Help with the best tickets for Easter week?

[3kidz4dis]

We are a family of 5 who is coming on Easter weekend. In reading past posts, people have suggested getting the Express Pass on busy time periods and staying on a Universal Property. I think for us since we are using points for 1/2 of our stay, we are better off staying in a timeshare and paying for the express pass. My question is, I have dad who won't ride any thrill rides and we probably will be spending 2 days at the parks but the 3rd day comes free from Universals website. Is this the best way to do this, through their website, should I only add it for 4 out of the 5 of us and is this a waste of money considering we would only be using it the 2 out of 3 days? (on their website it is $1,500.00 for the 5 of us for 3 days (1 free day).It seems that we would be paying the express pass fee for one day that we may or may not use. My apologizes if this post is confusing. Thank you!

 

[macraven]

We are a family of 5 who is coming on Easter weekend. In reading past posts, people have suggested getting the Express Pass on busy time periods and staying on a Universal Property. I think for us since we are using points for 1/2 of our stay, we are better off staying in a timeshare and paying for the express pass. My question is, I have dad who won't ride any thrill rides and we probably will be spending 2 days at the parks but the 3rd day comes free from Universals website. Is this the best way to do this, through their website, should I only add it for 4 out of the 5 of us and is this a waste of money considering we would only be using it the 2 out of 3 days? (on their website it is $1,500.00 for the 5 of us for 3 days (1 free day).It seems that we would be paying the express pass fee for one day that we may or may not use. My apologizes if this post is confusing. Thank you!

i might need a translator so correct me if i read your question wrong........

you are going to buy the 2 day park tickets with a 3rd day free.
you want the express passes for 2 days.

you are staying off site.


check and see if the special is cheaper for tickets based on the number of days you want to be in the parks.

buy the express passes for only those that will be in the park and will be doing all the rides.
you can do that on the days you are in the park.
no sense buying them if the parks are not crowded.


if dad will be in the park with you, don't buy the express for him if he does not plan to ride.

but if you are talking about booking a room with a package, don't.
do room only and buy tickets off the website if you want the 3rd day free.

 

[3kidz4dis]

Thanks, my question sounded confusing even when I reread it. I did as you suggested and am finding that on their website, they have the 1 day free and that includes free unlimited express pass. It would be $1,549.00 for the 5 of us for 3 days and that includes the unlimited express pass. If I price dad out separately and give him a park to park without the unlimited express pass it is $1,239.00. So it is possible that even though he doesn't do the rollercoasters, there may be enough things he can do with us for the $310.00 difference? I really hope I am reading the fine print right on these tickets because it looks like according to the fine print that we really do not have to pick a day of use...it can be any three days during a 14 day period. If I add the express option as an add on, we have to stick with the days we chose.

 

[macraven]

Thanks, my question sounded confusing even when I reread it. I did as you suggested and am finding that on their website, they have the 1 day free and that includes free unlimited express pass. It would be $1,549.00 for the 5 of us for 3 days and that includes the unlimited express pass. If I price dad out separately and give him a park to park without the unlimited express pass it is $1,239.00. So it is possible that even though he doesn't do the rollercoasters, there may be enough things he can do with us for the $310.00 difference? I really hope I am reading the fine print right on these tickets because it looks like according to the fine print that we really do not have to pick a day of use...it can be any three days during a 14 day period. If I add the express option as an add on, we have to stick with the days we chose.

let me drink more coffee and check the website.

using your figures dividing the total amount (does that include tax?) by the five of you, breaks it down to $309.80.


let me read the wbsite to see if there are any exclusions or minor details.

i believe you but still want to read up on it.

 

[macraven]

just read about it.

it would be $309.99 + tax per person.
i copied what i read and it does state date related over the 14 day period.
i clicked on buy but the "choose dates" lights up and can't go any further without selecting them.
look at the darkside website for the parks.
decide if there are many rides you would want to reride a few times or many times.
you might find there are some rides that once is enough for the day.



