So you’re headed to Los Angeles and you want a taste of tinseltown?! Well, no amusement park will offer a greater peek into movie magic than Universal Studios Hollywood. This post is a list of our Universal Studios tips and tricks to ensure you the best visit!
As LA locals for most of our lives (born and raised, baby!), we’ve spent countless days forming fond memories of Universal Studios Hollywood. We’ve seen the park transform and grow as we ourselves did. I’ve gone with cousins from out-of-town, best friends, my sisters and mom (it’s obviously the perfect place for family travel, after all). I’ll speak for myself: this park will always be a special place for me. We even put a visit to Universal Studios on our Los Angeles Bucket List!
After living in Korea for 2 years to teach English, and visiting some Korean amusement parks, one of the TOP things on our list to do upon our return to Los Angeles was to re-visit our beloved Universal Studios Hollywood! Well guys: WE DID IT. Universal Studios Hollywood invited us out to check out their rides and attractions for the day, and let me tell you: the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is EVERYTHING.
Even for long-time Universal Studios Hollywood vets like us, there were so many new attractions to explore. Clearly, there’s good reason that Universal Studios Hollywood tops this list of the best things to do in LA! The whole time we were visiting the park, in good travel blogger fashion, we were jotting down little Universal Studios tips and tricks to help you make your time to the park as EPIC AS EVER. You ready for ’em, then??
Contents
- On to our list of Universal Studios tips and tricks!
- 1. Download the Universal Studios Hollywood app.
- 2. The Universal Studios Hollywood park offers FREE WIFI!
- 3. Bring a backup charger.
- 4. Bring a small bag…or no bag at all!
- 5. But if you DO bring a bag, take advantage of free lockers when you go on the rides!
- 6. Come early before the park opens.
- 7. Buy your park tickets online.
- 8. If you buy your tickets online you’ll get Early Park Admission to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
- 9. Consider buying Anytime Admission tickets online for the ultimate flexibility.
- 10. Save your parking location on your phone.
- 11. Come on a weekday.
- 12. Come in the spring or fall.
- 13. Look at the park offerings ahead of time.
- 14. DO NOT MISS THE SHOWS.
- 15. Bring your kids of all ages!
- 16. You can rent a single or double stroller near the front of the park.
- 17. Bring a bathing suit for your little ones!
- 18. On that note, prepare to get wet!
- 19. Dress comfortably and prepare for sunny weather!
- 20. Get the express passes.
- 21. But save your express passes for peak times!
- 22. You can use express passes for SHOWS!
- 23. Consider bringing a lanyard with protective plastic cover to hold your express pass.
- 24. If you don’t get express passes, you can still take advantage of the Single Rider Line.
- 25. Stay at hotel nearby, if possible.
- 26. Eat a giant breakfast before coming to the park!
- 27. Bring your own snacks and water.
- 28. Use the Universal Studios Hollywood app to take care of your dietary restrictions.
- 29. Explore The Wizarding World of Harry Potter FIRST THING, before it gets too busy!
- 30. And when you get to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, don’t miss a thing!
- 31. But remember, Ollivanders Wand Shop does not accept express passes.
- 32. If you visit in certain seasons, you can check out the “Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle” light event!
- 33. Decide your “plan of attack” to minimize your time traveling between the lower level and upper level.
- 34. Consider the VIP experience.
- 35. If you bring a young kid(s), familiarize yourself with the Child Switch program.
- 36. If you are, or someone in your group is, disabled, you can get a special pass to help you get seated without long waits!
- 37. Don’t miss the Studio Tour!
- 38. You MAY be able to see some celebrities!
- 39. The Studio Tour is offered in Mandarin, Japanese, Spanish and English.
- 40. Buying and wearing merchandise from Universal Studios Hollywood might help get you on stage for the Special Effects Show.
- 41. Heading to the park in a big group? The park offers group discounts for 10 people or more.
- 42. Don’t miss Universal CityWalk!
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On to our list of Universal Studios tips and tricks!
Before You Go
- Read our guide on how to score the cheapest flights
- Review our carry-on packing list
- Learn everything you need to know about traveling through airport security
- Pack the right travel cameras and comfortable travel clothes
- Check out our LA Bucket List for the coolest things to do in LA
- Book your stay at an affordable Los Angeles hotel
- Secure your LA car rental here or here
- Plan which of the best LA restaurants you’ll eat at
- See all our Los Angeles blog posts
- Get discounts on LA activities & tours
- Get a good ol’ fashioned paperback LA guide. We like this one.
