554: 7 Unique experiences at Universal Studios Hollywood
Unlocking The Magic: Talking all things Disney Parks, Universal and Cruising
The hosts revisit Universal Studios Hollywood to highlight seven unique experiences that differentiate it from its Orlando counterpart and other theme parks. They explore the park's mountainside location, steep
Key takeaways
- The park's mountainside location features multi-tiered escalators and offers panoramic views of other major studios like Warner Bros. and Disney Burbank.
- The Studio Tour is highlighted as a 40-60 minute working lot experience where guests are allowed to bring snacks, unlike most theme park attractions.
Main topics
- Mountainside location & escalators
- Studio Tour experience
Notable quotes
"It actually studio tour in Hollywood makes you feel like you are driving through the studio for real."
Conclusion
The episode provides practical tips and enthusiastic recommendations for
Transcript preview
Speaker 2 (0:00) Please stand clear of the doors. Speaker 2 (0:11) Hey everybody, welcome to Unlocking the Magic. You're listening to episode number 554 and we are talking about some unique experiences at a certain theme park. We finally visited, revisited Universal Studios in Hollywood and we're going to share some of the most unique experiences that you can find at that park. Speaker 1 (0:33) Welcome to the show everybody. What's up? Yeah, we went to Hollywood and Universal and we're going to talk about it on this podcast. Speaker 2 (0:40) So when we had gone for the first time to Universal Studios Hollywood, it was actually a special event. We did Fan Fest Night, which I actually highly recommend if you like the certain offering. So we went for, it was Back to the Future and Star Trek Fan Fest Night. It was pretty fun, Speaker 1 (0:57) actually. I think that might be the point in time where I realized that at this point, I love the after hours event type things like that. like Oogie Boogie, which we talked about last week, or the Fan Fest, or the Christmas party, more than the actual park itself. Speaker 2 (1:14) Yeah, except for Universal Hollywood that night, there were a lot of things happening during Fan Fest night, so kind of overlaid over the park, so we didn't get to actually see too many things in its original state. Now, Speaker 1 (1:25) this Speaker 2 (1:26) particular time, it was also Halloween Horror Nights in the evening, but... They do a good job about separating the area. So you don't really, you get to see kind of like a sneak peek of the Halloween Horror Nights, but I don't think it takes away from visiting the actual park. Speaker 1 (1:39) They take out the horror of Halloween Horror Nights and you just get to see the setup. Speaker 2 (1:43) Yeah, which is kind of nice. So if you aren't into Speaker 1 (1:44) horror-ness, Speaker 2 (1:45) you can Speaker 1 (1:46) kind of see what they're doing for Halloween Horror Nights without getting scared. Speaker 2 (1:49) They do do the... You Speaker 1 (1:50) said do-do. Speaker 2 (1:51) They do as well the unlocking, unmasking tour. And we did see several... groups touring while we were there. It was kind of, I, it was kind of enticing. I'm not going to lie. If we had more time to shoot, I would probably have done it there because I think for Hollywood, we'll get into it. It's so different than universal Orlando. And we're going to go into why it's definitely smaller. It's definitely has this charm that you don't expect for universal to have. And so for that reason, Halloween horror is a little. But I think plussed up in some ways. And I think the unmasking tour would be pretty cool there. All right. So I Speaker 1 (2:32) mean, I can only imagine how Halloween Horror Nights is like you have people chasing you around. You're like, oh, no, now I got to go up 14 escalators to get away. It'd be tough. No, Speaker 2 (2:40) you take the escalator as your break, like your breather. Speaker 1 (2:44) Oh, you're like, oh, no, they're chasing me. Okay, I'm on this escalator. I'm safe. Well, Speaker 2 (2:48) let's start off with the seven things or so. I mean, we might go overboard here, but that make Universal Studios Hollywood unique. So the first part that we're talking about is the park location because you're literally on a mountain. Not Speaker 1 (3:00) only are you on a mountain, but you're in L.A. versus Disneyland, which is way south of L.A. Speaker 2 (3:06) If Speaker 1 (3:06) you're going to California and