1 more question on FOTL or whatever its called now.

[MarkMichaels]

Since I'm assuming what I've read is true and FOTL is gone, but on site hotel guests will still be able to ride each ride once per day thru the express line, heres my question. If we can go thru the express line once with the new card readers that are coming, can we also get the three express passes just like other guests so that we could actually go thru the express line more than once per day?
Thanks, trying to get a grasp on Universal before our first trip down this fall.

 

[BarryHom]

Universal Express passes require a valid admission ticket and has nothing to do with your room key. So yes, you can pick up Universal Express passes with your admission ticket.

 

[Beckles]

Yes! The only thing I would add is I don't think you can get your three Express tickets all for the same ride ... though I'm not sure about that??? Anyone know?

 

[BarryHom]

I don't see why you can't get three tickets for the same ride.

 

[Beckles]

Originally posted by Barry Hom
I don't see why you can't get three tickets for the same ride.

I would think the kiosks wouldn't let you have more than one ticket for the same ride. That seems like it would be an obvious rule ... but that's just something I'm guessing!

Anyone ever try to get more than one ticket for the same ride? How about Earl/CoasterFEV, do you guys know anything about this, can you get three tickets for the same ride?

Since I've always stayed on-site, I've never used the kiosks

 

[robvia]

No, you can't. The machine says you already have that ride checked out.
Your post just made me realize what's going on.
The new card readers at the entrance of each ride let each hotel guest get one ride per person per hotel key. It's the hotel key that gets you this perk. Plus 1 hour early entry on a Monday and Wednesday at IOA, and the other two days at US, which are different. That's it! Correct me if I'm wrong.
Then they have to use their regular paper tickets and attempt to use the Kiosk machines. I'm LOL right now because you don't know what a pain in the butt they are until you try to use them, because I've been there and stood in line.

It gets even better. Let's say you have two multi-day tickets, you're there with your daughter and want to get an express pass for Popeye. You swipe your ticket and after a few mis reads, the screen finally comes up with 2 times to choose from. You pick 1pm. Now you swipe your daughters ticket. It doesn't swipe for 10 times. Finally it works, but you get to choose between 2pm and 4pm or nothing. What do you do? Well, you pick 2pm just to get a ticket because it may not work again and you've got 10 people standing behind you waiting for the machine. Now you've got a ticket for 1pm, and 2pm, because the machine keeps mixing up the times. The machine doesn't know you want the 2nd ticket to have the same time as the first you just swiped. Lucky for us, the guard didn't examine the time on the 2nd ticket, she just took it with the first and said pass. And the machines don't know when you took your ride. Let's say your reservation is from 1-3pm and you ride at 1pm. Well, your reservation doesn't expire until 3pm, and you can't get any more tickets until ALL your reservations expire. Basically, you only get 3 express passes all day. Technically, you get more, but in real life, they sell out by noon and the machines stop working.

Any hotel guests who has made a reservation thinking they will get FOTL, and now gets ORPD (one ride per day) will be majorily FPO (Friggen Pissed Off) like you wouldn't believe, and they won't be saying Friggen.
IOA should just wait until next year before implementing this new rule. We knew FOTL was too good to be true. They'll have to give the hotel guests more than that. It's like giving them everything, and then taking it all away in the same year. ORPD and 1 hour early entry on a Monday and Wednesday is nothing.

 

[travelbug24]

Doesn't it say in the Universal video that FOTL will be for the whole year?

 

[Beckles]

Originally posted by travelbug24
Doesn't it say in the Universal video that FOTL will be for the whole year?

Maybe if Universal ever sent me a video I'd know what it said.

 

[Beckles]

Originally posted by robvia
No, you can't. The machine says you already have that ride checked out.

Thanks, that's the way I thought it would work, but it was only supposition on my part ...

Any hotel guests who has made a reservation thinking they will get FOTL, and now gets ORPD (one ride per day) will be majorily FPO (Friggen Pissed Off) like you wouldn't believe, and they won't be saying Friggen.
IOA should just wait until next year before implementing this new rule. We knew FOTL was too good to be true. They'll have to give the hotel guests more than that. It's like giving them everything, and then taking it all away in the same year. ORPD and 1 hour early entry on a Monday and Wednesday is nothing.

Actually, I think you're way off on this.

1. Most people won't know what FOTL used to be, and the current system and ORPD is still eons better than no preferred access or anything else you'll have experienced at other parks.

b. The current unlimited Universal Express is almost as good as FOTL (and better in some way actually, e.g., you get to go through some of the queues (which you didn't with FOTL) and you're not wandering around back stage some of the rides trying to figure out where to go ("go to the end of hallway, second left, third right, up elevator, through flaming hoops, etc.")).

iii. Maybe I'm weird, but I really don't have much desire to ride a ride more than once per day ... I think I've done Hulk twice once ... and I've done MIB a few times more than once, but that's it. I can live with this rule (and understand it considering the Royal Pacific will be adding 1,000 plus rooms when it opens, and would prefer this to the whole system going away).

D. I've never used early entry (I've always stayed on-site) ... I don't find it necessary with the preferred access (note, if you do use early entry, during early entry there's no need to use Express and your "one-ride" of the day).

 

[Jon360]

Why only once on each ride per day?

Why not 5-10 times on each ride per day?

 

[MarkMichaels]

Thanks for all the quick repsonses.

