2nd trip with BAD Express pass experience

[Chi35364]

So I had posted back in Feb about long waits in Express Pass. This was using my collective experience of over 7 trips. We always stay at Deluxe hotel so they are included w/ our stay.

Well, we just came back from another trip that we took the week before Memorial weekend. I was hoping that our last trip in Feb was a fluke but unfortunately, it was just as bad, and in some cases worse.

As i got on each ride's line, I would start my iWatch's stop watch and notate the standard wait time to compare.

Here are some notes:

1. On the Hipogriff ride, wait was 30mins, Express pass was about 25mins. you could hear team member yell across the platform to the person loading passengers that they should be loading 2 express passes to 1.

2. Minions was the WORST - Post wait time was 35mins. I kid not, we actually notated a few people who walked through standard line, and they were on the ride before us. Again towards the end we saw a Team member notify the loading personal that EP line is TOOO long, and to load more EP now.

3. Gringotts, 35min post wait, EP was about 30mins.
4. Kong - 40min posted wait, EP was 30mins.

Other rides were reasonable but definitely not how I remember back in 2022, 2021, 2019. Others were what we would expect.

There is clearly some training issue going on with EP service that is impacting the experience. I do really feel sorry for those who BUY EP. If i had purchased, I for sure would be back at guest services requesting a refund.

Is anyone else noticing this or is it just me?

 

[mamapenguin]

I was there 5/21-5/24. I have after 4 express with my pass and I used it each day until closing except for Monday night I got in line for Hagrid’s 10 minutes before closing. I had super short wait times. Minions one time was like 10 minutes and they did fill an entire room que with the regular line and no express. I thought it was strange, but the wait still wasn’t bad. I was more worried about getting rained on because express is the outside lane.

Edit- Did you use the pass holder line for EE? That was a game changer for me. I don’t like to get there super early so the Hagrid’s line is always too long. The pass holder line was a huge advantage. I wish they would keep that permanently.

 

[Chi35364]

I was there 5/21-5/24. I have after 4 express with my pass and I used it each day until closing except for the night that I got in line for Hagrid’s 10 minutes before closing. I had super short wait times. Minions one time was like 10 minutes and they did fill an entire room que with the regular line and no express. I thought it was strange, but the wait still wasn’t bad. I was more worried about getting rained on because express is the outside lane.

I should add, our experience was during the AM hours. Before 4PM for most port.

 

[mamapenguin]

I should add, our experience was during the AM hours. Before 4PM for most port.

I use single rider lines during the time before 4, so I don’t experience many waits except for Hagrid’s and the trolly. I only ride the Hogwart’s Express if it’s a short wait.

I’m sorry that you didn’t have a good experience. We sometimes stay at the hotels with unlimited express, but I learned a long time ago that single rider can be significantly faster. There were times where Mummy’s Express was kind of a long on this trip and I just switched lanes to single rider and got right on.
Edit- this is for May, I’m sure my July trip will involve more waiting.

 

[schumigirl]

Minions was the only EP line we had an issue with over our recent 3 week trip. It was every time we went in the EP line we waited far longer than we should have.

Like you we were usually there in the am, not EE and by 9.20 the regular line was 50 minutes one morning, we waited around 25-30 minutes which is not as it should be especially as the EP line wasn`t overly long to begin with.

The TM working the lines was no novice, he has worked there for a long time.

It was annoying, but that was the only line we experienced that with, but it was every time we went on the ride. Yes, I would have been annoyed if I was there for one day and had bought the EP.

 

[saskdw]

I had commented a while back that I thought the EP experience last December wasn't as good as our previous experiences. I think alot has to do with which CM's are working that day and how experienced they are.

The 4 rides you listed have always had slower EP lines than the rest so they might not be the best examples.


From what people are reporting lately though it does seem like the EP lines have been inconsistent.

 

[leiaorgana]

When we were there last Oct/Nov they had definitely changed the loading process on Transformers & Spider-Man to slow down the Express queue.

Previously it had always been front car was just standby and back car was just Express with one TM handling the standby queue and another handling the Express queue to fill them but that had changed to just one TM handling both queues and they were filling both cars with standby and then doing front car standby and back car Express and then back to just standby on both rides and it was taking forever to get on even with how short the Express queue was because they were absolutely favouring standby over Express on both rides during that time. It was really frustrating and I had to stop one of my party from saying something to the TM on Transformers about how they were loading because they were getting annoyed about how long we’d been waiting when it was dead in there.

