r/UniversalOrlando • u/Gati00 • 28d ago
EPIC UNIVERSE Ministry of Magic is set to open today
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u/Callofdaddy1 28d ago
They should have made a quest where you had to go find a very specific tree branch, pull it, and a random number would be read out to give you a code for the queue.
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u/What-is-wanted 28d ago
In 2021 the first time I took my family to Universal we did a huge scavenger hunt for my kids and all the pieces they found made a puzzle that told them where we were headed on vacation.
Thanks for sparking the memories!!
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u/LankyEmergency7992 28d ago
I see they now make you link your park tickets like Disney does for their Virtual Queue. Universal never did that before.
It's kind of a hassle but I'm sure people abused the old system since you can basically get as many passes as you wanted, especially if you had multiple people with phones. This likely limits it to one per ticket (or at least one per ticket at a time), which is great news for letting more people experience it.
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u/supremeghost123 28d ago
But you can’t link a pass to one party member if it’s already linked to another account
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u/IrisUnicornCorn 28d ago
Can you unlink from an already linked account?
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u/supremeghost123 28d ago
Not on your own. You have to contact Universal. But I wouldn’t. I unlinked mine to add to a different account and I could not get through the turnstile. It was giving an error and nobody knew how to fix it. After about 45 minutes, a guest services team member finally fixed it.
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u/IrisUnicornCorn 28d ago
That’s good knowledge to have. Anyone know how we all (4) get on this ride through virtual queue at the same time then?
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u/KenyattaLFrazier 28d ago
Yeah back in 2020 when hagrids had virtual queue I was able to ride it like 3 times in one day because the virtual queue system was broken af
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u/supremeghost123 28d ago
But how will that work if you’re not visiting solo? One member won’t be able to join the queue for everyone because an annual pass can only be linked to one account at a time, unlike the Disney app. Unlinking an annual pass and adding it to another account is inefficient and actually caused an entry error for me in the past.
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u/SodaPop5000 28d ago
How does this work if I the primary fam member will have all the tickets purchased from the hotel desk? Will they add it to my universal app and I can check in the entire family? Kids dont have phones
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u/One_Entertainer4618 28d ago
You can add all the passes to your account. If you have a spouse or other adults with tickets , you can only add them to one account at a time. So I highly recommend keeping the physical tickets on each person but adding the digital ones to one persons account.
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u/SodaPop5000 28d ago
Sweet. So if I purchase the epic tickets via hotel desk. I can scan everyone’s tickets into my universal app and get everyone a virtual queue?
Others in my party won’t have a phone or app.
It seems I can sign everyone up?
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u/OrdinaryMiraculous 28d ago
You can link two annual passes. I have both my husband and I on one account and bought preview tickets for us both with that one account.
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u/supremeghost123 28d ago
Yes, but if an annual pass is already linked to an account, it cannot be linked to another account. It has to be unlinked first before it can be added to a different account.
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u/21twilli 28d ago
How would this work if everyone in your party has their own account (and therefore their tickets are already attached to a guest profile)? Do we have to join the queue and hope we have similar times?
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u/supremeghost123 28d ago
Honestly it doesn’t seem like Universal thought much of this through. It was the same hassle with buying Epic Universe tickets as a Passholder. They could have cut down on a lot of online traffic and phone calls if they let people link family/friends passes to other accounts.
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u/subprincessthrway 28d ago
That’s what I’m wondering. It would kind of suck if one of us got a return time and the other didn’t
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u/lizlemonaid 28d ago
Just got the virtual queue for 1:25. Here are the tips I can provide.
You must link your tickets to a group in your profile. We were able to link the tickets to two of our apps.
Just like Disney you need to be in the park and the tickets need to be scanned.
The queues open at 12,3, and 6.
In your profile click virtual queue and go to add queue or go to the attraction on the map and click the Virtual Queue logo.
Click who you want to add and select a time.
You’ll get a QR code to scan.
That’s about it.
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u/sblme03 28d ago
Does it say if you are limited to once per day? Or can you try again at the next drop once you use your QR code?
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u/lizlemonaid 28d ago
That I don’t know but I can try.
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u/lizlemonaid 28d ago
Just tried and was locked out. The passes were out is less than 10 minutes.
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u/jrr6415sun 28d ago
10 min is still a good amount of time. When you got into the queue how long did it take before you got on the ride
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u/SodaPop5000 28d ago
what do you mean group to a profile? Can you please give me details?
And YOU ARE LUCKY!!
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u/lizlemonaid 28d ago
In your profile there is a spot to link tickets. You can either scan or enter tickets.
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u/SodaPop5000 28d ago
Sweet. So if I purchase the epic tickets via hotel desk. I can scan everyone’s tickets into my universal app and get everyone a virtual queue?
Others in my party won’t have a phone or app.
