Changes to On-Site Express

[RyGuy]

On July 1st, Universal changed the Express rules for those staying at on-site hotels. You are now only allowed to ride each attraction once with your room key Express pass before 3PM. After 3PM you can ride as many times as you want. I was very upset when I found out about this yesterday and I'm sure many others will be too. I stay on-site almost every month for Express access and now they make this new rule without warning. The ride attendants did not seem to be enforcing the rule strictly but I didn't challenge it. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

 

[momof2inPA]

That stinks! Any more limitations, and I will stay offsite. The fotl is the main reason for staying onsite. Don't they get that?

I remember riding Spiderman over and over again last time we stayed at RPR. That was half the fun.

Why "fix" what's not "broken?"

 

[hightown]

That's discouraging and of course it would happen when we're finally forsaking Disney to stay at HRH to get those FOTL perks.

Maybe it will be just a temporary thing during high crowds. If not, will rethink where we'll stay. Maybe not move over.

 

[AlexandNessa]

What are they thinking?

Not even once per hour, but once before 3pm?

Do I need to stop watching NBC?

 

[WDWmaniac125]

That is such a disappointment especially because of the fact that we're splurging to stay at PBH this summer.

 

[Colleen P]

Ak, this is terrible news. I have been scouring the trip report boards, but they have not mentioned anything like this. They must be fazing it in?

 

[ines248]

Whaaaatttt? Is this really happening? I only stayed onsite once and I love it so much that I have reservation to go back in October. Now I understand why some people are saying that the hotel rates are dropping fast. So when they complain they will get back at them because the hotel price was reduced. This question is for the person who gave us the bad news......Do you know if this is a forever thing or just for the HIGH SEASON ONLY?
Are you allowed to submit a link for official news about this? So I can have daily update on the news. Thanks for the bad news,now I am planning to change my hotel stay to WAIT DISNEY WORLD for October. Yeah you heard right wait disney world cause you have to wait there.....too

 

[ines248]

Ohh I forgot my most important question, so when I go to universal in October I am only going to have 2 hours of FOTL only?
From 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. because they will close the parks early for the HHN event.

 

[sherries]

How can they enforce that? We just got back, and our cards were only marginally looked at each time we got on a ride. No where were the scanners that were used last year. I can't believe that the workers at the rides will remember that you went through the line already. I look forward to hearing more about that because I also only stay onsite for the FOTL.

 

[gschmerl]

Originally posted by RyGuy
On July 1st, Universal changed the Express rules for those staying at on-site hotels. You are now only allowed to ride each attraction once with your room key Express pass before 3PM. After 3PM you can ride as many times as you want. I was very upset when I found out about this yesterday and I'm sure many others will be too. I stay on-site almost every month for Express access and now they make this new rule without warning. The ride attendants did not seem to be enforcing the rule strictly but I didn't challenge it. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

We are staying at the RPR July 15-20 and were told nothing about this change. Where did you read/hear this??

 

[RyGuy]

At check-in I was given a little flyer explaining the change. I don't know if it is only for peak times or what but I do know that this is not good at all. As I said above, they were not very strict about enforcing these new rules but some of the rides like ROTM have these new scanners. They are different than the the usual hand held scanners they have used in the past. There were also some rides like Spiderman that didn't scan our room keys at all.

 

[Kourtnie]

Do you have a copy of the flyer that you received at check in, maybe there is some fine print on it expaining more details, like if temporary or not...
But you know that is still not too bad if you stop and think about it...you can go on the rides you want once in the morning, throw in the shows you want to see and stop for lunch... then by that time you will have unlimited access again..ok maybe im just a little sad now instead of really bummed.
It is my first time staying on site and was looking forward to that perk alot!!! Plus Im going PRESIDENTS WEEK
Maybe a Universal employee will pop on the boards and shed some light.

 

[Jon360]

Might as well stay offsite and buy an Express Pass Booklet if they are now limiting you to once per day.

 

[SnowWitch]

I'll have to rethink staying onsite if this rule is for the long run. In the past it might not have bothered me quite so much with great rates like $99 for RPR or $119 for HRH. But in the last 2 years the discounts have not been as good and I would not pay the higher discounted rates that are available now to just get limited FOL access. Oh well!! I'll save money.

 

[Motherfletcher]

I kind of saw it coming with Shrek.
The hotels are stopping the perks.
NBC= Nothing But Cheap

 

[mslclark]

Oh dear, I hope this doesn't stick. Universal tried something like this a year or two back with their onsite Express pass, but it didn't last very long. I just checked their website and it doesn't mention it. This is what I found on the website:

Just present your hotel room key card at each attraction's Universal Express entrance--no ride reservations are necessary. There's no better way to get the most out of your day!

I'm going to call Universal and ask if this is a permanent change. If it is, I probably won't stay onsite. And I'll let them know that.

 

[Motherfletcher]

Let us know what they say.

 

[momof2inPA]

I thought about this some more last night. How is the new rule fair for my four year old, who only wants to ride a few things? Universal is cutting their families with young children right out of the market. The fotl is the one perk that really set Universal apart from Disney. Dumb, dumb idea.

 

[mslclark]

I called Universal this morning. I was told that the policy for on-site resort guests has not changed, that you can still present your room key and get front of the line access as many times as you wish. She said that new rule applied to the Express Plus that you purchase.

I was so happy to hear that!

 

[AlexandNessa]

Now I'm confused. Express Plus has been the pass you purchase to get express once per each ride. So, it sounds like their benefit is now increasing? In that it used to only be once per ride, but now it's as many times as they want after 3 o'clock?

And why would they hand RyGuy a flyer when checking into the hotel?