Locker Line?

We are heading to Disney in a few weeks, and are planning to go spend a day exploring Islands of Adventure. :joy: I've been reading up on touring plans, etc, since we will only have one day and it will likely be very crowded.

I keep seeing mention of lockers, and how guests aren't allowed to carry bags of any kind on rides. At WDW, my small packback is never a problem . . . I can wrap it around my foot and secure it, or some rides have a pouch to shove it in.

Can someone tell me what to expect at Universal? If the backpack/locker thing is going to be a pain and slow us down, then perhaps I need to change my strategy.

Thanks!

Change your strategy. Read my post to a similiar question below. You are not going to get on any of the big rides with a backpack, this is for sure. Fannypacks are questionable and I wouldn't risk the chance of having to get out of line. Lockers are a big pain at the FJ, but not so much at the other rides. I suggest, if possible, not taking anything that won't fit into your pockets at Universal. It will make your day alot easier.





Actually the lockers are only free for the wait time for FJ. I could be anywhere from a half an hour to an hour and a half, depending on how long the FJ line is. I did not know this and found out the hard way. I had gone on FJ two times in a row and when I went back to the locker I was charged for the time over my first ride. They do not want you to use these lockers all day, that is why they do it that way. They need to be cleared out so others going on FJ have a locker to use. At least that is what the locker attendent told me.


The lockers are a very big hassle MOST times.
You are in a small space, people are rushing, some malfunction. They are very sensitive and sometimes need to be reset. My advice avoid the lockers if you can so you can get into line quicker.

A fanny pack is questionable. I have been in front of people who had them and had to get out of line and put them in the lockers. Then I have seen others that did not get "caught" with them. I suggest if you are going to try to get on with one to, if possible, keep it under your shirt or jacket (if you have one on).
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Ugh! Thanks for the explanation. Forewarned is forearmed, right? Guess I am shopping for cargo shorts today!

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Originally Posted by FaithTrustPixieDust

Ugh! Thanks for the explanation. Forewarned is forearmed, right? Guess I am shopping for cargo shorts today!

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Avoid the locker line at Forbidden Journey at all costs. If I had small children, I'd be too afraid to bring them into that area. My group of adults couldn't stay together in there. It's absolute chaos.

Hate the lockers! If it's busy, forget it. Swarms of people, people forgetting which locker they had, large groups all going to the teeny locker station together and thus blocking everyone else from access. I would advise you not to bring a bag if at all possible.

The lockers were an inconvenience, to be sure, and FJ was the worst of them. BUT, it was our experience that the times we were given to use the lockers for free was very generous (of course, we had the Express Pass, which may have helped). There was one instance at, I think, Men in Black where we were told we were over the time limit--be we weren't, and when we hailed the locker attendant he simply opened the locker for us.

Our biggest problem was that, because of the Express Pass, we were riding and riding, and switching lockers...and forgetting where our locker was. We'd constantly be returning to the locker we had 6 rides ago LOL

I will be searching for cargo capris for our next trip. Need to hold phone, sunscreen, money, ponchos...that's really all we need, no? :thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by tinksmom02

I will be searching for cargo capris for our next trip. Need to hold phone, sunscreen, money, ponchos...that's really all we need, no? :thumbsup:

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I didn't think about panchos. We had no rain on our trip, thankfully, but I decided just to risk it since our hotel was so close anyway. In fact, with the hotel so close, when we were ready to ride water rides, we walked back to the hotel and changed into running shorts (kids in bathing suits) and spent several hours riding the water rides over and over in the hottest part of the afternoon.

One other suggestion is to remember a ziplock bag to hold your phone in case you do get wet.

:ditto:
To avoid the lockers. What a pain. Crowded, lines to get to the automated system, shoving stuff in.
The worst was after the mummy. We had decided that after that ride we were done for the day and we were going to go have dinner with our friends at OKW. We'll the locker locked up and couldn't open. No one was around. I had to go to the lady at the entrance to the mummy to ask for assistance! 10 min later no one. Had to ask again. :( finally someone showed and was able to get the locker open. I had to describe what was in the locker and show him the pictures of us on the camera (I didn't bring my id that day)
In hindsight I would not have brought a bag. Especially during a busy time.

Forgive me, I've been out of this loop for awhile: You can't take a back pack on ANY of the rides at US/IOA?? We were there a few years ago and I had my typical small sized backpack. It wasn't a problem there, but it seems things have changed...:confused:

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Originally Posted by Mom on a Mission

Forgive me, I've been out of this loop for awhile: You can't take a back pack on ANY of the rides at US/IOA?? We were there a few years ago and I had my typical small sized backpack. It wasn't a problem there, but it seems things have changed...:confused:

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Not all of the rides--but for most of the "thrill" rides, you can't take any kind of bag with you. There are lockers available at the entrances to these rides--they are free for a certain amount of time, depending on how long the ride's line is--so you should be able to get a locker and through the ride without having to pay for the locker. After that set amount of time, you will have to pay to get your stuff back. How you are supposed to pay when everything's in your locker, I'm not sure LOL It was never a problem for us--there was one time that our Mummy locker expired by a minute or two, an attendant (stationed near each locker area) bypassed the system & opened my locker.

