Knotts Berry Farm vs Disneyland

Disclosure:  I was given Knotts Tickets for our family and have gotten Disneyland tickets at times in the past, but no posting requirements were included.  All opinions are my own.

Differences between Knotts Berry Farms & Disneyland

Disneyland is truly a magical place.  I don’t think of it as a theme park, but as more of a destination.

Knotts Berry is a theme park (owned by Cedar Fair, which owns a LOT of US theme parks).  And frankly, probably the best one I’ve been to.

Knotts has big rides — HUGE rides, that are super fun.  It’s well-kept, themed well, has good food, and is great for a family day.

Disneyland has smaller rides, with more imagination.  There is something for every member of your family to delight in.  It has a high standard of cleanliness, has great food, and is a destination for family travel.

BUT, each one has its place.  I’ve talked a TON about Disneyland tips — so, today I’ll talk more about Knotts Berry and what is great about it!

Knotts Berry Farms Ticket Pricing

If you’re looking more into Disneyland — check out my Disneyland budget and my Disneyland trip calculator.

Knotts Berry Farms Tickets (when bought online at the time of publication) are about half the price (or more — depending on when you go) of Disneyland. That is HUGE. If you have other things you’d prefer to spend your money on, but still have a fun vacation, that makes Knotts a great option!

Plus, Disneyland has the whole park hopper/Genie+ add-on, so that adds to the price as well.

Let me spell it all out for you in a table. Please note that both parks have dynamic pricing for 1-day tickets (meaning it’s more expensive on weekends, etc).

Disneyland tickets vary from about $90 to $169/day (this is why most people prefer multi-day tickets — your price/day goes WAY Down). Knotts seems to vary from $69-$89

Keep in mind that with Disneyland “Genie” you only get to use each Lightening Lane once, vs the Knotts Berry farms Fast Lane allows you to the ride the same rides over and over if you’d prefer. It is a much better value for people who want to ride a few times many times in one day.

Like most places, I recommend buying your tickets before the gate (buying at the gate is one of my biggest Disneyland Mistakes)…..

I have a whole post on if you can buy your tickets to Disneyland at the gate (you shouldn’t, and 99% of days you can’t) — that shares the CHEAPEST way to get Disneyland tickets!

Knotts Berry Farms Discount Tickets

My #1 choice for Southern California tickets is Get Away Today.  You can usually get Knotts tickets on this page (just scroll down a bit to find the Knotts tickets). FYI, sometimes Knotts has sales that make buying off their site cheaper, but Get Away Today will price-match their ticket prices.

You can also get great prices on Universal, Disneyland, Sea World, and more (and when you combo them, you save even more!).

I would 100% recommend pricing a Knotts hotel in the area with them as well.  They have the best price guarantee.

2025 Note: I often see that Get Away Today is not selling Knotts tickets, in that case I do think your best bet is to purchase through Knotts online.

Knotts Berry Farms Hotels

If you plan to go to Disneyland as well, I would get your hotel location based on Disneyland, and drive (or Uber) to Knotts.  They’re actually quite close to each other.

If you’re just going to Knotts, they have their own hotel — The Knotts Hotel

We actually stayed there at our last visit and I was nervous because the hotel doesn’t get great reviews.

The hotel has recently been updated and the rooms were nice, but it was definitely a surface remodel. The rooms were loud, and the handle on my sink came off when I turned it to hot. However, it’s SUPER close to Knotts, and if I was visiting Knotts again I’d probably stay there.

• The price is great — check it out here
• It’s so close
• The rooms were comfortable, just loud.

**AND when you book with Get Away Today you get REDUCED PRICE PARKING which is a nice savings!

There are some great deals that can be found if you want to go to Knotts and stay at their hotel. Their packages can be found here.

If where you stay is important to you, we have also stayed with the Ayres chain that is in LA (we stayed in their Seal Beach Location — and Get Away Today can book any hotel if you call them).  Get Away Today offers a few of them. They have an AMAZING breakfast, the rooms are large and we really enjoyed our stay there.

They also recommend the Holiday Inn Buena Park — which is at a great price point.

Disneyland to Knotts Berry Farms

They aren’t far from each other at all.

Personally, I find the area around Disneyland to be much harder to navigate, so we usually stay near Disneyland and drive to Knotts on the day we are headed there.

This shows to take the 5, but we often drive down Ball and then turn north just past the 39 — there are some fun things to see along the way.

I also checked the price for an Uber/Lyft, and it was about $25 each way (obviously depending on timing) to go from Disneyland to Knotts.

