Skip the lines at Universal Studios Orlando

TL;DR – How to skip the lines at Universal Studios Orlando

Universal Studios Orlando is known for its themed rides and attractions across their parks, making it a crowd-favorite for families, theme park enthusiasts, and fans of everything Hollywood. During peak seasons/weekends, the time you’ll spend waiting in lines can exceed 1.5 hrs for rides, which you can bypass by booking a skip-the-line Express Pass.

Here’s how:

  • Universal Studios Orlando 1-Day Express Pass (One Time Per Ride) (From $114 ): Access to fast-track entry for popular rides and attractions at Universal Studios Orlando for a day. Can be used one time per ride. Does not include theme park admission.
  • Universal Studios Orlando 1-Day Express Pass (Unlimited Rides) (From $155 ): Access to fast-track entry for popular rides and attractions at Universal Studios Orlando for a day, with unlimited access allowing you to visit the attractions with fast-track entry multiple times with your ticket. Does not include theme park admission.
  • Universal Studios Orlando 1-Day Tickets + Express Pass (One Time per Ride) (From $269 ): Includes 1-day admission to the theme park of your choice, along with access to fast-track entry for popular rides and attractions at Universal Studios Orlando for a day. Can be used one time per ride. 
  • Universal Studios Orlando Tickets + 1-Day Express Pass (Unlimited Rides) (From $295 ): Includes 1-day admission to the theme park of your choice, along with unlimited access, allowing you to visit the attractions with fast-track entry multiple times with your ticket. 
  • Universal Studios Orlando 2-Day Express Pass (One Time Per Ride) (From $273 ): Access to fast-track entry for popular rides and attractions at Universal Studios Orlando for 2 days. Can be used one time per ride. Does not include theme park admission.

See all your options in detail below ↓

What are customers saying?

Loved by 45 million+
Wilfredo millan mapalo
CA

Wilfredo

Canada
Oct 2025
5/5

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+2 more

Amazing , so beautiful place , i love all the rides and so much fun. Wonderful experience and i will never forget as also im celebrating my October Birthday week with wife and friends.Truly memorable.
ivan mauricio plata
CO

Ivan

Colombia
Jul 2025
5/5

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Nice day despite the hot weather and crowd. Enjoy with family. Hulk rollercoaster was ok but velociraptor was amazing. Try to repeat but waiting time over 60 min. Food at the park is ok. Parking expensive but well organized
Kim Jordan

Kim

Nov 2025
5/5
The two day three park ticket to Universal was perfect for us as we only had a couple of days to fill. The hopper between Studios and IOA was great. It was relatively quiet in the parks, walked on to most rides with no wait. We did so much! Epic was another story...park was very busy, rides not working or delayed, 3/4 hour waits for the main rides so didn't bother. We did have a good day. It was just disappointing that we didn't do everything.
Veronica higuera
US

Veronica

United States
Jul 2025
5/5
Getting there was so easy, staff members help with instruction to order our food and OMG the berk island is amazing, fun. We had the express tickets so we were able to get on all the rides and I did have to show the tickets the camaras recognized.!!! Thank you Epic for the great day
Jennifer Morales Hernandez
GT

Jennifer

Guatemala
Dec 2025
5/5
Epic Universe was so amazing! My kids' dream came true! Delicious snacks. We had a red shell! We ate at Toadstool's Cafe and food was good but not really good! Crew was super nice and polite! Lines for the rides too long! Express pass too expensive.
HUGO CARRERA
EC

Hugo

Ecuador
Nov 2025
5/5
Excellent organization of the staff, the cleanliness and charisma of the staff, the application, the attractions of another level, in short everything very well.
Ramona Cleveland
US

Ramona

United States
Aug 2025
5/5
First the valet parking was amazing and made traveling with 5 kids so much easier ! We had a memorable day at the park , lots of laughs and tons of smiles we'll cherish forever !

Book skip-the-line tickets to Universal Studios Orlando

Avoid waiting in lines and get to your rides and attractions, and enjoy the experiences at Universal Studios Orlando as soon as you can.

Pro tip: Book at least two weeks in advance to get your preferred date at the theme parks, especially during the summer months.

























































What does skip-the-line really mean for Universal Studios Orlando

You can easily avoid waiting in long lines at the popular rides and attractions at Universal Studios Orlando with your skip-the-line Express Pass tickets. Choose the type of ticket that allows you to experience fast-track access to entertainment and adventure as per your itinerary.

How long are the queues at Universal Studios Orlando?

Waiting times can exceed an hour, sometimes crossing 2 hours during the summer months, holiday season, and weekends, so you can skip waiting in the long lines at popular attractions with your skip-the-line ticket.