1. Download the Universal Studios Hollywood app.
This is one of the most HELPFUL, VERSATILE UNIVERSAL STUDIOS TIPS AND TRICKS ON THIS WHOLE FRIGGIN LIST. SERIOUSLY. DO IT. It’s basically an all-in-one guide to the park, right from your phone, with a map of the park, upcoming shows, estimate ride wait times, the location of restaurants and shops, and character meet and greets!
2. The Universal Studios Hollywood park offers FREE WIFI!
That’s SUPER helpful especially for those from abroad who are traveling without an international data plan, allowing you to take advantage of the Universal Studios Hollywood app even if you don’t have data!
3. Bring a backup charger.
We did see backup charger rentals around the park, but we bring our own wherever we go, and it sure helped having that extra juice given how much we relied on that Universal Studios Hollywood app!
4. Bring a small bag…or no bag at all!
A big bag will quickly be a hassle as you traverse the park, and there’s really no need to bring nothing more than a small drawstring backpack like this.
The only things we put in our bag are: water bottle, phone, phone cord and back-up charger, zip-lock baggies for phone, back-up charger, and wallet to protect from water, sunglasses, chapstick, wallet, keys, and snacks.
5. But if you DO bring a bag, take advantage of free lockers when you go on the rides!
Don’t risk losing items on ride. While some rides have a small storage compartment for holding your bag, we highly recommend taking advantage of the free lockers so as not to risk losing anything. If you DO use a storage compartment on a ride, ALWAYS check it before leaving the ride to make sure you leave nothing behind.
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6. Come early before the park opens.
On any average day at Universal Studios Hollywood, there will already be a line at the entrance right when the park opens. And here’s a bonus tip: when considering what time you should arrive at the park, factor in at least twenty minutes to walk through Citywalk, and get through security. Take advantage of all the time you have while the park is open!
If you need ideas for something to do after Universal Studios Hollywood closes, this celebrity chef cake decorating studio is a fairly short drive away. If you watch Ace of Cakes, you’ll want to check it out!
7. Buy your park tickets online.
It’s easier than ever to buy Universal Studios Hollywood tickets online, so don’t bother wasting time at the park buying your tickets in person. Those are valuable minutes you could be using to explore!
BUT HERE’S AN EVEN BETTER TIP. Make sure to check Groupon deals for Universal Studios Hollywood, as you can save major bucks buying through this discount retailer! Right now through Groupon, you get a discount AND a FREE DAY. Deals are always changing, so be sure to check the link first to see what’s currently available.
8. If you buy your tickets online you’ll get Early Park Admission to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
To take advantage of Early Park Admission show up one hour before the park opens with your online-purchased tickets!
9. Consider buying Anytime Admission tickets online for the ultimate flexibility.
This is especially helpful for those out-of-towners who are planning their vacation to LA way in advance, and are not sure exactly which date they’ll end up attending the park. With these special tickets, you’ll be able to visit on whatever date ends up working out best for your vacation!
10. Save your parking location on your phone.
The worst thing after a long day at the park is leaving and realizing you don’t remember where you left your car. There are several lots at Universal Studios Hollywood to park at, and it can be confusing remembering where you parked. Avoid the frustration by taking advantage of Google Map’s capabilities on your phone! Read more about finding and saving your parking location here.
11. Come on a weekday.
The weekends are WAY more packed, with tons of families from the LA area filling the park up for a fun weekend activity. If you CAN come on the weekday (ideally Tuesday-Thursday), you should.
12. Come in the spring or fall.
The park is less busy in the spring or fall than it is in the summer or around winter holiday time, PLUS the weather is SO much better! LA summers can be oppressively hot, while spring and fall can be rather nice!
Raptour Encounter dinosaur attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood
13. Look at the park offerings ahead of time.
It can be helpful to familiarize yourself with the Universal Studios Hollywood park ahead of time, taking just a few minutes browsing through the Universal Studios Hollywood app to get a feel for their rides, shows, and locations of everything. That way, on the day you do arrive to the park, you’re not just completely overwhelmed with everything there is to do!
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14. DO NOT MISS THE SHOWS.