No idea if it’s still that way now or if it’s gone back to how they were previously doing it but I guess we’ll find out when we’re back in a couple of weeks.

But I agree that the Minions ride has always had issues with how they’ve loaded standby and Express and that’s why we don’t bother with it anymore now.

 

[ELT]

I was there 5/21-5/24. I have after 4 express with my pass and I used it each day until closing except for Monday night I got in line for Hagrid’s 10 minutes before closing. I had super short wait times. Minions one time was like 10 minutes and they did fill an entire room que with the regular line and no express. I thought it was strange, but the wait still wasn’t bad. I was more worried about getting rained on because express is the outside lane.

Edit- Did you use the pass holder line for EE? That was a game changer for me. I don’t like to get there super early so the Hagrid’s line is always too long. The pass holder line was a huge advantage. I wish they would keep that permanently.

What is a pass holder line? That’s a new one for me. I have a preferred pass. Is this new? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Think of a short trip in two weeks

 

[Skywalker3]

Will try and remember to test this out this coming weekend. Will have express Sunday/ Monday. Often I'll start timing once I get in the line, but forget to note the time when I get on the ride. It'll be our first time using express since Oct. 2021. I was just telling DH last night that I didn't think express helped much on Minions due to where the merge is. In past experiences, we've also had a bit of a wait at RRR, and Suess Trolley. We'll see though! Getting so excited for the trip!

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

I am so sorry.



I have been seeing this a lot (and not just Universal or Disney) that pay to plays are becoming chaotic. I hope something is done soon.

 

[Smugpugmug]

I've used Express with the after 4 pm perk on the Premier AP multiple times for the past few months and have noticed that certain rides are very inconsistent. Sometimes, I've walked straight to the merge point and was immediately let into the preshow for Gringotts and other times it was a 30 minute wait. Mummy has been in the 10-35 minute range. I've walked right onto my canoe for Dudley some days and other days it's 20-35 minutes. Hulk, Velocicoaster, Spiderman, ET and Men in Black have all been walk ons to 10 minutes. I don't ride Minions or Hippogriff, but I do know those rides are super slow when it comes to the loading process.

 

[schumigirl]

What is a pass holder line? That’s a new one for me. I have a preferred pass. Is this new? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Think of a short trip in two weeks

To the left as you enter IOA, there is a separate entrance for all passholders, less of a line and saves going through the regular lines at the gates.

I am so sorry.



I have been seeing this a lot (and not just Universal or Disney) that pay to plays are becoming chaotic. I hope something is done soon.

I don`t think it`s chaotic at all, as I said we only had issues with Minions over three weeks that`s not bad.

Annoying certainly for those of us used to more or less walking on to these rides and getting on quickly. We ended up avoiding Minions for that reason, it`s not a ride you really need to re ride anyway often.

 

[saskdw]

When we were there last Oct/Nov they had definitely changed the loading process on Transformers & Spider-Man to slow down the Express queue.

Previously it had always been front car was just standby and back car was just Express with one TM handling the standby queue and another handling the Express queue to fill them but that had changed to just one TM handling both queues and they were filling both cars with standby and then doing front car standby and back car Express and then back to just standby on both rides and it was taking forever to get on even with how short the Express queue was because they were absolutely favouring standby over Express on both rides during that time. It was really frustrating and I had to stop one of my party from saying something to the TM on Transformers about how they were loading because they were getting annoyed about how long we’d been waiting when it was dead in there.

No idea if it’s still that way now or if it’s gone back to how they were previously doing it but I guess we’ll find out when we’re back in a couple of weeks.

But I agree that the Minions ride has always had issues with how they’ve loaded standby and Express and that’s why we don’t bother with it anymore now.

That's the type of thing we noticed in December. Some rides that typically load EP faster were doing stuff like this.

The question is if it was a management decision or just inexperienced staff.

 

[leiaorgana]

That's the type of thing we noticed in December. Some rides that typically load EP faster were doing stuff like this.

The question is if it was a management decision or just inexperienced staff.

For me personally, it felt like it was a management decision due to staffing issues and still not being fully staffed because it was the same process on both of the rides I mentioned every time we rode them over the 3 week period we were there and it never used to be that way on those rides. Previously it had always been 1 car Express and 1 car standby no matter how busy or quiet it is. In the past, I’ve even experienced them loading both cars with Express and making the standby queue wait longer if the Express queue was starting to get to a certain point to get the Express people through faster but they were definitely making the Express line wait that last time we were there.

