Is Universal About to Introduce New Express Passes?
Universal Orlando is thinking about the future of its Express Passes. The popularity of these types of "Fastpasses" may be leading to some new kinds of services that may please even more guests. Let's take a look together at some interesting questions that were asked in one of Universal's latest surveys:
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...We are looking at adding some features and options to our existing Express Passes, and we are looking for some feedback regarding these features. Some of these features we may end up using, others already exist, and others will never be used due to poor feedback or other circumstances.
2) Ride Twice Anytime Within the Day Express Pass (ride each attraction two times anytime within the day). With this option you would use the current Express Pass line for your initial wait, but after that initial wait could ride each ride two times anytime within the day. This concept is a hybrid between the current limited Express Pass (ride each attraction once) and the current unlimited Express Pass (ride each ride as many times as you want).
3) Reduced Wait No Standing In Line Express Pass (wait 25% less while in a virtual line).
This option would allow you to wait for an attraction outside of the existing line for an amount of time that is 25% less than the current attraction wait time. You could spend your time playing a game, eating a snack, walking around (really anything) until it was your designated time to return to experience the attraction.
This option would allow you to wait for an attraction outside of the existing line for an amount of time that is 25% less than the current attraction wait time. You could spend your time playing a game, eating a snack, walking around (really anything) until it was your designated time to return to experience the attraction.
4) VIP No Standing In Line Express Pass (ride right away and go through back door VIP entrance).
This option would also allow you to virtually eliminate waiting for attractions. You could enter through the VIP back door entrance and get right on the ride.
This option would also allow you to virtually eliminate waiting for attractions. You could enter through the VIP back door entrance and get right on the ride.
1. Ride Multiple Times (how many times you can ride each attraction)
2. Ride Twice in a Row (without getting back in line)
3. Where you wait in line (virtual or regular express line)
4. Wait Time Reduction (how much less you wait than the regular line)
5. Crowd Levels (amount of crowds in the park)
6. Express Pass Price (price you will pay for a 1 park pass per person)
(All these information were shared due to the fact that they were featured in one of Universal's PUBLIC Guest Surveys. Universal elements and all related indicia TM & © 2011 Universal Studios. © [2011] Universal Orlando. All rights reserved.)
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To help out Universal, what kind of Express Pass would you personally like to buy (with a reasonable price, of course)? And, which Express Pass looks appealing to you? Personally, I would love to be able to buy a V.I.P. pass for a cheap price. It would be an incredible experience to have a totally separated back door to access a ride! Also, the ride-twice-in-a-row feature sounds great to me! I would love to be able to just remain seated on my starbound bike on the E.T. Adventure, for example!! I am not sure how this would work with a show, though...
Please, feel free to share your opinions with us!
When I go to Universal, I always stay on property, and the room key works like an Unlimited Express Pass. You pretty much get front of the line access (no VIP back door, but no line either) and you can use an unlimited number of times. You have to exit the ride each time. Of course, Harry Potter does not work with Express Pass yet, but I would guess they will add it once the crowds die down over the next year or two.
ReplyDeleteIf I did have to pay for Express Pass, I would certainly want the VIP option. But it would not be cheap, because they would have to limit quantities (law of supply and demand). I would be willing to probably pay double for my ticket to get this because the worst thing about theme parks are the lines. Eliminating them would have a very positive impact on your visit.
As I've only ever visited Universal in off season (September, October and March) I've never found the queues to be excessively long.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I've always felt express pass is simply not worth any amount of money.
Disney can offer Fastpass for free, why can't Universal?
@fatdonut
ReplyDeleteI'm jealous that you can visit during off season. Unfortunately I live in the northeast and have school-aged children, so when I visit Universal, it's usually packed with people.
Universal Express Pass is nothing like Disney Fastpass, despite the similar name. There is no equivalent of Disney Fastpass at Universal. Express Pass is not open to all guests and it is never free (although it is included in your hotel rate if you stay on property). Unlike Fastpass, Express Pass actually reduces or eliminates your wait time. Fastpass does not reduce your wait time. It just allows you to do other things while you are logically in queue until your return time arrives. With Express Pass, you can use it anytime and don't have to wait for a return time. With a VIP ticket or on-site hotel room key, you can use it unlimited times.
Your point regarding the cost of Express Pass is valid, however. If you can get to Universal during off times, there's no reason to purchase it. But if you're stuck going only when the kids are out of school, you can avoid most wait times that often exceed 1-2 hours at the popular attractions.
