Universal Studios

Los Angeles, California, USA

Description

Universal Studios is the motion picture studio where many famous films have been shot. It's also an amusement park, with movie-themed rides and great shows!
Shows
-My favorite show of all is Waterworld, which takes place on the actual film set. The stunts are truly amazing, with people leaping from tall buildings into the water, doing aerial maneuvers on jetskis and dodging pyrotechnics. You have to see it!
-The Special Effects show is a great show. Hosted by two park staff members, it tells you how special effects are created. It's more surprising than it might appear at first.
Terminator 2 is an action-packed 3D show combining film with live actors. Our son liked it.
-Universal's Animal Actors has cute monkeys, dogs, and birds doing tricks.
Rides
-The Studio Tram Tour has been around since I was little. Go on it first before all other rides or at the very end of the day because the line is LOOOOONG. The tram shows film clips of movies while you ride through the actual movie sets. You will see the set for Back To The Future, the Munsters house, and Old West streets. You will encounter Jaws and King Kong, and feel an earthquake while you watch buildings collapse and a big rig fall on you! You will enter a metro station that catches on fire and watch a flood pour down the street towards you. Very young kids may find it exhausting.
-Jurassic Park takes you peacefully through the primordial forest until at the end it suddenly drops you for a wet, scary plunge! Certain seats on this ride get more drenched than others, so watch the passengers at the end of the ride and choose your seat accordingly! During hot days the ride is set to 'extreme' and you will get very wet, but you won't mind.
-Revenge of the Mummy, a rollercoaster ride for thrill-seekers, takes you jostling through Egyptian chambers and passageways and terrifies you with laser images of skeleton warriors. This roller coaster is unusual in that there is no big hill it goes up to gain speed since it is indoors. It accelerates very rapidly- aaaah, watch out for the wall!
-The old Back To The Future is now the Simpsons ride, a humorous ride with an initial drop that feels like you are falling off a cliff. Our son was very impressed so we ended up going twice.
-As you walk through House of Horrors , Frankenstein, Chucky, and Wolf Man terrify you.
For Little Kids
-In The Shrek ride, you watch animation with 3D glasses, your seat moves, and you even get sneezed on! It's pretty tame and good for younger kids.
-Curious George is a waterplay area with a huge water dump, flying foam balls, and water guns!
Tips to Make Your Day Go Well
Remember: Get to Universal Studios right when it opens to avoid long lines at the rides! Also, it's not always warm and sunny in LA like you'd expect- bring a sweater.
If you're hungry, there's a neon-lit strip called Universal City. Here you can go shopping and eat at a restaurant. Overall, you will be maxed out with stimulation by the time you leave, so count on a meltdown from your child!
A tip: In the afternoon when it gets too busy and wait times for rides are over an hour, leave the main park (get your hand stamped), catch a 3D movie, eat at Bubba Gump's, watch the sky divers do their amazing tricks in the sky-dive tube, and then return at 6 or 7pm. Wait times will be short again! And on hot days, the blistering heat will be gone!
Things to Do Nearby
Not too far away, another awesome place to go with kids is the La Brea Tar Pits, where mammoths and other ancient animals were preserved forever in the sticky tar seepage.
Other amusement parks to enjoy are my favorite Disneyland, and Six Flags Magic Mountain, a true rollercoaster park.

Photo Gallery

The Jurassic Park ride.	The Jurassic Park ride has quite a wet, scary drop at the end!	Backdraft, where you really feel the heat of the fire!
Panoramic views of smoggy LA, as seen from Universal Studios, with foreground views of the fake towns used as sets in famous movies.	The set where Back To The Future was filmed.	Movie set of a street scene.
Wild West movie set, as seen from the Tram Tour.	Bank and hotel on a movie set.	A Hollywood-generated flood...
The Munsters house!	Waterworld set.	Incredible stunts in the Waterworld show.
The fiery end of the Waterworld show!

Directions

This is an interactive map, you can zoom and move it.

Universal Studios is located slightly north of downtown LA, at 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City CA.
From the 101 Freeway northbound, exit at Universal Studios Blvd- can't forget that! Follow the signs to Universal Studios. There is plenty of parking in their lots.
From the 101 Freeway southbound, exit at Lankershim Blvd. Turn right. Continue right under the freeway overpass. Universal Studios will be on your right side. There is plenty of parking in their lots.
Hours and Prices
Open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas. Hours vary so check their website. If you buy your tickets at their website, you can save money and save waiting in line! Tickets are around $69 for adults and $59 for kids but prices vary.