The VIP Experience at Universal Studios Hollywood in California
4.5
The VIP Experience at Universal Studios Hollywood in California
By Universal Studios Hollywood
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About
** VALID FOR UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD IN CALIFORNIA ONLY **
Reserve one of the coveted spots on a VIP tour that grants you access parts of Universal Studios Hollywood℠ that aren’t accessible to the general public. Once you book this all-inclusive tour you don’t have to worry about any additional costs along the way—it comes with an extensive guided tour of the film lot, unlimited access to rides, attractions, and shows, plus a gourmet lunch and valet parking.
Please note: space for the VIP Experience is limited and advance reservations are required.
Lowest price guaranteeFree cancellation
Ages 5-99
Duration: 24h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More
Highlights
- Treat yourself to a VIP experience at Universal Studios Hollywood℠ with exclusive guided access to off-limits areas
- All-day admission to the park including the Wizarding World of Harry Potter™
- Universal Express Unlimited access to all rides, shows, and attractions
- The pass includes access to reserved seating at all shows and a gourmet catered lunch
- 1-Day Park admission to Universal Studios Hollywood
- A VIP Guide to tour locations closed to the general public
- Tour historic backlot locations
- Unlimited (Per Day) express access to each ride, attraction and seated show
- A gourmet meal in the private VIP dining room
- Light refreshments served in an exclusive VIP lounge
- Valet Parking
- Entry/Admission - Universal Studios Hollywood
What's not included- Carnival games (available to purchase)
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
- Movie tickets for Universal CityWalk Cinemas
- Food and drinks not listed above (available for purchase
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 2030VIP- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Most travelers can participate
- Please note: Booking is only valid on selected date of travel.
- Minimum age is 5 years
- In order to maintain the safety of guests, modified operating procedures have been put in place. Guests visiting the park will have their bags inspected by staff. Large bags and coolers will not be permitted in the park. Outside food is not permitted inside the park with the exception of bottle water, fruit and baby food.
- HARRY POTTER characters, names and related indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter Publishing Rights © JKR. (s21).Inc.TRANSFORMERS and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro and are used with permission.© 2021 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved.© 2021 DreamWorks LLC and Paramount Pictures Corporation. All Rights Reserved. The Mummy © 2021 Universal Studios. All rights reserved. Kung Fu Panda © 2021 DreamWorks Animation LLC. All Rights Reserved. Universal’s Animal Actors © 2021 Universal Studios. THE SIMPSONS TM & © 2021 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Universal elements and all related indicia TM and © 2021 Universal Studios. All rights reserved.
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- Which park is this ticket valid for
- This ticket is valid for Universal Studios Hollywood in California only. This ticket is not valid for use at Universal Studios Olrando.Answered Oct 2024
- Can I get a refund on my ticket?
- You can cancel a booking if it is at least 24 hours prior to your travel date and if unused, you can get a full refund. Any cancellations made on the day of travel or after your travel date are non-refundable, regardless of usage.Answered Oct 2024
- Can I add or remove passengers from my booking?
- You can cancel your reservation at least 24 hours prior to travel for a full refund. You can then rebook your reservation for the correct number of passengers.Answered Oct 2024
- Is transport to and from the park included?
