Hotel Express pass is not what it used to be...

[BettyCv]

sr6888,

That is encouraging news. After reading the discussions on this board about passes not being checked and/or marked off, I sent an e-mail to guest services. Here is their response: (Does anyone know what they mean by "balancing both queues?")

"Thank you for contacting Universal Orlando®. As a guest of one of our three on-site hotels, you will enjoy free and unlimited Universal Express ride access to the rides and attractions just by presenting your hotel room key card. This does not provide front of the line access but, rather, use of the express queues with a shortened wait time. Please be assured that our attractions attendants have been trained to balance both queues. That means that, whether a guest uses express or not, we are going to make sure our queue experience as entertaining and fast-moving as possible. I understand your concern, however, and have forwarded your comments to the Attractions Management Team for their review.

Again, thank you for contacting us. We look forward to your visit."

Our IOA/USO vacation starts tomorrow. I will let everyone know how it goes!

Betty

 

[damo]

sr6888,

That is encouraging news. After reading the discussions on this board about passes not being checked and/or marked off, I sent an e-mail to guest services. Here is their response: (Does anyone know what they mean by "balancing both queues?")

"Thank you for contacting Universal Orlando®. As a guest of one of our three on-site hotels, you will enjoy free and unlimited Universal Express ride access to the rides and attractions just by presenting your hotel room key card. This does not provide front of the line access but, rather, use of the express queues with a shortened wait time. Please be assured that our attractions attendants have been trained to balance both queues. That means that, whether a guest uses express or not, we are going to make sure our queue experience as entertaining and fast-moving as possible. I understand your concern, however, and have forwarded your comments to the Attractions Management Team for their review.

Again, thank you for contacting us. We look forward to your visit."

Our IOA/USO vacation starts tomorrow. I will let everyone know how it goes!

Betty

They mean the regular line and the express line and how they keep both moving. Hopefully, they've received enough complaints lately that they are starting to crack down.

 

[lookingforward]

sr6888,

That is encouraging news. After reading the discussions on this board about passes not being checked and/or marked off, I sent an e-mail to guest services. Here is their response: (Does anyone know what they mean by "balancing both queues?")

"Thank you for contacting Universal Orlando®. As a guest of one of our three on-site hotels, you will enjoy free and unlimited Universal Express ride access to the rides and attractions just by presenting your hotel room key card. This does not provide front of the line access but, rather, use of the express queues with a shortened wait time. Please be assured that our attractions attendants have been trained to balance both queues. That means that, whether a guest uses express or not, we are going to make sure our queue experience as entertaining and fast-moving as possible. I understand your concern, however, and have forwarded your comments to the Attractions Management Team for their review.

Again, thank you for contacting us. We look forward to your visit."

Our IOA/USO vacation starts tomorrow. I will let everyone know how it goes!

Betty

Betty, great idea to email them! I will too.

 

[tndisneyfan]

that worries me. I have booked RPH only because the express line

It worries me too. We are leaving tonight for HRH, the only reason we are staying there is the express pass

 

[Timmy Boy]

Being a Team Member, I sometimes too have to balance the queues. It is really tough to pull full loads of regular line, then stop, look for express, fill another load with express, as the guests stare right at you. In my mind they're thinking "wow that's totally not fair."

I'm really into guest service, but if someone is cheating the system, then it's absolutely no. Also, when marking express, I do get a lot of "what?! they didn't tell us it's only once each attraction!!" I tell them that it is only once each attraction, and I point it out on the ticket where it says that. I tell them if they would like to talk Guest Services, they may.

Also, if the pass sellers are not telling them that it's once per attraction, then it is ENTIRELY Universal's fault. But sometimes I think that the guest is trying to scam the system and such. I've heard it all. From "we lost our express passes" to "they got really wet" (which sometimes I make them fish it out, and try to read them) to "can we go express, please? please?!? pleassseeee?!?!?!"

 

[lookingforward]

Being a Team Member, I sometimes too have to balance the queues. It is really tough to pull full loads of regular line, then stop, look for express, fill another load with express, as the guests stare right at you. In my mind they're thinking "wow that's totally not fair."

I'm really into guest service, but if someone is cheating the system, then it's absolutely no. Also, when marking express, I do get a lot of "what?! they didn't tell us it's only once each attraction!!" I tell them that it is only once each attraction, and I point it out on the ticket where it says that. I tell them if they would like to talk Guest Services, they may.

Also, if the pass sellers are not telling them that it's once per attraction, then it is ENTIRELY Universal's fault. But sometimes I think that the guest is trying to scam the system and such. I've heard it all. From "we lost our express passes" to "they got really wet" (which sometimes I make them fish it out, and try to read them) to "can we go express, please? please?!? pleassseeee?!?!?!"

I know that your job must be difficult! I do want to say that every US/IOA employee has been really nice under intense pressures, crowds, etc. Thanks!!

 

[damo]

Universal gives the time share hawkers express passes to use for promotions. I understand there is no limit to the number of the number of express passes that can get issued to those guests willing to "participate in an informative......."

I understand Mummy uses one loading area for Express Pass and one loading area for "regular" guests. I think that's fair but it basically limits express pass guests to half the capacity of the ride.

