Best Universal Studios Hollywood One Day Itinerary (2024)
Want to make the most of your Universal Studios Hollywood One Day Itinerary? We’ve got you covered with all of our favorite foods, attractions, shows, and more!
If you’re short on time to read this whole post, here’s how to do Universal Studios Hollywood in one day.
The 3 attractions you need to experience on your visit here are the Universal Studio Tour, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, and the new SUPER NINTENDO WORLD!
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD is located in the Lower Lot and has a brand new ride, Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, shops, and themed dining at Toadstool Cafe.
👉 Click Here To Purchase Your Universal Studios Hollywood One Day Ticket Now!
If you’re visiting while the weather is warm, another must visit attraction is the newly re-imagined Jurassic World, also in the Lower Lot.
There are also some iconic shows and other attractions based off of the most popular NBC/Universal movies and tv shows of all time.
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The Best Universal Studios Hollywood Itinerary
You’re probably wondering, can you do Universal Studios Hollywood in one day?
The answer is absolutely, yes!
Now that you’ve made it into the park, here’s how to spend a day at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Universal Studios Hollywood is split into an upper and lower lot because it’s built into the mountainside, so it’s best to tackle one at a time rather than going back and forth between the two too many times.
Universal Studios Hollywood has better dining options than most theme parks, so depending on the kind of food that interests you, I’ve shared some of the best options below.
We are the proud owners of Universal Studios Hollywood Annual Passes and we’re excited to share the best Universal Studios Hollywood One Day Itinerary based off of all that we’ve been able to experience in the park.
Check out our one day itinerary on Youtube.
👉 Click Here To Purchase Your Universal Studios Hollywood One Day Ticket Now!
Universal Studios Hollywood Entrance
There are so many great photo ops before you even enter the park for your Universal Studios Hollywood one day itinerary, so plan some time before or after your visit to get some photos around the entrance!
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD
If you’re a 90’s baby like me, you grew up on Mario Kart on the Nintendo 64.
Now you can live it in real life with the brand new ride, Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge.
But that’s not all.
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD is an entire land of interactive areas, themed shopping, and themed dining at ToadStool Cafe.
👉 Click Here To Purchase Your Universal Studios Hollywood One Day Ticket Now!
What to Ride at Universal Studios Hollywood
There’s more rides (and shows) than these, but if you’re visiting for one day and it’s busy, these are the must-do’s that you have to fit into your schedule.
✔️ Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
This ride has become one of the must-do attractions since it opened a few years ago.
It is as immersive as it could possibly get and the way it moves around actually feels really good on my back after waiting in line!
This line can easily be one of the top 3 longest lines in the park, so try to do it very first or very last if you want to minimize your wait time.
✔️ Universal Studios Hollywood Studio Tour
This is THE #1 attraction in the park.
If you do nothing else at all, you absolutely have to do the Studio Tour.
This takes you through the real NBC studio lot where they are almost always actively filming tv shows and movies.
When we were there most recently they were filming the Saved by the Bell re-boot on a couple of the soundstages.
Every time you go on this it will be a different experience.
Sometimes filming diverts the tour to different areas so you might skip it on one tour, but be able to go through it the next day.
They also added in a few different special effects and experiences that you’ll get to see on every tour.
This one can also have long lines, but it moves pretty quickly.
Again, try to do it early so you don’t have to wait as long.
The last tour leaves at least an hour before the park closes, so keep that in mind if you’re going later in the day.
👉 Click Here To Purchase Your Universal Studios Hollywood One Day Ticket Now!
✔️ Jurassic World
This is still essentially a brand new ride. It opened mid 2019, so it was open a little over 6 months before Universal shut down for the pandemic.
They re-modeled the old Jurassic Park ride to be updated with the franchise, as well as updated with new technology.
Because of this, this line can be 3 hours long, especially on warmer days.
So be prepared for that!
The three rides I have just mentioned are generally the 3 most popular and can have the longest wait times, so plan your day around these.
✔️ Revenge of The Mummy
This is a Universal Studios classic.
It’s been around for awhile and has always stayed popular.
It can get long lines, but I haven’t seen it at 3 hours like the other ones.
