Express Pass

[PokerFace]

Hello everyone! Can someone please tell me how the Express pass works? I'm planning on going to Universal Florida in July. The website said the average wait is 15 minutes. Is this true even for July? Do you have to scan your ticket in front of each ride and then come back at your given time like at six flags? Thanks for any help.

 

[Metro West]

Hello everyone! Can someone please tell me how the Express pass works? I'm planning on going to Universal Florida in July. The website said the average wait is 15 minutes. Is this true even for July? Do you have to scan your ticket in front of each ride and then come back at your given time like at six flags? Thanks for any help.

There is no time limit on the EP's...you can go when ever you want. July is usually busy and wait times can reach 90 mins for various attractions but if you get there early, you should be able to do some of the larger attractions w/o too much of a wait. I would wait until you arrive to purchase any EP's...see how much you can do w/o it. If you're doing both parks, you might need the EP's for the second park you visit.

 

[Darcy03231]

When we were there in August 2007 (peak time) we found that if you got to the parks at opening the lines really didn't start to form until about 11 am. You can get quite a bit done in that first two hours. I would get the Express Pass and not use them until the lines get long. That way you can ride some of the bigger rides twice with little to no wait time.

 

[PokerFace]

Ok so you mean even with express pass the waits can still be very long? So they are not 15 minutes waits as the website says.

 

[Metro West]

Ok so you mean even with express pass the waits can still be very long? So they are not 15 minutes waits as the website says.

No...the standby lines can get to 90 mins...Express isn't that long except maybe at Christmas time but if you can get there at opening, you should be able to beat the crowds for some attractions.

 

[denisegold]

Does the express pat get you one express turn for each ride, or is it unlimited?

 

[re121258]

The purchased Express is one ride per attraction. The onsite hotel priviledge is unlimited.

 

[PokerFace]

Sorry to be asking more questions. I'm just trying to understand how Express pass works.

So if I buy Express pass I want to go on one of the Coasters and the line is long is there a different entrance for Express pass? And in July would it be upto say a 20 minute wait or does Express pass get long lines too in July.

Is express pass just like Six Flags where you scan your ticket at a machine in front of the ride and the machine gives you a time to come back when it's your turn to ride?

I'm looking to do Universal Studios and Islands of adventures with a Max wait of 20 minutes per ride in July. Is this possible?

I'm Confused,

 

[Timmy Boy]

Okay, so you buy an Express Pass. The ones you purchase in the park are good for 1 time on every attraction.

You can purchase the Express Pass online, at the ticket windows, Guest Services, or various Merchandise locations throughout both parks.

They will give you a ticket and it was say "Islands Express", "Studio Express" or "Combo Express". Islands is only good at Islands of Adventure, Studios is only good at Universal Studios, and Combo is good at both parks.

Let's say you want to go on Spiderman but the wait is 60 minutes. If you use your Express ticket, the attendant scans the barcode with a handheld scanner and sends you into the Express Line, which is a shorter line onto the attraction. You still may wait a bit, but 15 minutes is what they try to keep the Express Lines at.

Lets say you come out and want to do it again. You go to the Express Entrance again, the attendant scans your ticket, it will read as invalid because you've already used it. It's only good once on every attraction. It's like buying a FastPass for every ride.

So every attraction takes Express Pass except Pteranadon Flyers in Jurassic Park. No times to come back, it's just whenever you want to use it.

 

[Timmy Boy]

I re-read your post. Sometimes the park oversells Express so almost everyone has it, and if that's the case then the attractions have to severely increase the ratio of Express Pass guests and guests using the regular line. I've heard that Hulk's Express line once grew all the way to the Marvel Bridge. That's when they had to load 9 trains Express Guests, 1 train regular guests. That ratio is insane, and if Express wasn't there, that's 10 trains that the regular line could use.

 

[PokerFace]

Thanks Tim!


Well I'm not ready to book anything just yet. My worest nightmare would be to get down there and the lines are long even with the Express pass.

I'm willing to wait upto 20 minutes but if they are longer then that then I rather not go and pick another vacation destination.

I don't do well with lines.

 

[Darcy03231]

If you are a hotel guest (Royal Pacific, Hard Rock or Portofino Bay) you get unlimited Express Pass access with your hotel keycard. You can ride the rides over and over again using the Express lane. I recommend getting a room on-site for one night, at least, to get two days of Express line privileges (the day you check in and the day you check out). My kids loved being able to get off a ride, get right back in the Express line and get on again within minutes.