Hagrid's Coaster Queue Updates / Questions / Reviews

[Lashed34]

I also think people are more than happy to queue, but they just don't know if it will be operational when they go to the park.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I also think people are more than happy to queue, but they just don't know if it will be operational when they go to the park.

Yep. We don't mind waiting at all. We have Express Pass for the rest, so we don't care!

 

[Lashed34]

Yep. We don't mind waiting at all. We have Express Pass for the rest, so we don't care!

Same as us, well good luck I really hope you have a fantastic time and get on the ride, preferably a few times.

 

[damo]

Question:
If we are planning rider switch for Hagrid's and we are at the turnstiles before park opening, are we able to go through the queue with a stroller? Trying to figure out the logistics when we go next month. Also trying to decide if our party should just split up and do the ride in 2 sets of 2 instead but realizing park opening may be our best bet as we only have 1.5 days here. DH and I want to make sure our adult kids have fun and the two of us just want to make sure we ride Hagrid's.....the baby will sadly miss out on a lot of the parks since she's probably only going to be 33" tall or so. I haven't heard anyone speak of the queue and whether or not strollers are able to go through it or if it'll need to be parked for the queue.

No strollers in any queue, unfortunately.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Two Complete Data Points of Rope Dropping Hagrid's:

- Sunday Nov 3rd

• 8:15 am - Arrived at Park entrance. We were approx. 3/4 of the way back from the entrance to the ticket booths
• 8:40 am - gates opened, people began full out sprinting to the coaster after scanning their tickets. There was no crowd control whatsoever to slow people down.
• 8:45 am - (approx.) we got through the turnstiles after scanning our tickets and briskly walked to the coaster. We were passed up by a bunch of runners and I had to really protect my short 9 year old from a few folks who were darting in an out of groups.
• 8:50 am - (approx.) we entered the extended queue for the ride and could hear people on it already, we continued to slowly move forward without stopping, we went past the lockers (which was a cluster of people separating from groups then pushing their way to join back up...) They DO NOT make you leave your cell phone in a locker and DO NOT have metal detectors. You just need to put bags in the lockers.
• 9:05 am - we stopped moving finally. We already were past the pre-show movie at this point. They were not showing the pre-show movie this early which was super dumb because we still were going to wait 25 minutes from this point...a 5 minute movie would have been nice to watch...
• 9:29 am - we boarded the ride - IT WAS AMAZING. Very well done in every way imaginable. I literally have no criticisms whatsoever of this ride.
• 9:34 am - on our way to meet up with my wife and younger daughter who wouldn't (wife) and couldn't (daughter) ride.

- Monday Nov 4th

• 8:15 am - Arrived at Park entrance. We were approx. 3/4 of the way back from the entrance to the ticket booths again.
• 8:40 am - gates opened, sprinting occured again. We picked a bad line where EVERYBODY in the first group had ticket issues. We managed to merge in with the line beside us instead but got moving a little slower than the day before. There was again no crowd control whatsoever to slow people down.
• 8:55 am - (approx.) we entered the extended queue for the ride and were told that it was experiencing a delay. We continued to meander forwards at a much slower pace than the day before.
• 9:05 am - we heard the first people go by on the ride. This indicated to me that we were at least 15 minutes behind schedule from the day prior (plus we took awhile to get in the park due to the stupid ticket issues).
• 9:24 am - NO PRESHOW MOVIE AGAIN! I seriously was angry about this. We literally were not going anywhere in the midst of 30 more minutes of line and yet no preshow movie for us.
• 9:48 am - we boarded the ride - got the very back seat - it was so fun and more thrilling than a middle seat in my opinion!
• 9:53 am - on our way to meet up with my wife so despite the delayed start still not terrible. We were able to get over to Pteranodon Flyers before the line backed up there. It was 10 minutes when the girls got in line (with my mom/sister) and ballooned to 50 minutes before they got off 15 minutes later.
• If I had it to over again, I'd have tried to get to the park entrance prior to 8am both days.

Some Potential "Marker Points" to know how long you'll wait (assuming no operational issues):

• Approx. 30 minutes once you exit the Pre-show movie if the line is fully backed up to that point
• Approx 10-15 minutes once you enter the final room
• In a fully backed up queue probably about 45 minutes from when you enter the queue area by Hagrid's hut

 

[Matthew81]

what is the pre-show movie I have done this at rope drop twice and have not seen a movie?

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

Two Complete Data Points of Rope Dropping Hagrid's:
.
.
.

Thanks for the detailed info! We go in 2.5 weeks and I can't wait.

 

[TommyJK]

what is the pre-show movie I have done this at rope drop twice and have not seen a movie?

It is a little pre-show similar in style to the one they show on Escape from Gringotts, but it has Arthur Weasley and Hagrid chatting about creating the multiple bikes (ie the coaster train) and some fire lizards wandering around.

You can find it in YouTube if you want to see it.

 

[MeridaAnn]

what is the pre-show movie I have done this at rope drop twice and have not seen a movie?

It's almost immediately after you enter the indoor section of the queue. It's a really fun interaction between Hagrid and Arthur and establishes the plan for the "lesson" and how there are so many motorcycles available. I've ridden the ride 4 times, all at rope drop, and they were only running it once (and that was during the opening weekend). When they're not showing the preshow, you just walk straight through the room and out into the next area (where the fireplace and stacked wood are). The screen is still visible when the preshow isn't being shown and might have some filler material showing, like Hagrid's dog, Fang, walking across, but not the scene with the conversation between the two characters.

I agree with SouthFayetteFan that it doesn't make sense for them to skip this. It's a cute show and is a nice setup for the ride. Maybe they're just trying to get as many people indoors as possible due to the heat, but if that's the case, I don't know why they didn't put the video further along in the line.

