Express Plus Pass worth it to get in July?

[msr709]

As I'm posing this question I think I know the answer but would feel reassured with some comments from you guys. Here's the scoop; I'll going solo this July and for the first time I'm not staying onsite (staying in a Disney hotel for the duration of my vacation) but I am going to USO a couple of days because I have an AP (that expires 6/06) so I want to use it. Since I'm not staying onsite, have the AP and have limited time, I'm thinking it might be a good idea to pay for the Express Pass for USO (my favorite of the 2 parks) and wing it at IOA (since all I really like there is Spiderman and Cat in the Hat). It would cost me $37 for the Express Pass. I've never used them so I don't know. I like all the rides at USO with the exception of Twister. TIA

 

[gschmerl]

I've been to Universal several times in July and it is VERY CROWDED. Staying on site is great, but if you can't, then definitely go for the express plus. Get there early and do as much as you can without using your pass and then go back and do them again with the pass once the crowds arrive. The express passes are not good for Shrek, so go there first.

 

[Jett456]

What is it like in April? We are doing a cruise 4/17 and have Tuesday in Orlando. Should we bother with the express plus pass? Can we use the free regular express pass in April? My son went for Christmas vacation week and said he used the single rider line and didn't wait long. Is April a busier time than Christmas week? The ticket inlcuding transportation from the cruise terminal is $155 pp. for the express plus pass, do you think it is worth the $$$

 

[Rudegrle]

We just returned and loved using our express plus passes. The only thing I found a little bothersom is that our passes were never scanned or validated, and the express lines were poorly monitored. We saw numerous people cutting into the express lines and lying about their passes. We even had locals that we met in line tell us how to cheat the express line system. For the most part the general public are upstanding citzens and wait their turn in the regular lines, which makes the 5 min wait in the expresss line well worth the money.

 

[vincent]

We bought the 2 park 5 day passes. How do you get the express pass? Do you have to buy it if you are not staying on site?

 

[gschmerl]

We bought the 2 park 5 day passes. How do you get the express pass? Do you have to buy it if you are not staying on site?

You don't HAVE to buy it. You can get free express passes from the machines in the park, but they sometime run out early at peak times. The Express PLUS pass is what you buy. It entitles you to one express entrance for each ride that has express. You just show your pass and go--no need to come back at a later time like you have to with the free ones from the machine.

 

[vincent]

Do the Express Plus tickets continue to work all day long? And I've looked at the Universal site and can't find how to purchase them. We are going in June and will visit both IOA and the Studios so I figure that will be peak time.

 

[phamton]

Do the Express Plus tickets continue to work all day long? And I've looked at the Universal site and can't find how to purchase them. We are going in June and will visit both IOA and the Studios so I figure that will be peak time.

Yes they work all day but you are only supposed to use it one time on each ride.

Th express pass plus does not show up for purchase that far in advance. You can only purchase them online if your trip is less than a month away. A month before you go, log in with your dates and it should show that option with ticket purchases.

 

[vincent]

More Express Plus questions and ideas. Before I spend $37 a whack per person to get to see once a show when I want to see it, I got some questions. Can I still use the regural Express until they run out? I'm going in June and it will rain. Does the rain cut the crowds down at USO or IOA? We have 9 people in our group that will split up and won't want to do some shows/rides but might want to do them twice. Can we exchange our tickets between ourselves? And what if we decide that we don't want to do all the shows. If we could share passes, some could eat, do a non-express or entertain the little ones while the others could use the plus passes. Right? I'm assuming that the express plus pass is just a card.

 

[phamton]

Can I still use the regural Express until they run out?

Yes, you can. You can also save the card and not use it when you see the ride is a walk on.

I'm going in June and it will rain. Does the rain cut the crowds down at USO or IOA?

Yes, it does. Some people leave when it starts raining rather than wait it out.

We have 9 people in our group that will split up and won't want to do some shows/rides but might want to do them twice. Can we exchange our tickets between ourselves?

Yes, you can. Usually this is not a problem at all.

I'm assuming that the express plus pass is just a card.

Yes, it is a card that is scanned. Someitmes, they don't even scan the card and just let you in. On those rides, you can use the card again.

 

[ralfrick]

Yes they work all day but you are only supposed to use it one time on each ride.

The express pass plus does not show up for purchase that far in advance. You can only purchase them online if your trip is less than a month away. A month before you go, log in with your dates and it should show that option with ticket purchases.

I just purchashed our Express Plus passes for July 18 on the Universal website, and have received them in the mail already. It's not obvious where to buy them; it may have been under vacations; it did take some searching about. You do have to specify a date for use.

Cheers.

 

[halld6479]

I purchased our tickets at universal.com and added on the plus tickets. I feel there are well worth the money we hit spring beak we only purchased the one for the studios and had hit everything we wanted to by 1:00 then headed in the rain by this time to the island, I sure wish we had purchased teh plus ticket for here we rode like three rides in the next 3 hours, the return time for regular pass was like 2 hours on all the rides. when we used the plus most the time they never marked or scanned the ticket they looked and pushed you right on in. we had our tickets hanging in a plastic bag and twice they wanted use to move to express line and we were truthful and told them they were for studio would that work at island and they said oh no sorry.