Took my kids here for some summer fun and yes it was a great day! We got the unlimited express pass.. that was amazing! Yes it cost more but so worth it! We road all the rides about 3 times each about before 2pm! There's only about 6 worlds I believe inside there and everyone was amazingly created! Minion area was cute and so fun! Harry Potter was beautiful! And the ride was so fun! Simpson world was super cute too! The ride was ok. Jurassic park area was beautifully put together.. the ride was amazing! The drop gave my heart a jump for sure! The mummy ride was my most favorite! Super fast adrenaline in the dark basically lol! Maybe a minute or two ride but worth it! Transformer ride was a really good interactive ride too! The most amazing area was how they put together Mario world! Sooooo creative! So pretty to look at! And the ride was a VR style interactive game! Overall I like this park and would recommend spending just a little more for the unlimited ride so you can enjoy your favorite rides a couple more times without the crazy wait. read more

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I've been here twice now and would say I enjoyed them. The second time around was way more enjoyable to me than the first time. We recently went here mid May for their fan fest nights. We got the "early bird" ticket where we can enter the park starting at 2 pm. The fan fest night starts at 7 pm so we got to enter early to enjoy the park along with the public before the rest of the fan fest ticket holders. This experience was great and I would do it again. In between the transition, there was barely any wait for the most popular rides and I never waited more than 15 minutes for rides that normally would take 2 hours. They are building the fast and furious: Hollywood Drift ride here, which is a new roller coaster. It's supposed to open summer 2026, so we just missed it's opening. For fan fest, they had the Harry Potter theme, one piece, Mario/Nintendo theme, and a few others. The concept was pretty good and Nintendo Land had Mario characters, including Yoshi's, Mario, Luigi and toad. I didn't get to enjoy the one piece themed foods since we brought lunch in from the outside. Hogsmeade had a scavenger hunt also, but we did not participate. The butter beer always hits, and one of my faves. It's like cream soda on steroids. The rest of the park was normal. I liked walking around at night with less of a crowd. Best part was I did not have a panic attack this time. I also bought a robe, which I look forward to using. read more

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ONE of the LAST AUTHENTIC THEME PARKS! Unlike Disneyland who has sold out and chosen the way of corporate greed, Universal hasn't lost its admiration for its fans/patrons. Universal isn't cheap, by far. However, it's not gut-wrenchingly expensive and is high-quality when it comes to attractions and entertainment. Most of my thoughts during this visit are surrounding FanFest so I'll add the details on THAT review later. Overall, my experience was amazing. The decorations, friendly service, and sheer awe of being in a movie studio while also enjoying rides is something unique to behold. The theme park was transformed for FanFest and here's to hoping it gets even better next year! The park wasn't deathly crowded, we got to enjoy our evening and reflect on how big USH has gotten. The merch was absolutely fantastic, I was so tempted to buy the whole store at some of the shops. I'm a huge movie/pop culture fan! I noticed the park was clean and still carries a retro Hollywood flair. I'd highly recommend visiting, I'm even thinking of getting a pass! Parking was meh, it's pricey but we felt our car was safe in the lot. Note, the parking garages are quite a walk away as you have to cross through CityWalk to make it back to base. read more

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I have lived in southern California for over 10 years and I had never visited Universal Studios in Hollywood. My boyfriend could not believe it and he said we had to go. He decided to buy tickets with the early access and I cannot believe I woke up so early on a Saturday to be there on time. My boyfriend also decided to buy the fast pass. We literally made it there before they open for early access. If you have a handicap placard, you are able to park in the Premium parking at the front in their handicap spots without having to pay extra. That is an awesome incentive to get there early! There was a line to get in, but once they open, it started moving quick. With the early axis you get access to the Nintendo world so you need to walk all the way to the back and take the escalators down. That is the only time in the day that we saw that land, not being extremely crowded. We were able to ride an Nintendo rides without even using the fast pass because there was no line. We explored the whole park including the tour. We were done around 4pm with everything. It was definitely a long day but it was very fun. I would highly suggest sunscreen, water and enjoying the time there. The only thing we noticed is that there are not that many food options that aren't unhealthy or fatty and there weren't many shaded spots to sit at. They do have beer at multiple locations. Overall I had a lot of fun and got all my steps read more

