Planning a trip to Los Angeles? Visiting Universal Studios Hollywood should be at the top of your list of things to do! Learn everything you need to know about the Universal Studios front of the line pass (the Universal Express Ticket) so you can have the best time possible!
My husband and I recently took a trip to Los Angeles for a wedding, and we had a day to ourselves before the festivities started. Having fun was pretty much the goal of our entire vacation, so we decided to visit Universal Studios Hollywood!
When I was reviewing tickets and prices for the park I learned that there was a pretty awesome option to help make the most of our time: the Universal Studios front of the line pass! Ok, it’s officially called the Universal Express Ticket, but that’s what I called it in my head.
What is the Universal Express Ticket?
The Universal Express Ticket gives you general admission to the park, plus a one-time express access to every single ride and attraction, plus priority seating at select shows.
Express access at Universal is a separate line with a shorter wait time for rides and attractions, and better seats at the shows.
Why do you call it the Universal Studios front of the line pass?
Maybe it was the day we visited (a Thursday) or the time of year we were there (early October), but the Universal Express Ticket didn’t just reduce our wait times for the rides we rode. We were able to go through the Express Pass entrance and walk right onto every ride. That was far better than what I expected the pass to be!
How does the Universal Express Ticket work?
We already had our tickets ready on my phone when we entered Universal Studios Hollywood. When they were scanned at the turnstile, the attendant printed out our two Universal Express Tickets to use for the day.
Each Universal Express Ticket has a unique barcode on it that’s scanned when you go to the Universal Express entry designated rides, shows and attractions.
Your Express Ticket puts you near or at the front of the line for each experience. You also are only allowed one use per ride and attractions. Once your Universal Express Ticket is scanned at a ride, you can’t return to that same ride and expect to go to the front of the line again.
What Can You Use the Universal Express Ticket On?
The Universal Express Ticket is good for rides and shows. It’s used as a front of the line pass for the rides and it gives you priority seating at select shows.
What rides are included in the Universal Express Pass for Hollywood?
Use your Express pass at Universal Studios Hollywood to get to the front of the line at these rides:
- The Studio Tour
- Transformers: The Ride-3D
- Jurassic World – the Ride
- Revenge of the Mummy: The Ride
- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
- Flight of the Hippogriff
- Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem
- The Simpsons Ride
- Silly Swirly at Super Silly Fun Land
If you’re wondering if the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is included in the express pass rides, the answer is YES!
There are two Harry Potter rides at Universal Studios Hollywood: Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey and Flight of the Hippogriff. You can use your Universal Express Ticket on both of them.
What shows are included in the Universal Express Pass for Hollywood?
Use your Express Ticket to get great seats at these shows:
- Waterworld: A Live Sea War Spectacular
- Dreamworks Theater Featuring Kung Fu Panda
- The Walking Dead Attraction
- Universal’s Animal Actors
- Special Effect Show
How Much is the Universal Express Ticket?
The Universal Express Ticket is an upgrade to a standard Universal Studios Hollywood ticket. Ticket prices vary by the day, and the extra amount you pay for an Express Ticket also varies by the day.
In general, the Universal Express Pass costs between $70 and $110 in addition to the cost of your daily admission ticket. You can check out the specific prices for tickets here.
Is the Universal Express Ticket Worth It?
In our experience the Universal Express Ticket was absolutely worth it, and the park wasn’t even super busy on the day we were there! Going to the front of the line, skipping the line altogether and walking right to fantastic seats at the shows was a great perk!
The Express Pass also helped us just relax and enjoy our time at Universal Studios. Knowing that we didn’t have to hurry up just to get in another line gave us time to soak up the atmosphere and really take in the surroundings.
It also gave us time to stop for fun treats! We loved the frozen Butterbeer in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and the incredible ice cream sundaes at Scoops Ahoy!
Even if you’re not going to do every single ride and attraction included on the Universal Express Ticket, it’s well worth it to be able to do more than you thought possible in a day at Universal Studios Hollywood!
Vicky says
This is a great family adventure experience! Thanks for sharing!
Dee says
I’m taking my family to Universal Studios in December and saw the Express pass option. It’s quite pricier…especially for 5 tix i need to purchase. This article you wrote really helped me decided if it was worth the cost. We are excited to not have to wait hours in line. Thanks so much for sharing and explaining it so well.