15 Insider Tips to Save Money at Universal Studios Hollywood

Families often decide to opt for a day at Universal Studios Hollywood during their Disneyland vacation because the proximity of the theme parks. This is a great way to add an extra fun day to your vacation and one we highly recommend.

Universal Studios Hollywood continues to expand offering new experiences like the newly popular Super Nintendo World with one of the biggest draws remaining the Wizarding World of Harry Potter!

I visit Universal Studios Hollywood multiple times of the year during the peak season including Halloween and the holiday season, here are my best insider tips on saving money!

1. Buy Discount Universal Studios Hollywood Tickets

The first step to saving money at Universal Studios Hollywood is to make sure you get the best discounts possible for your tickets! Our guide to discount tickets at Universal Studios Hollywood lays out all the possible discount options available so you can get the best deal for your day. Our recommended travel partner also offers discount Universal Studios Hollywood tickets that you can also bundle with your Disneyland Park tickets!

This is the essential first step towards saving money at Universal Studios Hollywood, never buy tickets at the gate which will always be priced more expensive than if you buy in advance!

2. Travel During Off Season

The second best money saving tip for Universal Studios Hollywood is to travel during the off season and avoid peak times of the year that we discuss in our Universal Studios Hollywood crowd calendar. 

Avoiding traveling during school breaks, Halloween and the holiday season is a great way to save money not just on things like 1-day tiered pricing tickets and Express Pass but also your airfare and hotel stays which will all be lower during a less busy time of the year.

3. Save On Transportation

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If you are spending a day at Universal Studios as a day off from your Disneyland trip, it makes much more sense to just arrange for transportation to and from the theme park. Sometimes people will coordinate the trip so that it matches up nicely with their air travel. For example, if you're flying out of LAX it might make sense to visit Universal on your last day and switch hotels so you're closer to the airport.

The most afford way to get to Universal Studios Hollywood is to take an Uber or a Lyft which in my experience typically runs around $60 per trip depending on traffic. I have an exclusive code for you that will give you a free $15 credit to use with your first ride.

Use the code: “gavind714ue” in the app or redeem right here. Find the “promotions” tab and enter the code to receive your free $15 credit.

Check out more tips to get from Disneyland to Universal Studios Hollywood here.

When it comes to saving money at Universal Studios Hollywood, deciding on your transportation depends on a few factors- the size of your group, willingness to pay more for comfort, and ages of your children. California requires carseats/boosters for kids under the age of eight so that applies to any non-shuttle/bus option.

4. Plan Your Universal Studios Hollywood Meals

First decide if you're going to spend the whole day and evening at Universal Studios Hollywood. If you think you want to head back to Anaheim after closing (usually around 7PM) then you should be able to get by with a large lunch later in the day and snacks so you don't have to purchase two big meals. Of course, for some folks the food is half the reason to visit these area theme parks so this could also be a splurge option. But if you're looking to save money at Universal Studios, cutting costs on food is a great place to save.

We usually like to have a big breakfast at the hotel so we arrive with a full stomach. This makes much more sense anyways because the morning hours is when the lines are shortest. We might grab a snack to get us through and plan on having a large lunch in the afternoon. My favorite restaurant is the Three Broomsticks and not just because I'm a huge Harry Potter fan! The food there is wholesome and hearty so I always leave feeling extremely full for the day. Give me piles of mashed potatoes for days, please. See more of the best Universal Studios Hollywood food in our guide!

You can go online and look at the menus for all the Universal Studios restaurants to help you decide in advance which ones are most cost effective. I have found that going in with a plan helps me spend less money and prevent impulse buying. But keep in mind, if you want to try Butterbeer, it's going to cost you nearly $10 a drink!

5. Bring Snacks and Essentials

While it is nearly impossible to resist buying some things on impulse, there's no reason to be stuck paying for overpriced sunscreen because you didn't bring any with you. Just like a day at Disneyland, make sure you pack all the essentials you will need in the park to avoid having to buy any overpriced necessities on a whim.

This also goes for snacks too! While there are plenty of great snacks in Universal Studios Hollywood, guests may balk at the price. One chocolate frog for $8.95? That cost is going to add up real quick and won't help your plan of saving money at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Make sure you pack easy things in your bag like trail mix, crackers, or power bars to get you through the day in between your restaurant splurges. Plus it's always a smart idea to have snacks on hand anyways for when you're waiting in line, especially if you have kids. You can see everything you need to know about what you can bring in your bag in our guide to the Universal Studios Hollywood bag policy.

6. Split Your Dessert

There are some desserts big enough to share which helps with saving money at Universal Studios Hollywood. Universal Studios Hollywood has you covered with Lard Lard Donuts in Springfield (homage to the Simpsons tv show!)- there is definitely enough donut here to share with a few people. Enough said!

