Express pass VS Staying on Site

[Ragman]

Hello,

We have gone to Universal Studios 3 times and every time we have stayed on site just to get the express pass - Early entry is very nice as well but the express pass is the main reason. I read somewhere that you could purchase an express pass.
The reason I am asking is because during the time period we plan on going, rooms are over $400 a night. Now I dont know how many of you have stayed onsite but the rooms are TINY and the ONLY reason I would pay this much is for the benefits of express pass and early entry.

Can someone tell me how much the express pass is separately and what are the advantages/disadvantages of express pass vs staying on site?

Thanks.


I apologize if this topic has been discussed before.

 

[Bluer101]

https://www.universalorlando.com/Theme-Park-Tickets/Universal-Express/Express-Passes.aspx

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

Your first step should be to determine the cost of express passes for your group and add that to the price of your offsite accommodations. I have never gone this route, but I think that the seperately purchased express passes allow only one ride per attraction and like the hotel benefit, omit certain rides. Like the cost of the hotel rooms, the cost of the express pass varies based upon crowd predictions. I'm guessing that with the room cost high, crowds are also likely to be high resulting in a higher priced express pass. I don't know the size of your party, but you may find that once you add the cost of express pass and offsite accommodations you will be close to, or more than the $400 on site room cost. If it's about even, you know enough about what an on site visit entails to decide if on site is right for you. Personally I love having space to spread out and if I had more than just me and the mister a large offsite house or condo would be tempting.

 

[Robo56]

I stay onsite all the time. I stay at the PBH and the rooms are not tiny they are big.

As was noted above a cost out of purchasing express passes for all your party would I bet be cheaper to stay onsite.

If you are going to buy express passes the regular express pass will give you one express pass ride for all rides that use express pass. A unlimited express pass will give you express pass rides as many times as you want on participating express rides ( this is resort express pass). The unlimited is more expensive. And both express pass options can vary in price as noted above.

 

[angierae]

You can buy unlimited express passes, but it will depend on the size of your party, how neccesary the passes will be (are you traveling during a low crowd time?)

For us, we are traveling at a low crowd time, but even if we chose to buy the unlimited express passes for our stay, it would be cheaper to stay at CBBR and buy them than to stay at one of the deluxes and get the passes for free. Parties of 3 or 4 may find their economics different.

(We've chosen to stay at CBBR and not get passes, but we're going in January.)

 

[johde]

Now I dont know how many of you have stayed onsite but the rooms are TINY and the ONLY reason I would pay this much is for the benefits of express pass and early entry.

Tiny is a function of where onsite you're staying and where you normally stay. The Rooms are on par with similar rooms at Disney.

RPR has the smallest standard rooms of the ones with Express Passes at 335 SQFT. By comparison AKL and WL are 344 SQFT. and Disney's Moderates are 314 SQFT.

Portifino Bay has the largest standard rooms at 450 SQFT. That is larger than Poly (414 SQFT), Contemporary (394 SQFT), or Grand Floridian (440 SQFT).

Looking at Seasonal Rates (https://www.universalorlando.com/Hotels/Onsite-Hotel-Rates-and-Offers/Seasonal-Rates.aspx) I'm assuming you're looking at a Christmas trip.

For a trip Dec. 27-31, WL is $499, Poly is $676, and Grand Floridian is $761. By comparison, RPR is $404, HRH is $464, and PBR is $479 per night before factoring in any Stay More Save More Discount.

 

[RMulieri]

Cost depends on WHEN you are going and whether you want unlimited or not .The more crowded it is projected to be , the more the express passes cost and they CAN AND DO go up in price without notice. They are also date specific and park specific .It is also PER PERSON so if you have a larger group, it is going to be costly
Fwiw, I stay at PBH and the rooms are quite large.

 

[donnajherren]

As others have said, how much the Express Passes cost depends on when you're going. Generally, if rack rates for on-site rooms are high, then the EPs will be, as well.

For instance, we're going this December. Rack rates at Royal Pacific during our trip start at $404 per night. Unlimited Express Passes for both parks--i.e., the same passes you get as an on-site guest--at that time are $140 per day. For the four of us, that would be $560 per day--waaaay more than the room, even at rack rate.

 

[saskdw]

Rooms are tiny? LOL

Compared to what....a 4 bedroom condo?

 

[VacaPlanner2012]

It is not a dollar to dollar comparison, but rule of thumb is:

One night at on-site = 3 to 4 one-day express passes (regular, not unlimited)

Keep in mind that one night on-site gets you 2 days unlimited.

If you are looking at an extended stay (3 nights or more), then it is a good time to compare buying one day of express passes and staying at a cheaper off-site (or Cabana Bay) and risking the lines on the rest, if your vacation is budget sensitive. We love staying on site, but cannot afford it on longer vacations (8+ nights). That being said, I still pay for one night on-site, with 2 day park-to-park passes, even if the rest of my trip is off-site at Sea World/Aquatica. It's never enough for me, but always gives me just enough to want to go back for more.

I just got back Saturday, and already plan to go back June 2016!!!!

 

[Ragman]

Rooms are tiny? LOL

Compared to what....a 4 bedroom condo?

