Skip the Line: Express Ticket at Universal Studios Hollywood
4
Skip the Line: Express Ticket at Universal Studios Hollywood
By Universal Studios Hollywood
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
About
** VALID FOR UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD IN CALIFORNIA ONLY **
If you want to experience all that Universal Studios Hollywood has to offer, but only have one day to do it, the express ticket is exactly what you need. This special pass grants you one-time skip-the-line entrance to all rides, plus reserved seating at each show. With a limited number of express tickets sold each day, you can rest easy when you book your spot in advance.
Lowest price guaranteeFree cancellation
Ages 3-99
Duration: 24h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Highlights
- All-day admission to Universal Studios Hollywood with a Universal Express ticket
- One-time express access to each ride, show, and attraction
- See where Hollywood movies are made on the Studio tour
- Priority seating at non-seated shows, plus behind-the-scenes privileges at select attractions
- 1-Day admission to Universal Studios Hollywood.
- One-time reserved seating at all Universal Studios Hollywood shows
- Includes ONE-TIME (per day) express access to each ride
- 1x time reservation-free entry to SUPER NINTENDO WORLDTM when reservations are required for entry
- Entry/Admission - Universal Studios Hollywood
- Entry/Admission - Studio Tour
- Guaranteed to skip the lines
What's not included- Parking
- Carnival games (available to purchase)
- Food and drinks (available to purchase)
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
- Movie tickets for Universal CityWalk Cinemas
- 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: 2030FRONT_LINE- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Voucher is only valid for date selected at the time of booking
- This ticket option was formally known as "Front-of-Line Pass"
- Please Note: 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.
- Most travelers can participate
- Please note the CDC advises that older adults and people of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions might be at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Guests should evaluate their risk in determining whether to attend. People who show no symptoms can spread COVID-19 if they are infected, any interaction with the general public poses an elevated risk of being exposed to COVID-19, and we cannot guarantee that you will not be exposed during your visit.
- © Nintendo. Nintendo trademarks are properties of Nintendo. 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 & © 2023 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: 2030FRONT_LINE
From
$203.58
per adult
Select date and travelers
Similar experiences
Itinerary
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
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
- emmadT4979ID0 contributionsTotally worth the moneyWe had the best day on this package. Our tour guide was amazing, so knowledgeable and with a great sense of humour. The day ran so smoothly. We did everything we wanted to do at least once. Saw the show and had a great time. Would definitely recommend.Written November 30, 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
- Alex M0 contributionsVIP experience we’ll worth the cost,, quick access to rides and tour guide educates you to behind the scenes history.Our professional guide during the VIP tour was Brian, I greatly appreciated his professionalism and positive attitude during the tour. I was very impressed with the food that was included with the VIP tour, the lunch was particularly delicious with a diverse selection of salads and prime rib fresh seafood and delicious dessert. The coffee served at breakfast was delicious. The VIP pass allowed us to quickly bypass main lines and in one day we were able to see all the attractions. The park is easy to navigate, we took an Uber , there was a defined Uber drop off and pick up point.Written November 15, 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.
Contribute
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.
Popular mentions
4.0
285 reviews
Excellent
170
Very good
49
Average
23
Poor
16
Terrible
27
Carolyn Chan
Fremont, CA10 contributions
Sep 2021
I haven't been to Universal Studios Hollywood in 5 years, and it's still such a great park! If you're only going for 1 day, I would highly recommend getting the Express Pass so that you can go on every ride & see all the shows.
If you only have 1 day, I would recommend starting at the Lower Lot with the Transformers, Jurassic Park, and The Mummy ride and riding those first in the morning since there are less people. To be honest, after riding those 3 rides in a row, I had a little bit of motion sickness.
Something that I thought was pretty cool was that the Studio Tour at Universal Studios Hollywood has the only behind the scenes tour out of all the Universal parks (Tokyo and Orlando). The WaterWorld show was really cool to watch, as well as the Animal Actors show. I absolutely loved the new Secret Life of Pets ride, but it only takes 2 people per car so it'll be quite a wait.
