Hi - I’m trying to understand the tickets and express passes. I’m staying at the RP and I was told the room key is my express pass. So is a ticket also a card? Should I get lanyards before hand? And if yes to lanyards, are they provided by the hotel or do I buy them in advance?
Thank you!
Your hotel room key is your UXP. It is not your ticket into the park. You will have separate tickets. You will be using both tickets constantly. Your park ticket opens your lockers and your hotel key gets you into the UXP queue.
A lanyard is the “unofficial” uniform at Universal. It’s so much easier to have these “at the ready” and not digging through a bag or trying to use your phone. The e-tickets work fine, but IMHO take longer and can be a hassle for new guests not familiar with the app.
I only use hard tickets and a lanyard for all my trips!
Personal preference. I personally don’t like wearing lanyards, so I just keep things in my wallet or pocket. I find lanyards start to irritate my neck and can feel hot. But some find pulling out the wallet constantly annoying and prefer lanyards.
Whichever you prefer.
This is what you’ll get for a admission ticket. There’s a barcode on the other side.
You gotta buy one! Nothing is free at a theme park!! (They used to include the plastic pouch but as of last year you have to pay for that separately now! 
)
They have every style at the parks with every character or theme that you think of. You can find them almost EVERYWHERE for sale at UOR. They are about $18 each though.
You can also use an express pass barcode for a locker.
If you’re carrying tickets for your whole family just make sure that you know exactly whose barcode you used for the locker so that you can use it to get your stuff back out.
Same goes if you use a park ticket for the locker.
Additionally, a lanyard is the only way to carry your ticket on the metal detector rides, like VC and RRR.
Unless you have very secure pockets, which most ladies clothes are not blessed with 
Unless you buy a photo package, then a lanyard and pouch are included 
You can tell how often (never) that I’ve stayed at a premier resort!! 
With only two people traveling, with APs, it doesn’t make financial sense to stay there. I do enjoy vising them and enjoying the restaurants & bars!
Is it really “free” if you have to buy a photo package?? 
I much prefer to have a lanyard. I keep the express pass (room key) barcode facing out one way and my ticket barcode the other way. You are constantly scanning at each ride (express pass), when entering the park or boarding the Hogwarts Express (ticket) and for lockers. But when you scan for lockers, just make sure you remember which one you used!
I agree with @FindMeAFishingSpot. I stuff the lanyard in my shirt when I am on many attractions.
The room key works too
I put the card for the photos in my pocket on Velocicoaster and it was gone by the time I got off the ride! I had them in the pocket for my leggings and thought for sure it was secure! 
We use lanyards - put the annual pass/ticket on one side and the resort key on the other side. Then they can easily go inside your shirt on rides.
They are more expensive (and cuter) at the parks than if you buy from stores at home or online, however once you buy one, it is good for a lifetime. So spending $15-20 on a lanyard is worth it to me. I’ve seen Harry Potter lanyards with the plastic holder at Walmart for under $10. Just an option.
Yes!
That’s actually what I meant. I’ve never had EP that wasn’t on a room key, but I guess for the people who buy EP on its own there will likely be a third card with a barcode.
Yikes 
I honestly thought I was going to lose my lanyard on VC a couple of times.
I had it tucked into my t-shirt, but it still felt loose.
Best bet it cargo shorts with zips, but that’s not really my fashion 
This is where a sports bra comes in handy… tuck the lanyard in & you’re good to go
Lanyard for sure! I started a trip without one and immediately lost my annual pass out of my pocket. Fortunately I noticed right away and my husband was able to find it on the walking path where we had stopped for a photo. I’ll never go without a lanyard again! I put my room key, park tickets or AP and also a credit card in there just in case.
This is important to remeber becauae I kept scanning one to get the locker and then trying to use the other to get back in. Doesn’t work!
I bought a little packet of clear ID holders so the ticket is on one side and the hotel card is on the other.
We don’t like lanyards so we got retractable badge holdera and hooked them on oir backpacks and belt loops. There are simple ones like this.
We got Harry Potter ones.
Note - DH just put his cards in his pocket and lost them on Velocicoaster. Be sure to take a picture of room cards and passes. It makes it much easier to get them replaced!
Also - the cheap retractable badge holders are best because they aren’t metal - plastic doesn’t set of the metal detector! We were really happy with this solution.
This is exactly what we do as well!
Great advice!! This is true for all UOR tickets! It soooo much easier to get them replaced when they have the barcode info!! (I speak from experience! )
