According to certain accounts, when Hegrid’s Magic Motorcycle Adventure opened on June 13, 2019 in the Harry Potter Wizard World at Universal City Resort Orlando, guests waited for a painful time to have the opportunity to cross the motorcycle (or ride across the sidecar) – up to 14 hours.
When I finally experienced Hagrid for myself in 2020, the waiting time was greatly reduced, but I still waited for nearly two hours to the point where this almost perfect roller coaster was. The long wait feels even longer, as I usually skip the routes for most universal ridings with a universal fast pass.
Most new universal rides open without universal Express access, but add it shortly after opening after the initial rapid disappearance. Hagrid’s is not. After nearly six years of opening up, the only way to ride a bike is to stand in line (or shell the VIP tour).
Related: This is an epic trip to this year’s epic Orlando resort
I’m happy to report that you can finally skip the standby line of Hagrid Magical Creatures motorcycle adventure using Universal Express.
Now guests can choose to queue or get a universal fast pass and use a shorter express route. Universal Express comes in two versions: the standard Universal Express allows you to skip one line at a time, while Universal Express Unlimited Pass allows you to skip unlimited times.
There are several ways you can get universal express delivery. I can get the Orlando Universal Pass for free after 4pm every day, but you can also buy it before or during the holidays.
Finally, you can offer universal Express Unlimited to all guests in your room for accommodation in a select live hotel, including:
Daily Newsletter
Reward your inbox with TPG Daily Newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG experts
I’ve been touting the value of this gain for a long time, but now you can use Universal Express to get Hagrid, which is more valuable. Let’s do math efforts and see how much this allowance is worth.
Standard universal quick access pricing ranges from $119.99 per person to $319.99 per person (tax glut). Universal Express Unlimited starts at $149.99 per person, daily (added tax) and up to $349.99.
This basic pricing includes only one park per day. If you have park-to-park tickets for Universal Studios Florida and Island of Adventure, the standard Universal Express costs $129.99 and Universal Express unlimited costs $159.99. (None of these prices includes a universal epic universe that has its own tickets and clear traversals.)
One night stay at Loews Royal Pacific Resort in mid-August is $546 per night (tax surcharge). This is $391 more than a one-night stay at the Universal Distep, the world’s endless summer resort – Dockside Inn and Suites. During the endless summer, you only pay $155 per night for your room (plus tax), but if you want a two-p-Park Universal Express unlimited pass for two adults and two kids, you pay $195 per person (plus tax).
It’s nearly $800 for your hotel price per night, just to skip the line, which doesn’t include the fee for tickets. If you stay at Royal Pacific, you will pay a higher nightly price, but overall it is much less because of your universal fast pass. If you want to skip the line, you can save By staying in a more expensive (and better) hotel.
Our favorite hotel to use this hack is the Loews Portofino Bay. Portofino Bay participates in the American Express Hotel + Resort program. PlatinumCard® from American Express and BusinessPlatinumCard® from American Express Carddolder can take advantage of other benefits by booking through Amex Travel Portal.
I did this in my last stay, in addition to the free Universal Express pass, we upgraded the Bayview Room, free high-speed Wi-Fi, early check-in, late checkout, daily breakfast for two, and a $100 food and beer loan for use during our stay. We also received a lovely welcome amenities in our room: fruit and cheese platter, two bottles of water and chocolate.
If you have enough guests to live in the room and plan to buy Universal Express, there are a lot of money savings in a hotel that includes skipping, and the time in line can greatly change the work you’ll do on your Universal Studios vacation in Orlando. You can’t put a dollar in it.
Related readings:
