Ways To Get "Fast Pass" At Universal

[Oceanwalker]

Hi all,

I've been to Disney many times, but never to Universal.

How can I get tickets with a "fast pass" if I don't stay at a Universal hotel, like the Hard Rock or Portofino? Anybody know? Are they way more expensive? Does the $85 ticket include an option to upgrade to fastpass? Please help, thanks!

 

[phamton]

You can purchase them here:
http://www.universalorlando.com/tic_express.html

 

[spatenfloot]

If you get to the park at opening, you probably won't even need a fastpass. You can ride lots of things before most of the people show up.

 

[Oceanwalker]

So if I go in early May, and get to the park when it opens, you don't think I'll need an Express Pass? I called Universal today and they advised me to get an Express Pass, saying ride wait times, even during slower times, can be wait times of up to 2 hours....is this right? Do you still think in early May I'll need the Express Pass? Thx!

 

[Dagny]

In early May, the crowds will not be bad if you go during the week. As the above poster mentioned, if you arrive at park opening, you should be able to knock out the biggies before the crowds rolls in, which is usually around 10:30 - 11:00 am.

 

[spencem]

We went a few weeks back when it was completely deserted, 1 train wait for Hulk deserted. It didn't stop them from really pushing the Express Pass on the walk in from the parking lot and within the parks.

You would have been very upset to have paid out $25 a head for no gain at all.

We went back on a weekend later in our holiday when it was busy and there were still passes available to buy mid afternoon. My advice would be to get there early, and if the crowds become a problem later in the day get a pass then.

 

[bosox18]

They really charge as much as $40 a day for what Disney, essentially, gives for free?

Granted, the Disney ticket prices are much, much higher ...

 

[phamton]

Disney doesn't have the equivilent of the express pass plus. Express pass is a pass that lets you use the express entrance once on each ride and show. There is no set time that you must get to the ride. Disney has fastpass for some rides but not all and you can only get one every two hours or after the return time of your fastpass. You also have a one hour return time on the fastpass. With express pass plus, you can ride MIB and, as soon as you get off, head to Jaws and use it there. You don't have to backtrack because of return times. You choose when you want to use it on each ride and show.

If you stay at one of the onsite hotels, you get unlimited express free on the day you check in and also on the day you check out. So if you only stayed onsite one night, you get two full days of express for free.

 

[Mainebound]

They really charge as much as $40 a day for what Disney, essentially, gives for free?

Granted, the Disney ticket prices are much, much higher ...

It is not at all the same as Fastpass. With Fastpass you have to go to the ride, get your fastpass (often there is a line for that at each kiosk), and then return within the time window it tells you, whether that is convenient or not.

with Express, you go to the ride and ride it whenever you want.

with Fastpass, you can have ONE at a time for one ride.

With Espress, you have a pass for every ride in the park.

Also, in my experience, the Express lines are much shorter than the Fastpass lines.

 

[thrillriderbb]

Disney doesn't have the equivilent of the express pass plus. Express pass is a pass that lets you use the express entrance once on each ride and show. There is no set time that you must get to the ride. Disney has fastpass for some rides but not all and you can only get one every two hours or after the return time of your fastpass. You also have a one hour return time on the fastpass. With express pass plus, you can ride MIB and, as soon as you get off, head to Jaws and use it there. You don't have to backtrack because of return times. You choose when you want to use it on each ride and show.

If you stay at one of the onsite hotels, you get unlimited express free on the day you check in and also on the day you check out. So if you only stayed onsite one night, you get two full days of express for free.

Hehe, this is the "official" answer on the return times but we all know that you can go back with a fastpass and they will honor it regardless of what time it says on there as long as the time has passed. I still think that Universal has vastly improved on this concept though and Disney needs to take the hint!

 

[mvazul]

We went a few weeks back when it was completely deserted, 1 train wait for Hulk deserted. It didn't stop them from really pushing the Express Pass on the walk in from the parking lot and within the parks.

You would have been very upset to have paid out $25 a head for no gain at all.

We went back on a weekend later in our holiday when it was busy and there were still passes available to buy mid afternoon. My advice would be to get there early, and if the crowds become a problem later in the day get a pass then.

