Ever wondered if a Universal Studios Hollywood annual pass is truly worth it? My family of five just had the most perfect day at the park, and I can tell you it absolutely is! From the moment we arrived, we were greeted by unexpectedly light crowds and beautiful weather. We knew then that our passes were the key to creating an unforgettable summer for us all. For fans of heart-pounding rides, immersive movie magic, and unforgettable experiences, Universal Studios Hollywood truly has something for everyone. Come along as we recap our incredible adventure passholder style!

Universal Studios Hollywood Annual Passholder Perks

We live in LA county, so every year we try to get an annual pass to museums, animal parks,  or theme parks. This year we chose to get an annual pass to Universal Studios Hollywood. We chose to get one Gold Pass and four Silver Passes to save some money, because let’s be real, theme parks can get quite expensive for a family of five. There are more black out dates for the silver pass, but it works for our family’s schedule. The reason we got a gold pass was to enjoy two major perks:
1. Free general parking: This perk is a major saver! A gold pass gets your free general parking and the option to upgrade to preferred parking for $20 bucks at the gate if we’re feeling fancy.  

2. 15% discount on food & shopping: The gold pass unlocks 15% off of all your in park shopping or dining. This comes in super clutch because feeding a family of five can get expensive really fast. Saving 15% off of every meal and shopping really adds up!

Planning our rides and attractions for the day.

We actually decided to pay for early access for our first visit to Universal Studios Hollywood. It’s an add-on you can purchase and use with either your day pass or annual pass. It costs around $20 per person and it grants your early access to Super Nintendo World. We wanted to visit the new Super Nintendo World before it got too crowded and it was so worth it!

Visiting Nintendo World

It’s straight out of the video game! Bright and colorful, you’re surrounded by cute mushrooms and fluffy looking hills. So cute! Anyway, the first thing we did was get the kids their Power Up Bands so they can play all the mini games scattered throughout the park and keep track of all their points. Then we lined up to ride Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge. Even with early access we still waited in line for about 20 mins so be warned, you’re gonna stand in line no matter what. But it was totally worth it. We all loved the ride, from our 6 year old to the adults. After fully immersing ourselves in the Mushroom Kingdom, we strategically worked our way back through the park, checking out some of our other must-do attractions. Hitting The Mummy Returns, Jurassic World, Harry Potter, Minion Land, Springfield USA, The Studio Tour, and at the very end Water World.

The Jurassic World Experience

Jurassic World was our favorite thrill ride! It took us on an exciting Jurassic journey on a raft that ended with us plummeting down a waterfall and getting completely soaked! Not just wet, I mean drenched! So be prepared for that! You can buy ponchos at the gift shop if you want, we don’t since it’s pretty warm and it’s a nice way to cool off. 

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter has two rides, not just one and they’re both pretty cool! There’s The Flight of The Hippogriff which is an outdoor rollercoaster that flies through the pumpkin patch and past Hagrid’s hut. It’s short and sweet, but a fun ride. We usually ride this one multiple times during our visit since the lines are short and move quickly. The other ride is Harry Potter and The Forbidden Journey, this ride is located inside the castle which on it’s own is a fun line to stand in. Surprisingly though, there’s not much of a line for this attraction. This is not a rollercoaster, but you do feel as if you’re flying through Hogwarts and playing an intense game of Quidditch. 

Character Meet & Greets: 

We have seen quite a few characters during our visit to Universal Studios Hollywood. We’ve spotted Bart & Lisa on multiple occasions and Homer. We’ve also seen Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey. Donkey was hilarious, one of my favorite character encounters so far. He was super easy to talk to. Sometimes character meets can be a lil awkward, but not with Donkey. We also met Beetlejuice! He was also super easy to approach and engage with. You can ask the box office staff about character meet times if you’d like to ensure not missing one of your favorite characters. Or you can also find that information using your Universal Studios App!

Meal Times at Universal Studios

There are many food and dining options at Universal Studios. You can find all of your regular fair foods like hot dogs, fries, nachos, and ice cream throughout the entire park. They even have a Panda Express near the Transformers ride. But  we like to try some of the more park specific foods like the Toadstool Cafe in Nintendo World and more. 