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We're season pass holders so we frequent the park a few times a month and really enjoy coming. This weekend is the opening of the new fast and the furious ride! The park is always clean and the staff is nice. The one time I had to use guest relations they were wonderful. Cooper knight from Hawaii is a great help and is an excellent representation of the company. So many things to do and try it's definitely worth the season pass read more

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We enjoyed the Universal Studios in Hollywood more than the Orlando location primarily because the weather is cooler and drier in the summer. It was comfortable high 70's. Everything is really close walking distance with so many food and snack options. My favorite rides were the Mummy, Harry Potter, Minions, and Simpsons. Too bad the new Fast and Furious ride hadn't opened yet. We paid extra for the express pass which made the waits more tolerable. Also be sure to do the Studio Tour which was really cool. read more

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Crowds made everything take longer. Just walking around is an ordeal. They need to make this park bigger.. Lol. Place is great and the food is always updating with the occasion. Pay for parking but with in:out privileges. Currently the park closes a bit early (latest was 8pm). Not sure when they will be open any later. read more

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Attended Universal Studios Hollywood Grad bash 2026. I absolutely loved the chaperone portion of this event at Universal Studios. We were treated very well in my opinion. We were given tickets to enter the park all day. Free parking and a meal voucher to use uncertain foods throughout the park. We had choices, which was very nice. The chaperone lounges were stocked with drinks, snacks, and coffee to use starting at 7 PM. They also had massage chair chairs that you could sign up for in the lounges. The park had a lot of fun Rides, shows an events for dancing. It was the perfect day if you wanted to go and relax or join in on all the fun. I highly recommend grad bash for any high school looking for a place for their seniors to celebrate. read more

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Who doesn't feel like a kid again when you enter Universal Studios Hollywood! What a fantastic couple of days riding thrill rides and kid friendly rides. I love the park, they have many times when you can have your picture with characters and autograph your books. Many places to eat, even Starbucks! We had a Nathan's hot dog one day and a breakfast sandwich at Starbucks! We had a few beers, be prepared to pay almost double for everything! You can ask anyone for a cup of water which is complementary and it sure tasted good on a hot day! My favorite ride was Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey and Transformers!! You must see the Water World Show we saw it twice! It's so good!! The new fast and furious rollercoaster was up and running ...doing testing prior to show time in the summer of 2026! It looks like a good one! The cars go sideways on the track! You've got to love technology!! It's been over 20 years since I've been here! Some rides the same, but others were updated with the sign of the times! Mario Kart is Awesome!! read more

Universal Studios Hollywood - Explosions at Water World show - Amusement Parks Near Me - Universal City, California

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Always a good time at universal studios. They always have new exciting rides and food. We went to try the fast and furious ride but it was broken. Other than that we we got on rides with smooth sailing . read more

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Wow. It has been almost twenty years since I last went to Universal Studios Hollywood with my family. So much has changed but in the best way possible. One fact that stood out to me was how there are two levels and one of them requires a few escalators to get to. The bottom lot holds the Mummy Ride, Jurassic Park Ride, Transformers, and Super Mario Kart. The top lot holds a few more of the family friendly rides including Simpsons Land (this is a focal point to find the bottom lot), Secret Life of Pets, Minions, etc. There is an upgraded feature called the Universal Express pass and you can either take advantage of the unlimited feature or enjoy each ride one time. Grab a beer at Moe's inside Simpson's Land and I really enjoyed my time at Diagon Alley. If you're looking for a free locker during your rides, a few of them offer it! read more

