My FOTL experience

[SDT1434]

Hi All

Just completed a day at USF and a day at IOA (July 25 & 26), and I thought I'd share my real life experience with the FOTL passes that we received by staying at an onsite hotel.

First, as was mentioned in an earlier thread, you no longer use your room key. You have to take your room key, and get a pass printed at an automated machine near the ticket desk in the hotel. It takes your picture, and prints your picture on the pass.

The passes themselves are made of card stock. I was very worried that they would get wet and/or destroyed because of the water rides, sweat, bringing them in and out of my pocket dozens of times, etc. They don't seem too sturdy to me, but I also am not sure what the replacement policy is. In any case, we purchased neckbands that held the tickets in a waterproof pouch - $5 a piece, available at any shop in the park.

As mentioned, the FOTL passes are good on all rides except Forbidden Journey, Rip Rocket and Pteradon Flyers. At all other attractions, they are scanned when you enter the specially marked entrance. The attendant scans each pass, but I don't believe that I saw any of them compare the picture on the pass to the person using the pass. The pictures are b&w and VERY poor quality, so even in the best of circumstances, it would be difficult for them to do.

Although I am extremely happy that we had the FOTL passes, I had the impression that the waits with the pass would be much shorter than they were. With the passes, we were able to get on all of the rides that we wanted to by 6:00 pm (starting at 10:00 am), but by no means are these "Front of the Line" passes. A more apt name would be "Shorter than the Normal Line Passes". Here are some examples:

USF
- Minion Mayhem - 15 min
- Shrek - 10 Min (we got right into the next show, but we had to wait for it to begin)
- Mummy - 10 Min
- Simpsons - 15 Min
- Disaster - 5 mins
- ET - 0 mins (but the normal line was the same)
- MIB - 15 mins
- Twister - 5 mins

IOA
- Hulk - 5 mins
- Spiderman - 10 mins
- Dr Doom - 5 mins
- Bilgerat Barges - 5 mins
- Ripsaw Falls - 10 mins
- Jurassic Park - 5 mins
- Flight of the Hipogriff - 40 minutes
- Dragon Challenge - 5 mins
- Cat in the Hat - 0 Mins (make sure you ride this...better than a water ride in the heat of the day)
- Trolley Train Ride - 20 Mins

 

[macraven]

having the unlimited usage of the express lines for onsite hotel guests, have never been considered a true, front of the line pass.

what it does is cut the wait time down for you.


the only front of the line pass is for MAW families.


there are some newbies to the darkside that have the same thoughts as you did. no waits.

the wait time you did have sounds great as you went during a high season period.

it was nice to read you accomplished a lot in the parks during the day.

when you go during the summer or high season periods, staying on site is a life saver for less waiting in lines.



if you lose your photo ID card, it can easily be replaced.
the original one is cancelled and you can redo the photo process for the card.

 

[damo]

They aren't called Front of the Line Passes. They are called unlimited express passes. It is only here that people call them front of the line passes.

 

[JessicaR]

I'll take those incredibly short wait times over a regular line any-day! Yes, it's Express not FOTL.

HOTEL GUESTS ENJOY EXCLUSIVE THEME PARK BENEFITS

SKIP THE REGULAR LINES with Universal ExpressSM Unlimited ride access* in both theme parks - a FREE benefit worth up to $89 per person, per day^ (valid theme park admission required). It's the fastest way to ride – enjoy unparalleled access all day long, as often as you'd like!

In all seriousness you thought a 5 minute wait was too long?
The majority of your ride wait times was 5 minutes.

 

[mercydisney]

We have used as you like to call, "Shorter than the Normal Line Passes''. I would of loved to have been able to use it yesterday. The waited times posted were not correct and we waited very long time on the regular lines.
.

 

[mercydisney]

I'll take those incredibly short wait times over a regular line any-day! Yes, it's Express not FOTL.

HOTEL GUESTS ENJOY EXCLUSIVE THEME PARK BENEFITS

SKIP THE REGULAR LINES with Universal ExpressSM Unlimited ride access* in both theme parks - a FREE benefit worth up to $89 per person, per day^ (valid theme park admission required). It's the fastest way to ride – enjoy unparalleled access all day long, as often as you'd like!

In all seriousness you thought a 5 minute wait was too long?
The majority of your ride wait times was 5 minutes.

It takes longer minutes 5 min to get a fast pass.

 

[Claire-Bear]

Those wait times must have been amazing at that time of year! Would have been very happy myself! Can't expect to have 0 wait due to how many people stay at on-site hotels with that benefit and those that pay for one-day use Express passes.

