On site/Off site and EP for July or Aug

[dancegirl]

Hello everyone,

Thinking about Universal for 5 nites during the summer.

Looking at both staying on site and off site. Off site seems to be less expensive even if I would buy my own EP.

1. Do they even sell the EP during peak season? I thought I saw somewhere that they might or might not.

2. Just what kind of wait times can I expect during the summer?

3. I've been hearing about the single riders line since it is only myself and my teenage son we don't have to ride together side by side so would this line in the summer cut down on any wait times?

4. I read that the EP wait time is upto 15 minutes is this true. I also read that during the peak seasons EP waits are average 30 minutes? Confused....

Thanks everyone for your help.

 

[Metro West]

1. Yes...Express Plus passes are available for sale on most any day. The price depends on the anticipated crowd level for that particular day.

2. I've seen wait times in the 30-45 minute range many times in the summers past. With Harry Potter opening this spring, the wait times could be 45 minutes for most attractions using Express with the standby line reaching 120 minutes or more.

3. Single rider lines do cut down the wait times most of the time. However, people often forget one important thing. The lines are strictly fillers for ride vehicles so you could stand in the single line longer than the standby line...especially if there are no odd numbered parties coming through. It's happened to me plenty of times over the years.

4. 15 minutes is the norm for off peak times but can grow to 45 minutes if it's really busy or longer if the ride is having problems.

 

[ky07]

Hello everyone,

Thinking about Universal for 5 nites during the summer.

Looking at both staying on site and off site. Off site seems to be less expensive even if I would buy my own EP.

1. Do they even sell the EP during peak season? I thought I saw somewhere that they might or might not.

2. Just what kind of wait times can I expect during the summer?

3. I've been hearing about the single riders line since it is only myself and my teenage son we don't have to ride together side by side so would this line in the summer cut down on any wait times?

4. I read that the EP wait time is upto 15 minutes is this true. I also read that during the peak seasons EP waits are average 30 minutes? Confused....

Thanks everyone for your help.

Wait times in summer can be very long at 90 mins or more but with WWOHP opening this year both parks will be packed and wait times will be very long.
Epress passes are sold in summer time but sell out very quick and can get very expensive and not to mention only good for once per ride and only good for one day and if your planning on going for five days that can really add up.
While staying offsite can save you money you don't get the benifits of staying onsite .
Such as the unlimited express pass which is your room key
Not having to rush to get to the parks every day cause you can take a short water taxi ride or walk and if it gets too crowded then you can go back to the hotel and relax and then go back later in the afternoon to the parks.
So I say if you can afford to stay onsite I would do it cause it makes for a more relaxing vacation.
Hope this helps.

 

[Purseval]

We were there last July and the waits were long as the day wore on, especially on the water rides since so many people were trying to cool down. However if you were there when the park opened then again nearer to closing time things weren't that bad. No EPs for us.

 

[rpbert1]

Have been going the last 4 or 5 years during July, and have found Express to be fine as long as there is not a lot of big S American groups, which can hold the express up a bit.
Staying on site is excellent, and we would usually hit the parks mostly late afternoon, not sure if that reflects on the Express lines, but our waits would average out around 7 mins at the most, some maybe 15 mins but very seldom and a lot are walkon with no wait

 

[Lindy Loo]

In April ( 17th ) Mardi Gras night, would I need an Express Pass? Its me and my DD 7 going.....

How much should I expect to pay please?

 

[torinsmom]

Hello everyone,

Thinking about Universal for 5 nites during the summer.

Looking at both staying on site and off site. Off site seems to be less expensive even if I would buy my own EP.

1. Do they even sell the EP during peak season? I thought I saw somewhere that they might or might not.

2. Just what kind of wait times can I expect during the summer?

3. I've been hearing about the single riders line since it is only myself and my teenage son we don't have to ride together side by side so would this line in the summer cut down on any wait times?

4. I read that the EP wait time is upto 15 minutes is this true. I also read that during the peak seasons EP waits are average 30 minutes? Confused....

Thanks everyone for your help.

We went in July last year and stayed offsite. We did NOT buy the Express passes and were fine. We went in with a plan for which rides we wanted to ride most. We got there before opening and went straight to our first choice, then worked our way down our list. We started with Simpsons in US and Spiderman in IOA. You can get a lot done in the first 1-2 hours if you get there early. We did have to wait about 30 minutes for Shrek, but the queue was under cover and we got a snack to eat while we waited.

DS15 and I used the single rider lines for quite a few rides. One night, we went without a bag so we could ride MIB over and over without having to pay for a locker or change our stuff to a new one. We would get through the Single Rider line in about 5-8 minutes each time. We actually hoped to get in cars across from each other to compete.

Mummy had a very fast single rider line too, as did Spider Man.

 

[Metro West]

In April ( 17th ) Mardi Gras night, would I need an Express Pass? Its me and my DD 7 going.....

How much should I expect to pay please?

The April prices have not been released yet. Chicago is the headliner concert that night and the Studios will be very busy. I would wait until you arrive to see what the lines are like in the afternoon before buying.

 

[Purseval]

Mardi Gras days aren't that bad but as it gets closer to the parade/concert time it gets more and more crowded because the locals/passholders start showing up. if you are there when the park opens you should be in pretty good shape ridewise by lunchtime. I would wait until then to decide if you need an express pass or not.

 

[dancegirl]

Thank you everyone!!

I see that the FB price is about 52. each per day if we stay offsite.

I don't want to get there have a FP and wait a long time on line. I see some of you did ok in the summer months.

Metro you have seen lines as long as 45 minutes with the FP?

I'll have to give this some more thought and also continue reading these boards...Alot of great information here!

 

[Metro West]

Metro you have seen lines as long as 45 minutes with the FP?

Yes...just last summer in fact. Of course it was over July 4th weekend but it does happen during the busiest times of the year and it depends on the attraction. The water rides have the longest waits in the summer for obvious reasons which make the wait times soar.

 

[cieslack]

I am by no means as experienced as some of the other posters here, but I have been to both parks the past two July's. We bought Express for the first and VIP(now unavailable) for the second. We never waited any longer than ten minutes for any ride except maybe the Hulk which may have been 15. Basically, you can use the Express and be a little more relaxed, or you can go with a very detailed plan of attack.

 

[Metro West]

I am by no means as experienced as some of the other posters here, but I have been to both parks the past two July's. We bought Express for the first and VIP(now unavailable) for the second. We never waited any longer than ten minutes for any ride except maybe the Hulk which may have been 15. Basically, you can use the Express and be a little more relaxed, or you can go with a very detailed plan of attack.

Unfortunately Harry Potter wasn't open then...everything will change this year and you won't be able to compare past experiences any longer. WWoHP will make the crowds at Universal greater than anything we've seen...especially in the summer...for the majority of attractions.

 

[dancegirl]

So it should be busy with HP opening?

I guess if I have the FP and get to the park first thing in the morning with a mission maybe won't be to bad?

Also do they open the parks an hour early for onsite guests? I thought I read that somewhere a while back.