- No, you must make your own way to Universal Studios Hollywood in California.Answered Oct 2024
The tour operator has provided the following answers to customers’ questions.- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 2030VIP
From
$369.00
per adult
Select date and travelers
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Itinerary
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About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- Francesca-15490 contributionsGreat time, done in one day!We went on a Tuesday in November and it was a great day. Not too busy, didn’t have to wait long at all! We managed all the rides apart from Jurassic park as it was closed. We did have a promotion on our ticket for 2nd day free but we didn’t need it as we did everything in one day. We arrived at opening time and left just before they closed at 6. We did the studio tour too which was great! Whilst we were on the tour, they were filming at a house and we were about to enter a sound stage, we waited for a bit then said we couldn’t go in at the moment and would loop back around but never went back to it so that’s a shame. A lot of the rides are similar like strapped into something and being moved around watching a big screen rather than a rollercoaster so I did feel sick at times from the motion! Had a Krusty burger for lunch which was a long wait, probably longer wait than the rides! We even went on some rides twice, so glad we managed to do everything, I can’t imagine going when the park would be even busier! They are building a new fast and furious actual rollercoaster which looked good but opens in 2026. The longest we waited for a ride was probably 20 minutes. But the queue areas are so big so you’re walking a long way to get to the queue but I’m guessing the queue areas are so long ready for the busy days! Harry Potter, Mario and simpsons were fab!!Written December 10, 2024
- nicholef5280 contributionsDisabled persons BEWAREThey do what they do well. Unless you are a wheelchair user. Man, what an absolute clown show their disability access is! Millions of visitors a year and they still don't know how to come into the 21st century. First, access between upper and lower levels takes for-freaking-ever. Why is there only 1 tiny tram that transports maybe 3 people and their attendees at a time? It wasted so much of our time!! (So much so that in our second day, we opted to carry our daughter down the escalators while the other pushed her manual wheelchair.) Second, disability access for some major rides bypasses all the build up and ambience of the ride. Turns out that the dark hallways for disability access to the Hogwarts ride are a sort of dank hell in comparison with the experience of standing in a line for typical access- our daughter missed so much! And do NOT get me started on the "accessible" bathrooms that are so tiny it's freaking laughable! That bathroom near the Three Broomsticks would be unnavigable by any disabled person without a companion. What a freaking joke! The next day, a less busy day, we waited an extra 30 minutes, with essentially no waiting in typical lines, for a disability access bus for the studio tour. Why? Why? We then went on Secret Life of Pets - yay! A ride where she can stay in her wheelchair and not have to transfer! Except, nope, they didn't know how to fasten anything to her chair and she still had to transfer. My 10 year old is physically disabled, but she is fully aware of how needlessly "extra" her access was at this park. Universal has millions of visitors a year and if they can spend $50-100 million on new roller coaster rides, they can certainly spend a fraction of that improving their disability access. It was definitely a situation of "we're ADA compliant because we did the bare minimum (and not one single thing more)". The rest of our crew mostly enjoyed their experience, but the frustration around accessibility dampened the entire experience across two days for everyone. Largely because it's so needlessly prohibitive and difficult.Written December 10, 2024
- 14elizad0 contributionsIncredible DayHad an amazing time! The Harry Potter, transformers, and mummy rides were my favorites. Don’t miss jurassic park if you love thrills! I enjoyed 7 rides and 3 shows in one day, with waterworld being a must see. Lines were long but moved quickly, and the food was decent though pricey. Parking took some time, but overall, an exciting day. Can’t wait to go back!Written December 9, 2024
- B H0 contributionsPretty Decent Experience!My family and I have now gone to this theme park twice, and we enjoyed it both times. We always have enjoyed the Transformers ride, and we also enjoyed the Simpsons ride, and studio tour. We love the immersion at Super Nintendo World, but we didn’t enjoy the ride as much as we did the first time. Overall, this theme park is always a nice one day stay theme park.Written December 6, 2024
- Roam3194310 contributionsuniversal in a dayEntered at 9:30. Bought a fast pass - did all the rides in one day no problem and the studio tour! Ate at Toadstool - had the burger and spaghetti - both were pretty tasty. It was a perfect day!Written November 30, 2024
- Wen159030 contributionsHmmm wont rush backIf you have done universal studios Orlando you will be disappointed here. Its very small . On the mumny ride lots broken , harry potter ride bits broken . Went to get pretzels twice and none available . Super Nintendo world is so cramped. The park was packed i cant understand why none ready got told come back in 10 minutes. I wouldn’t rush to come back here . Needs more rides . Only good thing was the tour and water world showWritten November 25, 2024
- stevensN6330KX0 contributionsExcellent 👌 👌Amazing Absolutely love this place. I'm a huge movie fan. I can't wait for the new adventures to come. Going there with friends and family makes the experience even more better.Written November 24, 2024
