universal studio tour worth it

I've done 4 VIP tours at Universal Studios and have another booked for $3,500. It's an incredible deal that comes with huge perks.

• I've visited Universal Studios parks for 30 years, and I think its VIP tours are worth it.
• I've done four VIP tours with Universal and already have another booked for $3,500.
• The special ride access and unlimited food alone make it worth the price, in my opinion. 

Many are aware of the VIP tours at Disney parks , but Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando Resort also offer various levels of VIP tours daily.

These VIP tours are guided and allow for quick and private access to all attractions and unlimited food. There are a few types of VIP tours and price varies based on date and demand. Tours last around seven hours and you can choose between a fully private tour or a mix-in tour where you're paired with up to 20 other guests.

I've done four fully private tours, which guides customize based on your interests, and the price has usually been around $3,500 to $4,500. If you have a big group, this breaks down to a few hundred dollars a person. 

Here's what my most recent tour was like and why I think they're worth every penny. 

My most recent private VIP tour was at Universal Studios Hollywood.

My most recent private VIP tour was at Universal Studios Hollywood, which is the only way to gain special access to Super Nintendo World and its working back-lot studio.

We checked in at a private VIP lounge at the front of the park and were presented with a special lanyard we'd get to keep as a souvenir.

Theme-park food can be expensive, but guests on the VIP tour receive complimentary bites.

There were two meals included with our tour. We began at a VIP lounge where we checked in for the experience and were treated to a continental breakfast and expansive coffee bar.

Halfway through our tour, we enjoyed a robust gourmet lunch buffet that had many delicious options. This was hosted in another swanky VIP lounge that offered sweeping views of Los Angeles and even some mingling with characters, like Dracula.

After breakfast, we headed to Universal's back lot and got to walk around.

I've ridden the World-Famous Studio Tour tram that goes through Universal's filming back lot many times — it's my favorite attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood. But as a VIP, I got to walk on the lot for the first time.

The back lot is part of Universal City, a working film studio that's large enough to have its own fire station. Many popular movies and television shows of past and present, like Netflix's "Never Have I Ever" and cult-favorite "Desperate Housewives," film here at its many soundstages and practical sets.

This was a bucket-list experience for me.

As we explored, we were even able to visit the iconic courthouse and clock tower from "Back to the Future," a highlight for me.

We also walked along the cobblestone streets of the famous Little Europe back lot, a memorable filming location of "The Good Place" and Universal's classic monster films of the 1920s.

As we went behind the scenes, we also got to ride around on a special bus.

During the back-lot portion, we rode around to different parts of the studios on a specialty VIP motorcoach.

We also visited Universal's top-secret prop warehouse but weren't allowed to take photos. 

All in all, we spent around two hours exploring the sets.

I loved walking along the set of Jordan Peele's 2022 thriller "Nope." The theme park from the film, Jupiter's Claim, was relocated to the back lot and we had free access to roam around it. 

During the back-lot portion, we also experienced classic things regular guests experience from the World-Famous Studio Tour tram, like the set of "Jaws" and a 3D adventure on King Kong 360.

Walking through the sets was a huge highlight of our day. 

Next, we headed to Super Nintendo World and skipped lines.

After the back lot, our VIP tour arrived back at the theme park for lunch. Then, we made our way to the new Super Nintendo Nintendo World on foot.

Universal Studios Hollywood's VIP tour is the only way to enjoy special access to Super Nintendo World. This meant we were able to be escorted directly to the front of its headliner attraction, Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge, which had a 90-minute wait time during our visit.

Super Nintendo World has proved immensely popular since opening this year, and sometimes it's so crowded people must enter a virtual queue for a chance to enter the land. As a big fan of the immersive land, I'm glad my VIP status guaranteed me access to it.

After Nintendo, we were escorted directly onto some major attractions.

With our VIP-tour ride access, we were quickly whisked directly to the front of lines — usually via backstage shortcuts — and onto attractions.

Our tour guide took charge of our itinerary but guests are able to make requests if they desire. Ours included the indoor roller-coaster Revenge of the Mummy — The Ride.

He also mentioned guides have the ability to bring tour guests into special experiences, like the popular Ollivander's Wand Shop in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter , or attempt to get reservations at the new Toadstool Café inside Super Nintendo World.

Personalized details like this added even more value to my experience. 

After the tour, I used my unlimited Express Pass to enjoy more rides on my own.

I was surprised that VIP guests also received an unlimited Express Pass, valued at about $200 to $300, to enjoy after the tour.

After the tour, I used my pass to enjoy expedited access to attractions I wanted to ride again, like Secret Life of Pets: Off The Leash.

This pass was especially great because in-demand Universal Studios Hollywood attractions like Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey can garner lines of well over an hour on busy days. 

I highly recommend a Universal VIP tour.

I believe price alone is a reason to book a VIP, especially when comparing it to the cost of an Express Pass and all the additional perks we received. 

After all, tours include unlimited front-of-line access to all rides, shows, and attractions, along with valet parking and all-you-care-to-enjoy meals.

There wasn't just one highlight but many, and favorites included the special access to Super Nintendo World and the walking tour of the back lot. Our entire group felt like VIPs and loved the personalized attention we received. It felt like a truly special experience and a great value. The complimentary food was also surprisingly delicious.

The quick access to rides was amazing and allowed us to ride everything in a single day, which usually can't be done with a regular ticket.

Plus, our tour guide was funny and a wealth of knowledge. He was on hand to not only escort us to the front of attraction queues, but also to share insider info and park secrets .

I've already booked another VIP Tour — this time, for Halloween season.

As big fans of Universal's Halloween Horror Nights , my family was exploring options to gain quicker access to the haunted houses during the event, where wait times can sometimes be over 60 minutes.

After calling Universal's dedicated VIP phone line, we discovered that a 10-person fully private tour would cost $3,500 total on our desired date of visit, breaking down to $350 per person.

When comparing the price to an Express Pass, which can cost up to $200 per person during Halloween Horror Nights, it was a no-brainer for us to spend a little more and book the VIP tour.

Named the "RIP" tour during the Halloween season, this VIP package also includes a guide, food, private lounge access, and unlimited access to all attractions — including haunted houses.

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Insider Look at the Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Experience

Posted on Last updated: January 3, 2024

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Heading to Universal Studios Hollywood in California? Scroll to find out everything you need to know about the Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Experience.

This universal studios hollywood post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on the link and purchase the item, i will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. all opinions remain my own..

My husband and I have been debating bringing the kids to Universal Studios for a while. I’d never been and my husband had been many years ago.

Since our kids are 4 years old and 1 year old, I had a feeling they might not be able to do most of the rides.

So, when my Mom offered to fly up to watch the boys, my husband and I decided to live it up in Los Angeles for the weekend! And top on our list was a day at Universal Studios in Hollywood !

Find amazing Universal Studios Hollywood deals here .

We spent a lot of time comparing the ticket options. I read a lot of blog posts about what people recommend. Friends gave me their advice.

But, my husband is the one who convinced me to get the VIP Experience .

I’m a movie and TV nut and the Universal Studios VIP tour gives guests a more in-depth studio tour. Plus, guests jump to the front of all the ride lines (even after the VIP tour ends.)

My husband was really stoked about the free breakfast, gourmet lunch, and valet Universal Studios Hollywood parking. And they gave us ponchos and little amenity kits. Oh and all the bottled water we could drink!

Since we only had one day to explore Universal Studios without kids, we decided this was the way to go!

