We have been lucky enough to visit Universal Orlando several times, so this summer we decided to try something different and visit the original Universal Studios theme park in Los Angeles. It was a bit of a gamble. Our teenage daughters love Orlando, as do my husband and I and we know the parks there inside out, but Universal Hollywood has always been on our bucket list. The combination of a theme park and a working film studio also makes it a very different experience from Orlando, so we were keen to see whether it would live up to expectations.
I recently travelled to California with my husband and two teenage daughters and this trip was as much about seeing whether Universal Studios Hollywood would live up to the hype as it was about exploring Los Angeles. For UK families who know and love Orlando, the big question for us was simple: is Universal Studios Hollywood worth the 11-hour journey from the UK?
We caught our first glimpse of the park on our first evening, shortly after arriving from London. We were heading to Universal CityWalk for dinner when the iconic entrance came into view, complete with its palm tree-lined red carpet. Even from the outside, it had a very different feel from Orlando, with a definite sense of Hollywood glamour that I loved.
By the time we returned the following day, we had that familiar excitement you get when visiting a Universal park for the first time, which is one of the things I had been hoping for from this trip. And, as we were soon to discover, Universal Studios Hollywood certainly didn’t disappoint.
Welcome to Universal Studios Hollywood
No trip to Universal is complete without some iconic photo stops and Hollywood is no different. We started with the rotating Universal globe before heading to the famous arches at the entrance to the park, complete with their red carpet. We took our photos and then couldn’t wait to get inside and explore it for the first time.
We visited during the summer, so the park was always going to be busy. I had read that arriving early was one of the best ways to make the most of the day and it was good advice. We managed to fit a lot in during the first few hours without needing to use our one-time Express Passes, saving them for later when the queues became much busier.
The girls headed straight for The Mummy as soon as we entered, having spotted a low wait time on the Universal Studios Hollywood app. I would definitely recommend downloading the app before your visit, as it gives you current ride wait times and showtimes, as well as maps and other planning tools that make it much easier to work out your day.
We were also distracted by the new Fast & Furious ride, which was in testing and looked incredible. I was really hoping it would soft-open while we were there, but unfortunately it didn’t.
What makes the new coaster particularly striking is the geography of the park. It is built into the hillside, and watching the empty cars hurtle around the track at speed, it looked every bit as terrifying as VelociCoaster at Islands of Adventure in Universal Orlando. When it opens, Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift will reach speeds of 72mph, making it an impressive new addition to the park and another reason for us to return – or perhaps try the version being built in Orlando.
Unlike Orlando, Universal Studios Hollywood is built on a hillside and divided between an Upper Lot and Lower Lot, connected by a series of long escalators. As we made our way down towards the Lower Lot, we were treated to incredible views across Burbank, the LA Valley and the mountains in the distance. I hadn’t expected the views to be such a memorable part of the park, but they really added to the experience.
We took advantage of the short queues and had an encounter with the raptor while we waited. We then caught up with the girls, who had just come off The Mummy with their faces beaming, before they dragged us on for another ride.
The Hollywood version of The Mummy is a totally different experience from the one in Orlando and, although both are fun, I actually thought this one felt faster.
Next up was Jurassic World, which we had been particularly looking forward to. This version takes the original Jurassic Park ride and brings in characters and elements from the Jurassic World films.
We boarded our boat and travelled through a prehistoric world filled with impressive animatronic dinosaurs, coming face-to-face with a Mosasaurus and Stegosaurus along the way. There were some clever visual effects too, including a gigantic aquarium filled with water dinosaurs, before we encountered a massive Indominus Rex who had escaped from Predator Cove.
Then came the 85-foot drop into the water below. Luckily, we were sitting at the very back and had our ponchos on, or we would have been soaked!
It was great fun and had everything we like about the Jurassic Park ride in Florida, but with updated effects and a storyline that felt much more current. It certainly made me wonder whether Orlando might eventually get something similar.