- avinashreddyc20220 contributionsUniversal less attractions .This is not much fun to be during busy times. Be there when park is less busy. Express pass is given priority in seating which is not fair(they should be able to just avoid long lines that’s all). Rides here are similar fashion (3d spill water drops move chairs sync sounds) for minions kunfu panda, harrypotter, simpsons. Transformers, mummy and king kong. I been to florida universal i felt that has better rides, but that park is very busy and expensive.Written November 20, 2024
- gg-g-g-7-20 contributionsvery fun tourThis is a very fun tour for young and old. The explanation you receive ensures that you will never watch a film the same way again. This is also recommended for people who are less mobileWritten November 20, 2024
- Allison B0 contributionsAmazing time!Most people will tell you that you can do this park in one day, but you need at least two days. We were lucky that we took advantage of the buy one day, get a day free promotion and we were so glad now that we did! Even with the two days, we still missed out on the water show, The Mummy and Transformers ride. We spent a whole day at Harry Potter and experienced Mario, The Simpsons, Despicable Me/Minions and the Universal tour the next day. I strongly advise eating at the Toadstool Cafe if you are a Mario fan, the themed food and aesthetically pleasing decor will not disappoint! Don’t bother with the Three Broomsticks in Harry Potter- service and food is subpar. Character sightings are plentiful in this park, much better than in Disneyland parks! Take advantage of any if you can. Souvenirs are equally better here than in Disney so fill up if you can. I wish the hours were longer, I found a 6pm shut down time to be much too early. A note that this park is not overweight/obese friendly. My husband were only able to ride Mario and the Simpsons. You will notice that the cast members will profile anyone in this category and stop you in front of everyone in line to have you try out the tester seat. I think I would have been less embarrassing trying to sit in the seat on the ride itself and then leaving, though I understand that this wouldn’t be time friendly for the ride itself. After that, we would have to tell the cast members that we were just walking our kids in line so they would leave us alone. Despite the fat profiling, we still had a great time as did the kids. I think they had more fun here than in Disney to be honest. It’s definitely worth the stop!Written November 19, 2024
- suzannemQ6595IX0 contributionsUniversal Studios great fun day for all agesWe visited Universal Studios Hollywood and had a great time. We did not wait very long in lines for rides and we enjoyed the new Mario Brothers ride. After visiting Disneyland we found Universal was less packed and more relaxed and we did have to line up more than 15 minutes for any ride which was great. Universal is a great place to bring the family and have fun. We always eat at Cletus Chicken Shack which have gluten free options.Written November 16, 2024
- suzannemQ6595IX0 contributionsLove Halloween Horror NightsHalloween Horror night is a must for anyone that loves Halloween. Last year we attended the Orlando HHN and this year we decided to try HHN in Hollywood. Must say Hollywood had heaps less people we attended 30th October and 31st October which wasn’t too bad but if you want to experience every haunted house you either have to get a fast pass or we chose to attend 2 nights which worked out much cheaper than fast pass. Be prepared to walk a lot and wait in line, but for us this is all part of the experience. The scare zones were great and each of the haunted houses were unique. We loved ghostbusters and A Quiet Place and Terror Tram was great. We thought Halloween Horror Night was amazing and can’t wait to see what they have next year.Written November 16, 2024
- dcphotoboy0 contributionsWas hoping it would be betterLines were long, multiple experiences were shut down for maintenance and the back lot tour had multiple stops out of order. I did not love the overallexperience. That being said, I did enjoy the Waterworld performance. It felt more like a merch store with a few activities thrown in than an experience to remember.Written November 16, 2024
- DutchMachine0 contributionsNice, but small parkReally enjoyed the park. Most of the rides were fun. Some of the rides can use an overhaul (minions and simpsons). Wish the park had more rollercoasters (can't wait for F&F coaster). Some staff members weren't overly friendly (at the popcorn stands) The Studio tour was cool. The Mario area is meh. The theme is nice, the ride is okay, but the upcharge on some mini games is outrageous. Would be nice if the stores were open longer after park hours so you can shop without being rushed.Written November 15, 2024
- 411zinan0 contributionsI didn't have any fun no ridesI did not ride any rides because of your restrictions I could not go through experiences for the rides the ride personally kept telling me no or get on an elevator I was in a scooter I feel it is not meant for anyone with disabilities I did ride a tram. I wish I could be refunded for that and the haunted houses because I ended up going to the hospital and paid for the tickets for that night too.Written November 13, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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TravelDrew
Philadelphia32 contributions
The Universal Studio VIP Tour (Hollywood) is an outstanding experience that is worth the high cost. The knowledge and personality of our tour guide — Angela S.— and the ability to enjoy front of line access to virtually everything at the park, is an experience that makes general admission something difficult to fathom moving forward. There has been some discussion of tipping your guide on this page. To be clear: these guides work for tips. You should plan to pay your guide $15-$20 per person in your group once the day — and it is a full day — is over. The folks who have written that no tip is needed — or $5 for a family of four is fine — have no business taking part in this sort of elite experience.