I personally like Disney's Fastpass system better. Universal used to do the same thing when Islands of Adventure first opened. I don't understand why they stopped because the system still works fine at Disney.
ReplyDeleteAnd to what Jason stated...
"Unlike Fastpass, Express Pass actually reduces or eliminates your wait time. Fastpass does not reduce your wait time. It just allows you to do other things while you are logically in queue until your return time arrives"
...I personally feel it is a big time saver because if you like doing all the attractions, the fastpass system allows you to do the attractions with short wait times while waiting for your fastpass time to come around, then when you return to the attraction for your fastpass, you basically wait the same short time as you did for the other attractions you were doing to kill time earlier. Universal would definitely attract more visitors by word of mouth alone if they started doing their Express pass like Disney's Fastpass again.
I have always disliked Universal's Express pass because of it being an upcharge(same goes for Busch Gardens and SeaWorld's "Quick Queue"). I feel it belittles those waiting in the stand-by lines who cannot afford the Express Pass(It costs enough as it is just to get into the park). Disney may not allow you to skip the line completely with their "Fastpass" system, but at least its fair to everyone because its free to everyone.
ReplyDeleteWhen we travel to Orlando, we bite the bullet, spend the extra cash to stay at one of the on site hotels at Universal, thus getting the Express Pass. We wouldn't do it any other way. It allows us to truly enjoy the park. Walk to the park in the morning, do most rides with very little wait with the room key, walk back to the hotel pool, enjoy a relaxing swim, and lunch, and head back to the park still with no waiting in line. A very relaxing way to enjoy a few days at a great park. DisneyWorld just can't offer anything equivalent due to it's size. DisneyLand could, but doesn't.
ReplyDeleteUEP is probably the best queue option out there. Disney's fast pass is a terrible excuse for 'fast lane'. It takes a great amount of time to get onto any Disney ride, their attendants are probably the slowest loaders in this entire industry. Even with fastpass, it is still a terrible wait. Why I think Universal's express is better: not only is express a premium offer, it makes the lines move faster for EVERYONE. While, yes it might seem 'unfair' that some can afford it, and others cant- suck it up! Life isn't fair, and you should start teaching your children from an early age that there will be some people out there whom have more money than you.
ReplyDeleteAlso, even with express, Universal queues are usually shorter than Disney's due to Universal's more efficient team members, and the rides are much better at Universal/IOA.
I think Express passes should be free and work just like Disney's Fastpasses, and I also want rip ride rockit, harry potter, and pteranodon flyers to have it, too. Or express passes could work like Six flags the flash pass. It could be free for waiting the same amount as other people without standing in line and an additional price to ride multiple times/wait less.
ReplyDeleteI know this is late but Hollywood rip ride rock it, harry potter, and flyers will probably never be apart of the system due to their loading systems and capacities.
ReplyDeleteBoth rockit and harry push 1850pph with continuous moving stations. Its difficult to maneuver people to their seats, imagine choreographing express pass in there. Their stations move way to fast and people move way too slow.
Plus if you've ever stood in line for harry you'll notice that you'll never stop, unless the ride breaks. But since people are constantly loading the line really never stops. Imagine if you start adding express pass folk in the there, you'll start having the "pulse stop and go" effect which will lead to a long line.
Pteranadon Flyers has a crappy capacity not to mention not everyone can ride due to height restrictions of adults needing a chile to ride and children needing adults to ride.
Now about the Fastpass / Universal debate, I think it is totally fair for Express to an upchange.
Fasspass is a reservation system. Express is a reduced wait system. Neither one gets to the front of the line. However express can save you a lot of time in the day when most rides are 60+ minutes. Which can lead to doing more or spreading things out instead of cramming everything in one day or going an additional day.
Fastpass is reservation. Its not very beneficial if you get to the park at 10am and they are nearly out and when you finally get one its for 7-8pm. We I'm sure all rides are 60+ minutes by now. So while your waiting to for you time you still have to wait in long lines till you can get another one. Which in the end could result in going in an additional day which is bad when you've planned for a certain amount of days already.
Express pass just seems to be better to the consumer. Pay additional money now and do all I want in one day or pay another $85 for another day and still potentially not be able to do everything. I'll go with the express pass.
Plus if your worried about money while on vacation you should not be on vacation. There's no point