Super Nintendo World delivers the sort of wow factor that makes you stop in your tracks. From the giant coin blocks and moving characters to the iconic green pipe entrance, the whole area feels as though you have stepped inside a video game.
Although it is smaller than the newest Super Nintendo World at Epic Universe, it still felt every bit as magical, with Toadstool Café, interactive Power-Up Band games, character meet-and-greets and the headline ride Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge.
You need a Power-Up Band to take part in many of the interactive games, and as we didn’t have these, we headed straight for Mario Kart. This was great fun and brought out all of our competitive sides as we tried to outscore each other around the colourful track. The augmented-reality technology makes it much more than a traditional ride, and it was one of those attractions where we all wanted another go.
Before heading back up to the Upper Lot, I was glad I had read that it was best to tackle the Lower Lot in one go rather than continually travelling between the two areas. I can now see why that advice makes perfect sense, it saves both time and thousands of steps.
We ticked off our final Lower Lot attraction, Transformers: The Ride-3D, which uses enormous screens to immerse you in a battle with the Transformers. It was another reminder that if you suffer from motion sickness, some of the attractions here can be quite intense.
The Studio Tour
The Studio Tour was the part of Universal Studios Hollywood I had been most curious about. You can find familiar Universal rides in Orlando, but you can’t replicate the experience of travelling through a real working film studio, and this was a highlight of our visit.
Because this is a working film studio, every tour can be different. We visited on a weekday when filming was taking place, so some areas of the backlot were unavailable. We missed Courthouse Square, where scenes from the Back to the Future films were shot, but we did get to see the original DeLorean time machine parked outside the entrance to Lyon Estates.
We also missed Wisteria Lane, although we caught a quick glimpse of some of the homes from Desperate Housewives.
Most of the nearly hour-long tour is spent travelling through sets representing New York, European villages, the Wild West and familiar movie locations. Some of them are instantly recognisable, while others are the sort of places where you find yourself wondering which film you have seen them in.
One of the most impressive sets was the plane crash site from War of the Worlds, while another was Jupiter’s Claim, the entire Gold Rush-themed set from Nope. I have to admit that Nope was one of the films I hadn’t seen, but even I could appreciate what an impressive set it was to see preserved on the backlot.
There are also plenty of interactive sections along the way. We travelled into the depths of Skull Island, where T-Rexes and King Kong battled around the tram, and experienced a recreation of a rainstorm and flood.
Things then ramped up at “Earthquake: The Big One”, which delivered a remarkably realistic earthquake. We loved it. We also drove slowly past the original Psycho House before having a very convincing encounter with Norman Bates, who appeared to chase the tram with a knife in his hand.
Then came Amity, the town featured in Jaws. This was going to be one of the highlights for us, particularly because Jaws has been removed from Universal Orlando. Unfortunately, the attraction was closed for refurbishment during our visit, so instead we saw the shark basking at the side of an empty lake. It was disappointing, but also gave us another reason to return.
There were a few more iconic props as we came towards the end of the tour, including the ship used in the recent blockbuster The Odyssey. Our guide explained how some of the film’s water scenes can be created using the huge water tank at the studio, backed by a large green screen and flooded to replicate rivers, oceans and lakes on screen.
It’s this clever mix of learning, entertainment and genuine movie history that makes the Studio Tour so special. For me, it is an attraction in its own right rather than simply something to do between rides, and it is one of the biggest reasons I would recommend putting Universal Studios Hollywood on your California itinerary.
That is what makes the park feel so special. The combination of moviemaking, nostalgia and theme-park attractions gives Universal Hollywood a personality of its own, and I also loved the atmosphere around the park, particularly the roaming characters. We met everyone from Doc and Marty to Beetlejuice, who was hilarious.
Once we were off the Studio Tour, there was still plenty more to see. We stepped into Springfield: Home of The Simpsons, which is always one of our favourite areas, before stopping for lunch at Moe’s.
