Hogwarts Express ticketing logistics

[UniversalCityFL]

Let's talk ticketing. I know this has been discussed here and there in the other thread, but I figured it might be a good idea to start a separate thread devoted to it.

The whole situation puzzles me. Are they going to have several Admissions/Entrance Operations TMs stations on both sides to upgrade tickets?

Is it possible that UO will ONLY sell a "resort ticket" going forward? (one ticket, two parks?)

I have a strong feeling that it's going to be an absolute ****show. It's not as simple as just upgrading 1 park tickets to 2 park tickets. There are hundreds of different type of ticket types that UO distributes -- Timeshare tickets good for two days at one park, group sales tickets that are heavily discounted, comp tickets, legacy tickets, and on and on and on. All these tickets have different values and different rules. On top of that, most tourists don't even know what city they are in let alone what type of ticket they have and it's assigned value when it comes to upgrading.

And what about situations, for example, when it's an hour before the parks close, I came all the way from the UK, I leave tomorrow, and I want to see both sides of HP. You're gonna charge me full price for both parks when all I want to see is the Harry Potter section for an hour? (The answer is "yes", of course, but I'm just playing the part of a Guest :smiley: )

What happens when one park closes before the other?

What happens when it's my first time to the resort, I enter through IOA, take the train to USF, and then I want to get back to my car. It's going to be so disorienting since 99% of people don't know the spacial relationship of the two parks. For all the average guest knows, he travelled 10 miles on the train.



So many questions -- Auugghh! :bang:

 

[Miketheboss]

There would be 3 trains. Either two, just carrying single park ticket holders (1 train each for IOA and UNI) and one train that takes two park ticket holders from park to park. Or the opposite combination. (Just my guess)

 

[UniversalCityFL]

Hmm... That seems like a huge operational expense just to accommodate single-park ticketholders.

 

[rhino4evr]

I've gone back and forth on this as well...I think the biggest flaw in the plan, is that single park ticket holders will be able to ride HE at all.

In my opinion..the HE should ONLY be for 2 park pass holders for a number of reasons.

1. It gives the 2 park pass holder an extra incentive to buy the upgrade. Makes business sense for Universal, as more people will cash in extra just to ride.
2. You won't have a constant line of peopole riding back and forth on the train. This will cause the train to be SUPER crowded at all times making travelling more of a nusience then an advantage for 2 park pass holders. This goes back to incentive.
3. What if someone rides one way, gets sick, hurt, or is just scared to go back the other way (like parents with young children)..what happens to those people that are stranded? WIll they need to walk back? Will there be a walkway?
4. You don't need to check every ticket to see if they are multi or not...meaning more turnstiles/lines/crowd problems in an already tight area.

As far as the park hours concern...I think we will see both parks have simialr hours. I also think that the HE will probably close a little earlier for that reason.

Parking shouldn't be a huge issue as everyone is bottlenecked to the same garage entrance, and their are signs like every 500 feet.

So my idea is sell the 2 park ticket as the normal ticket...and up the price a little bit. Sell 1 park tickets at a bigger discount, but make consumer aware that not all rides and attractions will be available to discounted ticket holders.

I think that seems fair.

 

[Nitro_230]

Three things.

First off when you walk up to a ticket booth there are no signs for 1 park tickets. Secondly if you as for tickets for 2 adult 1 day tickets they will sell you 2 1 day 2 park tickets. It's been this way for a few years now. The 1 day 1 park ticket is only sold at the gate if the guest demands it. So they could make HE two park ticket holders only if they wanted to, and if a guest asks for 1 park they are informed. Also the website defaults to two parks, so again it could prompt that you will not be able to ride the HE if you continue with the one park purchase if someone selects it.

As far as at the ride, they could charge the standard difference between 1 park and 2 park tickets for your number of days, eliminating the care about where the ticket was purchased. A 3 day ticket, that'll be $17.

