Universal Studios Hollywood: Guide for First-Timers

Over spring break we visited Universal Studios Hollywood (this post has been made possible by Universal Studios Hollywood, the opinions expressed are my own). My daughter had been asking to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter since we started reading the books last year. My kids had never been, and it had been over 20 years since my husband and I had visited. So we were all pretty much first-timers! If you are planning your first trip in awhile, here are some tips for you!

Upgrade your tickets to Universal Express; it allows you a ONE-TIME express access to each ride, attraction and seated show. This is a huge time-saver especially with children.

Download the Universal Studios Hollywood app on your phone. This will help you find restaurants and restrooms. It will also give you a wait-time estimate for rides. We especially liked it for determining height requirements, my four-year-old is 42 inches and we did not want to walk to a ride only to be disappointed.

Speaking of height requirements, take advantage of the child switch program if you are traveling with young children.

While researching for our trip, a lot of people who frequent Universal Studios Hollywood suggested getting there early and going to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter first. This is not necessary if you have upgraded to Universal Express. When we walked back to that area in the afternoon it had emptied out quite a bit. The kids were able to cast spells with their wands (more on that further down) without it being too busy. Also, we were able to get better pictures of Hogwarts Castle (less glare and less people). The lines for the two rides were long, but we did not have to worry about it with our Express passes.

Calling all Harry Potter fans

We had read the first three books in the Harry Potter series and the kids (and I) were beyond excited to see the Wizarding World of Harry Potter!

• Stop in Ollivander’s and buy a special wand (look for the boxes with the gold stickers as those are the ones that are interactive). The people who work in Ollivander’s are very helpful and explained the map and spells to my kids.
• Follow the map and practice your wizardly ways
• Try Butterbeer!
• Pop into Honeydukes and buy a chocolate frog
• Three Broomsticks serves delicious breakfast and lunch! Go in hungry as the servings are generous.

Studio Tour

The studio tour is a must-do when you visit Universal Studios Hollywood! The tour guides are hilarious and keep you engaged the entire time. There are also fun on-set rides/surprises that I do not want to spoil. The tour itself is an hour long, so make sure your little ones use the restroom and grab a snack prior.

Super Silly Fun Land

This is the perfect place for younger kids. The Silly Swirly Fun Ride is tame and sure to cause giggles. There is also a Wet Zone water park, perfect for warmer days! If you forget the littles’ swimwear, there is a convenient kiosk right next to the Wet Zone.

Check out the boardwalk games. There are a couple “guaranteed-winner” games perfect for little ones. Also, look for the minions (there are 53, can you spot them all?).

When leaving Super Silly Fun Land go to your right to experience Despicable Me Minion Mayhem and a special Minion meet-and-greet. The kids also loved running around and ringing the doorbells!

Character Meet-and-Greets

Check out the app to see when and where your favorite characters will be out to meet!

City Walk

After your fun day at Universal Studios Hollywood, head into the City Walk. There are so many great treats to be had there! At City Walk you will also find a splash pad with cool LED lights, music and shopping too! Here are some places we wish we could go back to right now:

• Vivo Italian Kitchen- the service was amazing and the food was delicious! My daughter even asked for the chef to pass along her compliments (she is an old soul). I especially liked the gluten-free options.
• Mini Monster- Try your boba tea wrapped in a rainbow cloud (cotton candy with Fruity Pebbles Cereal sprinkled on top).
• VooDoo Doughnut has some amazing flavor combinations! My husband’s favorite is the Grape-ape, daughter’s was the Loop, and son’s Dirt. I loved the maple bar topped with bacon. Seriously so good and worth the wait in line! Fun fact- we waited in line longer for doughnuts than any ride at Universal Studios Hollywood (definitely upgrade to the Universal Express).

Have you been to Universal Studios Hollywood lately? Would love to hear your tips!

With love,

Shahla