FAQ about the Hotel Express Pass - AKA FOTL

[schumigirl]

Yep, lanyards are fine on all rides.......best to tuck them inside your shirt on wilder rides so they don't fly off!!

I have loads of lanyards all bought from Universal including HHN ones and places like Margaritaville........all good and seem to last well enough.

Yes your room key can be used for charging.

 

[macraven]

I use the lanyard for hotel card, photo ep, cc, AP
They all fit fine
My lanyard is the lanyard zipper fold one that was sold at UO years ago
They have a different version in the parks now

I stick my phone in my bra so I won't lose it in rides

 

[livibug]

so they let you on the rides with a phone? I thought that was a no no

 

[macraven]

My phone is with me as I don't do the restricted rides
RRR and hulk (which is down now)

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

LOVE THIS! Thank you! I was just trying to figure all this out on their website, it's the first year we are staying with them and not taking a day trip from Disney!

 

[macraven]

Michelle!!!!!!!!

Are you really gonna visit the darkside and stay onsite?


You've come
To the right place to find your answers
We can help you


Just in case I didnt tell you yet, I moved out of Chicagoland to the south a few months back

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

Michelle!!!!!!!!

Are you really gonna visit the darkside and stay onsite?


You've come
To the right place to find your answers
We can help you


Just in case I didnt tell you yet, I moved out of Chicagoland to the south a few months back

Hahaha, yes we are finally doing more than a day trip We are doing it before we head on our DCL cruise and figured since that will be all Disney, now is the time to do US! <3

 

[macraven]

Good girl !

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

I'm hoping with the FOTL access combined with being right on property, we will be able to see everything we want!

 

[macraven]

how many days will you be staying at the darkside?

go to www.universalorlando.com and see what is in the parks.
read the descriptions of the rides to make sure the kids fit the height requirement.
if they don't, use the child swap program.

with early entry and unlimited usage of the express lines, you should be able to do a lot and see most of the parks.

if you will be there for 3 days, you can take it all in

be sure to check out city walk and the hotels.

if you need more help, make a new thread to get a lot of opinions.
you can always pm me for additional help.
i never forget my chicagoland homie friends.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

Thank you so much!!!! We are 4 days and 3 nights but only doing 3 days in the parks and on check out day we head to port for our cruise! I am hoping that allows us plenty of time to see it all. Our kids are all finally tall enough to do a majority of it if not all, tonight we check out all the ride heights to double check! LOL

 

[macraven]

it will be enough time to do everything in the parks, especially with you having the express pass for staying onsite.
well, the express is a perk if you are staying at one of the 3 deluxe so tell me you are going that route.....

all 5 hotels give early entry of one hour before the parks open.
harry potter section will be open during that time period.
if the kids are interested in the wand show, do that first as most use early entry for the main ride/gringotts.
the other potter rides at ioa have express for two of the rides.

do HE near 9:00 so you can travel to the other park.
lines for HE usually start about 8:40.
it will load before 9 and leave right at 9 if not a few minutes prior.

when is your trip?

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

We are booked at the Portofino, so I am pretty sure that is deluxe?
Yes, we are ALL about the HP, that is the main draw that has brought us back to the darkside! LOL!
We are there October 4-7th.

 

[macraven]

yes, portofino is a deluxe hotel and you will get express and early entry.

you won't believe this but i'll be there at the same time you will be.
but staying at rpr.

need a tour guide for a day........?


the parks will be busy on thursday october 6th
studios will close at 5 as hhn set up begins.
those with hhn tickets can stay in the park after 5 if they have the hhn tix.
not much to do for them but stay in the holding areas until the park is cleared out of day guests.

you can hop over to ioa once the studios close as ioa will stay open another two hours.
that is how it has operated over the past years.
if there will be any changes to the routine, we'll know about it from postings on the dis or for those that read the other informational sites.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

NO WAY?!?!? How cool, we will definitely have to meet up at some point!!!!! We looked at RPR, is that a deluxe too? I had no clue how to tell what was what, I just booked based on the pool, which we will probably never even use! LOL!

Thanks for the hours, I knew that Halloween thing was going on, but we didn't have any desire to go to it. It seems like something for older kids and mom's that are not afraid of everything hahah!

 

[macraven]

excuse me but once you have kids, nothing fears a mom.
and that is because i raised 4 boys and many days thought i would pull my hair out.
the last 3 were born all within a 4 year 7 month range.

yes rpr is deluxe.
that is my home away from home.
love the lobby and the set up of the hotel.
and that it has 4 eateries on site and a short 5/6 minute walk to city walk where there are more eateries open late.......

i plan my trips around the rides in the park and food.......lol

we must meet up while you are there.
i won't take up a lot of your time but would like to meet you.
i can remember when you first married, moved away, came back, had the kids, etc.
the old chgo land thread was kewl.


btw, do agree that hhn is not for the young kids.
i'm thinking it works fine for a family if they have kids 14 yo
its not an event you want to take littles in strollers.......but have seen that at hhn a few times over the years..
yikes!

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

YIKES is right!!!! Ohhhh you may have me changing to RPR, my husband loves to eat! HAHAHA!!! Ahhh, I have many of those days with these kids for sure!!!! 8, 10 and 11 and they are all the best of friends one minute and then mortal enemies the next! YES, we must definitely meet up!!!!

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

I loved the Chicago thread back then, it was so active and fun and then life took over!! I cannot believe how much it has all flown by!

 

[macraven]

Hello readers.....


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