Tip: book your tour to start on the early side of things and then enjoy the park on your own once the tour is over.
Surprise: the gourmet lunch is actually quite good, unlimited and plentiful.
Head’s Up: Don’t do this if you need to stop every five minutes for character photos or snacks. This is a high intensity tour where you will get incredible access if you trust your guide. The rest of your group doesn’t care that you have a love for butter beer or need a photo with Doc from back to the future. Do that on your own time. Use the VIP experience to truly experience Universal. Is it expensive? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely.
One more thing: don’t lie. Universal does not permit children under 5 on the VIP tour. The rest of your group will despise you if you if are the person with the kid who holds everyone else up. The child won’t be able to ride most rides. Play by the rules. Five and older is great. Under five? Don’t do it.
Tip: book your tour to start on the early side of things and then enjoy the park on your own once the tour is over.
Surprise: the gourmet lunch is actually quite good, unlimited and plentiful.
Head’s Up: Don’t do this if you need to stop every five minutes for character photos or snacks. This is a high intensity tour where you will get incredible access if you trust your guide. The rest of your group doesn’t care that you have a love for butter beer or need a photo with Doc from back to the future. Do that on your own time. Use the VIP experience to truly experience Universal. Is it expensive? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely.
One more thing: don’t lie. Universal does not permit children under 5 on the VIP tour. The rest of your group will despise you if you if are the person with the kid who holds everyone else up. The child won’t be able to ride most rides. Play by the rules. Five and older is great. Under five? Don’t do it.
Written January 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
steve7739
Cheltenham, UK74 contributions
The VIP tour consists of two parts: a tour of the studios themselves and a tour of the theme park. The primary reason for me doing he VIP tour was the studios part. Regular guests get to do a 1 hour tram tour of the studios; VIP tours get to go slightly more in depth over the course of about 2.5 hours. Where the tram tour drives by, you get to get out of your small trolley and explore on foot, which was quite exciting. However, it still felt very rushed and superficial. Exactly what you get to see varies between tours; for example we didn’t get to see the Back to the Future courtyard or walk around the War of the Worlds set.
You go around in groups of up to 14, however for the studio tour two groups are combined. This group is far too large in my opinion. It meant that half the group struggled to hear the guide a lot of the time, and if you were at the back of the trolley (which I was, not by choice) then by the time you got off the trolley you had missed half of the commentary. The tram also has open sides, so when the trolley is driving you can’t hear the narration at the back over the sound of the engine. To spend this much money on a tour and miss half the commentary is annoying to say the least. Sitting on the left hand side I completely missed Jaws and the Psycho house as well. Compared to the Paramount VIP tour, you saw less and it was less in depth, however the backlot is more extensive.
The second part of the day is a tour of the theme park. The guide walks you straight on to each ride and one of people the shows, with a brief introduction to the premise. This was cool - if you want to see everything then this is the easiest way to do it - but there wasn’t much “value added” over the Express Pass.
