One of the best parts of Universal and Islands of Adventure is that they offer their own Express Pass System allowing you to bypass the majority of lines when visiting the theme parks. Let’s talk details:

WHAT IS UNIVERSAL EXPRESS PASS

Universal Express allows you to skip the lines at most Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure attractions. (It is a separate purchase to include Universal’s Volcano Bay). Universal now offers Universal Express passes for most of the popular Wizarding World of Harry Potter rides, including Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey and Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts. The only rides that do not have it in either park are Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure which is the new ride that just opened at Islands of Adventure. Eventually, this will *probably* be added to the list of Express Pass attractions, but because it is so new and the wait times are still so high, Express Pass is still not available for this ride.

HOW EXPRESS PASS WORKS

When you walk up to a ride with Universal Express, show your pass to the team member who will scan it and let you enter the Express Pass queue. Closer to the ride loading area, the Universal Express Pass queue will merge with the regular line. Your pass will then be scanned again to avoid others from the regular line to try and jump into the Express Pass line. You will still likely wait at this point, but it is rarely a very long time. One way I like to gauge how long I will possibly be waiting in the Express Pass line, is to look at the total wait time of the ride and break that in half. For example, if the Hulk is showing a 30-minute wait, the maximum I will probably wait is 15 minutes. It’s usually even shorter of a wait than this, but this is a good wait to determine how long you could potentially wait.

DETAILS

The Universal Express Pass is not a group pass. Everyone in your party will need his or her own Universal Express Pass. The passes are non-transferrable, and cannot be shared. The majority of rides will have lockers for you to store of your belongings for free, but you will still need your express pass when going on the ride. Using a lanyard is a great way to keep your Express Pass safe when riding because you are wearing it on your neck. This lowers the chances of having your Express Pass fall out of your pocket and getting lost. Lanyards can be purchased at the parks and City Walk, but they tend to be a bit more expensive than purchasing Amazon or other vendors outside of Universal.

Universal Express Pass is available for one park per day or both parks per day. It can be purchased online ahead of time or when you get to the parks. Just know that some days can sell out depending on the time of the year when the park is busier.

Universal offers separate passes for Universal’s Volcano Bay. These can be purchased per day, and you have the option of skipping the virtual lines at select rides and attractions, or you can pay more to skip the virtual lines at all rides and attractions inside the water park.

EXPRESS PASS OPTIONS

There are two types of Universal Express Passes:

1. Universal Express Unlimited

You can use the Universal Express Unlimited Pass an unlimited number of times at participating rides and attractions each day that your pass is valid. This is the type of pass that is available to you when staying on Universal property.

2. Universal Express Pass

You can use the Universal Express Pass ONCE per ride at participating rides and attractions each day that your pass is valid. You will have the option to purchase this type of Express Pass or the Unlimited Express Pass when purchasing tickets.

PRICE OF EXPRESS PASS

The price of the express pass can vary. If you are staying on-site at one of Universal’s premier resorts, Universal Express Unlimited is free for every day of your visit. That includes the date you check-in and the date you check out.  If you are considering purchasing Express Pass, you will have to decide if the price of the resort is worth it to stay on-site. I always believe that it is because of what you are getting when staying on-site: Early Park Entry, Unlimited Express Pass (for the premiere resorts), close proximity to the parks, etc.

The 3 resorts that offer Universal Express Unlimited With Your Stay:

Loews Portofino Bay Hotel

Universal’s Hard Rock Hotel

Loews Royal Pacific Resort 

WHY GET THE EXPRESS PASS

The parks can be super crowded depending on the time of the year that you are visiting. If you are visiting in the middle of summer or around major holidays like the week between Christmas and New Years, you should definitely consider purchasing Express Pass or staying at a Universal resort that offers it. The Express Pass helps you minimize your wait times for attractions while maximizing your time in the parks. There is nothing worse than spending all of your money on a vacation where you spend the majority of your time in the parks waiting in line. Having the Express Pass takes that away and allows you to make the most of your vacation. Yes, you get what you pay for- the Express Passes can be expensive, but they are so worth it!

If you are only visiting Universal for a couple of days and want to be able to visit both parks, Universal Express Passes help you see and do everything within a short amount of time, especially if the parks are super busy on the days of your visit.

ARE UNIVERSAL EXPRESS PASSES WORTH IT?

No matter when you visit, having Universal Express Pass will help you save time. The question is really how much you value the time you have in the parks and how much time you would save with the passes. During less busy times, I definitely think it’s nice to have, but if you are trying to save money, then it might not be necessary. It really comes down to what you believe in and how you want to spend your times in the parks.

RIDES AVAILABLE WITH UNIVERSAL EXPRESS PASS

Universal Studios Florida

Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts

Hogwarts Express (Park-to-Park admission ticket required)

Despicable Me Minion Mayhem

TRANSFORMERS: The Ride-3D

Fast & Furious – Supercharged

MEN IN BLACK™ Alien Attack

Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit

Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon

The Simpsons Ride

Kang & Kodos’ Twirl ‘n’ Hurlv

Revenge of the Mummy

E.T. Adventure

Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster

 

Universal’s Islands Of Adventure

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey

Hogwarts Express (Park-to-Park admission ticket required)

Flight of the Hippogriff™

The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man

The Incredible Hulk Coaster

Storm Force Accelatron

Doctor Doom’s Fearfall

Jurassic Park River Adventure

Skull Island: Reign of Kong

Caro-Seuss-el

The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride

Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls

Poseidon’s Fury

Interested in a trip to Universal but have no idea where to begin in the planning process? Feel free to contact me! I will help you plan your vacation all with no cost to you. There are so many details and components that go into a Universal vacation, and I can help you make it easy!

Love and Travel Dust,

Molly