Knotts Berry Farms Rides

Knotts Berry Farms has rides for everyone in your party.  Even with small children, Knotts can be very fun.  There is a Snoopy area, and lots of other fun rides for kids & families (more on that).  Many of the rides don’t have height restrictions, and kids will find them SUPER fun.

I think Knotts can be fun for kids of all ages, similar to Disneyland.

Knotts is split into areas.   There are lots of rides and something for every taste.  However, they are much more amusement-park-like rides, unlike Disneyland which seems to have its own brand of rides.

Of particular note of popular rides:

• GhostRider — a great wooden roller coaster, my husband said it’s one of the best he’s ever been on (you can see it in the photo above). I rode it for the first time recently and REALLY enjoyed it.
• Knotts Berry Tales — an interactive dark ride where you learn the history of Knotts and “shoot” things.
• Timber Mountain Log Ride — A log flume — has a lot of story to it.  Very similar to Splash mountain, we really enjoyed it (and didn’t get TOO wet)
• Silver bullet — a hanging-type coaster.
• Calico Mine Train — This is a family-friendly fun ride through a mining mountain.  It’s like Knotts Berry’s Pirates of the  Caribbean.
• HangTime — this was their newest ride when I went and has one of the steepest drops of a coaster on the west coast.
• Xcelerator — Another steel rollercoaster that is amazing – per my husband, because I am NOT a roller coaster rider

There is also a raft ride and lots of spinning rides.   Like I said, most of your basic amusement park rides.

I will say if you’re a lot on the overweight side, Disneyland will likely be more comfortable.

There were a couple of rides that I was too big to ride (or very uncomfortable buckled in).

Also, if you’re pregnant, there isn’t a ton for you (but you could still have a fun day. There are a lot of places to sit down, and a few rides you could enjoy. Knotts is MUCH easier on my feet.

Knotts Soak City

Knotts also has a water park tied to it called Soak City. You can get tickets to it here. It’s only open during the summer months, and is just your basic water park. It was crowded, but spread out enough I didn’t feel claustrophobic. They had a nice locker system and changing area. It’s across the street from Knotts. Most people that are doing Soak City have a pass and are enjoying both. I would not recommend buying Knotts Theme park tickets, and adding on Soak City also.

On our stay we went to Soak City on our arrival day for a few hours and then went to Knotts the next day.

Camp Snoopy & Other Options for Little Kids

Camp Snoopy has been re-done in 2024. As I toured it I will say most of it looked pretty familiar, just some re-theming, new coats of paint, etc. Lots of times to visit snoopy and places to explore. This area tends to have rides for small kids similar to other amusement parks.

There is also the Ghost Town area that has informational stuff on the history of California and sometimes extra fun for little kids (especially at Halloween and Christmas). Lots of interactive experiences (including a blacksmith etc). That type of interactive entertainment isn’t just for Disney. When I was there they also had “Ghost Town Alive” where characters would talk to kids and it was super interactive and fun!

One of the biggest perks for small kids is not having to wait long for rides. Anyone who’s waited an hour for Buzz Lightyear with a 2-year-old knows from whence I speak.

Note: Fast Lane does not work for any of the rides in Camp Snoopy — so Getting smaller kids that would be of no use, just FYI.

Knotts Berry Farms Rides for Teenagers

Like most amusement parks — Knotts is a mecca for teenagers. yes, while they will likely skip Camp Snoopy (and the many routes through the park makes that doable, the rest of the park is perfect for them).

While not impossible, I think Knotts is a little harder to do with kids of all ages.

Knotts Berry Farms Rides for Adults

I think adults will find a lot of fun at Knotts as well. Because it’s not as crowded you aren’t constantly faced with teenagers who will annoy you. There are a lot of really nicely themed areas and adults also appreciate the lack of lines.

Knotts Berry Farms Crowds

In general Knotts is much less crowded than Disneyland. But, at crowded times at Disneyland, Knotts also tends to be quite crowded.

We went the 3rd of July, and it was BU-SY. Thankfully, we had fast lane passes.  That got us on to the rides quite quickly, and I think they were 100% necessary on that day — I would not have wanted to go to the park without them.

There are times that ride wait times will get to about 3 hours (looking at you Ghostrider).

On a regular day, I think the Fast Lane passes might not be worth it.  You can add them to your pass in the park if you decide to do so  (you can get them at many of the stores).

Knotts Berry Farms Entertainment

I have to say that I’m not sad that my kids aren’t too into the “shows” anymore.

