Universal Orlando Removes Hagrid’s Express and Limits Late-Night Entry

Overview

• Universal confirmed on Wednesday that Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure will stop offering Express Pass access beginning July 1, 2026, a benefit many premier-hotel guests had used to avoid long waits.
• Multiple guest reports published June 3 describe Team Members occasionally stopping new riders from entering Hagrid’s queue up to an hour before Islands of Adventure closes, leaving some visitors blocked while the park remains open.
• Universal frames the Express removal as an operational decision to improve loading and queue flow on the ride’s mechanically complex system, which staff and some observers said suffered when Express was added in 2025.
• The timing of the changes, close to the Fourth of July travel surge, has provoked frustration from guests who relied on late-night riding or Express access as predictable ways to experience the attraction.
• Hagrid’s has been a signature, high-demand ride since its 2019 opening and routinely posts triple-digit waits, so the combined shift in access rules could increase planning difficulty for visitors and raise reputational risk for the resort.