Is the Express Pass Worth it?

[Jon81uk]

You can purchase the EP for one ride per or the Unlimited that is the same as the resort EP

I still think the excess of resort guests with EP does erode the value of it. I don't think as many day guests get the unlimited?

 

[21stamps]

Just wanted to bump this thread. Black Friday (11/25) with a 6 year old (48")- will the crowds be manageable with the express pass?

 

[fosse76]

Just wanted to bump this thread. Black Friday (11/25) with a 6 year old (48")- will the crowds be manageable with the express pass?

The day after Thanksgiving? It won't be empty. The one thing I've noticed about Express Pass is that the loading process is more heavily weighted to the standby line and not the Express for some attractions (It's more profound on The Mummy and Rip Ride Rockit, but even rides like Transformers and Spider-Man and Jurassic Park, don't prioritize Express Pass riders). Because there is no regulation of EP usage, the more popular attractions can have an EP that has a wait time that is equivalent to the standby. I think the Mummy is the worst offender, where my observations were one EP vehicle load per two standby vehicle loads.

That said, if you only have a day, Express Pass is a must if you want to experience the bulk of the parks.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Just wanted to bump this thread. Black Friday (11/25) with a 6 year old (48")- will the crowds be manageable with the express pass?

Yes, and it should be quite busy so I would recommend EP. At 48", he/she can can get on everything but Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, Hulk, Dragon Challenge and Dr. Doom's Fearfall.

 

[21stamps]

Yes, and it should be quite busy so I would recommend EP. At 48", he/she can can get on everything but Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, Hulk, Dragon Challenge and Dr. Doom's Fearfall.

Thanks for the advice! I've decided to cut Universal out . Sticking with Disney this trip, just too hectic to try and fit it in.

 

[Beita1974]

Hello, we will be in orlando from April 3 to April (week before Easter) will visit Universarl and IOA (one day per park) we are thinking about buying the unlimited express pass for each park? do you think it will be necessary?

 

[JoeCamel]

Hello, we will be in orlando from April 3 to April (week before Easter) will visit Universarl and IOA (one day per park) we are thinking about buying the unlimited express pass for each park? do you think it will be necessary?

Any chance you can stay on site and get it included with your room? You can stay one night and have it for two days included. Some people just book the room and don't stay, for a party of 4 - 5 that is less than buying the passes.

I do think it would help to have it at those times

 

[Beita1974]

Any chance you can stay on site and get it included with your room? You can stay one night and have it for two days included. Some people just book the room and don't stay, for a party of 4 - 5 that is less than buying the passes.

I do think it would help to have it at those times

thanks for your response! Unfortunately we already rented a house for our stay in Orlando so we won't be able to stay on site.
So you think the unlimited express passes will help, thanks

 

[JoeCamel]

thanks for your response! Unfortunately we already rented a house for our stay in Orlando so we won't be able to stay on site.
So you think the unlimited express passes will help, thanks

Yes, at that time I do think the pass will be useful. If you got a room at one of the three that offer express with the room you don't have to stay there. You could check in at 6am print your express and be in the park for early entry (also included with the room). Often the cost of the room is less than the cost of buying the express passes plus you get early entry to beat the crowds to the Harry Potter areas. Worth checking on the price for a room if you have 3 - 5 in your party. Try the Royal Pacific, it should be the least expensive for a standard room.

You don't even have to unlock the door to the room you can print your express pass in the lobby after checkin.

 

[Beita1974]

Yes, at that time I do think the pass will be useful. If you got a room at one of the three that offer express with the room you don't have to stay there. You could check in at 6am print your express and be in the park for early entry (also included with the room). Often the cost of the room is less than the cost of buying the express passes plus you get early entry to beat the crowds to the Harry Potter areas. Worth checking on the price for a room if you have 3 - 5 in your party. Try the Royal Pacific, it should be the least expensive for a standard room.

You don't even have to unlock the door to the room you can print your express pass in the lobby after checkin.

thank you so much for your help, I will see the cost for the room as you suggested

 

[thomas998]

Awesome! We will be visiting in September during the middle of the week, so I'm hoping if we head to WWoHP first I can at least get on the major things in a reasonable amount of time once before it starts to fill up. Permitting we can get there early anyway. Hahaha. Thank you! I just text SO and told him to put the extra money away.

The real key to your trip is whether you are staying at a Universal hotel. If you are then you get in to the potter world an hour early and you need to take advantage of that perk. If you aren't getting in an hour early then realize that lots of people will and if you get there when they open for regular visitor potter world could very well be crowded to the max.

Now given you have a 5 year old with you measure him and then go to their website to find out which rides he is big enough for... this can be useful because you don't want to get his hopes up for a ride only to find out he is too short when you get there....

Oh, since you mention potter world I suspect your a fan... do yourself a favor and buy a want off ebay as you can get the ones that interact with the things in potter world cheaper used than new, just make sure you get the one with the little glass/plastic bead in the end as they sell two versions one that looks more authentic (no bead in the end) but doesn't do squat and one that works... We've seen more than a few people frantically trying to get the interactive things to work in the park that have the wrong wands.

The express pass is probably something I would recommend, they have two flavors one that is unlimited and lets you repeat rides over and over and one that only gives you the express line for the rides that have one a single time.... we've been in September and the crowds during the week can vary so don't assume it will be heavy or light when you plan because we never really figured out a pattern that time of the year.

Oh... pack light when you go because a lot of rides require you to put stuff in lockers and the lockers aren't the largest things in the world.

 

[HoneyBee1991]

Our trip to Universal was really disappointing because we didn't buy the express pass. We did both parks in a day and did the Harry Potter stuff first. I have to say the HP world's are awesome and the staff was comparable to, if not better, at being "in character" and offering over the top great customer service than Disney. Too bad I can't say the same thing for the rest of the parks.

Our entire day was a crazy meltdown after that. We decided to do the MIB ride because the time posted was only 10 minutes. Yeah, we waited for 50 minutes to ride. We came out of the MIB ride and our stuff was locked in the lockers and couldn't get it out for 30 minutes. By then it was so hot and all the rides lines where so long we decided to leave. That was at 3pm and we had originally planned on staying the whole day.

This was a Saturday in late September.

So we learned our lesson and will indeed be buying the express pass when we go back next year.