So, it's not that it's costly or anything, but it is time-consuming, and it's DEFINITELY confusing the first few times you attempt it. If you can load up your pockets and go bag free, I recommend it.

Rides include the Revenge of the Mummy, Forbidden Journey, Men in Black, I'm guessing the Hulk and other coasters)...probably more I'm forgetting.

Great post! :thumbsup: I have the EXACT same concerns as we're also planning a day trip to IoA during our WDW trip next year. I've been reading about the locker/no bags on rides - rules for IoA & I'm wondering how we're going to handle this! We're sooo used to carrying our packs for everything from phones, camera's, sunglasses, snacks, car keys, poncho's, money, park tix,..... so what do these people do? I guess we'll ALL wear cargo shorts that day! WOW - kinda sounds like a pain to me, but the locker alternative sounds worse!

So does everyone walk around the Universal parks with bulging pockets? :confused:

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Originally Posted by Tink#64

Great post! :thumbsup: I have the EXACT same concerns as we're also planning a day trip to IoA during our WDW trip next year. I've been reading about the locker/no bags on rides - rules for IoA & I'm wondering how we're going to handle this! We're sooo used to carrying our packs for everything from phones, camera's, sunglasses, snacks, car keys, poncho's, money, park tix,..... so what do these people do? I guess we'll ALL wear cargo shorts that day! WOW - kinda sounds like a pain to me, but the locker alternative sounds worse!

So does everyone walk around the Universal parks with bulging pockets? :confused:

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I think the locker lines are still crazy because people still pack everything in backpacks and do not consolidate their items ... either because they do not know or because they choose not to consolidate. Last year, when we brought bare minimum into the parks because I refused to deal with locker lines, it was a very freeing experience.:party: It made me realize we really did not need all of those things that I usually carry around in parks. Although, my caveat is that we were staying on property and the walk to and from the hotel was so short, we really did not need more than a cell phone, park tickets, room key, cash and a spare bandaid.

I agree with everyone else to avoid the lockers if you can. When we went a couple years ago, we had to get a locker to go on Jurassic Park. And we didn't realize when we put our stuff in the locker that the entire bottom of the locker was covered with water. I don't know why but it meant stuff we put in there was wet when we retrieved it after the ride.

Some of the men' s cargo shorts have large and closeable pockets.
There are larger lockers that cost money for longer term use. It is still a matter of keeping track of where it is.

Luckily my DW doesn't go for the thrill rides so she was the designated bag holder (except for MIB). The lockers are a cluster especially for FJ since they are in the middle of the line and cause people to become more flustered about getting one quickly.

One question on this one... if you go into the locker room after the ride is over, how do they know you went on the ride and can they really stop people from bypassing the outside part of the queue? :confused:

It looks like I am in the minority here, but I didn't think that the lockers were that much of a hassle, especially if you are using an Express Pass and don't have to worry as much about the time. However they do get crowded, particularly on Forbidden Journey and the front lockers on the other rides. What we would do is have one person in our party put the stuff in the lockers (going to the back of the locker sections, where it was less crowded). I have never understood why the whole family goes into the locker area together, as it just contributes to the crowds.

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Originally Posted by tinksmom02

There are lockers available at the entrances to these rides--they are free for a certain amount of time, depending on how long the ride's line is--so you should be able to get a locker and through the ride without having to pay for the locker. After that set amount of time, you will have to pay to get your stuff back. How you are supposed to pay when everything's in your locker, I'm not sure LOL

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We did have this happen to us on Rip Ride Rockit. Fortunately, I had tucked some singles in my pocket earlier in the day and we were able to use that.

This is one area Universal needs work... The locker areas can be a hassle... If yuo ever encounter a problem, best thing to do it submit a complaint with an attraction manager, area manager, and Guest Services (including writing a letter to senior park management and Comcast)... The only way the locker fiasco will be fixed is if people let them know there are issues... Comcast cares a great deal about the parks... I bet they will listen...

I agree that using the lockers is a pain. We were there just last week. My problem was you have to remember your locker number when you return. There are three rides at each park that require the use of lockers. Our second day at IoA we went without carrying anything. I work pants with cargo pockets to hold cell phone, we wore our passes on a laynard around our neck. It was so much easier.

We have used the locker at FJ too many times to count and I never thought it was too big of a deal getting the locker and getting in line. DH and the kids usually wait for me at the door and I am in and out rather quickly then onto the line. I find that most people crowd the first few locker computers, but if you go farther into the room there are usually far less people and it's much quicker to get out.

Now getting your stuff out the locker once you get off has proven to be more a hassel for me. I once had to wait behind a family that couldn't remember which finger they used, or what their locker number was. They had to get a "cm" to help them figure it out. Then once they found their first locker they informed the cm that each family member had gotten a locker, instead of putting everything in one. We only encountered this once, and I agree it was a major pain, but I don't think this scenario is the norm. For the most part I'd say both getting the locker and getting my stuff out after the ride has maybe taken a total of 5 minutes of my time.