You start with a nice little breakfast buffet, and the lunch buffet was fantastic. Once the tour ends you can use your pass to revisit any attraction and skip the line.
Overall it was a very fun day, and a great way to see everything with minimal hassle. Whether it was worth the price is more difficult, since you can get a lot of the advantages by just buying the Express Pass. If you’re not particularly interested in the studios part then it would be better just to get the Express Pass.
You go around in groups of up to 14, however for the studio tour two groups are combined. This group is far too large in my opinion. It meant that half the group struggled to hear the guide a lot of the time, and if you were at the back of the trolley (which I was, not by choice) then by the time you got off the trolley you had missed half of the commentary. The tram also has open sides, so when the trolley is driving you can’t hear the narration at the back over the sound of the engine. To spend this much money on a tour and miss half the commentary is annoying to say the least. Sitting on the left hand side I completely missed Jaws and the Psycho house as well. Compared to the Paramount VIP tour, you saw less and it was less in depth, however the backlot is more extensive.
The second part of the day is a tour of the theme park. The guide walks you straight on to each ride and one of people the shows, with a brief introduction to the premise. This was cool - if you want to see everything then this is the easiest way to do it - but there wasn’t much “value added” over the Express Pass.
You start with a nice little breakfast buffet, and the lunch buffet was fantastic. Once the tour ends you can use your pass to revisit any attraction and skip the line.
Overall it was a very fun day, and a great way to see everything with minimal hassle. Whether it was worth the price is more difficult, since you can get a lot of the advantages by just buying the Express Pass. If you’re not particularly interested in the studios part then it would be better just to get the Express Pass.
Written February 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sheila H
1 contribution
Dec 2021 • Couples
I purchased two VIP experience tickets for Universal Studios Hollywood, as my husband is a huge movie goer and has always wanted to walk the backlot to view the different movie and show sets. Plus, it was my husband's birthday month.
The VIP experience comes with the following perks: valet parking, though we chose to purchase parking closer to the front gate, complimentary breakfast, a lunch buffet, along with front of the line access to rides and shows. My only issue was that we had to stand in line with the one access riders, which it would have been nice to have a primary entrance for VIP access customers only to all rides.
Overall, we had a great time with Victor, our tour guide, and appreciated that we were able to go off on our own most of the day, since we were very familiar with Universal Studios.
The VIP experience comes with the following perks: valet parking, though we chose to purchase parking closer to the front gate, complimentary breakfast, a lunch buffet, along with front of the line access to rides and shows. My only issue was that we had to stand in line with the one access riders, which it would have been nice to have a primary entrance for VIP access customers only to all rides.
Overall, we had a great time with Victor, our tour guide, and appreciated that we were able to go off on our own most of the day, since we were very familiar with Universal Studios.
Written December 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dssjinny
14 contributions
Dec 2019
Our family visited the day after Christmas, probably the busiest day of the year. With only 1 day to visit, we smashed open the piggy bank & splurged on the VIP Experience Tour. After a semi private continental breakfast, we were greeted by our private tour guide Tim. He took us places throughout the park without having to wait in any lines. Additionally, we went to places not part of the standard, back lot tour, such as, walking through the wreckage area of the 747 used in the "War of the Worlds" movie. We were able to walk through several sound stages and a huge warehouse containing any & every prop imagined.
After a semi private buffet lunch, which was awesome, we continued our tour throughout the park. By the end of the day, we were exhausted, but we all agreed one of the best days ever!!! It was expensive, but well worth it.
After a semi private buffet lunch, which was awesome, we continued our tour throughout the park. By the end of the day, we were exhausted, but we all agreed one of the best days ever!!! It was expensive, but well worth it.
Written March 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kata V
Bangkok, Thailand46 contributions
About 6 hour-long guided tour including rides and real food lunch, worthwhile and fun, every minute and every cent.
The good thing is we got special access to popular rides, including those in Harry Potter Wizarding World, PET the newest ride.
