View Full Version : fast passes? Yes or No?
Someone on another thread, has said, fastpasses are no longer available here ( Universal Studios) or Islands of adventure!![:O] is this true? If so it is going to work out a very expensive holiday when we go next July, if for everytime we want to go on the bigger thrill rides we will have to purchase a express pass ticket, if we go on alernate days. can someone shed some light on this please[msnsmile]
[:I] Whoops thought I had posted on the Universal Studios thread, not the islands of adventure[msneek] Sorry.[msnwink]
jackie greaves
21-05-2006, 17:36
Yes you are right Vicky. If you want to fast pass you now have to pay for it. $30 each to fast pass once on each ride. Can work out very expensive, depends how much you like queuing.[msnwink]
steph_goodrum
21-05-2006, 18:03
Vicky
We had annual passes for the parks but now they have expired we intend to take advantage of the excellent offer on this site, by buying 2 or more multi day Disney passes you get 50% off 1 or 2 day Universal 2 park passes. If we find the queues are too great then we may consider buying the fast passes as the cost would then be about the same as if we had paid full price for our tickets but I would have to be dragged kicking and screaming to Guest services to pay for them as I think it is a diabolical system that they should be able to fill the park to capacity without considering whether you are going to be able to go on the rides, and then charge people extra. I certainly wouldnt pay if I had paid the full price.
As we are fortunate enough to have been several times we can pick and choose but I intend to keep a diary for the days we are there and complain to Guests services if we find we are unable to go on more than 1 or 2 rides because of the numbers.
cad-properties
21-05-2006, 19:45
Great Suggestion by Babblin Boo, if you buy the Universal tickets from this site and take advantage of the special offer, then if you do have to purchase the Fast passes the cost would be about the same as the full price.
If you find that some of the queues for the bigger rides are too great, then try the single rider entry. We used this on our last visit for the Mummy Ride at the studios, the queueing time was over an hour, but we were prepared to be split up to get on the ride quicker. It was great, we waited about 15 minutes in that queue and my Husband got on the car after me, so I didn't have to wait long for him. I just had to keep telling myself that it was a stranger sitting next to me, so I couldn't grab them !!
Clair.
http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com/villas/495.aspx
russell148
21-05-2006, 21:36
After being the bearer of bad new's about having to buy a fast pass now our friends came back yesterday from staying at our villa and were totally unimpressed that Universal wanted another $180 for a party of 6 for fast passes, because they have been many times they knew they were being ripped off unlike for example a first time visitor would not.
I wonder if Disney are watching devolpments and might get rid of there fast passes?
Russell
christhear
21-05-2006, 21:38
I am hoping that with people having to buy fast pass tickets the fast pass queues will be shorter, thus allowing people in the normal queue to geton the ride quicker. We will be going at the end of august so will let you know how we got on.
this will be the first time my 8 year old son is big enough for the coasters so we will definately be queing for these.
russell148
21-05-2006, 21:46
Our freinds did not buy fast passes and they queued for over an hour on most rides and that was in May
Russell
Thanks, we have been three times before so know which rides we want to go on, we will be taking my brother with us this time and his two daughters 15 and 8(1st time) We were telling him not to worry about the ques because of fastpasses.
We haven't been this time of year before (July 2007) and wouldn't be if it wasn't for my son having his exams!! We know the parks are going to be crowded, not having the fastpass facility just makes it worse, so if you are going August I would appreciate the feedback[msnsmile2]
russell148
21-05-2006, 22:42
I have just looked at the Universal website and price varies between $15 to $40 per person for a fast pass depending on the time oy year.
We are going in august and i checked the dates out for a fast pass and the price was $35 between the 6th and 19th but only $20 between the 20th and 26th August so i have changed our holiday planner now and will visit the universal parks between the 20th and 26th.
So working it our if you buy a 5 day flex ticket and a fast pass for your 2 visits to Universal it works out at approx £38 per person to be guaranteed a go on all the rides without queuing for over an hour on most rides.
Plus leaving you plenty of time to enjoy the rest of the park and not having to rush around collecting fast passes every 2 hours and later in the day there being no passes left for the popular rides.
Also universal on there site say they only issue a set amount each day but you can order them online.
Russell
I have had a look at this and can't seem to find any dates in July[msnscared] Am I blind or isn't there any for this perticular month?
Here you go Vickyhttp://secure.universalstudios.com/webstore/shop/ticket-selection.aspx?Merchant=UOMainOnline&SalesCategoryGroup=UOUK&SalesCategory=UK1ParkUEPLive
It is $40 26th June - 5th August[msnsad]
Thanbks for that ( I think[msnsad]) there are 7 of us, so that is an extra $280 on top[msnmad][msnscared][msncry]
Unfortunately there is state tax to pay on top of the $40 per person also!:(
Carolyn
[:O][V][gun] $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
chrizzy100
25-05-2006, 17:14
I go to the parks about 15 times a year...never had a fast pass yet....and never waited that long for any ride...45 mins being the longest...we go to both parks in one day...$71 if we need to buy a ticket...(we have yearly passes)..and upgrade for $31 for 3 more days....which can be used anytime...offers change all the time so its not easy to say what to do...
