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Go On The Studio Tour When Your Legs Need A Break

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey Reopens – Full Ride POV – Universal Studios Hollywood

The Studio Tour is unique to Universal Studios Hollywood and is a must-do.

The best time to go on the Studio Tour is when your legs are tired and/or the sun is getting too hot, as the tram is shaded.

The experience takes about an hour and the fun comes to you while you ride around in a tram with live and recorded commentary.

If you think that youre safe from special effects and motion sickness on the Studio Tour sorry! During the tour there are three experiences where the carriages rock and jerk at King Kong 3D, under a subway flooding and Fast and Furious.

Head First To The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is the big drawcard for USH, so get there early to avoid lines.

The Ollivanders wand experience is really just a bit of promo for the wand shop, so if theres a long line you can skip it. I know that they can only fit a small number of people inside at a time, so it is my very first stop.

There are two rides inside this area a thrill ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey and kiddie roller-coaster the Flight of the Hippogriff.

If you have bags you will need to put them in a locker for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey which gives you an indication of how wild the ride is. You need to be minimum 122cm to ride. DO NOT eat just before you go on this ride!

The Flight of the Hippogriff is a family-friendly roller coaster that spirals and dives around the pumpkin patch, and then swoops past Hagrids hut. Its aimed at younger kids minimum 99cm tall but I still find it a bit fast for my stomach.

The rest of the area is mainly shops and displays, with a few performances throughout the day such as the Frog Choir and Triwizard Spirit Rally.

Construction Walls Are Down At Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen In Universal Citywalk

In more delicious CityWalk news, the construction walls are finally down at the west coast location of the popular Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen, signaling the early 2023 opening is right on schedule.

With only three locations in the world Orlando, Beijing, and soon Los Angeles Toothsome offers extensive brunch, lunch, and dinner menus. But lets be honest, the real draw comes from the Chocolate Emporium part of the name, in the form of over-the-top desserts and milkshakes like this chocolate coffee concoction I could barely make a dent in at Toothsome in Orlando.

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Top Rides At Universal Studios Hollywood

With 11 rides the park is doable in a day, especially if you splurge on a Universal Express ticket. But if you’re pressed for time, here are three top rides to keep on your radar:

The World-Famous Studio Tour

A must-do, this one-hour tour, video-hosted by Jimmy Fallon, gives you access to four acres of studio backlots. For the finale, youll cruise into the world of the Fast & Furious franchise for a high-speed chase.

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey

Part of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, this ride mixes motion simulations and 3-D projection to make muggles feel like theyre truly at Hogwarts. Lines tend to be longest for this ride, but even the queue keeps guests engaged with castle scenery.

Jurassic World – The Ride

As your raft winds through Jurassic World and takes on the occasional dip and splash, youll come face to face with the aquatic Mosasaurus, plus see Indominus rex and T-Rex in action.

Is It Worth It To Visit The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter In Hollywood

Hogwarts

When the most die-hard Harry Potter fans visit the incredible reconstruction of Hogsmeade in Hollywood, they will feel like they are missing out on something, since they know that here they cannot enjoy the equally amazing Diagon Alley, where there is the roller coaster dedicated to the descent through the underground tunnels of the Gringotts Bank, the famous Knight Bus, and the mysterious atmosphere of Nocturne Alley.

However, it must also be said that the Wizarding World of Hollywood is really remarkable. The village of Hogsmeade is reconstructed in the smallest detail. Walking inside Hogwarts Castle surrounded by paintings and talking hats is breathtaking, and it is right here at the castle that you will find the best ride : Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.

In short, if youre a fan of Harry Potter and are passing through Los Angeles, I doubt youll be disappointed, and you can go on all the other attractions in Universal Studios Hollywood, including a tour of the movie sets, and in my opinion, that alone is worth the price of the ticket and is the exclusive privilege of those who visit Universal Studios Hollywood.

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Tourist Attraction Discount Passes

There are currently four tourist passes in Los Angeles that offer discounts on general admission at Universal Studios Hollywood.

The first and most popular option is the Go City Los Angeles Card, which offers admission to the theme park with every 3, 4, 5 and 7-day all-inclusive pass.

This pass also includes admission to dozens of additional attractions while it is valid, including the Warner Bros. Studio tour which features a Harry Potter tour.

  • 3-Day Pass: $239/Adults | $219/Children
  • $79.67/day for Adults | $73/day for Children
  • 4-Day Pass: $299/Adults | $265/Children
  • $74.75/day for Adults | $66.25/day for Children
  • 5-Day Pass: $324/Adults | $296/Children
  • $64.80/day for Adults | $59.20/day for Children
  • 7-Day Pass: $374/Adults | $332/Children
  • $53.43/day for Adults | $47.43/day for Children
  • At $53 per day with the 7-day pass, youd literally be paying less than half the price of general admission tickets to Universal Studios Hollywood.

    The Starline Attraction Pass is another all-inclusive pass that typically offers admission to this theme park at a discounted rate. Unfortunately, as of October 2022, this pass is not currently active.