We won't be back for at least a year and that is only because my grandson will forget the horrid lines, no care of the handicapped and again, long lines. 1.5 hours for one 2 minute ride. It is expensive, parking is outrageous. The place is very pretty, but there is no where to sit and catch your breath. The show we saw was great. It is called Water Works and my grandson loved it. He also loved the few rides he could get on, waiting more than 1.5 hours for some. I think you can pay for a pass that gets you on a ride faster, but we are not rich. The food served there is very good and all enjoyed it. The stores are so expensive, no thanks. The staff is nice and they try to do a good job and I thank them for that. They also changed the hours on us at the last minute. I bought the tickets and read the hours. But they put up some event cutting us out of several hours. That is not okay. I did not get what I paid for. read more

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My first time at Universal Studios Hollywood! Absolute fun. Definitely a place one needs to go to take a break from being an adult. Lol The food and drinks were great. I really enjoyed the Butter Beer in the Harry Potter Universe! The amusement rides and interactions throughout the park were fun. The meal we had while there was a great portion size for the costs. Roughly $25 Per Person. I literally could've stayed in Super Nintendo World for hours punching loot boxes and gaining coin after buying the character power up bands in their gift store. Check it out! Revenge of the Mummy was a great ride! Freaking Jurassic World. So good. You won't leave this ride dry. Thanks Dilophosaurus! Semi spoiler alert: I can't wait until the Fast and Furious ride opens! A 72mph coaster whose individual cars twist and turn as they travel on the track! There are some attractions and entertainment I look forward to going back like checking out WaterWorld, the Raptor Encounter, and expecting more shows. We did take the studio tour which was nice, but I heard they cut a bit of it out and it was shorter that day than was expected. It was cool seeing the sets where movies and TV shows were filmed. All in all, must go for families, couples needing a weekend get away and those who just want to do something different with their summer. Go! You won't regret it. read more

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For what they offer it's pricey for adults, but it's amazing for kids. The visuals really are exceptional in each area. Harry Potter is a personal favorite. The staff is very nice and always in good mood character to keep the day alive. It's a great park to go to once but it gets old. read more

Universal Studios Hollywood - Amusement Parks Near Me - Universal City, California

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Universal is always a good idea for a family plan or with friends when you want to have fun and walk for a while. Today we did the studio tour and a lot of walk, it was full of people like 30.000 they said that at the entrance. We watch the minion's show and took pictures with them read more

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I am 100% bias on this review because it's hard to complain about anything when you were gifted tickets to come to USH. That said here's my review. Parking was admittedly frustrating, they literally have you going around in circles. I was redirected to go to the booth to pay, then to make a u turn and go back exactly where I was trying to park to begin with; it could had been so much easier not just for me but others that I saw as well wondering where we park? How we pay? Can I go in here? Signs, signs, signs could have fixed these issues. Once we found a parking spot in the "accessible" area it was really easy to walk to the front of the park entrance from the elevator. Once inside we made a game plan of what we wanted to do : Tram ride, Mario Karts, Simpsons & Hogwarts where on our must list. We first headed over to Hogwarts and even thou I didn't buy the pass to get you to the front of the line pass, which was a ridiculous amount of $200 read more

Great experience! Wasn't too busy so there was no waiting on rides. Atmosphere was great and welcoming. Lots of things to do and things to see. read more

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After 36 years on this earth (33 in SoCal)I finally visited USH Pros: Not crowded like Disney Park is clean Characters stay to meet with everyone around that want to meet them Cast is polite and fun Food is delicious All restrooms are clean...TRUST ME I HAD TO USE THEM ALL Cons: My only gripe is why didnt i come here sooner! read more

