Hagrid's Coaster Queue Updates / Questions / Reviews

So yesterday RD worked like a charm as well. We were in line for the tapstyles at 7:55 behind about 26 people. Scanned in at 8:40. In line at 8:50 and walking the switchbacks. There was blatant line cutting. People jumped out of line to the que We were scanned in at 8:40. At the line entrance at 8;50. There was blatant cutting going on. People jumping out of line running along next to it and then hopping the railing to get back in line 30 people ahead. This happened directly in front of TMs twice and they didn’t say anything. Annoying. People deride 6 Flags but at least they kick people out for that.

Still off the ride by 9:15.
 
This morning we are not so lucky. We arrived at 7:55. There were a lot more people there (buddies park day). Tons of runners today. Basically half the people were running. They had two security guards and several TMs on the Lost Continent bridge. That stopped the running. We were in line walking the switchbacks at 9:00. At 9:05 they announced delays. We are now stuck in the tunnels between the egg room and exhibit room and have been for 40 mins. Sigh. They have announced extended delays with no estimate on how long.

We had planned to go yesterday around noon t it was down between 11:30 and sometime after 1:00. They closed the line around 3 ish.

Anyone who has gotten a ruby pass, how long did you wait in line before it was cleared?
 
I have pretty much said on the trip this week to Universal that I have zero chance getting on this thing. Oh well, lots of other things to do.
 
I have pretty much said on the trip this week to Universal that I have zero chance getting on this thing. Oh well, lots of other things to do.

we’re only waiting it out because we have 4 days and the kids want to (they’re looking at it as an adventure right now). But the minute the complaining and whining start, were out of here.
 


The line just to get through security when walking from Royal Pacific to City Walk was 20 minutes long at 8:05 this morning. Line to get into Islands was across the bridge but we got in and we’re in line for Hagrids by 9:05 with a 90 minute wait. We waited in extended delay until 10:30 and then got out. We noticed some test coasters run while we were getting our backpacks and then saw them close the line.Not sure we will try this again tomorrow, as we wasted a lot of time!
 
One of the busiest times of the year just days away and this has been happening since June - SIX MONTHS of problems and people waiting endlessly! They either need to get it sorted or at least have a virtual queue until they do.

While at first VL made sense, but at this point, VL won't make things any better due to the unpredictability for the ride. If things are already frustrating for guests, it'll add more fuel to the fire. You're putting in a time to return when doing VL. If things are not going according to plan and those expectations are not met it's only going to make things more complicated and frustrating for the guest. They can't make promises they cannot keep and if expectations are not met they need to warn customers ahead of time. Which is why they always announce delays and why they post signs if the attraction is closing early.

What really needs to be done is what they did for Jaws when it has it's disastrous premiere and honestly just shut down the ride and really give it a serious work on the ride for it to run smoothly. Fortunately, back in those days, Jaws opened along with all the other attractions at Universal and so there was a distraction from Jaws. You can always ride on all the other new and amazing attractions Universal has to offer. Hagrid's can't fall back on that, because while a lot of guests are coming to be going to the parks, a lot of guests are coming specifically for Hagrid's and expecting it to be open.
 


While at first VL made sense, but at this point, VL won't make things any better due to the unpredictability for the ride. If things are already frustrating for guests, it'll add more fuel to the fire. You're putting in a time to return when doing VL. If things are not going according to plan and those expectations are not met it's only going to make things more complicated and frustrating for the guest. They can't make promises they cannot keep and if expectations are not met they need to warn customers ahead of time. Which is why they always announce delays and why they post signs if the attraction is closing early.

What really needs to be done is what they did for Jaws when it has it's disastrous premiere and honestly just shut down the ride and really give it a serious work on the ride for it to run smoothly. Fortunately, back in those days, Jaws opened along with all the other attractions at Universal and so there was a distraction from Jaws. You can always ride on all the other new and amazing attractions Universal has to offer. Hagrid's can't fall back on that, because while a lot of guests are coming to be going to the parks, a lot of guests are coming specifically for Hagrid's and expecting it to be open.
You make many valid points, it's just so frustrating reading so many stories of delays, queues, RD nightmares etc yet absolutely nothing official from Universal.
1 week until we arrive and we'll be in the same position - it doesn't really fill you with confidence.
 
If it really needed to be done, I think to lessen the blow they could announce a "refurbishment" months in advance. It would still suck and plenty of people's plans would be conflicted and some would feel the need to cancel. However, if they needed to do some serious work that would be a way to lessen conflict and frustration. However, at the same time, with it constantly running and continuing to try to have it work that might be a good thing. I said this, because if they are truly doing maintenance at night, it gives them an idea on what works and doesn't work with (relatively) normal operating hours rather if they did their normal testing.

