Couple of ExpressPass Questions...

[dsloth]

Visiting both parks this Thursday and Friday, and maybe Saturday (3/26-28). I've been following the boards for a while and read the FAQs etc, but still have a couple of questions.

Wanting to maximize my time (and maybe squeeze in a 3rd park on Saturday), I bought the ExpressPass Plus for Thurs. and Friday. I looked into staying on-site, but with just 2 people, hotel for 4 nights (Hampton Inn) on Hotwire @ under $200, and the $140 for the 2 days of EPP makes a whole lot more sense than ~$900 to stay on-site.

Can someone explain exactly what the EPP is, physically? Is it like a book of coupons, where you turn in the coupon in exchange for one ride? Or is it more like a piece of paper or a magnetic card?

Is there a possibility that it'll work more than once on a given ride per day? If not I guess I'll want to use the EPP on the big attractions at each park on both days.

Also, do they still run the regular "express pass" where you scan your ticket and get a receipt with a time you can use the express line, or did they do away with this?

 

[ky07]

Visiting both parks this Thursday and Friday, and maybe Saturday (3/26-28). I've been following the boards for a while and read the FAQs etc, but still have a couple of questions.

Wanting to maximize my time (and maybe squeeze in a 3rd park on Saturday), I bought the ExpressPass Plus for Thurs. and Friday. I looked into staying on-site, but with just 2 people, hotel for 4 nights (Hampton Inn) on Hotwire @ under $200, and the $140 for the 2 days of EPP makes a whole lot more sense than ~$900 to stay on-site.

Can someone explain exactly what the EPP is, physically? Is it like a book of coupons, where you turn in the coupon in exchange for one ride? Or is it more like a piece of paper or a magnetic card?

Is there a possibility that it'll work more than once on a given ride per day? If not I guess I'll want to use the EPP on the big attractions at each park on both days.

Also, do they still run the regular "express pass" where you scan your ticket and get a receipt with a time you can use the express line, or did they do away with this?

The express pass if I am not mistaken is just like your park ticket and it is either scanned or marked and is good for only once per ride cause thats where the price of onsite is worth paying cause you get unlimited express passes which means you can use it as many times on a ride you want .
Hope this helps

 

[Bluer101]

I just checked the rates at RPR for 2 nights which gives you 3 days of Unlimited EP or FOTL will run $636 with the taxes. Thats about $300 more than hotel plus Express Pass but you are onsite with great benifits. If you have AAA or an AP you will get more of a discount.

 

[donaldduck352]

Its a ticket like your park ticket and they scan it.One ride per person per day per person!!Here is the website that outlines it..Unless you buy the VIP..Truthly not worth it..imo--Get there at rope drop and do the populuar rides first then when the crowds start building start using the pass!!

http://www.universalorlando.com/tickets/express-pass-plus.html

 

[Metro West]

Can someone explain exactly what the EPP is, physically? Is it like a book of coupons, where you turn in the coupon in exchange for one ride? Or is it more like a piece of paper or a magnetic card? The EP will look like your regular ticket since you purchased the Express passes already. It will say Universal Express Plus on the back.

Is there a possibility that it'll work more than once on a given ride per day? If not I guess I'll want to use the EPP on the big attractions at each park on both days. If you stay onsite, you get unlimited Express access.

Also, do they still run the regular "express pass" where you scan your ticket and get a receipt with a time you can use the express line, or did they do away with this? No...they did away with that several years ago. It's just a single Express line now and yes...the ticket is scanned.

See my replies in red.

 

[macraven]

Visiting both parks this Thursday and Friday, and maybe Saturday (3/26-28). I've been following the boards for a while and read the FAQs etc, but still have a couple of questions.

Wanting to maximize my time (and maybe squeeze in a 3rd park on Saturday), I bought the ExpressPass Plus for Thurs. and Friday. I looked into staying on-site, but with just 2 people, hotel for 4 nights (Hampton Inn) on Hotwire @ under $200, and the $140 for the 2 days of EPP makes a whole lot more sense than ~$900 to stay on-site.

