express pass?

[lizziejayne]

is it worth buying the express pass for universal studios? there are 5 of us going on 26 aug until 9 sept will it be busy?

[sammibabe]

We went 22/8 - 12/9 last year. Everywhere was very quiet. We have photos in the parks with no people in them, or just our kids. So quiet we are going to go that time of year next time we go (not til 2011[msncry]) Personally wouldn't bother.

[steph_goodrum]

Labor day weekedn will most likely be busy at the beginning of Sept. Personally I would not buy them on pirncipal. They charge enough for entry and if I found that I couldnt get on the rides within a reasonable length of time i would be visiting Guest services to tell them. It's just a way of cramming as many people in as possible rather than have the park capacity such that people can go on the rides.

[sammibabe]

Received the photo book back I have just done of our holiday and we have a fab pic of Cinderellas Castle and the statue of Walt with Mickey in front. There are only 2 people in this pic off to the left. I also agree with Steph about the principal. It also gets more expensive the busier the park is, it's not a standard charge day in day out

[another]

We were there late August/September last year. When we went to Universal it was so quiet we did rides as many times as we wanted! We did IOA as well same day. We missed 2 rides but that was because it was so hot we decided to go back to the villa to cool down in the pool. Personally we would never buy Express Passes either, but I would have been very annoyed if I had bought them as they were not needed at all and the price I heard the sellers asking was huge on top of the ticket cost!

Labor day is 7th September this year (first Monday in September).

[Susan J]

PLEASE do not buy those Fast passes -we all need to boycott them so they stop the system- Steph put it very well above- it is a disgrace.

[sammibabe]

When they first introduced the system it was free so it does look like Universal just saw it as a way to make some extra money from us. Whilst I like to think that we could all boycott it and that would sort it I think there will always be people that will pay. Personally have never paid to use it although they did give us a family one to use the following day after complaining about the inaccurate wait time information and soft icecream[msnwink]

[clairemca]

Everyone has a different opinion on this and mine is if the park's are really busy then I would buy them.

We are just back and had express passes and I really think they are worth the money. The queue's for some of the rides were really long - Hulk 70 mins, Spiderman and Simpson 45 mins. I have a 6 year old and it is just not fair to expect him to queue that long for a ride, he gets bored and tired very easy and then does not want to go on any of the rides.

We were able to get on all the rides we wanted in Universal compared to Disney. I wish Disney done them too!

[freddiehollie]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:[i]
We were able to get on all the rides we wanted in Universal compared to Disney. I wish Disney done them too!
[/quote]

Disneys system is "FAR" superior, (at the moment).The Universal system is just like a class system for those that have and those that have not.
The park tickets are not cheap so why should you pay more for what you have already paid for? Tickets to get into a park to go on the rides!!!
If people suggest Disney charge for Fast Passes they just might.
I spend about $1800 for Premium Annual Passes why should I then have to pay more to que jump? If its to busy walk past or get a Fast Pass.
Thats a far fairer system.[msnsmile2] No system is going to be without its problems, but when Universal first introduced their Fast Pass system it was "Free" so the greed factor set in when they realised they could charge people more, but make it look like the park tickets are cheap. As we all know they always claim how much cheaper they are compared to Disney.
Then try to sting us for "extras"[V]

[clairemca]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by freddiehollie
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:[i]
We were able to get on all the rides we wanted in Universal compared to Disney. I wish Disney done them too!
[/quote]

Disneys system is "FAR" superior, (at the moment).The Universal system is just like a class system for those that have and those that have not.
The park tickets are not cheap so why should you pay more for what you have already paid for? Tickets to get into a park to go on the rides!!!
If people suggest Disney charge for Fast Passes they just might.
I spend about $1800 for Premium Annual Passes why should I then have to pay more to que jump? If its to busy walk past or get a Fast Pass.
Thats a far fairer system.[msnsmile2] No system is going to be without its problems, but when Universal first introduced their Fast Pass system it was "Free" so the greed factor set in when they realised they could charge people more, but make it look like the park tickets are cheap. As we all know they always claim how much cheaper they are compared to Disney.
Then try to sting us for "extras"[V]
[/quote]

I don't think Disney's system is far superior, you have to walk halfway around the park to get the fastpass you want and then have to walk back again when it's your time, which when you have a child they get tired doing. Also if you don't go to the parks till later in the afternoon all the fast passes are gone. I queued for 70 mins for Soarin as all the fast passes were gone while the rest of my family walkedt around the park.

I save all year for my holiday and can only go in July because of school holidays and don't want to spend my time standing in queues so the express pass works for me.

[steph_goodrum]

We always work out which fast passes we want and send one person over to get them. There is so much info available before you go that its easy to make a plan as to any must dos. After that any other rides are a bonus.

[sammibabe]

As a park I think Disney do it much better and the whole overall experiance is better. I think they also treat their guests in a much nicer, frindlier way. The Express pass is just another way which shows how Universal is the poor relation in customer service.

[Albert the Frog]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by sammibabe
As a park I think Disney do it much better and the whole overall experiance is better. I think they also treat their guests in a much nicer, frindlier way. The Express pass is just another way which shows how Universal is the poor relation in customer service.
[/quote]
i have never found universal lacking in customer service-it's just that they are geared to a different type of customer-disney warm and homely;universal "hip" and trendy-but at the end of the day they are all in it to maximize the dollar spend from the tourist and in their own way disney are absolute experts at it --and good luck to them-i go to orlando expecting that it will cost me x pounds and thats what i spend and never begrudge a penny of it!

[steph_goodrum]

i go to orlando expecting that it will cost me x pounds and thats what i spend and never begrudge a penny of it!

That's where we get frustrated Albert because with Disney you know what it will cost, with Universal, if you arent aware of it before youu go and then suddenly get expected to pay an extra amount per person per day (up to $50/$60) to be able to go on the rides in a reasonable time, on top of what you have already paid is unfair to people who save for what they think they need and then feel thye are being disadvantaged if they can't do it.

[Tonish]

The express plus passes are great if the park is busy. Well worth taking, they make the day much more enjoyable, less stressful. Generally, if you're going early in the morning, Universal is not too busy and you can get away without them. But on a busy day or mid afternoon almost any day, I wouldn't be without them.

But they are expensive and it can sometimes feel a bit like driving a range rover past environmental protesters - you can feel the disapproval from the crowds who have just been queuing for an hour. I smile cheerfully and go past quick.

[FraserLynn]

We brought the express passes last trip and they were great. You go where you want when you want. I have to say I have no qualms at all about using them - you pay your money you take your choice! It is no different to me than flying business class.

[ShirleyD]

I am tempted for next week, but at $40 each(X6)for the days we are going, don't think we will [msnsad]