The Krusty Burger was a hit with the kids, while inside Moe’s you’ll find the Love Tester machine, the classic bar stools and, of course, the chance to order a Flaming Moe. This turned out to be one of our favourite themed drinks of the trip.
The attention to detail throughout Springfield is fantastic, from the Duff Beer stands to the Kwik-E-Mart and Moe’s Tavern, and it is the sort of area where you can easily spend longer than you expect just looking at everything.
Another of the most immersive areas of the park is The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Hogsmeade looks just as it does in the films, with its snow-covered rooftops and life-size Hogwarts Castle towering over the village. Shops line the cobbled streets, including Ollivanders and Dervish and Banges, each packed with magical details.
We took advantage of our Express Pass to skip the queues and experience the Hollywood version of Flight of the Hippogriff. It could just be me, but I thought it felt faster than the Orlando version. I do wish it was longer, though, as it is a really fun family coaster and the views of Hogwarts as you race around the track are fantastic.
We then moved on to Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey inside the castle. The queue alone is impressive, winding through the castle corridors and taking you past Dumbledore’s office, the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom and even the Gryffindor common room.
Even if you are not a huge Harry Potter fan, it is difficult not to be impressed. It feels about as close as you can get to stepping inside the films.
The ride itself combines screens, robotics and practical effects to take you soaring above the castle, dodging Dementors and flying alongside Harry and his friends. It is an incredible technical achievement, although, if I’m honest, it wasn’t my personal favourite, particularly because of the motion involved. Even so, it is well worth experiencing at least once.
I love this part of the park simply for wandering around and window shopping for wands, robes and potions. From the colourful sweets and Chocolate Frogs at Honeydukes to the clothing at Filch’s Emporium, there is so much to look at. And, of course, no visit would be complete without a Butterbeer. We went for the frozen version, which was very welcome with temperatures in the mid-30s.
We didn’t bring our wands this time, but, like in Orlando, there are interactive points throughout Hogsmeade where you can cast spells and make magical effects happen, from shop windows to hidden corners. It is an extra layer of fun that brings the whole area even more to life.
The Secret Life of Pets ride was my personal favourite. The storyline has you walking through an apartment building, moving from room to room surrounded by animatronics and interactive elements. Try opening the letterboxes, there are lots of little details like this that make the queue itself part of the fun.
The ride is brilliantly immersive, bright and colourful, and filled with dog and cat animatronics. What I thought was particularly clever was the use of facial-recognition technology, which transforms you into one of the puppies as they search for their new homes. We enjoyed it so much that we rode it twice, once using Express and once through the standard queue. I really hope this attraction eventually comes to Orlando, because I think families with younger children would absolutely love it.
Within Illumination’s Minion Land, we also tried Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, where we joined Gru, his daughters and the Minions. We then headed to Super Silly Fun Land, home to Silly Swirly, where we soared above the ground and enjoyed a 360-degree view of this part of the park. There are also Minion-themed carnival games, while younger children will be drawn to the 80 water-play features at the “funnest place on Earth” water play area.
Our visit also happened just before Halloween Horror Nights, so we saw the scare zones and staging being set up around the park.
Even in daylight, they looked genuinely frightening. Now that the girls are older, Halloween Horror Nights has firmly gone onto our list for a future trip. We had just missed the opening by a couple of days this time, but seeing the preparations gave us a taste of what to expect and definitely left us wanting to come back.
If you enjoy picking up souvenirs, there is no shortage of choice here. There are shops dotted throughout the theme park, with even more options at Universal CityWalk, from soft toys and character T-shirts to Universal Hollywood merchandise. We found plenty to tempt us, particularly because some of the merchandise felt different from what we normally see in Orlando.
One show I had heard great things about before our visit was WaterWorld.
I know very little about the film itself, but thankfully you don’t need to. The show is spectacular, taking place in a purpose-built amphitheatre where you are transported into a post-apocalyptic world surrounded by water.