That would only be true if they load them both equally. They can do three loads from regular, and one from express, etc.

 

[dpayne1969]

Just a follow up for me: Guest services called me back today & apologized for our inconvenience.I just want to let those who are going that this was our
3rd trip to Univesal & this was the first time we experienced something like this.The problem was the attendants were not checking the passes when boarding the rides.The rides have signs clearly posted to have your express pass out & ready to show ,so the attendants are supposed to be checking but I guess they were busy & I understand that but it did cause a back up ,not to mention my kids being frustrated.We love Universal & I am sure they will be taking care of this problem.Universal is great so all of you leaving soon dont worry I am confident guest services will crack down on this & if not please dont hesitate to file a complaint.Like the lady told me "we dont know of problems unless the public reports them to us".So rest assured we will go back to Universal again & again.I can also say that the rides where they were checking passes twice we were on & off in like 10 minutes.My son rode hulk 6 times in a row in about a 30 minute time period & the wait time for the regular line was at 45 minutes.So this gives you an idea of how fast pass should be when it is done right.Thanks for listening & have a great time everyone going especially you first timers.
UNIVERSAL ROCKS

 

[bubba's mom]

Just a follow up for me: Guest services called me back today & apologized for our inconvenience.I just want to let those who are going that this was our
3rd trip to Univesal & this was the first time we experienced something like this.The problem was the attendants were not checking the passes when boarding the rides.The rides have signs clearly posted to have your express pass out & ready to show ,so the attendants are supposed to be checking but I guess they were busy & I understand that but it did cause a back up ,not to mention my kids being frustrated.We love Universal & I am sure they will be taking care of this problem.Universal is great so all of you leaving soon dont worry I am confident guest services will crack down on this & if not please dont hesitate to file a complaint.Like the lady told me "we dont know of problems unless the public reports them to us".So rest assured we will go back to Universal again & again.I can also say that the rides where they were checking passes twice we were on & off in like 10 minutes.My son rode hulk 6 times in a row in about a 30 minute time period & the wait time for the regular line was at 45 minutes.So this gives you an idea of how fast pass should be when it is done right.Thanks for listening & have a great time everyone going especially you first timers.
UNIVERSAL ROCKS

Good to know you made a difference! .....and excellent advice!


(i spend an awful lot of money at UO, and if there are problems, believe me, i WILL let them know! I am "big" on 'customer service' and we don't mind paying extra for convenience and good service, but when we don't get it....well then, that's a problem!)

 

[ReallyFunMom]

Hello,
we were there from May 23-29 & I can say it was awful with not the fact of them over selling express passes but the "line cutters"! We were in line for jurassic park & a group of about 10 teenagers jumped the rope from the regular line & cut us in the express line.They did this all week long,very frustrating for my kids. The teenagers would get in the regular lines then halfway through they were jumping the ropes & getting in express lines. The problem there was the attendants were checking passes on entrance but once you boarded the ride they were not double checking your passes so the teens would call all their friends on their cells & laugh saying "hey,they aint checking passes dude" so by the end of the day you had these groups of teens going from ride to ride jumping ropes to get on. Did I complain yes I did all we got were excuses saying "we are under staffed right now"! This was our 3rd visit to the parks & I can say it is not like it used to be.When we first came in 2004 they checked our passes each time we went on,now its just "go,go,go".So that is our experience from this past week.

I was there Memorial weekend and also witnessed line cutting, no second check of passes to prevent it and TMs complaining about understaffing. I have to agree with OP that hotel key is not what it use to be, at least not on a busy weekend, when you most want it. I'm not mad about the change from years past, they need to be profitable and selling express helps, it just may affect whether or not I stay onsite in the future. Cool hotels, though. If I could wave a wand and think just for myself, I'd like them to go back to some free passes distributed for the equity of it and just the onsite guests getting express after that. I feel most for the people that can't afford onsite and just scraped up enough for tickets so can't buy express. Some freely distributed express passes would be nice for them.

 

[lorax123]

Being a Team Member, I sometimes too have to balance the queues. It is really tough to pull full loads of regular line, then stop, look for express, fill another load with express, as the guests stare right at you. In my mind they're thinking "wow that's totally not fair."

I'm really into guest service, but if someone is cheating the system, then it's absolutely no. Also, when marking express, I do get a lot of "what?! they didn't tell us it's only once each attraction!!" I tell them that it is only once each attraction, and I point it out on the ticket where it says that. I tell them if they would like to talk Guest Services, they may.

Also, if the pass sellers are not telling them that it's once per attraction, then it is ENTIRELY Universal's fault. But sometimes I think that the guest is trying to scam the system and such. I've heard it all. From "we lost our express passes" to "they got really wet" (which sometimes I make them fish it out, and try to read them) to "can we go express, please? please?!? pleassseeee?!?!?!"

I watch you guys in action every time we are at the park. Some times I feel really sorry for you all. You really have to bust your hump 90% of the time. And being caught in the no Express/ Express war has to be challenging. You really think they would have figured out better methods of implementing the Express and stand-by lines, to make it a lot less chaotic.