This is different from express line because our guide brought us right directly to the ride and passed the express line.
The weather while we were visiting was hot and we really appreciated that we dont have to be in a long line otherwise we probably could only do a few rides on our visit due to dehydration and time limitation. Our guide, Roxy were very helpful. Plus, we had plenty of time for lunch, included, with real food, like international buffet in a hotel.
We, a family of 2 adults, 16 and 8 year-old-kids, with limited time in Los Angeles area, about 4 days and we only wanted to spend a day at Universal Studios, so this was the best investment for the best day for our kids.
The good thing is we got special access to popular rides, including those in Harry Potter Wizarding World, PET the newest ride.
This is different from express line because our guide brought us right directly to the ride and passed the express line.
The weather while we were visiting was hot and we really appreciated that we dont have to be in a long line otherwise we probably could only do a few rides on our visit due to dehydration and time limitation. Our guide, Roxy were very helpful. Plus, we had plenty of time for lunch, included, with real food, like international buffet in a hotel.
We, a family of 2 adults, 16 and 8 year-old-kids, with limited time in Los Angeles area, about 4 days and we only wanted to spend a day at Universal Studios, so this was the best investment for the best day for our kids.
Written August 4, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
C D
Wales, UK51 contributions
May 2022 • Solo
Well worth it, straight front of the queue, parties of 12 so not too overcrowded when tour guide is taking.
We had Michelle and she was brilliant, very well knowledgeable and funny.
VIP includes breakfast and lunch - wide selection on both, something for everyone as it was a buffet.
The studio tour, really nice and personal, you join another group so max 24 of you, on a mini bus - no windows and air conditioned, the talk throughout was personal and not pre recorded. You got off a few places and up close and personal go for photos and some history facts.
Bounus they even have a dedicated UBER drop off and pick up (the others use the same), there are 2 spots, very easy.
We had Michelle and she was brilliant, very well knowledgeable and funny.
VIP includes breakfast and lunch - wide selection on both, something for everyone as it was a buffet.
The studio tour, really nice and personal, you join another group so max 24 of you, on a mini bus - no windows and air conditioned, the talk throughout was personal and not pre recorded. You got off a few places and up close and personal go for photos and some history facts.
Bounus they even have a dedicated UBER drop off and pick up (the others use the same), there are 2 spots, very easy.
Written May 19, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DevileyeDog
MA151 contributions
Apr 2021
If you can afford afford it and want a once in a lifetime experience you should do it! No lines and great food. Picture leisurely walking around the park, getting to do almost all the rides (we did all we wanted to do because we are not into the big roller coasters) and feeling relaxed! Truly relaxed at a theme park! It takes the work out of "what ride next" and "hurry to the next ride."
ANDREW deserves a leadership role at Universal. If you are from Universal and reading this, give that man a raise and a promotion. He treats customers with kindness and truly ensures each person has an amazing experience. You can see he loves doing what he does and really cares about those on his tour. He needs to teach his leadership abilities to everyone. It doesn't get more perfect from a customer experience than what Andrew provided. Seriously, promote that man!
ANDREW deserves a leadership role at Universal. If you are from Universal and reading this, give that man a raise and a promotion. He treats customers with kindness and truly ensures each person has an amazing experience. You can see he loves doing what he does and really cares about those on his tour. He needs to teach his leadership abilities to everyone. It doesn't get more perfect from a customer experience than what Andrew provided. Seriously, promote that man!
Written May 1, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tlcjunk
Woodland, WA619 contributions
If you are here for a short stay, the VIP tour is worth it. Ursula was our host and was truly attentive and responsive. We saved so much time getting around and she explained every ride so we could decide if each family member wanted to go. She held bags when needed and answered questions.
The Studio tour was so much more interactive with us having a bus to our group and one other. The tour is a ride in itself with several 3D and interactive experiences. We got to get off and experience some of the outdoor sets. They offered plenty of cold water and it was a very hot day.