  • Peak season: June to August, December
  • Peak hours: 12pm onward

Types of queues at Universal Studios Orlando

Ticketing counter

  • Location: Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure, CityWalk, Universal Resorts
  • Who it’s for: Visitors buying tickets on the spot
  • Average wait time: 5 to 15 minutes during off-season, over 1 hour during peak seasons and weekends
  • Skip-the-line: Can be bypassed with pre-purchased admission tickets

Security screening

  • Location: Entrances of Universal Studios theme parks
  • Who it’s for: Mandatory for all visitors
  • Average wait time: 10 minutes during off-season, 30 minutes during peak seasons and weekends
  • Skip-the-line: Mandatory, can be reduced by arriving early (9am) or during off-season

Rides and attractions

  • Location: Inside Universal Studios theme parks
  • Who it’s for: All visitors
  • Average wait time: 5-20 minutes during off-season, 45 minutes to 1.5 hrs during peak seasons and weekends
  • Skip-the-line: Fast-track entry with skip-the-line Express Pass tickets
Enjoy fast-track access to your favorite rides and attractions

Visit Universal Studios Orlando without waiting in long queues with fast-track entry, and enjoy unlimited access, where you can experience the magic of your favorite rides unlimited times!

All your options to skip the lines at Universal Studios Orlando

Book your admission tickets online

Bypass the hour-long lines during peak seasons and holidays by booking your admission tickets online in advance to enter the theme park of your choice directly.

Recommended experiences:

  • Universal Studios Orlando 1-Day Tickets
  • Universal Studios Orlando 2-Day Tickets (Multiple Parks)
  • Universal Studios Orlando 2-Day Tickets (Single Park Per Day)

Book the One-Time One-Ride Express Pass

Enjoy access to popular rides and attractions at the theme park of your choice with fast-track entry, allowing you to skip waiting in long queues to visit your favorite theme park attractions. The pass allows access to skip-the-line entry once per attraction. Keep in mind that this ticket does not include admission to the theme park.

Recommended experiences:

  • Universal Studios Orlando 1-Day Express Pass (One Time Per Ride)
  • Universal Studios Orlando 2-Day Express Pass (One Time Per Ride)

Book the Unlimited Rides Express Pass

Enjoy access to popular rides and attractions at the theme park of your choice with fast-track entry unlimited times during the day, allowing you to skip waiting in long queues to visit your favorite attractions as many times as you’d like. This ticket does not include admission to the theme park.

Recommended experiences:

  • Universal Studios Orlando 1-Day Express Pass (Unlimited Rides)

Book the admission tickets with your Express Pass

Skip waiting in all lines, from the ticketing counter to the lines at the attractions, by adding the Express Pass with your admission ticket. You can opt for unlimited access to rides or once per attraction.

Recommended experiences:

  • Universal Studios Orlando 1-Day Tickets + Express Pass (One Time per Ride)
  • Universal Studios Orlando Tickets + 1-Day Express Pass (Unlimited Rides)

Visit during off-peak season/hours

Use the Universal Orlando app to navigate real-time wait times for rides and attractions, and plan your visit during off-season months and weekdays. Arriving early also allows you to explore the park at your own pace, and you can plan to visit the popular rides that attract long wait times strategically.

Recommended experiences:

  • Universal Studios Orlando 1-Day Tickets
  • Universal Studios Orlando 2-Day Tickets (Multiple Parks)
  • Universal Studios Orlando 2-Day Tickets (Single Park Per Day)

Compare your ticket options

Ticket typeWait timesQueues skippedInclusionsTickets

On-site Tickets

Over 1 hour during peak seasons

None (could vary based on ticket type)

Vary based on ticket type

On-site

Universal Studios Orlando 1-Day Tickets + Express Pass (One Time per Ride)

Peak-season waits can exceed 60 minutes

Ticket purchase lines and ride queues (once per attraction)

1-day park admission + Express Pass with skip-the-line access once per ride

From $269

Universal Studios Orlando Tickets + 1-Day Express Pass (Unlimited Rides)

Peak-season waits can exceed 60 minutes

Ticket purchase lines and ride queues (unlimited)

Park admission + Express Pass with unlimited skip-the-line access for the day

From $295

Universal Studios Orlando 1-Day Express Pass (Unlimited Rides)

Ride queues can exceed 60 minutes during peak times

Ride queues only (unlimited)

Express Pass with unlimited fast-track access; park admission not included

From $155

Universal Studios Orlando 1-Day Express Pass (One Time Per Ride)

Ride queues can exceed 60 minutes during peak times

Ride queues only (once per attraction)

Express Pass with one-time skip-the-line access per attraction; park admission not included

From $114

Universal Studios Orlando 2-Day Express Pass (One Time Per Ride)

Ride queues can exceed 60 minutes during peak times

Ride queues only (once per attraction over 2 days)

2-day Express Pass with one-time skip-the-line access per ride; park admission not included

From $273

Universal Studios Orlando 1-Day Tickets

Ticketing and ride queues can exceed 60 minutes during peak seasons for each line

Ticket purchase lines

1-day admission to the selected theme park

From $148

Universal Studios Orlando 2-Day Tickets (Multiple Parks)

Ticketing and ride queues can exceed 60 minutes during peak seasons for each line

Ticket purchase lines

Admission for 2 days with access to multiple parks

From $330

Universal Studios Orlando 2-Day Tickets (Single Park Per Day)

Ticketing and ride queues can exceed 60 minutes during peak seasons for each line