The 3-Day Park to Park with Unlimited Express Ticket entitles one (1) guest admission and unlimited Universal Express℠ Access* to BOTH Universal Studios Florida® AND Islands of Adventure® on the same day for the duration of the base ticket. Ticket is valid for any three (3) calendar days during a fourteen (14) consecutive calendar day period which includes the first day any portion of the ticket is used. This ticket also includes fourteen (14) consecutive calendar days of admission to the paid entertainment venues of Universal CityWalk® which commences and includes the first day any portion of the ticket is used.
RESTRICTIONS:
The above Admission Media is non-refundable, non-transferable, and must be used by the same person on all days.
*This 3-Day Park to Park with Unlimited Express Ticket allows one (1) guest to bypass the regular lines an unlimited amount of times by providing Express Access to most attractions at both Universal Studios Florida AND Universal's Islands of Adventure theme parks for any three (3) calendar days during a fourteen (14) consecutive calendar day period which includes the first day any portion of the ticket is used. Valid at participating attractions only.
Express Plus access is not available at Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey™, and Pteranodon Flyers®.
Date selection is required before entering ticket quantity.
There are only a limited number of passes available for sale for each date.
Limit ten (10) total admission tickets per transaction.
Valid only during normal operating hours.
Wizarding World of Harry Potter 3-D Commemorative Ticket offer is not valid on purchases of Park-To-Park with Unlimited Express or Wet ‘n Wild tickets.
Parks, attractions, or entertainment may: close due to refurbishing, capacity, weather or special events; change operating hours; and otherwise change or be discontinued without notice and without liability to the owners of Universal Orlando® Resort.
The above Admission Media specifically excludes admission to separately ticketed events at either of the Universal theme parks or within any of the CityWalk venues. Some CityWalk venues require ages 21 or older for admission.
Does not include admission to AMC Universal Cineplex 20 or the Blue Man Group Show.
Additional restrictions may apply and benefits are subject to change without notice.
Unless otherwise stated, parking is not included and there are no discounts on food or merchandise. Valid Photo ID required.


this wouldn't be something i would choose in advance before getting to the park.
if you are in the park and crowds are low, weather is bad, they wouldn't be needed.
i would wait until the day of and judge it while in the park if ep is needed.

for all that extra money you would be spending on the unlimited express with
park ticket, you would come out ahead by spending one night on site to get the ep for free.

spend one night onsite and get two days of early entry and unlimited usage for express.
day you check in and day you check out of the hotel gives you those perks.

 

[3kidz4dis]

thanks...I will have to do more math. I looked at some of the cost of onsite hotels and they are about $550.00 a night for Easter week. The problem is we are a family of 5 and we could have a 2 bedroom 2 bathroom where the onsite hotels are 1 room with 5 people.

Since it is Good Friday-Easter that we will be visiting and we wait to purchase the Express Pass, is it possible they will be sold out? Doing it as an add on at the park seems to be more expensive than on line....

 

[macraven]

you'd only book on night for onsite and receive 2 days of the hotel perks.
it could be a throw away room.

you could spend the night in your offsite condo and never step foot in the onsite hotel.

all 5 would get the hotel card and then create the express pass.


you still would come out ahead on the total costs.


5 buy the unlimited ep, which would cost more money than one night onsite.

 

[3kidz4dis]

you'd only book on night for onsite and receive 2 days of the hotel perks.
it could be a throw away room.

you could spend the night in your offsite condo and never step foot in the onsite hotel.

all 5 would get the hotel card and then create the express pass.


you still would come out ahead on the total costs.


5 buy the unlimited ep, which would cost more money than one night onsite.

I appreciate your help, we did as you said and I reserved a room that we can either use or is a throwaway room. It was $500 including tax. Since we are arriving on Thursday night, it's not going to work unless we use it mid stay . So we have to stay at the timeshare, and then go there a two days later and pick up the tickets The only downside it seems is there is no flexibility on when we can go. We have to go two days in a row, instead of anytime within 14 days . Do you know if the early entry applies to check in date and check out date ? (Like unlimited express). I would think we would have to get to the hotel way before early opening ..

 

[macraven]

I appreciate your help, we did as you said and I reserved a room that we can either use or is a throwaway room. It was $500 including tax. Since we are arriving on Thursday night, it's not going to work unless we use it mid stay . So we have to stay at the timeshare, and then go there a two days later and pick up the tickets The only downside it seems is there is no flexibility on when we can go. We have to go two days in a row, instead of anytime within 14 days . Do you know if the early entry applies to check in date and check out date ? (Like unlimited express). I would think we would have to get to the hotel way before early opening ..

go to the condo timeshare rental on that thursday night.
stay there.

you can check into the onsite darkside hotel early morning and do early entry that day.
early entry and unlimited usage of the express lines are valid for check in day and check out day until the parks close that night.

yes, the hotel perks are for a two day in a row.

i have checked in as early as 6:00 am.
did check in, received my hotel card key, made my express card/pass, had coffee and breakfast at Orchid Court Lounge at RPH and in the park at ee/8:00.

sometimes i have not gone that early and still have made EE in the park.

keep checking the room rates.
in case they decrease, you can call and modify your room rate.