 

[gschmerl]

WOW! How can anyone complain about a five or ten minute wait???!!!!!!

 

[RMulieri]

They aren;t FOTL passes, that is just a term we use here.You wait less than the standby line ( alot less), can use it as many times as you want, no waiting period neccessary till you can ride the next ride, no criss-crossing the park,and its good for almost ALL the rides.Still beats the HECK out of Disneys Fastpass system.

 

[bopper]

I always say it is like having a Fast Pass for every (almost) ride...w/ a FP I expect the wait to be 15 min or less which it seems like you encountered.

 

[Metro West]

They aren't called Front of the Line Passes. They are called unlimited express passes. It is only here that people call them front of the line passes.

This is why I get so aggravated when people on the DIS refer to the EPs as FOTL. But I think Universal's language can be misleading. I've seen where they advertise front of the line treatment but we all know that doesn't happen. Newbies think they don't have to wait in line with Express and this simply is not true.

The only time you would get to skip to the front of the line is a private VIP tour.

 

[damo]

This is why I get so aggravated when people on the DIS refer to the EPs as FOTL. But I think Universal's language can be misleading. I've seen where they advertise front of the line treatment but we all know that doesn't happen. Newbies think they don't have to wait in line with Express and this simply is not true.

The only time you would get to skip to the front of the line is a private VIP tour.

I totally agree. We really need to stop with the FOTL.

 

[Maytrix]

When did they switch from using the hotel keys? That must be recent since they weren't going that in June.

 

[macraven]

When did they switch from using the hotel keys? That must be recent since they weren't going that in June.

it's been in the making for a long time.

i think pbh was the first to implement the photo ID's.

i did read some guests used it in june.

 

[atricks]

The only true FOTL you can get for universal is the guided VIP tour, which a lot of people do for horror nights.

 

[Cindy B]

Can someone explain the not using the hotel keys as the Express pass?

I've stayed onsite before, about 6 yrs ago. We will be going to PBH next month.

So this "Express Pass ID with a picture" is another separate item? iSo I will be carrying with me upon entry into the park- my ticket, my hotel room key, AND this Express Id? (we also have club room key as well)

Is this picture imprinted on your ticket?

What if you bought your tickets from another source? We got 4 day park to parks

I'm just trying to visualize this.

 

[damo]

Can someone explain the not using the hotel keys as the Express pass?

I've stayed onsite before, about 6 yrs ago. We will be going to PBH next month.

So this "Express Pass ID with a picture" is another separate item? iSo I will be carrying with me upon entry into the park- my ticket, my hotel room key, AND this Express Id? (we also have club room key as well)

Is this picture imprinted on your ticket?

What if you bought your tickets from another source? We got 4 day park to parks

I'm just trying to visualize this.

When you get to the hotel and check in, you take your hotel key card to the kiosk in the lobby and get the new photo id made. It doesn't matter where you bought your tickets. It will be a separate card not linked to your tickets at all. Yes, you will be carrying three cards and probably some money and other stuff as well.

 

[GreyStr0ke]

I went to the parks on Saturday and the standby lines were at 120 minutes for most of the major attractions. The longest I waited in an Express line was 5 minutes and that was Spiderman.

 

[Bluer101]

Can someone explain the not using the hotel keys as the Express pass?

I've stayed onsite before, about 6 yrs ago. We will be going to PBH next month.

So this "Express Pass ID with a picture" is another separate item? iSo I will be carrying with me upon entry into the park- my ticket, my hotel room key, AND this Express Id? (we also have club room key as well)

Is this picture imprinted on your ticket?

What if you bought your tickets from another source? We got 4 day park to parks

I'm just trying to visualize this.

Just like damo said.

It only takes a few minutes to get your hotel photo express pass. Each person in your room needs to swipe their room key and follow the simple directions on the screen. You will adjust the camera up and down from the screen. Then hit take picture. After that you can keep the photo or take another. After that you click accept and it prints and spits out your pass. For each person in the room you just repeat. It took us a family of three less than 5 minutes for all of us.

 

[Cindy B]

Just like damo said.

It only takes a few minutes to get your hotel photo express pass. Each person in your room needs to swipe their room key and follow the simple directions on the screen. You will adjust the camera up and down from the screen. Then hit take picture. After that you can keep the photo or take another. After that you click accept and it prints and spits out your pass. For each person in the room you just repeat. It took us a family of three less than 5 minutes for all of us.

Its not the time involved, but it is just one MORE thing to carry! passes, room key, club key, express pass with pic ID, money, etc...