In terms of food, I read online that the Three Broomsticks had the best food of the park, and I have to say that it was pretty good for amusement park food. I also got a churro and a pretzel, and both were pretty tasty. After the park closed, we got food at Citywalk, and even though it's overpriced (Taco Bell there was 2x the price), it's definitely more for convenience. One of my go-tos is Johnny Rockets, and we also tried Bubba Gump which was good, but there might be a bit of a wait (we waited 35 minutes).
We didn't really go shopping at any of the stores, since most of the merchandise is also available at the Citywalk stores (which are open later than the park).
I would highly recommend this park to anyone who enjoys movies, thrill-seeking rides, and of course Harry Potter world. Also, Super Nintendo World will be opening here, which is super exciting!! I can't wait to come back once it opens :)
If you only have 1 day, I would recommend starting at the Lower Lot with the Transformers, Jurassic Park, and The Mummy ride and riding those first in the morning since there are less people. To be honest, after riding those 3 rides in a row, I had a little bit of motion sickness.
Something that I thought was pretty cool was that the Studio Tour at Universal Studios Hollywood has the only behind the scenes tour out of all the Universal parks (Tokyo and Orlando). The WaterWorld show was really cool to watch, as well as the Animal Actors show. I absolutely loved the new Secret Life of Pets ride, but it only takes 2 people per car so it'll be quite a wait.
In terms of food, I read online that the Three Broomsticks had the best food of the park, and I have to say that it was pretty good for amusement park food. I also got a churro and a pretzel, and both were pretty tasty. After the park closed, we got food at Citywalk, and even though it's overpriced (Taco Bell there was 2x the price), it's definitely more for convenience. One of my go-tos is Johnny Rockets, and we also tried Bubba Gump which was good, but there might be a bit of a wait (we waited 35 minutes).
We didn't really go shopping at any of the stores, since most of the merchandise is also available at the Citywalk stores (which are open later than the park).
I would highly recommend this park to anyone who enjoys movies, thrill-seeking rides, and of course Harry Potter world. Also, Super Nintendo World will be opening here, which is super exciting!! I can't wait to come back once it opens :)
Written October 11, 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.
Travelling the world
10 contributions
Aug 2022 • Couples
Amazing time at Universal. The rides are great and there is a great variety of them, there is something for everyone. The food on offer was well priced for where you were, the only down side was the cost of the express ticket. We didn’t originally have them but after seeing that the queue times were upwards of 60 minutes, we took the plunge and bought them. With the express tickets you jump to the front and can get on every ride rather than only being able to make a few rides because the wait is so long. I highly recommend these tickets if you can, but always buy them in advanced because they cost the world if you buy them in the park.the shows were brilliant too! If you can see them all, I highly recommend!
Written August 10, 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.
Cat S
London, UK73 contributions
So firstly, let’s get the negative stuff out of the way.
Bluntly, it’s expensive, small and with only one (maybe two) thrill rides.
It’s close to $1,000 for four people if you want an Express pass which I’d say you do unless you want to stand in line for 45-60 minutes for rides which last about 60 seconds (looking at you Mummified and Hippogriff).
For that price, you get a lot of (admittedly well done) motion simulation rides, one real coaster and one flume. Plus of course the studio tour. By the end, our teens were definitely a bit sick of simulators and wanted more of the real thing. By the end, one simulator just blurs into another.
The site itself is small, and painfully laid out with a long series of elevators from the upper lot to the lower lot. So moving from one lot to the other takes time and makes popping between the two tricky.
So what’s to like? Well firstly the design of each area is fantastic, much more immersive than either Disney or Harry Potter studios in the UK - looks better, more interactive, more engaging. Simpson-land (for want of a better phrase) is amazing in particular, really bringing Springfield to life.
The same goes for the rides and the queues, which are also much more cleverly themed and deep than those at Disney. Ditto the motion simulators themselves. And whilst there’s too many, there’s some excellent ones amongst them (in particular Harry Potter and the Simpsons). There’s also a couple of weaker ones though, and less said about Secret Life of Pets the better, but suffice to say you’d need to be a real fan to like it.