I repeat. DO NOT. MISS. THE SHOWS. The park’s shows are really where Universal Studios Hollywood shines, and they truly were our favorite part of our entire Universal Studios Hollywood Experience. We attended WaterWorld and the Special Effects Show and had a blast at both of them. I won’t give away any spoilers, but the Special Effects Show had me laughing hysterically! One of the most exciting shows is WaterWorld, a long-running favorite that had us STUNNED with its incredible stunts. But be warned: you may very well get wet.
15. Bring your kids of all ages!
DUH! There are so many fun things for kids of ALL AGES to enjoy around the park! And in case you didn’t know: children two years old or younger can ENTER THE PARK FOR FREE. Even if they can’t ride the rides, there are some other activities for these youngins that we’ll cover below.
16. You can rent a single or double stroller near the front of the park.
This is super helpful to know if you have some little ones who get tired throughout the day!
17. Bring a bathing suit for your little ones!
Kids can splash around in a Wet Zone area known as “Super Silly Fun Land,” even little ones too small for the rides! They’ll love splashing around in the LA heat in the over 80 water play features. You’ll find the Wet Zone near Despicable Me Minion Mayhem.
18. On that note, prepare to get wet!
Even if you DON’T go to Super Silly Fun Land, you’ll want to prepare for getting wet, as many of the attractions at Universal Studios Hollywood do take advantage of water! This can mean bringing a poncho to wear at WaterWorld or on Jurassic World – The Ride, or just sucking it up and letting that California sun dry you off. Just remember: you will likely get at least a little wet!
19. Dress comfortably and prepare for sunny weather!
Be prepared and wear comfortable shoes, as well as sunblock and sunglasses (and perhaps a hat). This is Los Angeles, after all, and the sun does get hot here!
20. Get the express passes.
Express passes are LITERALLY your key to cutting the entire regular line, cutting your wait time into a FRACTION of those without express passes. That makes this seriously one of our top essential Universal Studios tips and tricks to limit your time waiting in the heat. If you’re visiting on weekend or around the holidays, you’ll DEFINITELY want the express passes.
21. But save your express passes for peak times!
Since we arrived early, we managed to get on several rides rather quickly with little wait time. Since you can only use your Universal Studios Hollywood Express Pass once per ride, we made sure to save our scans for later in the day, once the park had filled up and the wait times had gotten much longer.
Our express passes were scanned every time we used them, but we’ve heard of some cases where some lucky individuals were able to use their express passes without having the scanned, allowing them to come back later to the same ride and use them again!
22. You can use express passes for SHOWS!
The perks of the express pass aren’t limited to rides after all, and can actually allow you to cut the line for shows as well!
23. Consider bringing a lanyard with protective plastic cover to hold your express pass.
They sell lanyards with protective plastic covers at the Universal Studios Hollywood park but it will be MUCH more expensive. If you have one lying around at home, you should definitely bring it! It saves you the hassle of having to continually take the express pass out of your pocket, keeps it from getting lost in your bag, and protects it from water on the Jurassic World ride. Plus, the express pass barcode can be scanned THROUGH the plastic, so you don’t even have to take it out!
24. If you don’t get express passes, you can still take advantage of the Single Rider Line.
This allows you to bypass a lot of the line wait by squeezing you into spare single seats. Just keep in mind, you won’t be able to sit with your friends or family! You can take advantage of the Single Riders Line on these rides: Jurassic World – The Ride, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Revenge of the Mummy – The Ride, Flight of the Hippogriff, and Transformers: The Ride 3D.
| Discounts to LA Restaurants
DON’T miss out on these LA Food & Drink discounts, as we’ve managed to score some FANTASTIC deals for some of these restaurants (and many many others)! If you’re traveling to LA, you should just make a habit of checking out these local LA deals, as they have discounts on almost EVERYTHING like amusement parks, whale-watching, sporting events, concerts, and so much more, ya girl can’t even type it all out. LA Transportation Remember, Los Angeles is notorious for its less-than-stellar public transportation, so you’re DEFINITELY going to want to rent a car. |
25. Stay at hotel nearby, if possible.
We live locally, so we didn’t end up doing this ourselves, but if you’re visiting LA from out of town, you’ll definitely want to consider staying nearby so you can come early without a ton of hassle (or notorious LA traffic)!
