Universal Studios Hollywood Express Pass: Is It Worth the Cost?

Universal Studios Hollywood is a popular theme park destination in Los Angeles that has only received more attention since opening the United State’s first Super Nintendo World. One of the key decisions for visitors is whether to invest in a Universal Express Pass. This article delves into the benefits, costs, and considerations to help you determine if the Express Pass is the right choice for your visit.

What is Universal Express Pass?

Universal Hollywood Express Pass is a paid service that allows you to skip the regular lines at Universal Studios Hollywood. All attractions included with Express Pass have a secondary line just for those who purchase Express Pass, which is much faster than the standby line. This pass grants you one-time priority access (per day) to each ride and attraction, plus one-time priority seating at all live shows. Express Access is a separate line with a shorter wait time. If you wish to enjoy any of the rides, attractions, or shows a second time, you must join the regular queue.

Cost of Universal Express Pass

Express Pass for Universal Studios Hollywood starts at $90 per person and can increase depending on the time of year. You can see Universal Studios Express Pass go up to $200 per person depending on how busy Universal expects the park to be. If you want to add Universal Express Unlimited and have unlimited access to the Express line for attractions, the upgrade is an additional $50 per person. So overall, you have a range of $99-200 per person for Express Pass depending on the day. If there are still remaining Express Pass tickets left at the end of the day, you also have the option of purchasing Express Pass for a discounted cost.

Universal Express Pass vs. Disneyland Lightning Lane

If we compare Express Pass at Universal Studios Hollywood to Disneyland’s version of a similar service of Lightning Lane Multi Pass then we will see a larger price difference. At Disneyland, Lightning Lane starts at $32 per person for access to the shorter line option for popular attractions in their theme parks. The price can go up depending on peak travel days of the year. This is a considerable difference in price as the lowest price for Universal Express Pass begins at $99 per person. However, Universal’s pricing method keeps the number of people purchasing Express Pass much lower than what you see at Disneyland. This means that the Express Pass line is literally, no wait. In comparison at Disneyland, access to their shorter line (called the Lightning Lane) does not mean you walk right on the attraction. Most of the time the wait is usually not longer than 15-20 minutes but we have seen lines for the Lighting Lane get extremely long during busy points of the year as more people buy it. This is just one of those never-ending circle debates folks like to have: do we price something higher to make things less crowded or keep them affordable?

Benefits of Purchasing in Advance

Purchasing your tickets before you arrive eliminates the time you would’ve spent in line at the ticket booth and gets you into the park quicker. Another benefit to advanced ticket orders is the opportunity to save money. Each day Universal Studios Hollywood only offers a limited number of Universal Express tickets and peak dates often sell out in advance. Buy Universal Express now to avoid disappointment. With a pre-purchased Universal Express ticket, your admission and express access to the rides are guaranteed.

Attractions Included

With a Universal Express ticket, you gain access to a variety of thrilling rides and shows, including:

The World-Famous Studio Tour: Get a closer look at where and how your favorite movies are made.
Jurassic World - The Ride: Experience an epic adventure based on the blockbuster film franchise.
The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash! Join Max, Duke, Gidget, and Snowball on a journey through the streets of New York City.
Despicable Me Minion Mayhem: Join Gru, his daughters, and the mischievous Minions on a heartwarming and thrilling ride.
Revenge of the Mummy-The Ride: Face heart-pounding special effects and unexpected twists as you escape the Mummy’s revenge.
DreamWorks Theatre Featuring Kung Fu Panda: Join Master Po on a thrilling journey of awesomeness.
WaterWorld: Witness a spectacular tidal wave of death-defying stunts and awesome explosions.

Super Nintendo World and Early Access

Super Nintendo World Early Access Ticket is an add-on option to your existing Universal Hollywood ticket. The ticket includes early access to Super Nintendo for one hour prior to the scheduled park opening time. The price for an early access ticket ranges from $20-30 per person. This early access ticket has been consistently selling out for every day that it’s been offered but you will still likely enjoy the land without the larger crowds you’d see later in the day. Virtual Line is an option that Universal Studios Hollywood has utilized for new attractions to help manage crowds. We have also seen a similar system over at Universal Orlando for their popular new rides. Keep in mind that Universal is not using this constantly, just as needed. Reservations are limited and based on space availability.

Is Universal Express Pass Worth It?

As with any costly theme park experience, this question is pretty subjective. It’s no secret that Express Pass is extremely costly. If you’re purchasing Express Pass during a peak time of year when the cost can skyrocket to $200 per person then you will be looking at a cost of $800 for a family of four. If money is no object then the answer is always, yes Express Pass is worth it! But if you hesitating on spending the money on Express Pass then you may want to consider if it is worth it.

When Express Pass is Ideal

Limited Time: Express Pass is also ideal if you plan on only spending one day at Universal Studios Hollywood (which most guests do) and you want to see everything! If you have Express Pass, it is incredibly easy to ride all the attractions in the park in one day and still have time to enjoy the other experience. If you do not think you will be returning soon to Universal this is a good choice to make sure you get the most out of your day.
Convenience: If you want the ultimate convenience of a Universal Studios Hollywood trip, then having Express Pass is the way to do it. The beauty of Express Pass is you really do NOT need a set plan because you can utilize these shorter lines all day!
Peak Season: On peak days (holidays, summer weekends, spring break), Express Pass prices can exceed $300 per person at Universal Orlando. During busy periods, Express Passes can save families 3-5 hours of waiting per day.
Anxiety Reduction: Express Passes eliminate the anxiety of watching standby wait times climb throughout the day.
Families with Children: Express Passes prove invaluable for families with children who have limited patience for long waits.