 

[mrd7896]

i went at the end of June only a few weeks after it opened. We waited FOUR hours.
in line behind us, we made friends with a few Disney CM's as well as a Universal hotel employee who all have ridden hagrids many times
they were taking bets on if they were going to show the pre-show movie or not because of how long the line was

they were running the pre-show (which i was happy about-we waited 4 hours might as well get the whole experience)

i'm not sure why they wouldn't show it? the pre-show is supposed to break up the waiting and make your queue a little more interesting while setting the stage for the ride. going in the pre-show for our case was literally just to break-up the waiting and give us something to watch. as soon as we got out of the show there wasn't much 'catching up to the queue' we had to do

but as PP explained, i'm not sure why they didn't show it. would it back up the line in the morning?
if you still had to stand around and wait what difference would it make?

correct me if i'm wrong-but do they ALWAYS show the pre-show in gringotts?
i know i have asked before to not have my picture taken and they've let us bypass it. but you always have to go in the 'elevator'..what about the pre-show in that case?

unsure!

 

[Disxuni]

Like @MeridaAnn mentioned I believe that the pre-show doesn't happen sometimes to keep the line moving. The point of a pre-show isn't just to educate people on why they're there, but the key point to have it is in order to entertain people while having a little bit of a delay while others are still on the ride, or in another part of the queue. It gives time for people to leave the ride, or show, or gives more time to have the other part of the queue have less people and make room before having more guests fill the space.

If they're wanting to just pump people through, especially when they know they have no delays, and feel as if the pre-show is unnecessary at the moment then they're not going to show it. I'm sure that will eventually change once Hagrid's is running at 100% and the wait times are not so unpredictable/high.

 

[FireflyTrance]

So does that mean if you have a baby you have to carry them through the whole line?

No strollers in any queue, unfortunately.

 

[hopemax]

Rode today! We hit up Cinnabon, about 7:50 and then got in line. We were the 2nd party in our line at the Front Gate. We lined up in the center, where the mobile, ticket gates are. We didn't run, so we weren't right at the front, by the time we got to the queue, but still pretty far up. My Dad was impressed with how far the line went back toward Margaritaville, before we were let into the park.

They were telling people the ride was experiencing an extended delay. We made it all the way into the final room, just where the small corridor opens up to the big room, and the test vehicle is on the right. So we had a nice open space to wait. The ride didn't start operating until right at 10. But once it started, the line moved quickly and we were off by 10:15. The app said 180 minutes.

So much fun!

 

[TISHLOVESDISNEY]

Rode today! We hit up Cinnabon, about 7:50 and then got in line. We were the 2nd party in our line at the Front Gate. We lined up in the center, where the mobile, ticket gates are. We didn't run, so we weren't right at the front, by the time we got to the queue, but still pretty far up. My Dad was impressed with how far the line went back toward Margaritaville, before we were let into the park.

They were telling people the ride was experiencing an extended delay. We made it all the way into the final room, just where the small corridor opens up to the big room, and the test vehicle is on the right. So we had a nice open space to wait. The ride didn't start operating until right at 10. But once it started, the line moved quickly and we were off by 10:15. The app said 180 minutes.

So much fun!

Can I ask what the "mobile ticket gate" is?
I ask because we have our tickets in the wallet app. Nervous about using this for the first time...

 

[damo]

So does that mean if you have a baby you have to carry them through the whole line?

Yes.

 

[ninafeliz]

Yes. Just like at WDW.

But at WDW kids doing the rider switch don’t wait in the line at all. The non rider and adult wait anywhere they want while the first riders ride, then you come out and switch with them and the second group rides while the baby still waits anywhere with the second adult. Just a different way of doing it, I’m sure it has plusses and minuses, but a big plus is not having to simply hold the young non riders through what could be a very long, slow line.

Edit: I just noticed the post I quoted has been edited while I replied!

 

[hopemax]

Can I ask what the "mobile ticket gate" is?
I ask because we have our tickets in the wallet app. Nervous about using this for the first time...

I mean mobile, in that they aren't permanent. The screen, scanning gun, finger scanner, etc are on a unit that are wheeled out when they need extra gates.

They are right in the center, with the permanent turnstyles on the left and right.

 

[TISHLOVESDISNEY]

I mean mobile, in that they aren't permanent. The screen, scanning gun, finger scanner, etc are on a unit that are wheeled out when they need extra gates.

They are right in the center, with the permanent turnstyles on the left and right.

Ahhh, got it!

 

[damo]

But at WDW kids doing the rider switch don’t wait in the line at all. The non rider and adult wait anywhere they want while the first riders ride, then you come out and switch with them and the second group rides while the baby still waits anywhere with the second adult. Just a different way of doing it, I’m sure it has plusses and minuses, but a big plus is not having to simply hold the young non riders through what could be a very long, slow line.

Edit: I just noticed the post I quoted has been edited while I replied!

Yes, I edited it for the exact reason you posted. However, for any ride that the baby can go on, you still have to carry them through the queue. We actually love the baby swap at Universal and just pass the baby around. We'd rather all be together in line than be splitting up for every ride.

It would be lovely to be able to keep the baby in the stroller but you can see what a problem it would be with so many strollers.

 

[FireflyTrance]

Pros and cons to each but I think the WDW is more friendly if you have a heavy or tired little one. Can you bring a baby carrier through the line?

Yes, I edited it for the exact reason you posted. However, for any ride that the baby can go on, you still have to carry them through the queue. We actually love the baby swap at Universal and just pass the baby around. We'd rather all be together in line than be splitting up for every ride.

It would be lovely to be able to keep the baby in the stroller but you can see what a problem it would be with so many strollers.