Don’t miss these Universal Studios Hollywood tips

Checking In

So when you drive into Universal Studios, head to the Frankenstein Parking Lot. It’s the one closest to the park entrance. Pull into the Valet area and then simply walk up the stairs to get to the park.

After security, head to your right and you’ll see a door marked VIP. That’s where you want to go.

After checking you in, you’ll be sent upstairs to their VIP Lounge . We had about 20 minutes to eat breakfast. They had juices, tea, and coffee. I was also impressed at an assortment of pastries, croissant sandwiches, hard-boiled eggs, oatmeal, etc.

After we ate, our guide Chris came over to talk about our schedule for the day. He also gave us ponchos for Jurassic Park and an amenity kit that had mints, wipes, lip balm etc.

Insider tip: Don’t eat TOO much because the first things you will do are rides!

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Universal Studios Hollywood Rides

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

The first place we went at Universal Studios Hollywood was to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter . In preparation for this trip, we binge-watched all the Harry Potter movies !

I’m so glad we did because walking through Hogsmeade was incredible! There are so many things to do at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter !

Since we were on a tour, we quickly walked past the amazing shops in Hogsmeade to get closer to Hogwarts. Our guide Chris positioned us in the best place to get photos in front of Hogwarts. Then, we hit the ground running!

FLIGHT OF THE HIPPOGRIFF

First up was Flight of the Hippogriff . It’s touted as a family-friendly roller coaster. The ride is about 21 seconds long. I’m a total chicken when it comes to rides, and it made my stomach a bit wonky. I’m glad I ate a very light breakfast!

HARRY POTTER AND THE FORBIDDEN JOURNEY

Then, we headed straight to Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey . The ride line takes you through the inside of Hogwarts, which lives up to the hype!

We watched the paintings of founders of each house talk to each other! I assumed it would look like a projection or video, but it seriously looked like the images in the cracked paintings were moving on their own! So cool!

Once we got through Hogwarts, we handed our bags to Chris. You can’t have anything loose around you.

Trust me: we got kicked off because my husband had a camera around his neck. Thankfully, we were able to get right back on. For those not doing the VIP tour, there are lockers for you to store your stuff.

The ride itself is pretty cool! You sit in line and you get to fly around Hogwarts. I started to feel a bit dizzy about half-way through, so I just closed my eyes on and off.

The ride is a bit longer than I expected, but a must-do ride for Harry Potter fans!

Lower Lot at Universal Studios

When they say “Lower Lot” they really mean that you’ll be going down countless escalators to the valley below! I was shocked we were still at Universal Studios!

After doing the previous rides, even the escalators felt a bit intense! But, I’m not really a ride person I guess! I took a time-out from rides in the Lower Lot, but my husband did them all!

JURASSIC PARK—THE RIDE

This is a boat ride that ends in an 84-foot plunge. Our guide Chris helped guests get into their ponchos. I walked all the way to the entrance with the group and then Chris walked me out so I could take photos.

My husband enjoyed the ride and thought the plunge was fantastic! His shorts got pretty wet in the front row (he failed to wear his poncho.) And it made him want to rewatch Jurassic Park and Jurassic World .

REVENGE OF THE MUMMY—THE RIDE

Revenge Of The Mummy—The Ride is just a few yards away from Jurassic Park—The Ride . This time, a few other guests opted to sit the ride out.

We spent the time taking photos of the dinosaur character hanging around. My husband again had a great time because he’d seen The Mummy ! And he told me I definitely wouldn’t have enjoyed it!

TRANSFORMERS: THE RIDE 3-D

I opted to take photos with Bumblebee instead of the ride. I had a blast dancing with Bumblebee! My husband is a huge Transformers fan and he thought the ride lived up to his expectations.

He got to fight alongside his idol Optimus Prime in an epic battle of war.

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Waterworld Show

We headed back up the endless stream of escalators to make our way to catch the 12:15pm Waterworld show.

The last time I saw Waterworld , I was in middle school. So, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was kind of thinking how weird it is when movies become live-action musicals. I was wondering how they’d pull this off.

What’s awesome about this show is that they set the stage with a bit of backstory. So, if you haven’t seen the movie, it doesn’t really matter. The show starts even before everyone is seated. Actors start spraying water at late guests and joking with the crowd.

Then, the show starts with jaw-dropping special effects! There are jet skis, water skiers, motor boats, etc. And lots of fire! You’ll see actors swinging from ropes and little gondolas.

Oh and a plane lands in the water at the end of the show! It was insanely cool! And the actors in the show are also characters in well-known TV shows.

Despicable Me Minion Mayhem

My 4-year-old is a HUGE Minions fan, so I felt a little guilty going on this ride without him.

We went in a little room to watch a video to set the scene. Then, we headed into our row, put on our 3-D glasses and started the ride.

Our scene was where little Agnes was trying to give a present to Gru to celebrate the anniversary of their adoption. Super cute story, but I did have to close my eyes a few times with all the simulated drops.

Insider tip: I heard from other guests that the story changes throughout the day, so it might be worth doing this Universal Studios ride twice.

VIP Lunch in Private Dining Room

Universal Studios Hollywood has a whole restaurant dedicated to serving VIP guests lunch .

It’s a buffet lunch featuring sushi, seafood, meat, salad, soup, and just about every other type of food. Lots of options for kids, vegetarians, carnivores, picky eaters and everyone in between.

Plus, they had an array of desserts! The food was delicious and it was nice to sit outside in the undercover patio and rest a bit.

Insider tip: Use the restrooms here. They are HUGE!

During lunch, the character of Lucille Ball was walking around chatting to the guests. She was super fun to talk to and to eavesdrop on while she was talking to other guests!

Apparently, she travels to Lucille Ball’s hometown of Jameston, NY for their annual Lucy Comedy Fest.

Our guide Chris gave us a full hour for lunch, which was plenty of time to leisurely enjoy our meal and use the restroom. And we had extra time to check out the Minions merchandise in a gift shop and take photos with the kids from Despicable Me .

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Universal Studios VIP Studio Tour

Ok, so this was the part of Universal Studios I’d been waiting for!

Instead of riding in a huge 4-car tram like the regular studio tour, we got to ride in a private open-air trolley. We teamed up with another VIP group, so I think there were 20 of us in total.

Since our trolley was small, we were able to squeeze through narrow alleys and get a lot closer than the trams. Plus, we were able to load and unload quickly, maximizing our time!

Champions Set

The first place we explored was the set of the upcoming TV Show called Champions . It’s produced by Mindy Kaling and premieres March 8 on NBC!

The set we toured was a boxing gym that seems to be the main set of the show. They had filmed earlier in the day and were going to film later that evening, so we had to be extra careful not to touch anything. It was AMAZING!

I love Mindy Kaling and we knew we’d be watching this show, so it was really exciting to get a sneak peak! The only downside to exploring this set is that we couldn’t take any photos. Or touch anything.

My husband and I used every morsel of self-control to keep from taking a Jolly Rancher from the dish on the counter!

Courthouse from Back to the Future

Next, we got to walk around the courthouse featured in Back to the Future . It was right next to a street used in Hairspray Live !

The clock part was up just for tourists to take photos. I guess it’s such a recognizable set that they usually have to take down the clock if they want to film there.

New York Street

Another cool area we got to walk around was New York Street. It’s also decorated to look like London, Chicago, and countless other cities. The ends of the streets curve so they can connect it to other streets when editing.

