FOTL Question

[Cinders1]

Staying on site and wondering about FOTL. Is this a separate line away from the regular one? Can all the people in line see you? Do they ever get a little ticked off about us getting in rides ahead of them? I am just wondering what to expect. Thanks.

 

[gschmerl]

There are separate "express entrances" that are marked. If you can't find it,ask the attendant. People who are not staying on site have the right to get an express pass for the rides by using their park ticket, so there's no reason for them to get upset with on site guests. Of course, they can only hold a pass for one ride at a time. I've never had anyone get upset with me. They sometimes look curious about how we keep walking back on though.

 

[mark & sandra]

Last Jan. we stayed on-site at the HRH and enjoyed the FOTL all day. On the MIB ride they had 1 car only for FOTL card holders. We went through twice in no time flat, on our 3rd time around we heard another guest complaining to others that they had seen us pass 3 times already. The only thing FOTL will do to you is spoil the heck out of you. We spent 1 day at Disney and the kids kept asking to use our room key to get ahead of the LOOONNNG lines at Disney, we explained that it doesn't work here and they asked to go back to Universal.

 

[the Dark Marauder]

Sometimes those without FOTL will complain about the slowness of their line, but it's usually those who dont understand the whole express system. Once explained, they tend to calm down quickly.

 

[Pyedog]

What does FOTL stand for?? I take it it's only for onsite guests and not something that I can purchase otherwise?? What is the cheapest onsite room?
Thanks,
Pyedog

 

[mark & sandra]

FOTL= Front of the line. Your room key is used as an express pass except it's good all day, and there's no need to go to an express kiosks for tickets. Just show your key at the entry door and your in.

 

[damo]

Front of the Line. Actually, you don't get to go to the front of the line but you get to go in an express line similar to fastpass line at Disney. If you are staying onsite, your roomkey is your ticket to the express line. If you are not staying onsite you can get an express pass, which are given out in limited numbers. You can only use one express pass per hour. Hotel guests can use their pass on multiple rides in one hour.

 

[robvia]

Originally posted by damo
Front of the Line. Actually, you don't get to go to the front of the line

Right, we've just never come up with a better abbreviation, so FOTL kinda stuck around and everyone knows what it means. The only ride I saw some grumbling was on Popeye. On that one, a door opens, and the people have to merge in. The people already in line roll their eyes, and yell, "Hey, where did they come from?" but get over it.

http://themeparks.universalstudios.com/orlando/website/resort_hotels/hr_amenities.html
Ok, so the official term for the magic keys is
Universal Express Ride Access - So should we start calling it UERA?
I dunno. Sounds kinda weird to me. Here, lets use it in a sentence.
HRH guests get UERA for their entire stay.

 

[Pyedog]

UREA....too funny! Makes me want to stay away from the hotel!

Thanks for the info. So, it looks to me lke the only way to get the coveted FOTL is to book an on-site room...the cheapest being $179/night according to the Universal web site. So, that's not gonna happen....we're already paying nearly twice that for the Polynesian at Disney.

Tell me about the express kiosk. Do I have to stand in line there to get an express pass? Or is it pretty quick with one located at each major ride like Disney?

Thanks,
Pyedog

 

[robvia]

You have to stand in line. It's a pain because most people walk up with friends and it takes each person 5 minutes to get their tickets. They have about 8 or so machines in a cluster in front of each ride. You swipe your card, make selections on the screen, and print your ticket. The problem is that the machines run out of tickets by the early afternoon for the major rides, say around 1pm. And the time on the ticket may be for a few hours later. And the cluster of machines only works for 1 or 2 rides it's near.
Whereas, hotel guests just walk up to the express entrance, flash their magic key, and they're in.

 

[Aisling]

I have 2 very memorable FOTL experiences.

DS9 and I went to ride Strom Force Accelatron (spelling?) and we went to where the Express sign was.
There was no one there but the 2 of us, but there was a long line at the regular entrance. When the ride stopped to reload passengers, the CM went to the regular line, opened the gate to let them in, and then was alerted by another CM to look over to where DS9 and I were by Express. The CM then CLOSED the gate on those people without letting any of them in, walked over to the other side where we were, and let us on as if we were the royal family, asking us if we were enjoying out stay. Well, the looks we got from the people on the regular line...

