What Are the Top 8 Attractions for Young Children at Universal Studios HollywoodTM?
There are many options for experiencing the magic and excitement of Universal Studios HollywoodTM with your young children. This is a guide to all of the attractions your kids will love, and also a guide to how to make the most out of your visits with children, both for them and for you.
1.Studio Tour
The Universal Studios HollywoodTM Studio Tour is a leisurely ride across 4 acres of studio space covering 13 city blocks’ worth of movie sets. Even though your kids may not have watched all the movies that the sets were used for, it’s still your best chance of seeing a celebrity in the park. There’s no height requirement, so kids of all ages can enjoy this ride.
2.Kung Fu Panda Adventure
This ride is great for kids who know and love the Kung Fu Panda franchise. With 360-degree surround sound audio on top of the physical and visual effects, the magic of this ride will delight any age of children.
Although the physical effects mean the seats of the ride move slightly, the effects are gentle enough that they shouldn’t startle any skittish kids. Again, there’s no height requirement, so no one will have to worry about being left out of the fun.
3.Silly Swirly Fun Ride
Located right next to Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, in a new and interactive area of the park called Super Silly Fun Land modeled after the carnival in Despicable Me, this ride will take guests on a spinning and soaring journey into the sky, giving riders a great view of the whole Super Silly Fun Land area.
This ride does ask that riders under 48 inches have an adult accompanying them, but it’s still geared towards children and will be a great way to introduce your child to rides that move around a little more than the seats in Kung Fu Panda Adventure.
4.Wizarding World of Harry PotterTM
If your kids are ready for their first roller coaster experience, look no further than the Flight of the Hippogriff coaster, which is located in the Wizarding World of Harry PotterTM. This ride, exciting but not too aggressive, is a perfect introduction to the world of roller coasters and will be fun for any adult accompanying their child as well.
If your kids aren’t roller coaster ready just yet, the surrounding village of HogsmeadeTM provides plenty of yummy things to eat (butterbeer, anyone?) and entertainment like choral singers and animal acts.
5.Meet characters
One of the best things about going to theme parks with children is their belief in the magic of everything around them. Lining up for photo opportunities with beloved characters can take some time, but make sure to have something on hand to distract them, like food, or a fun game.
The waiting is worth it to see the smile on your kids’ faces when they finally get a hug or high five from someone they’ve only ever seen on screen.
6.See a show
Another great alternative to walking around the park when little feet (or big feet, for that matter) get tired is seeing one of the many shows offered at Universal Studios HollywoodTM each day.
Shows like Animal Actors and Water World are great for even the youngest children, while older children might be excited by the Special Effects show.
7.Arcade games
Let your kids live out their dreams of winning a fluffy unicorn like Agnes in Despicable Me by playing some of the arcade games in Super Silly Fun Land or Springfield, USA.
You can save on your prize-winning attempts by purchasing something at a Universal Studios HollywoodTM store or playing a carnival game and receiving a two-for-one carnival game voucher. You and your kids can play to their heart’s content for half the price!
8.Water activities
Bring your children’s swimsuits to the park on hot days so they can take advantage of the Super Silly Fun Land water play area. They can play around and cool off, taking advantage of the over 80 different water features.
There’s also a changing room, so they don’t have to wear their wet clothes around afterward, and if you forget a little one’s swimsuit, you can purchase an extra at a gift shop close by so no one has to miss out on the fun.
Extra Tools
Theme parks know that traveling with children isn’t always easy, and they provide lots of help to make your visit as smooth and tantrum-less as possible. Here are a few features that Universal Studios HollywoodTM has provided to make visiting with children more stress-free.
Child Switch
On some of the more intimidating rides, the Child Switch program allows for some of the family to ride while one parent watches the child or children who can’t or don’t want to participate. Once the others are off the ride, the parent who supervised the young child is allowed to go on the ride without waiting in line.
The parent who didn’t ride the first time can also take one guest, which might mean a lucky sibling would get a second line-free ride!
Single Rider
Because so much of the bulk of lines at Universal Studios HollywoodTM are made up of pairs or groups who want to ride together, there’s an incentive for riders who don’t mind going on alone. If one parent wants to visit an attraction that might not be ideal for their kids, the shortened Single Rider line makes the time that the rest of the family has to wait outside for them dramatically shorter.
Family Center
The Family Center, located near Water World, is ideal for nursing babies, but also can be used if your children need some downtime and a break from the hectic stimuli of the surrounding theme park.
Remember: Preparation is Key
If you’re worried about your children being scared of a particular ride or show, it’s a good time to have a conversation about the magic of special effects and how most things at theme parks are not exactly what they seem.
Contact aRes Travel for discounted family ticket packages, so you and your children can experience an adventure of a lifetime! Families can purchase general admission tickets for children aged 3-9 for less than discounted rates.
Consider combining your trip with other attractions in the area for an even better deal and more adventure! aRES Travel combo deals currently include:
- Disneyland® Resort Park Hopper® & Universal Studios Hollywood™
- Disneyland® Resort Park Per Day & Universal Studios Hollywood™
- Universal Studios Hollywoodâ„¢ & Warner Bros. Studio Tour
For the best deals on Universal Studios Hollywoodâ„¢ tickets, the lowest prices on packages and hotels, and amazing savings on travel, call 1 (800) 434-7894 (international callers use +1 (866) 731-7511) to speak with an aRes Travel planning expert seven days a week, or book online now.