As we were walking around, I kept wondering how many times I must have seen this street in TV, movies, and commercials!

Prop Warehouse

One of the coolest places we stopped on the tour was the prop warehouse. It looks like a thrift store warehouse filled with all kinds of knick-knacks, furniture, and memorabilia.

It would take hundreds of hours to really look at each item and we didn’t have that long. So we did a quick walkthrough and our guide Chris pointed out some cool items.

I spent most of the time looking down the narrow aisles seeing what kinds of treasures I could find. I also started reading as many tags as I could.

As we were heading out, I noticed a lady just standing in front of a cart. I was a little annoyed since I maybe wanted to take a photo and she was in my way. After all, I’m a tourist and my job is to take photos of everything!

But, then I realized she was standing in front of a cart marked This is Us and she was pulling items for it! Like most people in their 30s, This is Us is one of my favorite shows!

It brought me back down to realizing this was a working prop warehouse and all this stuff has been used (and will be used) for television and films.

The Good Place and Little Europe Sets

My husband and I are borderline obsessed with Kristen Bell’s show The Good Place . So, when we saw a set filled with yogurt shops, I squealed!

We got to get out and explore the set, which was amazing! Each shop sign was funny and smart! And they had the train station. I could have spent 30 minutes wandering around here taking photos.

That set is also used to replicate Europe. They just swap out the signs for ones in another language. With all the little alleys and nooks, it has a European feel. The set definitely felt like we were walking through a side street in Paris.

It made me think a lot about our trip to Paris last spring !

King Kong 360 3-D

So by now you know I’m a total ride junkie, right? NOT the case. So, when I was told King Kong 360 3-D was the most intense 3-D ride in the world, I was a bit nervous.

But, I actually kept my eyes open for the whole ride. You are kind of in a tunnel and there are screens on both sides. You’ll see dinosaurs and King Kong and he will move from one screen to the other. You wear 3-D glasses and it’s pretty cool.

Earthquake: The Big One Ride

Our trolley drove into a subway area used in an episode of Bones .

Inside, our trolley shook as we experienced an “Earthquake” and flood situation. It was pretty incredible to see how they did it for the show! We even got a bit wet when the water gushed in.

Had it been a real earthquake, I would have panicked over being sprayed with “subway water,” but this felt pretty clean.

Flood Scene from Big Fat Liar

We drove through the set of a Mexican town and got to see how they simulate rain. We saw the sprinklers, water on rooftops, simulated lightning and a flood!

Afterward, we watched the clip from Big Fat Liar (starring Frankie Muniz and Amanda Bynes) to show the scene that featured the flood.

I was surprised how realistic the rain looked. And I’m a Seattle girl, so I KNOW rain!

Fast & Furious—Supercharged

Another ride is this 3-D experience featuring the cast from Fast & Furious . The video was really incredible because it looked like the actors were outside our trolley.

The ride was mostly us chasing bad guys. The trolley shook a bit, but not too bad. It was cool, even if you aren’t a big Fast & Furious fan.

One of the last rides we experienced was Amity Island on the set of Jaws . The town sits on a man-made lake. We watched a guy get eaten by a shark and then the shark came right up to our trolley and sprayed us with water.

The Bates Motel

I’m not a Psycho fan, but I’ve heard of Norman and The Bates Motel. It’s an actor who is shown putting a body into the trunk of his car and then he notices us. Naturally, he comes toward us with a knife.

Nothing too scary, but very cool to see an actor on this tour.

War of the Worlds Set

Something really cool for my husband was exploring the War of The Worlds set. He’s a Boeing engineer so it was interesting for him to see how they destroyed the Boeing aircraft for the movie.

It was crazy to see all the destruction and we thought the set was eerie.

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End of VIP Experience

The simpsons ride.

After the Studio Tour concluded, we headed to The Simpsons land. We were able to get a quick photo with Krusty the Clown before heading into The Simpsons Ride.

Our guide Chris was able to get us into Car 6, which put us right in the middle of the screen. Super helpful since this was a virtual reality roller coaster ride. I used to love The Simpsons , so I did this right.

However, I had my eyes closed during a lot of it.

The Walking Dead

This experience uses real actors and they take 30 minutes on and 30 minutes off. I knew The Walking Dead wouldn’t be up my alley. So, I went to the entrance and Chris walked me to the exit.

It’s a super quick walk though experience.

By the time I got to the exit, our group came out about 30 seconds later. Half the people exiting looked freaked out while the other half laughed.

VIP Experience Finale

After The Walking Dead , our Universal Studios VIP Tour was officially over. Chris reminded us that we could still use our passes to go to the front of the line for any other rides until the park closed.

The whole VIP experience lasted more than 6 hours.

Hogsmeade at Night

My husband and I had thought the Hosgmeade looked a bit funky in the bright California sunshine. So, we opted to head back to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter as the sun was going down.

This gave us the opportunity to get a quick photo with the train conductor.

I always rave about how people should experience Cars Land at Disney California Adventure at night. Hogsmeade takes the cake! It was magical and felt so true to the movies!

We sipped a Butterbeer and just soaked in the ambiance. It was the ultimate way for us to end a whirlwind day at Universal Studios Hollywood.

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Final Thoughts on the VIP Experience at Universal Studios Hollywood

In the end, we thought the VIP tour at Universal Studios Hollywood was definitely worth the money.

There’s no way we would have been able to do all the rides we did without that VIP pass. We also would have wasted valuable time looking at maps and trying to figure out where to go.

And the in-depth studio tour lived up to my high expectations! It was exactly the type of Hollywood experience I wanted for our kid-free getaway.

We were also very appreciative of the valet service to pick up our car on the way out. We had our car 2 minutes after leaving the park exit.

Insider tip: Ask for Chris to be your tour guide. He guides all the celebrities around Universal Studios and EVERYONE knows him. You’ll really feel like a VIP!

Where to Stay at Universal Studios Hollywood

Hilton los angeles/universal city.

The Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City hotel is just a block away from the entrance to Universal Studios Hollywood and minutes from Hollywood.

They even have a complimentary shuttle available daily to Universal Studios Hollywood. And then cool off in their large outdoor swimming pool. Check the latest rates and availability.

SHERATON UNIVERSAL HOTEL

Sheraton Universal Hotel is uniquely and centrally situated in the Hollywood Hills, right next to Universal Studios Hollywood and the Universal Citywalk.

You can easily drive to Universal Studios, Walt Disney Family Museum, Warner Brothers , and Paramount, as well as numerous production companies. Check the latest rates and availability .

BLVD HOTEL & SPA

This hotel has an awesome location! The BLVD Hotel & Suites has the intimate appeal of a boutique hotel in Hollywood with California-cool characteristics.

Its Hollywood and Highland location in Hollywood, CA makes attractions like Universal Studios and the Los Angeles Metro Station walking distance away and close proximity to all the major attractions in Hollywood/Los Angeles area. Check the latest rates and availability .

Check for the best Universal Studios Hollywood deals here .

Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Experience Wrap Up

After we visited Universal Studios, it’s no wonder why this is one of the top things to do in Hollywood ! It’s such an immersive experience and a great way to learn a bit about movie magic!

Looking for more Southern California content? Check out our guide to Universal Studios Hollywood at Christmas and Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood !

Unlock Your Free eBook

Our exclusive eBook, Top 10 Unforgettable Family Adventure Destinations , is your ticket to a world of wonder and excitement. Get your free copy today!