A good example of that is with the original Haunted Mansion, the Hatbox Ghost seemed perfectly great and had amazing effect within the WED enterprises. The head within the box would disappear and reappear perfectly. However, once they placed it into the attraction the effect wasn't as great as they thought and it was due to all the elements of the ride together, them riding the omnimover at different angels, and guests being so close during certain parts during that effect that the head disappearing and reappearing didn't work as great as it did with testing. Which is why it was removed and didn't appear again until technology caught up.

Either way, there are pros and cons to both ways of them resolving this. As frustrating as it is, more than likely they're going to keep doing what they did in the past and just like the other HP attractions, letting it ride out until they slowly work out the kinks.
 
Kind of not related, but at the same time related.

So, I just got my AP back recently and it was my second time back. I was like, "I'm going to go on Spider-Man today." Cause first, kind of want to wait a little more until trying to do Hagrid's. Second, other than FJ, Spider-Man is my favorite ride and haven't re-ridden it yet.

I got there about 8:45-8:50 and that was a rude awakening. Two lines all the way back to the middle of the bridge, another line that met to the beginning of the bridge on the side going around the ticket areas (think I overheard it was for guest services). Line wasn't moving and I didn't stick around for long so I couldn't tell if they were starting to scan, or not. It looked like a hot mess (because other than the three lines, there were also a lot of people walking around / stopped and looking around). I feel they definitely need more further back telling people what to do since there was so many people joining in late who kept asking where they were supposed to stand in terms of which line. There was only one person at the bridge. If there was any other TMs they were probably all in the front, or at designated places (such as scanning, or ticket booths) since she was the only person I saw.

Since no one talks much about the gate layout before opening I didn't think much of it and just thought, well, maybe theirs a line up for people going to Hagrid's and a line up for just the park when I showed. Anywho, went to US first instead.

Took my time coming around to IoA using HE and when I got out there was a two and a half reported wait time. It was around 10am. Queue was running outside of the regular queue, there was a break about where HE lets out and a few feet away was the queue were Sinbad was. I ended up not getting on Spider-Man, because I considered the line too long (only getting longer and no SR line open), but that's what I get for taking my time getting over there. Not complaining, as I still had a good time with the little I done. I decided it might be best I leave to do early Christmas shopping.

Yeah, it's a bit confusing because of the small structures that prevent every ticket scan line from continuing back as far as the line will ultimately go. That causes a merge into fewer lines to get between the structures - then probably an additional merge once you get back as far as the bridge.

The other issue is that some lines up front head to a pair of scan stations, while some other areas have a line for each. Once they open, the line would then split between the two. However the one day we were there, there were 2 established lines with 3 scanners (where we were). We were at the front of one line directly behind one scanner, the line to our left had started with 2 scanners in front of it. As the crowd started to fill up, the people in front of the other line gradually worked their way into one of the turn styles. After about 45 minutes of waiting, when the line extended back further than we could see, someone back at one of the structures walked right up and stood at the vacant scan station - then a group of 3 more followed suit. Surprisingly, nobody else joined them. Technically they didn't cut in line since they formed a new line, but most people didn't have the stomach to walk between 2 lines of 100+ people to take advantage of the situation.

>Just to be clear, how the lines form up are determined completely by the guests themselves. I think the only reason they don't fill every possible slot is because it makes for an unnaturally tight group of lines. Some sit down when they get there so they sit back a bit and the line forms behind them because nobody is really sure which station they are behind, while those that stand can fit right between the barriers that form a single station.
 
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Anyone have anymore recent experiences within the past couple of days? Especially since it's almost Thanksgiving day. Right now I see the wait is at 150 minutes (2.5 hrs).
 
They got the ride running again at 11 so we had a 2 hour wait plus the hour outside the gate.

It’s been down again almost all afternoon. Not a great start to Thanksgiving week.
We were stuck in it. Waited until the bitter end when they asked everyone to leave the line. We did get a red pass to go back which we did today and a gold pass for another attraction. Even with the Red pass, we waited about 30 min. Every time the recorded voice made an announcement we held our breath thinking it was going to shut down again on us. We were in line with a single rider from England. She had one day in the park and was flying home the next morning so I doubt she got to ride it. We felt bad for here and gave her our extra gold passes since we already had EP from staying at the HRH. Really sucks for someone to wait all that time and not get on the ride.
 