    If youre looking for a discount service that focuses primarily on theme parks, the Los Angeles CityPASS is an excellent option.

    This tourist pass includes attractions like Disneyland, SeaWorld, LEGOLAND, and of course Universal Studios Hollywood.

    Previous Universal Harry Potter Attractions

    A Harry Potter themed attraction at a Universal Studios park or a Disney park was rumored in 2003. However, the rights to the Harry Potter franchise had been acquired by Warner Bros., which denied all rumors. In January 2007, About.com reported a rumor from a “highly credible source” that the Universal’s Islands of Adventure park’s Lost Continent area at Universal Orlando Resort was going to be re-themed “to the stories and characters of one of the most popular children’s franchises”. Other sources followed up in the next few days with unofficial confirmation that the new area would involve Harry Potter. On May 31, 2007, Universal, in partnership with Warner Bros., officially announced that the Wizarding World of Harry Potter would be added to Islands of Adventure.

    After a 2+12-year construction period, the area officially opened to the public on June 18, 2010. This resulted in attendance at the park jumping approximately 50% in its first year of operation. On July 8, 2014, Universal opened an expansion to the Wizarding World at Universal Studios Florida, Diagon Alley, which was placed in the former Amity Island area of the park. This expansion also included the new ride experience: The Hogwarts Express, in which a train travels between the two Universal Florida Parks, from the Hogsmeade area to Kings Cross Station . A week later, on July 15, 2014, Universal opened the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Japan.

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    How Can I Skip The Lines

    Universal offers front-of-line Express passes that offer access to a priority line for each attraction. If you dont want to spend that much money, though, waiting in line for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is totally bearable: Weve typically seen wait times between a half hour and an hour.

    Its Ok To Bring A Pram

    Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood B-Roll footage

    Universal Studios Hollywood is very pram-friendly. You will be required to park your pram in a designated area before you enter an attraction. You can also hire a pram if you dont want to bring your own.

    However, I dont see many prams around, mainly because the park is really more suitable for older kids.

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    Rumors And Official Announcement

    On December 1, 2011, the Wall Street Journal reported a rumor from “people familiar with the matter” that Universal Studios Hollywood was going to add its version of Islands of Adventure’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The report also detailed the possibility that Universal Parks & Resorts would open additional Harry Potter-themed areas at Universal Studios Singapore and Universal Studios Japan as well as a location in Spain. This report was widely relayed by other media sources. On December 6, 2011, Universal Studios Hollywood announced the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Universal Parks & Resorts executives Tom Williams and Ron Meyer were accompanied by Warner Bros. executives, the Governor of CaliforniaJerry Brown as well as James and Oliver Phelps who played the Weasley twins in the films. The announcement came with very few details of what would be built, however, it did confirm that the Gibson Amphitheatre would be demolished and a re-creation of Hogwarts and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey would be constructed. The last show at the Gibson Amphitheatre was held on September 6, 2013, prior to its closure and subsequent demolition.

    On April 23, 2013, NBCUniversal made the final step by receiving a unanimous vote in approval of the 25-year expansion by the county Board of Supervisors. This $1.6 billion expansion is expected to greatly boost tourism and the local entertainment industry. It will also create 30,000 jobs during the time of construction.

    Vorherige Universal Harry Potter Attraktionen

    Eine Harry-Potter -Attraktion in einem Park der Universal Studios oder einem Disney-Park wurde im Jahr 2003 gemunkelt. Die Rechte an der Harry-Potter-Franchise wurden jedoch von Warner Bros. erworben, die alle Gerüchte dementiert. Im Januar 2007 berichtete About.com von einem Gerücht aus einer sehr glaubwürdigen Quelle, dass der Lost Continent- Bereich des Islands of Adventure Parks im Universal Orlando Resort den Geschichten und Charakteren eines der beliebtesten Kinderfilme Franchise. Andere Quellen folgten in den nächsten Tagen mit inoffiziellen Bestätigungen, dass das neue Gebiet Harry Potter betreffen würde. Am 31. Mai 2007 gab Universal in Zusammenarbeit mit Warner Bros. offiziell bekannt, dass die Zauberwelt von Harry Potter zu Islands of Adventure hinzugefügt wird.

    Nach einem 2+1 2 Jahre Bauzeit wurde das Areal am 18. Juni 2010 offiziell der Öffentlichkeit übergeben. Dies führte dazu, dass das Parkjumping im ersten Betriebsjahr um rund 50 % gestiegen ist. Am 8. Juli 2014 eröffnete Universal eine Erweiterung der Wizarding World in den Universal Studios Florida in der Winkelgasse, die sich im ehemaligen Amity Island- Gebiet des Parks befand. Diese Erweiterung beinhaltete auch das neue Fahrerlebnis: Der Hogwarts Express, bei dem ein Zug zwischen den beiden Universal Florida Parks vom Hogsmeade-Gebiet zum Bahnhof Kings Cross fährt. Eine Woche später, am 15. Juli 2014, eröffnete Universal The Wizarding World in den Universal Studios Japan.

