Our family’s time as Universal Studios pass holders is coming to an end. We sure had a lot of fun over the past year! My husband and I hadn’t been to Universal Studios Hollywood since before we were married, so it was quite memorable going back with seven kids in tow! We had a lot of rope drop days and learned a lot about how to make the most of our day in the park. Check out my suggestions for a Universal Studios Hollywood itinerary and how to make the best use of your time. Some links contain affiliates, all opinions are my own.

what makes Universal Studios Hollywood unique?

Universal Studios Hollywood is not only a theme park, but also a working movie studio. Movies and shows such as: The Good Place, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Desperate Housewives have all been filmed here! Not only can you see old sets from classics like Psycho and Back to the Future, but you might even see them filming new shows as well! One of the best rides is actually the Studio Tour that takes guests through the backlot filming areas and displays, more on that in a little bit.

| Read: Tips for Visiting Universal Studios with a Baby |

The setup of this park also sets it apart. Universal Studios Hollywood is on a hillside, so there is an upper part, and lower part. These are known at the “upper lot” and the “lower lot”. The only way to get from top to bottom is with a long series of escalators. There is an elevator and tram available for those that can’t transfer from their wheelchairs, but it is pretty inconvenient and time consuming. If you have children still in strollers, special considerations need to be made.

what are some tips for making the best use of my time?

Unlike its Orlando counterpart, Universal Studios Hollywood does not have very many rides. This is due to lack of space. Since there aren’t as many rides for guests to choose from, lines can get long, even when crowd levels aren’t at their peak. However, this park is still a blast and totally worth a visit! With some proper planning, you can make the most of your time and hit all the best rides.

These three sample itineraries tell you what to focus on for the first couple hours of your park day so you can really utilize rope drop. Then the afternoon timeline is more of a suggestion. Make sure you leave time for photo ops and to mobile order your food through the Universal Studios app!

Universal Studios Hollywood itinerary #1

the best plan for the Harry Potter fanatic

I listed this Universal Studios Hollywood itinerary first because it is our family’s FAVORITE. We’re all waiting for our Hogwarts letter, so the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a tip priority for us. This part of the park gets VERY full of muggles after lunch and to be honest, it’s not nearly as magical when it’s crowded. If you want to fully experience the magic of Hogsmeade, this is the itinerary for you!

rope drop The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

• Head right to Flight of the Hippogriff. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. Don’t get distracted by photo ops. Flight if the Hippogriff is a short rollercoaster and the line later in the afternoon gets over an hour. Go there at rope drop and it will be a walk on. They also offer parent swap for this ride if your little wizard is too short (or scared) to ride. Just walk through the line as a group and they’ll have the waiting parent and child stand off to the side.
• Walk straight from Flight of the Hippogriff to Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. The queue for this ride is so fun, but SO long, so even though you didn’t go here FIRST thing, it will still be a walk on due to how long it takes to walk through the queue. This ride also has a rider swap with a waiting room by the exit so your whole party can experience the fun ride queue together. Ask a team member for details.
• Now is the time for butterbeer, cute pictures, and the wand experience at Ollivander’s, if you wanted to do that. If you have an interactive wand you can practice all your spells now while lines are still short. The spell spots can get pretty backed up on busy park days. You could also mobile order food from The Three Broomsticks, although we usually like to do that later in the day.
• Once you’re done at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, you’ll want to check your ap for wait times. At this point you’ll either be heading over to the Simpsons Ride, or Secret Life of Pets.

Save Super Silly Fun Land and the Studio Tour for later in the afternoon.

• Now it’s finally time to head to the lower lot! Check the app again to decide which ride you want to head to first. Keep in mind that the rides in the Lower Lot all offer single rider lines, although they are subject to change. At Universal Studios Hollywood, if your child is tall enough for the ride they can utilize the single rider line, no minimum age required! Using the single rider line can really maximize your time!
• After you’ve ridden the rides on the lower lot you’re interested in you can either go into Super Nintendo World, or save that for later–it’s so fun at nighttime! Keep in mind that Super Nintendo World is most crowded in the afternoon.
• By this time it is probably later afternoon so it’s the perfect time to ride the Studio Tour! Yes, the line will likely be long, but it typically moves pretty fast. Plus, if you or your little ones are tired it’s the perfect change to rest your legs. That’s because the Studio Tour can be up to an hour long! You can even bring drinks and snacks on board. That’s why it’s the perfect afternoon ride for us, we can all relax and my youngest ones usually fall asleep while riding!
• If it’s a hot day and there’s time the afternoon is also the perfect time to head to Super Silly Fun Land. Although there’s only one ride and a small playground, Super Silly Fun Land has an awesome splash area! Lockers and changing rooms are available. However, no strollers are allowed in the water area. Also, sandals, shoes, or water shoes must be worn at all times. If it’s time to eat our family likes the Minion’s Café which is outside the water area.
• By now you’ve hopefully done all rides you want to. So make sure you stop at the Water World Stunt Show or the Kung Fu Panda show on the way out of the park. And maybe one last stroll through the Wizarding World of Harry Potter before the park closes while crowds are low!