 

[mamapenguin]

What is a pass holder line? That’s a new one for me. I have a preferred pass. Is this new? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Think of a short trip in two weeks

It was limited time 5/1-5/26. It was an entrance on the far left at Islands open from 8-2 for annual passholders. I don’t know when it will be offered again.

 

[saskdw]

For me personally, it felt like it was a management decision due to staffing issues and still not being fully staffed because it was the same process on both of the rides I mentioned every time we rode them over the 3 week period we were there and it never used to be that way on those rides. Previously it had always been 1 car Express and 1 car standby no matter how busy or quiet it is. In the past, I’ve even experienced them loading both cars with Express and making the standby queue wait longer if the Express queue was starting to get to a certain point to get the Express people through faster but they were definitely making the Express line wait that last time we were there.

Yes Spider-Man in particular the EP line usually moves really quick.

One ride that the EP consistently moved extremely efficiently was FJ. We rode several times and EP line was almost walk-on no matter how long the regular line was.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

To the left as you enter IOA, there is a separate entrance for all passholders, less of a line and saves going through the regular lines at the gates.




I don`t think it`s chaotic at all, as I said we only had issues with Minions over three weeks that`s not bad.

Annoying certainly for those of us used to more or less walking on to these rides and getting on quickly. We ended up avoiding Minions for that reason, it`s not a ride you really need to re ride anyway often.

Happy to hear it wasn’t chaotic for others at UOR!

I just have heard of so much chaos and because I’m the theme park nerd people usually ask me and for the life of me I am like “did everyone get together to make things more complicated?” It seems for every step forward there are two steps backwards for certain places it’s scary!

 

[cfoxga]

So I had posted back in Feb about long waits in Express Pass. This was using my collective experience of over 7 trips. We always stay at Deluxe hotel so they are included w/ our stay.

Well, we just came back from another trip that we took the week before Memorial weekend. I was hoping that our last trip in Feb was a fluke but unfortunately, it was just as bad, and in some cases worse.

As i got on each ride's line, I would start my iWatch's stop watch and notate the standard wait time to compare.

Here are some notes:

1. On the Hipogriff ride, wait was 30mins, Express pass was about 25mins. you could hear team member yell across the platform to the person loading passengers that they should be loading 2 express passes to 1.

2. Minions was the WORST - Post wait time was 35mins. I kid not, we actually notated a few people who walked through standard line, and they were on the ride before us. Again towards the end we saw a Team member notify the loading personal that EP line is TOOO long, and to load more EP now.

3. Gringotts, 35min post wait, EP was about 30mins.
4. Kong - 40min posted wait, EP was 30mins.

Other rides were reasonable but definitely not how I remember back in 2022, 2021, 2019. Others were what we would expect.

There is clearly some training issue going on with EP service that is impacting the experience. I do really feel sorry for those who BUY EP. If i had purchased, I for sure would be back at guest services requesting a refund.

Is anyone else noticing this or is it just me?

Even with EP, we usually hit EE to get our rides in early in the morning, since we always go on busy times of the year. Afternoon EP waits can get quite long as the park gets full. I also take the non-EP wait times with a grain of salt, as it is just a guess based on line length.

I agree that Hippogriff, Minions, and Kong feel like the EPs don't save much time. As for Gringotts, you can see how many non-EP people you pass as you walk through the bank and down the stairs. We've been going for several years, and cannot remember a time where we thought the EP line took too long vs the non-EP line.

A can say that as a long time visitor, I can say I expect more out of EPs because of the significant increase in Deluxe Resort prices during peak season over the last 2 years. It used to cost us around $250-300 per day deluxe room vs $100-150 for a value resort. As a family of 4, the extra $150 per night was worth it.

Paying $400-500 a night now is a bitter pill to swallow, so I can imagine that if you shell out upwards of $800 per night for a standard room that you would expect things to be perfect...

 

[C&Jx2]

We haven't had any issues in the last four years. If you're visiting during busy periods you'll still have waits. It's supposed to 1/2 your wait time, not skip you to the front.

 

[RocketCityMama]

So we just spent 6 days at the parks (2 of them meetup days that we used EP during the 5-8 pm) (June 2-7) and then the rest of the time we were there. We only encountered some wait times around 10 mins maybe at any given ride at any time. My older dd rode the big coasters with EP and generally was off and on within 20 minutes -when wait times were listed around 60. We practically walked on almost all the other rides including Minions, Kong, etc. Minions probably was 10 at most, but I didn't time it, but it was not bad at all.