It isn't a big deal to non-onsite hotel guests because they haven't paid an additional 200 per night to access it. For those that pay for it, however, it's a big deal. It's just a matter of how many others have early entry access, and that depends on how many on-site hotel guests there are., which in turn depends on how many rooms there are.
If you think that the grand opening of the Wizarding World is not something people will wake up at the crack of dawn for, you should look at the pictures of the line that extended all the way back through Citywalk on the opening day of Hogsmeade back.in 2010:
http://www.insidethemagic.net/2010/...sal-orlandos-wizarding-world-of-harry-potter/
Harry Potter fans take their trip to WWOHP serious. In fact, out-of-state visitors in general take their trips to Orlando serious, which is why there are books and websites devoted purely to tips on how to get the most out of your trip to Disney or Universal. And one of the tips at the top of the list is to get there early, and to consider staying at an on-site hotel if you can afford it. So those who want an enjoyable vacation wake up early and nap in the aftetnoon. It's the ones who sleep in who are going to experience the most problems. People who showed pu at IOA later than 5am on the opening day of Hogwarts/WWOHP had to wait up to9 hours to get in.
I didn't mean to suggest the Express Passe isn't worth the cost. I simply meant that it's not areason to stay in an on-site hotel because you can buy on without staying in an on site hôtel. Early access, however, you can't