I would say it’s the most thrilling ride in the park (since it’s an actual roller coaster).
The inside queue is pretty immersive and so is the ride experience itself.
✔️ The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash
Speaking of immersive queues… this new ride is a completely immersive experience.
It gets long lines, but they offer a free reservation system to keep the wait times down.
We did this ride on a more recent visit since it was the only attraction in the park we hadn’t done yet and loved it.
We’ve never even seen the movie!
Check out the full ride-through of the Secret Life of Pets on Youtube!
✔️ Waterworld
Not a ride, but a show.
It’s not my favorite type of show, but it’s a big thing at Universal.
They do a lot of stunts and special effects.
All the actors in the show are active stunt men and women in the industry.
Let’s get into some more rides and shows here at Universal Studios Hollywood.
All of the above I would say are the top priorities to build your day around doing.
You should have more time to accomplish a few other attractions if you’re spending the entire day at the park.
So let’s cover some more rides!
These will be especially useful if you’re traveling with kids because most of these are kid friendly.
✔️ Despicable Me Minion Mayhem
This ride is essentially like a 4D show.
You get turned into a minion and then enter a theater that feels almost like a virtual roller coaster.
Usually outside you can do a meet and greet with one of the minions.
We’ve never brought kids to Universal, but we still do this ride occasionally.
✔️ Kung Fu Panda at the DreamWorks Theatre
We’ve never seen Kung Fu Panda, but the show is set up enough where you don’t need to know the movie to know what’s happening.
This is also a 4D theater where the seats move and you get sprayed with water.
We stop in here every once in awhile since you get to sit down in the air conditioning for awhile and it’s one of the first attractions when you enter the park.
✔️ Flight of the Hippogriff (Harry Potter)
This is the other ride in the Harry Potter area.
It’s a small roller coaster that is kid friendly, though I wouldn’t really classify it as a kiddie coaster.
I think there’s a distinct difference.
It’s right across from the Forbidden Journey and usually doesn’t have a long line.
✔️ Super Silly Fun Land
This is the kiddie water play area.
It’s massive and has a ton of different water play elements to it.
To a kid, it’s a full on water park.
It’s right by the Minion’s Cafe, so it’s a great place to stop and have a bite to eat and let the kids wear themselves out.
✔️ The Simpsons Ride
This is a pretty immersive show/ride, just like the others.
It feels like you’re in a roller coaster vehicle, but it’s really a simulation ride.
It takes you through the world of the Simpsons and usually has a pretty long line.
I think that’s just because the capacity of the ride really can’t hold as many people as a lot of the others.
✔️ Transformers: The Ride 3D (Lower Lot)
I’ve also never seen Transformers, but you don’t have to know the movies to enjoy the ride.
It has an immersive queue where you really feel like you’re going into a secret underground government facility.
This ride is most similar to Disney’s Ratatouille ride or Rise of the Resistance ride as far as the vehicle and ride track.
The difference is that this ride is in 3D, so the screens you go by throughout the ride are more prominent.
✔️ Dino Play
This is another kids play area and it is located in the Lower Lot next to Jurassic World.
So there’s this one in the Lower Lot and the Upper Lot has the water play area at Super Silly Fun Land.
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Universal Studios Hollywood Escalators
These are unofficially their own attraction.
To get between the Lower Lot and the Upper Lot you take a series of escalators up or down the mountainside that Universal Studios Hollywood is built on.
About halfway down the escalators is a landing that overlooks several studios in the area.
There is a map that shows you everything you’re looking at out in the distance.
For example, you can see the Walt Disney Studios Lot!
It’s a really nice photo op, especially on a clear day.
What to Eat at Universal Studios Hollywood
We haven’t tried everything in the park yet, but these are some of the most popular options, as well as some of the more novelty theme park foods available for your Universal Studios Hollywood one day itinerary.
Of course you won’t be able to try everything in one day, but if your group is large enough and you just share a couple items at each place, you might make a pretty dent!
✅ Three Broomsticks (Harry Potter)
I think I’ve eaten here every time I’ve visited the park so far.
