Onsite Stay/ Express Passes

[harrowgirl]

I am looking for confirmation that the way I am understanding things is correct before I go ahead and book.

We are Disney pros, looking to venture out for our first trip to Universal/IoA. It is myself, hubby, DD(8), DS (6, with autism), SIL and niece (5). We are looking at going for 1 day (so 1 day tickets to cover both parks)

We think we need the express passes because of my son. We need the Park to Park to see all of the HP stuff (which is my SIL's main reason for wanting to go). My son does not like big rides, and I don't think he'll care much about Harry Potter, but he does love dinosaurs and minions so I think some of those things will interest him.

3 adult, 3 child tickets, plus the regular express pass (so 1 time per ride) appears to cost $1,485 for the one day ticket to access both parks.

We are actually renting a townhouse for our length of stay in Orlando, and would be keeping it while at Universal.

I was pricing out staying onsite so we wouldn't have to pay for the express passes. We have 6 people, but the max we can fit in a room is 5. Which isn't an issue as my hubby could just stay at the townhouse for the night. It appears that we could stay at Portofino Bay (2 adults, 3 children, hubby would stay at the townhouse and meet us in the am) - for $1,255 for the hotel plus 5 park tickets + 272 (for an extra ticket with express pass for hubby) = $1,527. So for $42 we stay overnight at universal and 4 of us can get access to harry potter an hour before everyone else, and have unlimited express pass use What would you do?

We are looking at going mid may (Value season) - maybe it isn't as important to get the express passes at that time of year? thoughts?

Holy cow - people say Disney is expensive - it is nothing compared to universal.

 

[havoc315]

I find Universal a good bit cheaper than Disney. Portofino Bay is damn cheap compared to the Grand Floridian.

Anyway, remember staying at the Portofino Bay gets you the *unlimited* express pass. You can also look at the Royal Pacific Hotel, which also includes unlimited express pass, and is a bit cheaper than Portofino Bay.

 

[perditax]

I've read this a few times and I'm not sure I'm following your math, specifically the part where you break out Portofino Bay and one extra ticket.

Also keep in mind that Portofino Bay is the most expensive of the hotels that provides express passes.

You're traveling with six people and doing a short trip, and short trips are always more expensive no matter which theme park we're talking about. Just like Disney, the per-day cost at universal drops significantly the longer you stay, and the price break point for annual passes is around the same or lower. I can't work out from your post how many days you're staying, but it may be worth having one person get a seasonal annual pass and check for an AP discount on the room.

 

[perditax]

I find Universal a good bit cheaper than Disney. Portofino Bay is damn cheap compared to the Grand Floridian.

Anyway, remember staying at the Portofino Bay gets you the *unlimited* express pass. You can also look at the Royal Pacific Hotel, which also includes unlimited express pass, and is a bit cheaper than Portofino Bay.

Yeah, I paid $319/night for a Club level room at Hard Rock last month (and the club lounge WASN'T a quarter-mile away from my room like at AKL). Try finding a club room for $300 at Disney, much less one that's a leisurely ten-minute stroll to the park gates.

 

[Stacy's a freak]

We went in the height of summer in 2015 and we did not need the express passes. We were a family of 6 (grandma 74, hubs and me in our 40s, and DS 19, DS 12, DD 9). We stayed at Cabana Bay so express passes were not included. We considered it but chose not to pay the extra for express but we did get park-to-parks. None of us have special needs and we were able to see everything (except Minions) at a leisurely pace in 3 days with a lot of pool/resort time. You didn't say how many days you plan to spend at Universal so I am not able to tell you if you would need express passes to be sure to see everything. But if express passes are essential for your son, then it seems to make sense to stay onsite and have the flexibility to go back to the resort and chill if you need a break

 

[havoc315]

Yeah, I paid $319/night for a Club level room at Hard Rock last month (and the club lounge WASN'T a quarter-mile away from my room like at AKL). Try finding a club room for $300 at Disney, much less one that's a leisurely ten-minute stroll to the park gates.

Yup.... Tickets are similarly priced at Disney and Universal. Sit down restaurants may be slightly cheaper at Universal, but food pricing is somewhat similar. But when it comes to hotel rooms, Universal is much more affordable.

 

[harrowgirl]

ive edited my post a bit - we are only looking at having one day at universal - I was trying to figure out if it makes more sense to just stay onsite and get the included express passes, or stay offsite at our townhouse and pay for the express passes. Yes, I realize one day trips are crazy expensive. 1 day tickets at universal is going to cost almost as much as our 10 day tickets at Disney. Yikes!

 

[nkereina]

ive edited my post a bit - we are only looking at having one day at universal - I was trying to figure out if it makes more sense to just stay onsite and get the included express passes, or stay offsite at our townhouse and pay for the express passes. Yes, I realize one day trips are crazy expensive. 1 day tickets at universal is going to cost almost as much as our 10 day tickets at Disney. Yikes!

