Quick Facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|
| 1-day ticket | $109-149 |
| Universal Express | $189-289 extra |
| VIP Experience | $449+ |
| Parking | $35 preferred / $30 general |
| Opening hours | 9am-9pm typical |
| Best days | Tue/Wed in January |
| Worst days | Sat in July, Christmas week |
Universal Studios Hollywood sits on a 415-acre working film studio in the Cahuenga Pass — the same lot where Jaws, Back to the Future and Jurassic Park were filmed. The theme park is split into two levels connected by the Starway, one of the longest escalators in the world.
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USA Trip Cost Calculator
Planning a Los Angeles theme park trip? Get a personalised LA budget — park tickets, hotels near Universal, car rental and food costs.
Ticket Prices 2026
Universal uses dynamic pricing — the same ticket costs more on busy days than quiet days. Dates are grouped into five price tiers from Tier 1 (cheapest) to Tier 5 (peak).
- Tier 1 (cheapest weekdays, Jan-Feb): $109 adult / $103 child
- Tier 2 (mid-week off-season): $119 / $113
- Tier 3 (weekends off-season): $129 / $123
- Tier 4 (weekends + summer weekdays): $139 / $133
- Tier 5 (peak summer + holidays): $149 / $143
- Annual pass (silver): $324 — pays off after 3 visits
Children 2 and under are free. Pre-purchase online — gate tickets are $20 more and sell-out days are refused at the gate.
Universal Express Worth It?
Universal Express gives one-time front-of-line access to every ride and show. Unlike Disney, it's not free — but unlike Disney's Genie+, it's almost unlimited.
| Day type | Average standby | Express worth it? |
|---|
| Tue/Wed January | 20-30 min | No — save $189 |
| Weekday spring | 40-60 min | Borderline |
| Saturday spring | 60-90 min | Yes |
| Summer weekday | 75-120 min | Absolutely |
| Summer Saturday | 90-180 min | Essential |
Express pricing ranges from $189 on the slowest Tuesdays to $289 on peak Saturdays. The rule of thumb: if standby averages over 45 minutes, Express pays for itself in time saved — you'll ride everything in 6 hours instead of 11.
The Studio Tour
The Studio Tour is the single attraction that makes Universal Hollywood worth visiting. It's a 60-minute tram ride through an actual working movie studio backlot — one you cannot replicate at Universal Orlando or any other park.
- War of the Worlds crashed-airliner set
- Bates Motel and Psycho house (exterior)
- Jaws lagoon (shark attack on cue)
- King Kong 360 3-D tunnel by Peter Jackson
- Fast & Furious: Supercharged finale
- Wisteria Lane (Desperate Housewives)
- Flash flood simulation in Mexican Street
Sit on the left side of the tram for best views of the Psycho house and Wisteria Lane. Ride first thing in the morning (before 10am) when queues are 10 minutes instead of 60.
Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Hogsmeade village was replicated almost exactly from the Orlando original. Two rides, one show, and the best theming in any LA theme park.
- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey — flagship dark ride inside Hogwarts castle
- Flight of the Hippogriff — short family coaster (skip on busy days)
- Ollivanders wand shop — free interactive wand demo
- Interactive wands: $65 — triggers 20+ effects around Hogsmeade
- Butterbeer: $9 regular / $15 in souvenir mug (frozen version is the best)
Forbidden Journey is motion-simulator-heavy — if you get motion sick, use the single-rider queue (much shorter) or skip it. The ride is unchanged from 2016, so if you've done Orlando there's no new experience here.
Super Nintendo World
Opened February 2023, Super Nintendo World is the newest land at Universal Hollywood. It's smaller than the Osaka and Orlando versions but keeps the headline attraction: Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge.
Mario Kart uses AR visor glasses on a slow-moving track — you toss virtual shells at Koopas and race Bowser. It's short (4 minutes) but highly re-rideable. Expect 60-120 minute standby queues all year.
- Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge — flagship AR ride
- Power-Up Band ($40) — tracks coins, unlocks mini-games, team leaderboard
- Toadstool Cafe — themed quick-service (mushroom soup in bread bowl, Bowser burger)
- 1-UP Factory — merchandise and photo ops
Donkey Kong Country expansion (with Mine-Cart Madness coaster) is Orlando-only. Hollywood's Super Nintendo World is the smaller version.
Best Days to Visit
Wait times follow a predictable pattern. Your best bet for minimum crowds and lowest prices:
- Best: Tuesday or Wednesday in mid-January or first two weeks of December
- Good: Weekdays in late January, early February, early May, mid-September
- Busy: All weekends April-October, any day in June/July/August
- Worst: Christmas week, spring break (mid-March to mid-April), July 4 week
- Halloween Horror Nights: Sept-Oct evenings — separate ticket required
Aim to arrive 30 minutes before park opening. Rope-drop Mario Kart first (walk briskly to the Lower Lot), then Studio Tour, then Harry Potter. That sequence saves roughly 2.5 hours of queuing on a medium day.
Parking is $35 preferred, $30 general, or $15 after 6pm. For budget visits, park at the free IKEA Burbank lot (1.5 miles) and Uber in.
