Question about FOTL

[JoeRockUSA]

I understand that the procedure for FOTL is that you now go to the express line with your room key.
Does that mean that you go past all the people on that line and just go to the front and show your key as many times as you want to ride?
Isnt that like running a Gauntlet? Has anyone had a person on line get upset by this?

 

[Beckles]

You go to the Express Line and wait in that line, you don't go in front of the persons in the Express Line.

 

[robvia]

I sent US/IOA a message last week (June 20th) complaining about the changes.
A week later they responded with this.

Thank you for visiting Universal Orlando Online.

We appreciate you taking the time to share your comments with us. All hotel
guests will be able to show their room key at each attraction and they will
be directed to the Express line. Hotel guests will still enjoy the many
privileges offered while staying in one of our fine hotels.

Please keep watching us here at http://www.universalorlando.com, as we will
have many exciting and new developments in the next few months.

Best Regards,

Darlene F.
Guest Services
--------------------------------------
So now we know it takes them 1 week to respond to feedback. But that didn't answer much.

Believe it or not, I'm still confused. Does that mean 1 Express per ride per day, and then they have to use the Kiosk machines?
Or does it mean they get Unlimited Express passes and never have to use the Kiosk machines?
What is the card reader for at the entrance to each ride for?
Is July 1st the date of the changes?

I guess we'll wait and see.

 

[JoeRockUSA]

Beckles,
Don't the express lines have certain times you may ride?
So if you go at the end of the line, does that mean you have to wait till certain times to ride?
If the key is supposed to let you ride unlimited could you please explain it to me once more?
I dont understand the benefits of FOTL anymore!
Thanks

 

[The Hunt]

This seems to be the current practice:

If you are a resort guest, you may use your room key to enter the Express line at any time during the day. You wait in that line, if there is a line--you do not get ahead of people with express passes.

Right now, you may use this method all day, and as many times as you want, including repeated times on the same attraction.

Apparently, the plan is to change this so you will be able to do this only once per day, per attraction. It will still be all day, any time, but only once per attraction. No one seems to be sure when this change will occur, but it seems most likely that it will not be before the fall.

 

[Beckles]

First, it's not called FOTL anymore, which is part of your confusion it sounds like. It's Priority Access or something like that.

Anyway, basically your room key is like an Express Pass for any ride you want at any time you want. You just get in any Express Line whenever you want by showing your key. Eventually you will only be allowed to do this once per day per attraction, so you can still do it for every single ride at both parks, but only once each day for each ride.

 

[travelbug24]

I received the e-mail (verbatim) as robvia. I understood it to read exactly as The Hunt explained it. An explanation well put.

 

[antmaril]

We just got back yesterday. We stayed at the HRH and we LOVED being able to go into the Express line with our room key. It worked beautifully. It isn't really front of the line, but most of the time there was no one in front of us. We waited five minutes once for MIB, but other than that, we would literally walk onto the rides. It was fabulous. As I said, it isn't technically FOTL, but it worked that way for us.

 

[Amy]

We got back yesterday, too (stayed at HRH), and FOTL rocks!!! We just showed our room key and got right into the express line. We did MIB 4 times in a row, just got off, went thru the line again and got back on. One thing I noticed about Universal Express, even though we didn't need it: At WDW, there are overhead signs telling you what time the Fastpass is good for, so you can decide if that time fits your schedule; at USF/IOA, there were no signs, and nothing on their express machines, either. Apparently, you don't know what time your Express pass is until you actually insert your admission ticket and get the express pass. I'm not sure I'd like that if I were staying off-site. Also, did you notice that a lot of the express lines were back doors to the attractions? I'm thinking particularly of the Hanna-Barbara ride.

 

[CoasterFEV]

Fun Fact:

Actually, there's a very good reason that Universal doesn't display the current wait time, along with the Universal Express return time(s) at their kiosks.

We did TONS of legal research into Disney's Fastpass and the patents they hold - to insure there are no questions and Express can stay around forever.

Believe it or not, the "displaying the current wait time alongside the return time(s)" is a patent held only by the Walt Disney Company - which Universal is very careful not to infringe upon.

 

[Amy]

CoasterFEV, that explains it!

Now I have another question for you, since you seem to know the legal stuff. ( And this might be a small spoiler for anyone who hasn't seen the Poseidon attraction yet): At the end of Poseidon when there's the fight between Poseidon and the bad guy (I'm having a "senior moment" and can't remember the bad guy's name)---part of the show is the same as Fantasmic where they project the image onto a screen of water. Does this mean Disney doesn't have a patent on the Fantasmic water-screen thing?

 

[WebmasterBarry]

I doubt the water screen thing is a Disney patented thing. I've seen it done at Sea World.

 

[CoasterFEV]

True.

Water screens are fairly typical throughout the industry.

The water screens used at Fantasmic are also a different type than those used at Poseidon. If you notice, at Fantasmic the water source is from a central point, then fanning out - resulting in a water screen the shape of a half-circle. There are three of these screens used in the Fantasmic/Hollywood Hills amphitheatre.

The screens used in Poseidon are also known as rain screens. The source of the water is from the cieling - running the entire length of the intended screen. Special filters and holes allow the water to "rain" straight down in very even and smooth layers (almost like a perfect waterfall). These are used throughout the Temple of Destiny - including the final scene where Poseidon defeats Lord Darkenon.

Like Barry said, Sea World also uses the same type of water screens Disney uses for their Summertime nights show.