Knotts has great shows, some of the best I’ve seen at amusement parks. They also have great bands and characters around the park. WAY better than your “average” amusement park.

But, Disneyland has broadway-esque ones. So, for me, there isn’t much of a comparison. The win to Disneyland on this one.

Knotts Berry Farms Parking

Knotts doesn’t have a lot of hotels that are within walking distance, but there is plenty of parking in the area it is currently $30, vs the $35 it costs at Disneyland. 

As far as WHICH parking lot at Knotts, I recommend the North lot — it seems to be closest to the main entrance.

Food at Knotts Berry Farms.

Knotts has a LOT of food options, and I found the pricing to be pretty great in comparison to Disneyland food.

We got some Carne Asada fries that were really yummy, and very shareable — just near the Fiesta Plaza.

We got those in the afternoon and then had an early dinner at Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Restaurant.

It was pretty good, and HUUUUUGE.  I would recommend ordering the fried chicken dinners — My adult son and I split and we still couldn’t eat even close to all of it.  it included:

• Soup
• Salad
• Biscuits (SO yummy, with their delicious KNOTTS jam)
• 4 pieces of chicken
• Mashed potatoes
• Corn
• Pie

All that is around $30.  I think 3 of us could have split that dinner!

Disney also has a great chicken dinner, at a bit lower price point, but less food.  I think their chicken is better (you can find it at the Plaza Inn at the end of Main street).

Pro Tip: Knotts has a bit different rules on what you can bring inside vs what you can bring to Disneyland, so be aware.

My favorite Knotts treat is to get the funnel cake but with the ice cream and the topping on the side. That way the funnel cake stays warm and doesn’t get mushy with all the liquids on it. They didn’t even hesitate when I asked for it on the side. So good after a long day at the park!

Knotts All Day Dining

This last time we went I tried the Knotts all-day dining package. It was around $37 I think. It allows you to get a full meal every 90 minutes. There were 3 of us, and we just got one. Obviously, it could be a GREAT value if you do it right:

• Get a meal every 90 minutes
• Enjoy the types of foods offered on this meal plan.

Some downsides:

Obviously, this is just for “one person” (although there are no rules about who can eat the food, they’re just very clear that only one person can purchase the food — you are given a wristband). So, THAT person has to stand in line to get the food each time.

This only includes MEALS. Much of the offered food is fries or burgers. During Our day, we got:

• Carne asada fries in the Fiesta Village
• Orange chicken from Panda Express
• Pizza & a salad

In total that food would have been around $45, and we just paid $32. But sadly, this meal plan does NOT include the delicious chicken dinner.

Pro Tip: The Boardwalk BBQ has HUGE meals and are included in the wristband — it was yummy, easily split-able and I’d recommend it!

You’re stuck. The Panda Express line stretched far out of the restaurant, but since I’d already paid the money I was stuck eating at those venues. I also couldn’t just decide we’d rather sit down for the chicken dinner.

Be aware of open/closing. There are no breakfast options on the meal plan, which made it so we couldn’t even get a meal til’ around 11. We’d hoped to get some tots, but that place was closed, so we went for Pizza. Just be aware of those things. Also, if you plan to leave early that limits how many meals you can get since it’s just one every 90 minutes.

The Lines for Food are Long — in reality, you almost need to get in LINE about every 75 minutes, because some of the lines are long. It was fine for me because my kids love big rides and I don’t mind sitting out — but again, something to think about. It did take up a considerable amount of my day.

Honestly, for the 3 of us, it was a decent amount of food for the day. The portions are pretty decent. If our boys were there, I would think 2 bands would do all of us for the day.

Pro Tip: What to BRING to Knotts is very similar to what to pack for Disneyland.

Knotts All-Inclusive Vacation:

As I was typing all of this up — you could get a REALLY sweet Knotts Vacation (pricing is current in July 2023)

• Stay 2-nights at the Knotts Hotel for $304
• Get a 1-day knotts ticket for $60-$70 (looks like weekends are higher)
• Option: Add Fast Lane in the Parks for $99-$119 (busier days being more expensive)
• Optional: Add the all-day eating for $32’ish (might be able to knock off a kid or two depending on if they’re big eaters)

For a family of 4, here’s your pricing (and I’m using average pricing)

• $564 without fast lane
• $964 with fast lane
• You’d even be just over $1,000 if you added in food.

This gives you a total of under $1000 for all the food and fun for 2 days (you’d only get one day of the food pass, I’d recommend splitting a couple of meals at the chicken dinner spot your first day).

