One Day - September - Express Pass

[TheJRock300]

My wife and I have ONE day to see both IOA and USF during what everyone says is a slow period. The week of 9/23. We will be going one of the weekdays. Not sure which one.

We want to see as much as possible and hopefully get on everything.

We are not against getting the express pass if we must, but every place I look people say its only worthwhile if it is a busier time. People say sometimes they waited longer on the express line. I also don't want to wait to buy the express pass as I read it could get more expensive as time goes on.

Do you think it is necessary to get on all the big rides? We plan on going from rope drop til closing.

Thanks in advance

 

[hhoope01]

That is a fairly slow time of the year. So you are probably safe by not pre-buying an EP. I'd suggest not worrying about it and if you get there and somehow it turns out to be very crowded you can purchase EPs then (but I'm guessing you wont' have to.) I really doubt you will need it and while it may be possible Universal will raise their EP prices, I'm guessing it won't be by more than $10 or $15/pass at most. So not a big risk by not pre-buying.

With that said, I usually go the week before you (for my birthday). And while it is considered to be one of the 2 slowest weeks of the year, I still like to have EP. And my personal experience is that it is rare that the EP line is longer than the regular line.

 

[macraven]

Since your day/ time period will be when hhn is happening, suggest you do the parks Monday the 24th or Tuesday the 25th

Should be less crowds
Wait until you are there to decide on the purchase of the ep

The studios close to the public at 5:00 on dates hhn is open
IOA stays open on hhn event dates

Not sure if Wednesday the 26th will have hhn as dates have not been released yet

You should be fine hitting the rides for both parks
Be at the park entrance early so you can enter at 9:00

One of the parks will open at 8:00 for hotel guests so you will see peeps in the park already

You can use the Hogwarts train to travel from one park to another
If the wait will be 15 minutes, walk to the park
Would take less than ten minutes

Enjoy your day at the darkside!

May 21 notes:
Came back to edit since HHN dates are released.
Sept 23 a Sunday it will be held and then the next night it is back on is Sept 28

Pick any day that works for you.

 

[M0therfletcher]

Weds. should be the best day that week for both parks. We are spending the whole week there and the undercovertourist.com says Weds. is the best.

 

[schumigirl]

My wife and I have ONE day to see both IOA and USF during what everyone says is a slow period. The week of 9/23. We will be going one of the weekdays. Not sure which one.

We want to see as much as possible and hopefully get on everything.

We are not against getting the express pass if we must, but every place I look people say its only worthwhile if it is a busier time. People say sometimes they waited longer on the express line. I also don't want to wait to buy the express pass as I read it could get more expensive as time goes on.

Do you think it is necessary to get on all the big rides? We plan on going from rope drop til closing.

Thanks in advance

In all our visits we have never seen the EP line longer than the regular line.

We are there in September for around 3 weeks every year and yes, it’s considered a quieter time but, some days can be busier than others........but I still wouldn’t be without EP ever. Some lines are just long so EP is always appreciated. We just hate queing though, some folks find queuing is fine for them........

But, genuinely don’t buy it ahead of time.........it would be a waste if you didn’t need it.........especially if you are going to be there all day......

 

[TheJRock300]

Is a good plan to not get EP but buy a 1 park ticket for USF (USF is the one we're most interested in seeing. To us, the only things for IOA are hulk and forbidden journey) and then if we notice we got through USF fairly quick, the we upgrade to the park to park ticket? Also, do they still offer EP at a discount after 4? Oh btw we are going Tuesday.

 

[skylock]

If you are going one day only and
"We want to see as much as possible and hopefully get on everything" = you need the express pass.

If you had 2 or more days, I would agree not needed, but one day. you will need it to do what you plan.

I would really like to know where the OP got this express pass information. I have not found it to be true.

My general rule of thumb is express pass will be 25% or less of standby time. Standby line 60 min, express line 15 min or less. Standby line 30 min, express pass line will be maybe 5 no more than 10.

Those extra minutes saved really add up when you are trying to do both parks in one day.

Those extra minutes will also let you go at a more leisurely pace. Stop and smell the roses so to speak.

Also, if you really like a particular ride, you can ride it over again easily.

The express pass for your dates should be around $110 pp on top of the admission ticket price. You can wait to buy it in the park. At that time of the year I really doubt it will go up and there is no advantage to getting it early except you will not have to stop and get it.

I know a lot of people balk at having to pay for the shorter lines, but honestly, and speaking from someone who has never minded line waits, Express pass makes a visit so much more enjoyable. I am less tired, I can ride the things I really like bunches of times, I have extra time for a nice long meal/break. I can get thru the park having done everything I want early.

Low crowds plus the express pass is a winner.

The EP after 4 is no longer an option unless you have the top end Annual Pass.

If you go the one park route, you could still get the express pass for that one park only which will be cheaper. I think around $80 per person, then if you do decide to upgrade to go to the other park but only want to do those 2 rides, you should be fine without the EP for that park because of all the extra time you would have saved by having EP in the first park.

I would not skip anything, except the water rides. Even the supposedly kiddy rides can be a hoot.

 

[TheJRock300]

Thank you all for your opinion.


Is the line at guest services always long to upgrade the ticket? if - say at 2pm we are done with USF and want to upgrade to 2 park

 

[skylock]

You can upgrade at the train station. Lines should be short by 2pm.