Express pass add on vs. staying onsite

scubamouse

Mouseketeer<br><font color=blue>My shoes match. I
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We are looking at 1 or 2 days at Universal/IOA. Is there a difference in the express pass for onsite guests vs. offsite guests? The cheapest hotel for when we stay is over 375 before taxes and that's outside our budget when you add in tickets.

I'd pay for the express upgrade as long as it's comparable to the onsite one.

TIA :goodvibes
 
We are going to Universal for the first time this summer. From the research I've done the difference is when staying onsite you get early admission and can use express line as many times as you want to. Staying offsite and buying an express pass limits you to using the express line only once per ride and there is no early admission. We chose onsite for that reason. It is expensive but we got a discount with our AAA card. We decided that it will be crowded when we will be visiting and it will also be hot and humid. For us, it was worth staying onsite.

Hope this helps!
 
Can I ask how much of a discount you got using AAA? I didn't check that out.
 
Onsite guests can use the resort express pass as many times per attraction as they wish.It is good from checkin till midnight of checkout day.They also receive early entry at IOA for Harry Potter
Express pass as a paid option allows only ONE ride per attraction using it.It is good for the DATE OF PURCHASE and the park it is purchased for only .The price of the express pass goes UP with the projected crowd levels.If it is a crowded time of year,it is not unheard of to have the express pass cost as much as $99 a person-this was the case Christmas/New Years week( that is just for the pass, not park admission on top of it).
In both cases everyone in your party must have one and it is scanned at the express pass line.In both cases, NEITHER are good for the following" Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket, Pteranodon Flyers, Forbidden Journey and Olivanders wand shop
 

I got a rate of $273 for a standard room using AAA. You need to call the hotel to get the rate. I don't think there is a way to get it on the website.
 
Also staying 1 night onsite you get 2 days of unlimited Express Pass line entry.
 
We are looking at 1 or 2 days at Universal/IOA. Is there a difference in the express pass for onsite guests vs. offsite guests?
The difference is...onsite guests receive unlimited Express access for the duration of their stay as opposed to once through the line for the purchased EP. The only way someone staying offsite could get unlimited Express is by purchasing the VIP Express tickets but those are very pricey.
 
ok to do check in - could I pick up tickets before the parks open even if I couldn't get into the room until later?

If I can get two full days of touring that does make it more reasonable.
 
Scuba,

Yes.

Check in as early as you can (we checked in at 10:30 and our room was ready, but even if it's not, they can give you room keys to use as express passes).

Probably do Studios the first day and then the second day, get the early opening hours at IOA for WWoHP.
 
If you buy your tickets online you can scan your receipt and swipe the credit card you purchased them with at the hotel kiosk. I know some of the " universal homies" have checked in as early as 7am. They will give you your keys to use for express entry :)
 
stay onsite.
buy the tickets online.
pick them up at the kiosk at the hotel.

just like the others have stated.


yea, i check in early.
between 6:30 - 7:00 am.
 
Ok I think you guys have convinced me!

I guess we'd do US the first day and then get to IOA the second day to take advantage of the early hours. How empty is WWOP during that first hour? Can we get all of WWOP in that first hour?

Also, it sounds like on our US day we'd hit the Rip Ride Rocket first. How intense is that? We adore all the WDW coasters but I'm not a huge fan of the biggest baddest coasters and Busch Gardens.
 
No, you can't get everything done at WWOHP in that first hour. Can you get a lot done, yes. When you're going will make a big difference too. If you're HP fans at all, you'll want to enjoy and linger. There are little shows to see later in the day - frog choir and triwizard rally. Plus you'll want to take some time to enjoy some butterbeer at 3brooms.

My advice would be to spend a little bit more for park hoppers if you're HP fans. That way you can hit WWOHP the first day at night after the Studios and the next day during early entry. Really my favorite time of day is the last hour or so in the evening. I wouldn't want to miss early entry though because you do get 'more done'. Nighttime is just more relaxed and the lighting is beautiful.
 
Scuba,

We were there two weeks ago, so a bit slower time of year, but we immediately went to Ollivander's Wand Shop and did that first. Then went to Forbidden Journey, then rode Flight of the Hippogriff with the kids three times and then measured the kids for Dragon Challenge (they weren't tall enough).

All in the first hour.

After that, it got mobbed and we stopped back later in the day to browse some shops and then the wife and I rode Dragon Challenge. FJ was shorter later in the day as mentioned above. So you could stop by late in the day, too if you miss anything or want to ride again.
 
We were also there 2 weeks ago.We did Ollivanders, Rode Forbidden Journey 4x and did Dragon Challenge and Flight of the Hippogrif in LESS than an hour.We were sitting drinking a butter beer when the park opened officially.We went back to WwoHP later on to see the Triwizard rally
 
We also used AAA for our two rooms at the HRH for Aug. If you are a member of AAA you can also get park tickets at our local AAA office with a discount (we have our already). Your AAA card will also give you a 10% discount at basically every restaurant in the parks, most shops, and most of the restaurants in City Walk (Emeril being one exception). All these savings may make it affordable to stay on-site.
 
We also used AAA for our two rooms at the HRH for Aug. If you are a member of AAA you can also get park tickets at our local AAA office with a discount (we have our already). Your AAA card will also give you a 10% discount at basically every restaurant in the parks, most shops, and most of the restaurants in City Walk (Emeril being one exception). All these savings may make it affordable to stay on-site.

We are AAA members and we always do WDW tickets through AAA because of the discount but really for the preferred parking. We stay offsite. Thanks for the tip about the restaurants and merchandise. We're going in August and it looks like the prices really drop after the first two weeks so we might try and do that since our school in NY starts after labor day.

I think I'm going to love the early entry since we got so much done at WDW when we stayed onsite and used them. I need to learn more about Ollivanders.

You all have me so excited about this part of the trip. Thanks for all your advice :goodvibes
 
I was at Costco yesterday and they had a 3-day pass for both parks for $145. It looked like it was a hopper. We are only planning 2 days though so I didn't buy them. That seemed like a good price though for hoppers.
 
How do you know what time the shows are in the Harry Potter section? We were there last summer and I never did see the shows.....this time I want to make sure we see them!
 
How do you know what time the shows are in the Harry Potter section? We were there last summer and I never did see the shows.....this time I want to make sure we see them!

Your best bet is to ask someone.They don't post the times on the park guides..we were there 4 days and never managed to see the Frog Choir.We saw triwizards 2x.
 


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