Universal Studios Hollywood
Universal Studios Hollywood is where all of the movie magic originated. It's actually one gigantic city! We thought it would just be another amusement park. We were wrong. It's more of a learning experience. So make sure that you listen if you go. They give all sorts of information. When we watched the shows, we got to learn how the movies were made.
They do not have a lot of rides, but they have a lot of shows. Some shows like the Spectacular Special Effects show has been changed to reflect the digital age in movie making. If you like fire, then you'll love Backdraft. You learn a little bit about how the movie was made, then you get to see it in action. We got to see Shrek in 4D. The seats move to a 3D movie and when the donkey sneezes, you get to feel it! How does a 3D movie mixed with live action sound? That is what Terminator 2D is all about. Back to the Future is one of the rides and done quiet nicely. The movie enveloped us. With the recent Marvel comics craze, we got to see Dardevil jump off of a building and Spiderman swing from building to building.
Getting wet is easy with the Jurrasic Park ride. Just make sure you set in the first row. Getting absolutely soaked is even easier with The Blast Zone. The Mummy Returns used to be scary but not anymore. On the Studio Tour, Jaws makes a guest appearance as well as King Kong with his banana breath.
We ate at Louie's. Their food is actually really good. It wasn't fast food at all. I had the parmesan chicken and Elena had pizza. Together with no drinks, it was about $14 USD. A lot cheaper than Disneyland. We bought two Celebrity passes with lots of blackout dates online for $60 a piece in June of 2003. VIP pass holders will experience a personal tour, a behind the scenes look, meet actors from the shows, explore working sound stages, get to the front of the line, and many more experiences. All in all, it was a great time and we look foward to our next trip in October.