Universal Studios Hollywood itinerary #2

if Super Nintendo World is a must-do

I get it–Super Nintendo World is high on many Universal guests’ priority list. And for good reason! Super Nintendo World is incredibly immersive and if you’re of a certain age, ahem, it’s pretty nostalgic. If your family is ready to say “let’s a-go” to Super Nintendo World, make sure you check out this blog post full of all of our tips for visiting Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood! Keep in mind, you can purchase early entry into Super Nintendo World. If you do, it will skew this Universal Studios Hollywood itinerary slightly.

rope drop Super Nintendo World on the lower lot

• If your park day is going to revolve around Super Nintendo World, then your day starts before you’re even in the park. That’s because you definitely want to try to eat at Toadstool Cafe™ and I’ll bet you a 1983 NES you’ll need a reservation. Universal Studios claims you can make reservations in the park, but anytime I’ve tried they’re already booked for the day. Instead, click on this link on your way to the park in the morning to make a reservation and you should have no trouble.
• Once you get to the park you’ll head straight down to Super Nintendo World. If you don’t have a Power-Up Band™ yet you’ll want to stop and pick one up, you can read more about that in my Super Nintendo World blog post.
• If you do not have early entry, you should focus first on the games you can do with your Power-Up Band. These lines get long and there’s no shortcut to the front. Get these games and the Bowser Jr. Shadow Showdown done early. This is also a good time to take fun photos–there are so many great phot ops in Super Nintendo World!
• Once you have done the games, then head over to the only ride in Super Nintendo World–Mario Kart™: Bowser’s Challenge. If your group can utilize single rider then do that to save a lot of time. Yes, the queue is fun to look at as you walk through, but I honestly don’t think it’s worth it. Keep in mind this ride also offers parent swap. Ask a team member for details on how it works for this ride because we’ve been told different things each time.

Early entry will determine your Super Nintendo World order.

• If you do have early entry, head to Bowser’s Challenge first, then do all the games. Lines will still be relatively short for the games by the time you’re done with the ride.
• Once you’ve had your fill of Super Nintendo World, it’s time to check out everything else the Lower Lot has to offer! There are three other rides, as well as a fun Jurassic Park-themed play area tucked behind Jurassic Cafe–another delicious restaurant we like to mobile order from. The family feast is delicious and is actually enough to feed all of us! It doesn’t always show as available in the app though to mobile order, so you might need to go up to the counter. This is the perfect place to unwind grab some lunch if you didn’t score a Toadstool Cafe reservation or it’s for later in the day.
• When you’re done on the Lower Lot, head back up to the Upper Lot and stop at The Simpsons Ride, then on to the Studio Tram Tour.
• Make sure to plan time to catch the Water World Stunt Show. Make sure you stop by the Power Up Cafe for some fun Mario snacks while you watch the show.
• If you have time (and energy) before the park closes, head back down to the Lower Lot to experience Super Nintendo World at night!

Universal Studios Hollywood itinerary #3

here is a special consideration for the 60th anniversary

This year is the 60th anniversary of the Studio Tour at Universal Studios and they’re celebrating! Now through August 11th you can catch special surprises on the famous backlot tour. These include the chance to step off the tram for some photo ops! There’s also limited merchandise and food. I normally wouldn’t suggest doing the tram tour first. However, if you are dying to step off the tram and take some photos, without waiting in a long line, this is the itinerary for you!

• Head directly to the Studio Tour. The entrance is located on the Upper Lot, past the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The Studio Tour can run about an hour, especially if you take into account the time to stop for pictures. Note–you do not have to step off the tram to take pictures. But if you’re not going to, don’t bother choosing this Universal Studios Hollywood itinerary.
• By the time you’ve stepped off the tram, the park will have been open for over an hour. At this time you’ll want to check the app to determine your next stop. You can probably still visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter with low crowds. However, you’ve lost your chance to walk on Flight of the Hippogriff.
• After the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, head to the Simpsons Ride, or The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash. Note that The Secret Life of Pets ride sometimes uses a virtual queue, check your Universal app for details.
• If you need a break at this time, take a seat for the Water World Stunt Show. The Kung Fu Panda show is another great option. Then head down to the Lower Lot!
• Check the app to determine your ride order in the lower lot. Don’t forget that all these rides offer a single rider line!

Have you ever been to Universal Studios Hollywood? Which itinerary would you want to check out?