Okay, here goes...Now remember, no slamming the messenger. After reading all of the "rumors" about what was supposed to happen, I hope this straightens things out.
Universal is committed to the Express system and giving on-site guests special benefits. You are not going to find something like this down the street, it simply can't be done. But first, let's explain the need for a change over the present system. Currently, on-site guests can ride as much as they want, over and over on any attraction by presenting their room key at an attraction. You might ask, what's wrong with that? Well, the system gets clogged because there is no way to track that usage. Some people (I didn't mean you) repeat the attraction over and over again, non-stop. It's off at the exit and right back in the Express lane. The Express lanes back up, many times out past the intended 15 minute wait because the Express system has no way of knowing that this is happening. The park guests that have been scheduled by the Express system become very frustrated when they can't get their intended access. Remember, the system needs to provide access to all who use it.
This happens very frequently today, and with two hotels on-line. This issue is the number one guest complaint about the Express system. The problem will get much worse when the Royal Pacific opens. So, the issue is to track and somewhat regulate the usage of the system by on-site guests while still providing a superior beneift to them.
There have been may posts speculating what's going to happen, and this information is to settle everything, I hope. What is going to happen is that room key readers will be installed in the Express lines of each attraction. This has been discussed before. The installations have begun and there is no particular time table for the completion. Once they are all installed and tested, on-site guests will swipe their keys to gain access to the Express line. Now, for what will happen when they do.
For now, they will proceed through the Express line as they do today. For now, there are no immediate plans to restrict access at all. Will there be a restriction in the future? Almost certainly. As described before, the system backs up. So the real question is what the restriction will be and when will it go into effect.
Neither of those issues has been decided, except for one aspect. The restriction will NOT be once per day. This is nothing but a rumor, a false one at that. What is being considered is something more to the once per hour time frame. They are still gathering data on exactly how people are using the system. Once they start scanning room keys there will be better usage data. The target is the once an hour time frame. It might be slightly longer if needed to keep the system flowing.
Keep in mind that that several thousand people can be in the parks with unlimited walkup access and put the system in a tailspin for everyone else. So, the other big question is when will it change? There is no date for a change. It is more than likely some time away. Again, it depends on how the system runs and the number of complaints they get. It may very well be some time before anything changes if things don't get any busier than they are. Certainly you can expect the change by the time the Royal Pacific opens.
So, remember, no change yet, and no time soon. And when it does come, the target time to repeat an attraction is one hour. That might be somewhat longer. Also, remember, on-site guests can also use their tickets to access the Express system and schedule other, or the same, attractions outside of the walk-up access.
There are certain to be other adjustments to the system as time goes along. Please remember that this is a first, and the benefits of this system have not been provided at this level anywhere else before. I certainly hope that this answers some of the concerns and questions.
Enjoy your visit!
Universal is committed to the Express system and giving on-site guests special benefits. You are not going to find something like this down the street, it simply can't be done. But first, let's explain the need for a change over the present system. Currently, on-site guests can ride as much as they want, over and over on any attraction by presenting their room key at an attraction. You might ask, what's wrong with that? Well, the system gets clogged because there is no way to track that usage. Some people (I didn't mean you) repeat the attraction over and over again, non-stop. It's off at the exit and right back in the Express lane. The Express lanes back up, many times out past the intended 15 minute wait because the Express system has no way of knowing that this is happening. The park guests that have been scheduled by the Express system become very frustrated when they can't get their intended access. Remember, the system needs to provide access to all who use it.
This happens very frequently today, and with two hotels on-line. This issue is the number one guest complaint about the Express system. The problem will get much worse when the Royal Pacific opens. So, the issue is to track and somewhat regulate the usage of the system by on-site guests while still providing a superior beneift to them.
There have been may posts speculating what's going to happen, and this information is to settle everything, I hope. What is going to happen is that room key readers will be installed in the Express lines of each attraction. This has been discussed before. The installations have begun and there is no particular time table for the completion. Once they are all installed and tested, on-site guests will swipe their keys to gain access to the Express line. Now, for what will happen when they do.
For now, they will proceed through the Express line as they do today. For now, there are no immediate plans to restrict access at all. Will there be a restriction in the future? Almost certainly. As described before, the system backs up. So the real question is what the restriction will be and when will it go into effect.
Neither of those issues has been decided, except for one aspect. The restriction will NOT be once per day. This is nothing but a rumor, a false one at that. What is being considered is something more to the once per hour time frame. They are still gathering data on exactly how people are using the system. Once they start scanning room keys there will be better usage data. The target is the once an hour time frame. It might be slightly longer if needed to keep the system flowing.
Keep in mind that that several thousand people can be in the parks with unlimited walkup access and put the system in a tailspin for everyone else. So, the other big question is when will it change? There is no date for a change. It is more than likely some time away. Again, it depends on how the system runs and the number of complaints they get. It may very well be some time before anything changes if things don't get any busier than they are. Certainly you can expect the change by the time the Royal Pacific opens.
So, remember, no change yet, and no time soon. And when it does come, the target time to repeat an attraction is one hour. That might be somewhat longer. Also, remember, on-site guests can also use their tickets to access the Express system and schedule other, or the same, attractions outside of the walk-up access.
There are certain to be other adjustments to the system as time goes along. Please remember that this is a first, and the benefits of this system have not been provided at this level anywhere else before. I certainly hope that this answers some of the concerns and questions.
Enjoy your visit!
Thank you, Earl. Your information is priceless! 