I’ve recently seen some Knotts hotel packages that include fast lane — which is a nice option. I love going back to relax there in the afternoon!

Honestly, that’s less than just our Disneyland tickets cost us. Just putting that out there. Be sure to check out my Disneyland Budget. You can also get a better idea in my Disneyland All-Inclusive Packages post.

But, here’s some basic comparative pricing (and I want to be clear that most people visit Disneyland for more than one day, but I want to compare apples to apples):

• 1-day Ticket ($169-$104) I’m taking an average day at $144
• 2-nights at The Anaheim Hotel $430 (this is a similar type of hotel that is close to Disneyland)

The total for those for four is: $1,006 (so, basically double what Disneyland was)

If you add Genie the price goes up to $1106, and if you add park hopping to that it goes up to $1,366

Anyway, that’s just to give you some pricing ideas. The pricing does vary a bit depending on when you go, for both parks. I have a whole post on the cheapest time to go to Disneyland.

Knotts vs Disneyland at the Holidays

We actually attended Knott’s and Disneyland last fall for both of their Halloween festivities.

While Disneyland is certainly amazing at Halloween, I was really impressed by how Knotts did it up.  Our kids were able to trick or treat (no additional charge) and the ghost town was done up really fun.

A few of the rides (especially the log flume) were done up for Halloween.  Although, I am pretty sure my kids are scarred for life from the Log Flume — it’s a little weird, and the music is certainly an earworm.

Knotts does Knott’s Scary Farms in the evenings in the park and I hear it’s some of the scariest stuff in the area, which has ZERO appeal to me. So, there’s that.

They also do a “Knott’s spooky farm” during the day for the littles where ghosts hang out in the Ghost town. It’s pretty fun. Kids can even trick or treat on the weekends.

Disneyland again does Christmas up like crazy, but Knotts isn’t to be beaten with their Knotts Merry Farms!

Knotts also has their own festivals including the Knotts Boysenberry Festival (which sounds delicious).

Disneyland or Knotts Berry Farms: Final Answer.

While each definitely has its own place. A few thoughts:

If Disneyland tickets/hotel alone is going to stress your vacation budget to the max, go to Knotts — I think you’ll have a great time and feel less financial strain. BTW, check out my Disneyland Trip Calculator (which can easily be used for Knotts or any other trip).

If it is your visit to Southern California and can only pick one — pick Disneyland. Overall, it’s better, more iconic, and — something your family will always remember. There are tons of other fun things in Southern California as well!

If you’ve gone to Disneyland a few times, I say try Knotts! I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the decreased crowds, fun rides, good food, and enjoyable days!

All in all a trip to Knotts is a LOT of fun.  I think it’s different than Disneyland, but can be done for a LOT cheaper, and with a lot fewer lines (although I do have a whole post on how to skip the lines at Disneyland).

There are just SO many California Theme parks to choose from (which is awesome). Be sure to check out my post about Universal also (I even have one on the brand new Nintendo land).

All in all — Knotts is awesome for thrill-seekers, and Disneyland (for me) is more magical.  I am not a thrill-seeker though, and our kids absolutely love both parks.

If you liked this post, be sure to join my #1 tip for family travel:

The post Knotts Berry Farms vs Disneyland? Which one is right for you? appeared first on Pulling Curls.

Universal Studios theme park can be daunting when you visit, especially with children.  These Universal Studios Hollywood Tips are specific to THAT park and will give you a touring plan to really enjoy the day!

This includes tips that we went in 2016 and 2018 with kids from ages 7 to 18. But, also updatedfor 2023 when our kids were 14-22.

Be sure to also read more about things to do with kids around Hollywood tips for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and my newest post on the best tips for Super Nintendo World.

Universal Studios Hollywood.

Now, you think “yay, that is fun!”

But if you’re my 12-year-old son you think, “OMG, I WILL GET TO BE HARRY POTTER!!!!!”

It really was my 12-year-old’s dream come true!

Tips to Universal Studios Hollywood

FYI, this is part of my Disneyland Tips series. Although Universal is more about the dinosaur than the mouse, many people combine the two! And, if you’re looking to do the trifecta, I have a post on Knotts Berry Too!

Universal Studios Hollywood Tips – Harry Potter

I have a whole post JUST about that area (this post was getting too long and I thought your phone may explode reading it )– be sure to check it out — Harry Potter World Hollywood

Suffice it to say, you will want a wand, Butterbeer and motion sickness remedies for the Forbidden Journey ride. If you’re a Harry Potter fan, DO NOT miss that post!

