Universal's Express Pass

[Rachandco]

Hi everyone.

I'm really hoping that someone can help me out. We are a family of six visiting Disney in April. This will be our fifth visit and we are staying in a villa. I've read on the disboards about people booking into one of the Universal hotels to enable them to bypass the big queues and also get an extra hour in WWoHP. We would really like to do this too, but I don't really get how it works. Can you book in for just one night and still take advantage or does it have to be for longer? And can you use them on the day of check-in also?
I look forward to your replies. I'm thinking that as we are going in just over 3 months, we really need to get the rooms booked.

Rachael

 

[buzz for boys]

Hi and welcome to the dis !!

You can book a room for just one night which would give you 2 days of park passes and 2 early entrys to wwohp. (day you check in & day you check out)

If the park express passes are what you are after most you can also purchase these seperatly on the gate. Might be worth looking into how much they are and weigh that up against the universal hotels !!

Hope that helps x

 

[Rachandco]

Hi and thank you!!

Does the room key allow you to skip the queues? And if so, do you know from what time you can check-in at the hotel (we're thinking of staying at Hard Rock)?

I did think about buying the express tickets without staying in a hotel, but I've always wanted to stay at the Hard Rock and thought it would be a nice treat

Thanks again x

 

[grantforrest]

Yes your room key is your pass to the rides - I normally just pop it in a lanyard round my neck. I am not sure of check in times but last time our room was not ready until about 3pm if I can remember correctly.

 

[irenep]

You can check in as early as you like and will be given room keys even though your room may not be ready (leave luggage with bell services). Once you have your keys just head straight to the park and they will be good to go.
If you are there for one night you get the express for all day on both the check-in and check-out days. You can also use the room key express pass multiple times on each ride instead of just the one time that the bought ones give you.
Its a great perk and we always book a universal hotel for one night whenever we go and the hotels are lovely too.

 

[rpbert1]

Unfortunatley with 6 people you will need to book 2 rooms, as only 5 max allowed in a room.
The room key is your entry to the FOTL queue, and everyone staying in the room will recieve 1.

 

[tttessa]

It is worth noting that you get UNLIMITED access to the express lines with the room key , you can do the Simpsons 5 times in under an hour - guess what the kids fave ride was!!!- express passes give you one time only access to each ride. Harry Potter Forbidden Journey does not have an express line.

The room key also gives you priority seating at most citywalk restaurants.

You can check in from 6.30am on arrival day and use the early entry that day too.

And finally - parking is per NIGHT when you stay on site. So you get 2 days parking for 1 night's fee $15.

Tessa

 

[Rachandco]

Thank you all so much for your replies! I'm now convinced that it's worth doing. As we will be in Universal just before the Easter weekend I'm guessing it will be exceptionally busy, so being able to skip the queues will be a massive bonus.

Has anybody eaten at Jimmy Buffetts Margaritaville? Was thinking of booking for the night we're there. Or any other recommendations for restaurants in City Walk would be greatly appreciated x

 

[WiganTony]

Thank you all so much for your replies! I'm now convinced that it's worth doing. As we will be in Universal just before the Easter weekend I'm guessing it will be exceptionally busy, so being able to skip the queues will be a massive bonus.

We visited at Easter 2009 and had a one night stay at RPR to give us 2 days FOTL passes, and they were certainly well worth the cost of the hotel. Most of the popular rides when we visited on the Monday/Tuesday before the Easter weekend had wait times of well over an hour - with our FOTL passes, we rarely had to wait more than 10 minutes.

However, please bear in mind the cost. Our one night cost $334 + taxes, and we were fortunate enough to have loaded our Fairfx card with sufficient $$ at around $2 to the £ so it cost us around £175 for the night.

 

[Rachandco]

It has worked out expensive especially because we need two rooms. But I've booked a night at Hard Rock hotel and I'm very excited I ended up paying $404+taxes per room, but I know it will be worth it to get in the hour earlier to WWoHP!!

 

[wayneg]

We stayed at RPR last August cost $150 (+tax+parking+internet)
Many love staying in the Universal hotels but to us it wasn't worth that kind of money.
Depends what the crowds are like for FOTL pass, we used it because we had it but we would have been fine without it. Although we have been AP holders for about 6-7 years so done all the rides multiple times.

