How do you plan to arrive at Universal Studios Hollywood? While some hotel guests can walk over, and others can use a ride-sharing app or take a train, trolley or shuttle, most guests are going to arrive by car. No, you can't arrive by Mario Kart or the Hogwarts Express, but you may need to find a suitable parking spot for a Dodge Charger like Dominic Toretto in "Fast & Furious." (Seriously, though — did you hear the new Fast & Furious Hollywood Drift coaster is opening in 2026? We can't wait!) Here are all the details about Universal Studios Hollywood parking options, including how to charge your electric vehicle at Universal Studios and find out the parking garage height limits or accessible parking options.
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FAQs
- Do the parking garages have height requirements? They do. There are outdoor lots available if you have a taller vehicle.
- How much time does it take to park and get to the park entrance? It varies based on crowd level and how far your parking garage is. Allow 30-60 minutes for arrival to pay, park, get through the security area and walk to the front of the park, just to be safe.
- How can I save on parking? Park after 5 p.m., take a VIP tour (which comes with free valet parking), get free parking with select annual passes or buy a movie ticket to get your parking validated. BTW, you can save up to $178 on your VIP Experience when you purchase through Undercover Tourist!
- Do the lots have electric car chargers? Yes, and they are available on a first-come, first-served basis, so ask when paying for parking about charging your car.
- I'm arriving for Early Access. What time do the lots open? All lots open an hour before Early Access, which is two hours before park opening.
- Where do we go through security? The security boundaries are widening at Universal Studios Hollywood. The security checkpoints are moving closer to each parking garage so that CityWalk will be included in the secure area.
Overview of Universal Studios Hollywood Parking
Universal Studios Hollywood is a hilltop theme park just a short drive from Hollywood. Land is at a premium here at the edge of the cliff, so most of the general parking is located in tall parking structures located around CityWalk and the park entrance. From most of the lots, you'll walk through Universal CityWalk to get to the theme park entrance.
CityWalk is a shopping, entertainment and dining district just outside the park gates. Some visitors might plan to visit CityWalk to see a movie, shop or dine, so we'll also talk about how to get your ticket validated to save on parking if you do that.
Parking Hours
All parking lots, including valet, open one hour before Early Access and two hours before official park opening.
Parking Location
Universal Studios Hollywood theme park is located at 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608.
Most guests will take the 101 freeway to get to Universal Studios. You can access all theme park parking from one of these two exits off the 101 freeway:
- Universal Studios Blvd. (General and Valet parking)
- Lankershim Blvd. (General parking, plus Metro station and nearby hotels, such as the Hilton or Sheraton)
After exiting, just follow the signs to parking.
Los Angeles was designed for cars, but the region is adding more and more rail options as the 2028 Olympics approach! Our post on taking public transportation to Disneyland and Universal Studios can help you navigate that world.
Theme Park Parking Self-Park Options and Prices
There are three tiers of self-parking at Universal Studios Hollywood:
- General (in a structure attached to CityWalk, usually Jurassic, E.T. or Curious George, about a 5- to 15-minute walk)
- Preferred (usually the Woody Woodpecker outside lot near CityWalk and park entrance or the Frankenstein garage, about a 1- to 5-minute walk)
- Front Gate (near the theme park security and the globe)
Actual Preferred areas can change on a daily basis. You can ask when you pay where it is at that time.
Theme Park Parking Prices*
- General Parking Before 5 p.m. - $40
- General Parking After 5 p.m. - $10 (not on Halloween Horror Nights)
- Preferred Parking Before 5 p.m. - Starting from $60 (may be outside near CityWalk and park security or at a garage)
- Preferred Parking After 5 p.m. - $20 (not on Halloween Horror Nights)
- Front Gate Parking - Starting from $75 (outside near park security)
*Prices pulled in February 2026. All prices are subject to change without notice.
For a limited time, Buy a Day, Get a 2nd Day FREE for General Admission Tickets at Universal Studios Hollywood! Valid for visits through Dec. 16, 2026
Valet Parking at Universal Studios
You can use valet parking to visit the theme park or CityWalk, or to park for a short time to pick up food to-go. It's located adjacent to Jurassic Parking, across from the movie theater.
You'll get there from Universal Studios Blvd. and turn left into Valet Parking instead of right for regular parking garages and areas.
Valet Parking Costs*
Standard Rates:
- $25 for first 2 hours
- $60 after 2 hours
Valet Parking with validation from CityWalk full-service restaurants:
- $10 for 0-2.5 hours
- $15 for 2.5-3.5 hours
- $60 after 3.5 hours
Valet Parking with validation from select CityWalk entertainment venues:
- Escapology: $10 for 0-3.5 hours and $60 after 3.5 hours
- Movie parking: $5 — Pay only $5 for general parking with the purchase of a same-day movie ticket to Universal Cinema CityWalk Hollywood. To receive your $5 parking, present your General Parking receipt at the Universal Cinema ticket window. Offer cannot be combined with any other promotional offers, discounts or prior purchases.
