My Experience at Universal Studios Hollywood
Hey! It’s been a while. I know, I’ve been slacking and you haven’t seen an article in over a month. It’s been a busy month and I apologize. But today, I want to talk about something – er – not Disney. And that is my recent experience at Universal Studios Hollywood in Hollywood, California. So, in the immortal words of Mario, LETSA GO!
Universal Studios – the Park that Shall Not Be Named
Okay, okay. For those die-hard Disney fans, mentioning the U-Word might seem like a mortal sin. But, no, really, if you love themed entertainment then Universal Studios is a great destination for you to experience thrills, chills, and oh so much fun. I recently had the chance to experience Universal Studios Hollywood with my partner Nate and my friend Amy. Here are the top 7 things you should know about this experience:
#1 – Consolidation
Universal Studios Hollywood is consolidated – meaning it is small in size, but not in fun. You won’t spend a lot of time walking from one attraction to the next because they’re literally next to each other. This helps avoid tiring out from too much walking in the hot California sun. Universal Studios Hollywood is divided into two sections – the upper lot, and then the lower lot, which is literally down 4 escalators. The upper lot includes favorites like Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Springfield (Simpsons). The lower lot includes Jurassic World, Revenge of the Mummy, and the new Super Nintendo World. Here’s a great shot I took from the top of the first escalator looking down to the lower lot to Super Nintendo World:
#2 – Fun for the Whole Family
I pride myself in magic, thrills, cruises, and beaches. Universal has two of these – magic and thrills! No matter the size of your family (or age), you’ll find something for everyone. Whether it’s the thrilling Revenge of the Mummy, a stroll through the Wizarding World of Harry Potter to the Forbidden Journey dark ride, or Super Silly Fun Land for the little ones, you can do a ton. And with wait times NEVER exceeding longer than 60 minutes for all attractions (sans Bowser’s Mario Kart Challenge), you can get a lot done in short period of time without the need for an express pass.
#3 – Super Nintendo World
The newest addition to Universal Studios Hollywood is Super Nintendo World where you are literally warped into Super Mario World!
Upon warping, you are transported into Peach’s castle where if you look up, you’ll see the cloud scene from Super Mario 64 (I was waiting to be transported away with my winged cap!) and you’ll also see the paintings you could jump into on either side (boy did I wan to try!). After exiting, the colors of a Super Mario video game ignite your senses with moving Goombas, Koopa Troopas, Spineys, Pow Blocks, Question Blocks, or Bowser’s Castle off in the distance.
I particularly enjoyed the challenge of collecting 3 of 4 keys to unlock Bower Jr’s lair to battle him with others in my group (and other groups) to get the Golden Mushroom. To do this, we purchased a Power Band ($44) and then competed in 3 mini challenges against Bower’s minions who were guarding the key.
After getting 3 of the 3 keys, we then were allowed to go to Bowser Jr’s lair and battle him in what I can only describe as a big interactive boss fight where you repel Ba-Bombs, dodge Bullet Bills, and take down Bowser Jr. who is flying in his dad’s clown vehicle.
You should plan to spend at least 2 to 3 hours inside Super Nintendo World to take it all in and participate in all areas of the land. Get there early too! If the land fills up too much, you’ll have to participate in the virtual queue to get in (with no guarantee). And, oh, very important, get a reservation to Toadstool Cafe IMMEDIATELY upon entry. Don’t wait! We weren’t able to experience it unfortunately because it sold out by 9:15 (the park opened by 9am).
One more thing – it’s HOT back in Super Nintendo World. The bright colors act as reflectors and reflect much of the sunlight up into your eyes and into your skin. Wear a lot of sunscreen and bring your sunglasses and maybe a hat. Drink a lot of water.
#4 – A Full Day Worth of Entertainment
I cannot express how much fun we had at Universal Studios Hollywood. From 9am to 5:30pm we were able to do so much! Because the park closed at 6pm to accommodate for Halloween Horror Nights, we weren’t able to do everything. We could have easily spent another 3 or 4 hours completing everything on our to-do list (and maybe even a few twice).
#5 – Great Pricing
Pricing is fantastic too! A one-day ticket will set you back about $140, which is cheaper than Disneyland. Total value for the money for what you’re able to get. I was struck at how quickly we were able to get on everything. One note – a lot of the attractions have single rider lines which make getting on them even easier. So, if you don’t mind not riding with your friends and family on the same attraction – a single rider line can make it even a better value for the money! Personally, I wouldn’t waste money on the express pass.
#6 – If you Love the Movies, You’ll Love This Park
Because Universal Studios is a working studio, you can go on the Universal Studios Tram Tour! This attractions is housed back in Springfield with a giant sign that says “Studio Tour.” This one-hour experience departs on the upper lot on a regular basis. Think of this tour as a combination attraction plus tour of real-working sets. What’s most impressive to me is that you get to experience 3 “attractions” on top of the actual tour that would be separate attractions (with separate wait times) in Universal Studios Orlando. This includes the now defunct Jaws attraction where Jaws attacks your tram, the Kongfrontation attraction, and the Fast and the Furious attraction, on top of taking a tour of some of classic Hollywood sets and buildings. For any movie-buff, this is a MUST DO! One of my personal favorites was seeing one of the actual jeeps used in 1993’s Jurassic Park!
#7 – Great Add-On to a Disney Vacation
Universal Studios Hollywood is enough to do in one-day and is a great add-on to a Disneyland vacation. We spend 4 nights in Anaheim at Disneyland and then two days in Hollywood – one at Universal Studios and one at Warner Brothers and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It’s a great experience to enhance your vacation with.
Planning a Trip?
So, are you ready for a trip to California? Then let Magical Memories by Casey help you! Visit www.caseywooley.com and fill out a planning blueprint or email me at caseywooley@mainstreetandmoretravel.com and we can start planning today!
Magical Memories by Casey 