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 motorcycle (or journey alongside within the sidecar) — so long as 14 hours, in keeping with some accounts.
After I lastly obtained 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 often skip the strains on most Common rides with a Common Categorical cross.
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 strategy to get on the journey was by standing in line (or shelling out for a VIP tour).
Associated: Here is learn how to plan an epic journey to Common Orlando Resort this 12 months
I am joyful to report you could lastly skip the standby line on Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Bike Journey utilizing Common Categorical.
Now, friends have the choice to face in line or get a Common Categorical cross and use the a lot shorter Categorical line. There are two variations of Common Categorical: The usual Common Categorical cross allows you to skip the road one time per attraction, and the Common Categorical Limitless cross allows you to skip the road a limiteless variety of instances.
There are a couple of methods you may get Common Categorical. I’ve a Common Orlando annual cross and get free Common Categorical entry after 4 p.m. each 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 the whole lot of your keep at choose on-site inns, together with:
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I’ve lengthy touted the worth of this profit, however now that you need to use Common Categorical 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 traditional Common Categorical 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 contains one park per day. If in case you have park-to-park tickets for Common Studios Florida and Islands of Journey, the value begins at $129.99 for traditional Common Categorical and $159.99 for Common Categorical Limitless. (None of those costs embody Common 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 evening (plus tax). That’s $391 greater than a one-night keep at Common’s least costly resort, Common Countless Summer time Resort — Dockside Inn and Suites. At Countless Summer time, you’ll solely pay $155 per evening (plus tax) to your room, however for those who needed two-park Common Categorical 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 charge simply to skip the road, and that does not embody the price of your tickets. Should you keep at Royal Pacific, you may pay a better nightly charge, however considerably much less general 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 dearer (and nicer) resort.
Our favourite resort for utilizing this hack is Loews Portofino Bay Lodge. Portofino Bay participates within the American Categorical Nice Lodges + Resorts program. The Platinum Card® from American Categorical and The Enterprise Platinum Card® from American Categorical cardholders can benefit from further advantages by reserving by means of the Amex Journey 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, each 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’s an apparent financial financial savings to staying in a resort the place Common Categorical is included, however the time saved in line can drastically change how a lot you get executed in your Common Orlando trip. You may’t put a greenback quantity on that.
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