Planning a trip to Universal Studios Hollywood? This guide has you covered. As a huge theme park fan, I grew up going to Universal Orlando Resort, and fell in love with the Hollywood version of the park during my first visit seven years ago. Universal Hollywood has some similarities, but it’s truly so different from its Florida counterpart. When I planned my first trip here, I felt so lost because there were next to no blog posts or resources on how to make the most of a day at Hollywood’s Universal Studios park.
This guide covers all my favorite attractions, photo spots, restaurants and in-depth info on The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and the iconic Studio Lot Tour. My guide also features a side-by-side comparison of the similarities and differences between Hollywood’s park and Orlando’s park so you know exactly what to expect. I hope you have the best day at one of the world’s greatest theme parks! As always, feel free to comment down below with any questions you may have or any favorite Universal memories.
xx, Melody
For more LA tips, visit my LA photo guide with over 70+ photography locations in the City of Angels.
Planning Your Trip
Before your visit, I recommend making a list of all your must-see attractions, shows and dining. Summer is peak season at Universal Studios, meaning longer wait times and hotter weather. My most recent visit was in January, and I couldn’t have asked for a better day: 75 and sunny with low crowds. Consider visiting in the fall and winter if you want to pack more into your trip!
The park is split up into two sections: the Upper Lot and Lower Lot. The lots are connected by several escalators with observation decks and scenic lookouts over Burbank in between them. The Upper Lot features the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Springfield, Studio Lot Tour and most of the entertainment venues for live shows. The Lower Lot is smaller and home to plenty of thrill rides, like Revenge of the Mummy, TRANSFORMERS and Jurassic World.
You can easily check everything off your Universal Studios Hollywood list if you make a game plan ahead of time. I highly recommend rope dropping the park for low waits on Harry Potter’s Forbidden Journey and some of the popular thrill rides in the Lower Lot. I also think it’s totally worth it to splurge on the extra $10 for preferred parking. It makes all the difference when you’re trying to rope drop Universal Hollywood early in the morning. Make sure to leave before morning rush hour hits to make the most of your day. I like to get up early and grab breakfast in Burbank at Bob’s Big Boy before heading to Universal (it’s just 5 minutes from the park!).
Buying Tickets
I recommend purchasing tickets directly through Universal to avoid any scams or counterfeit tickets. Tickets range from $109-129, which is actually great value since you’re getting theme park admission and an authentic studio lot tour experience included in the price (other studio lot tours are usually over $60 by themselves). You can purchase your tickets for a day at Universal here.
Universal Orlando Resort vs. Universal Studios Hollywood
Similarities
- Wizarding World of Harry Potter with Hogsmeade
- CityWalk
- Overlapping attractions: Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, TRANSFORMERS, Revenge of the Mummy, Jurassic World, Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem, Flight of the Hippogriff
Differences
Universal Orlando
- 3 parks (Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, Volcano Bay)
- Multi-day vacation
- Blessing of size: more expansive themed lands
- Two Harry Potter themed lands
- More attractions and entertainment options for kids
Universal Hollywood
- 1 Park with two levels
- One-day park
- Studio Lot Tour with an authentic connection to Hollywood
- Panoramic views of LA
- All-star attractions line-up
- Better CityWalk dining options
Best Attractions
- Studio Tour
- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
- Jurassic World
- TRANSFORMERS: The Ride-3D
- The Simpsons Ride
- Revenge of the Mummy—The Ride
Best Photo Spots
- Universal Studios Globe
- Red carpet at Universal Studios Hollywood entrance
- Observation Deck between Upper and Lower Lots
- Hogwarts (Wizarding World of Harry Potter)
- Mel’s Diner
- French courtyard
- The Simpsons Ride entrance (Krustyland)
- Millhouse Bench (Krustyland)
- Lookout from Studio Lot Tour entrance
Best Dining
- Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
- Buca di Beppo
- Blaze Pizza
- French Street Bistro
- Mel’s Diner
- Pink’s Famous Hot Dogs
- Three Broomsticks
Wizarding World of Harry Potter
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is the most engaging themed land at Universal Studios Hollywood. For all of you Orlando locals, The Hollywood version of the land is almost identical to the Orlando version. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is one of the most immersive rides in the park and is a must-see attraction.
While you’re exploring Hogsmeade, stop in some of the cute shops like Honeydukes for sweets and The Owl Post for souvenirs. Grab a frozen Butterbeer, a fish and chips lunch at The Three Broomsticks and sit back and soak up the atmosphere. The music, scenery and people-watching are unmatched in this corner of the park.
Studio Tour
The Studio Tour is the most thrilling and in-depth attraction at Universal Hollywood. If you only ride one attraction in the park, the Studio Tour has everything you could ever want in a ride.
You get to explore Universal’s studio lot and learn so much about the history of the studio, current projects, film trivia and more. I love that this ride gives such an in-depth tour of the studio paired with thrill ride elements. You get to see sets from Psycho, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Back to the Future, Jaws and more. The studio tour is so unique because you get to ride shorter versions of several different attractions all on the same ride! King Kong and Fast and Furious are big draws here. I don’t want to give away too much to avoid spoiling any fun surprises during the tour, but this one-hour long ride will definitely be the highlight of your trip 🙂
Springfield, U.S.A
Springfield is another spectacularly-themed land at Universal. This is one of my personal favorites since I’m a huge Simpsons fan. The carnival atmosphere is so fun and makes this the best place in the park for photography. The land is magic at golden hour when all the buildings start to light up and the light has this warm golden glow. Check out The Simpsons Ride while you’re here, pick up one of the giant pink doughnuts for a snack and people watch. It’s pure magic.
Universal CityWalk
CityWalk is Universal’s shopping and entertainment district adjacent to the park. This is the best place to grab dinner after a day at the parks and pick up any last-minute gifts or souvenirs. I personally prefer Hollywood’s CityWalk over Orlando’s because the restaurants and shopping are more on par with LA quality.
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