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In actuality I'd give 3.5 stars if it was possible. As I'm a senior I did not have super high expectations- for me. My grandchildren would rate this theme park as a 5+ if they could! My daughter had read all the user blogs for here in advance and had their app yet there was changing information with the time the gates opened. That being said we waited 90 minutes at front gate then about 20 at the 2nd entry. We started where the line was shortest (35 min wait) at Nintendo World. Next up was Harry Potter- the kids had a blast on the ride yet I was green after the jerking & jolting. For me, the Universal Studios tour was the highlight of the day. Being a vegetarian I wasn't sure what kind of food I'd find. Very limited options but did have a veggie burger from Krusty's that was pretty good. Two areas for improvement: Water refill stations please!!! We were told we could refill in the bathroom....yuck. Also would love to see a few more seating options with shade. On a good note, the restrooms were plentiful and maintained well. The grandkids were more than satisfied however and only wished the park stayed open later. read more

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We had a fantastic time. Got there at 8 0m. No character out. They had gone to bed! I don't blame them. We left park at 2am. A real cool vibe! May 14,2026 read more

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The day included wonderful family memories as well as several disappointments. While we enjoyed our time overall, the park has changed considerably since my last visit 25 years ago. I expect rides to evolve and I'm fine with change. My concern is losing classic rides while everything shifts toward simulator‑style experiences. The park relies heavily on large-screen simulator rides. A couple can be fun, but the current lineup feels like too much. Many practical attractions have been removed, so traditional options are limited. If you dislike simulators or get motion sick, plan carefully, since most rides are now screen-based. The Studio Tour remains an exceptional experience. We enjoyed the King Kong, earthquake, and Jaws segments. However, the tour no longer includes the live action or stunt performances that were once part of it, which was disappointing. Jurassic World - The Ride is enjoyable with several impressive moments. However, I preferred the original Jurassic Park version, which featured more dinosaurs, the brachiosaurus, extended music, a stronger finale, and the iconic score when the gates opened. While the new ride's final dinosaur is larger and taller, it lacks the same up-close impact. Character interactions were the standout of the day. We were delighted to meet the Minions, Gru, and Donkey from Shrek. Donkey personally wished our son a happy birthday, creating a cherished memory. The Transformers, Bumblebee and Optimus Prime, were also exceptional. They engaged directly with our son, used his name, and provided a personal experience. A cast member portraying a New York character escorted us to the front of the Shrek queue, provided a virtual tour, and offered our son a hug. Cast members throughout the park were consistently friendly and contributed significantly to our day. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey caused severe motion sickness. The combination of rotation, vertical movement, swinging motions, and immersive screen visuals was overwhelming, especially after The Simpsons Ride. The effects lasted most of the day and continued for about a week afterward. My husband spent substantial time waiting on benches. I evaluated most rides in advance and declined many, including recommending against Harry Potter for my husband. We had a disappointing Scooby Doo and gang meet-and-greet. The app showed a 5:00 PM appearance. We arrived on time and waited over 15 minutes, then left assuming it was canceled. When we returned, the characters were finishing with the last guests. Cast members said they were done for the evening, so we couldn't take photos. Scooby Doo waved kindly when he saw our disappointment, which we appreciated, but we left without a picture. During a character queue, a staff member expressed frustration with our son quietly playing with the chain barriers, stating it gave her a headache. Super Nintendo World was a significant disappointment. We were denied access to interactive games without purchasing a Power-Up Band, priced at $46 or more. Unwilling to incur that expense, we exited with minimal engagement. I was relieved we had not purchased early access. Dining quality has declined at several locations. The $59 meal pass initially appeared economical but proved less cost-effective than individual purchases. To get value, guests must select higher-priced entrées, typically $16.99 or more, and additional snacks that may not be desired. Many restaurants lacked suitable options. I purchased packaged cookies for the hotel, but they were crushed in transit. Self-serve soda stations require a separate scanned drink pass cup for refills. I discarded my soda believing refills were included and was left with ice water. Mel's Diner and Luigi's offered limited selections, with issues including chewy pasta, soggy bread, and pre-packaged desserts. The Harry Potter-themed ice cream, featuring vanilla with chocolate or strawberry lining, cost nearly $30 and was underwhelming. Parking was $40 for general admission, with higher fees for preferred options. The handicap-accessible route was confusing and involved multiple loops, although staff provided helpful directions. Merchandise was expensive, with shirts at $40, wands at $69, and similar pricing for other souvenirs. The park's operating hours were shorter than expected for a summer visit, closing at 7:00 PM on our day and as early as 6:00 PM on others. This felt limited given the ticket cost. We appreciated the character interactions, the Studio Tour, and our family time together. I am glad we visited, but I miss the previous version of Universal Studios that featured more practical effects and a wider variety of ride types. read more