The breakfast continental breakfast was plentiful. The lunch had a great variety of high quality items. We have a food allergy and the chef was helpful in letting us know what to avoid. My picky eater even enjoyed a full meal which was a big worry of mine.
The only warning for travelers is that this property has a limited number of rides. We did all of them on the tour which lasted from 10-4 ish with an hour for lunch, the Waterworld show (very exciting) and the studio tour. If you know the park, then Express passes should suffice. But the VIP pass means you can go on each ride as many times as you want. It was spring break when we went and we didn’t know the park so VIP was our best option.
The Studio tour was so much more interactive with us having a bus to our group and one other. The tour is a ride in itself with several 3D and interactive experiences. We got to get off and experience some of the outdoor sets. They offered plenty of cold water and it was a very hot day.
The breakfast continental breakfast was plentiful. The lunch had a great variety of high quality items. We have a food allergy and the chef was helpful in letting us know what to avoid. My picky eater even enjoyed a full meal which was a big worry of mine.
The only warning for travelers is that this property has a limited number of rides. We did all of them on the tour which lasted from 10-4 ish with an hour for lunch, the Waterworld show (very exciting) and the studio tour. If you know the park, then Express passes should suffice. But the VIP pass means you can go on each ride as many times as you want. It was spring break when we went and we didn’t know the park so VIP was our best option.
Written April 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Inamarie F
1 contribution
This was our first VIP experience, and I did my research prior to our visit and one of the highlights I was looking forward to was the gourmet lunch buffet included with our tickets, if you check it out on youtube it really looked fabulous and was a highlight, the tour started well ( our tour guide was very good), then lunch time arrived and with no heads up we were literally told we would not be having the gourmet buffet but instead was cattled off through a side door through security, and out of the park to a margaretaville restaurant. The lunch was poor, the options were very limited, burger, chicken tenders etc it wasnt the whole menu, not what i would have chosen, it was very poor and honnestly didn't taste great...we were there for the whole universal experience, not margaretaville, I would have preferred, given the option to stay in the park gone to a universal themed place to eat and enjoy the experience as the buffet was off limits. Apparently the buffet is closed down and will be out of commission for quite a while. It would have been nice to have been told, some transparency, especially when lunch was going to be the highlight for us, looking back I could have bought fast track tickets, and bought lunch in a fun themed restaurant in the park, and saved a ton of money, i bought 6 VIP tickets (around $2700 it was premium price because of half term), I did call to make my feelings known, they offered $60 worth of food vouchers (10 dollars per person) but I feel that was a bit of an insult..I am disappointed :0(
Written April 4, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We're sorry to hear about your disappointment regarding your dining experience on your VIP Tour. Please know that your feedback has been recorded and forwarded to Senior Leadership Team for review. Thank you for taking the time to write about your recent visit. This feedback is truly what gives us the ability to address our opportunities and continue to improve upon our Guests' experience at our Park.
Written April 15, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Kara M
Whittier, CA1 contribution
Mar 2020 • Family
After reading all the reviews I was so disappointed with our experience. First of all I had checked the box requesting a call to discuss any limitations or issues before the day of the trip but didn’t receive a call so that was issue number one.
While the backlot extras which accounted for about an hour of all we did were nice For the rest of the time we had a glorified map reader and a express pass expediter. We were herded around the park from place to place and shoved on rides. I can do that myself. There were no character interactions. We had to ask to stop to look at ride photos. We didn’t stop long enough for so anyone could look or take personal photos. The whole point of vip is to get something you can’t on your own which was not how I felt. I expected a little more than feeling like I was on a 8th grade field trip. Yes we got a lot done in the park but again a regular express pass would have been a much cheaper route and achieved the same goal and I could have stopped and looked at the cool stuff in between.
