Epic Universe has introduced Universal Express Pass Now, a new version of UOR’s line-skipping service that allows guests to purchase one-time line-skipping access at select attractions for $25 each. This covers eligible rides, how it compares to Lightning Lane Single Pass at Walt Disney World, and what this could mean for an expansion of Express Pass at UOR.
With the end of spring break and arrival of shoulder season, both Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando are seeing a rather sharp slowdown. This is not cause for concern or alarm, at least not yet, as it happens every year approximately one week after Easter.
We’re more calling attention to this attendance downturn because it marks an approximately ~6 month stretch that has become slower for the Florida theme parks. With that, we’re seeing Walt Disney World roll out discounts and AP appreciation to entice visits, while Universal Orlando is rolling out ways to increase revenue at Epic Universe and beyond. In all likelihood, both will probably try a mix of marketing, discounts, new add-ons, and more to combat the slowdown…
If Universal Express Pass Now sounds familiar, it’s because it was previously tested last fall.
As we reported in late October, Universal Express Single Attraction Access was testing in-app for Revenge of the Mummy at Universal Studios Florida and Skull Island: Reign of Kong at Islands of Adventure. You can find this in the “Special Offers” section of the app, or by scanning a QR code outside the attractions.
The total cost after tax for either attraction at that time was $26.62. Universal Express Pass Now is the fruits of that, but for attractions where paying ~$25 for a la carte line-skipping actually makes sense. Although it’s not being dubbed a test by Universal Orlando, we’d probably still view Express Pass Now as a pilot program that is likely to change in the weeks and months to come.
Here are official details about Express Pass Now via Universal Orlando:
With Universal Express Pass Now, guests can enjoy a shorter wait time by entering the Express Pass queue (instead of the regular line) only at the selected participating attraction one time during a specific time window. Universal Express Pass Now is exclusively available through the Universal Orlando Resort App in the park on the day of your visit (location services must be enabled).
Universal Express Pass Now is only offered sporadically when availability opens with limited entry windows at participating attractions in Universal Studios Florida, Universal Islands of Adventure, and Epic Universe, as capacity allows.
The product is only be available for purchase day of, in park, via the UOR app. It cannot be purchased at home or even from a different park. You must be inside the park where you want to purchase the Universal Express Pass Now.
Also worth underscoring is that Universal Express Now has limited availability at select participating rides and attractions. This means that availability will come and go, and the line-skipping product will not always be available for purchase for the same set of attractions. (Thus far, we’ve only seen it available for Stardust Racers, Yoshi’s Adventure, and Hiccup’s Wing Gliders.)
If everyone in your party cannot purchase Universal Express Pass Now, it could be because it’s already sold out, or the amount you have selected may be more than what is currently available. Based on this, it kind of sounds like dynamic inventory for airline seats or dining reservations.
Universal Orlando also notes that guests who experience a temporary closure during their Universal Express Pass Now queue entrance time window will receive a notification that their Universal Express Now experience window for that attraction has been extended through the end of the day (during regular park hours). That’s not-so-dynamic inventory management, but there’s really no better solution to that problem.
For reference, here are today’s prices for Lightning Lane Single Pass at Walt Disney World:
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train: $13
- TRON Lightcycle Run: $21
- Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind: $20
- Star Wars Rise of the Resistance: $22
- Avatar Flight of Passage: $18
These are post-peak prices for LLSP, which maxes out at $25 for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
Our Commentary
I’m not the least bit surprised that Universal Orlando is introducing a la carte line-skipping access. A lot of Walt Disney World fans give Universal a free pass when it comes to upcharges, nickel & diming, etc. because they have blind spots for the most egregious examples. In this particular case, there’s also the reality that many guests get free line-skipping by virtue of their hotel stays.
Regardless, it’s not like Comcast (of all companies) is different from Disney. Both want to maximize revenue and grow their businesses, and will charge what the market will bear in that quest. The biggest material difference is that Universal and Disney have different fanbases, guest profiles, and places in American culture.
Universal is gaining ground and their aggressiveness is admirable, but it’s precisely because they want a slice of what Disney has! It’s not out of corporate benevolence, loving their fans, or whatever. Perhaps most importantly, Comcast just invested $7 billion in a brand-new theme park and really wants/needs to see ROI on that sooner rather than later.
Although they aren’t going to say as much on earnings calls, my guess is that Epic Universe hasn’t quite met early expectations. Attendance is still fairly low–and necessarily so, given ongoing capacity woes. But that’s another topic for another post–and one we’ve covered elsewhere, anyway.
Given that, it makes sense that Universal is trying to create new revenue streams out of thin air. And although this might seem like thinly-veiled criticism, it really isn’t. Again, they spent an estimated $7 billion on Epic Universe. That was a big swing, and it’s one that needs to have ROI. We are realists, and understand what needs to be done for the park and resort as a whole to be ‘healthy.’ If this is what helps justify further investment, so be it!
If anything, I’m more “offended” by Walt Disney World’s efforts to create new revenue streams out of thin air without the justification of debuting a multi-billion dollar investment. To the contrary, we’ve seen many such efforts from Disney accompanied by cost-cutting. This is far, far more palatable than that.
Not only that, but this can be slotted into the existing Express Pass lineup as a more budget-friendly alternative.
Universal Orlando’s existing line-skipping products are aimed upmarket. They are expensive, whether they’re included with top-tier hotel stays or purchased as an a la carte product. Not totally the same, but more akin to Lightning Lane Premier Pass at Walt Disney World than Multi-Pass.
Whereas Walt Disney World created that new revenue stream at the higher end of the spectrum, Universal is now aiming downstream at guests who were priced out of the highest-tier hotels or the bundled Express Pass. Given that regular Express Pass costs $200 at Epic Universe today, this is a comparative bargain!
