Can someone help me figure out child swap at USF/IOA?

[FireflyTrance]

I am familiar with how child swap works at WDW. Basically one person gets a fastpass to come back later, and takes the young child that can't ride to do something else while others wait. At Universal Studios it sounds like the young child has to go through the entire line? I find that to be really difficult for a ride like Hagrid's Coaster, which routinely has a 2 hour wait. Can I bring a stroller through the line? My guess is no? Do I then have to carry my toddler for 2 straight hours? To me it sounds very unfriendly to those with small children. Can someone help me figure out a strategy? Thank you!

 

[Princess Minnie321]

We did rider swap about 1 1/2 years ago and we would all go through the line together. When we approached the ride, we would ask for rider swap. The nonriders would wait in a room that played movies and then once the riders came out, they would wait in the room while the other parent rode. We did this at gringots, forbidden journey, and fast and the furious. We did have express pass from our hotel which helped with the lines.

 

[damo]

Yes, it will be an issue with Hagrid's. You're going to have to rope drop it or watch for another time of the day when the lines are low. You can then either take your child through the queue with you or just do it at separate times. We're going in December and we'll do the ride at separate times. If you do it at rope drop, most of your wait will be waiting for the park to open. At that time someone can be just entertaining the toddler until the gates open at which time you begin moving very quickly. Once you get to the ride you will need to park that stroller and get in line. From recent reports, that actual wait is around half an hour in the Hagrid's queue and you are moving pretty quickly through the queue. If you do it separately later in the day, you can ask if the single rider line is any shorter than the stand by line.

We actually prefer this system over WDW. At WDW we would have to split up where at Universal we could all stay together. It is just personal preference. We found that there were lots of times at WDW when we didn't have a fastpass where we would all be waiting in line for a fair amount of time anyway, so the toddler was used to waiting in lines. Videos on the cell phone helped.

 

[gotomu212]

I am familiar with how child swap works at WDW. Basically one person gets a fastpass to come back later, and takes the young child that can't ride to do something else while others wait. At Universal Studios it sounds like the young child has to go through the entire line? I find that to be really difficult for a ride like Hagrid's Coaster, which routinely has a 2 hour wait. Can I bring a stroller through the line? My guess is no? Do I then have to carry my toddler for 2 straight hours? To me it sounds very unfriendly to those with small children. Can someone help me figure out a strategy? Thank you!

You are correct in your understanding. Personally I prefer Universals set up since it avoids all the “where are you now?” texts and backtracking when you split up. However it does mean you littlest one is in line with you. Our strategy is to use an ergo carrier (one of the only times we still use a carrier) just to help with the holding, if you can swing express passes it makes a HUGE difference), and then we’d avoid using it at something with an insane wait like Hagrids.

 

[FireflyTrance]

Thanks for all your input. I think we will try to bring the carrier through the line, but my toddler is pretty heavy