Do not buy at the gate — Discount Tickets

I would 100% recommend searching for discount tickets before you go.  You can always save vs the gate prices! Buying at the gate is always one of my biggest mistakes.

I was given some passes for our days at Universal Studios, but I did buy an extra pass online through Get Away Today and saved myself about $5/ticket (which adds-up)

They often have a great 2-day ticket (which would be awesome!).  OR, you can get them in combination with a Disney ticket — so be sure to check out your options while on their site.

However, if you want to buy it with the “express passes” where you get to skip the long lines you can only get that through their website.  AND, you save $10/ticket buy buying it online — so buy Universal express ticket beforehand!

Also, sometimes Universal park has discount, and last time if you bought direct, you got in early! — so double check to decide what works for you.

BTW, Universal Studios Hollywood tickets and Disneyland tickets are usually fairly similar in price — so be sure to grab my trip calculator if you’re wondering how much your Disneyland Budget is going to be.

Where to stay near Universal Studios Hollywood

This is a tough one.  When I talked to my peeps at Get Away Today they said they normally recommend staying at a hotel near Disney and driving.  They are normally cheaper, and more family-friendly.  That puts you at about 1-2 hour commute depending on Los Angeles traffic (my favorite).

I disagree, I prefer staying closer to Universal.

The one we have stayed at most often is The Magic Castle Hotel.  It has impeccable service (including unlimited snacks, ice cream and soda) but the rooms aren’t that nice and I can see some of my friends not liking it because it is not as well-kept.

The Garland is my second choice (but our family would need two rooms). They offer a free shuttle to the parks, which is huge, and it has a very cool retro vibe.

Holiday Inn Express North Hollywood – this one is also close, and does offer a free breakfast.

Going to Disneyland AND Universal Studios Hollywood? — where to stay

If you ARE going to combine it with a trip to Disneyland resort, you could definitely stay in Anaheim and drive up.  Be sure to check out Get Away Today for all your ticket and hotel needs.  They have a price guarantee in the Disneyland area.  I always use them when I book my Disney trips!  They have awesome Universal Deals, especially if you combine with Disney tickets!  And just for Pulling Curls readers, save $10 on your trip with CURLS10 coupon code!

However, you’ll want to leave your hotel maybe 2.5 hours before the parks open to avoid traffic and get to the gates early. SO, if that isn’t something you think you can handle, maybe consider staying closer by.

Universal Studios Hollywood Parking Tips

Apparently, a lot of people google this — and frankly, I think you have to park on-site.  Or, walk a REALLY long way in.  They just told us what parking structure to go into.  I’d love to know if there is one lot that’s better/closer than the other ones.

The direct word from Universal is this:

We have a couple different lots that people are directed to based on the entrance they take. For example, if they enter off of Universal Studios Blvd, they may be directed to the ET Parking Structure, but if they enter off of Universal Hollywood Drive, they may be directed to Frankenstein or Jurassic.

From what I can tell — Frankenstein is the closest. I feel like there is less walking when you get that one. ET makes you walk through the entire CityWalk.

BUT I Uber’d to the park last time we went (from Magic Castle) and it was nice to not have to deal with traffic.

Universal Studios Hollywood Map

Universal Studios Hollywood is located in the heart of Hollywood — but since it’s LA it takes about 30 minutes to get to it from Hollywood.  You can see it right here.  You can also see a map of the whole park here.

Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween

In the fall they host Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights.  I would say that this is NOT for kids, but you can learn more about it on their site.  If you are going as a family in the fall, you can avoid this by going in the day.  This is a separate ticket.

Universal Studios Hacks

Universal Does not Allow Outside Meals

First off, Universal doesn’t allow outside food—but that mainly means an entire bag from McDonald’s.  They WILL let you take in small snacks, waters, etc.  We have found that the best way to use our time at an amusement park is to eat our meals while in line.  That means I bring a variety of foods to be consumed while in line for the next attraction.

Universal Studios does allow outside “snacks”

Acceptable items are things like crackers, cookies, gogurts, string cheese, Slim Jims, nuts (I really work to add some protein to our day and my kids don’t like nuts – so figure), fruit, or veggies.  You can NOT bring a hard-sided cooler (small, soft-sided coolers are okay) into Universal but we do have a small cooler backpack we would use (although our day wasn’t warm enough to elicit the need for cool snacks, so we just had a backpack).  Want more ideas — be sure to bring my post on what to bring to Disneyland (which is similar to what I bring to any amusement park).

This is basically the same rules as what you can bring into Disneyland, FYI.

