Is buying the express pass necessary?

[Metro West]

If weather is good, many locals do hit the parks on the weekends

 

[michellej47]

I doubt that will be true regarding the Express Pass price unless you buy now. They go up as interest goes up. Last year they EP sold for over $300 per person per day. Unless you were traveling solo, there would be no way in the world that it is cheaper to stay in one of the hotels that doesn't come with EPs. Remember- one night in the deluxe hotels comes with 2 days worth of EPs check in through check out day.

I'm planning to buy next week, and as of now, it's over $900 less with regular EP and $600 less with Unlimited. Unless I'm looking at this wrong. Since we are going with dance, we have a group rate on the hotel and it's pretty good...better than what I expected. It's good to know that they increase the price as time gets closer. That encourages me to buy them now.

 

[bchbetha]

I'm planning to buy next week, and as of now, it's over $900 less with regular EP and $600 less with Unlimited. Unless I'm looking at this wrong. Since we are going with dance, we have a group rate on the hotel and it's pretty good...better than what I expected. It's good to know that they increase the price as time gets closer. That encourages me to buy them now.

Is that per person? How many people? How many days? Just trying to break down the costs- I hate seeing people lose money.

 

[annacali]

We have done Universal the past 2 days with wall to wall crowds. No express pass. Wait times have still overall been shorter than posted. FJ was posted at 80 min, we were off in 55. Minions posted at 80 we waited 60. Gringotts posted at 100 min this am and we waited every torturous bit of that inching along. The train was the only ride that we definitely waited longer than posted—that line was insane in both directions. Express pass would have been nice but too expensive for 6 of us. We rode all the rides we wanted to ride once in 2 days without it though.

 

[Elisaj71]

We are staying in 2 2bedroom suites at Dockside Inn for 3 nights under a military rate. If we switched to the other resorts, we’d need 4 rooms for 3 nights.

Paying for 1 day of EPs, would be way cheaper than switching to one of the other resorts.

Do you mind sharing how much of a percentage off the military discount was ? We haven’t been to universal in many years, more than 10. We’ve been to Disney for the last 5 so I’m thinking of trying universal next year and was wondering what the hotel discount was. The ticket price is outstanding which made me think we should go. Thanks

 

[01Sweetpea]

Do you mind sharing how much of a percentage off the military discount was ? We haven’t been to universal in many years, more than 10. We’ve been to Disney for the last 5 so I’m thinking of trying universal next year and was wondering what the hotel discount was. The ticket price is outstanding which made me think we should go. Thanks

Dockside inn 2 bedroom suite pool view for 3 nights $470 WITHOUT taxes.
1 day 2 park tickets $115/ticket.