Need Tips for Universal Studios Hollywood? I did!
As a self-proclaimed movie-buff, I knew I had to visit Universal Studios Hollywood when we were in California. I’m not generally interested in theme parks, but as a movie-lover I had to see this in person. While I didn’t do many of the rides, I did love the studio tour and the details throughout each distinct area of the park. My personal favourite was visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – and until this visit I wasn’t even a Harry Potter fan! I know, blasphemous. Before visiting the park, I didn’t do much research and I wish I did because tips for Universal Studios would have been helpful!
This park is a perfect combination of theme park attractions and includes rides, shows, and an immersive experience. As you wander around the park you really feel like you’re on the set of a movie or TV show. This is truly where the movie magic comes to life! Like any theme park, I anticipated that it would be busy, lines would be long, and of course, everything would be expensive. But there were a few things I learned that could help other tourists maximize their day, so here are 10 tips for Universal Studios Hollywood.
10 Tips for Universal Studios Hollywood
1. Buy your tickets in advance
Purchasing your tickets in advance is always a good idea for any attraction because you can avoid at least one line-up. There are also a few other benefits in purchasing tickets in advance for Universal Studios Hollywood – you can find them at discounted rates. Look at websites like Costco, Under Cover Tourist, CAA etc. to save some money on your tickets.
2. Get a map! (Or the app)
We didn’t have a data plan while we were in the US, so we opted for the paper map. This map was very handy to help us navigate the park, but it didn’t include any of the showtimes on the map. For that level of detail you needed to download the Universal Studios Hollywood app. Either option is helpful to get around the park with ease.
3. Beat the crowds
Before planning your trip, refer to a crowd tracker calendar to see if you can avoid a peak time. For example, isitpacked.com is a website dedicated to helping tourists avoid crowds. You can search numerous attractions, and when we went we used this site to research the best time to visit Universal Studios Hollywood. There are other calendars out there – and it probably wouldn’t hurt to check a few to be sure.
4. Arrive early
Plan to arrive early so you can make it through security before the crowds arrive. I’m not talking right when it opens, I mean about an hour before the park opens. This means you can be through security ready to make a mad dash to your first attraction once inside. Which leads me to my next tip…
5. Start or end at the lower level
The Universal Studios Hollywood park is built on a large hill. Because of this there are large escalators that take you to the lower level of the park. When I say large, I mean it takes about 6 -7 minutes to make it all the way to the lower lot. On the Universal website they even suggest that you start at the bottom. Rides in the lower lot are Transformers and The Mummy (and when we were there the Jurassic Park ride was still open but has since been closed). Later in the day, these attractions get very busy and have very long wait times. Also, with only a few rides in the lower level you can maximize your time by starting here and then staying in the upper lot for the rest of the day.
6. Start or end with the Studio Tour
We started with the Studio Tour, and we were very happy we did. This is one of the most popular attractions in the park and lines can get very long, very quickly. If you start or end your day with this tour you can avoid the mid-day rush. No matter what you choose, make sure the Universal Studio Tour is on your agenda. This is a definite must if you are visiting the park.
7. Don’t miss the shows!
I was surprised with how many shows there were to choose from when we visited. There was the Animal Actors show, Waterworld, and the Special Effects show. We only watched the Special Effects show and Waterworld. Both were great, but here’s some tips specifically for show-goers. Arrive at least 20 minutes before the shows start to get seats. This way you can try to get seats that have an easy exit strategy to beat the crowd when the show ends. For Waterworld, make sure if you don’t want to get wet you avoid seats near the front. They are clearly marked where you have the chance (and it’s not really a chance, it’s going to happen) to get wet during the show. We sat alllllll the way at the back – second row from the top actually. I did NOT want to get wet.
8. Parking
Parking is fairly expensive – it’s a minimum of $25 until 6:00pm and then an additional charge if you stay beyond park close. It is also hectic to get in and get parked when you arrive, so plan to arrive early to avoid a traffic jam in the parking garage.
9. Lockers
It’s not recommended to bring a lot of belongings with you on your visit. Plus, if you’re planning to do all the rides, they just get in the way. If you do need to store your bags or souvenirs you can rent a locker onsite – first come, first served availability. The price started around $8 for the smallest locker. We decided to just hang on to our stuff because we didn’t do many of the rides anyway.
10. Food & Drink
We were surprised to find out that you can actually bring some snacks and bottled water into the park. There are limits and specific details you need to follow that are available on their website, but good to check that out before you arrive. I wish we knew this because like all food and drink in theme parks – it was expensive. I would have brought a small snack and water to save some cash. Now you know and won’t make the same mistake we did!
8 comments
We haven’t been to the Universal Studios Hollywood in years. Would love to see the Wizarding World of Harry Potter as we’ve visited it in Orlando. Parking is expensive at $25! Are there other options besides parking on-site? We can’t wait to go back to this place in the future and use these helpful tips to prepare for our theme park visit.
I need to find the app to help me avoid crowds. I always go early but I don’t always pick the best days. Great idea to start on the lower level then work up.
Arrive early and beat the crowds sounds like the best advice to me! I’ve been to Universal Studios and while I am not much of a movie buff, I also loved the studio tour. I did the rides, too and yeah, not to miss the shows is also a fantastic tip 😉
This looks like a lot of fun, and there are so many things to choose from! I’m pinning this to my things to see in the US. 🙂 Thanks for the tips.
My favorite part of Universal is also the Harry Potter section! I didn’t think I would like it, but the 3D ride and shops were (pun intended) magical
Just like you, even I may not fond of theme parks. But yes, movie lovers got to visit Universal Studios. Loved your tips. I will do the Studio tour at the start and starting from the lower level to the upper is a good idea. I also prefer getting tickets in advance, saves a lot of time. Reaching there early also leaves me time to explore the whole place well.
I didn’t know about being able to bring your own food into the park. That’s a great idea. These amusement parks are so expensive so any way to offset the cost is welcome. You are right about making sure you start or finish on the lower level. Last time I was there, I forgot how long it took to go down all those escalators to change levels.
This is really useful! Who would have thought that you can actually bring water into the park with all the security checks going on these days. It’s also good to know that by purchasing tickets in advance you can save some money – so helpful, since these theme parks are usually quite expensive!