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I had a lot of nostalgia for this place when I was a teenager. It's been over 10 years since I was last here. This was my first time visiting the Harry Potter world, Super Mario world, and the updated Jurassic Park (now Jurassic World) ride. I love the Mummy ride and the studio tour- those will always be my favorites! The staff are very friendly and helpful, which I was grateful for. Glad that we were also able to bring in our own drinks and food. Unfortunately, I was sad to see how most of the vibes seem to be VR and/or sceen-related. Now that I'm older, the VR/4-D stuff made me nauseous and hurt my head, especially the Harry Potter Forbidden Journey, Mario Kart, Jurassic World, & Transformers ride. As soon we put on the glasses for Transformers, my spouse and I immediatley took off the glasses. It also was disappointing how the Hippogriff ride was so short compared to the wait time. I think part of the "magic" and charm of the rides were the animatronics and the realism of everything. Hence, the Mummy ride is my favorite cause no screens or glasses are involved. The Jurassic World ride was also great because of the animatronic dinosaurs, but I could defeinitely do without the Mosesaurus part of the ride as there's no realism to it. The animatronics on the Forbidden Journey ride were really cool, but once the screens came on, I felt dizzy and got a headache. I loved seeing actors dressed in iconic movie and TV show characters walking out, made the experience more fun. I think this is part of the "realism" aspect that makes amusement parks like Disneyland fun. It was also kinda dirty and smelled like sewage in certain places of the park which was off-putting, like when waiting in line for the Mummy and the Harry Potter rides. I almost walked out of the Kung Fu Panda ride because of the high-impact motions of the moving chairs really hurting my back and neck. The movements of that ride was mostly blunt impacts on hard surface you see on the screen (hitting wooden beams, the ground, rocks, etc.) , and it was painful so I ended up sitting on the edge of the chair to not feel anymore of it. Definitely the worst thing out of the whole park. A bonus perk is because Universal Hollywood isn't as large as Disneyland, we were able to do all the rides and leave the park by 4pm (we got there right at opening). read more

This is an amazing place, but they say there's a single rider option available, but in reality, no ride ever offers it. If you're going solo, you have to wait hours for all the big attractions. For the whole day, you'll only get to ride 2 major rides with 2 - 3hr wait times. Also fast and furious is still not open. At least app pre order dining is finally available. Clap hard if Christopher is your tram tour guide. He's amazing! The low rating is the complete disregard for the solo experience. read more

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Take the days and go. Take a few extra after to recover after spending the days at the park, you'll need them. A lot of walking and moving with very little rest. I recommend this location.m it's one of the best ever!!! Come have fun bring your family and friends. Lots of options to eat from and lots of options to drink from. You'll want to keep coming back. Every visit is different and worth it even with slightly bad weather and things running you can bar the park to your self. Do yourself a favor and just save for the VIP. It's worth it. Much better than all the other parks for its value vs cost. Not a fan that park hours aren't posted and are publish 1 month before as we need timely notice for planning. Also for VIP booking the hours for its tours aren't posted until after the park hours so make sure you double check the dates and hours. read more

Universal Studios Hollywood - Parking - Amusement Parks Near Me - Universal City, California

