r/universalstudios • • Nov 01 '23

Mod Post Welcome to r/universalstudios! Please read this if you’re a first-time visitor to this subreddit.

20 Upvotes

Hello there, and welcome to r/universalstudios!

Ask questions, provide answers, upload photos and vlogs, share tips, and propose discussions about the Universal parks and resorts around the world.

From Hollywood to Beijing and beyond, whether you’re new to theme parks as a whole, new to Universal parks, new to this subreddit, or a veteran of all three, all guests are welcome here. :)

News on all parks: https://blog.discoveruniversal.com/

***Before you post and comment, be sure to read the rules in the sidebar and follow them to make sure your posts don’t get deleted.\*\**

Also, please read the frequently asked questions below or use the Reddit search function to see if your question (or a similar one) has already been answered before you ask. This cuts down on the clutter and may help you find an answer faster than waiting for a response from one of our readers. Thanks!


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

How crowded is [insert date here]? OR When is the best date to go?

Everyone has different tolerances for crowds. If you want to know how generally crowded your park of choice might be, https://www.isitpacked.com/ can provide a very simple forecast of crowd levels up to about two months in advance on their crowd calendar.

Of course, a bit of common sense thinking can go a long way here, too. Spend some time thinking about when people are most likely to visit, and your intuition will probably be correct.

For example, the American parks will generally be busier during:

  • Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays
  • School breaks, though these are generally spread out over a long time frame since the colleges and local K-12 districts have minute differences in their assigned breaks.
    • Spring breaks (mid-March to mid-April)
    • Summer breaks (mid-June to mid-August)
    • Thanksgiving breaks (entire week of Thanksgiving including the last Thursday of November)
    • Winter breaks (mid-December to early January)
  • 3-day weekends for mandated federal holidays (yes, the day of the holiday itself will also generally be busier)

If you’re traveling to the Asian parks, take their holidays and school breaks into consideration instead to figure out when to go.

Is Express worth it for [insert date here]?

Everyone has different comfort levels for waits and enjoyment levels for attractions. If you want to know the wait times of attractions, https://www.thrill-data.com/ is a fantastic resource that lets you find historical data and look at charts across hours, weeks, days, and even months. Search for the park you want to view, then change the data date at will. If you want to determine if Express is “worth it” for you, think about how long you’d want to wait for an attraction, compare that to the wait times you see on Thrill Data for recent days and the same time period from the past year, and make a decision for yourself. Express will generally cost $100+ when bought on its own in the parks for the day.

FastPass is not a thing at Universal parks. That was a Disney thing (and it no longer operates there, either). If you’re having trouble finding tips for how to use “Fast Pass” at Universal when searching online, try using the term “Express” instead.

If you’re still on the fence about what is “worth it” to you or not, watch some ride POV videos on YouTube for the attractions you’re interested in that also include the queues. You’ll then be more informed about what experience you’re in for and, after taking the numerical data into consideration, can decide for yourself.

I need to change the date of my ticket; how do I do that? OR I have an issue with the tickets I bought. What should I do?

The folks on Reddit can’t help you with those kinds of questions. You should call the proper support number. Each location has a different phone number for such queries.

For Universal Orlando Resort inquiries, check here.

For Universal Studios Hollywood inquiries, check here.

Please remember that ANY POSTS OFFERING TO BUY, SELL, OR TRADE TICKETS, PASSES, AND OTHER GOODS WILL BE REMOVED. Giveaways are allowed only after written documented approval is received from the mod team and are subject to be removed if the terms for the approved giveaway do not match the actual giveaway. Thank you for your cooperation.

Can I add Express to my Annual Pass/third-party ticket for the day? OR Can I add Early Access to Super Nintendo World in Hollywood to my Annual Pass/third-party ticket for the day?

YES! If you're an Orlando or Hollywood guest, you should be able to purchase Express using the Universal app of your destination to add to any stored tickets and passes you may have in your Wallet. For Early Access to SNW in Hollywood, you must purchase it online before the date of your intended visit. Be aware that both ticket add-ons are able to sell out, so buy early if you want to secure them.

What is the best food at [insert park here]?

Use the search function. We’ve got a multitude of threads available with a multitude of answers and perspectives (for the American parks, at least. Information on the Asian parks can be difficult to come by). If you’re not sure what food is available at each resort, visit their respective websites to learn more.

For Universal Orlando Resort dining options, check here.

For Universal Studios Hollywood dining options, check here.

In what order should I tackle each ride at [insert park here]?

