How to Get a Virtual Time for Riding Hagrid’s
Have you ridden the newest coaster at Universal Orlando? Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure opened at Islands of Adventure in June of 2019, it remains the most popular ride at Universal. In fact, it’s so popular that due to social distancing requirements, some days, you can’t even get in a standby line to ride it.
On most weekends and some holidays, Islands of Adventure gets so crowded that the line for Hagrid’s goes virtual. What does this mean? It means that the only way to ride is to use the Universal Florida app to obtain a virtual line pass that lets you return at a specific time. After you show your pass to the Team Members, then you wait in the line to ride. You still might have a 45 to 30 minute wait, but you cannot get in the line unless you have the virtual pass.
So how does one go about getting a pass? First of all, you need to have the Universal Florida app downloaded on your phone. Here are the links for iPhone and Android. Once you download the app, either enter your Universal account information, or create a new account. (This is the same account you would use on the Universal website). You can also use this app to mobile order, look at menus, see wait times, and store your park ticket or annual pass.
Next, you need to be on Universal property to even have the option to get a virtual line pass in the app. I have gotten a pass when we’re in the CityWalk parking garage, when we were driving by the parks but not in the parks yet, and when we were in the Royal Pacific hotel. You’ll definitely be able to try for a pass if you’re in the parks, but the range isn’t definite for outside the parks (I was told when we were staying at Royal Pacific that sometimes it works there and sometimes it doesn’t).
Once you have the app and are on property, open the app and click on the three horizontal lines in the upper left corner. From there, choose Virtual Line Experience. Tap the tab that says “Virtual Line Venues”. You will see a list of all the rides that have “gone virtual” that day. Depending on how crowded it is, there will be different rides listed. (Jimmy Fallon is always virtual right now due to Covid). Click on the ride you want, and then click again on “Virtual Line Pass”. If there are passes available, you will have the option to choose how many people are in your party, and then choose the time window that you want to ride.
You will then get a QR code that is good during your return time window. You can close out the app or do other things in the app while waiting for your return time. When it’s time to return, you would open the app, tap “Virtual Line Experience” again, and then click “My Virtual Passes” (or something close to that, I don’t remember exactly what it’s called). This will bring up your QR code. Right now, The entrance to Hagrid’s is back in The Lost Continent area of the park, near the talking fountain. You will present your QR code to the Team Member who will scan it and let the amount of people listed in your reservation through the queue.
You have to act fast in order to get a pass though. The passes drop at park opening (not early admission hours, the actual park opening), 11am, 2pm, and 4pm. I have never not gotten a pass that drops at park opening. These passes usually are only for morning times, and they’re also available for up to 15 minutes after they drop. The other times it is much harder to obtain a pass. One time I checked right at 11am, had the option of two times, decided I didn’t want to ride it, but was going to try to video the process. In the two seconds that it took for me to screen record, the times were gone.
What are my tips? If you can, get the morning ones that drop at park opening. For some reason, these seem to be available for much longer than the other ones are. If you aren’t able to get one of these, then set a timer on your phone for five minutes before the hour for the 11am, 2pm, and 4pm ones. Sit and don’t do anything else for that five minutes, so you’re ready right when the hour hits. Act fast, don’t think too hard on the return times, and hopefully you’ll get a time.
Another tip that I have is to use two people’s phones. The virtual pass doesn’t ask who is in your party, so you can make two reservations using two different accounts. I like making two reservations that are close in time, so I can ride, then wait a little bit, and then ride again. Note: You can only have one reservation per ride per account at a time. There is nothing preventing you from getting another reservation when the new times drop after you’ve already ridden it.
Hopefully this helps you to get a virtual line pass! It’s such a fun ride, whatever time you’re able to get a pass, rearrange your schedule so that you’re able to ride at that time.
You can view my video on how to get a pass below:
