Universal City · RedAwning

Universal Studios HollywoodA working movie studio, eight major rides, and the Studio Tour that started it all

The original Universal — a 415-acre movie studio in Universal City that's been giving public tours since 1915, anchored by the world's longest tram tour through working backlots, plus Super Nintendo World, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and the Jurassic World drop ride.

Hours today10:00 AM – 6:00 PMThursday hours
TicketsFrom $1091-Day General Admission
LocationUniversal City, California100 Universal City Plaza
Official siteuniversalstudioshollywood.comPlan your visit

415Acres
1915Open since
8Major rides
9.1MAnnual visitors

Carl Laemmle opened the gates of Universal City to the public in March 1915 and charged twenty-five cents to watch silent films being shot on the lot — the first movie studio tour in history. The lot has been operating ever since, both as an active production studio and as the original Universal theme park, the prototype for every Universal park that followed.

Today the 415-acre property splits across two levels — the Upper Lot at the entrance, the Lower Lot down a four-story escalator — connected to CityWalk, a free outdoor promenade of restaurants and clubs. Eight major attractions anchor the rides: Super Nintendo World (opened 2023, with Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge), the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the Jurassic World ride, Revenge of the Mummy roller coaster, Transformers, and the world-famous Studio Tour — a forty-five-minute tram trip past Norman Bates' Psycho house, the Bates Motel, the Wisteria Lane set, and the Fast & Furious Supercharged finale.

Plan a full day. Weekends and the summer high season see two-hour ride waits without Express; weekdays in fall and early spring run 30-minute averages. Halloween Horror Nights (mid-September through early November) is a separately ticketed evening event and worth its own trip.

Studio Tour
The original 1915 backlot tour, expanded into a 45-minute tram trip past more than thirty filming locations including the Bates Motel, the Wisteria Lane set, the Fast & Furious Supercharged 3D finale, the King Kong 360 3D experience, and the Earthquake — The Big One soundstage. The single must-do at the park.
Super Nintendo World
Opened February 2023 — a fully immersive Mushroom Kingdom land with Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge, Yoshi's Adventure, Bowser's Castle, and a wearable Power-Up Band that turns the whole land into a real-life game. Reservations required during peak hours.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
An exact-scale replica of Hogsmeade Village built around a 60-foot Hogwarts Castle, anchored by Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (a robotic-arm dark ride) and Flight of the Hippogriff. Try Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks; wands in Ollivanders are interactive throughout the village.
Jurassic World — The Ride
Reimagined in 2019 — an outdoor water flume ride through a Jurassic World sanctuary that ends with an 84-foot drop into the lagoon below. The drop's the wettest seat in the park; ride before noon if you want to dry off in time for the Studio Tour.
Revenge of the Mummy
The park's only roller coaster — a high-speed indoor steel coaster through Imhotep's tomb, with a backwards launch, a 75-foot inverted drop, and a fireball finale. Forty-eight inch height requirement; the shortest ride at the park (90 seconds) but the most re-rideable.
Transformers: The Ride 3D
A 3D motion-base dark ride through the Battle for Cybertron — Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and Megatron in a fourteen-minute fight that uses the same ride system as Spider-Man at Universal Orlando. One of the most under-rated rides at the park.
DreamWorks Theatre featuring Kung Fu Panda
A 3D-projection-mapped dark theater experience — the park's family-friendly substitute for the old Shrek 4-D show. Twelve minutes, four shows an hour, almost never a wait. Good mid-afternoon recovery between bigger rides.
Halloween Horror Nights (Sept–Nov)
A separately ticketed evening event — the park transforms into ten themed haunted mazes (Stranger Things, The Last of Us, A Quiet Place, original Universal Monsters), four scare zones, and live shows. Tickets sell out for opening weekend by August.

Open hours

Hours vary seasonally — extended into the evening on weekends, holidays, and Halloween Horror Nights (Sept–Nov). Always check the official calendar before you go.

Monday10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Tuesday10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Wednesday10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
ThursdayToday10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Saturday9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Sunday9:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Note · Studio Tour seats fill first thing in the morning and again in the late afternoon — board it within the first hour of your visit.

Ticket pricing

Per-person admission. Buy in advance to skip the gate line.

1-Day General Admission$109Single-day base ticket, off-peak weekday
1-Day Peak$149Saturdays, holidays, and summer dates
Universal Express$199Skip the regular line once per ride, plus admission
VIP Experience$369Backlot walking tour, valet parking, gourmet lunch, unlimited Express

Prices vary daily and rise sharply for peak dates and holidays. Buy online for the lowest fare and to lock in a date. Parking is $32–$70 depending on lot. Annual passes from $269.

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