I Visit Universal Studios Hollywood Frequently & These Are My Best Expert Tips

Universal Studios Hollywood is a great choice to visit as an add on to a Disneyland vacation or if you are just visiting the LA area. The newest land at Universal Studios Hollywood, Super Nintendo World, continues to be a huge draw for guests.

Universal also has The Wizarding World of Harry Potter which continues to be popular with guests of all ages and the immersion in the Harry Potter areas is some of the best theme park theming I've ever seen.

I visit Universal Studios Hollywood multiple times of the year ranging from the summer to Halloween months and the holiday season. Here are my best expert tips based on my frequent visits!

Save Money on Universal Studios Hollywood Tickets

First things first, don't buy your tickets at the gate! You can save much more by getting your tickets through our trusted travel partner and save up to $20 per ticket.

Save money before you even get to the park- check out our discount ticket page on Universal Studios Hollywood to make sure you get the best deal. Even if you buy directly through Universal, you will save money by buying online instead of at the gate. Planning ahead will save you money! You will also save time when you arrive in the morning by already having your tickets purchased and ready to go.

Purchase Express Pass During Peak Times of Year

Normally I don't always recommend the Express Pass but if you are visiting at peak times then it's worth it to avoid waiting in any long lines. If you visit on a day that is extraordinarily busy, upgrading to the Express Pass is worth it. Our Universal Studios Hollywood crowd calendar covers all all the dates of the year that are the most crowded using data like holidays, school breaks, weather patterns, and typical ticket/Express Pass costs.

Purchasing Express Pass can be expensive but it's an easy to use service that allows you to access the shorter Express Pass line for all the major attractions. All you do is simply scan your Express Pass ticket to enter the shorter line for rides and that's it! No need to book advance ride reservations or anything else.

Arrive Early

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Like with most theme parks, arriving early and planning ahead is key to getting the most done and maximizing your time. Since not as many guests arrive as early to Universal Studios like they do at Disneyland, getting there 30 minutes prior to the gates opening will really get you ahead of the crowd.

See our guide to Universal Studios Hollywood hours for everything you need to know. Sit down with your group and make a plan for the day rather than leave the morning to impulse. That way you know where you want to go to first thing and there's minimal debate.

Prioritize Super Nintendo World

Super Nintendo World is the newest addition to Universal Studios Hollywood and it is one of the most popular areas in the park right now. Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge is also a great ride to experience at rope drop if you arrive early and are at the front of the group heading down to the Lower Lot.

But that's not the only reason you should go to Super Nintendo World in the morning! The land fills up quickly later in the day and you will see the shortest lines for the interactive levels and other experiences in the morning. This is also a great time to get your reservation for Toadstool Cafe which you can only do in person. See more of the best Universal Studios Hollywood food in our guide!

Use Single Rider

If you and your party don't mind being split up, using the single rider line can be a great way to beat the crowds and limit time spent in line. Universal uses this line to fill in empty spots in ride vehicles so they're never sending any empty seats through the ride. You can use single ride for the following rides:

• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
• Revenge of the Mummy – The Ride
• Transformers: The Ride 3D
• Jurassic World – The Ride
• Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge

In my experience, using single rider at Universal Studios Hollywood is one of the best tips for avoiding long lines as the single rider is often close to a walk on. On one memorable day, my son and I rode Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey repeatedly with no wait because we used the single rider line. The longest line for single rider is going to be Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge and it might not always be the best time saver depending on how long the standard queue is.

Do the Studio Tour in the Afternoon

For one, you CAN'T miss the Studio Tour when you visit Universal Studios. This is the most unique part of the whole theme park. Since Universal is a working studio first and a theme park second, experiencing the Studio Tour is pretty cool to witness.

Depending on the day you might even see tv shows being filmed! Save this tour for the afternoon when the sun starts warming up. You will be sitting down on a shaded tram for the duration of the tour making it a perfect time to rest and cool off. Since the Universal Studio Tour takes up considerable time, this is also a good reason to save it for the afternoon so you can spend your morning enjoying lower wait times.

Use the Universal Studios App

Many experienced Disneyland guests know to download the Disneyland app and use it throughout the day. But what about the Universal app? While their app may not be as necessary, it definitely comes in handy.

You can set alarms on it to notify you when certain attractions have lower wait times, plan your day, check wait times, and use the map to navigate your way around.

Don't Skip the Shows

Sometimes guests can get caught up in the rides, shopping, and dining and forget to see the shows! This has happened to us before and we immediately regretted it. Definitely take the time to see one of the Hollywood quality stunt shows like Waterworld. The afternoon and evening are the best time to take in the shows while mornings are better spent tackling the popular rides.

Go to the Lower Lot Early

Since Universal is built on a literal hill- you have these large escalators taking you from the top to the bottom of the separate lots. There are some great views on the way but it can be time consuming taking about 10 minutes each way to get to both areas. Do all the rides in the lower lot at once so you don't have to make the trip down again. In the morning this area is quite empty making it possible to ride some of those popular rides like The Mummy repeatedly!

Motion Sickness? Plan Ahead

Since Universal Studios Hollywood is a working studio first and a theme park second, they are limited on the space they can expand their rides. Because of this, many of the rides at Universal Studios Hollywood use motion screen simulators for their ride experiences. The rides that use these screens are:

• Despicable Me
• Transformers
• Simpsons
• Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge
• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (only has a few moments with screens- the entire ride isn't screen based)

It's good to prepare ahead and pack whatever motion sickness remedy works for you. I've always had good results with Bonine with minimal side effects. I usually take it in the morning and then I'm good throughout the day. Planning for this advance is a wise move if you know that you're susceptible to motion sickness.

Potterheads Go to Harry Potter First

If Harry Potter is at the top of your list, make that your priority in the morning. Head straight to Ollivander's to do the wand experience- don't wait until later in the day because once that line builds it never lets up. After that head straight to Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey!

If you're not hardcore Potterheads, you don't necessarily have to experience Ollivander's since it's mainly a pre-show before the actual experience of buying a wand. But definitely make sure you don't miss the area, even for the non-Harry Potter fans, it's an impressive sight to behold. And the rides are even better!

Don't Forget to Meet Characters

The characters at Universal Studios Hollywood are so fun to interact with. Some fan favorites include the Jurassic Park dinosaurs and Optimus Prime down on the Lower Lot. These characters all retain their sass from the films which carries over into the interactions. Universal does a great job making their character interactions appeal to adults because of this!

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