There are two main hotels located next to Universal Studios Hollywood – Universal Sheraton and Hilton Universal City. We actually got the chance to stay at Universal Sheraton hotel when Ben was filming his appearances on Jeopardy, and found it very comfortable! Both of these hotels are about a 10-15 minute walk uphill to the park, but you luckily there is also a free shuttle you can use, if you don’t feel like walking uphill. You can also check out these hotels, which are near Universal Studios Hollywood as well:
Staying near the park will make it easy for you to arrive early and take advantage of the park for the whole day, WITHOUT dealing with the dreaded LA traffic! And remember: there is a free shuttle to take you up the hill to the park, no matter which hotel you choose to stay at! The free shuttle runs 7 days a week, with pick-ups approximately every 10-15 minutes.
26. Eat a giant breakfast before coming to the park!
You’ll surely need the fuel! When Ben and I stayed at the Universal Sheraton hotel during Ben’s Jeopardy run, we were at the breakfast buffet bright and early, and were thankful for all the energy it gave us during Jeopardy’s long shooting schedule!
27. Bring your own snacks and water.
While you’ll want to enjoy some of the fun themed restaurants the park offers, you can also bring some snacks to keep you fueled in between meals. We brought enough protein bars and protein shakes to eat that we didn’t even need to buy ANY food the whole time we were there. We even saw some people bring sandwiches! And DEFINITELY bring an empty water bottle to fill up at water fountains throughout the day!
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28. Use the Universal Studios Hollywood app to take care of your dietary restrictions.
There are food locations through the park that carry options for your dietary restrictions, from gluten-free to peanut-free or vegetarian/vegan, you’re taken care of, and the app can help you locate them! And make sure to check out our guide to Places to Eat in LA for when you’re not at Universal Studios Hollywood!
29. Explore The Wizarding World of Harry Potter FIRST THING, before it gets too busy!
Okay, so you’ve bought your ticket, arrived to the park early, and are now inside the park. If you didn’t end up taking advantage of early entry, we would still recommend that you head to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter right when you get to the park so you can explore every nook and cranny of this magical place! This area fills up around lunch, so get there and beat the crowds!
30. And when you get to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, don’t miss a thing!
Definitely wander around Hogsmeade, catch a pic with the conductor of Hogwarts Express, sip on a good Butterbeer, and don’t you dare miss Ollivanders’ magical wand shop! As for rides, be sure to check out the kids-friendly Flight of the Hippogriff and the slightly more intense Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey inside of the stately Hogwarts castle. Even the line up to the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride is a spectacle, with moving portraits that have A LOT to say, so pay attention!
31. But remember, Ollivanders Wand Shop does not accept express passes.
When we showed up to the wand shop, the wait time was around 20 minutes, which seemed like FOREVER since we’d been spoiled by our express passes the whole time, so keep that in mind! It’s worth it if you want to see some magic spells!
32. If you visit in certain seasons, you can check out the “Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle” light event!
While we didn’t get to experience this for ourselves, we’ve heard it’s AMAZING! Using the castle as a backdrop, audiences are delighted by a fantastic display of light, music and special effects. The darkest creatures and villains, including he-who-must-not-be-named himself, the Dark wizard Lord Voldemort, will descend and cloak the castle with all kinds of dark magic! These light shows spellbind audiences in the summer time or around the winter holidays, so there are definitely pluses to attending Universal Studios Hollywood during these busier seasons.
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33. Decide your “plan of attack” to minimize your time traveling between the lower level and upper level.
If there’s anything you take away from this list of Universal Studios tips and tricks, you should DEFINITELY remember this.
Let the geography of the Universal Studios Hollywood park guide you. Because the park is built right in the middle of the city on a hill, the park has different levels that can take quite a bit of time to go back and forth between.
This is why we suggest that first, you hit up The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, then go straight to the lower lot and knock out all the attractions down there (Revenge of the Mummy℠ – The Ride, Transformers™: The Ride-3D, and Jurassic World – The Ride, as well as the Raptor Encounter and Optimus Prime attractions).
Afterwards, you can head back up the the upper lot, and spend the rest of the day up there!
34. Consider the VIP experience.
While we’ve never gotten to chance to experience the Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Experience package ourselves, it does sound pretty darn cool!
This package includes valet parking, unlimited priority access to rides and shows, a personal expert guided tour of the park, breakfast in an exclusive, private VIP lounge, backlot access to the sound stage as well as the prop warehouse and other super cool restricted areas. If that’s not enough, you also can chow down at a gourmet all-you-can-eat lunch at the Moulin Rouge dining room.
We recommend buying the Universal Studios VIP Experience here for a discount.
Please note: it’s not cheap, and there is limited availability for the VIP package. Children under the age of 5 are also excluded from this VIP offer.
35. If you bring a young kid(s), familiarize yourself with the Child Switch program.
If you’re in a party with a child that cannot ride an attraction for any reason, the Child Switch program allows one or two adults to wait with the child in the Child Switch room of that attraction. That way, when the remainder of your party finishes the ride, you can simply switch with them and ride on the ride, without having to wait in line again!
You can take advantage of this Child Switch program by asking an employee at the ride entrance.
36. If you are, or someone in your group is, disabled, you can get a special pass to help you get seated without long waits!
Just make sure to head over to the Guest Services right when you arrive at the park!
37. Don’t miss the Studio Tour!
We talked about how the park’s shows make Universal Studios Hollywood special, but its Studio Tour also distinguishes it from other amusement parks—SO DON’T MISS IT! This Behind-the-Scenes Tram Ride has taken more than 150 million visitors behind the scenes of the movie and television industry’s top hits, and giving us a little taste of iconic movie magic! You’ll get to see WORKING soundstages and sets. Plus you’ll be in for a few little surprises…and even a bit of 3-D action!
38. You MAY be able to see some celebrities!
While we were enjoying the Studio Tour, we got the chance to drive past some active film sets, rolling cameras and all! If you think it’d be cool to see some celebs on your trip, keep your eyes peeled on the tram ride, as you are driving through an active studios lot, after all! Here’s a little tip: I’ve heard that EXTRA is often filmed at the iconic Globe Fountain on weekdays at the front of the park entrance. Near the Studio Tour you can find the Daily Shooting Schedule with a list of everything being shot by the studio that day.
39. The Studio Tour is offered in Mandarin, Japanese, Spanish and English.
Make sure to visit Guest Relations for tour times in you’d like to go on a tour in a language other than English!
The famous flooding feature at the Studio Tram Tour at Universal Studios Los Angeles
40. Buying and wearing merchandise from Universal Studios Hollywood might help get you on stage for the Special Effects Show.
This is a personal theory and not a hard fact, but when we attended the Special Effects Show, we noticed that 99% of the audience members that were brought on stage to take part in the demonstrations were all wearing Universal Studios Hollywood merchandise that they had presumably bought that day! There was Harry Potter-themed merch from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Jurassic World-themed merch, Springfield-themed merch, and so on! If you want to be the talk of the town and get the chance to participate in an on-stage demonstration, you might be able to increase your chances by wearing Universal Studios Hollywood merchandise!
41. Heading to the park in a big group? The park offers group discounts for 10 people or more.
Sounds like it would definitely be worth it if you have a large enough group! Call 1-800-959-9688 for more information and to reserve your group tickets.
42. Don’t miss Universal CityWalk!
You rushed through it on your way to get into Universal Studios Hollywood bright and early to beat the crowds, so take advantage of exploring Universal CityWalk on your way out, after the park closes! There’s lots going on, including tons of dining options, nightlife, a movie theater, walk-through water fountain, and all kinds of dynamic entertainment!
That’s all for our list of Universal Studios tips and tricks! We hope these will enrich your visit to the park and help you prepare for your trip. If you have any questions at all, or any other tips to offer up, please feel free to comment below or reach out to us on Instagram or Facebook!
Plan the rest of your LA trip! Check out our LA Bucket List, the best places to eat in LA, the best scenic drives in the LA area, and consider decorating your own cake at the Ace of Cakes chef’s studio.
Also, learn about the best dog-friendly hikes in LA, the epic West Hollywood Carnaval, and why we think LA is freaking awesome.
Why don’t you travel on over to Anaheim next? You can check out the top things to do in Orange County, the new Rise of the Resistance ride at Disneyland, stay at the best hotel walking distance to Disneyland, and try luxury bowling at Downtown Disney.
You might sometimes catch EXTRA being filmed at this Universal Studios Hollywood globe at the entrance of the park.
Disclosure: This post is a collaboration with Universal Studios Hollywood, but as always, all opinions are very much our own!
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What’s your favorite theme park in California?
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