I agree 100%!!! We were there on 2/1/07. The place looked packed as we headed in the front gates. We talked to an employee about the Express Pass and were talked into buying it, because it was "so busy". We shelled out $60 for the four of us. What a waste!! Once we got past the front gate and into the park, the place was dead!! We had no wait for anything. Also, it does not cover every ride in the park. There are a handful that offer it (like The Mummy, Back to the Future, etc.)

Both US and Disney have their ups and downs with these systems, but I would take Disney's FP any day over US.

 

[damo]

I agree 100%!!! We were there on 2/1/07. The place looked packed as we headed in the front gates. We talked to an employee about the Express Pass and were talked into buying it, because it was "so busy". We shelled out $60 for the four of us. What a waste!! Once we got past the front gate and into the park, the place was dead!! We had no wait for anything. Also, it does not cover every ride in the park. There are a handful that offer it (like The Mummy, Back to the Future, etc.)

Both US and Disney have their ups and downs with these systems, but I would take Disney's FP any day over US.

Only Pteranadon Flyers does not take the express pass. Even the shows have it.

The Express Plus Pass can be purchased inside the park as well as at the gates, so there is no need to purchase it before you can tell if you need it.


PARTICIPATING ATTRACTIONS:

Universal Studios Florida
Universal Horror Make-Up Show
TERMINATOR 2®: 3-D
Animal Actors on Location SM
A Day In The Park with Barney™
Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster®
E.T. Adventure®
MEN IN BLACK ™ Alien Attack™
Back To The Future The Ride®
Beetlejuice’s Graveyard Revue™
Earthquake®
JAWS®
TWISTER…Ride It Out®
Revenge of the Mummy SM
Jimmy Neutron’s Nicktoon Blast™
Shrek 4-D™
Fear Factor Live

Islands of Adventure
The Cat In The Hat™
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish™
Caro-Seuss-el™
Poseidon’s Fury®
The Eighth Voyage of Sindbad®
Dueling Dragons®
The Flying Unicorn®
Jurassic Park River Adventure®
Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls®
Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges®
The Amazing Adventures of
Spider-Man®
Doctor Doom’s Fearfall®
Storm Force Accelatron®
Incredible Hulk Coaster®

 

[Capt_BJ]

OK, I'm confused

you say you can buy the EP in the park as an add on? I'm looking at the online tix purchase options and it shows the pass as only available on certain days...and then at various prices.

Are there limits to how many 'upgrades' they sell in a day?

If I come in with a 'discounted' ticket (military) can I buy the u/g in the park?

 

[damo]

OK, I'm confused

you say you can buy the EP in the park as an add on? I'm looking at the online tix purchase options and it shows the pass as only available on certain days...and then at various prices.

Are there limits to how many 'upgrades' they sell in a day?

If I come in with a 'discounted' ticket (military) can I buy the u/g in the park?

If you look at that entire page, you will find that all the dates are covered. I think there are five charts. Prices vary according to predicted crowds. There is a limit to the express plus passes and yes you can buy them in the park. They are not related to your park tickets in any way.

 

[momof3disneyholics]

They really charge as much as $40 a day for what Disney, essentially, gives for free?

Granted, the Disney ticket prices are much, much higher ...

I can't tell you how many people come up to me wanting to buy the Fastpasses for Disney. They would make a killing off of them if they did the same thing as Universal does.
I don't like the way Disney has their fastpasses because you are not free to enjoy yourself like you want to. You have to keep looking at your watch and making sure you are back at a certain ride at a certain time. It kinda takes away from the carefreeness and spontaneity of being on vacation.

 

[perculata]

I can't tell you how many people come up to me wanting to buy the Fastpasses for Disney. They would make a killing off of them if they did the same thing as Universal does.
I don't like the way Disney has their fastpasses because you are not free to enjoy yourself like you want to. You have to keep looking at your watch and making sure you are back at a certain ride at a certain time. It kinda takes away from the carefreeness and spontaneity of being on vacation.

