Going next week...still confused

[Duke07]

I'll be there next week and staying at Portofino. I'm still confused on the best strategy to get on Hagrid's, if anyone can offer some clarity.

Should I plan on arriving at the park an hour or so before opening and rope drop? Or is it better to try and get on the virtual queue? If the virtual queue is the better choice, what's the best way and time to do that?

Thanks.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

If you can be there 30min - 1hr before opening, that will be your shortest wait. Otherwise, VQ is the way to ride multiple times / day but there is frequently a decent wait with the VQ on busy days or when the ride is being finicky.

If it ends up being a slower time and not all VQ, I also highly recommend hitting Hagrids at night; it's extra cool in the dark!

 

[Ellie008]

We went during a busy time this spring. Managed to get VQ three times. Never tried getting there before park opening. VQ line the first time took 45 minutes from entering the line to ride. VQ line second time took 90 minutes. The third VQ time we had started just after we got off the second ride and we were not interested in getting back in that line, so we skipped it.

 

[shawthorne44]

You could always do both. Rope Drop Hagrid's and then get a VL when it opens

 

[Duke07]

Thanks for all the info! Looks like rope drop is the best bet.

Does anyone know if they've been closing either park due to capacity limits during the week?

 

[Makmak]

Thanks for all the info! Looks like rope drop is the best bet.

Does anyone know if they've been closing either park due to capacity limits during the week?

If you rope drop realize that ppl go to line up much earlier (an hour earlier) than the listed time of open so I’d try to get on the first boat/start walking early. Also check opening time the night before/early morning as the hours have changed on us last minute to a 7am opening. Almost everyone will run immediately to that ride. (And I do mean run, there was a bunch on f runners ignoring TM asking them to walk). You can get virtual line at park open. I suggest you screenshot your time as we have had it happen that they “go off” of virtual line so when you show up at your time you may be told that you just have to wait in the line. When this happens we have shown the screenshot and been allowed to go in a short line. The virtual times will disappear from the app when they stop virtual, so the screenshot is important. Of course if you go at a crowded time they probably will stay on virtual but wanted you to know just in case.

 

[Fsudisney]

I’m glad you asked this question. We will be there next weekend and are staying at Royal Pacific. I’m hoping to do early entry and head back there. If it’s not too long we’ll hop in line and try to get a VW for later also? If it’s too long maybe we’ll do Forbidden Journey and just do VQ if we get it. I’m hoping I don’t screw it up!

 

[shawthorne44]

Note, rope dropping Hagrid's means early entry and fast walking. At park open it has been going virtual.

 

[03GirlsMom]

We avoided rope drop - EE started at 7:00a during our trip which meant there would be a line outside the park starting 30 to 60 min before that. Definitely not for us! My oldest daughter and I started checking for VL about 10 min prior to park opening. We never had a problem grabbing a time. With that said, we still waited anywhere from 60-90 min once we were in line.

 

[finedice]

Can someone please explain the virtual line for me (n00b). How can it be predicted when they drop? How do you get them? It looks like it doesn't save a ton of waiting time from the thread here...

 

[shawthorne44]

Well, if you don't get the virtual line reservation, the only other option is standby during early entry. So, it isn't a choice of a two-hour standby line or a two-hour virtual line. There are certain times when they drop, but I don't remember when that is.

 

[finedice]

Okay, thanks. Disney vet here going to UO for the first time this summer. Still not sure I understand how it works though. I understand the dynamics of rope drop and the basics of a virtual queue system, just more curious about how virtual lines work at Universal. For example, I understand "boarding groups" for RoR at Disney work, but I never waited more than 10 or 12 minutes when using one after my return time. How does the system work at UO? From what I take from reading above, your "return time" just tells you when to get in a 90+ minute line. Correct?

 

[CAPSLOCK]

It might be a 30min line, but depends on how crowded the park is and such.

Basically, when the line no longer fits in the (extended) queue, they switch to VQ and you cannot get in the standby line while the VQ system is running. A few other rides do VQ also depending on crowds (usually Mummy is next).

If you look on the UO App, you can look at the VQ times for Hagrids - click on it while it is on VQ and it'll tell you the next times to check. I think it's usually park open, 11am, 2pm, 4pm. You have to be on UO property to get in the VQ.

 

[MarieW]

Some recent guests said they were able to obtain a place in the virtual line while still at their hotel or CityWalk. Can anyone confirm this?

 

[shawthorne44]

Some recent guests said they were able to obtain a place in the virtual line while still at their hotel or CityWalk. Can anyone confirm this?

Yes, and the parking lot too.

 

[MarieW]

Yes, and the parking lot too.

Thank you! We will try this starting tomorrow.

 

[03GirlsMom]

Some recent guests said they were able to obtain a place in the virtual line while still at their hotel or CityWalk. Can anyone confirm this?

Yep! We were able to snag a time while on the boat over from RPR.

 

[LauralF22]

Yep! We were able to snag a time while on the boat over from RPR.

Great news! I'm going to try this next week when we are there. Thanks for asking the question.

 

[abnihon]

We got our VQ spot while at Royal Pacific. We drove over from Disney to check in but no way could we get there before 7 to do standby.
We obsessively checked VQ starting at 07:45 but ride was actually “delayed” that morning (feel bad for people who rope dropped just to ride it...) it finally went back up a few min after 8 and my husband grabbed a spot when VQ opened!!
You can select a time so we picked around 10am.
We still waited over an hour but the line is interesting!
Other drop times are 11, 2 and 4 but we didn’t try again because it’s such a long wait and we only had one day.
It’s a great ride though!

 

[jimmymc]

Do both. Get there 15 to 30 minutes before the early entry time starts, then also use virtual queue, which opens 15 minutes before the normal park opening time.