Quick Facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|
| 1-day ticket | $109-149 |
| Universal Express | $189-289 extra |
| VIP Experience | $449+ |
| Parking | $35 preferred / $30 general |
| Opening hours | 9am-9pm typical |
| Best days | Tue/Wed in January |
| Worst days | Sat in July, Christmas week |
Universal Studios Hollywood sits on a 415-acre working film studio in the Cahuenga Pass — the same lot where Jaws, Back to the Future and Jurassic Park were filmed. The theme park is split into two levels connected by the Starway, one of the longest escalators in the world.
🧮
USA Trip Cost Calculator
Planning a Los Angeles theme park trip? Get a personalised LA budget — park tickets, hotels near Universal, car rental and food costs.
Ticket Prices 2026
Universal uses dynamic pricing — the same ticket costs more on busy days than quiet days. Dates are grouped into five price tiers from Tier 1 (cheapest) to Tier 5 (peak).
- Tier 1 (cheapest weekdays, Jan-Feb): $109 adult / $103 child
- Tier 2 (mid-week off-season): $119 / $113
- Tier 3 (weekends off-season): $129 / $123
- Tier 4 (weekends + summer weekdays): $139 / $133
- Tier 5 (peak summer + holidays): $149 / $143
- Annual pass (silver): $324 — pays off after 3 visits
Children 2 and under are free. Pre-purchase online — gate tickets are $20 more and sell-out days are refused at the gate.
Universal Express Worth It?
Universal Express gives one-time front-of-line access to every ride and show. Unlike Disney, it's not free — but unlike Disney's Genie+, it's almost unlimited.
| Day type | Average standby | Express worth it? |
|---|
| Tue/Wed January | 20-30 min | No — save $189 |
| Weekday spring | 40-60 min | Borderline |
| Saturday spring | 60-90 min | Yes |
| Summer weekday | 75-120 min | Absolutely |
| Summer Saturday | 90-180 min | Essential |
Express pricing ranges from $189 on the slowest Tuesdays to $289 on peak Saturdays. The rule of thumb: if standby averages over 45 minutes, Express pays for itself in time saved — you'll ride everything in 6 hours instead of 11.
The Studio Tour
The Studio Tour is the single attraction that makes Universal Hollywood worth visiting. It's a 60-minute tram ride through an actual working movie studio backlot — one you cannot replicate at Universal Orlando or any other park.
- War of the Worlds crashed-airliner set
- Bates Motel and Psycho house (exterior)
- Jaws lagoon (shark attack on cue)
- King Kong 360 3-D tunnel by Peter Jackson
- Fast & Furious: Supercharged finale
- Wisteria Lane (Desperate Housewives)
- Flash flood simulation in Mexican Street
Sit on the left side of the tram for best views of the Psycho house and Wisteria Lane. Ride first thing in the morning (before 10am) when queues are 10 minutes instead of 60.
Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Hogsmeade village was replicated almost exactly from the Orlando original. Two rides, one show, and the best theming in any LA theme park.
- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey — flagship dark ride inside Hogwarts castle
- Flight of the Hippogriff — short family coaster (skip on busy days)
- Ollivanders wand shop — free interactive wand demo
- Interactive wands: $65 — triggers 20+ effects around Hogsmeade
- Butterbeer: $9 regular / $15 in souvenir mug (frozen version is the best)
Forbidden Journey is motion-simulator-heavy — if you get motion sick, use the single-rider queue (much shorter) or skip it. The ride is unchanged from 2016, so if you've done Orlando there's no new experience here.
Super Nintendo World
Opened February 2023, Super Nintendo World is the newest land at Universal Hollywood. It's smaller than the Osaka and Orlando versions but keeps the headline attraction: Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge.
Mario Kart uses AR visor glasses on a slow-moving track — you toss virtual shells at Koopas and race Bowser. It's short (4 minutes) but highly re-rideable. Expect 60-120 minute standby queues all year.
- Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge — flagship AR ride
- Power-Up Band ($40) — tracks coins, unlocks mini-games, team leaderboard
- Toadstool Cafe — themed quick-service (mushroom soup in bread bowl, Bowser burger)
- 1-UP Factory — merchandise and photo ops
Donkey Kong Country expansion (with Mine-Cart Madness coaster) is Orlando-only. Hollywood's Super Nintendo World is the smaller version.
Best Days to Visit
Wait times follow a predictable pattern. Your best bet for minimum crowds and lowest prices:
- Best: Tuesday or Wednesday in mid-January or first two weeks of December
- Good: Weekdays in late January, early February, early May, mid-September
- Busy: All weekends April-October, any day in June/July/August
- Worst: Christmas week, spring break (mid-March to mid-April), July 4 week
- Halloween Horror Nights: Sept-Oct evenings — separate ticket required
Aim to arrive 30 minutes before park opening. Rope-drop Mario Kart first (walk briskly to the Lower Lot), then Studio Tour, then Harry Potter. That sequence saves roughly 2.5 hours of queuing on a medium day.
Parking is $35 preferred, $30 general, or $15 after 6pm. For budget visits, park at the free IKEA Burbank lot (1.5 miles) and Uber in.