early; they switch monthly and they aren't both open at the same time.

For example when we went late November IoA was open early, and we could get into the park but if we wanted to ride we had to go all the way back to Hogsmeade for Forbidden Journey . (I think Flight of the Hippogriffs was also running but we did FJ first thing).

On the USO side you can get on Minions, Gringotts and Ollivander wand shop.

I just checked schedule and USO is open early this month as well as last month, so it might be IoA in March or they might have US open again early in March .

https://www.universalorlando.com/we...on/index.html#universals-islands-of-adventure

 

[wareagle57]

Hi!

It depends on which park is open early; they switch monthly and they aren't both open at the same time.

For example when we went late November IoA was open early, and we could get into the park but if we wanted to ride we had to go all the way back to Hogsmeade for Forbidden Journey . (I think Flight of the Hippogriffs was also running but we did FJ first thing).

On the USO side you can get on Minions, Gringotts and Ollivander wand shop.

I just checked schedule and USO is open early this month as well as last month, so it might be IoA in March or they might have US open again early in March .

https://www.universalorlando.com/we...on/index.html#universals-islands-of-adventure

USO is open early in March as well. It's on the schedule, at least on the Ap it is. What I meant is sometimes Mummy, RRR, Terminator, and I've even heard of Shrek being open before official park opening, and I was just wondering how common that is. Because unless Mummy/RRR open early, it's kind of disappointing that we'll really only get one ride in the first hour since Minions really is not of interest.

 

[jacksdadcan]

I'm guessing on rides here, but what exactly do you want to ride?

USO:
RRR, Mummy, Transformers, Gringotts, MiB, Simpsons

Questionable:
Tonight Show, F&F, E.T., Minions

Avoid:
Kidzone, Kang/Kodos

IoA:
Hulk, Spider-Man, Kong, Forbidden Journey

Questionable:
JP River Adventure, Dudley Ripsaw Falls, Bilge Rat Barges, Dr. Doom,

Avoid:
Dr. Seuss, Lost Continent


Of course, these are just guesses but with 2 parks and only 1 day I'm thinking some things you'll just have to avoid.

What do you think you'll ride?

 

[wareagle57]

I'm guessing on rides here, but what exactly do you want to ride?

USO:
RRR, Mummy, Transformers, Gringotts, MiB, Simpsons

Questionable:
Tonight Show, F&F, E.T., Minions

Avoid:
Kidzone, Kang/Kodos

IoA:
Hulk, Spider-Man, Kong, Forbidden Journey

Questionable:
JP River Adventure, Dudley Ripsaw Falls, Bilge Rat Barges, Dr. Doom,

Avoid:
Dr. Seuss, Lost Continent


Of course, these are just guesses but with 2 parks and only 1 day I'm thinking some things you'll just have to avoid.

What do you think you'll ride?

I've made a separate post with an itinerary check. My ideal day would be doing (in order of priority) Forbidden Journey (2x), Gringotts, HE from DA to Hogsmede, Hulk , RRR, Mummy, Spiderman, Kong, MIB (multiple times), IoA Water Rides, rerides on Hulk and RRR if possible, FatF, Fallon, ET.

That's around 18 rides in 13 hours. I don't think that seems that unreasonable. But in order to fit them in, I feel like I need to cram a bit more into my mornings. And the Early Entry just doesn't do me any favors with that list as I can basically only get 1 of those rides done. It seems like it might make sense to run over to Islands for rope drop. But I also feel like going to Islands twice vs once would be a waste of time. But in the middle of the day, switching parks might not be that big of a waste since waits will be long anyway. If riding the HE in the correct direction wasn't such a big deal that would help. But I really want them to see the walking through the platform.

 

[damo]

USO is open early in March as well. It's on the schedule, at least on the Ap it is. What I meant is sometimes Mummy, RRR, Terminator, and I've even heard of Shrek being open before official park opening, and I was just wondering how common that is. Because unless Mummy/RRR open early, it's kind of disappointing that we'll really only get one ride in the first hour since Minions really is not of interest.

Those rides may open slightly before official park opening but they won't be open for Early Admission. Terminator is closed.

 

[wareagle57]

Those rides may open slightly before official park opening but they won't be open for Early Admission. Terminator is closed.

Thanks. I meant Transformers instead of Terminator haha. So not even Mummy ever opens with it? I was thinking I watched a Touring Plans video that says it sometimes does. With the time difference, I keep forgetting to get on the app and check times until after I get settled at work and the park is already open to everyone.

 

[damo]

Thanks. I meant Transformers instead of Terminator haha. So not even Mummy ever opens with it? I was thinking I watched a Touring Plans video that says it sometimes does. With the time difference, I keep forgetting to get on the app and check times until after I get settled at work and the park is already open to everyone.

No, don't expect Mummy to be open.

 

[wareagle57]

No, don't expect Mummy to be open.

Thanks! So I think my plan instead will be to either just enjoy DA with low crowds the first hour, do Ollivander's, and be on the first train over to IoA. Probably skip FJ since that is a queue line we won't mind waiting in and head straight to either Kong or Hulk and try to knock out Kong/Hulk/Spider-Man in the first hour or regular entry. Does this seem possible?

OR.... I could get greedy and try to do RRR and Mummy before heading over on the HE. Could I knock those out in 15 minutes if I'm over at RRR right when it opens?