They have so many great options that you don’t usually find in theme parks.
On our most recent visit we had Bangers & Mash, Shepherd’s Pie, and a Chocolate Trifle for dessert.
There were 3 of us to share it all, so the portion sizes were perfect.
We also had Frozen Butterbeer with our meals, which is a must try at Universal.
Another great dessert option is the Sticky Toffee Pudding.
I highly recommend it.
Also, don’t order the Gilly Water.
It’s just bottled water with a themed named.
Get the free cup of water instead.
✅ Hogs Head (Harry Potter)
This bar is in the back of Three Broomsticks and it’s where you can get Butterbeer (and even spike it), among other drinks.
On this particular visit I just had a glass of wine because they were out of a handful of things.
✅ Minion Cafe (Near Silly Swirly Fun Ride Water Play Area)
I’ll admit that the theme of the restaurant is not what drew me in, but I’m sure kids will be begging to eat here.
This place surprisingly has one of the best menus I’ve seen in a theme park.
We tried the Meatball Parmesan Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup, Chicken Bacon Ranch Mac N Cheese, and Classic Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup.
Then we tried the Nutella Banana Pudding for dessert.
My acid reflux did not love this meal, but I did and that’s what matters!
I am looking forward to going back on my next visit.
✅ Krusty Burger (Springfield – Simpsons Area)
This Simpsons themed diner is exactly what you would expect from theme park food.
They have the typical menu of Burgers and Hot Dogs.
On this visit we just stopped in for the Sideshow Bob Footlong (which comes with a side of fries) and 3 of us shared it as a mid-afternoon snack.
The inside is nicely themed in different sections.
✅ Luigi’s Pizza and Pasta (Springfield – Simpsons Area)
We stopped in here just for a quick snack.
We shared the Fettuchini Alfredo plate among 3 people and it was the perfect size to hold us over until dinner.
Their pizza looks pretty good too, but we haven’t tried it yet!
✅ Cletus’ Chicken Shack (Springfield – Simpsons Area)
If you’re looking for something simple, the chicken thumbs (aka chicken strips) at Cletus’ Chicken Shack are really good.
They come with two sides, but I don’t recommend the corn on the cob.
It’s oddly thick and chewy and just gets stuck all in your mouth.
The fries are good though!
✅ Jurassic Cafe (Lower Lot Near Jurassic World)
Here we tried the Isla Chicken Sandwich and the Slow Roasted Mojo Pork.
Nowhere on the menu does the Chicken Sandwich say there is any cilantro, but when we got our sandwich it was covered in it.
✅ Isla Nu-Bar (Lower Lot Near Jurassic World)
This is a newer establishment that came along with the re-design of Jurassic Park into Jurassic World.
This place solely serves tropical drinks in various tiki mugs.
The drinks are also specifically rum based – but there is a ton of variety!
They have Mai Tai’s, Rum Runners, Pina Coladas, Painkillers, Bahama Mamas, Tropical Margaritas and more!
✅ Mulligan’s Pub (Upper Lot Near Minion’s Cafe)
Another great place if you’re just looking for drinks is Mulligan’s Pub.
It’s a small Irish Pub with a limited offering, but they have my favorite drink which is an Irish Coffee.
You can also get water here, which is great on those hot Summer days.
✅ Vivo Italian Kitchen (City Walk)
This one is outside the park, but still on property.
We all love pasta and could eat it every day, so we decided to have a late dinner here.
When we walked in it immediately reminded us of the inside of the Noodles restaurant at the Bellagio in Las Vegas that we LOVE to visit on every single Vegas trip.
The bread service was amazing.
We shared House Made Meatballs with Marinara as our appetizer and Chicken Saltimbocca as our entree.
This consisted of spaghetti, fresh sage, prosciutto, and sharp provolone.
We were way too full for dessert, but when we go back we’ll definitely try the Tiramisu.
✅ Dongpo Kitchen (CityWalk)
We started with the Meizhou Pork Buns and Sichuan Dumplings (also pork).
For our entree we had the Beef Dan Dan Noodles.
I loved this whole meal and 100% would go back again for all of it.
