When Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorcycle 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, in accordance with some accounts.
After I lastly acquired 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 excellent coaster. The lengthy wait felt even longer as a result of I normally skip the traces on most Common rides with a Common Categorical move.
Most new Common rides open with out Common Categorical entry, however add it shortly after opening as soon as the preliminary rush dies down. Not so with Hagrid’s. Practically six years after opening, the one method 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 completely satisfied to report that you may lastly skip the standby line on Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorcycle Journey utilizing Common Categorical.
Now, friends have the choice to face in line or get a Universal Express move and use the a lot shorter Categorical line. There are two variations of Common Categorical: The usual Common Categorical move allows you to skip the road one time per attraction, and the Common Categorical Limitless move allows you to skip the road a limiteless variety of instances.
There are just a few methods you may get Common Categorical. I’ve a Common Orlando annual move and get free Common Categorical entry after 4 p.m. day by day, however you too can buy it earlier than or throughout your trip.
Lastly, you may get Common Categorical Limitless included for all friends in your room for everything 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 Categorical to get on Hagrid’s, it’s much more invaluable. Let’s do the maths 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 Categorical Limitless begins at $149.99 per particular person, per day (plus tax) and goes as much as $349.99.
This base pricing solely consists of one park per day. In case you have park-to-park tickets for Common Studios Florida and Islands of Journey, the value begins at $129.99 for normal Common Categorical and $159.99 for Common Categorical Limitless. (None of those costs embody Universal Epic Universe, which has its personal tickets and Categorical passes.)
A one-night keep in mid-August at Loews Royal Pacific Resort is $546 per night time (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 Countless Summer season, you’d solely pay $155 per night time (plus tax) on your room, however for those who needed two-park Common Categorical Limitless passes for 2 adults and two youngsters, you’d pay $195 per particular person (plus tax).
That is almost $800 on prime of your nightly resort price simply to skip the road, and that does not embody the price of your tickets. For those who keep at Royal Pacific, you may pay a better nightly price, however considerably much less total as a result of your Common Categorical passes are included. In case you are set on skipping the road, you possibly can truly save cash by staying in a costlier (and nicer) resort.
Our favourite resort for utilizing this hack is Loews Portofino Bay Lodge. Portofino Bay participates within the American Categorical Fantastic Lodges + Resorts program. The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express cardholders can benefit from further advantages by reserving by the Amex Travel portal.
I did this on my final keep, and along with our free Common Categorical 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 beautiful welcome amenity in our room: a fruit and cheese platter, two bottles of water, and candies.
In case you have sufficient friends staying in your room and plan on buying Common Categorical anyway, there may be an apparent financial financial savings to staying in a resort the place skip-the-line passes are included, and the time saved in line can drastically change how a lot you get completed in your Common Orlando trip. You possibly can’t put a greenback quantity on that.
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