Express Waits

[Imagineer83]

The deluxe resorts are basically sold out for our trip this upcoming weekend. Should we expect express waits to be longer since the resorts that offer express are full? Curious if anyone has ever seen a correlation.

Side note: Is there a convention going on this weekend that has the resorts full? Or is the final HHN weekend causing the resort to fill up?

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Express waits generally do not exceed 10-30 minutes, depending on the queue set up for the attraction. While it is a lot of people with Express not all of them are using the benefit.

Also remember that depending on how the queues are set up wait times can fluctuate. Gringotts has a merge point earlier than Spider-man, which goes direct to the load platform, for example.

 

[Ridgepole]

Occupancy in the 3 express hotels seems high always. I would guess over 90% most the time.

 

[Mad Dog]

Occupancy in the 3 express hotels seems high always. I would guess over 90% most the time.

Yes, Universal resorts average occupancy is 90% plus. Rarely do you see an Express line more than 5-15 minutes unless it's peak season (Dec. 18 to Jan. 4 or 5, some Spring Break periods & Easter week, mid June to early August)....Probably the longest Express line is F&F because they have a really early merge line with the Virtual line & Standby line (another bad point of that attraction). Single rider is the quickest way on F&F . It bypasses everything (queue & pre shows)& just goes right to load.

 

[Ridgepole]

And if the express hotels are full of convention peeps that's a bonus, as they are not using the parks like usual folks.

 

[Frank Drackman]

And if the express hotels are full of convention peeps that's a bonus, as they are not using the parks like usual folks.

I imagine HHN sort of plays out the same way. I’ve never been to the resort this late in OCT nor this early in NOV, but (from talking others at the hotels over the years), I get the feeling some HHN fans are just starting to motivate around 3 PM. If they do get up in the AM and visit the park, they are certainly having an afternoon rest.

Heck, if one is an early bird, I think the morning hour at the Studios was at 7 AM on my last stay and I bet I could have done a ton w/o Express!!

But we slept in on most HHN nights!

 

[deathcab4cutie]

it can get up to half the wait but no more

 

[Imagineer83]

Update from our trip this last weekend. The waits on Thursday and Friday with Express were 5 min waits for just about every attraction, include potter, hulk, spidey etc all day. Saturday and Sunday were way different stories! To give an idea of how busy the parks were, Fallon was holding guests in the downstairs lobby (two color wait) before sending upstairs for another 3 color wait. We waited about 20min with express for Mummy and Gringotts both with express. Still not bad since the stand by lines were 40 and 70 minutes respectively. Transformers express line was backed up to the entrance so we didn't ride. Kong and FJ were about 20 minute express waits with regular lines over 60 minutes each.

I know the parks are busier on weekends naturally but I was kind of confused why express waits drastically increased on the weekends. The hotels were full even Thursday and Friday so not sure the weekend had more hotel guests. Do lots of regular day guests purchase express?

Overall we were very pleased with express and will continue to stay at delux resorts for the 'free' perk!

 

[Ridgepole]

Update from our trip this last weekend. The waits on Thursday and Friday with Express were 5 min waits for just about every attraction, include potter, hulk, spidey etc all day. Saturday and Sunday were way different stories! To give an idea of how busy the parks were, Fallon was holding guests in the downstairs lobby (two color wait) before sending upstairs for another 3 color wait. We waited about 20min with express for Mummy and Gringotts both with express. Still not bad since the stand by lines were 40 and 70 minutes respectively. Transformers express line was backed up to the entrance so we didn't ride. Kong and FJ were about 20 minute express waits with regular lines over 60 minutes each.

I know the parks are busier on weekends naturally but I was kind of confused why express waits drastically increased on the weekends. The hotels were full even Thursday and Friday so not sure the weekend had more hotel guests. Do lots of regular day guests purchase express?

Overall we were very pleased with express and will continue to stay at delux resorts for the 'free' perk!

Which hotel if I can ask? Also, the express queue have little to no switchbacks which may be why transformers looked long.

 

[Imagineer83]

We stayed at Royal Pacific.

 

[Ridgepole]

We stayed at Royal Pacific.

Sweet.