• About Me
  • Privacy Policy and Disclosure Policy

Shann Eva's Blog

A peek into my messy life with 3 boys

  • Home
    • My Delivery Story
    • Twin Pregnancy
  • Work with Me!
  • Money-Saving Links
  • Blog
    • Shann’s Favorites
    • Shopping
    • Birthdays
    • Health
    • Micro Preemie Mondays
  • Submit Your Story
    • Share an Update
  • Twin pregnancy
You are here: Home / Travel / Universal Studios: Everything You Need to Know

Universal Studios: Everything You Need to Know

January 28, 2019 By Shann 6 Comments

Day 2: Universal Studios

On the second day of our California Vacation, we headed to Universal Studios. With buy one get one day free tickets, we still had two full days to enjoy the park. We would relax and take our time, after recovering from our long day of travel and visit to Citywalk.

There was just one problem. Remember that two hour time difference? My boys certainly did.

They were up at 4 am!

We got them to sleep for a little longer, and then watch TV as we waited for the breakfast area to open. Our hotel had free breakfast, and since we were up so early, we were the first ones there. It was a really nice set-up with eggs, fresh fruit, cereal, bagels, and coffee.

Lots of coffee.

I brought a back-pack with me for the theme parks because I knew you could bring snacks and water in to both Universal Studios and Disney. We stopped at a convenience store on our walk to the park, and loaded up with two large bottles of water, chips, granola bars, and fruit snacks.

Remember to add the Universal Studios’ app to your phone! It allows you to see wait times, show times, and height requirements for all the rides. It was super helpful.

Now, off to the park!

Universal Studios: Everything you need to know to have fun at the park

Harry Potter

We got to Universal Studios right when it opened, and headed directly to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It ended up being the perfect choice because it got really crowded later on. We noticed a few people in costume, the boys got to take a picture with a train, and look at the giant castle you see everywhere.  Even though I’m not a huge Harry Potter fan, it was pretty neat to just look around.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios

When it gets dark, they have snow. Hollywood made, fake snow. Not a huge deal to us Wisconsites, but it is pretty novel to see while wearing a t-shirt.

Mr. B and my husband rode on The Flight of the Hippogriff first to make sure it was OK for everyone. The twins were tall enough to ride (39″) with an adult. You have to be 48″ to ride it alone, as with most of the rides in the park.

Mr. P still didn’t want to go on. So, after the first two went, I took Mr. C on it.

I’m not a huge fan of roller coasters. In fact, I’m very scared of them. I just can’t do the big drops. Luckily, there aren’t really any drops on this one. It just goes very fast and loops around. Plus, it’s only about a 20 second ride.

I think that was about 19 seconds too long for Mr. C.

So, if your little one isn’t good with speed or fast turns, I’d take a pass on this one.

The twins were not tall enough for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (48″ minimum) which was a virtual reality ride. It’s still a lot of motion, even though you really aren’t going anywhere. Mr. B and my husband enjoyed it, but Mr. B did find it a little scary.

Backlot Tour

When I was a young, single kid, I used to work at Universal Studios as a tour guide. So, I wanted to make sure the boys got to experience the backlot tour.

Universal Studios Backlot tour

Even though it’s a little different now (Jimmy Fallon does part of the tour on a TV screen in front of the tram) there was still a lot that was the same. Jaws attacks, the old streets of Mexico get flooded, and you still experience an earthquake. There’s more virtual reality, a new version of King Kong, and the addition of the Fast and the Furious, instead of Dante’s Peak. The Psycho house is still standing, but we were all disappointed we didn’t see anything from Back to the Future.

The tour runs about 45 minutes, and you can bring your food and drink on board. Just make sure you go to the bathroom first!

The Rides

Most of the other rides at Universal Studios are virtual reality. There was The Simpsons Ride, Minion Mayhem from Despicable Me, and Kung Foo Panda, which we all went on.

I did have to cover Mr. P’s eyes on most of the rides, but really he could have just closed them and been fine.

That’s the beauty of virtual reality.

Universal Studios
Not sunglasses, 3D glasses

There’s also an area of the park that’s designed to look like the amusement park from Despicable Me called Super Silly Fun Land. There are carnival games, and a ride called the Silly Swirly Fun Ride. It was perfect for the twins. There was also a splash pad. It was a little too chilly in December, but would have been fun during the summer when you could just air dry afterwards.

The Shows

In addition to the rides, we hit too shows during the first day. The boys loved the Animal Actors Show, where they had cats, dogs, chicken, and rats running around on a stage doing tricks. They also loved the Waterworld Show.

Of course, they wanted to sit in the “Splash Zone,” but we saw it at the very end of the day, and we didn’t want to be soaked for our walk home. They were still entertained by all of the pyrotechnics.

Since we still had another day at the park, we decided to call it and walk home.

Day 3: Universal Studios Part 2

Our second day at Universal Studios started just like our first with one exception: The crowds!

Our first day was on a weekday (Friday), but our second was the weekend, so even though we arrived at park opening, there was a noticeable difference in the amount of people.

