Lights, Camera, Action! 10 Tips To Maximize Your Time At Universal Studios Hollywood
A visit to Universal Studios is a must if you find yourself visiting Los Angeles, and is definitely a must for lovers of cinema and theme parks alike! While the rides aren’t particularly scary (for all you fellow adrenaline junkies out there) the studio tour of the backlot, movie-themed attractions, and newly opened Wizarding World of Harry Potter make Universal Studios one of my top 10 things to do in Hollywood, California!
Ticket prices can be a bit steep (over $100.00 for just one day!). To help you maximize your time in the park and get the most out of your visit, I’ve put together this list of helpful tips! You’ll learn how to strategically plan your visit, avoid long lines and wait times, conquer the magical Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and possibly even spot a celeb or two!
Anddddd…Action!
1. Purchase tickets in advance
One of the easiest ways to shave some time off of your visit is by purchasing your tickets online in advance. Be sure to have them printed out and ready to go when you arrive, so you don’t have anything to worry about on the day of! You can find prices and purchase your tickets on the Universal Studios Hollywood website.
Pro tip: Try visiting during a weekday and avoid visiting on a holiday! You’ll experience smaller lines and crowds!
2. Arrive Early
If possible, arrive before the park opens so that you are through security and on a ride before the rest of the crowds show up! During my visit, we got a bit of a late start and definitely experienced longer wait times because of this.
3. Check Out The Shows + Celebrity Appearances
Check the Universal Studios website in advance to see what shows are running on the day of your visit and when. Here, you’ll also see if there are any celebrities who might be making an appearance that day! I was surprised when I arrived to see Mario Lopez filming right near the entrance. If you don’t check in advance, you’ll be able to find all of the showtimes upon entering the park. If you’d like to see a show or celebrity, then be sure to build that time into your plan for the day!
4. Be strategic
Universal Studios is set up in two different sections-the Upper Lot and the Lower Lot. These sections are separated by the “Star Way” a series of escalators that take forever (okay, okay, around 10-15 minutes) to ascend/descend. When you first enter the park, grab a map and determine what lot you’d like to conquer first. If you arrive early, it is best to do the attractions on the Lower Lot first, as many people stay on the Upper Lot near the entrance during the day. Whatever way you choose to divide your day, the less time you spend on the escalators, the better!
5. Get The Universal Studios App
If you hate waiting in long lines as much as I do, then you will want to be sure to download the Universal Studios App before your visit. The app is constantly updating ride wait times throughout the park. While you are waiting in line for one ride, use the app to determine which nearby rides have the shortest lines!
6. Don’t Miss The Studio Tour
One of the most unique attractions at Universal Studios is the Studio Tour, and you won’t want to miss it! The tour itself takes about an hour, so you will want to be sure to set aside time during your day for this attraction. You’ll also want to keep in mind that the last Studio Tour is usually a few hours before the park itself closes, so be sure to check what time the tours end when you arrive and don’t leave the tour to the last minute!
After waiting in line, you’ll board a tram and be taken on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Universal Studios back lot, where you can get a glimpse of the magic behind the movies. You’ll see the buildings where many popular TV shows are filmed, pass through sets you may recognize from the silver screen, and listen along as a tour guide tells you facts about the lot. If you are lucky, you may even spot a star or two!
7. Utilize Single Rider Lanes
One of the best ways to avoid waiting in long lines at Universal Studios is by utilizing single rider lanes whenever possible, especially for busy rides with 2 hour wait times like Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey and The Mummy. The Universal Studios App even says which attractions have single rider lanes, which makes it easy to tell which rides might have an even shorter wait! I was able to practically walk on several rides during my visit by using the Single Rider Lines-I even rode Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey four times!
8. Leave Your Bags At Home
If possible, consider leaving bags at home. You’ll save time at security and won’t have to worry about leaving your things in lockers every time you want to go on a ride. If you must bring a bag though, don’t worry, there are free lockers (free for a certain amount of time) outside of most major attractions which are both easy to use and easy to find.
9. Allocate the proper time for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Are you a die-hard Harry Potter fan who is looking to spend hours just in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, or are you planning on checking it out for an hour and then moving on. As The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a relatively new area of the park, it is quite popular and has some of the longest wait times around. Determining how much time you’d like to spend in this section of the park before you visit can really help you plan your day. For more tips on visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, be sure to check out this post, where I talk all about everything there is to do, see, and eat in this magical place!
10. Stay Until Close
During my visit, I was shocked to discover that the park practically cleared out after 9:00 PM, leaving me with tons of time to go on any rides I’d missed and repeat a few of my favorites. I spent the end of the evening bouncing back and forth between The Mummy and Jurassic Park, and didn’t have to wait more than 10 minutes to ride either! I did visit during a weekday, which is part of the reason it was so empty at night, but even during the weekends, the park begins to empty as the day wears on.
Which of these tips did you find the most helpful? Have you ever been to Universal Studios? Let me know in the comments below!
You might also enjoy these California posts:
- The Ultimate Guide To The Wizarding World of Harry Potter…For Muggles
- 10 Touristy Things To Do In Hollywood, California
- 10 Tips For 1 Magical Day At Disneyland
- Fulfilling My “La La Land” Fantasies At Griffith Observatory: Los Angeles, California
- 10 Things You Won’t Want To Miss In Santa Monica, California
- I Went On A Wine Safari In Malibu And It Was Epic
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