Ticket purchase lines

Admission for 2 days, one park per day

From $313

Rides and attractions included with your Universal Express Pass

Universal Studios Florida

  • Animal Actors on Location!
  • Despicable Me Minion Mayhem
  • DreamWorks Imagination Celebration
  • E.T. Adventure
  • Fast & Furious – Supercharged
  • Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts™
  • Hogwarts™ Express (Park-to-Park Admission required to board the Hogwarts™ Express)
  • Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
  • Illumination's Villain-Con Minion Blast
  • Kang & Kodos' Twirl 'n' Hurl
  • MEN IN BLACK™ Alien Attack™
  • Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon
  • Revenge of the Mummy
  • The Bourne Stuntacular
  • The Simpsons Ride™
  • Transformers™: The Ride-3D
  • Trolls Trollercoaster
  • Universal Horror Make-Up Show

Universal Islands Of Adventure

  • The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man®
  • Caro-Seuss-el™
  • The Cat in the Hat™
  • Doctor Doom’s Fearfall®
  • Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls®
  • Flight of the Hippogriff™
  • Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure™
  • Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey™
  • The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride!™
  • Hogwarts™ Express (Park-to-Park admission ticket required)
  • The Incredible Hulk Coaster®
  • Jurassic Park River Adventure
  • Jurassic World VelociCoaster
  • One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish™
  • Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges®
  • Skull Island: Reign of Kong
  • Storm Force Accelatron®

Universal Epic Universe

  • Universal Epic Universe
  • Constellation Carousel
  • Curse of the Werewolf
  • Fyre Drill
  • Hiccup’s Wing Gliders
  • Le Cirque Arcanus™
  • Mario Kart™: Bowser’s Challenge
  • Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment
  • Stardust Racers
  • The Untrainable Dragon
  • Yoshi’s Adventure™

Universal Volcano Bay

  • Honu of Honu ika Moana
  • ika Moana of Honu ika Moana
  • Krakatau Aqua Coaster
  • Maku of Maku Puihi Round Raft Rides
  • Puihi of Maku Puihi Round Raft Rides
  • Punga Racers
  • Taniwha Tubes

Frequently asked questions about Universal Studios Orlando skip-the-line Express Pass tickets

Does the Express Pass replace my park admission ticket?

No. The Express Pass is not a park entry ticket. You must purchase valid park admission separately to use Express Pass access at Universal Studios Florida and/or Islands of Adventure.

What’s the difference between “One Time per Ride” and “Unlimited” Express Pass?

One Time per Ride lets you skip the regular line once per participating attraction. Unlimited lets you use the Express queue as many times as you want on participating rides throughout the day. Unlimited is best if you plan to repeat popular rides like Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey or The Incredible Hulk Coaster.

Which rides do NOT accept Express Pass?

Express Pass is valid on most major attractions, but a few rides are excluded, including Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, Pteranodon Flyers, and some seasonal or special experiences. Ride participation can change, so it’s best to check the official park signage on the day of your visit.

How much time does the Express Pass actually save?

On busy days, Express Pass can reduce waits from 60–120 minutes down to 10–30 minutes. However, Express queues are not instant entry—during peak holidays or summer afternoons, short waits may still occur.

Is Express Pass worth it on quieter days?

If you’re visiting on weekdays outside school holidays (late January, early May, early September), you may not need Express Pass. It’s most valuable during spring break, summer vacation, Thanksgiving week, Christmas & New Year period, and on long weekends.

Can I share an Express Pass with someone else?

No. Express Passes are non-transferable and tied to the guest using them. Team Members may check to ensure passes are used by the correct guest.

Can I use one Express Pass across parks in one day?

Yes, but only if you have valid admission to those parks. The Express Pass itself does not restrict park hopping, but your entry ticket does.

Do Express Pass holders skip the locker lines too?

No. For rides requiring lockers, all guests use the same locker system, including Express Pass holders. The Express Pass only applies to the ride queue itself.

Is Express Pass included with Universal hotel stays?

Guests staying at Premier Hotels (Loews Royal Pacific, Hard Rock Hotel, or Portofino Bay Hotel) receive Unlimited Express Passes for each night of stay, valid on check-in and check-out days. Guests at Value or Prime Value hotels do not get Express Pass included.

Can I buy my Express Pass on the same day?

Yes, but same-day prices are higher and availability can sell out on busy days. Buying in advance is recommended if you’re visiting during peak season.

Does Express Pass work during Early Park Admission?

Yes, but only for rides that are open during Early Park Admission and accept Express Pass. Not all rides are operating during this early window.

Are Express Passes refundable or changeable?

Generally, Express Passes are non-refundable and non-transferable. Date changes may not be allowed, so double-check your travel dates before purchasing.

Is the Express Pass useful for families with kids?

Yes, especially if your group includes teenagers or thrill-ride fans. However, for families with younger children focused on character meets or shows, Express Pass may offer limited value.

Can I use my Express Pass on shows and character meet-and-greets?

Express Pass access is primarily for rides. Some shows may offer priority seating, but character meet-and-greets typically do not accept Express Pass.

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