7. Buy Some Souvenirs in Advance

If you or your kids are Potter fans, just know this: the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is going to make you want to buy everything you see. I mean, everything!

The biggest purchase you can make in this area is the entire Hogwarts uniform and this is the one you (and your kids) will want the most. One step for Potterheads saving money at Universal Studios Hollywood is to purchase this online in advance- we used a secondhand Halloween costume on our last visit and honestly, my son's Gryffindor robes didn't look any different than the $100 and up ones we saw in the stores. Know yourself- and your kids- and come prepared.

8. Avoid Buying the Express Pass

The Universal Express Pass is Universal Studios' version of FastPass- essentially it allows you access to a shorter line rather than making you wait in the longer line that all guests use. The Express Pass can come in handy on really busy days of the year and save time spent in line making it an appealing option for guests.

The average price per ticket starts at $90 per person and can go up in price depending on the day you pick for your visit. More popular days of the year will make this pass more expensive- like weekends, holidays, and summer dates. And this is just the price to add on to your regular one day ticket.

If saving money at Universal Studios Hollywood is important to you, skipping the Express Pass is a good way to do it. You can easily have a good day at Universal Studios with minimal waiting in line if you arrive early with a plan in place. And remember, Express Pass only gives you one time access to the shorter line per attraction. To upgrade to the Unlimited Express Pass, you can average about $50 per ticket in addition to the other costs for Express Pass.

9. Only Do One Day at Universal Studios Hollywood

Our 1-day itinerary for Universal Studios Hollywood without Express Pass can help tackle the most popular rides in the morning leaving your afternoons for exploring the park. You do not need more than one day at Universal Studios Hollywood especially if you arrive early with a good plan on how to do everything in a day that you want to do.

Universal Studios Hollywood can easily be tackled within one day if you have a set plan in place. Arrive early, know the order of the rides you want to experience, and spend the afternoons watching shows or meeting characters. And don't forget to devote some time to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter- this immersive experience is sure to impress everyone- not just Potterheads.

10. Buy Express Pass Later in the Day for a Discount

Universal Studios Hollywood offers Express Pass later in the day for a lower lost than what you would have paid for full day access. Often this cost can be 50% less of what the original price was!

You will see team members stationed throughout the park advertising Express Pass and usually around midday they will switch to signs that advertise the discount Express Pass. For families that want to buy Express Pass but at a lower cost, this is a way to save some money off that initial price.

11. Skip the Carnival Games

In both the Super Silly Fun Land (the Despicable Me themed area) and Springfield (the Simpsons themed area) you will find plenty of carnival style and arcade games for kids and adults to enjoy.

These games can easily become a money pit if you're not careful so it you're opting for a plan of saving money at Universal Studios Hollywood- it might be best to steer clear of these.

I was able to effectively distract my son away from the games at the Super Silly Fun Land by pointing out the fun rides and play areas instead. There's plenty to do in these areas that it can be easy to steer kids away if you're prepared!

12. Avoid the Preferred Parking Passes

If you plan on renting a car or driving yourself to Universal Studios Hollywood, you may be surprised to see how much parking can cost for the day. When you factor in the heat on a summer day, strollers, and a long walk to the park it can be easy to be swayed into purchasing closer parking.

But if you're planning on saving money at Universal Studios Hollywood, opting for general parking for $32 a day is a much wiser option. The parking tiers vary depending on how close you area to the theme park with the closer parking lots ranging from $50-$70 per day.

If you are arriving early, with a good plan in place, you should be able to get better parking in the General Parking lot and save some money before you even enter the theme park.

13. Don't Buy the Mario Band

Super Nintendo World sells themed Power Up Bands that let guests interact with the land and collect points and play levels. While these bands are a cool idea, the land is often so crowded that you have to wait in long lines to even play the interactive levels. And if you don't plan on tracking your points on the Universal Studios app, then you really don't need to spend $50 on one of these.

14. Skip the Harry Potter Wand

While we're talking about extras you can skip, let's also talk about skipping the Harry Potter wands.

The interactive spells around the land are really fun but unless you plan on arriving straight to this area first thing in the morning, you will find yourself waiting in long lines to do the spells and squeezing through crowds to try and access each spell space.

If you decide to skip the wands, you can save around $50 as the interactive wands are the most expensive!

15. Go for the Cheap Restaurants on City Walk

If you plan on eating in City Walk after your day at Universal Studios Hollywood, avoid all the flashy touristy restaurants and search out the more affordable fas food options.

Most of these are typically on the second level of the City Walk and you can even find a Pizza Hut and Taco Bell among other cheaper options. This will save you considerable money as the themed restaurants on the first level are gong to be the most expensive in that area.

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