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As with all theme parks, there is a good time and a
bad time to visit the Universal Studios Tours theme
park. You should strive to visit at a time when the
park is less crowded to get the most out of the tour
and the park.

Weekends and school holidays should be avoided.
Most of the visitors at these times are local people
who live in the area, and it becomes very crowded,
with very long lines. The park is closed on
Thanksgiving and Christmas, so don’t plan a visit
during those times.

Visit the Universal Studios website to find out which
movies are in production, or which movies will be in
production at the time of your visit. This may play in
the decision as to when to visit. If you visit during
the time of a movie production, you are likely to see
the movie set, and you may even get the opportunity
to see the stars in action!

When you do visit, plan to arrive well before the
gates open. You should arrive at least thirty minutes
in advance. You should buy your tickets in advance
for added convenience. This can be done through a
travel agent, over the phone, or online. Tickets can
even be printed out using your printer.

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Universal Studios strives to ensure that everyone who
visits Universal Studio Tours has an enjoyable
experience. While guest services are available for
everyone, there are special guest services available
for guests with more specialized needs.

Guests in wheelchairs should have no problem
accessing everything in the park, however, occasionally,
some assistance may be required. If this occurs,
staff members will be only too happy to assist. If
special assistance is needed, please visit the
Guest Relations desk, which is near the front
entrance of the park. You can also contact Guest
Relations in advance of your visit. Accessibility
points for wheelchairs are marked with the
International signs.

If you require a sign language interpreting service,
one will be made available to you at Universal
Studios Tours free of charge, with two weeks notice.
Arrangements can also be made for closed
captioning, assistive listening devices, and
telecommunication devices for the deaf. TTY
telephones are located at the Guest Services booth
as well, and all pay phones throughout the park
have the amplified feature.

Service animals are always welcome at Universal
Studios, and will be allowed in the restaurants, gift
shops, and the attraction queues. For the safety
and well-being of the animal, service animals will not
be allowed on some of the rides or inside some of
the attractions. Special arrangements can be made
for the service animal while it’s owner enjoys the
attractions, however. Non-service animals must be
placed in the complimentary kennel, located right
outside the park gates.

Pregnant women should avoid The Studio Tour, Back
to the Future, and Jurassic Park. These are not
suitable for expectant mothers, and may cause
complications in the pregnancy, including early labor.
Furthermore, pregnant women will be given special
stationary seating for the Shrek 4-D attraction and the
Terminator 2: 3D attraction. Speak with a cast member
for assistance. You should speak with your doctor
before planning a trip to Universal Studios Tours –
he or she may advise against such a trip.

Spanish language tours are available every day that
the park is open, and tours for other languages can
be arranged with advance notice. Again, Universal
Studios Tours wants everyone to have a pleasant
experience at the park, and they will do everything
possible to ensure this. If you have a special need,
please call and speak with a cast member at the
Guest Services Center, or visit the center upon
your arrival to the park.

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Unlike Disneyland, Universal Studio Tours are not for
everyone. While there is plenty to do and see, the
attractions are not appropriate for all ages. This
should be strongly considered if you are planning a
family vacation that includes Universal Studios.

There are no attractions that are suitable for babies
or toddlers at Universal Studios. Most babies and
toddlers will not be interested in the Universal
Studios Tour. Furthermore, getting a stroller around
the upper and lower lots is almost impossible.
Universal Studios is a great place to have some fun
– unless you are a baby, a toddler, or a parent of a
baby or toddler.

If you will be taking your vacation with a toddler or a
baby, you may be better off saving the Universal
Studios Tour for another vacation – a few years down
the road. There is no charge for admission for babies
and toddlers at Universal Studios, but there usually
isn’t if the person cannot enjoy the attractions at the
park! Remember – the baby or toddler isn’t the only
one who won’t be having any fun.

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If you are planning a trip to Universal Studios, there
are many attractions to keep you occupied,
including the Universal Studios Tour, which takes
about one hour. However, there are some attractions
that absolutely must not be missed!

All of the rides have a movie theme, and if you’ve
seen the movies, this makes the rides more
enjoyable. Start with Backdraft. This isn’t actually a
ride, but it is a fire show that features lots of stunts
and interaction. Other shows that must not be
missed include Animal Planet Live, WaterWorld, and
Fear Factor Live. With Fear Factor Live, make sure
that you know what you are getting into before you
agree to participate!

Terminator 2: 3D is the same as the movie
Terminator 2 – but it is in 3D, which you probably
have not yet seen. The Mummy Returns: Chamber
of Doom is like a haunted house that you walk
through, which is full of thrills. The Studio Tour will
have you on the set of Jaws and Psycho, in a
western town, on a New York street, and
experiencing an earthquake with King Kong.