 

[GemmaPixie]

Why don't they only have the staff at the front of the express queue, just before you get on the ride checking express passes instead of at the entrance to the ride? I know it won't solve all the problems but at least it would stop people going under the ropes mid-queue

 

[lorax123]

They do have staff at the entrance and sometimes (like in ROTM) they post staff mid-Q to prevent jumpers.

It seems to me a lot of times Q's are just so understaffed.

DD frustrates me the most. There is hardly ever attendants (at least when I'm there) assigning groups (or individuals) to rows. I get annoyed waiting in the Q while you see cars with 1-2 seats open on nearly every row of the train.

Certainly not the staffs fault. The big-wigs don't want to spend the extra dollars to hire a couple more people to help manage the crowds.

 

[Letsbgoofy]

DD frustrates me the most. There is hardly ever attendants (at least when I'm there) assigning groups (or individuals) to rows. I get annoyed waiting in the Q while you see cars with 1-2 seats open on nearly every row of the train.

We are always at DD first thing in the morning, so I have never seen this happen because there aren't even enough people to fill half of the train.

Your post reminded me of my sons (17) complaint when he went to Six Flags in NJ for a class trip this spring. He was shocked to see how poorly trained the ride attendants were. He said he had never seen so many seats go unfilled, and there were over an hour waits on all the coasters. It was funny to hear someone who has always taken our Disney and Universal trips for granted talk about how amazing the people who work at both parks are compared with what he saw at Six Flags. He also blamed part of the problem on guests who were "too stupid to fill up the rows". You would think people could figure that out without having to be told by an attendant!

 

[Nicole786]

We are always at DD first thing in the morning, so I have never seen this happen because there aren't even enough people to fill half of the train.

Your post reminded me of my sons (17) complaint when he went to Six Flags in NJ for a class trip this spring. He was shocked to see how poorly trained the ride attendants were. He said he had never seen so many seats go unfilled, and there were over an hour waits on all the coasters. It was funny to hear someone who has always taken our Disney and Universal trips for granted talk about how amazing the people who work at both parks are compared with what he saw at Six Flags. He also blamed part of the problem on guests who were "too stupid to fill up the rows". You would think people could figure that out without having to be told by an attendant!

I think the reason for that in Dueling Dragons is because its a weight-timed ride. The sensors on the bottom indicate when the cars have reached a certain weight, so they are timed properly when they nearly collide during the ride. I wonder if its the same in six flags?

 

[robvia]

Filling the rows has to do with people wanting to ride with friends. It really doesn't matter who you ride with, but for some reason, people want everyone in their group to be in front and behind each other. Sure, I can see being next to a friend, but having the rest of your group in the row in front or behind you, is not needed. Yet people will wait and let a row go empty just because their friends are in the row next to them. If people wait for their friends at the exit, there would be less empty seats.

I agree, it comes down to a money issue with staff versus money. The bean counters will staff the least amount of people possible to save money.

Six Flags can't even be compared in this department. It's futile to even talk about them.

 

[lorax123]

I have been on DD also early in the mornings and there's no crowd. It's fabulosu then! Pretty much walk up, getting in the loading stable, ride, get off, get right back on. In 20 minutes you can have 4 back to back rides.

Other times, I've walked right up, and while there really is no wait, the boarding area just seems so chaotic! Usually some of the other gests will ask if there's a single or 2 people and let them cut ahead of them to get on a train, or I just ask the groups if I can cut ahead to get into a open seat.

It would just be so nice, and more efficient, if a TM was assigning groups to rows. If they did that it would cut posted wait times in half.

I just get frustrated seeing a gate close, 2 empty seats in the row, becuase a group of 3 is next.

But the experience at lot of other parks I've been to is just like the GA debacles. I always step up to ask a group if I can cut ahead to take an empty seat.

One ride I don't understand why anybody bothers to wait in the Stand-by line is MIB. Even when I have FOTL, I still use single rider. 90% of the time I wind up on the same car, or competeing car, with my party.

The stand-by line is a great Q. But 40 minute wait (or even 5!) does not compare to no wait at all.

 

[Letsbgoofy]

In 20 minutes you can have 4 back to back rides.

That's what we always do, and I always end up feeling sick for about an hour afterwards. It's so much fun, it's hard to stop myself. My DH and I quit at 4 rides last trip, DS and his friend quit after 7.

 

[Buzz's Buddy]

This is not good news for us. We're taking our first trip to Universal during our upcoming Disney vacation and have reservations at PBR from June 22-24. \

We are DVC members but we are staying onsite at Universal only for the convenience of the express pass. I hope a 45 minute wait is not routine because this is certainly not what we were expecting.

 

[Fan2CSkr]

This is not good news for us. We're taking our first trip to Universal during our upcoming Disney vacation and have reservations at PBR from June 22-24. \

We are DVC members but we are staying onsite at Universal only for the convenience of the express pass. I hope a 45 minute wait is not routine because this is certainly not what we were expecting.

This was the exception not the rule, for us anyway. I haven't seen anymore posts of this nature since the third week of may. School groups are over, you should be just fine. Hope you have a great time and enjoy PBH!