Universal Studios Hollywood is both the hottest and coolest place to be this summer. With the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Jurassic World — The Ride, Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash! and Super Nintendo World, there is a lot of excitement at Universal Studios Hollywood. And you’ll find that you are not the only one excited about these new additions, which means you need to know how to manage summer crowds at Universal Studios Hollywood to have a great day in the park. Here are our tips for a well-planned day along with tips to beat the heat.
How to Beat the Heat and Manage Summer Crowds at Universal Studios Hollywood
Arrive Early!
We never get tired of doling out this advice because it is SO important. Arrive early. Try to be at the park when it opens. LA freeway traffic can get very backed up in the morning, so if you have to take the freeway, allow extra time for rush hour traffic. Arrive an hour before the park opens and 30 minutes to park and walk to the gate. Universal has increased security with bag checks and metal detectors. Sometimes the turnstiles open earlier than scheduled, so it pays to be there early. If that happens, the Wizarding World is open before the rest of the park. Knock out those rides before heading to the Lower Lot at official park opening!
If visiting Super Nintendo World is a high priority for you, there is an Early Access option that we highly recommend. You can purchase online from Universal Studios directly (even if you already bought your discount tickets through Undercover Tourist). But purchase Early Access as soon as you get your ticket, because it does sell out most days! Super Nintendo World is a beautiful land with minimal shade. The Early Access will allow you to play the outdoor challenges with the shortest waits before the California sun gets strong.
Early Access gets you in the land one hour before park opening so you can play all the games and ride Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge before the crowds arrive. That means you need to arrive about 45-60 minutes before Early Access to make the most of your time. Make a reservation for Toadstool Café at this link before starting your day or with the QR code displayed inside the park. These reservations go quick and there are no walk ins, so make sure to set yourself up for success early!
Enjoy the Lower Lot in the Morning for the Shortest Lines
The morning hours offer the shortest lines of the day, especially in the Lower Lot. There are usually little to no lines for the first hour of Jurassic World — The Ride, Revenge of the Mummy and Transformers: The Ride-3D. You can hop on those rides first thing and get the Lower Lot done for the day if you get there early. Everyone else will be in Super Nintendo World (also in the Lower Lot). We like to get a splash on Jurassic World followed by The Mummy coaster to cool off. Your wet clothes can keep you cool for some time as you head up to the Upper Lot. Other fun things to do in the Lower Lot include meeting dinosaurs and Transformers.
If you do not have Early Access to Super Nintendo World and are let in the park 30 minutes before opening, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey and Flight of the Hippogriff usually open before everything else. Try to ride these first before attempting to head down to the Lower Lot. Guests trying to get to the Lower Lot will be held at the top of the escalators until closer to park opening.
Super Nintendo World sometimes has a Virtual Line reservation system. Join that through the Universal Studios Hollywood app. We haven't seen it in quite some time, but it is possible for it to go into effect on peak days. If you do not have Early Access or Universal Express, you may want to utilize the Single Rider line for Bowser's Challenge early and then come back to that land to spend more time later. Crowds tend to drop off during the last few hours of park operation. This is a great time to play games and explore.
Maximize Your Time with a Park Plan
We highly recommend Early Access for Super Nintendo World, but if it's sold out or it's not in your budget, we have a solid Park Plan to help maximize your visit!
Many guests head straight to Super Nintendo World first thing, and we can’t blame them! But if you arrive before opening we recommend 'apparating' over to the Wizarding World to ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey and then hitting Lower Lot immediately after. You can complete all the rides outside Super Nintendo World in the Lower Lot pretty quickly and then head back up the escalators to the Upper Lot attractions and the Studio Tour.
We recommend returning to the Wizarding World later for shopping, dining and casting spells. If you wait until the afternoon to hit the Lower Lot, you will have the longest wait times of the day, whereas Harry Potter lines can stay consistent or even get shorter. We often find ourselves coming and going throughout the day since Hogsmeade is so centrally located. We like to get those magical rides in before the park officially opens, then leave and come back for an early lunch, and then again later in the day to do our shopping, explore and have fun with Wizarding World wands. Forbidden Journey does have a Single Rider line, but it does not walk through the castle. You definitely want to walk through the regular queue (or with Universal Express) at least once if you are a fan of the movies or books!
Diehard Harry Potter fans will want to experience every inch of Hogsmeade (including the restrooms), so if you have some wizard wannabes in your family, budget about three hours of your day to exploring Hogsmeade. Be sure to hop over to our Superfan's Guide to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter Hollywood for the must-see details.
