{"id":287,"date":"2014-07-07T05:07:40","date_gmt":"2014-07-07T05:07:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/the-ultimate-universal-studios-guide\/"},"modified":"2022-08-08T23:19:39","modified_gmt":"2022-08-08T23:19:39","slug":"universal-studios","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/universal-studios\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate Universal Studios Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

Are you going to Universal Studios<\/a>? A trip to LA<\/a> that doesn\u2019t involve theme parks is not a trip at all. Well, that\u2019s how some people feel.<\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019ve travelling with the whole family, you\u2019re a movie buff, or you\u2019re just after a few thrills, Universal Studios Hollywood is a few fun-filled hours you won\u2019t regret.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s our guide to getting the most out of a trip to Universal Studios<\/p>\n

Fast Track and VIP<\/h2>\n

A Front of Line Pass<\/a> is definitely the way to go if you want to minimise wait time. Lines for rides, especially newer attractions like Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, can stretch up to an hour, and with children in tow, that can be tiresome. Front of Line passes allow you to go straight to a shorter queue but cost around $70 more and only provide priority once on each ride. The VIP experience<\/a> will set you back $200 more than a normal ticket and includes lunch, a private guide, Fast Pass benefits and more time with special access in the Backlot.<\/p>\n

When to visit<\/h2>\n

If you don\u2019t want to spend extra to get a priority ticket don\u2019t worry, there are still a few things you can do to get the most out of your day.<\/p>\n

Try to visit the park at a quiet time \u2013 weekdays are still busy but there might be fewer kids than on weekends. Universal Studios is open from 9am seven days a week. It is open later in Summer and on weekends. September is the peak period for Expedia\u2019s Aussie travellers and if you want just a few hours in the park, visiting towards the end of the day means you\u2019ll avoid the heat and some of the crowds.<\/p>\n

Pre-pay your\u00a0ticket online<\/a>\u00a0so you don’t need to line up to purchase one on the day. There may also be buy one day, get the second day free promotions running.
\n<\/p>\n

Timing<\/span><\/h2>\n

Start your day with a visit to the Warner Brothers Backlot Studio Tour. The lines here can get hectic so it\u2019s best to get the wait out of the way \u2013 if you go earlier you might beat the crowds too. You\u2019ll get glimpses of the world\u2019s movie studio in open-air vehicles hosted by very energetic guides and a TV presentation by funny man Jimmy Fallon.<\/p>\n

From special effects like a raging flood and a battle with King Kong to disaster scenes straight from the War of the Worlds, this fun tour is just a taste of the elaborate sets behind some of the greatest movies to grace the big screen.<\/p>\n

Once you\u2019ve visited the backlot, try to make a beeline for the newest ride \u2013 this year it\u2019s Despicable Me Minion Mayhem. The newer rides usually have the longest wait time.<\/p>\n

Along with rides and the backlot, Universal Studios has plenty of shows, including the Special Effects Stage, Animal Actor displays and WaterWorld. If you\u2019re keen to see these, allow time to line up. If you\u2019re not, take note of the times as the other rides and attractions may be quieter while the shows are on.<\/p>\n

Rides<\/h2>\n

Single or couple groups often get the chance to fill empty seats. If you can split up into smaller groups, you might get to skip ahead.<\/p>\n

Universal Studios is split into two levels, with long sets of stairs and escalators separating the two. Try to do everything on one level before heading to the next, that way you won\u2019t miss anything or waste time travelling up and down between the levels.<\/p>\n

Where to stay<\/h2>\n

If you really want to maximise your time in the park, try staying in a hotel nearby. You won\u2019t waste time in traffic or in the parking lot. The\u00a0Hilton Universal City<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0Sheraton Universal Hotel<\/a>\u00a0are both onsite and have free shuttles to the park.<\/p>\n

Lisa was the guest of Universal Studios Hollywood.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Whether you\u2019ve travelling with the whole family, you\u2019re a movie buff, or you\u2019re just after a few thrills, here\u2019s our guide to Universal Studios<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,6,2,3,5,14,4,20],"tags":[228,11,116,58],"authors":[],"class_list":["post-287","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adventure","category-destination","category-experiences","category-explore","category-family","category-interests","category-type-of-holidays","category-usa","tag-america","tag-family","tag-los-angeles","tag-tips","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe Ultimate Universal Studios Guide - Expedia AU Stories<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Whether you\u2019ve travelling with the whole family, you\u2019re a movie buff, or you\u2019re just after a few thrills, here\u2019s our guide to Universal Studios\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/universal-studios\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Ultimate Universal Studios Guide - 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