 

[damo]

Thanks! So I think my plan instead will be to either just enjoy DA with low crowds the first hour, do Ollivander's, and be on the first train over to IoA. Probably skip FJ since that is a queue line we won't mind waiting in and head straight to either Kong or Hulk and try to knock out Kong/Hulk/Spider-Man in the first hour or regular entry. Does this seem possible?

OR.... I could get greedy and try to do RRR and Mummy before heading over on the HE. Could I knock those out in 15 minutes if I'm over at RRR right when it opens?

I would ride what you want to at Universal before heading over. You might be getting a little over-zealous in what you can accomplish in an hour.

 

[wareagle57]

I would ride what you want to at Universal before heading over. You might be getting a little over-zealous in what you can accomplish in an hour.

HE should arrive at 9:05 (though I think I've read it sometimes actually leaves at 8:55 to arrive at 9:00). Shouldn't take more than 10 minutes to walk from HP to Hulk via Kong right? So if the waits for all 3 of those rides are around 5 minutes in the first hour I would think I should be able to do them. Kong has a duration of 4.5 minutes, Hulk 4 minutes, and Spider-Man 7 minutes. So that's 15 minutes of waiting, 10 minutes of walking, and 15.5 minutes of riding. Add in about 5 minutes each for any delays/preshow elements/boarding/unboarding. That's right at an hour.

Now if the waits build faster than they have been when I'm monitoring them, then it might take longer. But all the more reason to get over there sooner I feel. Those could all be up to an hour each in the afternoon. Coming back to studios in the afternoon we'd have RRR, Mummy, MiB as the 3 biggest lines we'd want to hit and they should be much shorter.

We could run through everything at studios pretty easily I guess, since it is open later we'd like to end there anyway. And we'd spend the entire afternoon at Islands waiting in line. I feel like there are things at Studios we can do with short waits like ET and virtual queues like Fallon and FatF. Plus would like to ride the HE both ways if possible.

 

[damo]

Yes, always do the major rides first thing. Just take some time to enjoy what is going on between rides. Running from ride to ride and hurrying through the queues just doesn't sound all that enjoyable.

 

[skylock]

I would ride what you want to at Universal before heading over. You might be getting a little over-zealous in what you can accomplish in an hour.

No kidding, esp dragging 5 other people around.

 

[wareagle57]

No kidding, esp dragging 5 other people around.

3 rides in the rope drop hour just really doesn't seem that crazy to me.

 

[damo]

3 rides in the rope drop hour just really doesn't seem that crazy to me.

Doing early admission at Universal, taking the HE and then doing those 3 rides in the first hour at IOA is what I thought was a bit ambitious. It is important to take your time between rides to enjoy the park as well. Plan for it to take a bit more time than that.

 

[wareagle57]

Doing early admission at Universal, taking the HE and then doing those 3 rides in the first hour at IOA is what I thought was a bit ambitious. It is important to take your time between rides to enjoy the park as well. Plan for it to take a bit more time than that.

I just can't help it, I'm just an uber planner, especially when it comes to rope drop. I enjoy rushing around and trying to find the most efficient use of time and studying wait times and patterns. I always tell people we go hard the first 2 hours and then we take it easy after that. We're all young and they trust my judgement.

But learning I'd need to line up at 8:30 for HE changes things. I assume it's just the 1 train that goes back and forth on a single rail right? So if we miss that, it will be another 10-15 minutes before it returns. Perhaps we could walk to Islands instead? Unless the gates get backed up like they do at Disney, I could at least know we could be in the park at 9 AM that way.

I have RD down to a science at Disney, but I understand Universal is a different animal. But the wait times I check every morning are encouraging. I'm interested to see what they look like tomorrow on a Mardi Gras Saturday.

 

[damo]

I just can't help it, I'm just an uber planner, especially when it comes to rope drop. I enjoy rushing around and trying to find the most efficient use of time and studying wait times and patterns. I always tell people we go hard the first 2 hours and then we take it easy after that. We're all young and they trust my judgement.

But learning I'd need to line up at 8:30 for HE changes things. I assume it's just the 1 train that goes back and forth on a single rail right? So if we miss that, it will be another 10-15 minutes before it returns. Perhaps we could walk to Islands instead? Unless the gates get backed up like they do at Disney, I could at least know we could be in the park at 9 AM that way.

I have RD down to a science at Disney, but I understand Universal is a different animal. But the wait times I check every morning are encouraging. I'm interested to see what they look like tomorrow on a Mardi Gras Saturday.

HE has two trains. It works on a pulley system.

 

[wareagle57]

HE has two trains. It works on a pulley system.

Interesting. So there is more than one track? I just assumed it was a straight line and went back and fort.

 

[damo]

Interesting. So there is more than one track? I just assumed it was a straight line and went back and fort.

The track has a section in the middle with two tracks so that when the pulley system pulls them beside each other, they can pass.

 

[chicagoshannon]

We were there twice last week. Minions and Gringotts were the 2 things open. We took advantage of doing some wand things with an empty park.

We got in line for HE at around 8:50 with only a few people in front of us. Got on the first train over. Arrived about 9:05 at Islands and were easily on FJ with a walk on and then headed to Hulk with maybe 5 minute wait. Then walked on to Spiderman and Dr. Doom.