While both rides in the Wizarding World accept Universal Express, the Ollivander's wand pairing ceremony does not. The wait time is consistently long right after opening and during that first hour of operation (closer to an hour wait). It seems to take a dip around lunchtime and dips further in the late afternoon/early evening, and the shortest wait of the day is an hour or two before park closing. If you are visiting on a busy holiday weekend, you can expect longer lines than on other days.
Use Tools to Maximize Time
Several tools can help you maximize your time at Universal Studios Hollywood and beat the heat. Check the Universal Studios app or the wait time signs located throughout the park to get a sense of where the shortest lines are in real time. Use Single Rider lines (especially for the second time you ride Forbidden Journey or Mario Kart) and use Child Switch to save time if you have a little one. We recommend using the afternoon to take the relaxing tram ride that is the Studio Tour and sit (and possibly get wet!) to watch the Water World show when you need a rest. Kids will enjoy having some water playtime in Super Silly Fun Land to beat the heat.
Virtual Line Pass
Universal Studios Hollywood has been introducing virtual lines for some experiences during busy times. A virtual line can allow you to enjoy other aspects of the park instead of spending hours waiting in a long line for popular shows and attractions. The new Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash! ride offers a virtual line at times. If it runs out, keep checking back in the app at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. as more could be released throughout the day.
Super Nintendo World also utilizes a virtual line reservation to be able to enter the land when it hits capacity. The land is small and very popular, so once it fills up, the virtual line system helps control the flow of guests entering the land.
To join a virtual line, be sure to download the Universal Studios Hollywood app before you visit. Once you enter the park, check for any virtual lines and reserve your place. You cannot hop in a virtual line until you are on property. The Secret Life of Pets ride also has a kiosk to collect a virtual line space. It looks like a subway pass machine and is located to the left of the ride entrance.
Wait Time Alert and Show Reminders
You can set a Wait Time Alert for rides and a show reminder for shows in the Universal Studios Hollywood app. It's possible that shows could open a virtual line. If not, set reminders before shows so you don't miss them. We recommend setting a reminder in the app for 60 minutes before the showtime you want to see.
For rides and experiences, such as Ollivanders, you can set a Wait Time Alert in the app for when the attraction reaches an acceptable, shorter wait time. You can even practice this at home. You'll get an alert on your phone when the wait time drops to your preferred time!
Universal Express Tickets
A Universal Express ticket offers an stress-free day where you can experience most rides once without having to wait or worry about following a park plan. If Express is within your budget there is an option to upgrade a regular admission ticket at the box office in the park. However, Universal Studios Hollywood only sells 10 percent of park capacity as Universal Express, so you'll have to decide quickly if it is worth it for you before it sells out.
The Universal Express ticket includes access to the Mario Kart ride as of June 20, 2024!
The price to upgrade in the park varies based on the day and crowd level, and may go up with demand! You can get a hoppin' deal on all Universal Express tickets and regular tickets through your favorite froggy friends at Undercover Tourist. It's hard to know in advance how much it will cost to upgrade in the park. We've seen the upgrade price hit $145 on a busy summer day. If it is important to you to have Express access, then it is safest to buy in advance.
If you really want to ride again and again, you can upgrade to Unlimited Universal Express inside the park. The price varies.
Go on a VIP Tour
If this is your one chance to see and do it all, spring for a VIP Experience (psst ...you can save when purchasing through Undercover Tourist). This is the easiest way to break from the summer crowds at Universal Studios Hollywood. You'll get front-of-the-line Unlimited Universal Express access to all rides and seated shows, plus a private tour of the Backlot. You'll gain entry to areas other guests can only dream about. Your food and valet parking is included. Plus, you get your very own theme park entrance!
Your VIP Tour also allows you unlimited access to skip the line for Mario Kart! That is significant, as we've seen wait times reach 240 minutes!
There is a secret VIP Theme Park Experience that also gets you unlimited access to Mario Kart but it costs less than the VIP Tour. You can upgrade at the VIP entrance when you arrive if it's available. You cannot reserve in advance. It does not include the private backlot tour. It does include lunch and a theme park guided tour. The price may vary. When we visited during spring break, it would have cost us an additional $110 per ticket to upgrade our Universal Express tickets to this plan.
Single Riders Line
The Single Riders line is one of our favorite ways to skip the lines at Universal. You can use it for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey in the Upper Lot and for all the rides in the Lower Lot, including Mario Kart. The Mario Kart Single Riders line is to the right as soon as you walk through the Warp Pipe to enter the building. Just like with Forbidden Journey, it does skip the immersive queue elements, but it does save you a lot of time. Team members may close Single Riders lines from time to time if they get too long.
