Where is security checkpoint when walking from Hard Rock Hotel?

[denver7sb]

Hi there! We are staying at HRH for the first time over Thanksgiving week. We will be doing Early Entry at IOA and would like to use the walking path.

Starting at HRH, the map leads me to believe we walk past the entrance to USO, walk past Toothsome, and then get to IOA. Where along that route should we expect the security checkpoint?

 

[Mr. Drauer]

On the path before you get to USO

 

[Skippyboo]

It’s right by the Studio arches.

 

[denver7sb]

Great, thank you! So once we go through that checkpoint our next line would be the IOA ticketing turnstiles, right?

 

[wdwrule]

Great, thank you! So once we go through that checkpoint our next line would be the IOA ticketing turnstiles, right?

Correct

 

[Skippyboo]

There is going to be a line from entrance of IoA going back up the bridge towards Citywalk of people waiting for early entry. So you just have to get in that line

 

[greeneyedchick]

If you take the boat from the hotel, they do the security check before you get on the boat.

 

[denver7sb]

If you take the boat from the hotel, they do the security check before you get on the boat.

Where does the boat let off closest to Islands of Adventure?

 

[Skippyboo]

Yes if you do the boat, they screen you at the dock. The boat drops you off over by NBC grill. It’s not super close to IoA side.

 

[denver7sb]

Gotcha. It may be better for us just to walk on the path and do security at USO before continuing on to IOA, rather than taking the boat that short distance. Appreciate everyone’s help - especially the map screenshots! I wish the Universal app allowed you to zoom in closer on that tiny map, lol.

Oh - one last annoying question, ha. We may be carrying breakfast with us from the hotel (granola bars, donuts, coffees etc.). Will they allow those items to go through security or will we need to finish/dump them before passing through the scanners?

 

[Skippyboo]

You put your bags, wallet, phones in a plastic tote which gets sent through the scanner. You walk through a metal detector. Not a coffee drinker so don’t know if there’s any rule against it. Alcohol probably not. I have had a bottle of water in my bag before.

 

[wdwrule]

Gotcha. It may be better for us just to walk on the path and do security at USO before continuing on to IOA, rather than taking the boat that short distance. Appreciate everyone’s help - especially the map screenshots! I wish the Universal app allowed you to zoom in closer on that tiny map, lol.

Oh - one last annoying question, ha. We may be carrying breakfast with us from the hotel (granola bars, donuts, coffees etc.). Will they allow those items to go through security or will we need to finish/dump them before passing through the scanners?

As far as I know, you just can’t take glass containers or alcohol. We often go through security while holding a coffee/tea. I’ve seen people attempting to carry in glass pre-bottled drinks and they’re told at security to leave them/throw them away.

 

[greeneyedchick]

Where does the boat let off closest to Islands of Adventure?

There's only 1 drop off point, in front of NBC Grill. It's not too bad of a walk. You walk toward Universal and then past it to Islands. I think that's faster than walking the other way.

 

[IzzyBella]

Gotcha. It may be better for us just to walk on the path and do security at USO before continuing on to IOA, rather than taking the boat that short distance. Appreciate everyone’s help - especially the map screenshots! I wish the Universal app allowed you to zoom in closer on that tiny map, lol.

Oh - one last annoying question, ha. We may be carrying breakfast with us from the hotel (granola bars, donuts, coffees etc.). Will they allow those items to go through security or will we need to finish/dump them before passing through the scanners?

You can walk through with breakfast from the hotel. We’ve done that before with items from the club lounge during the holidays when the club opens for breakfast when the parks open. We just put fruit, etc. in the disposable cups.

 

[denver7sb]

You can walk through with breakfast from the hotel. We’ve done that before with items from the club lounge during the holidays when the club opens for breakfast when the parks open. We just put fruit, etc. in the disposable cups.

Good to know! Thanks for the tip!

 

[nighttowll]

Yeah, I've taken whole meals packed in to go containers through security both at the boats and the walking path entrance to Citywalk before with no issues. They have only ever questioned me on if my drink was alcoholic or not. Maybe a few jokes about confiscating my food because it smelled so good.

Never had any issues with small snacks or bottled non-alcoholic drinks at entry to the parks either. Not tried the to go containers through there, that might be pushing it, but small packaged snacks have always been ok to take into the park.

 

[denver7sb]

Yeah, I've taken whole meals packed in to go containers through security both at the boats and the walking path entrance to Citywalk before with no issues. They have only ever questioned me on if my drink was alcoholic or not. Maybe a few jokes about confiscating my food because it smelled so good.

Never had any issues with small snacks or bottled non-alcoholic drinks at entry to the parks either. Not tried the to go containers through there, that might be pushing it, but small packaged snacks have always been ok to take into the park.

Excellent. We're not planning on taking in, like, an entire sushi boat and twelve bottles of vodka or anything like that. I just wanted to make sure our humble granola bars aren't going to be thrown out, resulting in sleepy-hangry family members yelling at me while we wait in the EE line.

 

[weather_lady]

We've gone through security at HRH (mostly at the boat dock, but I'm sure we've done it at the end of the walking path from HRH to the front of USF as well) with coffee cups, water bottles, and granola bars in hand, with no problems at all. As others said, just don't bring any glass containers.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

If you have a can of soda in a bag, they may ask you to pull it out & confirm it's not a can of beer.