Early Park Admission Priorities at Islands of Adventure: Should You Use Express Pass?

If you’re heading to Islands of Adventure and you have Early Park Admission access, knowing exactly how to use that time — and whether to combine it with Express Pass — can make a massive difference in your overall wait times. TouringPlans crunched the numbers so you don’t have to, and the results are pretty eye-opening.

What Is Early Park Admission at Islands of Adventure?

Early Park Admission (EPA) gives eligible guests up to an extra hour in the park before official opening. At Islands of Adventure, EPA currently covers the following attractions: Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Flight of the Hippogriff, Jurassic World VelociCoaster, Ollivanders, and Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. This list has remained consistent since VelociCoaster opened in summer 2021, though it’s always subject to change.

One big change that happened last year: Universal began allowing Express Pass usage during EPA. That shift has significant implications for how guests should strategize their morning.

The Three Touring Scenarios (With Real Data)

TouringPlans modeled three different scenarios on a busy 7-out-of-10 day at Islands of Adventure. Here’s what the numbers show:

Express Pass + EPA: The Power Combo

Guests with both EPA and Express Pass can knock out three major attractions in the morning: Hagrid’s, VelociCoaster, and Ollivanders. Total in-line wait? Just about 93 minutes, with 195 minutes spent on actual attractions. You’ll also have over five hours of free time in the middle of the day to rest, eat, and recharge — perfect for a mid-day hotel break and pool time before coming back refreshed for the evening.

EPA Without Express Pass: Hagrid’s Eats Your Morning

Here’s where things get painful. Without Express Pass, guests using EPA can expect Hagrid’s to consume their entire early admission hour — and then some. The Express Pass queue is significantly shorter and pre-fills before standby guests even get to the merge point in Hagrid’s workshop. The result: EPA-only guests end up with over four and a half hours in line for the full day. That’s compared to 93 minutes with Express. That’s a 62% savings in wait time by adding Express Pass.

No EPA, No Express: A Very Long Day

Guests without either EPA or Express Pass should skip Harry Potter and VelociCoaster entirely at rope drop — those queues will already be filled with an hour-plus of EPA guests before the park officially opens. Instead, head straight to Marvel Super Hero Island or Reign of Kong. Even with optimized touring, guests in this scenario are looking at over five hours in line with only about two hours of free time in the day. That’s a tough experience on a busy summer day.

The Bottom Line on Wait Time Savings

The TouringPlans data tells a clear story: Express Pass with EPA delivers a 70% savings on wait times compared to guests with neither perk. And even just having EPA without Express still reduces your total wait time by about 20% compared to arriving at official park opening. Every bit helps on a busy day.

Tips for Early Park Admission at Islands of Adventure

• Arrive early: Plan to be at the gate 30–45 minutes before EPA begins. Lines form quickly and temporary queues may open closer to admission time — choose the shortest one.
• Have everything ready: Have your park admission, EPA credential (hotel key card or Universal Annual Pass), and Express Pass all accessible before you get to the entry points.
• Skip Forbidden Journey and Flight of the Hippogriff during EPA: With Express Pass now available during EPA, these rides fill fast. Save them for later in the morning when you have Express to use.
• Hagrid’s is your EPA priority without Express: Even knowing it’ll take your entire early hour, Hagrid’s is still worth hitting first without Express Pass — it’s the highest demand ride in the park.
• No EPA? Go to Marvel or Kong: If you’re arriving at normal park opening, skip the Wizarding World and Jurassic World entirely until the afternoon. Head to Marvel Super Hero Island or Skull Island: Reign of Kong instead.

Early Park Admission is one of the biggest perks of staying at an on-site Universal hotel, and this data makes it clear that pairing it with Express Pass unlocks an entirely different caliber of touring day. If you’re planning a trip to Islands of Adventure and want to maximize your time, this combo is hard to beat.

20% Off site-wide, plus Free Shipping on all orders of $65+

Over 75+ Designs! Your next park shirt is just a click away

Save time & money on your vacation

Your Universal vacation should create unforgettable memories that last a lifetime.