And lastly the studio lot tour is great. Well scripted, good stunt stages and really enjoyable, especially if you know some of their TV shows and films with sets from the contemporary likes of The Good Place and Brooklyn 99 to classics like Jaws and Psycho.
We had the day there, probably spent about 6 hours and comfortably covered everything we wanted to see/ go in. I imagine two days would be tough to fill but one day was pretty good find
Bluntly, it’s expensive, small and with only one (maybe two) thrill rides.
It’s close to $1,000 for four people if you want an Express pass which I’d say you do unless you want to stand in line for 45-60 minutes for rides which last about 60 seconds (looking at you Mummified and Hippogriff).
For that price, you get a lot of (admittedly well done) motion simulation rides, one real coaster and one flume. Plus of course the studio tour. By the end, our teens were definitely a bit sick of simulators and wanted more of the real thing. By the end, one simulator just blurs into another.
The site itself is small, and painfully laid out with a long series of elevators from the upper lot to the lower lot. So moving from one lot to the other takes time and makes popping between the two tricky.
So what’s to like? Well firstly the design of each area is fantastic, much more immersive than either Disney or Harry Potter studios in the UK - looks better, more interactive, more engaging. Simpson-land (for want of a better phrase) is amazing in particular, really bringing Springfield to life.
The same goes for the rides and the queues, which are also much more cleverly themed and deep than those at Disney. Ditto the motion simulators themselves. And whilst there’s too many, there’s some excellent ones amongst them (in particular Harry Potter and the Simpsons). There’s also a couple of weaker ones though, and less said about Secret Life of Pets the better, but suffice to say you’d need to be a real fan to like it.
And lastly the studio lot tour is great. Well scripted, good stunt stages and really enjoyable, especially if you know some of their TV shows and films with sets from the contemporary likes of The Good Place and Brooklyn 99 to classics like Jaws and Psycho.
We had the day there, probably spent about 6 hours and comfortably covered everything we wanted to see/ go in. I imagine two days would be tough to fill but one day was pretty good find
Written August 22, 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.
Nina S
California41 contributions
Jul 2021
We bought regular passes and upgraded to the Express Unlimited Pass at the gate. We went on 7/17, and were let in 30 minutes early. The express pass was a must have on such a busy day.
However, we were concerned with the quality of the rides. We were stuck on the Jurassic World ride for almost 40 minutes, and had to be evacuated off the ride. We received NO compensation for the trouble as we already paid for the unlimited pass - no food vouchers, no certificates, no nothing. This was super disappointing as customers that had just dropped over 500 dollars to be there on tickets alone. A few hours later, we got stuck on Jurassic World AGAIN for 15 minutes. On the Mummy Ride and Simpsons we also stalled for several minutes.
The lines for food were so long, and we waited for popcorn for over 30 minutes with just 15 people in line ahead of us - this screams incompetence and poor time management.
We stayed at the Sheraton, and the walk is very short to and from the park.
Go on a weekday in the off season.
However, we were concerned with the quality of the rides. We were stuck on the Jurassic World ride for almost 40 minutes, and had to be evacuated off the ride. We received NO compensation for the trouble as we already paid for the unlimited pass - no food vouchers, no certificates, no nothing. This was super disappointing as customers that had just dropped over 500 dollars to be there on tickets alone. A few hours later, we got stuck on Jurassic World AGAIN for 15 minutes. On the Mummy Ride and Simpsons we also stalled for several minutes.
The lines for food were so long, and we waited for popcorn for over 30 minutes with just 15 people in line ahead of us - this screams incompetence and poor time management.
We stayed at the Sheraton, and the walk is very short to and from the park.
Go on a weekday in the off season.
Written July 20, 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.
Kyle
Ojai, CA2 contributions
Jun 2021
After waiting on hold for hours 2 days in a row and sending multiple emails to customer service with no reply, I was finally able to change two separate day passes to Platinum Season Passes once I got into the park and spoke to an employee in person.
