Is Universal Express Pass Worth It? | Pros & Cons At Every Park!
While Universal Express Pass allows you to skip the normal lines at attractions and shows at Universal theme parks, the massive price tag is often hard to digest.
Our Universal Express Pass Guide is here to help make that buying decision easier, by laying out the pros and cons of having Universal Express Pass at every Universal theme park, as well as our verdict on if it's worth purchasing.
Topics We'll Cover About Universal Express Pass:
- Express Pass at Universal Studios Florida
- Pros & Cons
- Is Universal Express Pass Worth It?
- Express Pass at Islands of Adventure
- Pros & Cons
- Is Universal Express Pass Worth It?
- Express Pass at Universal Studios Hollywood
- Pros & Cons
- Is Universal Express Pass Worth It?
Express Pass at Universal Studios Florida
Pros & Cons
PRO: Express Pass is available for all of the most popular rides (unlike at Islands of Adventure), so you’ll get your money's worth at Universal Studios Florida.
PRO: In our experience using Express Pass at Universal Studios Florida, wait times are a fraction of the general standby line adding to its value.
CON: Wait times are pretty low in the early mornings and late evenings, with Escape From Gringotts and other of the more popular rides sometimes having waits of less than 30 minutes.
CON: Express Pass is incredibly expensive, often costing more than an admission ticket into the park
PRO & CON: You’ll make it through the entire park relatively quickly and may find yourself with an open schedule for most of the afternoon and evening. If there are other things you want to do in the evening then great, but if you were hoping for a full day at the park then you might find yourself heading back to the hotel early.
Is Universal Express Pass Worth It At Universal Studios Florida?
If you’ll be visiting on a weekend or around the holidays Universal Express has a lot of value at Universal Studios Florida for the amount of waiting in line it’ll save you.
However, if you’re visiting on a weekday, especially away from peak travel times, then Express loses a lot of value. If you’re willing to wake up early or stay late, you’ll likely be able to experience every attraction without massive wait times at Universal Studios Florida with ease.
Except for the busiest times of the year like holidays, spring break, and summer travel season, we typically pass on recommending Express Pass at Universal Studios Florida.
Express Pass at Islands of Adventure
Pros & Cons
PRO: Islands of Adventure has tons of extremely popular rides that see wait times of over an hour even during weekdays and the slow season, so Express Pass will help cut down these waits.
PRO: Adding to the point above, in our experience using Express Pass at Islands of Adventure, wait times are a fraction of the general standby line adding to its value.
PRO: There's a lot to explore at Islands of Adventure, especially Hogsmeade, so having that extra time to explore the park and have a good meal somewhere is very nice to have.
CON: Express Pass is not available at one of the most popular rides, Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure.
CON: Express Pass is incredibly expensive, often costing more than an admission ticket into Islands of Adventure.
CON: Harry Potter and The Forbidden Journey has one of the best-designed and themed queues of any attraction you'll find. It's a great way to experience the magic of Hogwarts, but you'll bypass most of this experience with Express Pass. You can however always ask the ride attendants at the front of the ride to do a "tour of Hogwarts" if you want to just take photos and see the queue.
Is Universal Express Pass Worth It At Islands of Adventure?
More often than not we recommend an Express Pass at Islands of Adventure, especially during the busier times of year.
No matter what you're going to need to wait in line for Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure which will cost you a chunk of time, so being able to zoom through the lines at all of the other rides will be extra helpful.
If you can stomach the hefty fee for Express Pass at Islands of Adventure, then we usually recommend going for it!
Express Pass at Universal Studios Hollywood
Pros & Cons
PRO: Often cuts wait times by 80-90% leaving more time to explore the iconic Hogsmeade, Super Nintendo World lands, and experience Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge which doesn't have an Express Pass line.
CON: Express Pass is extremely expensive, with prices sometimes getting as high as double the cost of an admission ticket into the park.
CON: Express Pass is unavailable at one of the most popular rides at Universal Studios Hollywood, Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge.
Is Universal Express Pass Worth It At Universal Studios Hollywood?
If your visit to Universal Studios Hollywood is a once-in-a-lifetime occasion or something you don’t expect to do again for many years, then Express Pass is likely worth the cost.
This is especially true if you’ll only be visiting the park for one day and need to squeeze in as much as you can in one day. Express Pass is going to make this significantly easier to accomplish.
If you're visiting Universal Studios Hollywood for more than one day, or plan to visit again shortly then you should have minimal issues experiencing every attraction even without Express Pass!
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