Very generally speaking, the more people you have, the more likely it will be cheaper to stay onsite and get the express passes that way than it would be to pay for express pass for everyone. But keep in mind, your DH will NOT get the benefits of the onsite room, which means he'd have to come at opening (no early entry) and you'd have to pay for unlimited express pass for him, which is what is included for onsite guests. I think you may have figured that already, but wasn't sure if it was the unlimited EP that you priced out. You could just buy him the regular express pass (one ride), but then he'd obviously be limited.

Also, by staying onsite, you can use the express passes both on check in and check out day. Even though you mention you're doing one day, just thought I'd point that out in case it changes things for you. A two day ticket compared to a one day ticket is maybe $50-$60 more per person, so not necessarily double the price. And having two days will let you go at your leisure, and maybe even give you time to enjoy the Universal resort and pool.

 

[perditax]

ive edited my post a bit - we are only looking at having one day at universal - I was trying to figure out if it makes more sense to just stay onsite and get the included express passes, or stay offsite at our townhouse and pay for the express passes. Yes, I realize one day trips are crazy expensive. 1 day tickets at universal is going to cost almost as much as our 10 day tickets at Disney. Yikes!

I think there's still an apples and oranges thing happening here, because Disney has no express pass equivalent available and you don't HAVE to buy it. Some of the Universal rides are experimenting with a fastpass style return ticket (free), I believe Despicable Me is one of the rides. Also keep in mind that the Harry Potter headliners including Hogwart's Express do not take the Express pass.

It's absolutely a luxury item, not a necessity. I don't think UO gets Disney-style 120 minute lines, for the most part.

I'd also recommend two days, and be sure to eat at Toothsome in CityWalk.

 

[harrowgirl]

Thank you - that is encouraging re lines - maybe we can forego the express pass....my son won't be doing the Harry Potter stuff in any event.

I'm hopeful (but I don't know) that going during "value" time the lines won't be as long.

 

[nkereina]

If you opt not to stay onsite, you could always buy EPs while you are in the parks if you're finding it frustrating and feel you need them. Granted, you'd end up paying more, but at least you could feel things out and have the option.

 

[danielocha30]

Universal Studios offer a special pass for free just like the DAS card at Disney, same procedures go to guest services and ask for one it will cover all your party, it works well and is a must when traveling with kids on the spectrum

 

[damo]

Universal Studios offer a special pass for free just like the DAS card at Disney, same procedures go to guest services and ask for one it will cover all your party, it works well and is a must when traveling with kids on the spectrum

That's exactly what I was just going to suggest. OP, you don't need to go out of your way to purchase EP. The special assistance card is there for families exactly like yours.

 

[macraven]

Disability Assistant Pass

Talk to a TM at guest services

If the ep wait time is less than 30 minutes, you are allowed to use the ep line
If the ep wait is 30 minutes or more, your return time will be writtten on your card for when to return

Therefore you can have wait times for some rides

Mid May is not a crowd killer time
Friday's can get tight when local schools do their end of the school year field trips to UO

 

[bumbershoot]

Holy cow - people say Disney is expensive - it is nothing compared to universal.

That has not been my experience at all.

1 day tickets at universal is going to cost almost as much as our 10 day tickets at Disney. Yikes!

How are you getting that?

3 adults 3 kids 10 day base ticket WDW: 2747.70. (I don't know exactly when you're going so I can't do a one-day at WDW; I did a two-day instead, base... 1233.30). Neither includes anything that approximates Express Pass, let alone unlimited Express Pass.

1 day, 3 adults 3 kids hopper (b/c you want the train) through undercovertourist (can't get to UO): 974.49. **oh wait, finally got to UO...value season, 975 for the tickets.

Yes adding express pass on does increase the cost. It's also an incredible benefit. My family will not go to Universal without the unlimited Express Pass from the hotel. Just won't do it.

I cannot add EP into the ticket cost b/c it's just so unlike anything WDW has. So I have to compare 975 to whatever a one-day ticket would be at WDW, and then also look at the EP.

or $1,255 for the hotel plus 5 park tickets

Since you're combining those, are you looking at packages? If you are, have you looked at a room-only then tickets from wherever you want to buy them? (and you know that if you have one of the 3 EP-containing resorts booked you don't buy the EP-containing tickets?). MIght make a difference in your math if you haven't looked at it.



For fun I picked May 11th as a date. I tossed APH into the code field (click Promotions) on loewshotels.com and I got 189 pre-tax for a Royal Pacific room. You're already looking at a 400+ room that doesn't include everyone...having two rooms might be fun. Though someone has to upgrade (I think it's just one person). Probably doesn't *reduce* costs but I looked into it and so I'm telling you about it.

And of course it's also worth mentioning that you could access the parks early and have unlimited express pass on BOTH check in and check out days, if you got a 2 day ticket.

 

[sunsetbeachgal]

I don't understand the comment about Universal being more expensive than Disney? We just did a split stay three nights at Universal followed by three nights at Disney. We had two park days in each and found the pricing per day for park tickets very similar. We did park-to-park tickets at Universal in order to do Hogwarts Express, and a two day one park each day ticket at Disney so naturally the premium to do park to park at Universal was a bit higher. Assuming if the original poster priced out a one day Disney ticket with park hopper it would be a better comparison!