We are at Universal this weekend and it’s packed. Express pass is crucial.
We lined up at 8:10 to get into UOR, which opened at 9, and we were wwaaaaayyyy back in line…almost to the bridge to IOA. We should’ve lined up about 7:30. They opened the virtual cues for the haunted houses at about 8:40, and we were able to get passes for both haunted houses while we waited to enter the park. At about 8:50 the line started moving and entering the park.
Oh, and the Voodoo donut line was crazy also. Part of our group went to that line when the rest got in the park line. The donut group barely made it to us before we entered the park. So it took them about 40 min to get donuts, and they started about 8:10. (Voodoo opened at 8.)
Yesterday we did the early admission to IOA. We lined up about 7:40 and we were pretty far back again. The line started moving just before 8 and we went straight to Hagrid, and waited about 20 min to ride. We were able to also do Forbidden Journey and Flight of the Hippogriff before the park opened to all guests.
If the haunted houses are important to you, you’ll have to go the Universal on a weekend. If not, I definitely recommend avoiding Sat/Sun.
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Oh, and while we waited to ride Flight it the Hippogriff we got the virtual passes for Hagrid… so about 8:50.
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So we’re gonna go do one day with express passes (I couldn’t get a room at deluxe as they were sold out so I had to buy them and stay at endless summer) and another half day before we head out. We’re gonna do wdw during the week so gonna do universal on the weekends in hopes of haunted houses and since we can use express there and not at wdw where I’ve heard weekend crowds are getting bad. So my question is this. On the first day with the express I plan to ride all the rides but on our half day before we leave the following Saturday I plan to do shows and try to get it for the haunted houses first thing and do those since I don’t think they work with express pass. So if we go to IOA for early entry and ride Hagrids and try to jump on the first hogwarts express into USF at 9am when it opens then can we avoid that line out USF and still grab virtual haunted house passes while in IOA? Will that help us beat that line out the front for USF or will that actually hinder our ability to get early virtual passes for the haunted houses?
Yes, that definitely works. You don’t have to actually be in either park to get access to the virtual lines for the haunted houses. You just have to be on property. Make sure you keep an eye on the app… the access opened about 20 min before the park opened, and all the virtual line spots were gone within about 20 min.
Each person can get a virtual line pass for up to 8 people. Everyone needs to have the app, and be signed in. You do not need to link anyone’s tickets, or put in any credit card info.
On the weekends they also run the Hagrid’s ride through the virtual cue. It’s fantastic.
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If you can choose your times we might try both days for them then. With Star Wars RotR you get what you get and you don’t throw a fit so I’m not sure if this is like that or if you can choose later in the day? Thank you for your help. We got to ride RotR twice last January because of this forum and people with their tips so I really appreciate the help! It makes a difference. I do have to say I’m not a big fan of this last minute day of grabbing passes that wdw and uso are beginning to do. It’s so stressful! But i do appreciate the knowledge to help make that less stressful and gives a better chance of success!
Speaking strictly with regard to getting in line for things taking Hogwarts Express versus coming through the front gate (if this is even part of your question), you should know that the first Hogwarts Express train will arrive AFTER people have been let in the front gate . If you’re talking strictly about obtaining virtual passes, I see that question has already answered, but wanted to throw that in there.
When I started reading this, I saw “…you get what you get…” and mentally filled in the rest because we say this all the time in my house! 
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Ha ha ha. Yup, if you have kids you know that saying! I was so stressed out about Rise of the Resistance the first time. I paid to upgrade our cell service to top tier so we would have premium data; I walked through the process as far as I could at home with the hubby and kids before we left and then the morning of I annoyed the heck out of em every couple of minutes asking them to refresh their phone after waking them up at 4am! That ride was worth it and we went back and did it a separate day but I found the whole thing nerve-wracking! But yes I don’t care if we are first in the gates but just want to make sure we can view the Haunted House UNLESS they let the first people through the gates walk right into the haunted houses? But if they are virtual only like RotR then I’d rather get that extra Hagrid ride in as that ride is also amazing! 
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FYI Haunted Houses plus a few other things like the Scarecrow Scavenger Hunt and Beetlejuice M+G I saw just got officially posted on Universal site for this weekend and then daily starting next weekend through Nov 1! YAY!!! Universal Orlando
Keep an eye on the TP blog I’ll have a review and touring info up later this week.
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They’re letting people wear costumes the whole time? SQUEEE!
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