We stayed at the HRH about 5 years ago and there were two double beds in the room. There was about 2 feet between the end of the bed and the dresser that holds the TV. Now maybe this is the only one I remember but yes the room was TINY. I guess I shouldnt judge all on site rooms by that one experience as I have heard no one agree with me about the size - my bad.

 

[angierae]

We stayed at the HRH about 5 years ago and there were two double beds in the room. There was about 2 feet between the end of the bed and the dresser that holds the TV. Now maybe this is the only one I remember but yes the room was TINY. I guess I shouldnt judge all on site rooms by that one experience as I have heard no one agree with me about the size - my bad.

Their website says that the beds at HRH are queens. I don't know if they were doubles then, but they're not now.

 

[HM]

We stayed at the HRH about 5 years ago and there were two double beds in the room. There was about 2 feet between the end of the bed and the dresser that holds the TV. Now maybe this is the only one I remember but yes the room was TINY. I guess I shouldnt judge all on site rooms by that one experience as I have heard no one agree with me about the size - my bad.

Queen beds actually; the two feet to the desk/dresser may be a bit wrong. We found it enough to put out a full sized air mattress between the bed and up to and under the desk for our kids to take turns using.

Where do you usually stay when you travel? What hotel rooms do you find that are larger than the ones at HRH? (PBR rooms a bit bigger, RPR are a bit smaller).

And back to your question about Express passes.
I've visited US/IOA a couple of times from offsite and few times onsite. If we stay offsite, we do not buy the express passes, no matter what the level of crowds, and we've still been able to do just about everything over the period of three days. The added cost is just more than I'm willing to pay. When onsite, we take advantage of them for sure. and it works out very cheaply for a family of four in one room (we stayed in two rooms last March). Each trip is different. I am going back in early December, staying offsite, no EP for us again.

 

[saskdw]

We stayed at the HRH about 5 years ago and there were two double beds in the room. There was about 2 feet between the end of the bed and the dresser that holds the TV. Now maybe this is the only one I remember but yes the room was TINY. I guess I shouldnt judge all on site rooms by that one experience as I have heard no one agree with me about the size - my bad.

Standard rooms at HRH are 375 sq ft. That is a really good size hotel room. You are mistaken about there being 2 feet of room between the bed and dresser, there is probably double that and they are queen beds. Again....what are you comparing the room size to? These are good sized rooms and not tiny by any standard unless you are comparing hotel rooms to suites or condos.

 

[Ragman]

Standard rooms at HRH are 375 sq ft. That is a really good size hotel room. You are mistaken about there being 2 feet of room between the bed and dresser, there is probably double that and they are queen beds. Again....what are you comparing the room size to? These are good sized rooms and not tiny by any standard unless you are comparing hotel rooms to suites or condos.

Listen, it was 5 years ago. All I know is I have stayed in many hotels, motels, suites and condos and this room we had was smaller than most anything I had stayed in before - especially considering the pricetag. I am not trying to compare this to a suite or condo but for $400 a night I would consider this rooms to be small. Not a hotel room I would want to spend any length of time in. We pretty much only stay here for the convenience of the express pass, early entry and parking, not for the accommodations.

But who knows, maybe its cause I was fatter before.

 

[HM]

No, I wouldn't spend $400 a night on a room either. I'd find a different time to go with a lower rate and scour the web for a discount.

We've been during busy times and stayed offsite (spring break) and didn't use EE or EP and did just fine. It's gotten a lot busier overall since the last time we did that, but we're going again in early December offsite, so we'll see if three park days is enough this time around.

 

[Ragman]

What really brought it to light for me was one year I saw the line for Dr Doom's free fall was 72 minutes. I noticed it while we were going on the ride next door. We came back later and used our express pass and only waited about 5-10 minutes to get on. The ride itself felt like it was about 30 seconds. Up, down, up, down. Now I dont know if thats how long the ride normally is but if I had waited 72 minutes for that I wouldve been VERY dissapointed. Since then we have vowed never to go back without the express pass.

 

[johde]

Listen, it was 5 years ago. All I know is I have stayed in many hotels, motels, suites and condos and this room we had was smaller than most anything I had stayed in before - especially considering the pricetag. I am not trying to compare this to a suite or condo but for $400 a night I would consider this rooms to be small. Not a hotel room I would want to spend any length of time in. We pretty much only stay here for the convenience of the express pass, early entry and parking, not for the accommodations.

But who knows, maybe its cause I was fatter before.

They may have been different before the rehab. Here's a video when TheDis group did their 7 in 7 land and sea trip through Universal. This video is of the Hard Rock and the rehabbed rooms. Discussion and pictures of the rooms start about 13:50 into the video. I'm not sure I like the looks of the room.

 

[lmf70]

If you book one night at cheapest hotel you get express for everyone (up to 5 people) for 2 days. This is usually way cheaper than purchasing express passes separately and you don't have to actually stay in the room. We packed a day bag checked in very early and headed to parks then went to the hotel in the afternoon for a little break then changed and went back to parks. We went back to our condo for the night then back to the parks the next day. Our kids are older so I totally understand about feeling cramped in these rooms even though they are more roomy than Disney and I don't stay onsite there either !!