Grinchmas

[ClapYourHands]

Heading to UO for a quick trip 12/16 and 12/17, as I have never been to Grinchmas. I’m hoping to see the Mean One with my daughter, but this is a budget trip so the tour and breakfast are not options. What would be my best strategy to minimize the standby wait? Go at rope drop? (Is it even open for EPA?) Jump in line right before park close? Other times the waits have been dipping?

 

[IzzyBella]

We were there last week and while we didn‘t meet him, and I’m not sure what time he started meeting, I can tell you we saw people entering the grinch queue when we walked by to go to Hagrids at early park opening.

 

[hildarumpole]

Don't wait until the end of the day. Depending on the wait time, the queue will get closed before official park close. For example, if the posted wait is 3 hrs. before closing time of 9:00 p.m, queue cut off time would be 6:00 p.m. It's not on the list of EPA attractions, but it's still probably your best bet to be there early and get in the line, especially since you're going on a weekend. You'll be able to enjoy the rest of the day in the park without having to monitor wait times throughout the day and hope you make it to the queue before they jump up again.

 

[FreckledOne]

I was there yesterday and the wait time was 200 minutes when I walked by around 1000. The wait time was down to 100 minutes when I walked by again around 1400. I agree with the above poster to get in line as early as possible. Good luck!

 

[ClapYourHands]

Update: we went at ropedrop, and were 7th in line. He started meeting at 9. We were done by 9:15. Honestly, I was prepared to wait a lot longer. The TM was giving estimates as people got into line (or chose not to), but the actual meets were way faster than expected. Our conversation with him was 2 minutes, then posed for pictures. On FaceBook people were confirming waits of three hours or more. The line estimate was between 240 and 300 minutes every time I passed on Saturday, and I think that must be extremely inflated.

 

[nighttowll]

Just curious, when you say rope drop, what time were you at the park gates to be at the front of the line? 7:00, 7:30, 8:00?

 

[AJA]

Just curious, when you say rope drop, what time were you at the park gates to be at the front of the line? 7:00, 7:30, 8:00?

I can tell you what we saw walking by (on the way to Hagrids) last week. We did early entry to IOA on Monday and Thursday. Early entry was 8am (regular park opening was 9am) we got in line at the gates at 7:30am. By the time we made it in the park and walking past the Grinch meet there were already around 10 ish families in line.

I will add the parks were empty last week and the Grinch line was always full. The lowest mid day wait time posted that we noticed was 180 minutes.

To emphasize how light the crowds were in the rest of the parks, Hagrids line was posted at just 25 minutes half an hour after early entry started (this usually goes up to 60 minutes really quickly) and over in Studios side, Gringotts was a walk on at 9:30am.

If meeting the Grinch is a must do get to the gates asap for early entry.

 

[ClapYourHands]

Just curious, when you say rope drop, what time were you at the park gates to be at the front of the line? 7:00, 7:30, 8:00?

I dropped the kids off around 7:20ish and went to park the car. We are usually earlier, but were a bit slow that morning. My son said there were a few packed buses that pulled up just before him or he would have been closer in line. My son is faster than my 8-year-old and I, so once through the gate, he ran ahead and got the spot in the Grinch line. My younger one and I arrived and took over standing in the queue, so he went off and rode Velocicoaster twice with minimal waits before returning to wait with us around 8:30.

Pro Tip - Moose Juice is open just across the way during EPA, so if you brought your Freestyle cup and your kid needs a blue icee for “breakfast dessert,” you can send her over to activate it, and meet the Grinch with a blue tongue.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

The line was up to 6 hours today and they closed it at capacity when we left for our midday break around 1:30. It’s insane to me that people with regular tickets waste this much park time but I could see maybe bringing a book and doing it if you’re an AP. We’ve done early entry 3 days this week, lining up at the gates at 7:15 and speed walking to Hagrid’s, and have always seen at least 3 families in line already by the time we pass it. They should just have him start meeting at 8 to keep it from building up to where it’s already super long at 9.

Anyway we did the breakfast at Confisco’s this morning. Expensive but the food was better than expected (except for the cookies, which were meh). Note that they did not have a photographer at the Grinch meet at the breakfast but a TM who takes pictures with your phone. We waited about 15 minutes behind other families who finished their meals before we did, then we went to see the 11:15 show of the Wholiday Spectacular. It was really cute. I recommend seeing one of the first two shows as the line for the 12:15 was already very long when we exited the theatre.

 

[ClapYourHands]

The line was up to 6 hours today and they closed it at capacity when we left for our midday break around 1:30. It’s insane to me that people with regular tickets waste this much park time but I could see maybe bringing a book and doing it if you’re an AP. We’ve done early entry 3 days this week, lining up at the gates at 7:15 and speed walking to Hagrid’s, and have always seen at least 3 families in line already by the time we pass it. They should just have him start meeting at 8 to keep it from building up to where it’s already super long at 9.

Anyway we did the breakfast at Confisco’s this morning. Expensive but the food was better than expected (except for the cookies, which were meh). Note that they did not have a photographer at the Grinch meet at the breakfast but a TM who takes pictures with your phone. We waited about 15 minutes behind other families who finished their meals before we did, then we went to see the 11:15 show of the Wholiday Spectacular. It was really cute. I recommend seeing one of the first two shows as the line for the 12:15 was already very long when we exited the theatre.

I think you're probably right about APs vs people with dated tickets. We have APs and have done all the rides and shows multiple times, so the Grinch was a priority because we can't do this meet on another trip. If I only had regular tickets, I would be prioritizing the rides. Although with the requirement that only one party member needs to hold the spot in line, I imagine the number of people who wait the whole time is fairly small. I could see a party of 3 or 4 rotating who waits while the rest of the party goes off to enjoy the park. I agree meeting at 8 would be good. Adding another Grinch (or two) would be better.

I was very tempted to book the breakfast. For just me and my daughter, the price would have been almost reasonable. But then add in two teens paying adult prices, and it blows up the budget. For the Wholiday Spectacular, we went to an afternoon show and had no trouble getting in. I had never been back there before, but that theatre is huge! My daughter thought it was fantastic. My sons, on the other hand, are now team Grinch because the Whos were so annoying they had it coming.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

I think you're probably right about APs vs people with dated tickets. We have APs and have done all the rides and shows multiple times, so the Grinch was a priority because we can't do this meet on another trip. If I only had regular tickets, I would be prioritizing the rides. Although with the requirement that only one party member needs to hold the spot in line, I imagine the number of people who wait the whole time is fairly small. I could see a party of 3 or 4 rotating who waits while the rest of the party goes off to enjoy the park. I agree meeting at 8 would be good. Adding another Grinch (or two) would be better.

I was very tempted to book the breakfast. For just me and my daughter, the price would have been almost reasonable. But then add in two teens paying adult prices, and it blows up the budget. For the Wholiday Spectacular, we went to an afternoon show and had no trouble getting in. I had never been back there before, but that theatre is huge! My daughter thought it was fantastic. My sons, on the other hand, are now team Grinch because the Whos were so annoying they had it coming.

I’m with your sons. I can only manage that show once every couple years. I find the Who songs and characters very annoying. Everyone else I know loves it so I must be a grinch myself.