I was very dissatisfied when the Universal employee explained to me that I would only get the General Admission discount of around $140 applied to each season ticket.
I originally payed $229 per ticket for the Express pass (+$40 to update to Express Unlimited, $269 total per ticket) and believe I should have received more of a discount considering I payed almost double the cost for the original tickets compared to the discount applied to the Platinum Season passes.
Over a week later after visiting the park (my park visit June 20th, contacted by Universal customer service June 28th) I finally received a response from Universal stating that, "Only the General Admission amount can be implemented to an upgrade as Universal Express is a separate premium product. I apologize for any inconvenience."
Universal, you should be ashamed of your customer service and refund policies and ultimately return the money.
I was very dissatisfied when the Universal employee explained to me that I would only get the General Admission discount of around $140 applied to each season ticket.
I originally payed $229 per ticket for the Express pass (+$40 to update to Express Unlimited, $269 total per ticket) and believe I should have received more of a discount considering I payed almost double the cost for the original tickets compared to the discount applied to the Platinum Season passes.
Over a week later after visiting the park (my park visit June 20th, contacted by Universal customer service June 28th) I finally received a response from Universal stating that, "Only the General Admission amount can be implemented to an upgrade as Universal Express is a separate premium product. I apologize for any inconvenience."
Universal, you should be ashamed of your customer service and refund policies and ultimately return the money.
Written July 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.
Evan
Indianapolis, IN4 contributions
Oct 2021
First review on here after visiting last weekend. We went on a Saturday and arrived right at 9AM and bought the front of the gate parking ($60) which was nice but not a must do.
What is a must do is the EXPRESS PASS.
At 9AM the park was not too crowded for many of the rides so I would recommend saving your express pass for mid-afternoon if there is a long line so you can ride your favorite rides more than once. Around 1 PM the ride in Harry Potter was at a 110 minute wait and we were able to get on in less than 10 minutes with our express pass.
I would go straight to the Lower Lot first and go on those rides first (Transformers, the Mummy, and Jurassic Park (my favorite ride) as it is a hike to get there. After that we went to the Upper Lot and did the studio tour and all of those rides as well and finished with Harry Potter World. Great experience and we rode every ride, ate lunch at the 3 Broomsticks (very quick service actually) and shopped all within 4 hours. Well run place!
What is a must do is the EXPRESS PASS.
At 9AM the park was not too crowded for many of the rides so I would recommend saving your express pass for mid-afternoon if there is a long line so you can ride your favorite rides more than once. Around 1 PM the ride in Harry Potter was at a 110 minute wait and we were able to get on in less than 10 minutes with our express pass.
I would go straight to the Lower Lot first and go on those rides first (Transformers, the Mummy, and Jurassic Park (my favorite ride) as it is a hike to get there. After that we went to the Upper Lot and did the studio tour and all of those rides as well and finished with Harry Potter World. Great experience and we rode every ride, ate lunch at the 3 Broomsticks (very quick service actually) and shopped all within 4 hours. Well run place!
Written October 11, 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.
LSQRD1
Kent, OH868 contributions
Feb 2022
We visited on a weekday and opted for the ticket where you could get one express visit per ride. We could have gotten by without it since the crowds were very limited but the advantage for us was it allowed to go on our favorites a second time as they day got more busy. For example, Harry Potter ride at opening with a 5 minute wait and then again in the afternoon with the express pass. The park is not as large and complex as Orlando but we found it to be more doable and pleasant because of smaller crowds. We enjoyed all the rides and were easily able to see and do what we wanted to do by arriving when they opened and staying to closing (on our date this was 10AM-6PM). I would definitely get their early.
Written February 20, 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.
Debbie M
Fort Walton Beach, FL186 contributions
Great time had by all. Express ticket totally worth the additional cost if you only have a limited amount of time (1 day) to see everything or if like me, you dont like standing around waiting. Lines weren't too bad first thing in the morning, but by about 11AM everything had a minimum 25 min wait, more popular attractions were 60-90 min. Simpsons ride was down most of the day which from listening to other guests was not incommon. By far best attractions were Happy Potter Flight of the Hippogriff and the Mummy. Studio tour was okay, but mostly sitting on the tram looking at the outside of buildings. If you have the time, purchase the VIP Backlot tour experience.
