Express Pass Question

[MandyJ72]

Hi

Im new to the Universal boards (mainly post on the UK boards!) so hello everyone!!

Im looking at Universal for our trip next year - already have 14 nights booked on I-Drive and was planning on getting a 5 Park Flex ticket (not bothered about Wet & Wild) but am trying to cost it all up against maybe a few nights at Universal.

How does the Express Pass thingy that you get with your room key work? Do I still need a "regular" admission ticket as well or does the Room Key Pass thing work as an admission ticket + express line ticket? Does that make sense?

Will be 2 adults & 2 children (DS 9 & DD 14 so prob need an adult for her).

Thanks - Im much confused!!

 

[Metro West]

How does the Express Pass thingy that you get with your room key work? Do I still need a "regular" admission ticket as well or does the Room Key Pass thing work as an admission ticket + express line ticket? Does that make sense?

Hello and

to the darkside of the boards.

You will use your room key for Express access but you still need admission tickets to the park. Once you're in the park, you won't show the park tickets again...just the room key. I would suggest purchasing a lanyard and putting the tickets in there so you will always have them handy.

Don't worry...we are here to help!

 

[gschmerl]

Yes..you still need to by admission to the parks.
Your room key will get you express access from park opeing on the day you check into an on site hotel, until park closing on the day you check out. When you check out just save your room key and use it all day for express access. It can't be beat!!

 

[MandyJ72]

Thanks for the replies - so if Im reading it right, I can basically get 2 days express access for a 1 night stay? (day we check in & day we check out) PROVIDED I have park access tickets?

Says on the Universal site that you get 2 Express passes per room booking so I take it I would need to buy a further 2 for the kids?

Sorry for all the questions!!

 

[macraven]

stay one night at the onsite hotel at universal and receive the perk of fotl for 2 days. the day you check in and the day you check out your hotel key will be valid for you to use the express lane for all rides and attractions.


each person that is checked into your room will receive a hotel key.
you do not have to purchase the epp.

you list all the people that will be in your hotel room.
their names will be on the hotel key.

yes, even if you have a 3 year old in your group, that child will have the hotel key also.

 

[MandyJ72]

Thanks for your help guys - now Im even confused over what to do (Im a nightmare I know!!).

Basically we going from 22nd June - 7th July next summer with me, DH, DD14, DS9 and my mum & dad.

Dad doesn't do rides full stop and mum only does an occasional one that Dad lets her (she has done Hulk before - but Dad wasn't on that holiday with us!!)

DD has knee problems, or has had over the last year and we don't know how she will be when we go - last year she was in a wheelchair on and off as she couldn't stand for more than about 10mins or walk for more than 10mins without her knees getting extremely painful so she used the chair and walked occasionally to make sure she didn't stiffen up.

Knees are much better, but, she can still only manage about 45mins before she gets sore - may be even better by the summer or something could happen and she could have a flare up again and be worse so we will take her chair and crutches with us to make sure we can cover every eventuality I think as who knows!!

Anyhows for the 4 of us (mum & dad will just go with the flow), the 5 Park Flex ticket works out for us about $900 or I can get, thru UnderCoverTourist, a 2Park 7Day for $400 and a Seaworld&Aquatica Combo ticket for $460.

If I then add on the 1 Park Express Pass (not to bothered about IOA) for the 4 of us it (guessing it will be the $45.99per person as pretty close to 4th July)
that's $195 inc tax.

Am I right - can I buy my access tickets from somewhere other than Universal and still buy the passes from them?

Other alternative (the one I want to talk hubby in to but I need to show him all the figures!) is staying the 1 night at the Hard Rock - kids love their rock so it will be a big buzz for them.

1 night on 29th is coming in at $325 and that will include my express passes (are they exactly the same pass - 1 access to 1 ride, i.e. 1 access to Jaws, 1 to Mummy etc or are they unlimited access to rides so I can do Mummy 5 times - if Im brave enough (not done it yet).

Im just trying to work out what's best (a) financially and (b) for Amy with her knees.

I reckon if we stayed on site (I would just keep our room offsite as no point traipsing all our stuff out of the room to then go back!) we could go over in the morning and check-in /drop case then go to IOA for a little bit and do what we wanted, come back and swim/look round hotel theming in the afternoon then go back to park / City Walk for some ambience at night.

Next day, check out fairly sharp / meet mum & dad and go to Studios for the entire day and see fireworks with mum & dad at night - they might go back to their hotel and not stay but we can stay or go whatever - quite fancy Jaws at night!!

What's your thoughts? I see that one of the other hotels is cheaper but for the extra $40 I thought the Hard Rock would be better?

HELP!!!!

M
xx

 

[inkkognito]

When you have your EP via your hotel key, it is unlimited, i.e. you can ride Mummy all day if you like! The one you buy is one time on each ride, although there is a more expensive unlimited one offered too. Personally I would just do the one night at an onsite hotel...the two days of unlimited FOTL will be worth it because you can get a lot done quickly and even take a rest at the hotel on that first day inbetween park time if needed.

You will quickly get spoiled with Express. We are local so we don't do the hotels but we have Premier Passes so we get unlimited after 4 p.m. I think you will really enjoy an onsite experience and it will be hard to adapt back to the Fastpass system after being spoiled by USF/IOA.

