US then DL timing question

[Lucky'sMom]

I currently have a 2 night reservation at the Hilton at Universal Hollywood (the night before and night of our one day at US). We are then heading to DL (car service) for most likely a 3 day ticket (I was going to do a 2 day, but thought I might add on the 3rd day for a partial day on day #1). I won't have Express passes at US, because yikes, they are $260! I am now wondering if I should cancel the 2nd night at the Hilton (day of US) and travel to DL that evening, allowing us a full-day DL on Day #1. I had thought that we would need the full day and evening at US, but I'm reading lately that there aren't really that many attractions at US, and that we might finish up by late afternoon/early evening, even with a regular pass. Thoughts? Thanks so much!

 

[BrianL]

I currently have a 2 night reservation at the Hilton at Universal Hollywood (the night before and night of our one day at US). We are then heading to DL (car service) for most likely a 3 day ticket (I was going to do a 2 day, but thought I might add on the 3rd day for a partial day on day #1). I won't have Express passes at US, because yikes, they are $260! I am now wondering if I should cancel the 2nd night at the Hilton (day of US) and travel to DL that evening, allowing us a full-day DL on Day #1. I had thought that we would need the full day and evening at US, but I'm reading lately that there aren't really that many attractions at US, and that we might finish up by late afternoon/early evening, even with a regular pass. Thoughts? Thanks so much!

US can be done in a day, easily. They aren't even really open that late usually. I haven't been since they added the Harry Potter stuff, so that might add some time, but really US Hollywood is pretty small. The best and most time-consuming part is the Backlot Tour which is not only on an actual, working movie lot but incorporates several special effects sound stages and events. In my experience, if it is a weekday, the lines aren't that long. I also recommend you end your day with the Waterworld show, which is pretty great. Personally, I'd want to start my DL day as early as possible, so unless you want to leave Hollywood really early, I think it may be best to move along to Anaheim the night before.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I’d transfer to DL night of US. Start your morning with Disney magic, not LA traffic!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

A 3 day ticket purchased in advance (so not at the ticket booths) will give you a Magic Morning at DL. That extra early hour in FL and TL (on a Tuesday, Thursday, or a Saturday) can help you get a lot done. I agree with the previous posters. You can easily do USH in one day. Add a third full day to DLR.

 

[amyamya]

We visited US last year and got two day tickets but didn't even go the second day. There just isn't that much to do, like you said. Plus, aside from a couple of rides, there is nothing you really want to do over and over. If you get an early start you will be done by afternoon.

 

[DizneyMommy]

We visited US last year and got two day tickets but didn't even go the second day. There just isn't that much to do, like you said. Plus, aside from a couple of rides, there is nothing you really want to do over and over. If you get an early start you will be done by afternoon.

Pretty much this.

There are like 8 whole rides, but the lines can be stupid long, and then you get off and think, I waited 2 hours for that? It was consistently 240 minutes all day for one of the Harry Potter rides, 90-120 for everything else when we went on what should have been a slow-ish day in January. I can only tolerate US once every 5-7 years lol. I could not handle 2 days in a row of it.

 

[Lucky'sMom]

Thanks everyone! Now I'm questioning whether we should even go to US, but I really want to do the studio tour. We have been to US Orlando many times, so I'm afraid that we'll be disappointed with US Hollywood. And we always stay on-site for the front of the line perk.

 

[DizneyMommy]

Thanks everyone! Now I'm questioning whether we should even go to US, but I really want to do the studio tour. We have been to US Orlando many times, so I'm afraid that we'll be disappointed with US Hollywood. And we always stay on-site for the front of the line perk.

USH is nothing like Orlando. Not even close! It is small, and there are not enough things to do to suck up the number of people there. If the studio tour is your priority, I would go, but only if you expectations are in line with reality. The backlot tour goes through a few previously used outdoor sets like Wisteria Lane from Desperate Housewives, Whoville from the Grinch, and town square from a million things including the Back to the Future clock tower. If filming is going on somewhere, you can be diverted away and skip it. You don’t see the inside of any studio buildings, or anything really all that exciting IMO. I think celebrities are good at avoiding the tram line lol.
There are the jaws set, the fast and furious segment that is kind of crazy, and the subway that floods. I’ve ridden it a dozen times and it’s something to do but I wouldn’t personally go just for that.