you're going to L.A., maybe you have work or you're going to hang out there, like, It's a very convenient location compared to where the airport is. Speaker 2 (3:16) It's mountainside, high above other studios. They actually have even spy glasses or binoculars to enjoy more of the views. Before visiting California, I never really understood that view. I've seen... like specifically like some real estate shows or whatever. And they always talk about those Los Angeles views, the city views. And I'm like, I don't get it. Like in New England, we like ocean views. Like that's what's really, you know, more expensive or more popular here until you get it when you're in, like, I get it now. Like, especially when I'm visiting Universal Hollywood and seeing. through those spy glasses like oh you don't even need Speaker 1 (3:56) the spy glasses you can just go down one escalator at the park and look over and you see the Warner Brothers studio you can see the Disney Burbank studio way in the distance it's pretty cool to see all of the buildings where they actually make the content that you watch on TV whether that be your favorite show or some of your favorite shows in some of your movies it's it it gives you goosebumps a little bit if you like movies and entertainment like that to see where they do it Speaker 2 (4:20) There's a running joke where they say, Universal says, like all the other studios, look up to them, literally. Speaker 1 (4:26) I mean, it's very true. But they do a good job of when you're in the park itself, not on the escalator, but like when you're in the park walking through, whether that be the shops or the attractions, you don't feel like you're on the side of a mountain. Speaker 2 (4:40) No. And let's talk about the escalators a little bit because that was something that I didn't expect. No one really ever mentioned it to us when we first visited. The park itself, because it's mountainside, it is different layers. And instead of having people trek on steps or, you know, hills, they added these escalators. And I think they're like almost, they're so, they're multi-tiered escalators. Now, if you're like me and just naturally afraid of escalators, they, these ones are little. I mean, they're Speaker 1 (5:10) pretty steep. Imagine if it was just one straight escalator. You'd be going up thinking you died and you're going to heaven. Speaker 2 (5:15) No joke. Speaker 1 (5:16) Did I die? What happened? I mean, my soul kind of died when we went on Jurassic Park ride. Speaker 2 (5:21) Oh, yeah. But Speaker 1 (5:21) that's because I got wet. Speaker 2 (5:22) No. But Speaker 1 (5:22) if it was just one straight escalator, you would think you died and go to heaven. Speaker 2 (5:26) That's how big Speaker 1 (5:26) it would be. Speaker 2 (5:27) Yeah. I mean, add a little. you know, fog into the mix, forget it. I Speaker 1 (5:32) do like how you go down the first escalator and they do have almost like a lookout platform. And now they have Fast and the Furious there. So you can kind of see that going as well. It's a cool place to take a break and be able to look out over the studios. So Speaker 2 (5:43) the escalators themselves, like that's funny because they're so steep. It's not, you know how when you go in regular escalators and there's almost like some people that climb them or you're not just like standing. These. People don't move on them. Like Speaker 1 (5:57) they stand on their Speaker 2 (5:58) spot. Speaker 1 (5:58) Yeah. You wait. Now I was Speaker 2 (6:00) thinking about that the other day and I was like, wait, does that, cause they're quite a bit, right? Does that take away? Like you have to almost like gauge your park time because I don't think it Speaker 1 (6:08) takes that long. Speaker 2 (6:09) No, I don't know. I think it's a Speaker 1 (6:10) good break. Cause sometimes it's, they're in the shade. True. So if you were either on the top or the bottom and you're, the sun's pounding on you, it's a good time to just kind of take a break and. instead of walking down steps or walking to the next land, you Speaker 2 (6:24) just Speaker 1 (6:25) get to take the escalator up or down. Speaker 2 (6:26) Well, we definitely visited during some kind of Los Angeles heat wave. It's been like 100 degrees there consistently. I'll take it. I mean, I know. It's a dry heat, you guys. But also, I thought that they set up really well. They had fans going everywhere with the water misters, and I thought that was pretty