VIP Tour:
- Free! — Valet Parking comes with your VIP Tour! It's such a nice perk.
Don't froget to bring cash to tip your driver.
*Prices pulled in February 2026. All prices are subject to change without notice.
Electric Vehicle Charging at Universal Studios Hollywood
If you have an electric car/plug-in hybrid, you may want to know where to charge your car at Universal Studios Hollywood. It's so nice to walk out to a fully charged vehicle before hopping on the freeway. Universal is adding more chargers all the time as demand builds.
When you pay for parking, tell the attendant you'd like to charge your car. They can direct you to the best lot. Here are the parking lots or garages with chargers.
- Frankenstein Garage: 4 ports (Level 2 and Level 7)
- Jurassic Parking Garage: 8 ports (Level 1 and B1M — Keep an eye out for green spaces on your right as you drive through the garage.)
- E.T. Garage: 16 ports (Level B1 — This is the easiest place to find a charger.)
- Woody Woodpecker Lot: 1 port (near Front Gate Parking)
- Curious George Garage: 2 ports (Level 1)
The rate is $0.40/kWh. Prices subject to change without notice. You'll pay through the ChargePoint app, which is the same one that Disneyland parking uses.
If you park at Valet Parking, you can ask the attendant to plug in your car. The day we did it, it was free! Ribbit!
Height Limits at Universal Studios Hollywood Parking Garages
No matter how tall your vehicle is, the two entrance areas where you pay can accommodate your vehicle. The booths coming from Lankershim are outside. The booths coming from Universal Studios Hollywood are in garages, but they have a tall ceiling and paths to take you to lots for taller vehicles. The parking structure parking areas have limits of:
- 6'8"
- 7'0"
- 8'2"
The booths have these heights on them. If your vehicle is taller than any of these, ask the attendant where to park so you can be directed to an area that works for you.
Discounted Short-Term Parking for CityWalk
Save on parking when you visit Universal CityWalk:
- $10 General Parking after 5 p.m. for all guests.
- $5 General Parking with purchase of a movie ticket to Universal Cinema. (Not valid during Halloween Horror Nights or special event bookings.)
- $10 Valet Parking for the first 2.5 hours with validation from a CityWalk full-service restaurant or the first 3.5 hours from select CityWalk entertainment venues.
Watch out for Halloween Horror Nights. Parking is full price on select evenings in September and October.
Free Parking
Some people get free parking or parking included at Universal Studios Hollywood.
VIP Tour Guests
If you book a VIP Tour, you get free valet parking. We loved the ease and time savings of valet parking when we did the VIP Tour. Plus, they charged our hybrid car for us at no extra cost! Hop over to our blog post on the Universal Studios Hollywood VIP tour to learn more.
Annual Passholders
Some annual passes come with free parking benefits before 6 p.m. with the pass and photo ID. The Gold and Platinum passes come with free self-parking. If you are planning to visit at least two times in a year, it's worth bumping up from Silver to Gold to get the parking benefit and food/shopping discounts. You'll cover the price difference in parking alone.
Free Off-Site Parking
We get a lot of questions about other places to park outside of Universal Studios. There is a Park 'n' Ride lot off the 101. However, it's a long walk up a steep hill and crosses some freeway off-ramps, so we have not tried it.
Metro Parking
At the bottom of the hill on Lankershim, there is a Metro Lot for people taking the Metro. It costs $3 per day, and it is not intended for Universal Studios Hollywood parking. If you plan to park and take the Metro to Universal City, Metro says you can park at the North Hollywood Metro Station (at the intersection of Lankershim Boulevard and Chandler Boulevard) for $3 per day and then take the B (Red) Line to Universal City. There is a free tram from the station to take riders up to the park. There's also a series of escalators along the Frankenstein Parking lot.
Accessible Parking
You'll find accessible parking in all of the parking structures on a first-come, first-served basis. Upon arrival, guests are directed to the closest ADA section based on their destination. Let the attendant know of any concerns or issues.
Sometimes when accessible parking is full, Universal blocks off additional spaces and adds temporary disabled parking signs with blocked space between the cars, so don't worry about finding a space. All parking structures have elevators.
When we visit with someone with disabilities who plans on renting a wheelchair, we prefer to park in the Frankenstein Lot. It's the shortest walk to the car after you exit the park (when you are tired).
The closest accessible parking to security and the front gate is Front Gate parking. But this area comes with a higher cost. Hop over to our post on using a wheelchair at Universal Studios Hollywood to learn some hopful tips.
Do you have any other questions about parking at Universal Studios Hollywood? Let us know in the comments section below. You can save on your Universal Studios Hollywood tickets, including Universal Express, VIP Tours and special event tickets through Undercover Tourist.
Related: Taking Public Transportation to Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood
Related: Hoppin' Hotels Near Universal Studios Hollywood
Hoppy planning!