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Friday 27th of April 2018

I am struggling if I go for VIP. They are expensive. After reading your review I think it must be a good choice. I will go with my parents in law who are 85+, first time traveling out from San Francisco, two young kids 7 and 12. Do they have a VIP expert guide only us ? Or do we combine into another family? Does VIP experience including parking that means we don’t need pay extra? Thank you for your in/depth and lively review.

marciecheung

Great question! They keep the tour group pretty small. I think we ended up with 9 people and the maximum is 12 people, I believe. Yes, VIP includes valet parking, so you won't have that additional cost. I'm so glad this post helped! Please reach out with any additional questions. Thanks!

Thursday 12th of April 2018

We're heading to SoCal this July for 6 nights and 5 days. We were thinking of doing a 3 day hopper for Disneyland, 1 day for Knott's Berry, and 1 day at Universal. Oddly and funny enough, we also have a 1 year old and a 4 year old (well, soon to be 5 in a couple of months). But, unlike you, we're bringing them.

If I'm reading the online stuff correctly, under 5 is not allowed for the VIP experience at Universal. Do you know if this is true? If not, would you still recommend a VIP experience for a 5 year old (and the baby)? I know mom and dad would enjoy it :)

Also, does that sound good to you -- 3 days Disney, 1 Knott's, and 1 Universal?

Any other thoughts, comments, feedback, and advice would be greatly appreciated!

Yes, under 5 is unfortunately not allowed for the VIP experience at Universal. That's part of the reason we decided to do it when we were kid-free because it would be 4 years until both kids are old enough. My neighbor took her 5yo daughter and they had a blast! You might look into the Universal Express tickets for your family. It will allow you to jump ahead in line. Summer is a busy season, so that would save you hours and keep spirits high. And indulge in the Butterbeer :) They also have a rider switch option (just like Disneyland) that will be helpful since your 1yo won't be able to go on most of the rides. And Universal is much larger than I anticipated, so I'd suggest doing one area at a time. The upper and lower lots are really far apart.

I think your plan sounds great! Will you have any down days during your trip? Your kids might have sensory overload (and you might be exhausted) and need a day to rest in between the theme parks. It took me a few years to realize how helpful it is to lay low every few days to let the kids refuel.

Have an incredible trip! I have a few posts about Disneyland with babies, toddlers and preschoolers and feel free to ask any other questions you have. I'm here to help!

Tuesday 20th of March 2018

I have annual passes and I've never thought about buying VIP tickets! Sounds like you had a lot of fun! I should think about it for sure!

OMG the VIP experience was incredible!

Ava Crosier

I LOOOOOOOOVE Harry Potter and I have been to Harry potter world be4 and its amaaaaaaaaaaaaazing I love it! thanks 4 the cool writing??????

*!!!!!! not ??????

I was seriously impressed with how amazing all the Harry Potter stuff was!

Tyffani Duvall-Stone

Tuesday 20th of February 2018

This was a great read! my husband and I are going in June for our 10 year wedding anniversary. I am so glad we came across your blog.

Wednesday 21st of February 2018

Oh what a fun way to spend your 10 year anniversary!

Is the Universal VIP Experience Worth It?

A few years ago, VIP tours at theme parks like Universal and Disney were only available for a select group of theme park guests, like public figures and celebrities . Today, any guest (with the proper budget) can book a VIP tour to experience white-glove service during their theme park day. Boasting benefits like front-of-line ride access, a private tour guide, peeks into backstage areas, and complimentary meals, Universal VIP Experiences are the gold standard when it comes to VIP tours. Universal VIP Experiences are well worth the price and are one of the best ways to spend a stress-free day while visiting a theme park. Here’s why Universal’s VIP tours are worth the splurge!

The Basics: What are Universal VIP Experiences?

Before we discuss why Universal VIP experiences are awesome, let’s go over what they are and what they include. Universal VIP tours offer multiple options with a private tour guide who spends the day escorting you around Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, allowing you to skip ride lines and giving you peeks of exclusive places and backstage areas. Food is included in some tours, as well. Universal offers two types of VIP experiences: Group Tours and Private Experiences. Group and Private Tours are then broken up into 1-Park and 2-Park options. Tip: you’ll get the best experience by booking a 2-Park Tour. During a Group Tour, you and other members of your party will be placed in a group of up to 12 guests. Your Tour Guide will escort your group around the parks, giving front-of-line access to at least eight attractions, sharing insider stories, and offering glimpses backstage. Private VIP experiences, on the other hand, allow you to craft a completely customized itinerary with a private tour guide just for your party. Tours can range between five and eight hours, depending on the type of tour and how many parks you’ll visit.

Ready to visit Universal Orlando in 2024 ? Our friends at The Vacationeer can help you plan the perfect trip! They’ll answer all your questions and make your reservations. And best of all, there’s no fee to use their planning services!

Get a free, no-obligation quote today and start planning your Universal Studios vacation with The Vacationeer !

Why Universal VIP Experiences are Worth It

Reason 1: included benefits.

Here are the perks that are included with every Universal VIP Tour :

• Dedicated tour guide
• Behind-the-scenes tours and experiences
•  Front-of-the-line access to attractions
• Valet parking
• Reserved seating at in-park shows
• Universal Express Unlimited passes for the rest of the day
• Discounts on merchandise and food
• Free admission to some clubs at CityWalk
• At least one complimentary meal (all 2-Park Tours)

 Private VIP tours include everything above and:

• A private tour guide for just your party
• Customized itinerary
• Dinner voucher
• Three-Day Photo Package (with unlimited digital downloads and free prints)
• Ability to use Child Swap
• Complimentary stroller rental

The number of perks and the numerous options available for VIP tours at Universal makes them an excellent choice for first-time VIPers.

Reason 2: Attraction Access

One of the main reasons people choose to book a Universal VIP Experience is to receive front-of-line access to rides. On average, you’ll wait less than 15 minutes to ride some of the park’s most popular attractions. Universal guarantees priority access for a minimum of eight rides for 1-Day, 1-Park Tours and ten rides for 1-Day, 2-Park Tours. However, guests often ride between 10 to 14 rides during a tour. You’ll also get an Unlimited Express Pass to enjoy for the rest of the day.

Although it’s never guaranteed, booking a VIP Experience may be the only way to skip the standby line at attractions that aren’t included with Express passes — specifically Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure™ and the VelociCoaster, which are the two most popular attractions at Universal right now. Just ask your VIP guide if these rides are available for priority access on the day of your tour.

Reason 3: Flexible Options

Universal allows a wide range of guests to experience a VIP tour, with Group and Private tours and multi-day options at different prices. Group Tours start at $189 per person (on top of theme park admission), making them potentially much more affordable than Disney’s Private VIP Tours , which are charged a flat hourly rate that starts at $450 per hour (with a seven-hour minimum requirement).

Reason 4: Complimentary Food

All guests on 2-Park VIP Tours have at least one complimentary meal. ( Note: food is not included with Group 1-Day, 1-Park Tours.) Not stressing about where and when to eat (and how much it costs) during your VIP tour day allows you to maximize your time with your guide and creates a relaxing experience.

Guests on tours that begin before 11 am are treated to a hot buffet breakfast at Cafe La Bamba at Universal Studios. View the breakfast menu . Cafe La Bamba is the official VIP Experience headquarters—it’s where you’ll check in for your tour, meet your guide, and plan your day. You can even check your children’s height in advance to save time once you arrive at the attraction queue. You’ll return to Cafe La Bamba for a buffet lunch later in the day. See the lunch menu here.