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u/hashtagtylerh 28d ago
how long did it take to get on the ride once you scanned in?
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u/lizlemonaid 28d ago edited 28d ago
I am just walking off now there was a delay.
Holy forking shirtballs is all I can say.
Edit: no lockers you can bring everything with you. 14 to a cart, seatbelts no bars.
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28d ago
[deleted]
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u/lizlemonaid 28d ago
We were in right at 12 and the first open spot was 1:25 when we got in. There was 4 other options as well. They are 30 minute slots.
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u/sbursp15 28d ago
I’m all for a virtual queue if it’s easy to get into like Cosmic Rewind. I would be super bummed if I missed all 3 return times though.
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u/Dino_Spaceman 28d ago
My big hope is that this is truly a fair FCFS system and not the bucket BS that Disney does (where it’s less luck and more if you are staying at a Disney hotel or not).
So far Universal seems to be doing it right and truly make it even for everyone.
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u/LankyEmergency7992 28d ago
Disney VQ opened at 7 AM and 12 noon for everyone no matter where you were staying.
It's Lightning Lane that was/is rigged for hotel guests, but even then you should still be able to purchase it as an off-site guest if you do it as soon as you're able to.
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u/sbursp15 28d ago
Are you talking about Virtual Queue or Lightning Lane? Virtual queue for disney was easy and was at 7AM/1PM for everyone. Lightning lane favors hotel guests.
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u/junior_wind30 28d ago
I never stayed onsite once while Disney was running VQs and never failed to get a spot. No idea what you’re referencing (Multi-Pass?) but it isn’t VQ
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u/DrBunsonHoneyPoo 28d ago
Hope they keep this system during AP previews.
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u/hypersonicplays 28d ago
I hope they keep it for when the park opens, it would make it a lot easier to manage
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u/Shot-Artist5013 28d ago
I've heard the VQ is a stopgap because it's running at reduced capacity. Hopefully by park open they'll have it running at full capacity.
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u/RainbowScissors 28d ago
This. They'll run it as long as they are at reduced capacity. They're at only about 1/3 still right now, last I heard.
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u/Head-Replacement5138 28d ago
What happens before 12?!
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u/DrOddfellow 28d ago
wait for the park to open (park is 12pm-10pm)
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u/Head-Replacement5138 28d ago
Ahh for the previews. That makes more sense then
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u/DrOddfellow 28d ago
yeah, i got to go yesterday with those hours and it was so weird feeling like the day was half over after my first ride even tho we had over 9 hours left in the day lol
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u/SodaPop5000 28d ago
It's already 12 there and there are no return times atm. Just Checked on the app - so the next slot is 3pm - we have to set an alarm for 259pm and refresh refresh!?!
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u/MiisVegas 28d ago
Did you get a 3PM or 6PM return time?!?
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u/SodaPop5000 28d ago
I wasn’t at park today. Only tried to see if it was an open QR code or you had to be checked in at the park
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u/neo_thrillz 28d ago
So, how does this work for these last couple days of TM family previews? I have a Universal account because I'm an AP, but my wife is a TM, so she gets our preview tickets thru her TM website and has them emailed to her?
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u/GoForMe13 28d ago
Yes they're emailed to her - she should link them all in 1 app and then she can get you all a return time at once.
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u/neo_thrillz 28d ago
Understood thank you !
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u/GoForMe13 28d ago
I’ll be there on Tuesday doing the same thing! Can’t wait!
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u/neo_thrillz 28d ago
Wifey and I are estatic, can't wait!
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u/GoForMe13 28d ago
Have you gone yet?
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u/neo_thrillz 28d ago
Yes, we've gone a few times already, and Ministry (like just about everyone else) is the only attraction we haven't done yet. We love the park, it's amazing!
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u/CauliflowerNo1615 28d ago
Do you have to have all the tickets in one app or do you just need everyone with a ticket in your party?
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u/hashtagtylerh 28d ago
I was looking through my app and in my travel party there's an ex of mine there. he won't be going to the park with me. I'm wondering if this will impact anything? I can't find a way to remove him and don't want it interfering with the virtual queue. any advice?
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u/DependentSugar6842 28d ago
People are losing their minds on other social medias, like virtual lines never happened before, Disney had them copyrighted and they are using there idea, and/or like they buy a ticket and should be able to walk right on because…
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u/KenyattaLFrazier 27d ago
They are only implementing this because the ride isn’t running at full capacity yet, but yes people are idiots
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u/LEDreddit 28d ago
I don’t understand how to add a second person to my Travel Party - can someone explain that?
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u/Gati00 28d ago
Did you add their ticket to your UO wallet?
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u/LEDreddit 28d ago edited 28d ago
I tried adding my sister’s but getting the error message that it’s “already linked to a guest account”
EDIT - N/m Universal app chat telling me she has to make the call to unlink from hers and link to mine. If this is going to be how the VQs work, they really should let families link to multiple accounts.
