Strategy for Hagrid?

[blabadie]

Hagrid's is included again in early entry starting March 1st.

https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/early-park-admission

I'm 99% certain that yesterday the website listed Hagrid's as being part of early entry starting March 1st. Looking at it today, the website says Hagrid's will not join the early entry list until March 2nd.

 

[jenniferahardin87]

I'm 99% certain that yesterday the website listed Hagrid's as being part of early entry starting March 1st. Looking at it today, the website says Hagrid's will not join the early entry list until March 2nd.

it definetly said march 1st yesterday! so sorry for you, that sucks to get excited & then they change it

 

[Heckah]

I rope dropped and went to VelociCoaster and waited 30 minutes. Hagrid's wasn't a big deal for me but had hit most of the rides in the park by 12:30 so decided to jump in and wait the 80 minutes for Hagrid's. I was through in about 60 minutes.

 

[Westerner]

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[mikeyg1479]

Definitely rope drop Hagrids. Not express pass eligible and generally always has a wait (my week in late January crappy weather, slow season it was still never less than 55 min ). Forbidden Journey is a 5 minute walk on with an express pass- it even only took less than10 minutes when the standby wait was 120 minutes on the Saturday we left.

 

[jormom1030]

We were there yesterday without early entry. We entered at 9:00 at Universal Studios because we wanted to ride the train over. We walked straight to the train at opening. When we got over to Hogsmeade there was a huge line for Hagrids. The wait time said 90 minutes. We got in the line back by the theater. After we put our things in the locker we asked the guy at the official start of the line how long it would be from that point. He said that point was the start of the 90 minutes. We ended up only waiting 60 minutes total. We wanted to do it first thing because it was only going to get hotter.

 

[mamamelody2]

I rope dropped and went to VelociCoaster and waited 30 minutes. Hagrid's wasn't a big deal for me but had hit most of the rides in the park by 12:30 so decided to jump in and wait the 80 minutes for Hagrid's. I was through in about 60 minutes.

Nice! Thanks for the info!
Do you mind sharing what time you lined up at the gate, and what time was opening?

 

[mamamelody2]

We were there yesterday without early entry. We entered at 9:00 at Universal Studios because we wanted to ride the train over. We walked straight to the train at opening. When we got over to Hogsmeade there was a huge line for Hagrids. The wait time said 90 minutes. We got in the line back by the theater. After we put our things in the locker we asked the guy at the official start of the line how long it would be from that point. He said that point was the start of the 90 minutes. We ended up only waiting 60 minutes total. We wanted to do it first thing because it was only going to get hotter.

Great information, thank you! Good to know that for both you and a PP, the wait actual wait time was less than posted.

 

[blabadie]

We were there yesterday. Hagrid's was part of early entry that day and we always rope drop at Disney...but we just weren't motivated to rope drop Universal since we had the unlimited express passes. We arrived about 9:30 and used the first hour to enjoy the super short waits at other rides. By about 10:15am the early morning surge had played through and Hagrid's posted wait dropped to 65 minutes (and seemed to stay there most of the day). Our actual wait was about 50 minutes.

The prior day IOA had early entry at 8am but Hagrid's was not included. We got in line at 8:22am (for a 9am ride opening time) and the line was already lengthy but it got WAY longer by 9am. Hagrid's didn't seem to start on time. At 9:05 they were running empty (test?) cars on the track. I think it might have been 9:10 before riders actually started. We waited about 75 minutes. So unless you are truly at the front of the line, it seems like riding a little later in the day results in lower waits for Hagrid's and you can use that early time to ride other rides with low waits.

 

[Heckah]

Nice! Thanks for the info!
Do you mind sharing what time you lined up at the gate, and what time was opening?

I was in line around 7:40. The line stretched all the way back, I was halfway across the bridge. They started letting people in around 7:45 and I was in line for VelociCoaster by 7:55 am.

 

[Westerner]

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