Park Tickets & EP Ticket Question

[Lacit1707]

Hello All!

Have a trip planned for October and need to buy park & express pass tickets now. A few questions if anyone can help. Thanks!

1) We will be going to Universal Studios & Islands of Adventure for 3 days. Price wise, buy a 3 day park ticket is the cheapest. My question is, can you get a 3 day park pass but have 2 days as one park per day and the last day as a park hopper pass? Or is the only way to do that to buy 2 day single park ticket and then another 1 day park hopper?

2) Express passes are crazy expensive. More expensive than the park tickets themselves which makes no sense. Anyway, If we're going to the parks for 3 days and lets assume i purchase park hopper tickets for each day. Do you think its a good idea to buy express pass unlimited for each day? only for the last day? lastly, if we get the regular express pass, 2 park option, am i able to ride the hogwarts train each way with express pass? basically is it considered a different ride based on which park you are in.

appreciate the help!

 

[Lynne G]

1. I do t think you can mix one a day and park to park on a ticket, so yes, you will have to buy 2 one park a day, and one day park hopper (park to park) to be able to go to both parks on the same day.

2. Yes, express can be expensive, but up to you as to how long you want to stand in line. Many make a one night reservation at one of the top three hotels that give you the unlimited express pass for all in the room. That is, will cover up to 2 adults and three kids in a room. Extra adults are an additional cost. One night gives you the unlimited express the day you check in through the day you checkout. Thus one night gives 2 days of unlimited express.

But Be warned, the purchased express pass is date and park or parks specific, with no refund. Many see the parks first, before buying, as express is available to be purchased everywhere in the parks.

Also, if one person has the lowest level of AP, they may be able to get that one night reservation at Royal, Hard Rock or Portofino with an AP discount. The AP discounts for October this year have been out for awhile. You may still get a good priced AP rate, or not. Easiest to check is the link in the AP rate stickie in the Universal Hotels forum. If an AP rate is available, it will show you the available rooms and rates. Book right then, as the one night rate will be charged when booking. Fully refundable up to 5 days before your check in day. You don’t need an AP to check or book those AP rates, but you should have the AP in your hand just in case they do ask to see it when you check in or sometime during your stay.

 

[Lynne G]

Oh and no, no difference in riding the train, other than a different show is seen each way. And yes, there is express for both rides in the train. But you need a valid park to park ticket to ride it one way or both ways.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

There is no way that buying a 2 day one-park-per-day and a 1 day park-to-park separately is cheaper than just buying a 3 day park-to-park ticket. So your choice is actually buying a 3 day park-to-park or a 3 day single-park-per-day. I'd strongly encourage park-to-park.

Hogwarts should be considered a different ride each way, but I have no experience with whether the one-time EP treats it that way. But if you're looking at EP unlimited it is a moot point - you could ride back and forth all day via EP if you so desire.