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If you live near Universal Studios, or in the Los
Angeles area, you should consider purchasing
annual passes for Universal Studios Tours. Annual
passes are reasonably priced, and will most likely
save you money on admission throughout the year.
Several different levels of annual passes are available.

A regular annual pass for Universal Studios costs
$65. With this pass, you will be granted twelve full
months of admission to the park, 15% savings on
general admission for up to six of your guests, 10%
off of all merchandise, and 10% off the price of all
food and beverages purchased inside the park.

You will also be given exclusive offers and invitations
to special events that are held throughout the year.
Some black-out dates do apply to regular annual
pass holders. You can upgrade to a deluxe annual
pass for $75. This pass will entitle you to all of the
things that a regular pass does, with one exception.
No black-out dates will apply to you.

The best value is the premium annual pass, which
costs $99. This pass will entitle you to twelve months
of admission to the park, invitations to special events
held throughout the year, exclusive offers, and 15%
savings on general admission prices for six of your
guests, 10% off the price of merchandise, 10% off
the price of food and beverages purchased inside
the park, and no black-out dates. Additionally,
you will be entitled to free parking during box office
hours, and front of the line access at Studio Tour.

If you plan to visit Universal Studios twice in one
year, an annual pass is the most logical choice.
General admission for Universal Studios Tours for
just one day costs $55. If you visit twice in one
year that is a total of $110! You can get a premium
annual pass for just $99! What this essentially
means is that if you purchase an annual pass, you
are really only paying for two days at the park, and
any additional days are the park are actually free!

As an annual pass ticket holder, you may not be
entitled to other admission discounts that are
available. However, you may be entitled to special
discounts on the annual pass in certain situations.
For instance, if you are a member of the Military,
you may be eligible for special prices on annual
passes. Contact Universal Studios Tours for more
information about any special prices or discounts
that you may be eligible for.

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If you are planning a trip to Universal Studios Tours,
you need to know specific information about the park
before you arrive. If you have special needs, you may
need more information than usual, and you should
contact Guest Services and inform them of your
special needs prior to your arrival.

You may purchase tickets in advance either online,
or over the telephone. Tickets can also be purchased
at Ticket Master Outlets and through travel agents.
You may also purchase tickets at the gate. General
one day admission costs $55, and those under forty
eight inches tall are charged $45. Children under
three are admitted free of charge. VIP Studio
Passes are available on a limited basis, and are
not available for children under the age of five. The
cost for VIP Studio Passes is $149 per person.
Annual tickets are also available, at a discounted
rate.

Universal Studios Hollywood is located in Los
Angeles, California, at 100 Universal City Plaza. This
is easily found right off of Highway 101, which is often
called the Hollywood Freeway. The park is about
ten minutes from the Los Angeles downtown area.

Only paid parking is available. It costs $10 for cars
and $11 for recreational vehicles. You can also get
preferred parking, which is closer to the entrance
for $17. Free parking is not available on the Universal
Studio grounds.

Realistically, it takes a full day to see all of the
attractions in the park. However, if you don’t have a
full day to spend at Universal Studios Tours, you
should purchase the VIP pass, which will allow you
to move to the front of the line for all rides and
attractions. This cuts down wait times in lines
significantly, and allows you to see all of the
attractions much faster.

Don’t allow the rain to ruin your parade! The park
remains open even when it rains, but if severe
weather is an issue, many shows may be cancelled
or relocated. In the event that the park must close
due to whether, a rain check will be issued. A
Universal Studio rain check will be issued if over 1/8
of an inch of rain falls before 2pm, and it is good for
thirty days.

Again, if you have special needs that may need
special accommodations, please contact Guest
Services by telephone prior to your visit. Some
accommodations can take up to two weeks to
arrange, so the sooner you contact Universal
Studios Tours with your special needs request,
the better the staff will be able to serve you.

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If you are a regular annual pass holder for Universal
Studios Tours, there are certain blackout dates
when you cannot visit the park unless you pay for a
one day full priced ticket for the blackout date. Not
being aware of these dates may cause you
problems, so make sure you know when they are!

In 2006, there are no blackout dates during the
months of January through June, and no blackout
dates in October. Every Saturday and Sunday are
blacked out for July and August. Additionally, July
3rd and 4th are blackout dates. September 2nd and
3rd, November 24th and 25th, and December 26th,
27th, 28th, 29th, 30th, and 31st are all blacked out.

Additionally, the park is closed on Thanksgiving
Day and Christmas Day. If you are a regular annual
pass holder, either upgrade to a premium or deluxe
annual pass, or avoid the Universal Studios Tours
on these dates so that you will not have to pay the
full one day price – which costs almost as much
as a regular annual ticket!

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