Is the Universal Studios Hollywood Express Pass Worth It?
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One of the worst things about visiting any theme park is having to wait in line for rides. To combat this, Universal Studios Hollywood introduced the Express Pass.
In my experience, an Express Pass cuts your wait time for rides at Universal Hollywood by about 85%. That means, if the wait time for a ride is 1 hour, you’ll only wait around 10 to 15 minutes.
Universal Express Passes are sold using a dynamic pricing model and cost between $90 and $120. This is an extra cost, on top of your general admission theme park ticket. Meaning that Universal Hollywood tickets with an Express Pass will cost between $199 – $309 for one day.
The dynamic pricing model means Universal Express Passes are expensive on busy days and cheap on quiet ones. However, you don’t need to skip the line on quiet days, because the line is already so short.
Which means that whether a Universal Express Pass is worth it will depend on when you’re visiting.
I therefore recommend reviewing a Universal Hollywood crowd calendar before your trip.
If Universal Studios Hollywood is going to be quiet you wont need an Express Pass. However, if Universal Studios Hollywood is going to be busy, I recommend buying an Express Pass.
Sure, on the busier days the Universal Express Pass will be more expensive. But you’ll also maximise it’s benefits. In fact, in some cases it maybe the only way to go on all the rides at Universal Studios Hollywood in one day.
If you’re unsure whether to buy an Express Pass I suggest checking the wait times for rides via the Universal Hollywood app the day before you visit. This will give you a relatively good idea as to what to expect and should help you make your decision.
Where to Buy a Universal Express Pass
There are two ways you can buy a Universal Express Pass for Universal Hollywood:
- Online in advance via the Universal Studios Hollywood website
- In person at the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park
Buying the Universal Express Pass online is relatively self-explanatory. It can be done alongside the purchase of your theme park tickets or separately.
Alternatively, if you want to buy Express Passes at Universal Studios you can do so in two places:
- At Will Call located after security but before the theme park entrance
- At the Box Office located inside the theme park across from the Hello Kitty store
The cost of buying Universal Express Passes is the same no matter where you buy them. The only way the cost of an Express Pass might change is if the expected crowd levels have increased.
If you decide to buy Express Passes when you arrive at Universal Hollywood, be sure to do it as early as possible. That way you’ll be able to use the benefits of the Express Pass on all eligible rides throughout the day.
How the Universal Studios Hollywood Express Pass Works
The Universal Express Pass comes in the form of a ticket with a barcode.
If you bought your Express Pass at the theme park you’ll be given the ticket at the time of purchase. Alternatively, if you bought your Express Pass online you’ll be given your Express Pass ticket at the theme park gate.
With your barcode ticket you can then go to any of the eligible rides entering through the Universal Express Pass entrance.
At some point through that line you’ll be asked to have your Express Pass ticket scanned by a staff member. The exact location varies between rides.
As long as your barcode scans correctly you’ll be able to continue through the Express Pass line. At some point close to the rides boarding area you’ll then meet the standby line. Again, the exact location varies between rides.
You can only use the Express line to each ride, attraction and show once with the Universal Express Pass.
This doesn’t stop you going on the same ride multiple times. However, you can only use the Express Pass entrance to skip the line for that ride once.
The only exception to this is the Universal Hollywood VIP Experience. This experience includes a Universal Express Unlimited Pass. As you might expect a Universal Express Unlimited Pass allows you to skip the line an unlimited number of times.
Universal Express Eligible Rides
These Universal Studios Hollywood rides and attractions eligible for the Universal Express Pass are:
- Despicable Me Minion Mayhem
- DreamWorks Theatre Featuring Kung Fu Panda
- Flight of the Hippogriff
- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
- Jurassic World- The Ride
- Revenge of the Mummy- The Ride
- Silly Swirly
- Studio Tour
- The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash
- The Simpsons Ride
- TRANSFORMERS: The Ride 3-D
Universal Hollywood Express Pass also includes priority seating to:
- Water World
However, you can not use the Universal Express Pass on:
- Mario Kart: Bowsers Challenge
- Ollivanders Wand Experience
- Character Meet-and-Greets
- Seasonal or Temporary Attractions (i.e. Halloween Horror Nights)