Alternatives to Express Pass

If you do not want to purchase Express Pass, you can still have a great day at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Arrive Early: You need to arrive at Universal Studios Hollywood before the park opens so you can get a good spot in line.
Super Nintendo Land Early Access: The most efficient way to experience Super Nintendo Land is to purchase the Early Access Ticket for $20-30 per person. This will allow you to experience Super Nintendo World an hour before the park opens and it also gives you Express Pass line access for the Studio Tour until 11AM. You can spend this hour enjoying the land before the park officially opens with lower crowd levels and ride Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge.
Strategic Planning Without Early Access:
- Arrive at the parks 30 minutes before opening.
- If you do not have Early Access to Super Nintendo World, line up to head straight to The Secret Life of Pets. Zig while others zag!
- Ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey which is one of the best rides in the park. You can choose to ride Flight of the Hippogriff which is a must for Harry Potter fans to see a cool animatronic Buckbeak and Hagrid’s Hut.
- Ride the Studio Tour next as this ride is a priority for a true Universal Studios Hollywood experience.
- At this point, the main rides you have left are all the ones at the park that focus on the Dreamworks franchise.
- Head back to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at dusk to enjoy the nighttime projections on Hogwarts Castle. This show changes themes throughout the year from a show based on traditional Harry Potter elements to a Dark Arts one that’s a bit more spooky.
Strategic Planning With Early Access:
- Arrive at the parks one hour before opening.
- After riding Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, go straight to Toadstool Cafe and scan the QR code located at the entrance of the restaurant to book your reservation.
- Toadstool Cafe won’t open until the park officially opens so keep that in mind - do you want to grab the first reservation available at 8AM (the time the park usually opens) or reserve it for later in the day and come back? If you come back, you will need to make sure you can get into the land!
- Enjoy Super Nintendo Land and if dining at Toadstool Cafe is a priority for you then hang out in the land until your dining time.
- Note: this is why we recommend purchasing a Super Nintendo Land Early Access Ticket! As you can see, enjoying this area can eat up a lot of your park time and the crowds will only begin to build throughout the day.
- Ride the Studio Tour next as this ride is a priority for a true Universal Studios Hollywood experience.
- Ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey which is one of the best rides in the park. You can choose to ride Flight of the Hippogriff which is a must for Harry Potter fans to see a cool animatronic Buckbeak and Hagrid’s Hut.
- At this point, the main rides you have left are all the ones at the park that focus on the Dreamworks franchise.
- Head back to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at dusk to enjoy the nighttime projections on Hogwarts Castle. This show changes themes throughout the year from a show based on traditional Harry Potter elements to a Dark Arts one that’s a bit more spooky.
Express Pass Strategy:
- Personally, if I have Express Pass I would NOT go there at rope drop since that is what the majority of the crowds are doing right now. I would wait and enter the land around 10AM when the first wave of crowds starts to disperse to other areas of the parks.
- Once inside, you should go straight to Toadstool Cafe and scan the QR code located at the entrance of the restaurant to book your reservation.
- You cannot eat at Toadstool Cafe without a reservation so keep that in mind. If eating here is a priority for you then you might want to head over to Super Nintendo World as early as you can.
- One of the biggest advantages of having Express Pass is that you can easily choose to save Super Nintendo World for later in the day and then prioritize enjoying the Wizarding World of Harry Potter before the crowds build in this land.
- Head back to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at dusk to enjoy the nighttime projections on Hogwarts Castle. This show changes themes throughout the year from a show based on traditional Harry Potter elements to a Dark Arts one that’s a bit more spooky.

Important Ticket Information

Gate-Ready Tickets: Gate-ready digital Universal Studios Hollywood ticket(s) will be uploaded instantly to your Customer Account upon full payment.
Digital or Print: Download your Universal Studios Hollywood Express Ticket(s) directly to your smartphone (or print in advance if you do not have a smartphone) and present the QR code at the entrance to Universal Studios Hollywood when prompted.
Express Lanyard: You must present your ticket at guest services once inside the park for your Universal Express Lanyard which must be worn in order to get to the front of the lines.
Date Specific: Tickets are date specific and can only be used on the date selected at the time of booking. The ticket date can be amended, subject to availability. We won't charge an amendment fee for changing the date of your ticket, but new prices may apply.
Parking: Parking is not included.
Park Changes: Park, attractions, entertainment or specific benefits may change operating hours, close due to refurbishing, capacity, weather, or special events, and may otherwise change or be discontinued without notice and without liability.
Medical Conditions: Theme park rides and attractions are designed to provide unique experiences and thrills and some may not be suitable for customers with specific medical conditions including but not limited to guests with a history of heart conditions or abnormal blood pressure, guests with back, neck, or similar physical conditions, expectant mothers, guests susceptible to motion sickness or dizziness or with a medical sensitivity to strobe effects.
Not Valid in Orlando: Universal Studios Hollywood tickets are not valid at Universal Orlando Resort.
Cancellation Policy: Free cancellations for bookings cancelled with the operator up to 72 hours before your chosen activity date.

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