Is Universal Express Pass Worth It? (Here’s Proof!)

I get it…there are so many expenses when planning the perfect theme park vacation and you’re left wondering, “Is Universal Express Pass worth it?”

In this article, we’ll take a detailed look at whether or not Universal Express Pass is worth it by considering what exactly Universal Express is, how much it costs, and what rides qualify for this perk.

We’ll also show you a real-life graph of our exact wait times, as well as show you how much time we saved by using Universal Express.

Finally, we’ll answer the age-old question of whether or not we think Universal Express Pass is worth it!

This is an article you don’t want to miss!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that we may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. For more info, see disclosure.

What is Universal Express?

Universal Express is a Universal Theme Park Ticket add-on that lets you skip the standby line on most (but not all) Universal Orlando attractions and use a specially marked “Universal Express” line.

In other words, each member of your party has to purchase both a theme park ticket AND an Express Pass add-on if they want to have access to the shorter Universal Express lines.

Express passes are date specific and last for the entire day from park open to park close.

Here’s how it works: When arriving at the ride entrance, each ride has two line queues: 1 regular line (for general ticket holders), and 1 Universal Express line (for those guests who possess Express passes).

You MUST show physical proof of an Express Pass in order to be let into the Universal Express line.

Because not all visitors purchase or have access to Universal Express, purchasing the Universal Express option can drastically reduce the amount of time you spend waiting in line – as the Universal Express lines are typically much, much shorter than the regular lines.

…Less time spent standing in line means that you’ll have more time to ride more rides.

There are the 3 types of Universal Express passes that can be purchased:

• Universal Express: Skip the regular lines one time per participating rides at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure (starting at $89.99/person).
• Universal Express Unlimited: Skip the regular lines an unlimited number of times at participating rides at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure (starting at $99.99/person).
• Volcano Bay Express: Skip the virtual line one time per participating rides at Volcano Bay waterpark (starting at $19.99/person).

Before we move on, let me mention that Universal Express Unlimited is free when you stay at a Universal Premier category hotel – more on that coming up!

*This article specifically relates to the Universal Express option at Universal Orlando. Universal Studios Hollywood has a similar Universal Express option that you can learn about here.

More About Universal Express Price

As mentioned, Universal Express is a park ticket add-on.

This means that each person wanting Express Pass benefits must first purchase a Universal park ticket as well as the Universal Express add-on. (Cost of park ticket + Cost of Universal Express Pass = Total price.)

The actual price of Universal Express will depend on the season and how busy the parks are expected to be, and will also depend on the actual day of the week.

It tends to be slightly more expensive on the weekends and slightly cheaper during the week.

Universal Express:

• Starting at $89.99 and as high as $349.99 (per person, +tax)
• Bypass the regular line one time per participating rides at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure
• Can be purchased online, in-park at the front gates of either theme park, or at select merchandise locations throughout both parks (as pictured above)

Universal Express Unlimited:

• Starting at $99.99 and as high as $379.99 (per person, +tax)
• Bypass the regular lines an unlimited number of times per participating rides at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure
• Can be purchased online and in-park at the front gates of either theme park, or at select merchandise locations throughout both parks
• Included when you stay at a Universal Premier category hotel

Volcano Bay Express:

• Starting at $19.99 and as high as $149.99 (per person, +tax)
• Bypass the virtual line one time per participating rides at Volcano Bay

Real-life example: With Universal theme park tickets ranging in cost from $109 (1-park-1 day) to $164 (2-park-1 day) plus tax per person, adding on an Express Pass Unlimited to a 2-park ticket, for instance, brings the total cost per person to $254 + tax PER PERSON!

Hotels Offering Free Universal Express Unlimited

As was mentioned above, Universal Orlando has three stunning on-site Universal Premier category hotels that offer complimentary Universal Express Unlimited passes for each registered guest.

(Passes are included with your hotel stay at a value of $129/person).

If you’re seriously considering the option of adding Universal Express, I highly recommend that you consider booking a room at a Universal Premier category hotel, instead of purchasing an Express Pass on its own.

In this situation, your room key doubles as the Express Pass that you must show to get on rides.

The hotels that offer free Universal Express Unlimited passes are Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Hard Rock Hotel, and Loews Portofino Bay Hotel.

It’s worth noting that when you stay on-site at Universal’s Royal Pacific, Hard Rock, or Portofino Bay, you receive complimentary unlimited Express Pass access and Early Park Admission on both your check-in and check-out days as well.

In other words, when booking a two-night stay you get Express access for three full days at the theme parks (check-in day, the day mid-stay, and check-out day).

This is a huge deal if you truly factor in the cost of purchasing daily Universal Express passes vs. the nightly cost of Premier hotels.

Check out these amazing hotels that offer Universal Express Unlimited included in your stay!

• Loews Royal Pacific Resort (Book directly on Booking.com )
• Hard Rock Hotel (Book directly on Booking.com )
• Loews Portofino Bay Hotel (Book directly on Booking.com )

**Click here for our complete review and a detailed look at our stay at Loews Royal Pacific Universal Orlando from which we obtained 5 Univeral Express Unlimited passes!

Universal Express Pass Rides

When considering if Universal Express Pass is worth it, the first thing to note is that not all rides and attractions accept Express Pass.

This means that it is inevitable that at some rides and attractions, you will have to wait in the regular (typically longer) line no matter what.