Margaritaville, we ate there in August, none of us impressed, again others like it.
See post #100 in my thread for pics of food we had http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2524489&page=7

 

[Pegasus928]

We liked Margaritaville when we went there - but I think it's fair to say that the time of day you visit makes a big difference. We went on our way out of the parks at around 5.30pm and got seated in a nice quiet restaurant straight away. About 30 minutes later and the queue was out of the door.
One of the best places we have eaten is NBA. DW claims that it is one of the best steaks she has ever had and the kids were kept entertained by all the basketball games and memorabilia that is in there.

 

[rpbert1]

We liked Margaritaville when we went there - but I think it's fair to say that the time of day you visit makes a big difference. We went on our way out of the parks at around 5.30pm and got seated in a nice quiet restaurant straight away. About 30 minutes later and the queue was out of the door.
One of the best places we have eaten is NBA. DW claims that it is one of the best steaks she has ever had and the kids were kept entertained by all the basketball games and memorabilia that is in there.

Agree with comment about NBA,first time we went to Florida DW was not to keen on eating at it so we avoided it , a thunderstrorm when at IOA, we needed to eat and it was the closest, that thunderstorm has meant we have it top of our places to eat everyyear and never been disappointed.
Margaritavilles food is good to, but we would usually plan being there about 9-9:30 for dinner, and then stay on when the groups their for a few hours, one of the few places with entertainment on where children are welcome.

 

[cantwait!!!!!!!!!!!!]

Im considering doing this when we go in August

Couple of questions-can you walk to Universal/IOA from the universal hotels ?

Wheres best to look for a good deal and do you get the front line pass even if you book through hotels.com or someone ?Had a quick look last night and saw a room for £120 at the royal pacific.

Is 2 days enough to do both parks if we had the express pass? DH and DD are thrill seekers and will go on anything, me and DS wont go on anything scarier than everest !

Thanks.

 

[wayneg]

We stayed at Royal Pacific, could either walk or take boat, we just took boat 1 way once, it was as quick to walk.

What dates you looking for? couldn't see £120 rate but wasn't searching every date to find them.

Difficult to advise how many days, some people have enough with 1 day for both parks, others could spend a week there.

 

[disney_princess_85]

Is 2 days enough to do both parks if we had the express pass? DH and DD are thrill seekers and will go on anything, me and DS wont go on anything scarier than everest !

In my opinion, two days with a hotel EP is the ideal amount of time. This is what I've done for the past three years. This year we're just spending a day there and buying an EP, which is only $26 (+ tax) per person in September. It's not as good as the hotel EP as you can only use it once per attraction but it'll do.

 

[disneyholic family]

the first time we went to universal we bought early entry access.
It was very disappointing, since most of the rides that were supposed to be open early, ending up opening late.

the next time we were to universal, i decided to stay there. i think we actually stayed 2 nights, but only went into the parks on 2 days (not the 3 we could have).

we're probably going in august, so at most we'll do one night.
I think i might just pay for the room, but not actually stay there. Just so that we can get FOTL privileges.

 

[cantwait!!!!!!!!!!!!]

Ive booked a room at the royal pacific now for £120 plus tax with hotels.com, that was for 15/8

We dont have a car so will save on taxis by staying there, so with the other benefits it seemed to be worthwhile. We debated a bit as obviously we will have to pay for food there rather than using the DDP but will book a meal for when we come back on the 2nd day.

Thanks for the info

 

[Rachandco]

Ive booked a room at the royal pacific now for £120 plus tax with hotels.com, that was for 15/8

I booked directly with Universal for the Hard Rock Hotel, but have just checked hotels.com and it looks like the price they are quoting is the same price for both rooms, although I can't say for definite until I've actually gone through the booking process. I don't want to put my card details in until I know for sure. Can anyone tell me whether I would get it cheaper elsewhere. It says on my Universal booking confirmation that I have until 17/4 to cancel. This would save us loads!! [/QUOTE

I've just looked again and it says on hotels.com, Average nightly quote is $404, but doesn't say whether it's for one or both rooms. Very confused now lol.

Rach x

 

[amacspad]

Hi Rach, sorry I don't have the answer to your question but I have also tried to get a price with hotels.com with numerous dates in August and then diff dates for the rest of the year staying at one of the Universal Hotels and it just says - sorry no availability! I was trying to book for 1 night either for 2 adults and 1 ch, or 3 adults (DD is 15 so wasn't sure). Am I doing something wrong? Debs x