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My youngest son had a field trip. So I followed with my 2 other sons. I had a blast! Mario land was amazing. It was busy and normal but it was California's spring break week. I rode mummy and Jurassic world twice. Mummy is my favorite ride. Transformers was kinda boring. My kids didn't like it. We all loved Mario kart ride. We didn't get to ride tram tour at all. But we did ride Harry Potter twice. The turkey leg was my favorite meal next to the fish n chips from three broomsticks. Love the alcohol variety to numb my feet pain from all the walking. We all enjoyed our trip to Universal. It was amazing. Thank you Universalt studios Hollywood! read more

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This place was on Jen's list of things to do, so we decided to plan a one day visit. Checking out the parking and traffic conditions for a Monday adventure, we opted to take the Metrolink train to Union Station, then an Uber to Universal Studios. Considering that Uber drops you off at the entrance, the cost of the train/Uber is the same as driving (gas) and valet parking. Big win to start and allowed for resting on the way home. Bought our tickets through AAA, so a nice little savings there. Getting through security and into the park was fine. Due to the change in weather, we got a small locker which came in handy for our jacket/sweatshirt and a few personal items. $10 and you can access it as many times as you want all day. We sampled as much of the park as we could in a day. Kung Fu Panda Adventure, Harry Potter World (had a Butterbeer, rode Flight of the Hippogriff and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey), Jurassic World - The Ride (my favorite), Revenge of the Mummy - The Ride, Transformers: The Ride-3D (Jen's favorite) and finished with Despicable Me Minion Mayhem. All lines moved well (HP & the FJ did have a slight mechanical delay) and the longest wait was just over 30 minutes. As for the rides, if you have motion sickness like I do, be warned that most are "simulation" rides and it will take some effort to keep your head and stomach right. We grabbed a few souvenirs on the way out and called it a successful visit. This park is meant to be experienced in more than one day, so if you want to try every single adventure, plan on two or more days. The park does offer a second day free ticket, so the additional cost is either transportation or a local hotel room. The annual pass (starting at $179) is another great idea, so you wouldn't have to do a back to back days. I personally don't plan on coming back, but only because the rides aren't the kind I enjoy and not indicative on the park itself. read more

It's a very nice place, the rites are fun, Jurassic park it's very fun and it's worth the waiting time, same with the mommy, they have decent places to eat, variety of snacks and drinks everywhere, in giving just 3 stars because of Mario world!!! Horrible management of this specific rite, they announced a certain waiting time and every time it's double or even triple and it's because they let ALL the people with express passes go before the rest of the regular guests without one, I'm not talking about lets the express passes go first, NO, they let every express pass holder go and leave the regular line intact, they don't let a single person go, it's horrendous, the waiting was 50 minutes presumably but in reality for the regular people without the fast pass it's 120 minutes!!! Minimum!! Very frustrating how they don't know how to handle this rite, and this happen every time... read more

Universal Studios Hollywood - Bowser and hundred of poor people waiting for already 2 hours and the line no moving at all :( - Amusement Parks Near Me - Universal City, California

We absolutely loved our experience this trip! Staff was so interactive, lines weren't too long, there were so many things to see and do that we ran out of time! Not a ton of signs to guide where to go, but plenty of staff to help guide the way read more

Universal Studios Hollywood - Water world show - Amusement Parks Near Me - Universal City, California

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Came to Universal Studies exclusively for the Super Mario world. I had so much fun! So you have to purchase the Mario watches to play the games. You need to play and win 3 games to power up your watch so that you can play the main game. The main game is so awesome. You get to play with your shadow and your shadow can power up and eat a mushroom to get big just like in the game. It was so much fun playing. The ride was good also. It's kinda like Mario cars lol. Just the wait time was long I had to make a 90 min in line for the ride. read more