Those who book Private VIP Tours will also get a dinner meal voucher for a sit-down restaurant at one of the theme parks or CityWalk. Dinner includes non-alcoholic drinks, an appetizer (for every two people in your party), an entrée, and dessert. VIP Tour Guides are known for their ability to *possibly* pull some strings and secure reservations at some of the park’s most sought-after dining experiences, like the award-winning Mythos at Islands of Adventure or Bigfire at CityWalk. Be sure to ask your guide what options may be available on your tour date.

Common Questions About Universal VIP Experiences

How much does a vip tour cost.

Group Tours start at $189 per person. Exact prices vary depending on the time of year and crowd levels. Pricing does not include theme park admission, which needs to be purchased separately to participate in a VIP tour. Private Tour pricing also varies, but can be upwards of $3,000 per day for up to five guests.

Do you get to skip lines during a Universal VIP tour?

Yes. One of the best perks of a VIP tour is the ability to ride Universal’s top attractions with virtually no wait. Typically, you’ll wait between 5-15 minutes for each ride while on a VIP tour. You’ll get to skip lines at all Universal attractions, even ones not included in Express Passes, like Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure and VelociCoaster. Skipping lines for these two attractions is never guaranteed and is subject to availability.

Where do you eat during a VIP tour?

A buffet breakfast (for tours beginning before 11 am) and lunch are provided for all 2-Park Tours at Cafe La Bamba at Universal Studios. Dinner is included for Private Tours at a sit-down restaurant at Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, or CityWalk.

Are VIP tours kid-friendly?

All Universal VIP Experiences are kid-friendly, but Private VIP tours are better suited for families with young children. Private VIP Tours offer more flexibility when traveling with kids, as you can pick your itinerary and move through the parks at your own pace. During a Group Tour, you may feel like you’re playing a game of catch-up to stay with the rest of the group. Another disadvantage of doing Group VIP Experiences with children is that you won’t be able to take advantage of child swap. This could be a huge drawback if you have young children who can’t go on many of the big rides (which means someone in your party wouldn’t be able to go on them, either). Stroller rentals are also included with Private VIP Tours, which is an extra perk.

What behind-the-scenes experiences are available?

The backstage areas you’ll see largely depend on your individual tour guide and your goals for the day. If getting a sneak peek behind the scenes of Universal attractions is important to you, let your guide know so they can build that into your itinerary. Backstage experiences could include a private tour of the Immigration Floor at the Men in Black™: Alien Attack™, the egg-hatching facility inside Jurassic Park™ Discovery Center, and actor meet-and-greets after the Horror Make-Up Show. Private VIP Tours may experience a private show at Ollivanders™ Wand Shop.

Do you tip your tour guide?

Tips are never expected but appreciated for a job well done. If you wish to tip your VIP tour guide, it’s customary to tip 15-20% of your total tour cost in cash (you most likely won’t be able to add a tip to your initial tour cost).

Group vs. Private VIP Tour — What Should You Pick?

Private VIP Tours are the way to go if you want one-on-one attention, a dedicated tour guide, and the ability to plan a custom itinerary for the day. Private VIP tours are also ideal for traveling with young children. A Group VIP tour is your best option if you’re looking for a budget-friendly way to experience a VIP tour and don’t mind being in a group with other families.

How Do You Book a Universal VIP Experience?

For a stress-free, no-hassle way to book your Universal VIP Experience , use an experienced Universal Travel Agent like the ones at The Vacationeer . As a Universal Preferred Travel Agency, The Vacationeer has knowledgeable agents who are up to date with all Universal offerings. They will offer advice and book the tour for you! The best part? Their services are free to you!

If you don’t mind handling all of the planning logistics yourself , Group VIP Experiences can be booked online (based on availability). To book a private VIP Experience or book a group tour with a child under three, call the VIP Center at (866) 346-9350 between 9 am and 7 pm.

For VIP experiences at nearby Disney World , see our articles on whether Disney Private VIP Tours are Worth It , Five-star Disney Hotels , Michelin Guide Dining at Disney , and The Ultimate Luxury Disney Vacation .

For more Universal planning tips and tricks , check out our Universal Crowd Calendar and learn about the Best Times to Go to Universal Studios . View our Best Rides for Kids list and a breakdown of the Most Popular Universal Rides . Then, check out our guides to the Best Universal Hotels and Universal’s Best Restaurants .

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Guide to the VIP Experience at Universal Studios Hollywood

What’s better than being a guest at Universal Studios Hollywood ? Being a VIP guest at Universal Studios Hollywood. Don’t get us wrong , every day at Universal feels like magic. But the VIP Tour feels like…well, extra cushy magic.

So what, exactly, does it mean to be an A-lister at Universal Studios Hollywood? In the VIP Experience , you’ll explore the theme park with a super knowledgeable tour guide, in a maximum 13-person group. The tours last a minimum of five hours and include one (truly delicious) meal, an extended Studio Tour , unlimited Express Pass access, and — well, let’s just get into it, shall we? Here’s everything you need to know about the VIP Experience at Universal Studios Hollywood.

THE PRE-TOUR PERKS

When you hear the words “VIP,” it’s fair to assume you’re about to be peppered with sweet, sweet perks. The VIP Experience at Universal Studios Hollywood is no exception to the rule. And, lucky for you, those fun little bonuses begin the second you arrive at Universal. Here’s what you can expect before you even start the tour:

• Valet parking. This is a huge perk! Just roll up to the main entrance to the Jurassic Parking garage, hand your keys over to a Team Member, and they’ll take it from there. No fretting over losing your keys or forgetting where you parked — you’re a VIP now. 
• Complimentary refreshments. Enter the VIP lounge (just look for the red carpet to the right of the entry gates after security) for a comfortable, air-conditioned waiting area before your tour. There, you can enjoy a complimentary spread including bagels, coffee, and other light bites.
• Sun protectants. You’re about to spend a full day in a theme park — there’s no such thing as enough sunscreen! Guests have access to complimentary sunscreen ,lip balm, and ice water in the VIP Experience Center.

Once your group is assembled, fed and sunscreened up, it’s time to explore Universal Studios Hollywood — VIP style!

The tour guides are what make the VIP Experience truly one-of-a-kind. First, they’re perhaps the most knowledgeable folks you’ll ever meet about all things Universal. As your tour guide leads your small group through the theme park, they’ll hit you with factoid after factoid. It’s an inundation of anecdotes to use at your next cocktail party.

Do you know which other major studios you can see from the escalator on the way to the Studio Tour? Or what iconic 80s film the facade of Saul & Sons in the New York section of the theme park is based on? Or who dubbed Universal “the strangest city in the world”? Your VIP tour guide does.

Beyond a sky-high Universal IQ, the tour guides are there to help make your experience exactly what you want it to be. Each VIP Tour is different. Your Guide is given an allotted time to take your group to three things: the Studio Tour, the WaterWorld show, and lunch. Other than that, they have room to improvise. That means there’s lots of time for rides via Express Lanes. While you can’t completely tailor the experience to every little thing that you, personally, would like to do — you are on a group tour, after all — the guides are able to take your input into consideration.

