Is It Worth $100 to Skip the Longest Orlando Theme Park Lines?

Universal Orlando is a popular destination for adrenaline seekers and those with a penchant for thrill rides.

Boasting two separate parks (plus another on the way), Universal and Islands of Adventure are home to iconic attractions such as Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, VelociCoaster, and the most terrifying of all — The Cat in the Hat. ?

And just like Disney, Universal also offers guests the opportunity to bypass standby lines — though the two programs are NOT created equally. Universal’s Express Pass will cost you a pretty penny, so we wanted to know: Is it really worth $100 to skip the lines at Universal Orlando?

In order to fully determine whether or not the Universal Express Pass is worth the cost, first we’ll need to go over the basics.

Universal’s Express Pass

The Universal Express Pass starts at $80 per person, per day. This allows guests to skip the regular lines one time per participating rides at both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. The Universal Express Pass Unlimited starts at $110 per person, per day, and allows guests to skip the lines at participating rides an unlimited number of times.

Unlike Disney Genie+, guests do not need a reservation to come back and skip the line — instead, they simply show up at the attraction they want to ride and scan their pass to enter the Express Lane.

Express Passes can be purchased the day of your visit to the parks, but they have been known to sell out so purchasing in advance is recommended, and it’s important to note that not all attractions are included with Express Pass (like Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure and VelociCoaster), though this could change in the future.

However, Express Pass Unlimited is included with valid park admission for guests staying at Universal Premier Hotels. These are Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, and the Hard Rock Hotel.

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The Experiment

To truly find out whether or not the Express Pass is worth $100, we had to do an experiment. We decided to see just how much time the Express Pass saved versus waiting in the regular lines on 18 different attractions in Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.

As you might have guessed, the Express Pass absolutely saved us quite a bit of time. When we rode all 18 attractions using the standby line, our total time spent in line was 197 minutes — that’s just over THREE total hours spent in line. Think of all the time we could have saved!

And save time, we did. We repeated the experiment at the same 18 attractions, and wouldn’t you know it, we were done in a grand total of just 56 minutes — more than two hours LESS than the time we spent waiting in regular lines.

Essentially, we could have gone back and experienced all 18 attractions two more times each in the time it took us to ride them without Express Pass.

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Is It Worth It?

That entirely depends on how you value your time! Less time in line means more time to do other activities like having a meal, catching some entertainment, and even experiencing more attractions. Since Universal Orlando is such an attraction-heavy park, it would make sense for the average thrill-seeker to shell out more money to ensure a ride.

If you’re not looking to ride every single attraction (or even most) available with the Universal Express Pass, it might not be worth the extra dough — and it certainly wouldn’t be worth it if you don’t like rides at all. It may sound pricey compared to the cost of Disney Genie+ (which is $15 per person, per day), but when you consider the virtual guarantee of experiencing all participating attractions, that price might not sound so bad.

And although Universal Premier Hotels are the most expensive of the resorts they offer, if you’re planning on staying on property anyway, consider booking at a Premier Hotel for the Universal Express Pass Unlimited.

Comparing Disney Genie+ to Universal’s Express Pass

At the end of the day, though, only you can truly decide whether or not the Universal Express Pass is worth it for you. With prices ranging from $79 to upwards of $109, the cost can add up quickly – especially if you’re traveling with multiple people in your party. Consider what your time is worth to you and if you’re truly an adrenaline junkie who can’t get their fill – the Universal Unlimited Express Pass will let you Rip, Ride, and Rock It to your heart’s content. 

 

Have you used the Universal Express Pass before? Let us know in the comments!