Universal Studios Hollywood

Food

The food at Universal Studios is good and their is a huge variety to choose from.  We opted to bring lunch for the kids and purchase our own lunch.  And if you are dying for a beer with your lunch, hold on to your hat...and your wallet.  One beer costs $11 dollars.  Yes, that $11.  You’ve got to really want it for that price.

Restrooms

The restrooms were fine and found throughout the park.  They weren’t too difficult to find.  They were not as clean as Disneyland’s restrooms, but perfectly sufficient.  My son did not care for the changing table that folded out from the wall.  It freaked him out and I haven’t been able to change him on a public changing table since without him freaking out.  Poor guy.

Parking

Parking is located in the Universal City Walk parking structure for $12 per day.

Other Amenities

The Universal Studios Hollywood website is a really great resource to help you decide if you want to visit the park.  It includes short videos of the rides and shows as well as detailed information for disabled and pregnant guests.  It’s important to note that out of the 13 attractions at the park, we only found four of them to be appropriate for your 21-month old and four year old.  Checking out this site ahead of time will help you to decide if this park is right for your family.

Universal City Walk is also located adjacent to the studio theme park.  Much like downtown Disney, City Walk is an entertainment and shopping destination with great restaurants and a large movie theater.  There’s plenty of stores to buy goofy trinkets and souvenirs.  It’s stores are not quite as upscale as Downtown Disney’s. 

Another great aspect of both City Walk and

Universal Studios are the great photo opportunities.  Throughout both venues, guests are able to put themselves into scenes from their favorite movies and television shows and pose with famous props.

Address: 100 Universal City Plaza

Universal City, CA 91608

Distance from Disneyland:  Approx. 36 miles

Time to Travel to Universal Studios from Disneyland: Approx. 45 minutes - 1 hour

Since the early 1900s, the Universal Studios backlot has been the backdrop or production space for thousands of movies, television shows, and commercials.  Today, it continues to be the biggest and busiest backlot in California.

In June 2009 I visited the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park with my family.  I encourage you to read this page and my trip report on my blog before your visit.  Below are the facts, as I see them, on how Universal Studios measures up for families with babies, toddlers, and preschoolers.

Attractions & Shows

Universal Studios Hollywood has 13 shows and attractions.  The tram tour is the major attraction.  Taking about 45 minutes, the Universal Studios tram tour takes guests through Universal’s famous back lot for a sneak peak at sound stages and outdoor sets that have been made famous in televisions, movies, and commercials.  We went on this attraction during nap time and

our little guy slept through most of it.  Our four year seemed to enjoy it and loved seeing the “dancing” cars for Fast and Furious, Tokyo Drift.  Is the tram appropriate for babies and small children?  Well, it’s not inappropriate, but I don’t know if they can really get it.  Also, when the King Kong part of the attraction returns in the summer of 2010, I would have to say that it would be too scary for my kids.

Adults will enjoy the intense and fast-paced attractions at the park.  Young children will enjoy the Animal Actors live stage show, Coca Cola water play area, the Curious