Use https://www.thrill-data.com/ to see which attractions build up crowds quickly, and try to hit those when they’re not yet at their peak. In the case of Hollywood, for example, guests will generally find that starting in the Lower Lot is more effective (except saving Mario Kart for nighttime). If you’re arriving early, you’re generally better off hitting the attractions that support Express before the people with Express can hit them.

Can I bring [insert item here] to [insert park here]?

Each destination has its own list of banned items visible on its respective website.

For Universal Orlando Resort policies, check here.

For Universal Studios Hollywood policies, check here.

I need help with Super Nintendo World in Hollywood!

We’ve got the biggest Megathread on the site! Check here.

The recommended step-by-step for the area strongly differs depending on when you enter the area, the crowd levels in the area at the time, and your personal preferences. Use the search function in the subreddit. We’ve got many threads with a variety of different strategies that have worked to varying degrees of success for you to thumb through.


For additional information, check each park’s official website and use the search bar to find what you’re looking for. It’s usually the magnifying glass in the upper right corner of the page.


Thanks for reading to the end, and enjoy your stay here at r/universalstudios!


r/universalstudios • • 5h ago

Orlando I could spend a month here just taking photos

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67 Upvotes

Cant go without my camera this place is just so pretty


r/universalstudios • • 11h ago

Orlando Universal Holiday tour? Or wait for Grinch Character to drop?

1 Upvotes

I called Universal today and they have no idea when reservations for the Grinch breakfast will open up or even if it’ll open up. Should I just do the holiday tour instead? I wanna make sure my girl meets the Grinch!

The universal employee made it sound appealing and I am watching videos on YouTube and it seems like you get a lot of bang for your buck.

Suggestions please !


r/universalstudios • • 19h ago

Orlando What’s a character that used to appear at universal that you wish would come back

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2 Upvotes

r/universalstudios • • 20h ago

Orlando Universal Holiday tour? Or wait for Grinch Character to drop?

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0 Upvotes

r/universalstudios • • 1d ago

Hollywood A Look Behind the Scenes of Universal Studios Hollywood's Original King Kong Encounter — Archival Footage from 1989

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12 Upvotes

r/universalstudios • • 1d ago

Singapore Universal studios singapore visit in weekend

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0 Upvotes

r/universalstudios • • 1d ago

Singapore Universal studios singapore visit in weekend

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1 Upvotes

r/universalstudios • • 1d ago

Hollywood Help with plans for this week

0 Upvotes

We have 2 days in Universal Studios Hollywood for Thursday and Friday this week. We do have the Express Pass for the first day. We do not have early entry. I do know that Jurassic World - The Ride is closed and park hours are 9:00 am to 6:00 pm both days. How would you suggest we plan our days? How early do we want to get to the park and do you have any recommendations for a strategy for both days (first day Express Pass and second day without)? Are there any rides we should expect to get wet on? We will have 4 people, (ages 17 and 21 and two parents).

I assume that we are allowed to take in our own snacks and water bottles?

For Fast & the Furious should we do single rider or is it worth riding with your family? What's a typical wait time since it isn't an Express Pass ride?

Anything else I should know?


r/universalstudios • • 2d ago

Orlando Would it be better to go to Universal Studios Florida on a 9am-5pm day or 10am-7pm day next week?

2 Upvotes

I'm going to be going to Universal for 3 days next week from Oct 19-21 (Mon-Wed). Obviously, this is during HHN so hours are impacted but I've never been to Universal before so I wanted to check with yall. No expresses passes or anything - that was a bit too pricy for me since it was more than the tickets themselves.

Based on the calendar, Epic is open 10am-8pm all three days, IoA is 9am-8pm all three days, while Universal Studios is 10am-7pm on Tuesday and 9am-5pm on Monday and Friday.

My assumption was that Monday will be the lightest day for Epic (since it's not a HHN day), Tuesday with the long hours would be best for Universal Studios, and then IoA on Wednesday.

However, I saw people online saying that 9am-5pm days are better cause more people avoid them so you can do more stuff even with less hours. Is this true? If so, I'll swap Epic and Universal which might be better anyways since Monday is gonna be the rainiest day and I imagine Universal is least impacted by rain.


r/universalstudios • • 1d ago

Orlando Holiday Season in the Parks

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1 Upvotes

r/universalstudios • • 2d ago

Hollywood [1989 Archival Footage] Behind the Scenes of King Kong Encounter at Universal Studios Hollywood (1986–2008)

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6 Upvotes

r/universalstudios • • 3d ago

Orlando DO NOT support the hhn subreddit, mods actively censor and ban me for addressing guests who sexually assault scare actors. NSFW

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247 Upvotes

The mods on the hhn subreddit have banned me aswell as removed my post and muted me from messaging them over a post bringing awareness to guests who sexually assault scare actors. This is very clearly censorship and is very alarming considering the importance of this topic.


r/universalstudios • • 2d ago

Frisco Went check out Universal Kids this weekend

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1 Upvotes

r/universalstudios • • 3d ago

Hollywood Battle of Galactica at Universal Studios Hollywood – Vintage 1980 Postcard

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6 Upvotes

Here's a look inside Battle of Galactica at Universal Studios Hollywood, captured in a vintage postcard photograph from 1980.

