Universal Orlando's hotel's room keys = Express Pass questions

[klineski96]

Hey everyone... thinking about mixing it up a little bit this year by spending a long anniversary weekend in August with the wife at Universal instead of WDW. (To be honest, the new Harry Potter stuff has everything to do with it.) But just a few questions:

1) Do the room keys at Hard Rock, Portofino Bay and Royal Pacific still double as Express Passes?

2) If so, unlimited use? Or can you only use it on each ride once per day?

3) Are there any other hotels that offer this perk? (Simlilar to the Hilton, Swan and Dolphin offering Extra Magic Hours.)

Thanks for the info!!

 

[hack2112]

Hey everyone... thinking about mixing it up a little bit this year by spending a long anniversary weekend in August with the wife at Universal instead of WDW. (To be honest, the new Harry Potter stuff has everything to do with it.) But just a few questions:
Welcome to the dark side! Don't forget to grab your free frozen yogurt in the back!

1) Do the room keys at Hard Rock, Portofino Bay and Royal Pacific still double as Express Passes?
Yes, they do.

2) If so, unlimited use? Or can you only use it on each ride once per day?
Yes, you get unlimited use with the hotel room keys.

3) Are there any other hotels that offer this perk? (Simlilar to the Hilton, Swan and Dolphin offering Extra Magic Hours.)
No, it's only for the three Universal Resorts, but if you do stay off property you can buy express passes, but they only work once per attraction.

Thanks for the info!!
Thanks for the questions! :wave:

See totally awesome answers above.

 

[klineski96]

Wow thank you so much for the info! And so quickly too! Very much appreciated

Another few quick questions if you dont mind regarding the room key-Express Pass...

Say we booked one night at any of those 3 hotels, we'll just say it's a Saturday night for this example. (With check in being around 3pm or 4pm, we would get our room keys at check in.)

1) The room key is activated and ready to be used in the park for the remainder of that day, yes?
2) If yes, how late until park closing can we use the room key/Express Pass?
3) Finally... how late in the day on Sunday is the room key still an Express Pass? All day? Until check out time of 11am? Not at all?

Thank you again for the help!

 

[deltableh]

Wow thank you so much for the info! And so quickly too! Very much appreciated

Another few quick questions if you dont mind regarding the room key-Express Pass...

Say we booked one night at any of those 3 hotels, we'll just say it's a Saturday night for this example. (With check in being around 3pm or 4pm, we would get our room keys at check in.)

1) The room key is activated and ready to be used in the park for the remainder of that day, yes?
2) If yes, how late until park closing can we use the room key/Express Pass?
3) Finally... how late in the day on Sunday is the room key still an Express Pass? All day? Until check out time of 11am? Not at all?

Thank you again for the help!

I'm 95% confident in saying:

1) Yes, as soon as it's activated
2) Until the park closes
3) It's probably all day.

The last I remember, and this was probably 4 years ago, they just LOOK at your card. There's no swiping or anything. They just look at your card and the dates printed on it. It's really quite nice. One day, my sister and I did MiB probably 6 times in a row while our parents just happily sat outside and relaxed for a few minutes (she and I would have been 16 and 19, I'm the elder). We just kept making the rounds, coming off, hopping in the short line, and trying to beat our high scores. It was really, really fun to be able to do that.

 

[hack2112]

Wow thank you so much for the info! And so quickly too! Very much appreciated

Another few quick questions if you dont mind regarding the room key-Express Pass...

Say we booked one night at any of those 3 hotels, we'll just say it's a Saturday night for this example. (With check in being around 3pm or 4pm, we would get our room keys at check in.)

1) The room key is activated and ready to be used in the park for the remainder of that day, yes?
Yes.

2) If yes, how late until park closing can we use the room key/Express Pass?
You can use the key until park closing.

3) Finally... how late in the day on Sunday is the room key still an Express Pass? All day? Until check out time of 11am? Not at all?
I believe you can use your room key until park closing on the day you check out.

Thank you again for the help!

Bam.

 

[klineski96]

Thanks delta! Thanks hack!!

Very helpful information

 

[crazydaveh]

As soon as you get there, go to the hotel. They will give you your key and you're good. On your checkout date, you can use it until the park closes on the printed date on the key.

Enjoy.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

You are only going to get one Express entrance to the new Potter attraction per day, all other rides will be as normal.

 

[Irishprincess]

I enjoyed the unlimited Express pass last year!!!!! I stayed at the Hard rock hotel last June with my family!! I have never used the Express pass before this, as I thought it was expensive and I never stayed in the hotels before! But since my stay I have been planing to return very soon!! It was great not having to get in line and I was able to do all the rides more quickly!

 

[wilsonhanks]

You are only going to get one Express entrance to the new Potter attraction per day, all other rides will be as normal.

I was thinking they just wouldn't have the express line open, like rip it roll it smoke it

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

I was thinking they just wouldn't have the express line open, like rip it roll it smoke it

Nope, specifically said when I made my Hard Rock booking 1 express entrance per day to the ride. They werent as forthcoming with info about Rockit :shrug:

 

[EvanAnderson]

LMAO! Rip It Roll it Smoke It :ROFLOL:

Let's not talk about Rockit. That eyesore is an embarrassment to the company and the biggest joke in town. Anywho, the room keys are good until park closing on all the days listed on the actual keys.

 

[Figment1986]

LMAO! Rip It Roll it Smoke It :ROFLOL:

Let's not talk about Rockit. That eyesore is an embarrassment to the company and the biggest joke in town. Anywho, the room keys are good until park closing on all the days listed on the actual keys.

The minute rockit behaves and has guest hourly capacity high enough they will open the Express line, It's already designed and built with one.

My favorite nick name is Hollywood Rip Ride Rollback... :lol:

 

[hack2112]

LMAO! Rip It Roll it Smoke It :ROFLOL:

Let's not talk about Rockit. That eyesore is an embarrassment to the company and the biggest joke in town. Anywho, the room keys are good until park closing on all the days listed on the actual keys.

I really don't think it looks that bad (especially since the supports are painted the same color as the SSs are), and the new permanent stage they built is absolutely gorgeous.

 

[hack2112]

The minute rockit behaves and has guest hourly capacity high enough they will open the Express line, It's already designed and built with one.

My favorite nick name is Hollywood Rip Ride Rollback... :lol:

Capacity on it is horrible. GradBash on Saturday night had a wait time of 2 and a half hours the entire night.

But supposedly the valleying issues have been taken care of since it last happened (Which was about a month ago, I believe.) and the conveyor belt is almost always on now.