Here is a list of the rides and attractions at both Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure that participate in the Express Pass system.

It is only at these rides that you’ll be able to enter a separate, quicker, Express Pass queue and skip the regular line if you have Express Pass privileges.

Please note that Universal always makes a point to mention that participating rides are subject to change without notice.

Universal Studios Florida Express Pass

• 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’ Hurl
• Revenge of the Mummy
• E.T. Adventure
• Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster

As you can see, most of the best rides at Universal Studios accept Express Passes.

Notably missing from the list, however, are Fievel’s Playland and the shows The Bourne Stuntacular, Fear Factor Live, Horror & Make-Up Show, and Animal Actors on Location.

In other words, there is not an Express Pass line for preferred seating or to enter these theaters before general admission.

All guests use the same line.

Universal’s Islands Of Adventure Express Pass

• 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 Fearful
• 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

Most notably missing from this list are two of the best rides at Islands of Adventure, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, and the new Jurassic World VelociCoaster.

Due to their immense popularity, it’s fair game for all looking to ride Hagrid’s and VelociCoaster.

Your best bet for getting on Hagrid’s is to book a line reservation time via Universal’s Virtual Line Experience system, and as for Jurassic World VelociCoaster – expect a 2-hour wait minimum beginning immediately upon park opening.

The other attraction at Universal’s Islands of Adventure that does not participate in Express Pass is Pteranodon Flyers.

Universal Express Wait Times

Here is a breakdown of the posted wait times at Universal’s most popular rides.

We kept track of them during our visit which landed on a Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday during the month of March.

In monitoring the app, these wait times were consistent at all times throughout the day (minus the first hour after park opening when all lines are fairly short).

In addition, we have included the time we actually spent waiting in line upon using our Universal Express Passes to enter through the Express Pass queue.

As you can see, the time savings is huge.

Ride	Posted Wait Time	Express Pass Wait Time
Fast & Furious	55-90 minutes	5 minutes
Skull Island (Kong)	60-110 min.	8 min.
Escape from Gringotts	70-120 min.	9 min.
Simpsons	90-120 min.	12 min.
Mummy	45-60 min.	5 min.
Jurassic Park River Adventure	60-130 min.	9 min.
Rip Ride Rocket	55-125 min.	5 min.
Forbidden Journey	60-120 min.	10 min.
ET	40-85 min.	5 min.
Spiderman	40-75 min.	6 min.
Despicable Me	80-120 min.	15 min.

As you can see, we never waited for more than 15 minutes to board a ride when using Express Pass.

In fact, we most commonly waited only 5 minutes to board a ride despite the parks being extremely busy (Spring Break week).

Is Universal Express Pass Worth It?

In our firm opinion, Universal Express Pass is worth it.

We feel that the additional cost associated with Express Pass abundantly covers the time saved from having to stand in long lines.

Not only did these short wait times allow us to maximize both our Universal Studios touring plan and Islands of Adventure 1-day itinerary, but it meant that we never got crabby or restless while having to wait in long lines.

Express Pass also allows you to be able to ride your favorite rides multiple times with little to no wait in a fraction of the time if being done without Express access.

In order to make this happen, our top suggestion is to sacrifice by paying a higher room rate at a Universal Premier hotel, in order to have Express Passes included with your stay.

When visiting Universal Orlando, we personally, will always choose to stay at a Premier hotel to take advantage of this amazing perk – and would never visit Universal without Unlimited Express Unlimited.

What’s the Alternative?

If you and anyone else you may be traveling with don’t mind riding alone, Single Riders lines are a great way to cut the wait times if Universal Express is absolutely not an option.

There is a good chance your wait will be even less than the Universal Express line.

However, do be aware that by opting for the Single Rider Line, you will miss out on some of the fun queue experiences at Universal Orlando – as the lines bypass some parts of the queue.

Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, for instance, both have fascinating general wait lines and the queues really add to the excitement of the ride itself.

The Single Rider line is available at these Universal Studios ride entrances:

• Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts
• Revenge of the Mummy
• Men in Black: Alien Attack
• Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
• Transformers: The Ride 3-D
• Fast & Furious – Supercharged

The Single Rider line is available at these Islands of Adventure ride entrances:

• Jurassic World VelociCoaster
• Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
• Dr. Doom’s Fearfall
• The Incredible Hulk Coaster
• Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
• Skull Island: Reign of Kong

Single Rider is based on availability at select attractions and is subject to change without notice.

After reading our article, do you think you’ll get Universal Express Passes for your visit? Let me know in the comments if you plan to pay per ticket, or to stay at a Universal Premier hotel?

Jen

If you liked reading about Universal Express Pass, continue planning your Universal Orlando vacation here:

Universal Orlando Touring Plans:

• Universal Studios Touring Plan: 1-Day Itinerary
• Islands of Adventure Touring Plan: Complete 1-Day Itinerary

Universal Orlando Tips:

• 45 Tips for your First-Time Visit to Universal Orlando
• What to Bring to Universal Studios (+Day Bag Tips)
• 9 Big Differences Between Disney World and Universal Studios
• A Complete Guide to the Lockers at Universal Orlando
• 7 Best Restaurants at Universal Citywalk Orlando

Universal Orlando Rides:

• Top 7 Best Rides at Islands of Adventure
• Top 7 Best Rides at Universal Studios Florida

*Before leaving, be sure to check our Travel Resources Page to find exclusive travel discounts and to book hotels, rental cars, and guided tours.*