5 Tips For Making The Most Of Your Universal Studios Hollywood One Day Itinerary
When you only have one day to explore the park you may feel panicked and rushed to fit it all in.
But with these tips, you’ll feel way less stressed and you’ll get to see and do more than the average visitor.
1. Start Your Day With The SUPER NINTENDO WORLD Early Access Ticket
This ticket gives you 1 hour early admission into SUPER NINTENDO WORLD before the park officially opens.
Additionally, this ticket includes a one-time express access to the Studio Tour attraction that you can use up until 11 am.
You must have valid theme park admission to purchase this ticket which starts at $20.
This ticket uses tiered pricing, so depending on the day you visit, this ticket will either cost you $20 or $25 per person.
2. Wait To Use Your One-Time Express Access To The Studio Tour Until Closer To 11 AM.
Don’t immediately go from SUPER NINTENDO WORLD to the Studio Tour because there will be no line at park opening and you’ve essentially wasted your express access.
Instead, do another popular ride on the lower lot after SUPER NINTENDO WORLD like Transformers or The Mummy.
If it’s already hot in the morning, which is rare, then that is also the perfect time to go on Jurassic World.
Once it’s after 10 am, then go use your express access to the Studio Tour.
3. Eat Lunch And Dinner During Non-Peak Hours
To save more time for experiencing shows and attractions, make sure you’re not eating your meals during lunch or dinner rushes.
You should have an early lunch right as restaurants are opening for lunch, or wait until after 2 pm.
Additionally, for dinner times, you want to eat before 5 pm or after 6:30 pm.
4. Pay Attention To Show Times
Shows only happen at certain times during the day, so if there’s a particular show you have to see, make sure to schedule that into your day ahead of time.
Many shows are only operating during normal day time of 9 am – 5 pm, so the middle part of your day may be filled with more shows than attractions.
But then you can spend the beginning hours and the ending hours of your day on the attractions.
5. Download The Universal Studios Hollywood App
This will help you find your way around by having a map on you at all times.
You can also check the hours at the various shops, restaurants, and shows.
Wait times are also listed on the app, including down times for attractions, so you won’t have to go all the way down the escalators to find out the ride you wanted to do is temporarily closed.
The person in your party with the longest lasting phone battery or uses their phone the least should be the app user, unless you have mobile chargers, then it won’t matter.
👉 Click Here To Purchase Your Universal Studios Hollywood One Day Ticket Now!
Frequently Asked Questions
These are the most frequently asked questions about Universal Studios Hollywood.
How Much Does It Cost To Go To Universal Studios Hollywood For One Day?
As of Spring 2024, ticket costs vary by day and season.
But a 1 day general admission ticket starts at $109.
When you purchase a 1 day Universal Studios Hollywood ticket online, you have to choose the date you want to visit and that will determine your ticket price.
These prices are determined by anticipated crowds and availability of tickets.
Currently, there are 7 tiered prices: $109, $119, $129, $139, $144, $149, and $154 for adults.
The children’s tickets are usually about $6 less on any given day.
Children’s tickets are available for ages 3-9 years old.
If your child is younger than 3 years old they get in for free!
If you’re visiting in the Summer, expect the weekends to be $149 or $154 and week days to be at least $129.
By late August and into September, daily ticket prices will drop back down to the lower end with several $109 days available starting in September.
👉 Click Here To Purchase Your Universal Studios Hollywood One Day Ticket Now!
What If I Am A California Resident?
Usually, California residents get slightly discounted tickets for one day admission, making the most of your Universal Studios Hollywood one day itinerary.
As of January 2024, single day discounted admission is not currently being offered.
When it is available, you still have to go through the same process as above by choosing the exact date you want to visit, but you also have to show proof of residency to take advantage of this offer.
Like I said, this is a slight discount.
The prices are tiered just like regular tickets and they correspond to the same tiers as above, but the prices range from $104-$139 or so.
So when regular ticket prices are $109, they are $104 for California residents, and so on.
However, as a California Resident, you can get a 9 month “annual” pass called the California Neighbor Pass.
It’s $179 and when you purchase it you have to pick which day will be your first use date.