Yea, that's true. But frankly, I don't wana pay ne more than I have to at theme parks. Most parks, especially Disney, already charge enough money for most things. I'm fine with they way they do fastpass as long as it saves me 40 or 50 dollars. I like the fact that Disney isn't rewarding those guests inside the park that have more money than others. At least this way, everyone who can afford to get into the park has a fair shot of riding the rides. It's a system rewards dedication instead of wealth, and it's one I appreciate.

 

[mvazul]

Yea, that's true. But frankly, I don't wana pay ne more than I have to at theme parks. Most parks, especially Disney, already charge enough money for most things. I'm fine with they way they do fastpass as long as it saves me 40 or 50 dollars. I like the fact that Disney isn't rewarding those guests inside the park that have more money than others. At least this way, everyone who can afford to get into the park has a fair shot of riding the rides. It's a system rewards dedication instead of wealth, and it's one I appreciate.

Very well put. I agree with you completely.

 

[damo]

I don't think Disney's system has anything to do with them trying to be fair. I think if Disney could charge for their fastpasses they would. Tons of people would buy them. However, the logistics of the whole situation would make the express system impossible. There are too many people in the Disney parks to keep the express lines short if that many people were buying them. The system would implode.

However, Disney is a business and by the price of their 7 day hopper passes in comparison to the Universal 7 day passes for $85 you can see that they aren't really out to save people money. If we wanted to talk about fairness, we could say that Universal is more fair because it makes access to the parks more affordable for consumers. But no theme park is out to save the consumer money and risk their own bottom line at the same time. These prices and passes are all about marketing and not about keeping a level playing field between economic classes.

 

[perculata]

I don't think Disney's system has anything to do with them trying to be fair. I think if Disney could charge for their fastpasses they would. Tons of people would buy them. However, the logistics of the whole situation would make the express system impossible. There are too many people in the Disney parks to keep the express lines short if that many people were buying them. The system would implode.

However, Disney is a business and by the price of their 7 day hopper passes in comparison to the Universal 7 day passes for $85 you can see that they aren't really out to save people money. If we wanted to talk about fairness, we could say that Universal is more fair because it makes access to the parks more affordable for consumers. But no theme park is out to save the consumer money and risk their own bottom line at the same time. These prices and passes are all about marketing and not about keeping a level playing field between economic classes.

Why couldn't Disney use the same system universal does? They can just sell fastpasses and limit the number they sell. They could also allow those who stay in concierge at deluxe resorts to have the fastpass privelege. There's no reason that Disney couldn't charge for fastpasses.

It's true that Universal prices are cheaper to get into the park, but that's a business decision. They're not doing it to save the consumer money, they're doing it because their attendance is suffering and theyre trying to increase the number of visitors they get into their park.

Disney, like you said, pretty much has no desire to save their consumers money. But they could create a class system within their theme parks, and let people pay for privileges that were once free. However, they haven't done this yet. So it seems that while overall, Disney is out to make money, they are willing to sacrifice the revenue that would be created from selling fast passes. Their decision to do this benefits most of the guests at Disney parks.

 

[calgarygary]

Yea, that's true. But frankly, I don't wana pay ne more than I have to at theme parks. Most parks, especially Disney, already charge enough money for most things. I'm fine with they way they do fastpass as long as it saves me 40 or 50 dollars. I like the fact that Disney isn't rewarding those guests inside the park that have more money than others. At least this way, everyone who can afford to get into the park has a fair shot of riding the rides. It's a system rewards dedication instead of wealth, and it's one I appreciate.

It really isn't a case of Universal rewarding guests that have more money. First, let's remember that Universal introduced the pass (fast or express) into parks. Once the hotels were built, it was a practical business decision to use their system to help fill the rooms at the 3 Universal hotels. Universal recognized that their onsite guests, who were paying for fotl privilege were losing the benefit of that privilege to the free system so discontinued it. If you were to compare the main benefits other than proximity to parks of staying onsite at Universal vs. onsite at WDW, I would take fotl over emh in a heartbeat. At WDW, is it really an advantage to go to a ride for their fast pass only to find that you have to return 2-4 hours later to use it?