Universal Studios Hollywood continues to grow in popularity ever since they opened Super Nintendo World. This new Nintendo themed land joins existing popular properties at the theme park like the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, The Secret Life of Pets, Minions, and more. Since Universal Studios Hollywood is a great addition to a Disneyland vacation a 1-day itinerary helps maximize your time at this theme park.
Universal Studios Hollywood offers paid access to beat the lines with their Express Pass system but this is often too expensive for larger families to afford which means we need to talk about a 1-day Universal Studios Hollywood itinerary without Express Pass.
I visit Universal Studios Hollywood frequently and spend considerable time in this popular Southern California theme park. I have spent time in the theme park with Express Pass and without it during all times of the year like Halloween Horror Nights, the holiday season, and the summer months. Let's get into all the best tips, advice, and strategies for a Universal Studios Hollywood 1-day itinerary.
Universal Studios Hollywood Hours
Universal Studios Hollywood is typically open from about 9AM to 7PM. During peak times of the year like spring break and the holiday season, the park hours will be extended slightly but it's not often you see Universal Studios Hollywood open past 9PM.
You can read more about the park hours in our Universal Studios Hollywood park hours guide.
The time of year you visit will impact the amount of time you have in the theme park but remember, longer hours also means that Universal is planning for higher crowds! So this might not always be a good thing.
How to Access Super Nintendo World
Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood is the most popular area in the theme park. The main e-ticket attraction, Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge, can easily reach wait times of over two hours and even more during peak times of the year.
The ride isn't the only main draw in the land, the restaurant inside the land is also popular along with all of the interactive Super Nintendo game experiences and characters.
Super Nintendo World is the only area in the park that offers tickets (purchased separately before regular park admission) to enter Super Nintendo World an hour before the park officially opens. The ticket includes early access to Super Nintendo for one hour prior to the scheduled park opening time. So if Universal Studios Hollywood opens at 8AM, your early access ticket for Super Nintendo World will be from 7AM-8AM.
If experiencing Super Nintendo World is at the top of your list then this is my recommendation on visiting the land.
The ticket also includes one-time express line access to the Studio Tour until 11AM. The price for a ticket is around $20-30 per person making this is a reasonably priced investment to enjoy the newest area of the park with lower crowds.
See more on Universal Studios Hollywood ticket prices here.
Universal Studios Hollywood Discount Tickets
Universal Studios Hollywood is the perfect complement to your Disneyland visit as it brings to life the film making aspect of Southern California–which has been dubbed the movie making capital of the world!
CLICK HERE: Info on Discount Universal Studios Hollywood Tickets
Guests are given the opportunity to enter the worlds of their favorite films as they experience themed attractions, spectacular live entertainment, and tours showcasing actual movie sets. A stop at Universal Studios Hollywood can make a great addition to your Disneyland or Southern California vacation
Do I Need Express Pass for Universal Studios Hollywood?
While this Universal Hollywood Studios 1-day itinerary is meant for guests not opting to purchase Express Pass, let's break down what Express Pass is and what it can cost.
Universal Express includes one-time access per day to each ride, attraction, seated show, and one reservation-free entry into Super Nintendo World when reservations are required. This is an additional purchase to your Universal Studios Hollywood ticket. You can purchase Universal Express for just one use per ride or unlimited access to ride as many times as you want.
Express Pass for Universal Studios Hollywood starts at $90 per person and will go up in price depending on the time of year. You can see Universal Studios Express Pass go up to $200 per person depending on how busy Universal expects the park to be. If you want to add Universal Express Unlimited and have unlimited access to the Express line for attractions, the upgrade is an additional $50 per person.
As with any costly theme park experience, this question is pretty subjective. It's no secret that Express Pass is extremely costly. Even at its lowest rate of $90 per person that would still be $360 for a family of four. At the top tier price of $200 per person then you'd be looking at a cost of $800 for a family of four.
If money is no object then the answer is always, yes Express Pass is worth it! But if you hesitating on spending the money on Express Pass then you may want to consider if it is worth it. It is possible to do Universal Studios Hollywood without Express Pass so let's get into our 1-day itinerary so you can plan the best strategy.