Can someone explain exactly what the EPP is, physically? Is it like a book of coupons, where you turn in the coupon in exchange for one ride? Or is it more like a piece of paper or a magnetic card?

Is there a possibility that it'll work more than once on a given ride per day? If not I guess I'll want to use the EPP on the big attractions at each park on both days.

Also, do they still run the regular "express pass" where you scan your ticket and get a receipt with a time you can use the express line, or did they do away with this?

i pulled up the rph for your dates.
you can get a room for $294 plus tax.

if you have the AAA, you can get a good discount on that price. (or military rate besides others)

the epp for thursday and friday is $30.99 for one park.
for saturday it is $40.99

looks like thur and friday are not going to be a large crowd day in the parks.
saturday will.

you can only use the epp one time only for each ride/attraction.
they do check and you'll be asked to leave the line and go to the regular line if you have been on that ride already and used the epp on it.

like the others have told you, the epp looks like a ticket.
it will be scanned. if not scanned, it will be marked.

when you stay onsite, you get the fotl for using the express line free for all the days you are there from check in day to the day you check out.

if you stayed thur and friday on site, you would also get all day saturday with fotl perk.
it's a perk for staying on site at universal.


epp are non refundable.
once you buy them, they are yours.

if you are doing the kiosk pick up for them and you decide to book and stay on site, call universal and see if you can void out that transaction of the epp.

you will not need them if you stay on site.

if you keep the hampton inn for your 4 day stay, be at the garage parking lot line by 7:40 am.
the garage opens at 8 sharp.

you will be about the 4th or 5th car in line but you will be inside the garage and parked by 8:03.

head to IOA first.
when there is a long line for entrance, uo has been known to let the guests in early.
do the coasters and rides in the section to the left once you leave POE.

don't use your epp yet.

use the epp when lines are at a 30 minute or 25 minute wait.

did you buy the epp for both parks or just one park?


you can beat the crowds by getting to UO early.
the crowds will begin around 11ish.

 

[Tank]

Two years ago I went in March and bought the Express Pass before we went. I had the kind where they were supposed to mark the ticket. I did what others have suggested and went at opening and rode all the rides I wanted to hit before there were any crowds. Then later in the day I used the express pass but they didn't bother to mark it on any rides. There were 4 of us and I think they were just to lazy, they were busy talking to each other and they just looked and waved us thru. So since they were not marked we went around again and rode the ones we enjoyed the most. The second time thru with EP the only ride they marked it on was MIB and Spider-Man. That being said I fell in love with EP so this year we are staying on-site.

 

[dsloth]

Thanks for all the great advice.

Next time I'll book with an on-site stay in mind. This time we have a late-night arrival on Wednesday, and early-morning departure on Sunday... so without hopping round to different hotels, off-site was my best option within budget.

It sounds like if I get there early and play my cards right, I should be able to ride most of the major stuff (Hulk, Spiderman, DD, Simpsons, MIB etc.) 3+ times each in the 2 days without too much waiting. That'll give me Saturday to relax in IoA/US, or hit up Wet&Wild or Seaworld if I'm feeling ambitious.

 

[macraven]

you'll have a great time in the parks no matter where you stay.

be sure to return and let us know how much fun you had!!

 

[Ddennis37]

When we last went in June 2006, we splurged and bought the Express Plus Passes. I think they were about $40 extra on top of our 2-park, 1-day passes. Although the ticket was valid for express entrance ONCE per attraction, my son and husband rode The Mummy about 3 or 4 times. Some people marked them off, others didn't.

Luckily this year my husband got a cash award bonus at work so we splurged and got the VIP passes. We are staying 10 nights at a WDW resort and didn't feel like splitting up our hotel stays while there. All this to say that because the express passes were such a convenience, we decided we would always go this route as long as we can afford it. In 2006, we were able to get through both parks in one day and was out of there by 6pm at the latest.

So if you can afford it, whether staying on site or splurging and purchasing an Express Pass, I say go for it. If not, definitely arrive at park opening and hit the big rides first.