How to Stay Cool
Universal Studios is the hottest place to be this summer — literally hot — so don’t let the sparkling snow on the rooftops in Hogsmeade fool you! The Southern California sun is strong. Start out your day by slathering on the sunscreen. Wear light-colored clothes, hats and sunglasses, and bring a swimsuit for the kids for the water play areas. If you are really sensitive to the sun, you can bring an umbrella for additional shade.
The Super Nintendo World characters, challenges and challenge lines are outside in the sun. Be sure to wear sun protection and bring water with you. That's another reason to visit at the end of the day or during Early Access. The Mario Kart line and queue are indoors. Toadstool Café is indoors as well, so a mid-afternoon lunch will get you out of the sun for a bit. Your Toadstool Café reservation is for joining the queue inside, so it does take some time to order and receive food.
You can plan your attractions based on the heat of the day (the day will be at its hottest from about 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.). When you are hot and feeling low on energy, a seated show sounds very welcoming.
WaterWorld offers a way to cool off by getting wet if you sit in the soak zones. You may find that the front, left side of the center bleacher section (when facing the water) is the wettest.
The Studio Tour offers a shaded and misted line. The tour itself guarantees 45-60 minutes of sitting in a shaded tram. You may get drops of water on you from time to time — but just enough to refresh you.
Jurassic World — The Ride ride offers guaranteed soaking (especially if you sit in the front). But that line will get long quickly on a hot day. There are Cool Zone stations around the park with giant fans blowing cool mist on guests, and some ride and show lines offer misters.
You can always cool off with a cold treat such as a frozen Butterbeer or an all new Butterbeer ice cream in Hogsmeade. A Squishee in Springfield USA or a Felonious Float from Minion Café in Super Silly Fun Land will do the trick as well. You will find plenty of ice cream and shakes (and many other fun Universal treats) in the park to help beat the heat.
Mommy Frog and I love the tropical adult drinks at Isla Nu-Bar. You can find the bar in front of Jurassic World — The Ride. When we use the souvenir cups that come with the drinks, it takes us back to our summer vacation.
Plan Your Meals
Whether or not you are a Harry Potter fan, you will definitely enjoy the pub food in the Wizarding World. We suggest an early or late lunch at the Three Broomsticks. The foods and drinks in the Wizarding World are surprisingly good and come in generous portions. They say the Great Feast feeds four, but six people (especially if some are tadpoles) could easily share it. The best time to get in without a wait is early when they are transitioning from breakfast to lunch.
If you plan to eat dinner in the park, be sure to check out the restaurant's closing times. Some restaurants close early. We recently had our hearts set on some pizza at Luigi's and some nachos at Bumblebee Man’s Taco Truck. But we found out a little too late that they closed early (two hours before park closing). The restaurants post their hours in advance on in-park signs, so do your research earlier in the day. At the end of a long, hot day, you do not want any surprises.
Toadstool Café is the newest and most popular restaurant found in Super Nintendo World. We have a whole post on Super Nintendo World food and novelties. At about 7:30 a.m.on the day of your visit follow this link to the reservations page. You do not have to be in the park or on property to reserve Toadstool Café. All the reservations for the day fill up within an hour or two of park opening.
On days where there may be a virtual line reservation needed for the land, your Toadstool Café reservation allows you entry without a separate virtual line reservation. Budget some time for this dining location. It can take some time to wait to order food and then wait for the food to arrive. So don't arrive starving! Be sure to order everything you want, including dessert, all at once. Use your time in there as an escape from the sun.
CityWalk has dining options as well. The security equipment in front of the park makes for a long walk from the exit to the CityWalk restaurants. A long walk on tired feet and with a hungry belly does not sound good at the end of the day. But if you park in regular parking, you’ll likely be walking through CityWalk anyway. Just plan ahead for dinner so you don’t miss out. You can make dinner reservations at the new Toothsome Chocolate Emporium in advance. May we recommend their shakes? You don't want to be making decisions about eating in or out of the park with low patience and hungry kids.
Managing Summer Crowds at Universal Studios Hollywood
Most summers, the crowds start to pick up about the second weekend in June and drop off toward the end of August.
Have more tips for beating the heat or managing the summer crowds at Universal Studios Hollywood? Share them in the comments below, along with any questions you may have!
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Keep hopping!