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    Wide Shot: Inside Warner Bros’s Risky Streaming Movie Strategy

    With the Discovery merger looming, Warner Bros.’s film bosses talk about how Project Popcorn has done so far.

    The seven-story, 483,000-square-foot building across the street from Warner Bros. corporate offices in Burbank had been scheduled to open in May 2020 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The tours were previously launched from the first floor of the corporate office building, which offered less than half the display and visitor space of the new venue.

    We felt like we were outgrowing our space, said Warner Bros. Vice President and General Manager Danny Kahn.

    The tour building whose cost studio representatives declined to disclose is part of a larger expansion at the studios headquarters, which broke ground in January on a pair of Frank Gehry-designed office towers designed to resemble two icebergs.

    Pandemic travel restrictions limit visits by international tourists, but Warner Bros. officials say they are hopeful that the new tour building will draw plenty of Californians who have stayed close to home for the last year and are itching to try new experiences.

    We feel there is a lot of pent-up demand, said Gary Soloff, vice president of marketing at the studios. The company website shows all time slots for English-speaking tours are sold out for the first two weeks.

    The building may be opening just in time for a tourism resurgence.

    Warner Bros Steps Away From $100

    Universal Studios Wizarding World of Harry Potter

    The project, proposed in 2018, raised safety concerns and required building into a mountain.

    The new Warner Bros. tour building, built on the site of a parking lot, includes about 25,000 square feet of exhibit space and a parking structure with nearly 1,000 spots. Instead of one movie theater, the new building has two 70-seat theaters where tour visitors will be shown clips of movies shot at the studio.

    The studio bought electric carts to shuttle visitors to film sets and backlot soundstages, including the coffee shop set featured in the sitcom Friends and the fountain where the cast members frolic during that shows opening title sequence.

    The new building is home to much of the historic movie memorabilia that had been on display in the previous building, such as the trench coat worn by Humphrey Bogart in the 1942 classic Casablanca. The phone of studio co-founder Jack Warner is also in the exhibit, alongside his personal phone book, which shows the numbers and addresses of such Hollywood luminaries as Cecil B. DeMille and Walt Disney.

    In hopes of attracting younger visitors, Warner Bros. has added several interactive exhibits meant to encourage movie fans to snap selfies and post photos on social media sites.

    In another Harry Potter exhibit, visitors are asked to tap a series of buttons next to several ingredients to create a magic potion. Choose the correct ingredients, and a cauldron spins and glows purple.

    Inside the business of entertainment

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    Awards Honours And Recognition

    The Harry Potter series has been recognised by a host of awards since the initial publication of Philosopher’s Stone including a platinum award from the Whitaker Gold and Platinum Book Awards , three , two Book Awards , the inaugural , the , among others. In 2000, was nominated for a , and in 2001, won said award. Honours include a commendation for the , a short listing for the , and numerous listings on the notable books, editors’ Choices, and best books lists of the , The New York Times, , and .

    In 2002, sociologist Andrew Blake named Harry Potter a British pop culture icon along with the likes of and . In 2003, four of the books were named in the top 24 of the BBC’s survey of the best loved novels in the UK. A 2004 study found that books in the series were commonly read aloud in elementary schools in . Based on a 2007 online poll, the U.S. listed the series in its “Teachers’ Top 100 Books for Children”. named Rowling as a runner-up for its 2007 award, noting the social, moral, and she has given . Three of the books placed among the “Top 100 Chapter Books” of all time, or children’s novels, in a 2012 survey published by : Sorcerer’s Stone ranked number three, Prisoner of Azkaban 12th, and Goblet of Fire 98th.

    Universal Studios Hollywood Planning Tips

    Many guests enter and begin their day at the upper lot’s attractions. Instead, work backward by beginning at the lower lot to possibly relieve wait times.

    The World-Famous Studio Tour typically embarks on its last ride of the day over an hour before park closing, so it is best to plan ahead for this experience.

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    How To Get There And Where To Stay Near Universal Studios

    Universal Studios Hollywood is located in the heart of Los Angeles, approximately 20 minutes from nearby Hollywood Burbank Airport and 40 minutes from Los Angeles International Airport.

    Daily parking rates for theme park visitors begin at $30 if entering the lot before 5 p.m. For those visiting a full-service restaurant at CityWalk, valet parking is available for up to 2.5 hours for $10.

    Unlike Orlando’s version, they do not have on-site, Universal-operated hotels, but hotel partners. Hilton Universal City & Sheraton Universal Hotel are located within walking distance of the park, with guests receiving perks like complimentary shuttles and discounted ticket packages.

    For Visitors With Disabilities

    Trying THE GREAT FEAST at HARRY POTTER WORLD | Universal Studios Hollywood FOOD REVIEW!

    Guests with special needs can go to guest services and ask for an Attraction Assistance Pass. Its a paper pass that lets you go through the express lane, or get a return time if the current wait is more than 45 minutes.The guest services team members dont ask for a diagnosis they ask why queuing is difficult. You need to explain what could happen if you stand in line for long periods of time.

    You can call ahead to request an AAP or just get it at the park when you arrive. The pass allows six people on the pass, so your whole family can ride together.

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