There are undoubtedly guests who would pay $25 to skip the line at their favorite attractions, but not shell out ~$200 for line-skipping at all popular rides. The “problem” is that it’s not available at every attraction, so guests may not have that option.
Frankly, I don’t think it’s fair to characterize this as a problem. While I wouldn’t pay $25 to skip Yoshi’s Adventure, Stardust Racers, or Hiccup’s Wing Gliders, I’m also not the target audience for this product. I wouldn’t pay $25 to skip the line for any attraction.
I nevertheless view Universal Express Pass Now as a win-win for both guests and the company. It’s a win for guests who are willing and able to pay extra to skip those lines and it’s a win for Comcast in generating revenue. And although I don’t love the idea of more people skipping in front of me as I’m stuck in standby, I appreciate that this is being rolled with limited availability where excess bandwidth exists.
As we’ve seen with the introduction of Express Pass at Donkey Kong Mine-Cart Madness, Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry, and Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, line-skipping can wreak havoc on wait times and the regular guest experience. So I’m glad Universal is exercising restraint and not offering Express Pass Now at those attractions.
In any case, it should be interesting to watch how Universal Express Now evolves as it’s rolled out. I would bet we see an expansion of this product over time, as that $7 billion park isn’t going to pay for itself overnight…and Universal has other big expansion plans around the globe that need funding from Kabletown.
What’ll be most interesting here is the where and when of Universal Express Pass Now. Epic Universe does not have a ton of excess bandwidth at its most popular rides on busier days, but it should on many dates between now and late September. Time of day also makes a difference, and Universal selling an Express Pass for Yoshi’s Adventure at 7 pm but not 11 am would also make sense.
If you want to experience every attraction at Epic Universe and only have one day, Express Pass Now probably isn’t for you. Our first recommendation is visiting for 2 days as opposed to one. But if your time is more limited than your money, check out Should You Buy Express Pass at Epic Universe?
Express Pass Basic Background
For those who are unfamiliar with it, Universal’s Express Pass is a line-skipping option at popular rides that promises to cut wait times in half. You present the pass at participating attractions and enter a separate ‘fast lane’ (sound familiar?) with a shorter wait time at each attraction.
Logistically, redeeming Express Pass is quite similar to entering the physical Lightning Lanes at Walt Disney World. It’s what you do before entering each physical queue that varies considerably between the Universal Orlando and WDW options.
Express Pass is available as a ticket add-on or with select hotel stays. Prior to the launch of Express Pass Now, you could purchase two varieties of Express Pass, regular or unlimited. The regular version allows you to skip the line once per eligible attraction in either park. Universal Express Unlimited offers line-skipping privileges, as the name suggests, an unlimited number of times per attraction.
Unlimited Express Pass is available at select Signature Collection Hotels, which are Universal’s highest-tier resorts. Guests who stay at Royal Pacific, Hard Rock Hotel, and Portofino Bay all receive Unlimited Express Pass included with their stay at no additional charge (including check-in and checkout days).
Not that the Signature Collection Hotel perk is only at Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, and Volcano Bay water park. It is not offered at Epic Universe. Some fans have wondered when that’ll change, and our response is and has been: probably never. Universal made a sweetheart deal with Loews back in the day, and one that it probably regrets. Or at least wouldn’t make given its market position today.
We hesitate to call Unlimited Express Pass that comes with hotel stays “free” since it’s arguably priced into the nightly rate. However, we’ve had some stays that literally cost less than Express Pass would’ve when paying out of pocket, so perhaps free is apt!
If your budget allows for it, we’d highly recommend one of Universal’s Premier Hotels if you want the Unlimited Express Pass perk or a good location near the parks or a cool luxury-caliber themed resort. The trio of hotels that offer Unlimited Express Pass are all top-notch. If you’d be staying at a nice hotel anyway, these hotels are definitely worthy of your consideration. See our reviews for photos, video, and comprehensive thoughts:
When included as part of a Premier Hotel stay at Universal Orlando, Unlimited Express Pass absolutely trounces Lightning Lane Multi Pass at Walt Disney World. There is no comparison. It wins hands down in every category, including cost.
If you aren’t doing a hotel stay, you’ll have to pay for regular Express Pass or Unlimited Express Pass out-of-pocket. This changes the calculus considerably, as the out-of-pocket cost of regular Express Pass starts at $120 per person plus tax. Currently, peak season dates for regular Express Pass top out at $360.
Then there’s Unlimited Universal Express Pass. This ranges from $150 to $380, with $200 appearing to be about the average for upcoming dates. There are plenty of dates when the surcharge for Unlimited Express Pass is only ~$20 to $30 extra. Great for thrill junkies who want to loop the coasters!
In short, a family of 4 can expect to pay anywhere from around $500 for the basic one-time use Express Pass to over $1,000 during peak season for Unlimited Express Pass. To put that into perspective, we’ve booked several stays at Portofino Bay, Royal Pacific, or Hard Rock Hotel for under $300 per night. Granted, most of our stays are in the off-season and with Annual Passholder discounts, but still. You can routinely score one of the 3 for $500 or less, so long as you book it early!
Need trip planning tips and comprehensive advice for your visit to Central Florida? Make sure to read our Universal Orlando Planning Guide for everything about Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida. Also check out our Walt Disney World Vacation Planning Guide for everything about those parks, resorts, restaurants, and so much more.
YOUR THOUGHTS
Would you buy Universal Express Pass Now for Yoshi’s Adventure, Stardust Racers, or Hiccup’s Wing Gliders? Are there any other attractions for which you would purchase it? Agree or disagree with my assessment? Any questions? We love hearing from readers, so please share any other thoughts or questions you have in the comments below!