They run your bags through an x-ray machine on your way into the park (vs riffling through like Disneyland) which made it easier (aka, not all zippers open).

Eating at Universal Studios Hollywood

There are a LOT of options, both inside the park and outside of it. However, food isn’t a high point for me at Universal. It’s there to sustain me, not to delight me.

I think my favorite place to eat in park is the Toadstool Cafe in Super Nintendo World. I think the food is good and the theming delights.

Outside on City Walk we have enjoyed Toothsome and Bubba Gump’s. Both are decent. Not amazing, but good. Portions tend to be large so you can always share.

**Bonus tip — if you want butter beer and the line is long, or you’d love to sit down to enjoy it go into the Hogshead Tavern. You can get cold, slushy or hot butter beer in there and there are tables to enjoy it at.

Experess Pass at Universal

(these were previously called Front of the Line Passes)

We were given a few express passes for our family (and purchased the rest).  Front-of-the-line passes are like a fast pass for every ride for a shorter wait time.  On the normal express pass you can only use it once per ride. It also currently not for use at the Mario Kart ride.

I will say these really do cut wait times. Rarely were we waiting more than 10 minutes with these. They really do work (unlike Genie+ Lightening Lanes which can sometimes be 30+ minutes). HOWEVER these passes are more than $100+ extra/day — so most people aren’t using/getting them.

To use Express Pass they scan your park passes, so make sure you have them handy when you enter a ride.

Still Arrive Early

You should still plan to arrive early at Universal Studios — you’ll still get so much done in the morning when it is not as crowded.

I detail early access in my post on Super Nintendo World.

Gates may Open Early

The park officially opened at 9, but the gates opened early — maybe 10 minutes. They change how they offer early entry. Sometimes buying tickets through Universal gave you a perk, but currently they offer early access just to Super Nintendo World.

Bags on Rides

Universal has an awesome system where you can get a “free” locker for a period of time (it may change depending on how busy they are).  You use your fingerprint to get your bag out.  So, don’t worry about small souvenirs (like your wand) — they’re easy to stow on rides that won’t allow it.  The ones I remember were:

• Harry Potter Forbidden Journey
• Mummy (it’s close to Jurassic Park, so you could use it for that too if you have stuff you don’t want to get wet).

These lockers are a good size. Both my husband and myself had backpacks, and we could get both in the same locker.

I did notice that if you over the alloted “free” time they do charge you to get your bag out. On the day we visited you got 90 minutes of “Free” time (plenty of time for both The Mummy and Jurassic Park), but someone had exceeded that and it did charge her (her wallet was in the locker, so I’m not sure how they work that out).

BTW, I outline my favorite Disneyland Backpacks, and they would work well for Universal as well!

Ride Swap at Universal Studios Hollywood

**Universal does have an awesome Ride Swap program where parents can take turns riding rides — called Child Switch  So, let’s say you have 3 kids and only one wants to ride it.  They’d ride with dad first, mom takes the other two into a themed (and air-conditioned) room while they ride.  When they come back Mom can ride with that child right away (no waiting in line).  It’s awesome.  I really appreciate the quiet, cool rooms.  That way no one gets lost from each other.

Overweight at Universal?

Universal Rides often have seat restraints that are hard for overweight people to sit in. Disneyland is very overweight friendly, but I’ve heard from many people who didn’t feel that way about Unviersal.

BUT, I also saw that Universal — if you truly aren’t able to ride many rides, may refund your ticket cost.

Pro Tip: MANY of the rides have a seat outside that you can test to see if you fit — so you don’t have to find out when you sit down on the ride.

FYI, I also don’t find Universal to be NEAR as friendly for our pregnant friends either.

Best time to Visit Universal

Yes, like all parks — Universal is un-crowded early in the year and in Septmeber, but crowds over the holidays and during the summer. Also, keep in mind that pricing changes based on how busy they expect the park to be.

With the opening of Super Nintendo World it will be busy this summer! Just plan on that (and avoid it if that doesn’t appeal to you — or enjoy the rest of the park while everyone is waiting in the lower lot).

Universal Studios Hollywood Rides

How you plan your day really depends on what you really want to do.

If your kids are super excited about Nintendo or Juarassic park feel free to do those first. I will try to note which rides have the longer lines that you may want to get in first.

Lower Level Rides

Mario Kart : Bowser’s Challenge

I detail this more in my Nintendo World post. It is brand new at the time of this writing and wait times can be HIGH. It is not fast, or scary at all. But you do wear a visor that projects things onto the dark ride as you drive your Mario Kart through the different tracks.

If you don’t hit this ride first thing in the morning, you’ll want to hit it later in the afternoon as wait times die down later in the day.

Jurassic Park World Ride at Universal Studios Hollywood

We really enjoyed the updates to this ride. It is set in the “world” with Chris Pratt and bigger dinosaurs. My kids were blown away by how much better it was than 2018 when we rode it last.

This ride can be scary for little kids. The first part is very tame, but as you go up the hill to the final building it gets very dark and the dinosaurs are louder and closer). It does have an 80 foot drop at the end that seems like it will get you very wet (but it doesn’t get you that wet in our experience).

I personally love that if you’re in a row behind the front row you can “hide”your shoes from getting wet under the seat in front of you.

You can buy ponchos as you go on the ride, but we decided to man it out.  If your kids absolutely hate rides with drops or hate Splash Mountain then they will probably not like the Jurassic World ride.

I absolutely hate drops, but the visuals have been updated on this ride to make it pretty fun. I also don’t usually get too wet on this ride, which is a bonus for a mom. This can be scary for small kids as the dinosaurs

This ride didn’t seem to have too long of a line most of the day the park. Which is crazy, it’s a good ride.

Revenge of The Mummy

This ride combines Indiana Jones (what with the Mummy theme) with Space Mountain (as a dark ride roller coaster).  I did not take my 7-year-old on this ride as there are mummies swiping at you and I thought the imaginative nature might be too much for her.  My 12-year-old refused to go, but my 15-year-old went and had a great time.  I actually thought it was the best ride there.  I really enjoyed it.  FYI, stuff flies out at you.

In 2023 with everyone over 14 everyone enjoyed it.

This ride tends to have a moderate wait time. It is usually one of the longer ones in the lower lot.

SPOILER ALERT:  The roller coaster does go forward and then backward through it all.  I was grateful to know this ahead of time.  FYI, you can always watch rides on YouTube to see what it will be like if you’re wondering if your child is suitable for it.

Transformers Ride at Universal Studios Hollywood

Much like many of the rides here, you’re in a “vehicle” and then you shake around as you watch a movie that has you flying off surfaces, falling, etc.  I didn’t love the ride.  I don’t love the Transformers and it was sort of violent for my tastes.  But, we all rode it and everyone was fine with the ride.  The 7-year-old was a little frightened but when I asked her if she’d recommend it to other 7-year-olds she said she’d recommend it “if they like the Transformers” (if you had a Transformer lover, I bet this ride would be a lot of fun).

This line varies.

**A  lot of the Universal Hollywood rides seem very similar in that you wear 3D glasses combined with the movement that is the ride. On our last visit I got SO sick on this ride (it was our last one of the morning) I mostly sat there with my head between my legs using my glasses to fan my face).

Other Rides at Universal Studios Hollywood

Minion Mayhem

Is mainly just a theater. The seats move a little.  Great for any age. There are often Minions to take your picture with.  It tends to have a shorter wait time.

Simpsons ride

This ride is a re-purpose of the Back to the Future of a few years ago.  Your car does rise up, you wear 3D glasses and move around with the movie.  More movement than the Minion ride. This somehow has a longer wait time, sometimes even longer than Mario Kart. (?)

Kung Fu Panda

This was previously Shrek 4D (they still have Donkey out front that chats now and then, and Pinnochio takes your tickets)

This is also a theater with individual seats. This was probably our least-favorite ride. An easy one to skip, but it does not have a long line, so it can be a good one to do while it’s hot outside.

The Studio Tour at Universal Studios Hollywood

I always love this thing.  I appreciate that they’re trying to show us some of the lots, etc.  It’s fun.  This lasts around an hour there can be a bit of a wait to get on the tram (when we rode there was only a 10-minute wait).  Last time we got there mid-day and there was about a 30-minute wait to get on a tram (although people with Front-of-the-Line passes get on really quickly).

While this is just a tram there are a few places you use your 3D glasses.

You still get to see Jaws, the earthquake, and flash flood.  It’s pretty fun and we all enjoyed it.  Something for all of our ages.

FYI food and drink are welcome on the tram.  Feel free to bring some lunch on it!  We bought our ButterBeer before it and brought that on.  It was lovely.

Spoiler Alert Universal Tram Tour Can Be Scary!

I wish I would have prepared my 7-year-old a bit more for the King Kong one.  I think this scared her the most of anything.  It really does feel (especially when you’re 7) that King Kong and T-rex are right next to your tram and jumping on it.  Just FYI both of them can be intense.  The other one is a Fast and Furious experience and it was less intense but it was really loud and can be a lot if the kids think it’s real.

