About this Plan
This touring plan is carefully crafted to optimize your time experiencing Universal Studios Hollywood’s rides and attractions. This plan can be used if you’re visiting the park for a single day or multiple days.
Download the App
Before visiting Universal Studios Hollywood, we recommend downloading the Universal Studios Hollywood app from the App Store or Google Play Store. The app provides wait times, showtimes, a destination-wide map, and more.
Entering the Park
We suggest arriving at the park entrance at least 30 minutes before the park opens, especially on projected busy days. You can check the crowd level forecast for your visit using our FREE Universal Studios Hollywood crowd calendar. Keep in mind that it may take up to 30 minutes to reach the front gates from the parking booth if you’re driving. It’s a good idea to download the official Universal Studios Hollywood app in advance to view attraction wait times, check showtimes, navigate the park, and much more.
Experience Within First or Last Few Hours
The following attractions typically have the longest wait times. To avoid lengthy lines, you should visit them as soon as the park opens or a few hours before the park closes as the wait times are generally shorter. The attractions listed below are in alphabetical order, not the order in which you should experience them; visit the attractions based on your interests and their proximity to one another.
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
Attraction type: Motion-base dark ride
Height requirement: Minimum height of 48 in (122 cm)
Jurassic World – The Ride
Attraction type: Water raft ride
Height requirement: Minimum height of 42 in (107 cm)
Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge
Attraction type: AR interactive dark ride
Height requirement: Minimum height of 40 in (102 cm)
Revenge of the Mummy – The Ride
Attraction type: High-speed roller coaster
Height requirement: Minimum height of 48 in (122 cm)
Transformers: The Ride-3D
Attraction type: 3D motion-base dark ride
Height requirement: Minimum height of 40 in (102 cm)
Experience After Noon
The attractions in this section can experience high crowds, but they are typically more manageable. It’s best to visit them after noon. The attractions listed below are organized alphabetically, rather than in the order you should experience them; visit them based on your interests and their proximity to each other.
Despicable Me Minion Mayhem
Attraction type: Motion simulator ride
Height requirement: Minimum height of 40 in (102 cm)
Flight of the Hippogriff
Attraction type: Kid-friendly roller coaster
Height requirement: Minimum height of 39 in (99 cm)
Studio Tour
Attraction type: Behind-the-scenes tour and motion-base ride
Height requirement: Any height
The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash
Attraction type: Kid-friendly dark ride
Height requirement: Minimum height of 34 in (86 cm)
The Simpsons Ride
Attraction type: 3D motion simulator ride
Height requirement: Minimum height of 40 in (102 cm)
WaterWorld
This attraction has scheduled showtimes. Plan accordingly and arrive early.
Attraction type: Live stunt show
Height requirement: Any height
Experience at Any Time
The attractions below usually have low crowds, making them accessible most times of the day compared to the park’s other attractions. Please note that although these attractions are listed in the “Experience at Any Time” section, some of them may close before the park does; they are included here because of their minimal crowds. The attractions listed below are organized alphabetically, not in the order you should visit them; experience them based on your interests and their proximity to each other.
Dining
We’ve highlighted some of our favorite dining locations for lunch and dinner that you might enjoy. However, for lunchtime, you can also opt to pack snacks or buy some from the many concession stands in the park if you prefer to minimize your time dining.
Cocina Mexicana
Cocina Mexicana is your stop for Mexican cuisine. This spot serves taco platters, sopes, nachos, and more.
Jurassic Cafe
Jurassic Cafe, a quick-service restaurant located on the Lower Lot, serves ribs, burgers, grilled chicken, and more.
Mel’s Diner
Mel’s Diner takes you back to a ’50s-themed diner inspired by the American Graffiti film. At this quick-service eatery, you can enjoy burgers, chili cheese dogs, milkshakes, and more.
Minion Cafe
This quick-service dining location, situated near the Despicable Me Minion Mayhem attraction, features a menu that includes rotisserie chicken, ramen, grilled cheese, chicken tenders, nachos, and more.
Three Broomsticks
Three Broomsticks is a quick-service restaurant in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Hogsmeade. The remarkable level of detail and excellent food quality make it a standout spot. The menu includes fish & chips, bangers & mash, spare ribs, shepherd’s pie, roast chicken, and more.
Toadstool Cafe
Toadstool Cafe is a quick-service restaurant in Super Nintendo World. The menu features Nintendo-inspired meals, including Mario and Luigi burgers, Fire Flower spaghetti & meatballs, and more.
Vegetarians and Vegans
If you are a vegetarian or vegan, Universal Studios Hollywood offers a variety of meals for you. Click here to view our Universal Studios Hollywood vegetarian and vegan guide. This guide highlights various dining locations throughout the park with meals that cater to your dietary needs.
For complete information on all of Universal Studios Hollywood’s rides and attractions, click here.
Additional Information
Tips
- If you’re visiting the park for just one day, we recommend having breakfast before you arrive to maximize your time for enjoying the attractions.
- To reduce your wait times, consider purchasing Universal Express to skip the regular lines at most rides and attractions.
- At select quick-service restaurants throughout the park, you can use the Universal Studios Hollywood app‘s mobile ordering service. This feature allows you to order your meal in advance, so when you arrive at the restaurant, you can quickly pick up your food and avoid long lines at the ordering counter.
- Don’t rush from one attraction to another. Take your time to explore the different themed areas of the park, especially The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Super Nintendo World.
- Remember to capture your memories by taking photographs with characters and in the various themed areas.
To see more tips for visiting Universal Studios Hollywood, click here.
Note
This touring plan includes most rides and attractions at Universal Studios Hollywood, so visiting them all in a single day may not be feasible if crowd levels are high. It’s best to choose the attractions that interest you the most.
