Universal Studios with young children

[pmama]

My children are not toddlers but they will be 4 and 8 for our visit. We are planning the Southern California City Pass. After reviewing Universal online I'm wondering if it's really worth the hassle of getting there because there doesn't seem like much to do. (Especially with the 4 year old.) I'm now considering making my own combination of passes to exclude Universal or perhaps not using that pass. Would there be much for the little one's to do?

Also, my DH and is father will be coming a little later in the week for just a couple of days. Would they be permitted to use the Universal passes (from Southern CA City Pass) or do they have to be used by the same people?

 

[Mom of three]

My children are not toddlers but they will be 4 and 8 for our visit. We are planning the Southern California City Pass. After reviewing Universal online I'm wondering if it's really worth the hassle of getting there because there doesn't seem like much to do. (Especially with the 4 year old.) I'm now considering making my own combination of passes to exclude Universal or perhaps not using that pass. Would there be much for the little one's to do?

Also, my DH and is father will be coming a little later in the week for just a couple of days. Would they be permitted to use the Universal passes (from Southern CA City Pass) or do they have to be used by the same people?

In all honesty, we got bored at Universal. There wasnt NEARLY as much stuff as the one in Orlando and aside from Jurassic Park and The Mummy, which even then could be scary for young ones, there was not a whole lot to do. We spent maybe half a day there. I was disappointed.

As far as your second question, I would imagine that they wouldnt even know if someone else used the passes. Im only speaking on the experience we had with DL tickets, dh and I not knowing who's is who's...are the SO CAL passes any different? How would they even know?

 

[pmama]

Thanks, I'm just familiar with WDW tickets where you have to get your finger scanned and your name is on the card (ticket). If the Southern CA tickets are just paper tickets without names that would be great. Then DH and his father could go to Universal and we could just be out the cost of the kids' passes. Does anyone know what the Southern CA tickets are like?

 

[Ron Nelson]

Hi pmama,

I tried to pm you but I do not know if it worked as I am new and trying to figure this all out. My family is going down to California this Friday (feb 27) and spending a week at disneyland and then a week in San Diego. We have the Seaworld, legoland, universal, knottsberry farm, san diego zoo and wildlife zoo booked to go to. I know that when my dd was 4 and we went to Universal it was a total waste of money as she could not do anything and you can only get your face painted so many times. What I would recomend is to measure everyone and then go to universal studios home page and look at ride restrictions to see what they can and cannot go on, that is what we have done for this vacation. when we get back I will let you know how the trip went and update you on what the kids enjoyed and what they didn't quite enjoy.

when do you head down for your trip?

Ron

 

[Disneylvrforever]

The tix are finger scanned, even for a paper ticket. I know this bc my friend came w/ me one day and she couldn't figure out which finger to put in the scanner.

 

[pmama]

The tix are finger scanned, even for a paper ticket. I know this bc my friend came w/ me one day and she couldn't figure out which finger to put in the scanner.

Thanks for replying on my thread about the City Passes. This is the first I've heard that they're finger scanned. You wouldn't think Universal would be hooked up to the same finger scanning system as Disney would you?

 

[MichaelColey]

We did the CityPass last month with our 3 and 5 year old, so we went to all of those parks. In addition to the places included on the CityPass, we also went to Six Flags Magic Mountain (we have season passes locally that are good there) and Legoland.

Disneyland was by far our favorite.

Universal was our second favorite. There's plenty there for the kids. Is the 4-year old 42" yet? (Our 3-year old was, so she was able to go on tons of things - and loved it all - she's fearless.)

Legoland was a close third (and probably second if you ask the kids). Your kids are at the ideal age for it. Don't miss it. If you're taking a long enough vacation to spend a few days there, you can get a 3 month pass at Costco for about the price of 1 day at the gate. If not, at least do 1 day (Costco has those passes, too).

SeaWorld and the San Diego Zoo were good as well.

I do not recommend Six Flags Magic Mountain with young kids. There's almost nothing for them to do. Even without kids, the place is really run down and nowhere near as magical as Disney.

FWIW, you save enough buying the CityPasses (and Legoland passes) at Costco that it more than pays for the membership fee.

Also, if you plan on going back (or want more than 3 days), you can upgrade your pass to a longer one or even a Season's Pass. We upgraded ours to season's passes for an extra $90 (adults) and $120 (kids) each. You can do that as late as your third day while you're in the park.

