Getting to Know Universal – Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure

Saddle up, today we are covering Universal’s hottest ride – Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure! Replacing the inverted rollercoaster Dragon Challenge, Hagrid opened in the summer of 2019 after a breathless hype cycle and frequent construction updates from @bioreconstruct.

Quick Glance

• Location: Islands of Adventure
• Attraction Type: Indoor-outdoor family roller coaster
• Scope: Super Headliner
• TouringPlans Rating: 5 stars
• Height Requirement: 48 inches

The Experience

Guests are students in the Care of Magical Creatures class, taught by the friendly Hogwarts Keeper of Keys, Rubeus Hagrid. Commandeering the abandoned annexes of Hogwarts, Hagrid created a new creature – the blast ended skrewt. Today’s lesson transports us on magical motorbikes from the ruins to the edge of the Forbidden Forest to observe these creatures. Like any good ride, many things go wrong, and the skrewts escape. Using our magical motorbikes, we must now swiftly search for the shy skrewts before anyone at Hogwarts finds out.

While on assignment guests fly through ancient ruins, past the giant three-headed dog Fluffy, and stall mid-air before falling backward. As we recover from stalling guests find themselves in the Forbidden Forest where devil snare entangles their bikes. A quick spell loosens the plant’s grip and guests free-fall 17 feet to safety. If you feel like a confundus charm was cast on you after this description, it means guests should hold on and experience the wildest ride in Scotland.

The Opinion

Hagrid’s Magical Creature Motorbike Adventure is a dragon-breath blast of a ride from start to finish and is the highest-rated attraction at Universal Orlando. Unlike other family coasters in Orlando, Hagrid skips the chain lift hills and drops and instead brings the thrills with multiple launches and sweeping turns. Hagrid is what you get when Slinky Dog Dash grows up. Personally, it is my favorite coaster at Universal and a top-five attraction in Orlando. Do not play hooky with this class, Hagrid is a must-do attraction.

Restrictions & Accommodations

• Guests must be at least 48″ tall to ride
• Guests must transfer from a wheelchair or ECV to the ride vehicle seat
• Guests with waistlines larger than 40″ might not be accommodated on the ride, visit a Team Member to check on a test seat
• All bags and items that cannot fit in pockets must be stored in a locker outside the attraction
• The attraction features a drop in the dark and backward section that could cause motion sickness

Touring Tips

Hagrid’s Magical Creature Motorbike Adventure is the hottest ticket at Universal Orlando. Demand for the attraction outstrips the capacity of the ride causing the longest lines at the park. Throw in a dash of inclement weather or technical problems shutting the ride down and Hagrid quickly becomes a time drain. Here are the three ways to ride the attraction:

1. Early Morning – Our suggested way of riding Hagrid is during Early Park Admission (if available) or immediately at park opening. During this time Universal will open the attraction line like normal. We suggest arriving at least 45 prior to park opening, 90 on busy days, to be among the first in line. If Hagrid is not running due to weather or technical issues skip the Wizarding World and head across the park to ride Spider-Man, Hulk, and Reign of Kong. Return to Hagrid shortly after lunch or acquire a Virtual Line pass.
2. Virtual Line – On busy days, such as weekends and weekdays during busy periods, the attraction will use Virtual Line during normal park hours. Virtual Line passes are acquired through the Universal Orlando App. Passes for the attraction first appear (“drop”, in the parlance) approximately 15 minutes before official park opening time, then sporadically throughout the day at five minutes after the hour.
3. Hail Mary, Before Close – If you did not ride Hagrid in the morning or through Virtual Line we suggest swinging around to the attraction prior to close to see if the line has opened to all guests.

Have you ridden Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure? Do you think it is a must-do?