Then you can visit any time, except for blackout dates for the next 9 months.
What Is A Universal Express Ticket?
Universal Express is like a front of the line pass.
It allows you to use the express lane one time at each ride, attraction, and show.
With this pass, you can’t just keep doing the express lane at Jurassic World all day long.
You can do it once at each attraction.
This ticket add-on also has tiered pricing.
When you purchase it at the same time as your ticket, the one day admission with Universal Express ranges from $209 to $309.
This is based off of expected crowds and availability of tickets as well.
The tiered pricing goes up in $10 increments on any given day.
Generally weekends will be more expensive and the Summer months will be more expensive.
Once you get to September, most days are the lower tiered pricing for a one day ticket.
Additionally, these ticket prices are the same for everyone 3 years of age and older.
There is no separate pricing for children ages 3-9.
If you’re a California resident, you can also get Universal Express with your one day admission.
It is again at a slight discount, usually $10 less on any given day than the regular Universal Express tickets.
With a Universal Studios Hollywood one day itinerary, you can almost guarantee you can see and do it all in one day with this pass.
How Do I Get To Universal Studios Hollywood?
Universal Studios Hollywood is located at 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608.
For most GPS/Map systems, you should just be able to search Universal Studios Hollywood and it’ll send you right to the parking structure to start your Universal Studios Hollywood one day itinerary.
It is located right off of the 101 Freeway, so you can take that whether you’re coming from the North or the South.
If you’re taking public transportation, you can take the Metro to the corner of Lankershim and Universal Hollywood Drive.
You’ll take the Universal City Red Line to get here.
Then take the pedestrian bridge to the park.
I highly recommend using the Metro Trip Planner to get exact routes and times.
For more info about getting to Universal Studios Hollywood, check out these blog posts:
- How Far Is It From Disneyland To Universal Studios Hollywood?
- How Far Is It From LAX To Universal Studios Hollywood?
- What Is The Closest Airport To Universal Studios Hollywood?
How Do I Park At Universal Studios Hollywood?
If you’re going just for one day, the current parking rates as of Spring 2024 are as follows:
General Parking Before 5 PM – $32 per vehicle
General Parking After 5 PM – $10 per vehicle
Preferred Parking Before 5 PM – $50 per vehicle
Preferred Parking After 5 PM – $20 per vehicle
Front Gate Parking – $70 per vehicle
Some annual passes include parking with admission, like the Gold pass and above.
With these passes, general parking is included but you can also pay a surcharge to upgrade to preferred parking or front gate parking when available.
Generally with these passes the parking is only included if you visit before 5 PM.
After 5 PM you’ll have to pay the $10 for general parking or whichever parking you want to get.
Valet Parking
If you really want to splurge on your Universal Studios Hollywood one day itinerary, valet parking is also available for $25 for the first 2 hours and $50 after 2 hours.
You can also get parking validation from City Walk’s full service restaurants to reduce the cost of valet parking.
With validation, the first 2 1/2 hours will only be $10.
If you park for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours, parking will be $15.
Anything longer than 3 1/2 hours will still be $50.
How To Get $5 Parking
When you purchase general parking and a movie ticket from Universal Cinema, you can get parking for $5.
Just present your general parking receipt when you get to the movie theater and they’ll reduce your parking to just $5. It’s that easy!
What If I Have An Electric Vehicle?
You’re in luck! Universal Studios Hollywood offers several areas for electric vehicle charging stations.
Rates are currently $0.40/kWh as of Spring 2024, but could change at any time.
Here are the locations of the electric vehicle charging stations:
Frankenstein Garage: 4 ports (Level 2 and Level 7)
Jurassic Parking Garage: 8 ports (Level 1 and B1M)
ET Garage: 16 ports (Level B1)
Woody Woodpecker Lot: 1 port (near Front Gate Parking)
Curious George Garage: 2 ports (Level 1)
If you’re unsure, just ask the parking attendant and they can help direct you!
Universal Studios Hollywood Annual Passes
Annual Passes are ridiculously cheap!
If you’re going to visit for more than 2 days in an entire year, it is cheaper to buy an Annual Pass than to buy single day or multi day tickets.