Written April 10, 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.
Alene Y
Canberra, Australia49 contributions
Jan 2020
We had a fun time at Universal Studios, yes it was expensive but if you're a visitor from overseas it will probably be a once in a lifetime thing so don't penny pinch, it is totally worth it! We went on almost every ride and were pleased we'd bought "skip the line" tickets as being a weekend it was very busy, not sure how it would be on weekdays. We really enjoyed all the rides but for me the stand out was Harry Potter. Did not enjoy getting drenched on the Jurassic park ride as it was late afternoon and the temperature was dropping, so if you plan to go on this one be aware - you will get very wet, even your feet - so come prepared with some sort of wet weather gear, but I don't think anything will stop you feet getting very wet!! Being in our 50's and 60's we didn't expect to enjoy the studios as much as we did - it really bought the inner kids out in us!!!!
Written February 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.
Kyaw Kyaw H
Evansville, IN2 contributions
Jan 2020
I would suggest you to not purchase the unlimited express if you are a slow, group, one-day or first explorer to the Universal Studios LA. You won't get to use the unlimited. There are lots of things to explore, watch and ride. There are lots of travelers even on the non-busy weekday.
Written January 14, 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.
We are bringing our two grandchildren, ages 3 and 6, and are going to buy express access tickets. Do we need to purchase express passes for the children if we purchase general admission for them?
Written May 13, 2022
Hi, I'm planning a visit to the studios. For the parking fee, I'm a bit confused. If I entered in the morning and leave in the evening. Do I have to pay for both the before 5pm and after 5pm parking fees? or just the before 5pm one? Thanks
Written April 7, 2022
Has anyone had their kids rapid tested at the park? Taking grandkids in March and they are now requiring negative covid test rapid or pcr. Site says they offer free testing on site.
Written January 11, 2022
Nope, when I came here back in July of 2021, they didn't require masks nor any kind of proof of testing. If they do require one now, I would highly suggest contacting them directly and asking them about the rapid test as you do not want wrong information, because if you do one thing and they require another you will lose out on everything you paid for.
Written March 27, 2022
Hi We are visiting Universal Studios during the first week in May this year and only have one day. We are undecided whether the skip-the-line ticket or VIP is best (or even if it's worth it as we have heard May is the quiet time?). What would be best?
Written March 1, 2020
I can’t speak to the vip except that it seemed like a lot of money for our kids who don’t know a whole lot about movies and probably would not get as much out of that though I think I would have enjoyed the additional peek into the studios. I looked at the other perks and would say the parking is not worth it if you plan to get there when it opens bc parking was a non issue for us getting there at that time though we went on New Year’s Day... t ugh e lines were next to nothing for the rides using the express passes so I am not sure what the vip would get you on that. We didn’t do any shows so I can’t comment on them. To me vip during a Lower time would only be worth it for the back lot tour.
Written March 1, 2020
Esse preço é do ingresso com express pass ou somente express pass?
Written November 24, 2019
Mehtap Y
San Francisco, California
Ich habe keinen barcode erhalten sondern nur eine Bestätigung. Und kommischerweise steht unten klein gedruckt, zahlbar austaröien. Mekne frage: ist mein gutschein für LA und woe bekomme ich den barcide?
Danke
Written September 6, 2019
Going mid December- is that normally a busy time? Worth paying extra for express tickets?
Written August 1, 2019
I don't know about December, but yes, it's worth paying the extra for the express tickets. You only get to use the express ticket one time for ride or attraction, but again, well worth it.
Written August 1, 2019
Ciao, è valido solo per i residenti in California l’acquisto online? O anche italiani?
Written July 25, 2019
bonjour j'ai deja mes billets mais je voudrais prendre l'option coupe fil :) est ce possible sur place ?
Written July 9, 2019
Showing results 1-10 of 13
Buy it with
Top rated
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.