Crowds made everything take longer. Just walking around is an ordeal. They need to make this park…read morebigger.. 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.

This place was on Jen's list of things to do, so we decided to plan a one day visit…read more 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.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood honestly felt like stepping…read moredirectly into the movies. The attention to detail throughout the entire area is incredible, from the architecture and music to the little interactive elements hidden throughout the land. Even if you're not a huge Harry Potter fan, it's still an experience worth visiting because the atmosphere alone is so immersive. One of the best parts was how well the staff stayed in character and interacted with guests. Team members were friendly, helpful, and did a great job managing the crowds, especially around the more popular attractions and shops. Even when the area became busy, employees kept lines organized and answered questions without seeming rushed. The rides were definitely the highlight. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey was one of the most impressive theme park rides I've experienced. The wait time can get long very quickly, especially in the afternoon, so I highly recommend going early in the day if possible. Universal's app was helpful for checking ride times throughout the day. Flight of the Hippogriff had a shorter wait but was still fun, especially for families or anyone wanting a lighter ride experience. Food and drinks are expensive, but honestly the themed snacks and Butterbeer are part of the experience. Butterbeer is a must-try at least once. The frozen version was my favorite, especially in the California heat. Seating around the food areas fills up fast during peak hours, so timing your meals earlier or later than normal lunch times can help avoid crowds. The shops inside Hogsmeade were extremely detailed, but they do get packed. Ollivanders was one of the busiest areas during my visit, and there was a wait to get inside. If you want an interactive wand experience, be prepared for the wands to be pricey, but the interactive spell locations throughout the land make it more fun and worth it for fans. One thing visitors should know is that this area gets crowded very quickly, especially midday and during weekends or holidays. Taking photos can sometimes require patience because there are constantly people walking through the main pathways. Early mornings and evenings seemed to be the best times for photos and shorter lines. Overall, this was one of the most immersive themed areas I've visited at any park. Universal did an amazing job bringing the Harry Potter world to life, and it truly feels like an attraction you could spend hours exploring. Definitely worth adding to your Universal Studios Hollywood visit.

Total muggle destination. I mean, they are literally everywhere, acting like tourists, taking…read morenon-moving photos, window browsing and whatnot. But if you don't mind that, I suggest you go. It's a good place to relax, stare, and be stared at. Seriously though, Hogwarts world at Universal has always been fun to visit. Both in CA and in FL. The stores have souvenirs and snacks galore and kids of all ages (including me) can enjoy walking through shops and riding the rides. Took 7 kids and they had an absolute blast running around, waving wands and drinking butterbeer. I picked up a Ravenclaw scarf and zippered hoodie for myself, & everyone else got wearable stuff they wanted from the houses they were sorted into (via the official quiz online.) Here, and Super Marioland are our favorites to see-- at least at this park. If you haven't been yet, you should totally go!

This show is amazing!!! We watched it twice while we were at Universal Studios for the two days we…read morewere there. Definitely do not sit on the green benches unless you want to get wet. The show kept us entertained the entire time. Cast did a phenomenal job. This is a must when you visit this park. Don't forget to show up early so you can get good seats! It gets packed.

Great show! 10/10…read more Action packed and very entertaining for children and adults. Expect water planes, jet skis and boats. There are fire and explosions! The actors do an amazing job of entertaining the crowd. It seems like such dangerous work!! They make it look effortless though. My husband and I showed up late to the showing and got horrible seats. I didn't take any photos or videos, because they would have had the back of people's heads in them. No one wants to see that lolol I plan on coming back to Universal in a couple months. I will get good seats next time! The show was still great this time. Spectacular really. I love it. I haven't been brave enough to sit in the splash zone. If you want to get wet, go for it. lol

Looking to have an anxiety attack that is fueled by extreme overstimulation? Than Super Nintendo…read moreWorld is for you! All jokes aside, this place is a lot fun and we loved exploring, but prepare yourself for a assault on the senses. By hour two, my daughter and I were ready to leave. I've never been overstimulated before, but with the loud music, constant video game noises, the heat, and all of the children scream-crying, my brain was in overdrive. Now that you've prepared yourself here's a quicklist of must do things when visiting here... - Get here first thing in the AM or be prepared to wait. - You MUST get the game band, otherwise you can't do anything except hop on the Mario Kart ride. - Plan to spend to the bulk of your day here. With the band you gain access to multiple games in the area, collect digital coins, Mario Stamps, and unlock access to a secret final interactive game. - Book reservations for Toad's Cafe. If you walk-up you'll be waiting. They did a great job with this attraction, but it does get hot here since you're basically inside of a plastic and cement bowl. Let's-A-go!