Lastly, nothing has been announced. We don't know if they are going to convert to a resort ticket, allow one way rides, ect. So it's a bit early to declare it "an absolute ****show"

 

[rhino4evr]

if they charge at the train station they would need a whole new set of ticket booths, cashiers, etc. Just seems like a lot of extra work for something they could keep at the main gate.

When you go to Halloweed Horror Nights and decide not to buy the Express Pass (Mistake)...you can always go back to the entrance to upgrade your ticket...I'm sure we will see a similar "walk of shame" if they decide to limit the train to 2 park holders.

Also, I noticed that the website/signage all promotes 2 park tickets and the 1 park tickets are written in small writing. But Disney does the exact same thing with the "hopper".

 

[Kevin38]

My question has to do with ADA accessibility I guess they are going to have to allow ECV's on the ride .Most rides now make you move to a push wheelchair outside and when done you switch back.That is not going to work if you are in a different park at the end of ride.

If they make the stations "No park land" Meaning you have to show park ticket to exit the ride que/station.
Will they make you wait for a return ride?
Are they going to reward the cheaper ticket with both way ride?
How will they deal with irate guests if they forbid exit at the other park.
"I just want to leave and you are telling me I have to wait in a line to leave here"

 

[Nitro_230]

if they charge at the train station they would need a whole new set of ticket booths, cashiers, etc. Just seems like a lot of extra work for something they could keep at the main gate.

When you go to Halloweed Horror Nights and decide not to buy the Express Pass (Mistake)...you can always go back to the entrance to upgrade your ticket...I'm sure we will see a similar "walk of shame" if they decide to limit the train to 2 park holders.

Also, I noticed that the website/signage all promotes 2 park tickets and the 1 park tickets are written in small writing. But Disney does the exact same thing with the "hopper".

Actually if you go to HHN and don't buy express you stop into any of the 11 stores that sell it.

 

[rhino4evr]

ha ha..no idea they sold it in the stores..I guess that could work too.

has far as the ADA thing goes...they will definitely need to have a "handicap" section of the train. What about Strollers?

 

[Nitro_230]

The way it will probably go, they will have rental strollers at both stations (at the same place they sell the upgrade). You drop your stroller off there, bring the name piece and receipt with you, and pick up a new one on the other side.

For personal strollers, they'll have to be folded down and stored in the cabin with you.

 

[Disneyhead]

All three carriages on the train have a handicap accessible section. It is the last couchette. So that means each train will have 3 separate handicap sections.

I am not sure about the ECVs though.

And HTF has said that strollers are not allowed. I am not sure how they will deal with that because most people traveling to the other park will not want to leave their stroller for several hours while they enjoy the other park. My solution would be have a fake "loading dock" where you load your stroller onto a truck, and they would be carted to the other park while you ride. This would also work for ECVs.

 

[novawildcat18]

All three carriages on the train have a handicap accessible section. It is the last couchette. So that means each train will have 3 separate handicap sections.

I am not sure about the ECVs though.

And HTF has said that strollers are not allowed. I am not sure how they will deal with that because most people traveling to the other park will not want to leave their stroller for several hours while they enjoy the other park. My solution would be have a fake "loading dock" where you load your stroller onto a truck, and they would be carted to the other park while you ride. This would also work for ECVs.

I like that stroller solution. I never actually thought about how they were going to deal with the stroller situation, but this seems like a viable solution. Can't really think of any other possibilities.

 

[Nitro_230]

All three carriages on the train have a handicap accessible section. It is the last couchette. So that means each train will have 3 separate handicap sections.

I am not sure about the ECVs though.

And HTF has said that strollers are not allowed. I am not sure how they will deal with that because most people traveling to the other park will not want to leave their stroller for several hours while they enjoy the other park. My solution would be have a fake "loading dock" where you load your stroller onto a truck, and they would be carted to the other park while you ride. This would also work for ECVs.

An actual truck wouldn't really work both because it doesn't line up with the green initiative, and because at times of the day (during parade roll out, HHN nights any time after the parade, ect) that roadway is blocked.

