Would You Wait 10 Hours for the Latest Harry Potter Ride, Hagrid's Coaster?
We all know Harry Potter is popular. If you don't, it's a mighty hefty rock you're living under. We also know that theme park lines can be long. Really long. We've recorded waits as long as five hours at Disney World (and can't quite figure out why people wait that long). But, what about a line twice that long?
That's what happened this morning for the debut of Universal Orlando's newest ride. Don't get me wrong, we're excited for Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. But, even we didn't anticipate this:
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If you arrived early enough in the morning, the line was a more manageable six hours. Gulp! That's still a LONG wait!
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Maybe you're thinking the numbers are exaggerated. However, we heard from folks who saw stanchions being setup for Hagrid's line in Seuss Landing, which is a long way from Hogsmeade. And, TPG Family has one of our folks, Rona Gindin, in line to bring you the latest information on what Day 1 is like. Early reports from Rona are that it'll be about an eight-hour wait before she gets to ride Hagrid's Motorbike for the first time. Thankfully, Universal is handing out water and allowing bathroom breaks to those in line.
Mother Nature Throws in a Weather Delay
Almost 10 hours into the day, the weather has started to wreak havoc with those most committed. After standing in line most of the day, folks are having to wait while the ride closes intermittently for bad weather.
Fortunately for those waiting in line, the thunderstorms seem to be moving out of the area in the late afternoon. So, folks should still get a chance to ride, unless Orlando's penchant for summer thunderstorms decides to have a late night.
Fans Having Fun Despite the Wait
TPG will have a full review of Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure for you shortly, as soon as Rona has had a chance to actually make her way through the entire line. From the looks of Instagram, some of the most dedicated Potter Heads have chosen to sit out Day 1 while others seem to be enjoying the heck out of the new ride. We're there at the beginning and will have a firsthand look for you shortly!
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Bottom Line
If today is any indication, lines for Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure may push expectations for the coming weeks and maybe even months. Follow our coverage to learn more about the ride and making the best use of your time at Universal Orlando.
Read on for more Universal Studios tips and reviews:
- Why Now is the Best Time to Buy Theme Park Tickets
- How to Get the Most Out of One Day at Universal Studios
- Is Universal Studios Orlando Getting a New Theme Park?
- 5 Ways Universal Studios is Better Than Disney
- Inside a $3,000 Universal Studios VIP Tour
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The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month