When Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Bike Journey opened in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Common Orlando Resort on June 13, 2019, friends waited a painful period of time for the chance to straddle an enchanted bike (or journey alongside within the sidecar) — as long as 14 hours, based on some accounts.
After I lastly bought to expertise Hagrid’s for myself in 2020, wait instances had fortunately dropped considerably, however I nonetheless waited shut to 2 hours for this virtually good coaster. The lengthy wait felt even longer as a result of I normally skip the strains on most Common rides with a Common Specific go.
Most new Common rides open with out Common Specific entry, however add it shortly after opening as soon as the preliminary rush dies down. Not so with Hagrid’s. Almost six years after opening, the one option to get on the journey was by standing in line (or shelling out for a VIP tour).
Associated: Here’s how to plan an epic trip to Universal Orlando Resort this year
I am comfortable to report you could lastly skip the standby line on Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Bike Journey utilizing Common Specific.
Now, friends have the choice to face in line or get a Universal Express go and use the a lot shorter Specific line. There are two variations of Common Specific: The usual Common Specific go allows you to skip the road one time per attraction, and the Common Specific Limitless go allows you to skip the road a limiteless variety of instances.
There are a number of methods you will get Common Specific. I’ve a Common Orlando annual go and get free Common Specific entry after 4 p.m. day by day, however you may as well buy it earlier than or throughout your trip.
Lastly, you will get Common Specific Limitless included for all friends in your room for the whole lot of your keep at choose on-site motels, together with:
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I’ve lengthy touted the worth of this profit, however now that you should utilize Common Specific to get on Hagrid’s, it’s much more helpful. Let’s do the mathematics to see simply how a lot this perk is price.
Pricing for normal Universal Express entry ranges from $119.99 to $319.99 per particular person, per day (plus tax). Common Specific Limitless begins at $149.99 per particular person, per day (plus tax) and goes as much as $349.99.
This base pricing solely contains one park per day. When you’ve got park-to-park tickets for Common Studios Florida and Islands of Journey, the value begins at $129.99 for normal Common Specific and $159.99 for Common Specific Limitless. (None of those costs embrace Universal Epic Universe, which has its personal tickets and Specific passes.)
A one-night keep in mid-August at Loews Royal Pacific Resort is $546 per evening (plus tax). That’s $391 greater than a one-night keep at Common’s least costly resort, Universal Endless Summer Resort — Dockside Inn and Suites. At Infinite Summer time, you’ll solely pay $155 per evening (plus tax) to your room, however if you happen to wished two-park Common Specific Limitless passes for 2 adults and two kids, you’ll pay $195 per particular person (plus tax).
That is practically $800 on prime of your nightly resort price simply to skip the road, and that does not embrace the price of your tickets. Should you keep at Royal Pacific, you will pay the next nightly price, however considerably much less total as a result of your Common Specific passes are included. In case you are set on skipping the road, you possibly can truly save cash by staying in a dearer (and nicer) resort.
Our favourite resort for utilizing this hack is Loews Portofino Bay Lodge. Portofino Bay participates within the American Specific Advantageous Inns + Resorts program. The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express cardholders can make the most of further advantages by reserving by the Amex Travel portal.
I did this on my final keep, and along with our free Common Specific passes, we obtained an improve to a bay-view room, complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi, early check-in, late checkout, day by day breakfast for 2, and a $100 food-and-beverage credit score to make use of throughout our keep. We additionally obtained a stunning welcome amenity in our room: a fruit and cheese platter, two bottles of water, and candies.
There may be an apparent financial financial savings to staying in a resort the place Common Specific is included, however the time saved in line can drastically change how a lot you get accomplished in your Common Orlando trip. You possibly can’t put a greenback quantity on that.
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