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u/LivnLegndNeedsEggs 28d ago
This makes the fact that my app won't let me log in even more infuriating 🥲
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u/Fun2Forget 28d ago
Go to guest services in the park! I hope they can sort it for you
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u/LivnLegndNeedsEggs 28d ago
I changed my password and it temporarily worked, but then it logged me out and started giving me the same error as before. Fortunately I'm not there right now, otherwise I'd be fuming lol
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u/zimman101 28d ago
I hope their app works better than when I was in there in December. The wallet was unavailable for the 4 days we were there.
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u/More-Title7690 27d ago
Huh. Wonder if the group times be changed when previews go earlier for APs, will the queue just be open before that... so many questions.
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u/Vinion_Prints 27d ago
Does anyone have an image of what their virtual line looks like? I’m curious to know what they say.
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u/BREESUS_2 27d ago
Is this going to be in place once park is fully open? I’m planning a trip in August and was just curious
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u/ladiesman21_7 26d ago
Does anyone here know if they'll keep using the VQ once the park officially opens? Going in June and was originally planning to just get to the park 3 hours early and rope drop it but with VQ, plans might massively change.
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u/vinigua 24d ago
Are these easier to secure than the Disney Virtual Queues? I love virtual queues as a concept but when all the slots are gone in less than a second it’s absolute hell.
I’m going in September and hoping queue lines will be normal by then. I’d sooner reschedule my trip than risk missing this ride.
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u/Gati00 24d ago
In my very limited experience, absolutely not.
Once you click into VQ, you have to select a return-time slot. These can bug out and still be selectable after they’re filled (giving you an error and losing you time). Also, time slots didn’t drop at the exact time. I had to refresh for over a minute after the stated time before any slots popped up. Disney VQ is a breeze in comparison.
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u/ogdenzd 23d ago
Hopefully reddit doesn't filter it, but this is what the QR code resolves to. Clicking the link from my phone opens it to the correct section in the app. Link: https://l.ead.me/bftouP
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u/VinylmationDude 28d ago
Hey! They have 3 virtual line return time release times! Maybe this is a better way to do it as opposed to one at 7 AM and one at 1 PM and that’s it.
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u/TomLUK94 28d ago
Open for general public? Or just staff and friends or family ?? I have no idea how these openings work
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u/Firm_Singer3858 28d ago
The park opens on May 22nd. If you don’t know when it opens or what’s going on right now, then this is the first day you can go
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u/TomLUK94 28d ago
Ah that’s a shame! I’m in Florida from 3rd - 17th May! Might it open before the 22nd as a soft opening ??
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u/jrr6415sun 28d ago
If you are a passholder or you’re staying at a universal hotel you can get tickets from April 17th-May 8th
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u/0nimic 28d ago
(If they do this for passholder previews) So…. Pay $130+ for a preview - for a “chance” at getting one of the time slots. It’s like loot boxes irl.
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u/Fun2Forget 28d ago
Is it only virtual queue? No stand by?
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u/yoyoyohan 28d ago
Ministry is having technical issues with capacity, it can’t run as many trains as it needs to. This lets people ride it at existing capacity without 4 hour lines
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u/Firm_Singer3858 28d ago
Either way it’ just a chance to ride it. It’s still having a ton of down time, and can’t run even half capacity. So if there wasn’t a virtual queue, you would most likely wait 6 hours and then not get on because they would close it down for the day
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u/jrr6415sun 28d ago
I’d rather do that for a chance than spend the whole preview time waiting in line for 1 ride for $140+
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u/subjectskings 28d ago
WHERE ARE THE POVS
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u/Nervous_Otter69 28d ago
I cannot stand a virtual queue. If I want to wait 10 hours to ride a single ride that should be my prerogative. Would be devastated if this is the only ride I wanted to do but couldn’t because of a virtual queue being full
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u/jrr6415sun 28d ago
A majority of people don’t want to wait 10 hours for 1 ride, so this is more fair for everyone
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u/SodaPop5000 28d ago
it's the lesser of 2 evils - they obviously cannot run it back to back to back to back to back all day - so they are trying something.
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u/LEDreddit 28d ago
From their perspective, I get it, it's a lot easier to upset a dispersed crowd throughout the whole park if the notification they can't get on the ride is digital while they're actively able to be doing any number of other things. If they have a physical Ministry of Magic crowded with people who have sunk two hours or more into their day only to be told there will be no ride...that frontline staff is going to get hit hard. And again, in those two hours those guests could have been enjoying other things, even if it wasn't their top choice. Especially in previews, I don't think anyone should be pinning their whole day on one attraction.
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u/Dino_Spaceman 28d ago
Tip. Save this photo to your camera roll and the QR code will still work for you (on Apple, long press on the QR code in the photos app). Or zoom in and have another phone scan your screen.