Anyone have anymore recent experiences within the past couple of days? Especially since it's almost Thanksgiving day. Right now I see the wait is at 150 minutes (2.5 hrs).
See my just above this one. I’ve been here every Thanksgiving week for the past several years. Gets more crowded every year, but Hagrids has it absolutely nuts this week. Wait times have varied from 90 min to 240 min when it actually operates. The ride is great though. I think EP is coming in the near future. A face recognition scanner is in the red pass lane, just not used yet. I’m guessing EP will debut sometime after the holidays when the hotels can use the increased occupancy.
 
I read that the ride was open last night with a 45 minute wait and that the line was flying.
 
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One of the busiest times of the year just days away and this has been happening since June - SIX MONTHS of problems and people waiting endlessly! They either need to get it sorted or at least have a virtual queue until they do.

I agree with you, they need to at least start a VL, for me at least this would be less frustrating than sitting in line for hours. I would rather have VL and then show up and not be able to ride it than waste so much time standing in line for hours and still not get to ride it. I think VL would actually ease some of the frustration. We'll be there the week after xmas and in praying they learn some lessons from Thanksgiving holiday and get this ride on track for the upcoming busiest time ever of the year.
 
Anyone have anymore recent experiences within the past couple of days? Especially since it's almost Thanksgiving day. Right now I see the wait is at 150 minutes (2.5 hrs).
It looked like it operated all day on Tues (may have been down briefly but nothing extended that I saw).

I read that the ride was open last night with a 45 minute wait and that the line was flying.

It was still operating at ~7:00 even though they had the placard out earlier saying it was closing early. Maybe since it was operating pretty well and down most of the pervious day, they changed their mind. The lowest i saw as a posted wait was 90 at about 6:30. We didn’t ride so I don’t know how actual waits compared. If things were running about half the posted time as they often do that would be the reported 45 mins.
 
I have a trip planned with my family planned December 15-the 26th as a Christmas gift we will be traveling with my mother who is disabled (oxygen dependent among other things) and my three girls 12, 11 and 6. We will have both a wheelchair and my 6 year old will probably be using her stroller as a wheelchair as well she is knew to our family has never been on a trip like this before she has severe vision issues and we’re currently dealing with multiple therapists to get some diagnosis she has severe ptsd and possibly adhd with terrible impulse control( at a local theme park tried to take off seatbelt on a moving ride) Can anyone give advice or tips ? Should we try to rope drop or is trying to get through the crowds with a wheelchair and stroller going to be a mistake?
 
I agree that 6 months of major ride-delay problems is TOO much. And yet people are still paying the huge prices, and still standing in line for hours per day, so Universal really doesn't have to be accountable to anyone. What a joke they are playing on the consumer. Our upcoming visit is in 3 weeks, on a high-crowd-level day, unfortunately... i had no flexibility on dates, and it has been planned for a year. I'm so disappointed that Hagrid is still opening late, closing early, breaking down mid-day... what a crappy build. I've read rumors that the rails have to be dry to work properly... are you kidding me, someone designed something like that in one of the highest-humidity states in U.S.? Can't be true, surely. I've read that the rails heat up too much, so the ride can only be run a limited # of hours/day, perhaps influenced by ambient temp too. Again, sheer design stupidity. Hard to believe a ride engineer wouldn't understand coefficient of friction. I've read that Hagrid's closes early and starts late because workers are repairing equipment. What kind of ride needs hours of repairs, EVERY day? If true, they need to be working on it when the park is CLOSED, not during the hours people have paid for it to be operational. I've read they close Hagrid's early to ensure the queue gets through before closing hours. False, the queue gets thru long before actual park closure. I get weary of paying customers giving all these lame unacceptable excuses for why a multi-billion company isn't delivering their product. Honestly, Universal has failed on Hagrid's, and deserves some very negative publicity.
For planning purposes, there's no Early Admission to IoA on my scheduled day (but Studios DOES have early). So my choices are: forfeit early admission to Studios and instead wait at IoA rope-drop from 8am until 9am opening. OR... enter Studios at their 8am rope-drop, go to Diagon Alley and wait an hour for Hogwarts Expr to open, then ride to IoA.
The unknowns are: Does the Hogwarts Express (in Studios) delay transporting until the 9am IoA opening? Are there massive lines at the London station waiting to get into Hogsmeade? By the time passengers get from London to Hogsmeade, would the IoA rope-droppers already be in a 2-hr queue at Hagrid's?
 

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