Fastpass at Universal

[magicalmickey]

Does anyone know if there is a way you can get a fastpass for the rides at Universal? Like possible paying more or something? We are not staying on Universal property... just going there one day during the week.

 

[phamton]

You can purchase express pass plus which ranges in price from $15-$50. When are you going?

 

[magicalmickey]

Thanks! We'll be going there next Wed. on Jan. 11th.

 

[phamton]

You will not need it. There are usually no crowds at that time.

 

[jmsvss]

You can purchase express pass plus which ranges in price from $15-$50. When are you going?

We will be there Mon and Tues of Presidents week. What about Express Pass then? When I was checking the Universal website in December I thought they had an area where you could purchase the espress pass in addition to your tickets. I bought my tickets yeaterday from the website but there was no place to add the express pass to my order.

 

[jenniferm]

Can you try to call them? We were there on Dec 29 and 31 and had bought our tickets ahead of time online. After we got there, they told us that if you bought ExpressPass ahead of time with a MasterCard then it was half off. DH doesn't remember seeing that when he bought the tickets, but we also weren't expecting the free Express Pass machines to be closed, either. Grrrr.

They were charging $35 a person when we were there.

 

[phamton]

The mastercard half-price deal ended on Dec. 31st.

The weekend of Presidents Day can be busy.

Universal usually only sets the price based on the anticipated crowds so sometimes you can only purchase them a month in advance, so if your date is further than one month in the future, it might not show the express pass plus option when you purchase the tickets.



Go to: http://www.univacations.com/
Click on "tickets only" then enter your dates and number in party. Then
click search.

When it takes you to the next page, scroll down to where it says:

"Departure Date: Nights:
Use the GO button to Book Your Tickets Now!"

Enter the date and number of nights and click "Go." It should then take
you to a page that has the Universal and Islands of Adventure Express
plus pass along with tickets. That says: Option Price Guide
Universal Express Plus-Islands of Adventure $XX.xx (this will be the
price not x)
Universal Express Plus-Universal Studios Florida $XX.xx


Included features and/or taxes:
Handling Fee 2.00



Do NOT purchase express unless you know the exact date you need them as
they are dated and only good for the date on the pass. Also the express
pass is sold for each park. You can't use the Universal express pass
card at IOA. They do have one that includes both parks and is about $10 more.

 

[pjfnme]

The mastercard half-price deal ended on Dec. 31st.

The weekend of Presidents Day can be busy.

Universal usually only sets the price based on the anticipated crowds so sometimes you can only purchase them a month in advance, so if your date is further than one month in the future, it might not show the express pass plus option when you purchase the tickets.



Go to: http://www.univacations.com/
Click on "tickets only" then enter your dates and number in party. Then
click search.

When it takes you to the next page, scroll down to where it says:

"Departure Date: Nights:
Use the GO button to Book Your Tickets Now!"

Enter the date and number of nights and click "Go." It should then take
you to a page that has the Universal and Islands of Adventure Express
plus pass along with tickets. That says: Option Price Guide
Universal Express Plus-Islands of Adventure $XX.xx (this will be the
price not x)
Universal Express Plus-Universal Studios Florida $XX.xx


Included features and/or taxes:
Handling Fee 2.00



Do NOT purchase express unless you know the exact date you need them as
they are dated and only good for the date on the pass. Also the express
pass is sold for each park. You can't use the Universal express pass
card at IOA. They do have one that includes both parks and is about $10 more.

I followed the directions but I am getting a page that states it can't find any "vacation packages". (?????) I clicked on tickets only before entering my dates...it still won't give me anything.

I'm going to Universal May 8 (probably won't even need the passes & u guys said it wouldn't be that bad as long as we arrived early...but, I would like to know how much they cost anyway. Any ideas how I can get it to work?

Thanks!@

 

[phamton]

Scroll down on the page below the message. It always looks like it is still loading but the info is down below.

Here are the express pass prices for May 8 which includes tax:

Universal Express Plus-Universal Studios Florida 15.98



Universal Express Plus-Islands of Adventure 15.98



Universal Express Plus-Both Parks/Same Day 26.63

 

[pjfnme]

Scroll down on the page below the message. It always looks like it is still loading but the info is down below.

Here are the express pass prices for May 8 which includes tax:

Universal Express Plus-Universal Studios Florida 15.98



Universal Express Plus-Islands of Adventure 15.98



Universal Express Plus-Both Parks/Same Day 26.63

Thanks again phamton for coming to the rescue!!

I suppose I was doing something wrong or not entering my dates in the right place....oh well..you told me what I needed to know! Thanks again..ur great!

 

[yaya74]

Newbie here. Planning a trip to USO during the Memorial Weekend. Should I buy the pass at the gate or stay at an on-site hotel with the pass? Can these two passes get access to the same selection of rides or one has more than the other?????

Thank you for the help!

 

[gschmerl]

Newbie here. Planning a trip to USO during the Memorial Weekend. Should I buy the pass at the gate or stay at an on-site hotel with the pass? Can these two passes get access to the same selection of rides or one has more than the other?????

Thank you for the help!

Stay on site if you can. The pass you buy only entitles you to ONE ride on each attraction using the express access. By staying on site, you get express access ALL DAY. Each time you go to an attraction you just show your room key and go to the express entrance. Also, staying on site makes everything easier. If you stay at the Hard Rock or Royal Pacific it's an easy walk to the parks. The Portofino is a bit further, but just a short water taxi ride. That allows you to go back to your room to rest or to use the hotel pool during the day and then go back to the park later. If you can get a good rate STAY ON SITE!

 

[macraven]

i'll second that.......stay on site. gschmeri has hit the nail on the head.

if you have a family of 4 and bought the express pass plus for all, it could add up.
if the pass is $20 on the day you are going (for 1 park only) you could apply what you would have paid for them towards a room.

if your room for one night is $200, $80 would have been what you would have paid for the express plus. subtract that and it would be like paying $120 for the room.........kwim?

 

[left210]

If you stay at the Hard Rock or Royal Pacific it's an easy walk to the parks.

What is an easy walk? We have a 5 year old and when we went to Disney we took a stroller (he was 4 at the time and normally didnt use a stroller). Boy was I glad we took one because if we had rented the walk to and from the bus stop and from the bus stop to our room was quite a ways and we would have been carrying him after a long day at the park. I just wanted to get a feel for how much of a walk so we know what we are in for. Thanks.

 

[macraven]

all my stays have been at the hrh so far.

if you go out the front door of the hrh and to the left pass the Palm resturant, you turn left at the bottom of the stairs and go thru the employee parking lot.
don't worry, sidewalk is there you don't walk thru the parking lot.

this empties out to the bus area which is not far from the front of US entrance.

it took me 2 minutes using this route.

the shortcut around the pool by the bar was stil closed last year.
also a 2 minute walk.

if you walk from hrh around the pool along the water way, it could take you 4-5 minutes of walking, depending on your pace.

you can take the water taxi or the bus. to me the bus is not worth it for hrh.