Universal Studios Hollywood 1-Day Itinerary 
While you can experience the attractions at Universal Studios Hollywood in any order and still have a fantastic time, I would recommend following the below plan in order to experience more during your visit.
Upon arrival, I would suggest that you use this Universal Studios Hollywood touring plan to save a lot of time. This itinerary does not include Express Pass or early access to Super Nintendo World. I do recommend purchasing an Early Access ticket to Super Nintendo World, if this area is a priority, to enjoy the whole space with lower crowds.
- Arrive at the parks 30 minutes before opening.
- Line up to Rope Drop Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge for Rope Drop. Super Nintendo Land is located in the Lower Lot of the park so this will be a bit of a fast-paced walk to get there!
- After riding Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge, go straight to Toadstool Cafe and scan the QR code located at the entrance of the restaurant to book your reservation.
- Enjoy Super Nintendo Land and if dining at Toadstool Cafe is a priority for you then hang out in the land until your dining time. If not and you are not called back to the cafe right away, proceed to the next step.
- After you're done in Super Nintendo Land, enjoy the rest of the rides in Universal's Lower Lot.
- Ride Revenge of the Mummy- The Ride.
- This ride offers Single Rider- use it to cut your way time to less than half the posted time.
- Ride Jurassic World- The Ride.
- Ride TRANSFORMERS: The Ride- 3D.
- This ride offers Single Rider- use it to cut your way time to less than half the posted time.
- Ride The Simpsons Ride which is located right near the entrance/exit to the Lower Lot.
- Ride the Studio Tour next as this ride is a priority for a true Universal Studios Hollywood experience. This ride is located not far from The Simpsons Ride.
- Head to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter next which is located right near the Studio Tour.
- Ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey which is one of the best rides in the park. Do not skip this one!
- This ride offers Single Rider- use it to cut your way time to less than half the posted time.
- You can choose to ride Flight of the Hippogriff which is a must for Harry Potter fans to see a cool animatronic Buckbeak and Hagrid's Hut. Otherwise, you can skip this one to save time.
- At this point, the main rides you have left are all the ones at the park that focus on the Dreamworks franchise. Before heading over to do those, you should prioritize getting a spot for the WaterWorld show which is one of the most amazing experiences at Universal!
- Ride The Secret Life of Pets, Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, and Kung Fu Panda Adventure.
- If you have small kids, you will enjoy taking them to Super Silly Fun Land which is an interactive kid's focused area based on the Despicable Me franchise and includes the Minion-themed Silly Swirly Ride.
Head back to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at dusk to enjoy the nighttime projections on Hogwarts Castle. This show changes themes throughout the year from a show based on traditional Harry Potter elements to a Dark Arts one that's a bit more spooky. During the holiday season, the show will be holiday focused.
This is just a basic framework that will allow you to experience more during your day. For further detailed touring strategies including how to use Express Pass, see more of our strategies in our guide.
It is possible to do Universal Studios Hollywood without Express Pass but you will need to arrive early and plan your day accordingly to hit the rides in the best order!
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Check out our other top guides to planning your Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood trips! You'll find tips and tricks on how to save money and experience more.
- Save Money on Disneyland Tickets
- Universal Studios Hollywood Discount Cheap Tickets
- Best Hotels Near Disneyland
- Save Money on Discount Disney World Tickets
Can you enjoy Universal without Express Pass?
Yes, it is absolutely possible to still enjoy Universal Studios Hollywood without Express Pass. Follow our 1-day itinerary for the best route to the rides and arrive early!
Is 1-day enough for Universal Studios Hollywood?
Universal Studios Hollywood is the perfect size for a 1-day trip and you can cover the entire park within this time frame but you should plan on arriving early!
Should I do 1 or 2 days at Universal Studios Hollywood?
You can see everything within one day at Universal Studios Hollywood but you will be rushed for time and may miss some of the smaller experiences. If Super Nintendo World and Harry Potter are a priority, spending two days can allow you to really immerse yourself in those areas.
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