Whilst on a two-week trip to the beautiful state of California, we managed to squeeze in a full day of fun at one of California’s biggest tourist destinations: Universal Studios. Although we had an amazing time, the park was enormous and even with a full day, we still missed out on a couple of the attractions including super silly funland and the city walk.
NOW… I will say that we did have time to do these things, but one of the reasons we didn’t was the heat and just the sheer amount of ground to cover. The heat managed to get the best of us and although we didn’t want to miss out, not getting heat stroke was honestly our top priority. This is something we didn’t even think about in the run up to our trip so in preparation for your upcoming trip, (if you have one or if you’re planning one in the future), we wanted to share our experience and some advice on how to make the most out of your tickets/passes.
Tip 1.
Plan your entire day (or two days if you got the two-day pass).
If you’re currently organising a Universal visit, I’d recommend spending some time on their website and make a list of things you 100% want to do in order of priority.
Tip 2.
If you’re only going for one day, get an express pass.
We waited about an hour to get on the Jurassic ride and it honestly wasn’t even the longest line throughout the park. We also have friends who went to Universal in July and they waited, no word of a lie, almost 4 hours to get on this ride. If you want to hit all of the rides and attractions and would rather not waste hours (literally) on queuing, then I’d recommend upgrading your pass to be able to make the most out of your day.
Tip 3.
Go early.
Beat the heat and the crowds by getting there as early as possible.
Tip 4.
Rides first, attractions after.
The earlier you go, the quieter it’ll be, the shorter the queues. Hit all of the rides first in your own priority order and then move onto other attractions such as the studio tour, city walk etc. I think this way around you get all the queuing out of the way and can enjoy the rest of your day leisurely wandering the park.
Tip 5.
Bring a small bag or backpack with essentials.
Water, sunscreen, hats and snacks is what I’d advise, especially when travelling with kids. Standing in a line for 60 minutes in 36 degree heat with no water and no SPF is a sure fire way to land a terrible case of heat stroke. Check the weather forecast before you leave your hotel and make sure you pack the essentials you’ll need for the entire day. Of course, there are shops around the park but just remember that as you’re inside the park you’ll pay a premium for water, snacks and other essential items.
Lastly, I’d recommend downloading the park app as it has up to date information including queuing times and information about attractions, restaurants and more.
We hope you have the best time at Universal Studios! DM us on Instagram and share your experience with us. We love connecting with fellow travellers and adore hearing your unique travel stories.
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