I do agree with robvia that alot of guests will be "fpo" I believe he put it. We are doing a 7 day land/sea Disney package and added 2 extra nights at HRH just for FOTL this coming October. This new plan does not excite me nearly as much as the way it was explained when I booked my vacation two months ago. Not sure if we really need the extra two days at HRH now.

Thanks again for the replies, at least I know what to expect till they change the rules again.

Mark

 

[Beckles]

Originally posted by MarkMichaels
Thanks for all the quick repsonses.

I do agree with robvia that alot of guests will be "fpo" I believe he put it. We are doing a 7 day land/sea Disney package and added 2 extra nights at HRH just for FOTL this coming October. This new plan does not excite me nearly as much as the way it was explained when I booked my vacation two months ago. Not sure if we really need the extra two days at HRH now.

See my comment 1.

What you will experience will be eons better than any other themepark experience you've ever had, even if they have the one ride limit implemented by then. period.

 

[SherryfromOK]

I am dissappointed by what you are saying. I had not heard that they have changed the rules. When I booked for HRH for 5 days, the girl assured me that the FOTL was going to be in effect for all days unlimited. It does not seem right they can change it just like that. They should start first of next year or so, and that would give them plenty of time to tell people and advertise it the new way. That is the main reason I booked the hotel, and its too late to change in 5 months during a holiday time. Rooms are full by now at Thanksgiving time. Maybe since I will be at a busy time, even once on each ride will be a big help, what do you think????

 

[MarkMichaels]

Sorry I disagree with you Beckles, reality is, it doesn't matter how good of an experience the new system is, its not the experience we, or thousands of other guests with reservations, were promised.

And yes, you may be weird, because my family does like to ride rides several times. E-nights great for us cause we can ride Splash Mtn or Buzz several times. FOTL is what had us pumped about Universal, I'm not sure staying on site is as big a benefit for the money anymore.

Sorry to disagree, but I like to get what I have coming, and what I have coming is what was promised when my reservations were made. period.

 

[disneydoc]

I agree that guest should be fpo but who do we complain to...hotels or universal guest services? I have said before that when I booked, the FOTL was being advertised as a major advantage for hotel guest. Now that the rules are apparently about to change that doesn't seem to be the case anymore. I'm not cancelling my reservation but I would like someone to hear my frustrations that could explain to me the reasoning behind the change and the lack of advance notice to previously booked guest. Some have said that one ride per day is adequate and thats great for you but we like certain attractions such as MIB and enjoy several trips down alien alley. Maybe if enough of us express our dissatisfaction we can at least keep the system going until next year or at least until the guest with reservations made under the old system have a chance to visit the park.

 

[travelbug24]

FOTL was the only reason I booked at HRH! I could be saving an extra $50 a night booking offsite. What I will be saving offsite could spare me the pain of not having FOTL since I will be going during a slow time (9/13-9/18) anyway. Wonder how HRH will feel about that?

 

[robvia]

If you wanna complain thru e-mail, you can go here.

http://www.universalstudios.com/glo...com/themeparks/html/orlando/islands/main.html

It's a long link, if it doesn't work, then goto their web page, click on park info, then faq. Click "no" my question was not answered and a form will appear letting you type a message to them. They will respond a few days later, and there is a phone number to call if you wanna talk to someone.

I sent a message with a link to this thread. I'm still frustrated they took away early entry for Multi-Day ticket holders. It was only 1 hour, but it was something promised to me in February when I bought my tickets. Before that it used to be a couple hours of ERT. Then it went down to 1 hour on a Monday and Wednesday. And now Multi-Day ticket holders don't even get that anymore. It's the principle we're talking about here. I'm sure the guests would have a good time under the new system, but they we're promised something better and the rules keep changing DURING the season.

They need to come out with the rules for next year NOW and give everyone fair warning, but leave everything the same for this year.

 

[beattyfamily]

FOTL access is the MAIN reason I'm staying at HRH instead of the Holiday Inn across the street. I will be quite bummed if there isn't something like this in place when we come in November.

Their website still says this:

Front-of-the-Line Access
On-Site Hotel Guests Enjoy "Express Ride Access" Access All Day, Every Day!
Guests of Portofino Bay Hotel and the Hard Rock Hotel can enjoy “No Line, No Wait” UNIVERSAL EXPRESS access at most rides and attractions at Universal Studios® and Islands of Adventure theme parks. This special privilege is valid during normal operating hours, seven days a week, 365 days a year!

If they are truely changing this to once a day or whatever, they need to notify everyone who booked while FOTL access was being advertized/offered.

 

[SherryfromOK]

I agree with Disneydoc, it is just not good business practice to tell us one thing, then switch the rules later.When you pay these kind of prices, their word should mean something.

 

[Gail from Nova Scotia]

I'm very upset as well re:changes to FOTL. We booked our stay at HRH in April for Christmas season thinking this would be a great way to beat the crowds. In fact FOTL was the reason my DH agreed to this vacation in the first place!!He hates waiting in line for more than a few minutes!!
If anyone from "the top brass" at Universal reads this PLEASE LEAVE FOTL INTACT UNTIL 2002 !! Tell your guests right now when they book that FOTL is gone but for those of us that booked before the policy change please HONOR FOTL!!
Now to tell DH that FOTL has been changed !! Gail