The Toadstool Cafe in Nintendo World

To eat at the Toadstool Cafe you need to make a reservation. I advise that you do that as soon as you get into the park to secure a spot at a time you’d like. In order to make the reservation you need to scan the QR code that’s at the entrance of Nintendo World or right in front of the cafe itself. We tried Luigi’s Burger, Bowser’s Fireball Challenge, The Fire Flower Spaghetti & Meatballs, Yoshi’s Fettuccine Alfredo, and the Mario Mini Burger Adventure Set. For dessert we also tried the ? Block Tiramisu and the Princess Peach Cupcake. 

The tiramisu was delicious, I was pretty bummed to have to share that with the kids. The Fireball Challenge was huge and it was spicy. It was edible for me but I like eating spicy foods. If you’re not a fan of spicy foods maybe go with the Luigi Burger or the Fettuccinin. Overall we really enjoyed eating at the Toadstool Cafe. 

The price point was on the higher side, I wanna say the bill was just under $200 after our Gold Passholder discount but we did get entrees for all five of us and tried two desserts so not too bad. 

The Three Broomsticks Cafe in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Another cool place to eat was The Three Broomsticks Cafe. You do not need a reservation for this place so no need to worry about that. This cafe was dark and moody inside and had all the Wizarding World vibes going. We all chose to try something different from the menu including drinks. We tried the Herb Roast Chicken Platter, Spare Ribs Platter, Shepherd’s Pie, Fish & Chips, and from the kids menu the Mac & Cheese. If I had to pick only one then the Fish & Chips would be my favorite meal. The kids Mac & Cheese was not the best, it had a slightly different consistency than what we’re accustomed to so we won’t be having that again. But the rest of the dishes were bomb. The serving sizes were pretty big. If you wanted to split a dish with someone, the ribs, chicken, or fish could totally be split between two people. 

We skipped dessert this time, but tried out some of their fun drinks. We tried pumpkin juice, apple cider, and pear cider. That pumpkin juice was so good it tasted like fall in a cup. The ciders hit the spot because the crispiness of the drink was exactly what we needed that hot summer day. 

The price point here was fantastic! Definitely get the most bang for your buck here. All five of us chose an entree and a drink and it was about `$120 for all of us with our Annual Passholder discount. Not bad at all! We will definitely be coming back! I want to try their Sticky Toffee Pudding and Butterbeer Potted Cream.

Ending Our Trip with The Studio Tour & Water World

We like to end our Universal Studio visits with the Studio Tour. Or when we’re feeling tired. The tour is about an hour long so it’s the perfect way to recharge and snack. We refill our drinks  and pick up popcorn or churros to snack on while on the tour. The tour takes us through their working film studio and famous filming sets including the plane crash from War of The Worlds. There are two immersive experiences on this ride, that’s all I’m saying because I don’t like spoilers! Oh! And FYI they also have a studio tour in español!

At around 7:00pm we make our way to Water World. This is an action packed stunt show at Universal Studios. The show features firefights, explosions, jet skiers, and even a plane crash! It’s a very cool show to watch. Make sure to arrive early so you can get a good seat because it does fill up quickly. Another thing to note is the “soak zones” if you don’t want to get soaked sit further back on the bleachers. They do mean “soak zones” ; sometimes the actors will even dump buckets of water on the audience and shoot them with water guns too. That’s not my jam, so I sit very high up away from the water so I can enjoy my snacks comfortably as I watch the show. 

The End

We’ve had a lot of fun visiting Universal Studios this summer. We’ve definitely made the most of our annual passes and passholder perks. Getting at least one gold pass for our family was a great idea! That 15% discount has allowed us to indulge in a couple extra treats without feeling guilty and it’s definitely made our meal times more enjoyable. We’ve also been able to really take our time and explore the park without feeling rushed. This is honestly the best part of being a Universal Studios Annual Pass Holder. There are so many things to see and eat that every time we return it’s a whole different experience. If you’re planning on visiting Universal Studios Hollywood more than once a year or live remotely close I highly recommend getting an annual pass.