Universal Studios Hollywood Silver Pass
I personally have used the Silver Pass in the past.
There are a handful of weekend blackouts and Christmas blackouts, plus a couple other peak weeks in the Summer and for Spring Break.
But it’s really not too restrictive for most people as you get over 275 available days.
The Silver Pass is now $224.
Universal Studios Hollywood Gold Pass
JP has used the Gold Pass in the past because it includes PARKING!
Only one of us will ever be driving, so it wouldn’t make sense for us both to have the Gold Pass.
The Gold Pass also has a 15% discount on food, drinks, and merchandise.
We’ve found that the 15% in savings usually pays for the drink or a dessert each time we get a meal.
This pass also has 325 available days to use the pass.
The Gold Pass is now $309, so only $85 more than the Silver Pass.
Universal Studios Hollywood Platinum Pass
Since we bought our tickets, Universal decided to release a Platinum Pass as well, which is now $579 or $270 more than the Gold Pass.
The added value of the Platinum Pass is that you get 1 free Halloween Horror Nights ticket (all passes at least get a discounted ticket), and 1 Universal Express access after 3 pm each day you visit (essentially 1 free front of the line pass for any attraction or show each time you visit).
For some I can definitely see that being worth $200 more over the course of the entire year, but I don’t think we’ll be upgrading just yet.
I think the Silver and Gold Passes are just what we need.
With the new Nintendo World opening, Annual Pass prices were just updated, so I don’t expect many changes any time soon, but you never know!
Where to Stay Near Universal Studios Hollywood
Universal Studios Hollywood is a much smaller property overall than the Orlando location, so there is not an official hotel district.
However, there are a couple hotels that are in the perfect location just outside the front gate.
✅ Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City
This Hilton property is the perfect vacation stay.
There are even rooms with views directly overlooking Universal Studios Hollywood.
👉 Click Here To Book Your Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City Stay Now!
✅ Sheraton Universal Hotel
We personally try to prioritize brand loyalty, when choosing hotels, so if you’re not a Hilton Honors member, consider this Sheraton!
It’s only a 2 minute walk from Universal Studios Hollywood.
👉 Click Here To Book Your Sheraton Universal Hotel Stay Now!
More Fun Things To Do In Los Angeles
Interested in visiting other iconic theme parks in Southern California?
Check out our Knott’s Berry Farm One Day Itinerary, located less than an hour away in Buena Park.
Other popular activities around LA include Secret Spots In Los Angeles, Winery Day Trips, Hikes, and activities in South Bay.
You can also explore popular restaurants in Los Angeles including the Best Romantic Restaurants, Best Birthday Restaurants, and Best Rooftop Restaurants.
If you’re visiting in the Fall, check out all the Fun Things To Do In Los Angeles In September and October.
Our favorite yearly activities include Nights of the Jack, Carved at Descanso Gardens, LIGHTS OUT at Pomona Fairplex, and Oktoberfest at Pomona Fairplex.
Since the pandemic there are a few events that haven’t yet returned like Malibu Wine Safari and Pumpkin Nights, but there’s still plenty to do.
Lastly, if you’re visiting in the Winter, we highly recommend the LA Zoo Holiday Lights.
There are some Winter favorites that haven’t returned since the pandemic either like Malibu Lights: Winter Nights and Snow Day LA at Elysian Park, but again, there’s still plenty to do that time of year.
Just be sure to check the forecast for Snow In Los Angeles because we actually had some recently!
Conclusion: Universal Studios Hollywood Itinerary
Can Universal Studios Hollywood be done in one day? It’s possible!
If everything is open, if showtimes are spread out enough, and you’re going for the entire day, it’s totally doable, even without the Express Lane passes.
Though if you’re visiting in the Summer or on holiday weekends, I would recommend the Express Lane if it’s important to be able to do everything in one day.
The best times to visit where it won’t be so crowded or expensive are now easier than ever to spot!
When you go to look at one day admission tickets online and the price is in one of the 2 lowest tiers, that means they are not expecting as many people to visit those days.
Generally these are going to be week days, excluding Summer and holidays.
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