Secret Life of Pets

This is also a fun new ride (they were building it when we were last there). It is not scary, and takes you through the movie with the dogs wanting a home, etc. A fun ride for little kids especially. However, wait times for this thing are REALLY long — sometimes longer than Mario Kart. SO, if you get there early, but not THAT early to ride Mario Kart, I’d 100% recommend going to this ride to do it while everyone else is at the lower lot.

Dealing with Motion Sickness at Universal Studios Hollywood

Oh. my. gosh guys — I don’t know if I’m getting old, or what.  I go to Disneyland every year — but Universal just made me sick on our last visit.

It is something with the movement combined with the screens.  Maybe that your body isn’t moving quite in sync with what’s really happening.

Either way.  Wow.  I totally thought I was going to throw-up on the Transformers ride (as a culmination, it wasn’t just that ride that made me sick).

Here are a few tips on what to do:

1. Bonine. I actually thought my Universal days may be coming to a close as I got more motion sickness. Bonine has changed everything for me. I Always have it at a park! It’s other name is Meclazine.
2. Sit out a ride.  I REALLY wanted to go with my family on another ride of Harry Potter, but I finally decided it wasn’t worth feeling miserable.  I enjoyed the nice weather and just sat it out.  Fresh air and enjoying the scenery can give your body some time to relax.
3.  Do the studio tour mid-day.  As you’re in a fresh air vehicle and doing normal movements (for the most part) it gave me some time to relax.
4.  When it’s bad — take off the 3-D glasses, it will help somewhat
5.  When you’re on a ride just shut your eyes and take some deep breaths.  The oxygen will help (as you might have been holding your breath) and shutting your eyes turns off that sensory to the brain and then you just get “shaken” up.
6. You could try ginger candies or a motion sickness bracelet, next time I will try some motion sickness patches as well (like I used on our cruise).
7. I have seen some people recommend buying your own 3-D glasses, or buying ones that convert it back to 2D. Either way, just be aware of all of this.

I never get car sick as I grew-up traveling in a car, but Universal gets me bad.  Real, real bad.

Universal Studios Hollywood Show

They currently only have one show — they have closed the animal and special effects shows.

WaterWorld

This is the old Kevin Costner Water World movie.  It’s been the same show since I went in High school, BUT it’s a good show.  Always some exciting moments and does show you some cool effects.  NOTE: If you sit in the splash zone you will get wet.  And I mean REALLY wet.  Way worse than Jurassic Park….

Those who have front-of-the-line passes do get priority seating at all of these shows.  There is a separate line when you have front-of-the-line passes

Universal Studios Hollywood FAQ’s

Universal Studios Hollywood Secrets:

Front-of-the-line passes are not necessary. 

They are pretty costly.  Almost double the price of regular ticket (although I was surprised by all the people who had them).  I guess if money isn’t an issue and you’d really prefer to have a bit less stress of kids waiting in line you could get it.  BUT the lines aren’t all that long.  Harry Potter before closing is very available.  If you don’t get there early, head to Harry Potter last.  Enjoy it!

However, you should consider the cost of possibly getting 2 days at the park to see everything, plus the added hotel, food and other costs associated with that. Sometimes you come-out ahead getting the express passes. Decide what’s best for you.

It is a full day of fun

We were there at opening and left at closing.  We had a wonderful time and really enjoyed our day.  I remember before Harry Potter it wasn’t quite a full day of fun.  Now it truly is. With the addition of Mario Kart I think a lot of families are considering 2 day passes.

And yes, your feet are still going to hate you (I think Universal is more spread-out than Disneyland, FYI).

Do not take Kids under 5

It’s got a lot of good family fun, but I wouldn’t go with kids under 5. A lot of it could be REALLY overwhelming for kids under 6.  Princess P was just about to the age that she was ready for it (but since a lot of the rides can be really intense, I did still have some ride guilt).  Save your money and go once your whole family can enjoy it.  Which is what we had chosen to do.

Take Advantage of City Walk to Eat At

The beauty of Universal is that the City Walk is just outside of the park with tons of restaurants.  Not even the Three Broomsticks was much of a draw to my kids, so we ate at Bubba Gumps Shrimp Co. on the City Walk.

And when you do.  I bet you’ll love it!

If you liked this post — check out all my other travel posts — including my Harry Potter World Hollywood and Nintendo World one, and be sure to sign up for My #1 tip for family travel:

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This post was originally written in 2016, but has been updated.

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