Express Plus / Fastpass

[Birtie]

Just back and having done US without Express Plus we decided to buy them for IOA. I have to say that I don't agree with having to pay extra for these tickets having already paid for park entry and find it an unfair system. BUT it did make a huge difference and was great to walk past the long queues in the standby lines.

In comparison to Disney's fastpass it also lets you go round the park in an orderly way. Although the Disney system is fairer I did find myself chasing back & too across the park getting fastpasses and then returning at the given time.

I would always choose Disneys as the fairer system but if you are willing to pay Universals makes getting around the park more enjoyable.

[colettej23]

Can I ask what you paid for the express plus?

[cath1954]

:wavey: Hi Col is that you I was going to ask same question.
Cath :wavey:

[Micky]

My dh bought a express pass last week when we were there and paid 20 dollars for it, which is a bit steep but he did get straight onto the rides without any wait which was good as it saved me standing waiting with the little un for ages!! ;)

[scottishmum]

when we were there in april (easter/ spring break) the express passes were $49.99 each, we didnt purchase them, i thought universal were greedy since we had already purchased tickets to get into the parks in the 1st place, Next they,ll be charging seperately for each ride we go on! :angry:

[The Controller]

Last week we paid $20 each. It was 'quiet' anyway but on half a dozen or so rides the queues were in excess of 40 mins, and it was great to 'breeze' past. What would have been a full day turned into a few hours and the rest of the day at Blizzard Beach

[colettej23]

:wavey: Hi Col is that you I was going to ask same question.
Cath :wavey:

Hi Cath :wave: :wave: ,got your message re phones think i was too late though.Thanks anyway. :wavey:

[Birtie]

Hi, we paid $20 which is why we decided to go for them. £10 we thought we could justify, but any dearer and we probably wouldn't have got them.

[wrpac00]

I think it depends on what day you go, some days your lucky and some your not. Personally I wouldn't buy them as I feel they are a rip off and not needed.

Last year we did IOA and Universal in under 4hrs each. This year my wifes cousin did them both in about the same time. My son did IOA on the 27th of Aug in about 3 hrs.

[Shep]

I bought express tickets for everyone (2 adults & 2 kids) for one day use at US and one day use at IOA. Worked out £10 a piece by pre-ordering online and printing off e-tickets.

IOA was around 40 - 50 mins wait and US last week was 10 - 20 mins. Either way, when its 95 degrees I don't want to queue at all!

One big tip, when you print the e-tickets off they are A4 size. When I went to IOA, I exchanged these for small credit card size tickets as these were easier to carry. On the reverse each ride is noted and is supposed to be crossed off when you use it. The only ride that bothered to do this was the Spidey one, no one else bothered. My wife and DD didn;t do Spidey so we used their tickets to go back on - the etickets were name specific but the credit card size weren't. If I had known that I would only have bought 3 between the 4 of us.

However, at US when I went to exchange the A4 etickets for the credit card size ones, the girl wouldn't do it. She said they don't exchange then if they are 1 day use tickets. I advised her that IOA did a few days earlier and she said they weren't supposed to!

She simply folded the A4 paper up to a pocket size and said the staff would initial them as each ride was entered. NOT ONE member of staff marked them, they simply checked the date and waved us through. UNLIMITED USE - yippee! Now I had also printed off spare copies of the A4 tickets in case I lost any. It occurred to me that (and I suppose it's a bit naughty) that you could print a few off so that if they marked a ride you wanted to do again, you simply produce a new eticket - ;)

So, buy 2 or 3 and print loads of copies! Naughty but nice!

[wrpac00]

The key is to get there about 8:30 when the parks open, you can get it all done without queuing and saving yourself money in the process.

[scottishmum]

Even that depends on time of year you go, we were there for in opening in april which was spring break and easter holidays too. we didnt get on everything we wanted because of the queues, (and the fact my hubbie wouldnt fork out $150) on 3 express passes! :confused2

[BONZO]

Have you considered the cost of staying one night in a Universal hotel?

For the cost you get 2 days FOTL pass on your room key - no need to consider strategy etc

[wrpac00]

Have you considered the cost of staying one night in a Universal hotel?

For the cost you get 2 days FOTL pass on your room key - no need to consider strategy etc

Just the expense of a night in a hotel which is probably dearer than the fastpasses:confused2