THE STUDIO TOUR

The Studio Tour is your chance to see the ins and outs of how movies get made. But on the VIP Experience, the Studio Tour brings you just shy of straight-up making the movies yourself. While General Admission guests stay on the tram, VIP guests get to hop off and walk the sets. The exclusive access of movie and TV sets — plus certain luxe amenities — make this unlike any other Studio Tour you’ve experienced. In addition to all standard Studio Tour experience, VIP guests have access to:

• The VIP Trolley. Forget the tram, you’re a trolley rider now! Part of being very important means riding on a special trolley, complete with complementary ice water.
• Soundstage stop. Learn how movie magic comes to life inside one of Universal’s massive soundstages. You might walk through rooms that look totally real — until you learn all the walls are removable for lighting and camera access.
• Edith Head Costume and Prop department. Named for the legendary 20th century costume designer, this building homes hundreds of props used in iconic films throughout time. Just one rule: you break it, you buy it. So I’d keep my hands to myself. 
• Walk on a real set. VIP guests get to hop off and explore iconic movie sets on foot. It could be New York City, or Courthouse Square, or Colonial Street, but each tour is slightly different.

NOTE: These are all real, working sets! Therefore, all VIP Experience tours are subject to availability based on production schedules and other factors. Each tour is a little bit different.

VIPs? Wait in long lines? What a ridiculous concept! With your Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Experience comes an Unlimited Express Pass, meaning you get to use the Express Lanes on every ride in the theme park. That means less time waiting, and more time riding. We made it onto seven rides during my VIP Experience.

But the VIP Experience isn’t just about skipping lines, it’s about the little things. It’s all about removing friction from your day. Here are a couple examples of little luxuries on the rides:

• No Ride Locker Necessary. VIP guests can just hand their bag to their tour guide as they hop on a ride, who hands it back when you get off. Easy peasy. 
• WaterWorld Seats. Snagging seats for this crowd-pleaser is no sweat when you’ve got VIP seats waiting for you. 

PRO TIP: Your VIP lanyard functions as an Express Pass for the remainder of your day at Universal Studios Hollywood! If you’re a real thrill-seeker, snag a spot on an early tour — then hit the rides via Express Lane until the theme park closes. 

You’ve done everything at Universal Studios Hollywood, you claim? Bet you haven’t eaten at VIP Dining. If you haven’t already done the VIP Tour, you definitely haven’t. I mean, I hadn’t, and Iwork here.

VIP Dining, tucked in the Parisian (so you know it’s fancy) portion of the Upper Lot, is the VIP-only dining room. During your VIP Tour, you’ll enjoy a one-hour, all-you-can-eat experience here. And I do mean enjoy. VIP Dining has (arguably) the tastiest food available at the theme park and CityWalk. The whole buffet is delicious, but I especially recommend the mushroom risotto, the melon and prosciutto, the caprese salad, the asian cucumber salad — I could go on. And, you know what? I will: Don’t forget to save room for gelato, cheesecake and cookies.

The elevated menu, plus free phone charging stations and visits from Universal characters, makes VIP Dining the perfect oasis at which to refuel during a jam-packed day at the theme park.

THE DETAILS

Here are the nitty-gritty details you need to know:

• VIP Tours start at various times throughout the morning. The number of tours per day varies by season and day of the week.
• Tours are capped at 13 guests each.
• Tours run for a minimum of 5 hours.
• Children must be at least 5 years old to attend, and 17 years old to attend without an accompanying adult.
• Book your VIP Experience here.
• VIP Private Experience tours are also available. Call (818) 622-8477 to reserve yours.

THE SPOOKY VERSION

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the combination of two of the best parts of Universal Studios Hollywood: VIP + Halloween Horror Nights. It’s called the R.I.P. Tour. (Genius.)

The R.I.P. Tour differs slightly from the regular VIP Experience, but the bones (har-har) are the same. You’ll get a guided walking tour of the event, one-time express entry to each haunted house and available attractions, the Terror Tram backlot experience in a VIP trolley, and gourmet dining experience, and more. Check out the full details her e . But basically, it’s the VIP Experience, plus a whole lot of guts and gore and jump-scares. Hell really is a place on Earth.

THE VERDICT

So, should you splurge on the VIP Experience? The short answer: yes. But let’s break it down and see if it makes sense for you. The VIP Experience is awesome for…

• Universal superfans. If you want to soak up every last thing the theme park has to offer, the VIP Experience is an absolute must. As I mentioned, certain experiences, like VIP Dining and the up-close Studio Tour, are only available to VIP guests.
• Folks who want a cushier experience . Treat yourself! Theme park days can be long ones — make yours a truly relaxing visit with the VIP Experience.
• Entertainment buffs. Even the biggest film nerds can learn a thing or two from the brainiac VIP tour guides.
• Parents of young ones. Tired of planning every single little detail of the family vacation? Your VIP tour guide has got you covered. Parents will appreciate someone else taking the lead for a jam-packed day!

Overall? Going VIP totally elevates the Universal Studios Hollywood experience. Whether you’re a first-timer or have an Annual Pass, put this one on your bucket list.

What part of the VIP Experience are you most excited for? Let us know in the comments below.

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Grace Perry

Senior Editor, Universal Studios Hollywood. Lisa sun, Smithers rising, Disco Stu moon.

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30 comments.

I am thinking about doing the Vip experience on my own on Jan 19, 2024. Well I still have fun?

We think you’ll have the best time! 🤩

Hello, I booked a VIP tour for January 30, since WaterWorld will be closed what will the tour substitute?

Hi Naomi! We recommend reaching out to our VIP Team at (818) 622-8477 with any questions you may have regarding your specific tour!

We did it one time..WAS AMAZING.

was amazing , you really feel like a VIP

We’re so glad that you had a great time!

I spy Greg! He was our tour guide for RIP last year and was amazing. Looking forward to going again this year with fingers crossed we get him as our guide again!

We’re so happy to hear you had a great time on your tour, and we look forward to welcoming you back again soon!

We have a 5 year old. Would he enjoy the tour or be bored? I worry about the backlot portion?

Hi Sandra! For any questions or assistance with our VIP Experience, please feel free to reach out via phone at (818) 622-8477. We hope to see you soon!

Where and how we can get VIP experience..

Hi Rosita! To book a VIP Experience, we recommend contacting our team at 1-866-346-9350 as they would be more than happy to answer any questions and provide further assistance. We can’t wait to see you at our parks soon!

Goedemiddag,

We hebben vandaag ook deze tickets geboekt alvast voor komende zomervakantie in Augustus. Maar weet iemand ook of je met deze tickets voorrang krijgt om op de foto te gaan met de karakters die in het park staan/lopen?

Hi Marcel, we’re so excited to hear of your upcoming visit and VIP Experience! This tour does not include expedited access to our character meet and greets.

Does the unlimited express include the Bowser Mario Cart ride, or is it only once while on the actual tour?

Hi Michael, the only way to bypass the general queue for that attraction is the VIP Experience. Universal Express Unlimited does not include that attraction.

Is the Toadstool Cafe included with the VIP-Tour, or do I have to make a reservation?

Hi Moni! We recommend reaching out to our VIP Experience Team at 1 (800) 864-8377 for more information regarding your tour offerings!

Hi! Can we upgrade VIP tickets to platinum passes should we decide to become pass holders that day?

Hey Liz! If you had any questions regarding upgrading your ticket packages, we recommend reach out via phone at 800-864-8377. We hope to have you visit soon!

I see that during April-Aug, general admission tickets also can get off the tram and experience the movie sets. What am I paying extra for besides food and rides? This was a major draw for my family of 4 booking the vip tour and being able to leave the tram.