While the backlot extras which accounted for about an hour of all we did were nice For the rest of the time we had a glorified map reader and a express pass expediter. We were herded around the park from place to place and shoved on rides. I can do that myself. There were no character interactions. We had to ask to stop to look at ride photos. We didn’t stop long enough for so anyone could look or take personal photos. The whole point of vip is to get something you can’t on your own which was not how I felt. I expected a little more than feeling like I was on a 8th grade field trip. Yes we got a lot done in the park but again a regular express pass would have been a much cheaper route and achieved the same goal and I could have stopped and looked at the cool stuff in between.
Written March 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
What happens if we are late for our VIP tour
Written August 7, 2024
You need to inquire with VIP experience
Written August 17, 2024
My wife and I have booked the VIP tour for 11:30am. We were plannin on arriving when the park ioens and hitting some rides before our VIP tour. Can we enter the VIP lounge upon arrival to the park at the time the park opens and eat breakfast, or will we have to wait until 30 minutes prior to our 11:30am tour
Written May 14, 2024
I believe you can enter the VIP lounge anytime from when it opens, have read some reviews where people have had a later tour and got there early to get their lanyard so they could do some fast pass rides before their tour time. They were all very chilled so I would just email and ask them if you can come earlier to make use of the breakfast and park before your tour time. Whatever happens the VIP day is brilliant, enjoy!
Written May 15, 2024
We made a reservation for VIP experience at 8:30. I am wondering if we arrived at 7:00 a.m. are we gonna be able to enter Mario land and have plenty of time to do all attractions there before our tour starts?
Written April 24, 2024
Are people allowed to leave the VIP tour early? For example, if we don't want to do the last couple stops with the group?
Written January 24, 2024
Yes, you can. I booked the VIP tour solely for visiting the movie sets. We did that first and then came all the rides. I left the tour group and enjoyed the rest of the day on my own. Obviously let the tour guide know you’re disappearing.
Written January 25, 2024
Hi, me again.. I have a couple of questions..
I have read that you get breakfast and lunch included in the price, I have a pepper allergy and I am dairy intolerant, does anyone know if they cater for allergies/intolerances?
Is it best to book this on a weekend or week day? I only really want to do this to see wisteria lane and don’t want to get there to find out they are filming on there so we can’t see it (I’m not sure if that could happen, but don’t want to risk it)
Any advise you can give us deeply appreciated
Written June 4, 2023
Hi, we are looking at booking tickets for our trip over to the states.
The main reason I want to do the VIP tour is to get picture and walk around wisteria lane, I have seen some reviews that say they walked around and other reviews that say they drive through it. How can I guarantee I will get the walk through it? Do they ask at the beginning if there is anything the group wants to do and trailer it to the group? Or do you have to book a certain tour? It’s a lot of money and don’t want to be disappointed that I didn’t get to do that part as it’s the only reason I am paying that money for.
Written April 4, 2023
The tour guide we had asked what we were interested in specifically at the start of the tour so if it's a must they will try to make it happen. We just drove through most of the locations on the tour but that was the group's preference.
Written April 10, 2023
Are you able to ride the rides more than once? I wasn’t sure since we’d be with a tour guide but I really would like to be able to do so.
Written August 14, 2022
Yes, after the guided tour finish, your VIP badge will work as express access to any rides for the rest of the day. The guide also tell you the way to walk to your favorite ride that you want to repeat.
Written December 29, 2022
if I start at 12:30, do I still get the "gourmet lunch"?
Written July 19, 2022
Yes you do. That should be the first place you guys go if it's around that time (lunch). But I could be wrong. I know you will get to go the the gourmet lounge though.
Written July 20, 2022
Deb S
York, Pennsylvania
The day we want to book has the earliest time at 12:45pm. Park hours are 9-9pm that day.
Can we get into the park and walk around until our tour time?
Written June 11, 2022
danny1976147
Bristol, United Kingdom
hi I am looking at booking through Viator I can choose a date but not a time .
How do you book a time slot for your tour to begin ?
Written January 11, 2020
Book directly.....if the time isn't available its because it has already been taken.
I myself after doing the VIP pass don't believe that it is worth it....save your money and just do the speed pass....you won't get on the rides any quicker doing the VIP
Written January 21, 2020
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