theDIBB Guidebook

Pinchy · 15 Jul 12, 06:26 PM

Was thinking of booking one of the Universal hotels for just a night for the free unlimited ride passes.

I read that you get 2 days (checkin and checkout) passes for just one nights stay. But presumably these are not full days as you cant check in til 2pm and have to check out at about 11am.

Has anyone done this and can confirm how long the passes can be used for?

**jocat** · 15 Jul 12, 06:29 PM

You can check in as early as 6am!

We checked in just before 8am - your room may not be ready but you can pick up your FOLP and head straight to the parks, leaving your luggage with Bell Services.

Likewise, when you check out, just store your luggage again. The FOTL passes are yours to keep, so can be used until the park closes on your second day.

It's a great perk and we wouldn't visit Universal without an onsite stay now. Enjoy!

**Cyclospora** · 15 Jul 12, 06:31 PM

You can check in at any time - but your room will not be ready until 2pm. You have to check out by 11 - but you can still use the pass until the time you leave the park on the day of check out.

We are planning to check in at 7:30am to make use of the extra hour for hotel guests and will leave the following day at about 7 ish probably.

The hotel will look after your luggage when you check in until your room is ready - and after until you leave the park.

Pinchy · 15 Jul 12, 06:47 PM

Thats great, thanks. I'll be booking this evening!

Since there's four of us Express Passes work out at 4 x $70 x 2 = $560. Portofino is only $380 with tax so its a no brainer even if you don't use the room!

Already booked at Pop Century for 2 weeks so I guess we'll be getting a chage of scenery for one night.

sasperella · 15 Jul 12, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pinchy

Thats great, thanks. I'll be booking this evening!

Since there's four of us Express Passes work out at 4 x $70 x 2 = $560. Portofino is only $380 with tax so its a no brainer even if you don't use the room!

Already booked at Pop Century for 2 weeks so I guess we'll be getting a chage of scenery for one night.

Hi, We go to WDW for 1st time in March. Do you have to have Express passes?

**Cyclospora** · 15 Jul 12, 07:09 PM

RPR is usually cheaper than Portofino if that's any help?

Margaret - Express passes are for use in Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.

Disney uses Fast Passes for popular rides and they don't charge for these... yet

BONDY LAD · 15 Jul 12, 07:16 PM

slight innacurate info on earlier post, re room not ready till 2pm, if your room is ready when u check in they will let you go to it there and then, otherwise if you have a mob they text you when it is ready,ours was ready on both occasions we have been(arrived at 7.30am, ish, stayed at rpr,fantastic is an understatement,enjoy, bondy.

evergreen · 15 Jul 12, 07:19 PM

what time of year are you going, we went last August and stayed at Universal at the weekend to save our DVC points as well as FOLP will we do it again (and we have done this on a few hoildays now) NO! Simpsons ~MIB etc, 10 to 20 minute wait at tops, infact we where told a couple of times to join the normal queue,
we will buy our Universal tickets of Virgin as you still get to get in hr early for HP (we hope if that deal is still on)
this is just my opnion with regards to folp, the hotels are great theme but you wont see much of that

**Disney mum** · 15 Jul 12, 07:20 PM

We've done US and IOA twice now without Express passes, we've never considered it worth the money, in fact last year the Express queue for some rides was longer than the regular queue as they seem to sell them so hard, more people have them than not. Depends what time of year you are going and how busy the parks will be. We did have to queue for the most popular rides, Forbidden Journey was about 50mins.
We might do an overnight stay next time to get the passes, but will decide nearer the time.