How would this work work if you have the flexi tickets like we do?
Do you still have to pay seperatly and where would that be?
Thanx
Pegasus928
30-05-2006, 04:59
When we went there were certainly some occassions when the fast pass queue was just as long as the standard queue. The only difference seemd to be that they would let twice as many fast passers through at a time so it seemd as though they were getting value for money.
Ditch the whole system I say and just turn up and take your turn like everyone else.
glasgowmary
31-05-2006, 02:30
we went for new year this year having been before at easter, june july , september, october and found we could not believe the size of the queues [msnscared] but even then we found we didn' t wait too long really just longer than we had before . went on the mummy and decided to go for a beer as my nephew was driving that day , they all decided as we came off the mummy that they would like to do it again and by the time we ordered a beer and sat down they were back!! ( this was our first visit since there were no fastpasses )
have asos found the queues in july fine , enjoy!![msnsmile
forgot to say we do all the " big " rides , hulk , duelling dragons
etc
CERICROWLEY
31-05-2006, 02:51
We went to Universal yesterday, Thought as it was Memorial Day that it would be very busy, so we enquired about the express pass. It would have cost us $112 for the four of us for both parks. As you can only use the express once on each ride. We decided to see how it went in the park first, as you can still purchase the pass in the park.
We arrived early, so was able to get on Hulk twice in 15 minutes, and did most of the rides that have fairly big queues early. If you don't want to spend the money on the express pass, then you need to plan your day, and most importantly get there early.
Islands of Adventure was pretty good for queueing times, maximum wait was 40 mins, Duelling dragons is up and running again, they have added a section of track, revamped the seats and repainted it. What is closed now is Green eggs and Ham in Dr Zeus area. They are adding in new tracks on the monorail around the carousel area.
Moving on to Universal. the wait for Mummy was 10 mins and that was at 2.00pm, although the wait for Shrek 4D was 60 mins, so we gave that a miss that day. We thought the express pass for that day, was not really worth it. Sometimes it might be if the queues are really long on most of the rides, it might be worth it.
freddiehollie
17-06-2006, 00:40
I won't ever pay for the Express Pass if its busy i would walk on by. I suppose this is where Disney are kings (at least at the moment)with the Fast Pass system. No ride is worth standing in line for over an hour for, when there is so much else to do. [msnsmile2] and to charge you to get on quicker is a disgrace:(:(:(PUT IT RIGHT UNIVERSAL Don't be so greedy.
pieman790
17-06-2006, 02:00
On the day we went to Universal four of the big ride broke down and we had to wait over 1 hour to get on one ride instead of the 20 min sugested time. We went to guest services and complained and got some fast passes for our next visit. We walked to the front of the queue on most of the rides and the longest we had to wait was 5 mins. They wanted $20 each in May when we were there. On one hand the fast passes could save you almost a day's visit to the parks as you would not have to queue for the rides. Can confirm that you can only use the fast once per ride.
I wish I'd seen this thread before I went (got back on saturday). We we going to have a non park holiday this time, but the 2Day/2Park (but valid for 7 days) tickets was such good value that we bought them.
The plan was that we would mainly laze by the pool all day, but vist the parks for a couple of hours either in the early morning or late evening.
I was very dissapointed to see that the express ticket system had gone as it meant we were queuing for most of the time there.
I've always thought that the old express system was great from a marketing perspective as all the time you are in Queues you are not spending, best to keep you in a virtual queue, then let you wander around the park shops and resturants in the free time.
I guess selling you the option of getting to the front of the queue makes more money.
I think they are disgusting- 'we are letting too many people in the park, so have devised a first and second class system -thosewho can afford to bribe us will get on the rides -those who can't can stand in long queues and watch the rich go before them' :D
If you work out the cost of the ticket against the number of rides -you probably would find that you can do all the rides at the same cost per ride with a fastpass, or some of the rides on ordinary ticket -but if we all boycott them............?
DawnSwift
26-06-2007, 21:02
Hi
If anyone goes a lot it might be worth looking into their new preminm annual ticket which gives you express pass entry to rides every night after 4 pm.(may not do it at peak times I can't remember).
You can get more details by going to the universal site and looking at their annual passes I think its about $100 more than their normal annual pass.
Best wishes
Dawn
Hi
Just got back from Orlando and had a terrible time in Universal!! The fast pass express system is now $50 per person per day we had a party of 9 which would have cost $450 extra just for one day. We queued instead on the river falls ride the line said 60 minutes after we waited 45 mins the line went up to 110 mins on top of our 45 mins, people were walking off the ride. The time gets greater when all the fast pass tickets arrive so you are pushed further back. I complained vigorously and was given 27 fast pass tickets to use at our discression on that day. Shoulndt have had to complain!!!!!!!!!! Will not do Universal/Islands again until they change their system
steph_goodrum
08-01-2008, 23:53
"fast pass express system is now $50 per person per day
Brent have they changed the pricing structure now? They were charging differing amounts for days depending on what they considered peak?