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Came here with the family for Universal Studios Hollywood Fan Fest . It was a Thursday and the specials event started in the evening time. We came early when the theme park opened in the morning. Got great parking since we showed up early. Parking prices range from what kind of parking you purchase. Parking structure is huge but a lot of sign to help guide you. The park is really big and a lot of really cool attraction. There are random character from very familiar shows and movies produced by by warners bros and universal. The roses are great and attraction are very fun and some interactive. The amusement park start to transition for the special event some attraction clothes to make sure only member were inside park. We waited inside the theme park at Mel's Diner was really great spot to relax and grub. Will definitely be back a lot to see not enough time in one day read more

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Great experience doing the VIP Tour I personally think that's the only way to Experience Universal Studios. Owen out your guide throughout our day was the best and made our experience even that much fun and informative. Most definitely be back to visit read more

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Just wanted to report that I still have the stomach flu over a week later from Fan Fest Nights at the One Piece Cafe. read more

Universal Studios Hollywood - Loco moco burger and katsu. One piece cafe cake hat dessert - Amusement Parks Near Me - Universal City, California

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I was very unimpressed by this park. As a multi-decade Disney annual pass holder, I have high expectations for theme parks. The majority of the rides at Universal are simulation rides that entail you sitting in a seat and having a screen with moving content in front of you. It gets really old after a while and can make you quite dizzy. Only a handful of rides weren't entirely that, and still none of them were rides I'd be dying to ride again. We rode every ride in the park in one day with time to spare before closing, starting with the Lower Lot rides then the studio tour then the Upper Lot and finishing with the Water World and Triwizard Tournament shows (both awful). For those interested, the skip the line pass is worth it as those lines were all less than five minutes. The banana soft serve is delicious, as is the infamous Big Pink Donut that they sell all over the park. Maybe once the new Fast and Furious ride opens this summer, the park will have a coaster worth riding. read more

6/14/2026. Came with my family on a Saturday. Had a great time. Pretty packed, but the lines moved pretty quickly. I need to come back when the fast n furious ride opens read more

This review is for the Annual Pass Members exclusive drink. For a limited time, Pass Members can enjoy an exclusive cold brew topped with cold foam and chocolate puffs--available for purchase only at French Street Bistro and Jurassic Café during regular operating hours. This beverage was so good and refreshing. If you don't like your cold brew overly sweet, then this drink is for you. I absolutely loved that it was super loaded with sugar. I highly recommend it. read more

Universal Studios Hollywood - Cold Brew with Cocoa Puffs - Amusement Parks Near Me - Universal City, California

The last time I came to Universal Studios, there was a Wild West Stunt Review, a Collapsing Bridge on the Tram Ride, and a Blues Brothers Stage Show where we got a VHS tape with excerpts from the 1980 movie where they spliced edits of my family into it. Needless to say, it's been a while since I was here. And while there are a few live shows still here at the park, they seem to have closed the bulk of them down in favor of thrill rides, like you'd see at Six Flags, and totally immersive experiences, like you'd see at Disneyland. In some ways, that really works. In other ways, I have my issues. Regardless, Universal Studios Hollywood was a lot of fun! Brought my wife here mainly for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. She's a huge fan, loves the books and movies, and has finished the game through multiple playthroughs. I was able to purchase her own Gryffindor class robes (Ravenclaw for me) online so we'd be ready for our day. She was lucky (and very thrilled) to be selected at Ollivander's to have a wand choose her to be its owner. We had all of our gear personalized. We rode the rides multiple times. We drank Butter Beer in multiple forms. We saw a Tri-Wizard Tournament Show. And we spent more than half our day in this one limited area, enjoying ourselves immensely. This alone made our day worth it. Additionally, we took the Tram ride, which was as fun as I remembered. Thrill rides, like the Mummy and Flight of the Hippogriff were fantastic and well done. Some of the other rides, like Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, as well as the Transformers 3D, rely a bit too much on watching movies for the majority of the ride, though they do blend in some practical effects as well to make up for it; Forbidden Journey does this pretty masterfully. The only disappointment was the Mario Kart ride, which I was very much looking forward to and came away shaking my head. Regardless of all of this, the queues for these rides are beautifully crafted, making the waits to get on a delight. And we came during the off-season, making waits for all rides just as long as it took to walk the ramps. About the only real issue I had was fitting into the restraints. I'm not monstrously bloated, but I am a bit overweight. And I found the bulk of the harnesses I had to squeeze into required a deep breath and push down to click. I can't imagine anyone over 250lbs having fun trying to do most of these rides. In the end, an off-season day made for quick ride waits and a relatively cheap ticket made for a very reasonable experience; leaving plenty of money to be able buy as much treats and merchandise to fill that hole in our souls. An impressive variety of rides and shows gives something for everyone to try. And what Universal has done with their IP's is pretty creative and very enjoyable. I wouldn't put Universal Studios Hollywood above Disneyland in anyway, but it's still a fun time and worth trying in if you live in Southern California. read more

