Hagrid’s VQ and rider swap

[abnihon]

Is Hagrid’s ever doing VQ anymore?
We’re visiting December 20th.
If not is early entry the best strategy?

We’ll have a toddler with us.
How does rider swap work?
Will she have to wait in the long line with us and then hand her off between rides?

Or is there a way for me and my son to skip the line after my husband and son ride?
Waiting in the that line with a toddler sounds like torture so if I have to do it I may skip it on this trip…

 

[greeneyedchick]

It's not a VQ. There is no express lane for it either. I'm not sure how rider swap works. We're not morning people so our strategy is always to get in line shortly before the park closes. The is usually shorter then, especially if fireworks are going on at Universal. We like riding it better at night, too.

 

[nighttowll]

Rider Swap

1. Everyone in the group enters the line together.
2. You tell the TM at the entrance that you are doing Child Swap. They or another TM later on will give you a paper child swap ticket.
3. You all wait together in line.
4. At the end of the line where you board, you again tell the TM you are doing child swap. They will direct the child and whoever isn't riding to a room to wait. If they didn't give you the paper ticket earlier, they may give it to you now. The rooms usually have a tv and benches to sit on.
5. When the first set of riders gets off, they come to the room, and those waiting can now go ride. If you have other older children who rode the first time, they can actually ride again with the second parent.

The child swap rooms for each attraction are usually right near the exits to the attractions. Depending on how close to the exit / gift shop, sometimes, they will let you leave and return to the room. It would just be up to the discretion of the TMs. You might check if they would allow you to simply enter the room through the exit. Waiting in a large room with seats and a tv, wouldn't be as bad as in the actual line. If the wait is really long, you might be able to do an hour somewhere else, and then go to the room. None of that is a given, but it is something I would check on once there. I know I have been directed to go to the child swap room directly from a gift shop exit before, so it's one of those things that doesn't hurt to ask. Just understand there's no guarantee they won't make you stand in the regular line.