neat. But anyway, the location itself. Super unique. You're literally on a mountain. I think that that alone is something to kind of take in and appreciate versus the Orlando sister of the theme park. Agreed. Definitely different. And Speaker 1 (7:00) it's way faster to park your car and get to the studio than in Universal Orlando. Speaker 2 (7:04) That's true. I love how they do the three tier. They say like having three choices helps you decide, but it's like. The economy or whatever, basic parking, the, what is it? The second one. Speaker 1 (7:17) Gate Speaker 2 (7:17) parking, Speaker 1 (7:17) where you park right next to the gate. Speaker 2 (7:18) That's the third option. That. Speaker 1 (7:20) Those are the only two I use. Speaker 2 (7:22) No, we use the middle one, which was what? I forget. Preferred? Oh, I thought you Speaker 1 (7:25) said the middle one. Yeah, preferred, which is closer, but not at the gate. Yeah. Speaker 2 (7:29) The gate parking, which is like the third most expensive option. I think it was $80 to park there, which seems. You park right at Speaker 1 (7:37) the front door though. You basically park it out of your car and go through security. Speaker 2 (7:40) Like if you're going with a group of friends, I would honestly chip in. And I thought that that was worth it. Or if you're Speaker 1 (7:46) going with like your mom, right? And she can't walk a lot. At least Speaker 2 (7:49) you Speaker 1 (7:49) can just get out and go right there. I Speaker 2 (7:51) mean. Or we can Speaker 1 (7:52) just leave her there and check on her because she's close. Speaker 2 (7:55) It's, it, I couldn't believe how close when they said gate parking. Because, you know, sometimes you buy these preferred paths, especially if you're a regular Disney goer. Sometimes these preferred parking, it's actually not that close. Like you. I don't know. It's Speaker 1 (8:10) closer than the, it's closer than where you would normally park, but it's not at the front gate. Speaker 2 (8:14) Yeah. That, well, anyway. Let's go to Speaker 1 (8:17) the Speaker 2 (8:17) next one. All right. Next one is probably my favorite, which we started with this one too, is the, I mean, mixed with the mountainside views is the studio tour. You know Speaker 1 (8:25) what's different between this one and what people might remember of the Backlot Tour? To me, this is, I mean, I know Disney's Hollywood Studios was a working studio and the Backlot Tour kind of showed you that. To me. It didn't feel like that. It still felt like an attraction. This actually studio tour in Hollywood makes you feel like you are driving through the studio for real. Yes. If that makes sense. Speaker 2 (8:51) I mean. It Speaker 1 (8:52) felt more like a working studio that you got to see versus the one in Hollywood Studios. Speaker 2 (8:58) It is. Well, you don't. I think you were older when you first visited the studios and it was no longer, I think, a working studio at that point. But I remember Hollywood Studios and Disney. Did Steven Speaker 1 (9:10) Spielberg drive by you? Speaker 2 (9:11) I mean, it was a working lot. Was Speaker 1 (9:14) it the opportunity for Steven Spielberg to drive by you? I think Speaker 2 (9:17) somebody just really likes Steven Spielberg or something. I mean, he's a Speaker 1 (9:19) great director. I like his movies. I'm not going to lie. I Speaker 2 (9:22) don't know. There's something happening there. But I think that's obviously the difference. Speaker 2 (9:29) Some of our favorite movies are showcased during the studio tour, and I think that is also something that is iconic and really helpful to kind of not compare to other tours, right? And seeing, you know, the original, the Psycho movie, and seeing where the lot is, and even though things have kind of changed. Speaker 1 (9:49) I mean, you get to see where, like, some Marvel movie parts were filmed there. Speaker 2 (9:53) Yeah, that's true. So it's not Speaker 1 (9:54) just Universal movies, it's all movies. Speaker 2 (9:57) Well... I mean, do you think the studio tour is enough of a reason to put Hollywood on your list? Speaker 1 (10:04) I mean, if you're into movies and shows, absolutely. Speaker 2 (10:07) Yeah. It's Speaker 1 (10:08) a long one, too. It's a 40-minute tour. Speaker 2 (10:10) So we got on, and when, I don't know why, it was a long time. That's the thing about visiting a park the first time, especially during a FanFest event, because you get there a little later, and