Hi Ramon, while Celebrating 60 Years of the Studio Tour, Guests will be able to step off the tram for about 10 minutes. During the VIP Experience, Guests get a much more in-depth look at some iconic movie sets on foot when stepping off the VIP trolley.

Is the VIP experience ADA accessible friendly?ni travel with a small mobility scooter and it autfolds down to size of carry on and only 42 lbs. My husband usually lifts it when needed. i can walk, just limited on times I can stand. I have called sales, they are unsure

Hi Chante! We recommend reaching out to our VIP Experience Team at 1 (800) 864-8377 for more information!

If our tour time starts later in the day, does that mean we can use our VIP line access for rides prior to our tour?

Hi Senti! VIP guests can check in at the VIP reception and pick up their lanyards prior to their tour. They can then go to the Park and use their lanyards for Universal Express Unlimited access. Keep in mind you’ll need to return to the VIP reception about 20-30 minutes ahead of your tour to enjoy refreshments in the VIP Lounge, as well as to meet your guide.

We have a group of 12 booked next month. One of our people currently has a mobility issue. Are wheelchairs available at the park?

Hi Sue! We have wheelchair rentals available towards the left-hand side upon entrance to Universal Studios Florida & Universal Islands of Adventure.

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9 Reasons You Must Book The Universal Studios VIP Experience Tour

I have been lucky enough the past few years to attend the Family Forward conference that is, in part, sponsored by Universal Studios. The Universal Studios VIP Experience was included in our conference fee last year, and I cannot recommend it enough. In fact, I might be just a touch spoiled from our guides now. My kids don’t want to visit the park any other way.

Here’s the thing. The Universal Studios VIP Experience isn’t cheap. You reserve this experience in addition to your park passes. You can choose to book which of the two parks to visit during your VIP tour or book both parks. Honestly? Go with both parks. During the six hour tour, you hit a minimum of 8 major attractions in the parks, and we accomplished far more than that. With the no wait experience, take advantage of the variety across both parks to see the biggest and best Universal offers. The price difference between one park (starting at $209 per day) and two parks (starting at $219 per day) isn’t enough to leave out a park.

With a group of six or fewer people, book a group tour where you get paired with up to twelve total people in the group. You pay per person, with peak season prices climbing to $399 per person. With more than six people – or if you choose to stay just with your family and friends – you can book a private VIP tour for a flat fee (again with a limit of twelve per group). With the private tour, you have more control over what rides and attractions you visit, while the group tours tend to be slightly more set and require negotiation with others in the group if you wish to (for example) ride Escape from Gringotts a second or third time. In a row.

No matter what, you will see more, learn more, and have a far better theme park experience with the Universal Studios VIP Experience. I admit, I had doubts when we first learned that we had this planned starting at 10am during the conference. I’ve been to Universal Studios and knew what rides I liked. Staying onsite at the premium hotels gives us Universal Express Passes, so our lines already decreased from the standard queue in most cases. Why did I need to be a part of the Universal Studios VIP Experience?

Oh, I learned my lesson. I will never again question the value of the Universal Studios VIP Experience.

9 Reasons You Don’t Want to Miss the Universal Studios VIP Experience

You skip the line entirely..

Fast passes at Universal Studios are great (better than many competing parks). You don’t make reservations and simple go in the Fast Pass entrance with a significantly shorter queue. With the VIP tour, you skip the line. You walk in the back and get on the ride. You wait for no one. No. One. This factor alone means you get on more rides in less time, making your visit to the park more productive.

Another fun aspect? With no one in line ahead of or  behind you, you can get some fabulous photos you otherwise can’t. We walked up the side of the line in Escape from Gringotts, then stopped to take photos of our favorite goblins with no stray people. While some areas of the park don’t allow photos behind the scenes, this tour lets you capture fabulous images you may otherwise miss.

You skip every line, even the ones that don’t have Express Pass lines.

A major bummer of the Express Passes? They don’t work at some of the major attractions. My kids love Escape from Gringotts, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, and Hogwarts Express, none of which accepts the Express Passes. Those lines tend to be longer than my patience to wait in them. Hogwarts Express – a fun way to get from one park to the other – can easily have a wait of well over an hour, and I’ve seen it over two hours. With the Universal Studios VIP Experience, you walk straight onto those rides. For us, this became the only time we rode those rides due to the wait times.

You visit behind the scenes locations.

The Men in Black ride continues to be one of my favorites. When you walk through the queue, you see the setup with the aliens in the work room below you. On our tour, we went onto the set. We sat in the chairs and saw everything up close and personal while others watched with jaws agape from above. My kids loved that they even got to sign the alien log book, a memory they treasure.

We had a similar experience with Revenge of the Mummy. At the end, we exited through a back way, under where the cars travel. Near the end, our guide had us pause to watch the screen that shows the final scene riders see as they travel. There is a secret extra bit that riders miss because the car continues that we had the pleasure of seeing because we remained stationary. Those little nuggets of secrets make the day even more fun.

Learn the park secrets.

I love knowing all the fun facts and details. The tour guides know so much more about the parks than you might expect. As you walk through the park with your guide, they share information about the history, the building, the speed, and more. Those little tidbits really add to your experience as you realize how much effort it takes to create such an amazing park. This is how you learn where to sit on the rides for the “best” experience or where to watch the parades. The nuggets like where to find Stan Lee in the Amazing Spiderman ride? My kids loved learning these facts and storing them away for “next time” they come. Our tour guide answered every question we asked, and we tried to stump her!

The tour includes lunch.

The “real” tours actually include a complimentary continental breakfast at check-in, though we ate breakfast offsite as part of our conference and didn’t partake. Partway through the day, the tour schedules a break for lunch. Our tour stopped at Cafe La Bamba, which happened to be open only for tours. We enjoyed a fabulous sit meal from a buffet filled with more choices than I expected. Desserts all included dairy, and our tour guide quickly offered to run down to get my daughter Dippin’ Dots (which contain no dairy in many flavors).

Generally, the tour includes  lunch at a quick service dining option. Your group stops near wherever you happens to be when it’s time to eat. You choose an entree, a non alcoholic beverage, and a snack.

You don’t have to worry about the rain.

Florida is notorious for its rain. The day may start out perfectly sunny, but at some point, the clouds come and it pours. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten soaked in Florida from afternoon showers. With the Universal Studios VIP Experience, your tour guide procures ponchos for the group at no additional charge, as needed. They know what shops have them, ensuring you don’t panic as you try to track down an elusive poncho in a store that happens to not carry them.

Bonus? When you go on water rides at Universal Studios where you will get wet, your guide offers to provide ponchos for guests who don’t want to drip dry the next couple hours. It happened to be sunny when we visited Jurassic Park River Adventure. We all opted for ponchos, which still meant we got wet – just not soaked. After the ride, we held onto our ponchos, and later that day, the skies opened. We counted our blessings that we had our ponchos then.

The fun doesn’t end when the tour does.

After the tour – yes, you have to say goodbye to your fabulous tour guide eventually – your Universal Studios VIP Experience lanyard stays with you. That lanyard continues to provide benefits for the rest of the day. It acts as a Universal Unlimited Express Pass, so you shorten your wait for rides that accept the pass. It isn’t the skip the line entirely from the tour, but this provides a perfect opportunity to revisit your favorite rides and experience them again without a full wait. The tour lasts 5-7 hours, leaving you plenty of time to explore at your leisure.

