This has been a thing for decades.
Also there will be no Express Pass offered as a perk at Helios Grand. Period.
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Ever??
I assumed this would just be to temper opening chaos.
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Thanks! I’m just finding out today! 
It’s crazy with the number of times I’ve stayed at most of the hotels & none of them have ever mentioned it at check-in!!
I noticed that was missing in the benefits listings. I had wondered if it was just for the opening period or first year???
IMHO - For the amount they’re going to be charging they should offer it at some point!
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That is weird.
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What’s the figure?
I have been saying for a long long time this will never offer Express Pass as a benefit. And why would they? Universal is required to by contract for the three OG hotels.
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I don’t know, but I’m sure it’s going to be on par with the other Premier hotels I can’t afford!! 
Oh! Never knew that either! This is really insightful!! Thanks!!
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I don’t think it would be unreasonable to have a fourth hotel offering this perk since there will be a whole new park for all the EP people to disperse through.
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Does that mean it’s here to stay? I always wait for them to remove the benefit.
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Interesting - I didn’t know that was a contractual thing! Do you think that the contract for the other 3 is only for the two existing parks and won’t extend to Epic?
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I get that, but I think this hotel will be priced lower than the ones with Express. No inside info, just a gut feeling they want to slot a hotel between Sapphire Falls and Royal Pacific on pricing. I think that’s also why this has the near same amenities as Sapphire Falls and not Portofino. Just a business decision.
I’m not 100% sure but I believe it specifically states the two first parks, hence no Volcano Bay either.
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I am going to book for the week after Christmas and if the OG 3 have EXP for Epic, that would change things!
Would be exciting if Helios is not crazy priced. I would definitely love to be there on NYE whole only slightly breaking the bank.
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Do we think they’ll offer VIP tours (the cheaper group ones) when Epic opens? I’d rather stay at a cheaper hotel and do that especially if those new space themed hotels have the two room suites like surf side inn where my kids get their own room and beds.
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Definitely not at opening. Hopefully they’ll add extra things like that down the road.
You can check out the Helios suites here.
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Did you hear when Len was talking about this on the Disney Dish? I have already started talking to my family about maybe doing this.
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I haven’t……was it a review of it?
Ive done the HHN one and the one for the other two parks and it was fantastic. I think it was $375-400 per person but it included breakfast and lunch for the daytime one and skipping lines for hagrid and at the time VC which didn’t have express and you got to do some cool things like in MIB. Highly recommend. It’s not Disney VIP tour ridiculous pricing though it’s not cheap but we stayed in a cheaper hotel and knocked all the big rides in both parks in one day so we saved money elsewhere to compensate. Generally i prefer the premier hotels with the unlimited express as the best deal but when crunched for time or for a new experience this was nice. So if there’s not going to be express in Epic I’d do this again there. But looks like it won’t be offered at first so maybe I’ll wait till 2026 and see if it’s offered then.
Sidetrack. Does anyone know when the family park in Dallas is opening?
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Yes.
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They’ve broken ground, and I think expected to open in 2026.
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@mathhound I meant to post this the other day, there is a great Facebook group run by a travel agent who was with the Touring Plans travel agency, with information for larger riders, about Universal.
I am sure there will be a ton of information whe. EPIC opens. People are very generous and will share weights, body shapes and what they can and can’t ride. Worth a join if you are on Facebook.
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