Cutest world in Universal! So colorful and fun! If you buy a band you can have an immersive…read moreexperience (kinda like the wands in the Wizarding world) Lots of places to take photos, and videos. It's just such a cute world, totally recommend it, even if you don't like Mario or if you live under a rock and don't even know who he is. Note: if you want to get into Toadstool Cafe make sure you go early and scan the sign to get on their waitlist! They fill up so fast-- we made the mistake of not signing up soon enough and they were 100% full for the entire day at 11 am! Go!! And Have fun!!

There's some recent food that I had at Universal Studios:…read more Luigi's Pizza Meat Hater slice This wasn't bad. It was one of the better things I had in the park that day. The pizza had fresh veggies! I liked that. There was a decent amount of cheese. The crust was alright. It could have been hotter maybe? But other than that, it was decent. I would eat this again. Toadstool Cafe Mushroom Soup This was horrible. It was the worst mushroom soup I have ever had. It tasted like mushrooms ground up and thrown in a broth. Just gross. I would not order this again. The cup is cool, and you can keep that. Tasted like garbage. Hogsmeade Butterbeer Actually, not too bad! It's bubbly and frothy lol Had an okay flavor. It tasted like root beer to me lol I would get this again! Power Up Cafe Veggie calzone This was not half bad! It is super cute, comes a mushroom head. It tasted pretty good. It had lots of veggies in it and I wish it had more cheese. It was edible though. I would order one again. The cafe itself was adorable! Toadstool Cafe Pirahna Salad The salad was very fresh. Loved the presentation. I would not order it again though. It was expensive for what you get and not very filing.

Everything we had at Universal on 10/10/2023 and their rating:…read more Big pink doughnut (simpsons land/lard lad) 4/5 kids loved it. a little dense but i've seen other peoples be fluffy. frosting was good. want to try the other flavors. Luigi's pizza 3.5/5 $10 a slice. big slices. flavor is okay. kids enjoyed it. whole pizza is $55 for 8 large slices. Loaded chicken nachos (minion cafe) 4/5 good but i was not able to pay for extra cheese which it could have used. big enough to share. Chicken strips & fries (wedges) 3/5 (harry potter) also came with purple grapes. good for the kids. small portions $10. Mac & cheese w/fries (wedges) 1/5 (harry potter) also came with purple grapes. greasy and no cheese flavor at all. kids wouldn't even eat it and my son eats everything. $10 Cream cheese pretzel (snack bar) 2/5 wanted to try the jalapeño and cheese one but they were out of jalapeños but after eating this one i might not bother trying it. it was super dense and not enough cream cheese and it tasted weird like maybe it was cooked to much (maybe they're better fresh) 10/11/2023 chicken sandwich (jurassic cafe) 4/5 pretty bomb. my favorite thing i ate the whole trip. they skimped on the aoili and cooked veggies but over all very good. came with wedges. burger (jurassic cafe) 3/5 according to my husband it was kind of dry but okay over all. came with wedges. chicken empanadas (jurassic cafe) 2/5 tasted nothing like traditional empanadas. similar to the filling of a pot pie and weren't great. the chimichurri sauce was also just okay, very thick. sticky toffee pudding (harry potter 3 broom sticks) 5/5 we loved it! reminded me of a warm apple cake with a crunchy outside & paired with vanilla ice cream made it perfecttttt ice cream soda (mario cart outside mario land) strawberry 3/5 & green apple 2/5 my kids were not impressed with either flavor and didn't finish them but they were cute and fun. they had flavored sode, vanilla ice cream & boba at the bottom.

This Jurassic themed playground is interactive and educational, perfect for dinosaur lovers and any…read moreyoung ones who need to burn off some energy climbing, sliding, running, learning, and swinging while parents find some shade to lounge. The main and centered attraction is the ceratopsian dinosaur jungle gym with rope elements and a pebble bridge. Framing the fossil-like dinosaur is a bridge with two entrances, a stairway on the right or a vertical multi-platform climb on the left. The educational dig site includes a fossil finder among other activities using the naked eye, handheld magnifying glasses, or stationary binoculars. A periscope is also situated nearby. The hanging percussion chimes encourage everyone to learn the beginning of Jurassic Park's movie theme song and, of course, impromptu music play. There's also a rainmaker spinner.

This is the perfect place to recharge for parents! There is lots of shade, seating, and misters…read morethroughout. Definitely stop here if you're here with toddlers on a hot day! 10/10 recommend.