We weren’t that concerned, however, since we did most of what we wanted on the first day. So, it was still a stress-free day, which is how all vacation days should be.

Since we didn’t hit the lower part of the lot, where the Revenge of the Mummy ride is located, I took the twins there first. Mr. C and my husband wanted to take one more ride on the Harry Potter Forbidden Journey, so they met us when they were done.

Getting down to the lower lot was almost like a ride itself! You have to go down three separate escalators that are enclosed in glass tunnels. The twins loved them.

As soon as we got to the bottom, we found the Transformers!

Universal Studios Transformers

Mr. B and my husband went on Revenge of the Mummy (must be 48″)and then we all went on the Transformers ride (must be 40″).

Lunch Break

We left the park and headed back to Citywalk for lunch. My Aunt, Uncle, and Cousin came from Ventura to meet us, which was so nice. This was their first time meeting the twins!

Universal Studios lunch

We had some nice conversation, wine, and a nice break from the crowds at the park.

The Characters

On both days, the boys got to meet a ton of their favorite characters. Unlike Disney, they still wander freely around the park. Sometimes there’s a line, but most we just walked right up to. I even got to meet my favorite character!

Can you guess which character is Mr. P’s favorite?

Characters of Universal Studios
The Scooby Gang, Poppy from Trolls, The Simpsons, Hello Kitty, and Curious George

Finally, we explored Grinchmas back inside the park. It was a seasonal attraction for the holidays. There was a giant tree, an appearance by the Grinch himself, and a really cute show put on by the Who’s. The boys also got to mail a letter to Santa.

Grinchmas at Universal Studios

Then, we went to a show we missed the first day called The Special Effects Show, all about Hollywood magic. My husband wasn’t a big fan because he thought it moved slow, but the boys liked it.

We also went on a few of the rides we really liked the first time like the Simpsons and the Swirly Whirly Fun Ride.

After an exhausting, but super fun day, we made the final walk back to our hotel.

Up next: Exploring Los Angeles

 

 

Filed Under: Blog, Travel, Trips, Vacation Tagged With: amusement parkk, Backlot studio tour, California, food, games, King Kong, Los Angeles, Minion Mayhem, rides, studio city, The Grinch, The Mummy Returns, The Simpsons, Transformers, Universal citywalk, Universal Studios, Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Comments

  1. Beth says

    January 28, 2019 at 2:07 pm

    I’ve been to Universal in Florida, but it was MANY years ago. I think it would be fun to go now, especially with my kiddo. He’s also less of a Disney person so I think he’d really get a kick out of Universal. It sure looks like you guys had a great time there!

    Reply
  2. ShootingStarsMag says

    January 29, 2019 at 7:25 am

    How fun!! I’ve never been to California/Disney Land but I REALLY want to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Florida someday soon, as I’m a huge fan.

    -Lauren

    Reply
  3. Charlotte says

    January 29, 2019 at 11:42 am

    OMG, I am LOVING all of your pictures! It looks as though you had an absolute blast with the family, and glad that the kiddos were able to experience so many of the rides. The virtual reality stuff really is neat, eh? And I like that if it gets too much, you can just close your eyes 🙂 I am actually a total scaredy cat and am terrified of roller coasters, too. My brother’s gf dragged me on a kiddie coaster and she couldn’t stop laughing when we got off and I said that it was the most terrifying experience of my life 🙂 LOL!!

    Reply
  4. Emily says

    January 29, 2019 at 12:08 pm

    I would love to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It looks like a lot of fun.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. February 2019 Goals: Thankful Hearts - Shann Eva's Blog says:
    February 5, 2019 at 6:31 am

    […] Write more  Yes! I submitted a post to MKE Moms Blog, Graham’s Foundation, and wrote some posts here too. I finally shared the Twins’ NICUversary, the first part of our California trip, and our visit to Citywalk, and our trip to Universal Studios.  […]

    Reply
  2. Disney California Adventure Park: What to Expect - Shann Eva's Blog says:
    August 27, 2019 at 8:03 am

    […] spending time at Universal Studios, Los Angeles, and Disneyland, we were ready for our final day in California. We had one more theme […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Meet Shann

Shann Hi! I'm a mom, writer, and dancer. I love sharing my parenting experiences, my healthy living tips, my money saving ideas, and our travel plans. My passion to help other women inspired this blog. I hope you'll stay a while and come back often.

Need Help Finding Something?

Follow Me

Subscribe to Blog

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Recent Posts

  • Writing as Therapy May 16, 2022
  • COVID: The (Not) Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Guilt August 20, 2021
  • Healthy Lifestyle: Making Baby Steps Back July 27, 2021
  • 2020 Year In Review: The Highlights December 31, 2020
  • Premature Birth Awareness: Helpful Vs. Hurtful November 9, 2020

Facebook

Facebook
MKE Moms Blog
Copyrighted.com Registered & Protected 
M6VU-YLWL-D4JY-XAO4

Copyright © 2023 · Blog Design by Quality Websites On A Budget

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT