Universal Hollywood - is 2 days enough?

[nkereina]

Tentatively planning two full days at Universal Hollywood - a Sunday and a Monday in late August of next year. Is this enough time, and anything to be concerned about in terms of crowds or events that time of year? Thanks all!

 

[Disney_Alli]

Tentatively planning two full days at Universal Hollywood - a Sunday and a Monday in late August of next year. Is this enough time, and anything to be concerned about in terms of crowds or events that time of year? Thanks all!

We went in late August 2016 (after HP opened) and were done the entire park less a couple shows by 4pm... I'm not sure I could fill two days there.

 

[nkereina]

We went in late August 2016 (after HP opened) and were done the entire park less a couple shows by 4pm... I'm not sure I could fill two days there.

Good to know! Have you been to Universal Orlando? Just wondering how it compares.

 

[oakleycat]

You should have no problem doing everything in the parks in two days. The week before Labor Day is a good time to go because most of the local kids are back in school (I've gone many times that week because my kids are year round school and have August off). We have also been to Orlando several times and Hollywood is much smaller. Most of the rides are the same or similar and if you've been to Orlando the most exciting thing will be the Studio Tour, and the Waterworld show if you ask my kids. My sons use Hollywood to get their Harry Potter fix until they can get back to Orlando for the "real" HP world.

 

[Disney_Alli]

Good to know! Have you been to Universal Orlando? Just wondering how it compares.

You should have no problem doing everything in the parks in two days. The week before Labor Day is a good time to go because most of the local kids are back in school (I've gone many times that week because my kids are year round school and have August off). We have also been to Orlando several times and Hollywood is much smaller. Most of the rides are the same or similar and if you've been to Orlando the most exciting thing will be the Studio Tour, and the Waterworld show if you ask my kids. My sons use Hollywood to get their Harry Potter fix until they can get back to Orlando for the "real" HP world.

I completely agree. We've used Universal Hollywood to make do until we can get back to Universal Orlando which I love.

 

[nkereina]

Thanks for the feedback. Good to know that Universal Hollywood is smaller than Orlando, which is what we are used to.

On a related note, anyone think we could accomplish most/all of Universal Hollywood with one day in LA? We have a full day in Los Angeles after flying in from Hawaii late the night before, and our flight home to the east coast isn't until 10pm. We can be at Universal Hollywood at opening (or close to it), so would it be worthwhile to spend the day there and make it back in time for our flight?

Also - if our flight is at 10pm, what time should we head back? Would it be best to Uber? We'll be staying at an airport hotel with a shuttle, so would likely just store our bags there all day and would Uber to the hotel, then catch the shuttle. I figure if we rented a car, we'd have to stop off at the rental car place so it seems the same either way to me.

Thanks!

 

[oakleycat]

I think you could definitely do it all in a full day, especially if it's a less busy day of the week and you've been to Orlando before. Airport time depends on the airport. If it's LAX, I have TSA precheck and usually get there 2 hours before my flight to do long-term parking, shuttle and security. I'm usually very early but I'm paranoid about missing a flight. But before I had precheck I've been in security lines varying from 10 minutes to 2 hours, its so hit or miss there. To be safe I'd leave the park by 6 or so to allow for hotel, shuttle and airport time. If it's any of the other airports much less time needed.

 

[ShadowCross]

Universal Hollywood is small and there isn't a whole lot there to do, except wait in line, so you should be able to knock it out in a day no problem. I went to Universal Orlando last November. It's huge and there's so much to do! It easily takes two days. But not Hollywood, it's like Universal lite. It's going to hold my bf over until we can plan a trip to Orlando so he can see the bigger more immersive Harry Potter.

 

[bumbershoot]

Good to know! Have you been to Universal Orlando? Just wondering how it compares.

Smaller. But more unique.

My son and o spent 1.5 days there this summer. We had someplace to be the second day and it was over 100 degrees by the time we got in the rental car, and we were melting. But we still could have done more.

We are big meanderers, and despite a total of 4 days at USH we still haven’t done it all. But we have a great time.

The special effects show is terrific.

I support two days there, fwiw. We got the two day tickets from Costco, and it was a great price that you can’t uogead to when onsite. We took the chance and it paid off.