There are incredible stunts, explosive pyrotechnics, jet skis and, best of all, a waterplane that flies through the sky before crashing into the water right in front of the audience.
The show lasts around 20 minutes, but it packs a lot in. If you want to stay dry, make sure you avoid the wet zone – you really will get soaked.
Is Universal Studios Hollywood worth visiting?
Nine hours later, we finally left the park, and it had genuinely exceeded my expectations.
It is a big theme park, and we certainly clocked up thousands of steps during the day, but it is smaller and more manageable than Universal Orlando. With Express, I think one full day is enough to experience the main attractions without feeling as though you have to rush around, although there are plenty of rides and areas you will probably want to revisit.
For us, the biggest surprise was how much the park offered beyond the rides themselves. The Studio Tour, the working film studio, the movie sets and the Hollywood atmosphere give the whole experience a character that you simply don’t get in Orlando.
And despite having visited Universal Orlando several times, we never felt as though we were simply doing the same holiday all over again.
Universal CityWalk Hollywood
Once the park closes, you can continue your Universal experience at Universal CityWalk Hollywood, the dining and entertainment district right next door.
We loved CityWalk here, and I think some of that was simply because it felt new to us. The girls agreed. There is a good choice of shops, from the main Universal Studios Store to Sephora and Abercrombie & Fitch, as well as restaurants including The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium, Antojitos, Voodoo Doughnut and Vivo Italian Kitchen.
There are also restaurants such as Raising Cane’s, which we hadn’t experienced at Universal Orlando, along with live music at 5 Towers. If you still have the energy after a full day in the park, you can also catch the latest films at the newly redesigned cinema complex.
For us, CityWalk became more than somewhere to grab dinner after the park. Walking through it at the end of a long day, with the lights and music around us, felt like the perfect way to finish our first Universal Hollywood experience.
Final thoughts
Universal Studios Hollywood delivered everything we had hoped for and more.
We all loved it here, and I would definitely recommend it to families from the UK who are looking for something different from Orlando. The rides are excellent, the theming is immersive, the character encounters are fun, but it is the Studio Tour and the fact that you are exploring a real working film studio that really sets this park apart.
Yes, it is smaller than the Orlando parks, but I don’t see that as a disadvantage. If anything, it makes it easier to experience in a day, particularly if you have Express, while still leaving you with plenty that you will want to go back and do again.
On our plane back to the UK at the end of our holiday, we all agreed that it had been one of the highlights of our California trip.
And that probably answers the question I had been asking before we arrived: yes, Universal Studios Hollywood is worth the 11-hour journey from the UK.
In fact, by the time we left, we were already planning our next visit.
Where to stay
If you read our review of the Sheraton Universal Hotel, you’ll know that one of the biggest advantages is its location. It’s less than a 10-minute walk from Universal Studios Hollywood and CityWalk, or you can use the hotel’s free shuttle, making it a really convenient base for a day at the theme park as well as exploring more of Los Angeles.
As this was our first visit to LA, choosing where to stay was something we had given quite a bit of thought to, particularly as we wanted somewhere that felt comfortable and family-friendly. We were really happy with our choice of the Sheraton Universal Hotel, not only because of its location but because the hotel itself had plenty to offer.
The rooms are spacious and modern, with views of the Hollywood Hills, while the fabulous executive lounge and on-site restaurants meant we had everything we needed for breakfast, lunch and dinner without having to head out every time we wanted to eat.
There’s also a lovely sense of Hollywood throughout the hotel, which I really enjoyed. The rooms and public areas feature retro Universal Studios and Hollywood artwork and photography, while the star-covered entrance carpet and glitzy evening-dress art display set the scene as soon as you walk through the doors. It felt like a fitting place to stay during our first visit to Hollywood.
Ready to book?
From the UK, the best-value tickets, including Express Pass options for Universal Studios Hollywood, can be purchased in advance at attractiontickets.com
For more information and to plan your visit, I also recommend checking the official Universal Studios Hollywood website.