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Waking up to our first day in Los Angeles was very surreal. The skies were a perfect blue and the temperature wouldn’t get higher than 21 degrees Celsius. Staying in the Universal City district made life a lot easier to get around. They have their own set of shops and restaurants only a short walk from hotels. We stayed at the Hilton in Universal City, which led to be a great choice. The staff there are super friendly and helpful.
See more Universal City hotels below
Being a VIP at Universal Studios is fantastic. It will set you back a good $400USD, but the inclusions make it worthwhile. I pre-purchased my tickets online before my holiday to ensure I got our spot on the day we needed (if you are also short with time, this is a better option).
The VIP Experience included:
Exclusive Back lot Access
This is where you get to visit actual sound stages where blockbuster movies and TV shows are/were filmed. You also get to explore the award-winning sound department and prop warehouse.
Exclusive Theme Park benefits
This is where the fun part is. In this bit you get escorted by your VIP guide to the best seats in the house with front of the line access to ALL rides and attractions.
Personal Tour Guide
Our tour guide was Jeff and he was brilliant. The tour guides provide you with all the inside information on the movies and TV shows that have been filmed in the studios.
You also receive a gourmet lunch in their private VIP dining room, which is prepared by Universal’s very own Executive Chef, as well as great discounts in every shop inside the Theme Park (great way to save on souvenirs).
The VIP Tour starts at 10:30am in the VIP Lounge where you can enjoy some refreshments, while you wait for your group. You also get to meet your tour guide and the people joining you. Once everyone has arrived you are good to go.
The Attractions:
The Horror Maze
This is first up on the list of attractions, and it lives up to its title. With all kinds of horrific characters jumping out and scaring you, you cannot help but scream and stand closer to the walls.
The Simpsons
This is an animated roller coaster. You sit in a traditional roller coaster cart, except it rises up and you have a giant screen in front of you. As strange as that may sound, you don’t actually realise you aren’t on a real ride. It was by far the best ride of the park.
Jurassic Park
After placing your belongings in a security locker, you then enter this ride wearing a good old fashioned plastic poncho. Being unlucky and going on the front seat we were drenched for a good hour after this ride.
The Mummy
This is a roller coaster, which surprised me.
Animal Actors
This is a show that they put on with heaps of famous animals that have acted in major motion pictures. They also show you how they train the animals and how they get them to respond. Beware, they do use audience members.
Water World
This show has real actors and it is based on the movie Water World. I am not a fan of this movie, however the live show itself was very good. This is also the last thing you do with your tour guide before going it alone.
King Kong 3D
This was a special show they had going when I went in 2011. It was an amazing experience and felt so realistic. It made me feel like I was in the movie myself.
Universal Sets:
- War of the Worlds
- Desperate Housewives
- Psycho
- Jaws
- Whoville
- Layouts of New York, Europe and Westerns.
- Pirates of the Caribbean, including the massive outdoor green screen.
All in all Universal Studios, Hollywood was an amazing experience. Allowing you to get up close and personal with sets, props and a chosen animal actors. The tour does take up most of the day and it does allow you time in different parts of the Park to go and explore, or to get photo ops. The tour guides never rush you and allow you to go at your own pace. This is something I would definitely do again, because it adds to the experience and allows you to see things you probably wouldn’t have seen otherwise. So next time you are going to Hollywood in Los Angeles, make sure to check out Universal Studios.
Discounted tickets to Universal Studios
Here are some options for visiting Universal Studios. Booking in advance is recommended to get your preferred date and timeslot. It also saves money.
This is a guest post by Veronika Wickham