Not my all time favorite theme park but definitely still enjoyable. My favorite time to visit is during the holidays. The decorations are so fun and festive. You definitely have to meet the Grinch if you can. I highly recommend planning out your trip beforehand. If not, you'll find yourself taking the escalator up and down multiple times since this park has many levels and inclines. Also, sometimes they have specials on their annual passes. So definitely look into that if you're thinking about getting one. read more

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This amusement park is really fun, although I wish there were more roller coasters, I haven't really tried much food here but from what I have tried I'd say it's pretty good, my favorite ride is the Jurassic World ride and the Simpsons ride. really fun park if you have small children or even teenagers, there's many things to do, I would also recommend the Studio Tour, really cool 3D and regular vision experience. read more

Universal Studios Hollywood is definitely a theme park for kids old enough to remember their visit. Not much in the way of preschool properties so I'm not sure why anyone would expect otherwise. Anyway, we did take advantage of the early admission for Super Nintendo World. Worth it for your first visit because not only will the Mario Kart line be too long the rest of the day, but you can get a head start on the other lower level attractions. The land and queue for the Mario Kart ride are impressive and immersive. The ride itself is pretty cool, but the helmets are heavy and cumbersome. Definitely a one and done attraction for anyone that doesn't want to invest in a band and spend their day playing live action Mario in this section of the park. We had a reservation for an early lunch at Toadstool Café. The food was above average but overpriced (our bill was on par with upscale restaurants at Disneyland.) My son and I really liked the pesto aioli with our sandwiches. The truffle fries had a very subtle flavor, so if you find truffle fries heavy anywhere else you'll prefer them here. We would have liked a little more of the truffle flavor. The tiramisu was amazing. If you go for no other reason, get that. We had dinner in "Springfield." It was just okay. We were able to ride everything we wanted, some rides twice. The only line we encountered that was over an hour was for Jurassic World later in the day but we already had our group picture so we just spent a few minutes in the single rider lane instead. That said, pictures aren't included like they are at Disneyland/DCA, and the prices are unreasonably high unless you get them all. The only big disappointment of the day was Bruce demonstrating why he was also called the Great Wide Turd. He was broken at the time we took the tour tram. Apparently your best bet is first thing. The earthquake sequence also didn't work. Other experiences were cool, and I loved seeing the Nope set. The set used for the Good Place was in use and unavailable, though. We did have a surprise encounter with a certain mama's boy. Human performers are so much more reliable than animatronics. We were also surprised that the escalator between levels was actually three or four escalators (and one or two of those was two stories high), but there's an incredible view of the San Fernando Valley between escalators. Wish I hadn't forgotten to get a sunset picture. read more

Me and the Family love Universal Studios Hollywood. It's so much to do and the lines aren't that long like other amusement parks. Our favorite is Suoer Mario world and the Tours. City walk is also another bonus with lots of places toneatvand shop. It's literally something for everyone here. read more

Universal Studios Hollywood - Amusement Parks Near Me - Universal City, California