Best strategy for Hagrid?

[gball057]

Hi All
My family and I will be having 3 days between USF & IOA during the Easter period. We will have Express Passes for two of the days. My question is, knowing that Hagrid is not eligible for express pass would it make sense to do it on the non express pass day and just get in line early? I have been looking for official “Unofficial” advice on Hagrid strategies but can’t find any yet. Maybe I am not looking in the right places. Any thoughts?
Thanks in advance!

[missoverexcited]

There really aren’t any strategies yet. The ride isn’t reliably open at set times, though it is getting a bit better I think (with fingers crossed and touching wood!).

I think you could do everything else on the 2 days with Ex Pass and then devote the other day to waiting - I would guess you’ll wait 2.5-3 hours.

We are tracking openings/posted waits etc on this thread -

Tracking Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure opening times

I’m setting this thread up so that we can track what time the Hagrid ride is actually opening. Though it is still listed as opening at midday, it opened with the park yesterday, and was open at 10.10 today though I don’t know exactly when it opened (not with the park). @brerbeer and I will both try to track it, and hopefully it will be useful for planning for everyone - it definitely will be for me! Feel free to post here if you notice it opening, or closing in the evening!

[sanstitre_has_left_the_building]

Obviously this is an extreme option, but the VIP tours do take you on Hagrid with virtually zero wait. Though they don’t guarantee it. Because they can’t.

[manateesmom]

It’s a bit early to have a definite strategy for Hagrid’s yet, but if I were you I would plan to line up about an hour before park open on a non-Express day. I’d keep an eye on its operating hours as your trip approaches.

[gball057]

Thanks for the tip.

[john.henrichs]

Anyone have updated advice for Hagrid’s? We have early admission, so I’m assuming we take Hogwart’s Express over to Hogsmede right after IoA park opening?

[dunegirl]

If you wait for the first Hogwarts Express train over, you will be behind the mass of people who come in from the IOA gates for rope drop. Unfortunately, if you want to rope drop Hagrid’s, you probably are better off forgoing early entry that morning.

Wait times for Hagrid’s are also reliably low around 1pm, so if you want to do early entry you could aim for that time slot instead.

[john.henrichs]

Thanks!

[JDAdams]

We have found that (at least per our TP), it should be possible to get round everything else in the park with relative ease with EPs, and still have plenty of time (4h, though the line may close before then) left for Hagrid before closing:

https://touringplans.com/plans/print?id=3824360

That way you know you aren’t missing out on anything else for the sake of Hagrid, and will have had plenty of time in the park to see how lines develop / avoid waiting while there is downtime.

[adusca]

I had 5 days of park tickets and went to IOA on Tuesday, Thursday (night only), Friday (night only) and Saturday.

On Tuesday it went straight from delayed to closed to at capacity, no chance of riding it. On Thursday at 5:30pm I talked with a team member and she told me the ride wouldn’t be reopening for the day.

On Friday we arrived at the park at 5pm. App showed Hagrid was closed. We got in front of it at 6pm, there was a big crowd in front of Hagrid’s, and it was closed. People were hopeful that it would reopen. We rode FJ twice and FOH once. When we walked by Hagrid’s again we could see a test bike going, so we waited with the crowd. 10 minutes later the ride reopened and 20 minutes later we were on it (not needing lockers is a big advantage).

On Saturday I went again after 5pm. First time 120 minutes wait posted, took 50 minutes. Went again. 120 minutes posted, took 90 minutes.

I think the take away here is be flexible, don’t believe in posted times and keep an eye for the ride reopening.