Whether you’re a first-time Universal vacationer or looking to plan your next epic adventure, it isn’t enough just to go on a Universal vacation. We want you to talk about your vacation for years to come and create memories you’ll cherish forever. Vacation is calling! Are you ready to answer?

REQUEST QUOTE

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
  
 
 
 Jonathan Cotton 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
I’m no stranger to Disney planning, as a Disneyland magic key holder and DVC member. I’m the person people ask for trip planning advice. But I had never been on a Disney cruise, and had heard great about Nate and decided to reach out. I’m so glad I did because we could not have been happier with our experience. His tips and insights were incredibly helpful, and he was incredibly responsive any time we had a question. Who do the Disney experts turn to when they need help? Nate, that’s who.

We’ll definitely be using him again.
  
 
  
 
 
  
  
 
 
 Andria Skornik 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
Our experience working with Nate as our Disney vacation planner was exceptional. He was responsive and thorough. He gave us insights that made the trip go much more smoothly. We were able to really relax and focus on quality time as a family and have so much fun doing it! I will definitely reach out for any future trips.
  
 
  
 
 
  
  
 
 
 rpwoodjr 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
Could not have wanted or expected more from Nate, our Distrips and More agent as we planned our 2025 Disney World trip. Nate was VERY responsive to emails and texts and more than willing to do whatever he could to guide us and answer our questions.  On several occasions I emailed him over the weekend not expecting a response until Monday but each time he responded before the weekend was over.  He even participated in a Zoom session with our group of five seniors as we planned our trip. He also helped us at the 11th hour when we added a family member to our travel group less than a month before our trip.  Without a doubt, I will reach out to Nate when I'm ready to plan my next trip to Disney World!
  
 
  
 
 
  
  
 
 
 Homero Rendon 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
We are so thankful we used Nate to plan not only our first Disney trip, but also our second. He made the process so easy for us, especially for us since it was our first time going. There was a lot to consider and many decisions to make, such as where to stay, when to go, and what to experience. Nate really helped us narrow down what we wanted to do overall, but he didn’t stop there. He provided detailed guides to help us navigate the airport and find our transportation to the resort, as well as a guide to explore the resorts and make sure we saw the best Christmas decorations. One of the many amazing things he also did was set up our dinner reservations for us. This saved us so much stress and allowed us to get some of our top choices. From the moment we landed in Orlando to the moment we headed back home, he made sure everything went smoothly. You truly can’t go wrong with going to him for your next trip.
  
 
  
 
 
  
  
 
 
 Lee Mathes 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
Nate was absolutely the best planner I have ever had.  Will most definitely be using him again.   He took care of everything and kept me on track.  Was so very helpful in making all the dining reservations and everything.   Can't thank him enough.   He made our trip completely stress free!
  
 
  
 
 
  
  
 
 
 Amanda Moran 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
Nathan has been an amazing trip planner for me! So helpful and responsive. I am a very type A person -- so someone who is even more on top of their game than me -- is so so appreciated! Nathan has booked 3 trips for me (1 completed 2 pending) and it was perfection. Thanks again!
  
 
  
 
 
  
  
 
 
 Hyperion Adventures Podcast 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
Nate has helped us with our vacation planning for the last couple of years and we couldn't be happier with his service and expertise. We've used other travel agents in the past and none of them have done as phenomenal a job to make sure every detail is taken care of as he has. Switching to Nate was one of the best decisions we've ever made. He's always quick to answer questions and works tirelessly to make sure we get everything we want from our trips. Plus, he's just a genuinely great person who is wonderful to work with. Whether you're planning a trip to Walt Disney World, Disneyland, a Disney Cruise, or any other vacation, Nate is the guy you want putting it all together! Five stars across the board!
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Google rating score: 5.0 of 5, based on 7 reviews 
 
   
 
 

Meet the Author: Nate Bishop

I’m a die-hard Disney fan with 38 years of visits under my belt, having stepped into Disney World 120+ times. Proud to be a Disney Annual Passholder, a Vacation Club member since ’92, a Castaway Club Member, and a runDisney enthusiast. Oh, and I’ve graduated from the Disney College of Knowledge. Need Disney insights or planning tips? I’m your guy!