The next time was when we were waiting for the monster make-up show to begin. People were crowded and jammed into the outer room, some squiggling their way to be right next to the doors when they opened. Then the door opened and a CM called out "is there anyone with an Express Pass?" My family and I were in the middle of the crowd and I instinctively shot my hand way up in the air and shouted "ME!" The CM called us to come forward and as we made our way through the crowd, someone called out "can I be your servant?" It made me very uncomfortable, for about 10 seconds. And then, with another family with FOTL, the CM let us in, closed the door, gave us a few moments to choose our seats, and then let everyone else in.

There were times when I felt bad when I saw little kids waiting on long lines in the hot sun to get on a ride that I just walk onto with my family. It really made me uncomfortable.

 

[BarbaraMB]

I can't wait to use my room key!!!!!! You don't think they will do away with this?

 

[Beckles]

The reason it started being called FOTL was that originally it really was FOTL when the PBH first opened up until shortly after the HRH opened. When Universal Express was introduced FOTL was taken away as a hotel guest perk (VIP tour guests still do get what is basically true FOTL access) and hotel guests then received Express access instead.

Although Universal Express can be a longer wait than with the old FOTL access, I personally find that's more than made up for by the convenience of the marked Universal Express access instead of going in the back door of rides and such like you had to do with FOTL. As an example, I remember with Hulk it was a pain because you went up the exit ramp against the flow of people coming off the ride ... other rides you would go in through obscurely marked exit doors and such.

 

[>>^..^<<]

We have received some "dirty looks" from families in the regular lines and sometimes you almost feel guilty... almost

I can specifically remember a family in the JAWS line.... they were all in matching yellow tee shirts so they stuckout like a sore thumb.. we passed them and rode Jaws... passed them again (they had moved up about 20 feet) rode Jaws... passed them again (this time the kids were pointing at us complaining and their parents shushed them) passed them again LOL - now they were all getting peeved.. but you know what? They should have stayed onsite - it's their own fault

You are really spoiled and feel like VIP's with FOTL access or UERA? I think they should be called "YASTTOPITRL Passes"

(You are smarter than those other people in the regular line) passes!

>>^..^<<

 

[BarbaraMB]

I am getting excited!!!! Do you think that even with the onsite resorts filled to capacity that getting on the rides will be that easy? This is so great!!!!

 

[Aisling]

Barbara,

We were there on the Fourth of July, when the park was packed and the resorts filled, and our so-called "wait" was nothing compared to the regular lines. 5 or 10 minutes the most, I'm serious. And it seemed that the whole time we were on line, it went so fast because we kept looking at the long long regular line and saying over and over again thank goodness we're not on THAT line! People were waiting 60 and 90 minutes for the same rides.
There is NO WAY I would ever go to Universal without staying onsite, even if it took me longer to save up the money to pay for it.

 

[dzneprincess]

My family and I did IOA in July of 2000 offsite, IE NO FOTL.........never ever again! NEVER........I vowed after my trip and learning about FOTL that when we go back it would be onsite, unless it was a slow time like OCt (but thats my WDW month) so this time we are staying on site! I was able to get the ENT rate for June at HRH for 135 a nite. That ENT book is definetly worth it!

 

[theycallmewinnie]

FOTL sounds great! My question is this - if each person needs to flash a room key, what about the kids? I'm afraid with the keys out this many times, we'll lose one. If we do, then what?

 

[gschmerl]

I used one of those little plastic ID type holders that you wear around your neck. Kept the room key in the plastic see through pouch and just held it up for the CM to see. No taking it out and putting it away. Just tuck in INSIDE your shirt if you ride the coasters!

 

[Aisling]

I used one of those little plastic ID type holders that you wear around your neck. Kept the room key in the plastic see through pouch and just held it up for the CM to see. No taking it out and putting it away. Just tuck in INSIDE your shirt if you ride the coasters!

This is exactly what we do!