Express passes Universal & IOA

[Shazzie B]

Considering buying express passes for IOA & universal $19.99 each. Is this a good idea. Are the express passes as good as Disney fastpasses. I just imagine with all 'on-site' guests getting express passes anyway the express queue is as long as the normal one! Would it be best to visit parks in the afternoon if we do buy them? Plan at the moment is to get there early do popular rides hulk, spidey etc whilst queues short and then make way around
park using express passes-riding hulk & spidey again using express pass before we depart-or is that what every-one else does!!

 

[Jakey Rowling]

It depends on when you are going if you really need them.
Remember the express passes are only valid for one go on each ride.
The FOTL passes on-site guests get are unlimited.

At that price I'd be tempted depending on when you are going, just remember that you have to pick your date of use in advance. You can get them in the parks but not normally at that price. If you can get them in the park at that price then you probably don't need them.

I would still advise you to get to the parks as early as possible, get a good few normal short queues under your belt before using the express passes later in the day, maybe revisiting your favourite rides.

Some of the express line queues can busy in peak times as there is no time slots for the passes.

IOA tends to get busy early on, US seems to take a bit longer to fill up in my experience.

 

[wayneg]

I work out your dates to 15th August you fly, if thats right most US schools have gone back, it starts getting quieter but still a lot of UK visitors there.
We have never had the need for fastpasses in Uni/IOA but we get there early and use single riders for popular rides.

 

[disneyholic family]

we were there during a really really crowded time (4th of July)...
for that reason, we stayed on property so that we would have unlimited front of the line...
the front of the line definitely made a difference when we were there....
the regular line people seemed to be waiting for quite a while...

 

[luke]

Before going to Universal last year, i didn't think anyone could try to "rip you off" as much as Disney...

 

[jen_uk]

I went to IOA last mid August and it was pretty quiet, no more than a 10 min wait for any of the rides in the morning, it did get busier in the afternoon but not massively so. I wouldn't bother with the passes as long as you get there early

 

[wayneg]

Before going to Universal last year, i didn't think anyone could try to "rip you off" as much as Disney...

We have always found Universal way cheaper than Disney, had AP's for past 5 years. £50/year for 2 parks free parking and good discounts, half price tickets for family, early admission, lots more.
Our Disney AP's don't get us anywhere near the same benefits and they cost more than twice as much per park.

 

[luke]

We have always found Universal way cheaper than Disney, had AP's for past 5 years. £50/year for 2 parks free parking and good discounts, half price tickets for family, early admission, lots more.
Our Disney AP's don't get us anywhere near the same benefits and they cost more than twice as much per park.

That's probably very much true for how you do it, but we were actually very disappointed in Universal on the whole (and this is from someone who used to love Universal way more than WDW as a kid). Even from the parking being a dollar more, to things like a coke being about a dollar more, to their charging for the fastpass system.

I'll still be back there when i go in October, but it did greatly disappoint me (although Spiderman is possibly the best ride i've ever been on, and Hulk is one of my favourite coasters!)

 

[wayneg]

That's probably very much true for how you do it, but we were actually very disappointed in Universal on the whole (and this is from someone who used to love Universal way more than WDW as a kid). Even from the parking being a dollar more, to things like a coke being about a dollar more, to their charging for the fastpass system.

I'll still be back there when i go in October, but it did greatly disappoint me (although Spiderman is possibly the best ride i've ever been on, and Hulk is one of my favourite coasters!)

I still prefer Universal, spend hours in Curious George
Parking is $11 at both Uni (free after 6pm) and Disney.
Don't know about the drinks, take frozen bottles of water from the hotel much nicer.
I did complain to them when they started charging for fastpasses(they offered me some free for 1st visit after they started charging, never picked them up) but in reality never needed them, get in park early and leave mid afternoon and we have had no problems.

 

[luke]

but in reality never needed them, get in park early and leave mid afternoon and we have had no problems.

See we went in July, and there was an hour queue for Hulk by 10 o clock!!

Oh i also hate the stupid locker system, and the finger printing. You end up queueing twice

 

[wayneg]

See we went in July, and there was an hour queue for Hulk by 10 o clock!!

Oh i also hate the stupid locker system, and the finger printing. You end up queueing twice

Stop thinking about it, you are going to be put off going

 

[Shazzie B]

Thanks for the replies guys. Think we'll buy (just saved £279 by changing flights!). I'll stick to plan to get there early and do 'best' rides twice.