You may have seen the rumor that Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Harry Potter and the Escape From Gringrotts, and the Hogwarts Express will all be receiving Express Pass access very soon, and we can confirm that we have also been told this is happening and should be considered true, just unofficially. According to multiple sources at Universal Orlando, Express will be accepted at the Wizarding World attractions that currently don’t accept Express starting on Saturday, July 1.
So, what does this look like for guests? The first thing to note is the attractions can easily accommodate Express Passes, but small changes will be made. For instance, the Express Pass line at Forbidden Journey should be in the current castle tour line that is also used for Accessibility Passes and VIP Tours. If Express Passes clog up this line that could potentially mean the end of easy going castle tours for those who can’t or don’t want to experience the attraction. That isn’t to say they would go away completely, but on busy days even Express Pass lines can back up and cause long lines. Gringotts also has a similar line that should be converted completely into Express. The only other option they have to keep these lines for special use only is to remove the single rider lines, which would be outrageous.
Obviously the other issue to look at with this is extended wait times. Potter attractions have finally reached a point where they only accumulate massively long lines when the parks are out-of-control busy or when extended downtimes cause delays. However, attractions like The Incredible Hulk Coaster, Revenge of the Mummy, and other popular attractions have always found a way to make due with Express, so there is no reason to be too afraid of bad lines. And let’s be honest – even if Express causes wait times to rise for the Potter attractions, they are still worth the wait.
As of now Universal has not officially confirmed the addition of Express to these attractions, and chances are it will just quietly roll out on Saturday. We will keep you up-to-date when more information is available.
I dont think they need express for these rides. The lines move fast and thus would slow it down, keep it the way it is
This is so helpful. I’m going to Universal in July, so I need to do some research.