Took the VIP tour for my daughters birthday This was…read morefantastic from the beginning to the end! We got yo sit and have drinks and snacks before our tour begins it was nice The tour was great and our tour guide was so knowledgeable and friendly he had the best vibe! 2hr tour with no walking was amazing we got to see so much and learned lots of new tidbits of shows We got to have lunch with our tickets It was really nice to go to central perk and the food was good we had a good selection of sandwiches and drinks We got to explore the friends area and lots of photo opportunities We got to see the big bang area and again have pictures taken We did the Superman experience and hang out in fortress and have some drinks very cool concept and everyone was very friendly We got to go see Harry Potter's area and see lots of DC items So much to see we truly enjoyed it so much we will definitely be back again

5.7.26 Fun…read moreexperience getting a behind-the-scenes look at how productions come together. Em, our tour guide, was personable and knowledgeable, which made the experience even more engaging. We were able to visit the set of Friends (one of my favorites) along with another sitcom set, though I can't recall the name. I do wish there had been more sets included on the tour. The experience is a mix of guided and self-paced exploration, which offers a nice balance. It wraps up with a gift shop at the end. Overall, a really enjoyable and worthwhile experience.

The Secret Life of Pets ride at Universal Studios Hollywood is ridiculously cute and surprisingly…read moredetailed. From the moment you enter the queue, it feels like you're walking through an animated movie, complete with colorful apartments, talking animals, and more visual gags than you can catch in one go. The ride itself is smooth, family friendly, and filled with animatronics that are way more impressive than I expected for something this lighthearted. It's not the most thrilling ride in the park, but it's definitely one of the most charming. Great for kids, fun for adults, and a nice break from all the high-speed, 3D chaos elsewhere. I left wanting to rewatch the movie and maybe adopt a cartoon dog.

This ride is so adorable from beginning to end. The queue takes you through an apartment filled…read morewith fun details to look at. During the ride, you sit in a cardboard box and it takes you through scenes with animatronics and interactive parts. The idea is you're a dog trying to get adopted. It is too cute.

Back in my day, we didn't need a 400-ft LED screen to make the dinosaurs feel real... but I will…read moresay the "new" Mosasaurus addition at the beginning of this ride is awesome! This ride is on the lower lot of Universal Studios, the last time I won on this was almost 20-years ago. They've done a great job at keeping this attraction fresh, with the addition of the Indominus Rex & T-Rex fight, a few extra spitting dimos, and aforementioned Mosasaurus. I took my seven-year-old son on this, who is a huge Jurassic Park lover, but I did not tell him about the 80-ft drop at the end. His face on the ride drop picture was totally worth it! He loved the ride so much that he rode it again with his mom. A few things... - Definitely get a poncho. We didn't do this and got a little wet, but not too bad! - Don't want to wait in line? If you ride solo you can hop right on Pro Tip: If you have child or attendee with you that's neurodivergent you can ask for a guest accessibility card or "IBCCES" through the Universal Studios website. You'll need to apply for this about a week before your visit. This card allows you to skip the line for rides or come back to the ride at scheduled time.

universal's most iconic ride!!!…read more * honestly a MUST & the suspense when that drop comes is EVERYTHING *

The Wizard World!!!…read more Hogsmeade has so much to offer. The first time I came here, I think I didn't do my research and missed out on some things. This time, I was prepared and wanted to do everything lol Hogsmeade is the place to buy robes to represent your Hogwarts House, and to grab your favorite magical wand! Run around with your robe, doing some spells with your wand lol There's plenty of Harry Potter gifts and souvenirs here as well. Make your way to the candy store, for some chocolate frogs and love potion. Then head over for some freshing butterbeer! I love that butterbeer is alcohol free, but you can find spiked butterbeer in the world. Don't forget about the two rides in Hogsmeade! One is a rollercoaster, and the other is a motion-based ride. The motion ride will make you feel sick if you get motion sickness. The rollercoaster is so quick! Over in 30 seconds lol Lots to do in this world and tons of fun! :)

What a fantastic place just to hang out. If you're a fan, this place is for you! There are a…read morehandful of shops that for the most part sell the same merch but still really cool to walk into and see how they designed the place! From Ollivander's to Honeydukes, there's something for everyone! They have some shops from the series that you'll recognize as well, mostly for decor. They have interactive windows for wand holders which really make it immersive. Otherwise they still make for a great photo op! Always a place we like to drop by and highly recommend eating at the three broomsticks. It's fun just wandering around in your house outfit/colors. IG: @ammysalamii