Does The VelociCoaster At Universal Orlando Accept Express Passes?
Everyone knows that wait times at theme parks can be ridiculously long, and guests might stand in line for hours to get on popular rides.
Thankfully, parks like Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventure offer Express Passes, which allow guests to skip the regular line at certain attractions.
Parkgoers cannot use Express Passes to skip the line for the Jurassic World VelociCoaster at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. To ride the VelociCoaster, guests must wait in the regular line. Of the 16 rides at Islands of Adventure, the VelociCoaster, Pteranodon Flyers, and Hagrid’s Magical Creature Motorbike Adventure are the only ones that don’t accept Express Passes.
In this article, we’ll go over how to save time waiting in line for the VelociCoaster and explain the Express Pass system in detail.
Can You Use Express Passes on the Jurassic World VelociCoaster?
The Jurassic World VelociCoaster is an award-winning thrill ride at Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventure.
Unfortunately, it’s also on the short list of rides that don’t have an Express Pass line.
(The only other rides that don’t accept Express Passes are Hagrid’s Magical Creature Motorbike Adventure and Pteranodon Flyers.)
The VelociCoaster is one of the most popular rides in Islands of Adventure and can take anywhere from 50 to 70 mins to get through the queue.
That said, while the VelociCoaster doesn’t accept Express Passes, visitors can use the single rider line.
Many rides at Universal Orlando have a separate queue called the single rider line, which can reduce wait times.
Instead of seating guests based on party size, attraction operators pull guests one at a time from the single rider line and fill the ride seats wherever there’s space.
The downside to single rider lines is that they won’t allow parents to remain with their children, and groups likely can’t sit together.
What is a Universal Orlando Express Pass?
Express Passes at Universal theme parks are a ticket upgrade that gives parkgoers access to a separate queue at rides and attractions.
Universal offers two types of Express Passes – Universal Express and Universal Express Unlimited.
Universal Express allows guests to skip the regular line once at every participating ride.
True to its name, Universal Express Unlimited entitles riders to use Express Lines unlimited times at participating attractions.
Express Passes are sold separately from theme park admission and cost between $80 to $110 before tax.
Premier Universal Orlando hotels also offer Unlimited Express Passes as part of their room rates.
How Do I Use a Universal Orlando Express Pass?
Using an Express at Universal Orlando is easy – just follow the signs to the Express Pass Line at participating attractions.
At the Express Line entrance, guests scan their tickets or show them to an attendant to be allowed into the shorter queue.
On average, Express Passes cut wait times for participating rides in half.
Are Express Passes Worth It For Universal’s Islands of Adventure?
Since three of the biggest rides at Islands of Adventure don’t accept Express Passes, some guests question whether they’re worth it.
It’s a fair question, but 13 other rides do take the passes, and they can get you into live shows early.
They also save a lot of time, especially for ambitious guests who want to do everything at the park in one day.
During busier days, an Express Pass can cut a two-hour wait to thirty minutes, so for most guests, they’re worth it.
The following rides at Universal’s Islands of Adventure accept Express Passes:
- The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
- Caro-Seuss-el
- Doctor Doom’s Fearfall
- Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls
- Flight of the Hippogriff
- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
- The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride!
- Hogwarts Express (Park-to-Park admission required)
- The Incredible Hulk Coaster
- Jurassic Park River Adventure
- Poseidon’s Fury
- Skull Island: Reign of Kong
- Storm Force Accelatron
One downside of Express Passes is they cost nearly as much as theme park admission, making them an expensive way to save time.
Additionally, visitors with multi-day tickets might not need an Express Pass since they have additional time at the park, and the queues really aren’t that bad.
While the wait might be long, the park designers took it as an opportunity to entertain guests further.
Parkgoers hear audio stories, watch movie clips, and interact with animatronics while they wait in line.
Skipping the regular queue can mean missing out on some of these pre-ride experiences.
Conclusion
The VelociCoaster is one of a few rides at Islands of Adventure that doesn’t accept Express Passes and doesn’t have an Express Pass lane.
If the wait time is very long, guests can opt for the single rider line but will likely be separated from the rest of their group.
Express Passes are still worth it for visitors who want to save time in queues at other rides or only have one day at the park.