Inspired by the original Battlestar Galactica television series, this Studio Tour attraction operated from 1979 to 1992. Guests encountered Cylons, animatronic figures, live performers, and elaborate laser effects as they rode the Studio Tour tram through the attraction.

The attraction eventually made way for Back to the Future: The Ride, which opened in 1993.

For anyone curious about what the experience actually looked like, we've also preserved vintage footage from 1979 showing part of the attraction in operation. It's not the complete show, but it offers a fascinating glimpse into this long-gone Studio Tour experience.

Watch the archival footage here:

Battle of Galactica – Universal Studios Hollywood Studio Tour (1979)

This postcard and video are part of the Cow Missing historical archive, dedicated to preserving the history of theme parks, attractions, and experiences that are no longer around.

Did anyone here experience Battle of Galactica in person? I'd love to hear your memories of this classic Studio Tour attraction!


r/universalstudios • • 2d ago

Orlando Best time to visit Universal Orlando

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1 Upvotes

I work in the school system and this school year looks like I have plenty of opportunities to visit Universal Orlando for the first time. I have a week long break in Feb and Spring break in March/April. I want to know which two options is best to visit Universal Orlando and should I stay on resort or near the park?


r/universalstudios • • 3d ago

Hollywood If you early access to Nintendo world (and have a park ticket), can you go straight to Fast and the Furious Ride?

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1 Upvotes

r/universalstudios • • 3d ago

Orlando Least crowded day to go to Volcano Bay before it closes October 26?

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2 Upvotes

r/universalstudios • • 3d ago

Orlando HHN Orlando 28/10/26

2 Upvotes

Hi! I'm traveling alone from Uruguay and I'll be attending Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando on Wednesday, October 28, 2026. I'm looking for a group or other alone travelers to experience the event together. Is anyone going that night and interested in meeting up? I'd love to enjoy the haunted houses and scare zones with others! . Regards, Fernanda


r/universalstudios • • 4d ago

Orlando Hagrids line for early admission

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214 Upvotes

r/universalstudios • • 3d ago

Orlando Revenge of the mummy delayed?

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0 Upvotes

Walked into the ride yesterday and it was delayed and back in the park again today and it's delayed anyone know what's going on?


r/universalstudios • • 3d ago

Orlando Cabana Bay Family Suite Question

2 Upvotes

Can anyone weigh in on how opaque the screen between the bedroom and living area is in the Cabana Bay Family Suites? We are specifically concerned about how much light will leak through if someone is on the couch using a phone/tablet while people are sleeping in the bedroom area.

Thank you.


r/universalstudios • • 4d ago

Orlando Universal Studios Best Restaurants?

6 Upvotes

Hi everyone! The title says it all. I’m going to universal next year and I’d love some advice on which restaurants are your favorite. I do love an indoor sit down restaurant at a theme park, but I’m also open to quick grab and go places. We are doing all the parks, but may or may not do Volcano Bay. Let me know what you love! Thank you!


r/universalstudios • • 3d ago

Hollywood I'm Hosting a Power-Up Band Stamp Boot Camp Meetup on Sunday 10/18/26

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1 Upvotes

r/universalstudios • • 3d ago

Orlando Universal Resort room setup recs with a toddler?

0 Upvotes

Taking our almost 2 year old to Universal in January for the first time and need help with which resort and room layout would be best for us.

We have a Disney trip booked and we are adding on a couple of days in Universal with the in-laws. We will likely come back during the day for naps and flying in to Orlando with no car rental so just eating in parks and at the resort. She's not obsessed with any characters, so don't care too much about hotel themes, etc. She has fun going anywhere new!

At Disney we have Polynesian Deluxe Studio room booked so we can use one of the bathrooms in the hotel room as her "room" at night. Does Universal have anything remotely similar?

We'd love to be able to have her pack n play in a closet or separate area instead of the main room/bathroom so we can still have the tv on, shower, or hang out in our room once she goes down for the night. We don't travel much at all and she's a lighter sleeper and I'd hate to find out the hard way a Slumberpod wasn't going to work for us. I considered the Aventura kids suite to be able to have her sleep in her own area, but would love any other recs from more seasoned parents and travelers!