 

[macraven]

you can buy park tickets for UO at underground tourist also.
you can buy the express passes from universal on line or at the park.

you would get a better deal thru universal though for their tickets.
check their website periodically for promo sales on tickets


you can only have 5 in a room at the universal on site hotels.
are your parents going to stay in the other rental place if you spend a night at UO hotels?

pbh has larger rooms. you might want to check that out.
rph has smaller rooms but will accommodate the 4 of you.

you can stop by guest services on your visit at universal for a special guest pass since your daughter is in a wheelchair. it can ease the problem of her mobility problem and long standing in lines.

i would think it would be to your advantage financially to do a one night stay on site. what you would be paying out for express passes could run you $200 + tax for a one time ride each. you said for june 29th it would be $325 for the room at hrh. check out the prices for rph and say yourself some money.
if you have the AAA equivalent, you can get a room discount for the hotel.
check the prices for other nights too, maybe another weekday night could be cheaper
if you stay on site, you have unlimited rides and attractions thru the express lane. you get that perk for the day you check in and day you check out.
you would need park passes though.


i would reply with more suggestions but need to come back to your question later. have to leave the house now.

 

[MandyJ72]

Thank you for all your replies & advices!

Booked for HRH for 28th June!!!! Spoke to hubby and put it to him that if we think we are going to need the passes, which I do and when he thought about it he reckoned we would need them as well to make the most of our time there then why just pay for a piece of paper when we can pay about $100 more and have a night at HRH for the kids and have 2 days there!!

He actually agreed very quickly - Im dumb-struck!!

Plan is like I thought - go sharp and get key but not actually get into room (take it we can do that and leave luggage in the car) - go to IOA to do the vew bits & bobs we want to do there, some pool/hotel time (kids are well into their rock so will love it) - go grab a bite to eat (more a CS thing than a sit down) and wander about / pop into Studios if we want.

Mum & Dad just going to stay at their hotel on I-Drive as they are not going to do the rides and not worth the extra expense for them.

Then spend the day in Studios using the express pass thingy after we've checked out.

Am sooooo excited now - can't believe how much Im looking forward to it - not told the kids, if we can (and that's a big IF) then I don't want to tell them at all - just tell them to pack an overnight bag in the morning as we staying somewhere else then watch their jaws drop when we get there!!

 

[macraven]

Thank you for all your replies & advices!

Booked for HRH for 28th June!!!! Spoke to hubby and put it to him that if we think we are going to need the passes, which I do and when he thought about it he reckoned we would need them as well to make the most of our time there then why just pay for a piece of paper when we can pay about $100 more and have a night at HRH for the kids and have 2 days there!!

He actually agreed very quickly - Im dumb-struck!!

Plan is like I thought - go sharp and get key but not actually get into room (take it we can do that and leave luggage in the car) - go to IOA to do the vew bits & bobs we want to do there, some pool/hotel time (kids are well into their rock so will love it) - go grab a bite to eat (more a CS thing than a sit down) and wander about / pop into Studios if we want.

Mum & Dad just going to stay at their hotel on I-Drive as they are not going to do the rides and not worth the extra expense for them.

Then spend the day in Studios using the express pass thingy after we've checked out.

Am sooooo excited now - can't believe how much Im looking forward to it - not told the kids, if we can (and that's a big IF) then I don't want to tell them at all - just tell them to pack an overnight bag in the morning as we staying somewhere else then watch their jaws drop when we get there!!

this is what i have done for each trip.

i start at disney and then move over to hrh.

i check in at 7-7:30 at hrh.
i have only received my room one time out of the 19 stays there in all my stays at that time in the morning. all other times i have had to wait for my room to be available. my room is marked off in advance, but has to be cleaned and then inspected by a supervisor before i have access to it.


check in early. you can bring your luggage in with you. (the over night bags)

you will be given hotel keys for all in your group. your luggage/bags will be stored in the luggage area where it is safe. you will be given a claim check for your bags you store. the hotel keys are what we call FOTL passes. you show them in the express line to the TM/team member.

go to pastamore, get a light breakfast. they open at 8:00 and located in city walk.

be at the entrance of IOA by 8:30. the parks officially opens at 9:00, but most of the time they will let the guests in early. enough rides will be open for you to get on between 8:30-9.

i know you have fotl as you are a guest at hrh but this way, you can do front line on the hulk, spidey, dueling dragons, etc
this is good if you love coasters.

the park will not be crowded until 11ish.
you can do a lot in the park due to your early start.

do lunch around 11:30 and avoid crowds at the dining places.
they all open at 11:00. drop over to the studios. your fotl pass will save you time in the park lines.

you will love having the fotl once it is noontime.
your waits will be short in the express lane.
and you can do repeat rides and shows by showing your room key.

everyone in your group has to show the key.

you can go to gs or ask any tm in the shops if they will call hrh for you.
tell them you need to find out if your room is ready.

once it is, tell them to take your bags to your room even if you are not there yet.
or, you can use the phone in your room and push the button for "star services". they will call you by name...Mrs.XXXXX, and ask how may we help you?
tell them you need your luggage brought to your room.


since you are already checked in from the morning, and they have told you your room number, you do not have to stop by the front lobby desk when you are coming back from the park to go to your room.

i think you have a swell plan for the 2 days.

june 28 is a sunday. i'll pencil that date on my calendar and wish you sunny skies and no rain that day!!


take pictures of your kids bowing to you for the fantastic surprise you have given them once you pull up to HRH


do spend time in the pool.
hrh has underwater speakers in the pool.

you can pool hop to the other pools at the onsite hotels.

towels are provided at the pool area.

if you want to explore city walk, you can do that with your parents on another day.
no tickets are needed for there.
it is open to the public.

if you do city walk as a side event for a few hours, do it after 6:00 in the evening. there is no charge for the garage parking after 6:00 in the evening.

hope you have a great time!!