 

[MichaelColey]

As far as others using the CityPass, I think you're not supposed to but it might work. I'm trying to remember what each park did. I'm not sure I have it right, but this is what I seem to remember:

Disneyland: Just scanned the card on your first and printed a regular Disneyland 3-day pass that you used for the other two days.

SeaWorld: I don't remember. I think they just scanned it.

San Diego Zoo: Punched a hole in the CityPass card.

Universal: Scanned it and required us to write our names and the date on the card.

I think this could be a major YMMV thing.

 

[MichaelColey]

A little more about Universal and kids...

Here were some of the things my kids (3 and 5) enjoyed (or at least tolerated while we enjoyed) at Universal, roughly in the order that they liked them:

• Shrek 4D - we did this 2 or 3 times
• Curious George ball pit
• Various characters - We saw Shrek, Donkey, Fiona, Sponge Bob, Curious George, Dora, Scooby Doo, Shaggy, and others.
• Jurassic Park ride (46" - my daughter couldn't go, although she loved the idential one in Orlando which only has a 42" restriction)
• The Simpson's ride (40" minimum)
• Studio Tour

Some of the things they didn't care for were T2 3D, Backdraft, and the Special Effects stage. All were just a little too scary. Not bad, but just not really intended for little kids.

It's definitely worth spending a day there with kids.

 

[pmama]

A little more about Universal and kids...

Here were some of the things my kids (3 and 5) enjoyed (or at least tolerated while we enjoyed) at Universal, roughly in the order that they liked them:

• Shrek 4D - we did this 2 or 3 times
• Curious George ball pit
• Various characters - We saw Shrek, Donkey, Fiona, Sponge Bob, Curious George, Dora, Scooby Doo, Shaggy, and others.
• Jurassic Park ride (46" - my daughter couldn't go, although she loved the idential one in Orlando which only has a 42" restriction)
• The Simpson's ride (40" minimum)
• Studio Tour

Some of the things they didn't care for were T2 3D, Backdraft, and the Special Effects stage. All were just a little too scary. Not bad, but just not really intended for little kids.

It's definitely worth spending a day there with kids.

Wow Thanks Michael!

You answer all my questions. I am so glad to hear your little ones liked Universal. It sounds like you had the City pass card and not the booklet. Did you get it from Costco? I've been looking into Costco and wasn't sure if they gave the booklet or card. If DL gives you seperate entrance cards that would be great!

We've also been considering upgrading to a 4-day DL instead of 3-day. I called DL to get an answer on how much more that would be but couldn't get an answer. The mousesavers sight says you are credited $199 for the 3-day pass. If that is true it would be $25 for an additional day pp. Does that sound right?

Thanks again.

 

[MichaelColey]

The Southern California CityPasses from Costco are cards. I'm not positive, but I think all SoCal CityPasses are. (I think I've had books for other cities in years past.)

We got $179 credit for the adults and $149 credit for the kids. The Season's Pass was $269, so we paid $90 and $120. We'll use it at least one more time (next month) and probably two (maybe next January), so it'll be well worth it for us.

If I found the right prices on the DL site...

4-day passes are $194 and $164, so it should be $15 each to upgrade to those.

5-day passes are $204 and $174, so it should be $25 each to upgrade to those.

6-day passes are $209 and $179, so it should be $30 each to upgrade to those.

I think there are some threads from people who upgraded to additional days, so you might want to check around to confirm. (Or maybe one of them will see this thread and respond.)

 

[pmama]

The Southern California CityPasses from Costco are cards. I'm not positive, but I think all SoCal CityPasses are. (I think I've had books for other cities in years past.)

We got $179 credit for the adults and $149 credit for the kids. The Season's Pass was $269, so we paid $90 and $120. We'll use it at least one more time (next month) and probably two (maybe next January), so it'll be well worth it for us.

If I found the right prices on the DL site...

4-day passes are $194 and $164, so it should be $15 each to upgrade to those.

5-day passes are $204 and $174, so it should be $25 each to upgrade to those.

6-day passes are $209 and $179, so it should be $30 each to upgrade to those.

I think there are some threads from people who upgraded to additional days, so you might want to check around to confirm. (Or maybe one of them will see this thread and respond.)

Thanks for your help. That's a bit disturbing that you were not credited the amount I read on mousesavers. Additionally, from what I've heard if you upgrade at the park you pay the price at gate which is not the discounted price shown on the internet. If so, the crossed out gate prices posted are $224/$194. If so it would not be worth it for us to pay the difference for just one day. That would be $45 pp. Still less than one day entrance but not as good as I'd hoped.