 

[UniversalCityFL]

Three things.

First off when you walk up to a ticket booth there are no signs for 1 park tickets. Secondly if you as for tickets for 2 adult 1 day tickets they will sell you 2 1 day 2 park tickets. It's been this way for a few years now. The 1 day 1 park ticket is only sold at the gate if the guest demands it. So they could make HE two park ticket holders only if they wanted to, and if a guest asks for 1 park they are informed. Also the website defaults to two parks, so again it could prompt that you will not be able to ride the HE if you continue with the one park purchase if someone selects it.

As far as at the ride, they could charge the standard difference between 1 park and 2 park tickets for your number of days, eliminating the care about where the ticket was purchased. A 3 day ticket, that'll be $17.

Lastly, nothing has been announced. We don't know if they are going to convert to a resort ticket, allow one way rides, ect. So it's a bit early to declare it "an absolute ****show"

Yes, good points. Although UO makes every effort to ensure EVERY ticket sold is a multi-day ticket, there are still many people out there that request single-day tickets. And again, there are many many many more ticket types sold than what you see advertised at the gate:

One day tickets.
Special private event tickets good for "After 5 PM" entry.
Masses of group tickets for 1-park only sold in other countries (like South American tour companies)
Tickets for touring timeshares good for two days at 1 park.
Heavily-discounted corporate convention tickets good for one park.

...its a lot.

Even if only 10% of people have these types of tickets, it's going to cause utter chaos at HE when thousands of people find out they can't go on a Harry Potter ride inside the park they paid for and are being told they need to pay for an upgrade.

 

[Disneyhead]

People with one day/one park passes WILL be able to ride, they just won't be allowed to enter the other park when they get there. They will need to re-queue and ride back to the one park they have a ticket for.

 

[Nitro_230]

Yes, good points. Although UO makes every effort to ensure EVERY ticket sold is a multi-day ticket, there are still many people out there that request single-day tickets. And again, there are many many many more ticket types sold than what you see advertised at the gate:

One day tickets.
Special private event tickets good for "After 5 PM" entry.
Masses of group tickets for 1-park only sold in other countries (like South American tour companies)
Tickets for touring timeshares good for two days at 1 park.
Heavily-discounted corporate convention tickets good for one park.

...its a lot.

Even if only 10% of people have these types of tickets, it's going to cause utter chaos at HE when thousands of people find out they can't go on a Harry Potter ride inside the park they paid for and are being told they need to pay for an upgrade.

They have been working to make the other sales venues more driven to 2 park tickets as well, for example that's what the web site defaults to.

And for some of those others there are some pretty easy fixes:
- Private events like that don't want people jumping to the other park, as they have to corral them at a certain place at park close.
- The tour groups will know they'll need a two park pass, if they don't they shouldn't be in business.
- The time shares can be switched over to one day two park pretty easy. And if they don't, then people have to pay.
- The convention tickets are usually 2 park.

In the end a simple chart for what they'll charge kills the challenges of trying to make all tickets pay the same. You just consider the one park money gone, and just charge the upcharge fee.
1 day left - $35
2 day's left - $44
3 day's left- $53
Ect

 

[UniversalCityFL]

People with one day/one park passes WILL be able to ride, they just won't be allowed to enter the other park when they get there. They will need to re-queue and ride back to the one park they have a ticket for.

Good to know, thanks. So, there will be turnstiles and a ticketing area at the exit to each train station?

 

[Disneyhead]

Good to know, thanks. So, there will be turnstiles and a ticketing area at the exit to each train station?

Yes. And according to HTF, lots of signage explaining the process.

 

[Hockeyman55]

Yes. And according to HTF, lots of signage explaining the process.

All the signing in the world can be put up and you know there will always be one dummy who doesn't read any of them and just clogs everything up

 

[jtsalien]

All the signing in the world can be put up and you know there will always be one dummy who doesn't read any of them and just clogs everything up

Then complains, and gets a day of Express for his "troubles" :bonk: