Universal Orlando Testing Individual Express Passes Reminiscent of Disney’s Controversial Lightning Lane

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Universal Orlando Resort is trying out a new way for guests to skip the lines on two popular rides – Skull Island: Reign of Kong and Revenge of the Mummy. This appears to be a move to compete with Disney’s similar line-skipping service, which allows guests to pay to access certain rides without waiting in the regular queues.

Guests visiting Universal Studios Orlando can now learn about a new offering by scanning a QR code on signs throughout the park.

@AliciaStella is Universal Lighting Lane new(ish)?

— D (@dscott214) October 15, 2025

This is a limited-time offer that lets you skip the regular line at one attraction. You’ll need a valid theme park ticket to use it. It’s good for one-time use, on the same day you buy it, at the attraction you choose. Supplies are limited, and this offer could change or be cancelled without warning. Some restrictions may apply.

We contacted Universal Orlando to ask about the deal, and a representative confirmed it’s a short-term trial only for those two specific rides.

The Universal representative we contacted couldn’t offer more specifics, but it appears this is a test program, and could be expanded in the future.

Disney’s Lightning Lane: A Quick Comparison

Walt Disney World used to offer FastPass+, a free service that let guests skip the lines at attractions. It was replaced in 2021 with Genie+, a paid service. Disney has since updated this system again, and in July 2024, they launched Lightning Lane, which offers two ways to skip the lines: Individual Lightning Lane passes and Multi-Pass options.

In October 2024, Disney introduced a new Premier Pass option. This pass gives guests unlimited access to the Lightning Lane for all rides and attractions within a single park, working similarly to Universal’s Express Pass.

Disney’s Premier Pass, which can cost as much as $449 per day at Magic Kingdom, lets guests skip lines at rides without needing to make reservations through an app. Universal’s Express Pass offers a similar benefit: for a fixed daily price that changes depending on the day and time of year, guests can use a faster queue at most attractions.

Disney has been offering a way to pay for access to specific rides, called “Individual Lightning Lane,” for a while now. But Universal’s recent test of letting guests buy access to single rides is the first time they’ve offered a similar service.

What This Could Mean for the Future

As a big Universal fan, I’m really keeping an eye on these new Express Passes they’re testing out. If they go well – and I’m hoping they do! – I could see Universal rolling them out across all their parks, including Volcano Bay and even the brand new Epic Universe. That would be a game-changer for getting around and hitting all the rides!

Adding this option could significantly improve the guest experience by offering a more affordable way to bypass long lines on popular rides, instead of requiring a full Express Pass. It would also increase competition with Disney, particularly for highly sought-after attractions like “Battle at the Ministry,” the main ride in the Harry Potter area of Epic Universe, which often has wait times of over three hours.

With competition heating up between Orlando’s theme parks, Universal’s trial of individual Express Passes might indicate a significant change in how both companies handle shorter lines and encourage visitors to spend more money.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on this development as it unfolds.

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2025-10-16 18:56