Also ride it first thing in the morning, the line WILL get long, very long! Some people save it thinking it is a short line.

 

[mel2014]

We currently have season passes at Universal and have been three times in the past year. We're going one last time in May before our passes expire. I've over the studio tour after 3 visits, but my 9-year old loves it and insists we go again. My park strategy is: early entry to HP, do Forbidden Journey, Hippogriff, wait by Simpsons barriers for opening, ride Simpsons, ride Minion Mayham, go to lower lot, ride Mummy, Transformers, Jurassic, come back to upper lot (on an 8 am opening day, we're done with this by 10:45 ish), do studio tour, lunch at Three Broomsticks, Water World, done by 3ish. We added the Animal Actors show, Frog Choir and Spirit Rally on our last visit and were still done by 4:30.

If everyone in your group is willing to do single rider, I would reverse and do the Studio Tour first, then lower lot for Jurassic and single rider for Mummy and Transformers.

 

[BrianL]

Thanks everyone! Now I'm questioning whether we should even go to US, but I really want to do the studio tour. We have been to US Orlando many times, so I'm afraid that we'll be disappointed with US Hollywood. And we always stay on-site for the front of the line perk.

I would still go. I actually like US Hollywood much more than Orlando. Yeah, it's smaller, but I think the Studio Tour more than makes up for that. Riding it is like not only taking a tour of a real, working movie set, but also riding three attractions (plus some other little surprises). It's really great! Then there's the Waterworld show, which is the best stunt show of it's kind that I've seen.

It does sound like the crowds have really ratcheted up since the opening of Harry Potter. I can recall that the last time I went, lines were reasonably short on weekdays, and you could ride things like The Mummy over and over again with practically no wait. It sounds like those days are over though.

 

[DizneyMommy]

I would still go. I actually like US Hollywood much more than Orlando. Yeah, it's smaller, but I think the Studio Tour more than makes up for that. Riding it is like not only taking a tour of a real, working movie set, but also riding three attractions (plus some other little surprises). It's really great! Then there's the Waterworld show, which is the best stunt show of it's kind that I've seen.

It does sound like the crowds have really ratcheted up since the opening of Harry Potter. I can recall that the last time I went, lines were reasonably short on weekdays, and you could ride things like The Mummy over and over again with practically no wait. It sounds like those days are over though.

Oh yeah, those days are over. Harry Potter has turned crowds into mayhem.

 

[disneymum58]

I really recommend the Express Pass. We went for one day in April when the park closed at 6. We didn't see any shows but did go on the Studio Tour. My DIL and daughter were really into the rides! The difference I noticed between Express Pass (I bought the unlimited one and yes it was expensive) and FastPass is that there is no merging with the regular line. We literally walked right on to each ride, several times. They are also huge Harry Potter fans so needed time to use their interactive wand at each window possible. It was a fun day!

 

[A&S]

Last year we did stayed the night before our universal day and then headed into Anaheim after our universal day. We were picked up at 8pm from our hotel (in Hollywood). The whole day at universal was enough time and we liked heading straight into Anaheim that night and starting Disney early the next day.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

... We have been to US Orlando many times, so I'm afraid that we'll be disappointed with US Hollywood...

One important thing to keep in mind is that, unlike USO, USH is an actual working studio. So the business end takes priority over the theme park end. People who have USO in mind and come to USH expecting a full on theme park can feel let down. But it's better not to compare the two. They operate very differently because their overall business priorities are very different. So the theme park part of USH is fine, just smaller than their FL counterpart. But the studio part can be pretty cool. You never know which celebrities you might see going to meetings and whatnot there. (But I agree with the other posters -- one day should be enough.)