Universal Studios is an excellent combination of a movie studio and a theme park. Its rides are not as extreme as in Six Flags, but it’s all about the movie props and atmosphere at Universal Studios. I was also very impressed with the shows I watched.
When we visited in summer 2015, they were still building the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and I’m sure that more attractions have opened in the meantime. However, our experience should still give a good impression of what a day at Universal Studios looks like without giving away the surprise effect.
Attractions
When we walked towards the Simpson’s Ride, it felt like stepping into Springfield. The area surrounding the attraction was very nicely decorated. We even bumped into Homer Simpson in front of the souvenir shop. The ride itself is a virtual reality one, making you feel like you are in a Krustyland rollercoaster.
Don’t be surprised to encounter a few dinosaurs on your way to the Jurassic Park ride. The ride started as a relaxing boat trip while watching some dinosaurs, but it then turns into a wild water ride whereby you will surely get wet. However, the Jurassic Park ride closed in 2018. It will be replaced by the Jurassic World ride which opens in summer 2019.
By far the most thrilling ride of the day was “The Revenge of the Mummy”, which is a speedy rollercoaster in the dark. Just be prepared for flashing light effects.
We went to two more 3D rides: the Despicable Me Minion Mayhem and the Transformers. Both were very entertaining, with the Transformers being the more thrilling one.
Studio Tour
We found ourselves in the middle of a flash flood and then experienced an earthquake from a metro station during the Universal Studios tour. I was astonished to see how real it all seemed.
Part of the tour was the car driving us through different (recreated) film sets in Universal Studios. Think of the village in Jaws, Psycho’s Bates Motel and the many streets of Universal Studios where numerous movies were shot.
The King Kong attraction was definitely the highlight of the tour. It is the world’s largest 3D installation ever produced. This 360 degrees 3D experience is super realistic, and its award is well deserved.
We visited Universal Studios just two weeks before the Fast & Furious Supercharged ride opened as part of the studio tour. Will this attraction be the new highlight of the studio tour?
Shows
The most spectacular show of the day is the one in WaterWorld, followed by the Animal actors show.
In the WaterWorld show, we saw lots of stunts and special effect live in action. I definitely held my breath a few times during this action-packed show.
As an animal lover, I really enjoyed watching how different animals are being trained to play in a movie. At the end of the show, we even got photo opportunities with some of the animals.
It was interesting to watch and learn about how things are done in the special effects show. I personally didn’t find it as memorable as the other two shows though.
Picturesque spots
Because of its movie theme, Universal Studios is full of pretty places that make good Instagram pictures. Below are just a few photos we took in the park – years before we even had Instagram:
Universal Studios did a fantastic job in making its rides, tour, shows and the rest of the park revolve around its movies. Each of its storytelling rides make you feel like you are part of a movie. Altogether we were very easily entertained for a full day, and I would love to come back again to try the new attractions.
Add to your bucket list:
Book now:
Book your Universal Studios ticket throughΒ Viator:Β
These are affiliate links, so I will be earning commission when you buy through my link. This comes at no extra cost to you, and helps me keeping my website online.