Enjoy discounts at the shops.

I almost missed this, but your VIP tour lanyard provides a discount at many dining and stores within the parks. When my daughter visited Ollivander’s Wand Shop, she was the lucky child chosen to have a wand select her. Of course she wanted to buy that wand afterwards (with her own money). We received a 10% discount on the purchase because we bought it the day of our VIP tour. Who doesn’t buy souvenirs when on vacation? Remember to buy all yours the day you book a Universal Studios VIP Experience to save money and help offset the cost of the tour.

Receive complimentary valet parking.

If you aren’t staying onsite, this becomes another winning bonus. Valet parking costs $40, but it makes getting into and out of the park easy. The first time we visited Universal Studios, we parked our rental car. At the end of the day, we spent well over a half hour searching the lot with two tired and cranky children before finding it. I would happily have paid any amount for easy access to my car at the end of the day. Valet parking also decreases the walk from the parking structure to the theme parks significantly, which again makes life easier on a day when surpassing 20,000 steps isn’t a surprise.

Have I convinced you to try the Universal Studios VIP Experience yet?

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What happens when toddlers in the group want to see Dr. Suess and the teenagers want to be on roller coasters?

You either need to go together from one to the other (which with the no waiting in line thing, this becomes much simpler) or split into separate groups and get individual tours that focus on those specific areas. If you want to direct where you go, you need to do your own VIP tour versus joining another group, so there is an additional cost there.

Thank you for all the helpful information! I really enjoyed reading your blog about your experience with the VIP tour.

Thank you! I love hearing things like this. We really enjoyed it – it was so convenient, but we learned so much, too 🙂

[…] 9 Reasons to Book VIP Tour at Universal Orlando […]

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We are blessed to have wonderful neighbors with kids almost the same ages as our boys, and we jointly decided to spend Memorial Day weekend 2022 together in Los Angeles. One of the cornerstones of our long weekend was the Universal Studios Hollywood VIP experience , which none of us had done before. The VIP experience offers exclusive access to the theme park that you can’t get as a member of the general public. From an exclusive VIP lounge at check in to an expert guide who takes you around the entire park with VIP privileges and a studio tour that gives you up-close-and-personal access (you get to go inside some of the sets!), is the Universal VIP Tour worth it? Read on for our comprehensive, unvarnished opinion of the Universal Studios VIP Experience Tour.

Want to see the rest of our LA itinerary? See our  review of the Beverly Wilshire hotel  and our list of  kid-friendly restaurants in LA.

Universal VIP Experience Tour Logistics

Universal Studios VIP tickets range in cost, depending on the time of year that you book. We visited over a holiday weekend, making our tickets more expensive than other times of the year. We spent $389 per person, the same for kids and adults. You will get the best deal visiting on a weekday in low season, but the prices don’t go lower than $369 per person, so you’re not saving much by going at off-peak times.

Booking was an easy process, and I completed the whole thing online. You do have to enter the names of each guest when you book, so you need to have finalized your group prior to booking tickets. You get an email confirmation with QR code tickets, and you will need to bring the tickets along with the credit card used for booking on the day of your tour.

When you book your Universal Studios Hollywood tickets, you choose your date and entry time. They recommend that you arrive at least 30 minutes before your tour start time so that you can get checked in and have something to eat before heading out on the tour. In reality, I don’t think 30 minutes is enough, especially if you have a large group.

Included with your ticket price is:

• 1 day park admission with an expert VIP guide
• Unlimited Universal express access (per day) to each ride, attraction, and seated show. Express line access is a separate line with a shorter wait time at each ride, attraction, and seated show. (Does not apply to food and retail locations or non-seated shows.)
• Free valet parking (but not free self parking)
• VIP access on the studio tour on a private trolley, the most exclusive way to see the movie and TV sets from some of the most famous shows on film, like Desperate Housewives and War of the Worlds
• Light breakfast and gourmet lunch

How Old Do You Have to be for the Universal VIP Pass?

Visitors on the VIP tour must be at least 5 years old, and at least 17 years old to attend without an accompanying adult. My kids were 5 (almost 6) and 8, and our neighbors’ kids were 7 and 9. I do think that 5 is the minimum age to visit, and older would be better. Our 5 year old liked a few of the rides, but some of them (like Transformers) were terrifying for him. He spent the entire ride screaming and burying his face into my chest…pretty traumatic for everyone. 

Universal Studios VIP Cancellation Policy

The cancellation policy on the VIP experience is pretty strict – tickets are non-transferable, non-refundable and non-exchangeable. Requests to change your reservation must be made at least 48 hours in advance. Before you book, be sure of your group, your date, and your time.

Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Food

The Universal Studios Hollywood VIP experience includes a light breakfast and a gourmet lunch. The breakfast was served upstairs in the exclusive VIP lounge, which you reach after walking a red carpet into the check-in area. Options included coffee, tea, juice, and water to drink. Breakfast food options left a lot to be desired, so if you care about nutrition or need to fuel up before a long day at the park, you may want to eat beforehand. I would compare it best to a respectable buffet at a budget hotel. If you’re looking for a VIP experience, you’re not going to get it with the breakfast. 

I also found that the staff couldn’t keep up with demand, and many of the platters were completely or nearly empty. This wouldn’t be an issue, as I assume they continually refill them, except that you are on a tight schedule, and when your group gets called to go into the park, that’s it. You don’t have another chance to eat until lunch (unless you bring your own snacks, and…really, who wants to do that when you’re paying this much for a VIP experience?)

On the day we visited, the breakfast options included:

• ham and cheese croissant
• egg and cheese croissant
• smoke salmon croissant
• caprese tartlet
• plain croissant
• pain a chocolat
• raspberry danish
• apple danish
• blueberry muffin
• raspberry cream cheese puff
• chocolate chip cookies
• fruit salad

Lunch was more impressive, with lots of cold and hot options, though I don’t seem to have photos of the lunch buffet. I do remember that adults and kids alike had lots of options, and everyone could find something they liked.

Overall, the food experience feels a little rushed, but then I suppose the point of the day isn’t necessarily to enjoy a leisurely meal – it’s to experience as much of the park as possible. Part of how they do this is to keep things moving quickly from one ride to the next, and to optimize your break periods to give you just enough rest to keep going until the next break. 

VIP Experience with Food Allergies

If you have food allergies, the Universal Studios Hollywood VIP experience will leave a lot to be desired. My son is anaphylactic to eggs, all nuts, and peanuts. This made it almost impossible to find food for him to eat at either breakfast or lunch. The staff was unable to give us clear guidance on what ingredients were in the breakfast options, which left my son with instant oatmeal and yogurt as his breakfast options. Not terrible, but when the buffet was full of breakfast sandwiches and pastries that he couldn’t eat, it’s a tough sell for a 6 year old. 

It may seem like a small thing for guests who don’t deal with allergies on a daily basis, but for us, it’s a constant stressor when traveling, and we often seek out luxury options ( like in Israel ) because they can easily – and happily – accommodate us. I mistakenly assumed we could receive similar treatment on the Universal Studios Hollywood VIP tour, and visitors with food allergies would do well to have proper expectations going in.

My husband is allergic to gluten, and his options were similarly limited. The majority of the breakfast items contained gluten, but he isn’t much of a breakfast eater anyway and he adapted ok. 

Lunch was even more disappointing (on the dessert front particularly). There were enough entree options to manage our allergies (hooray!) Dessert, however, was a frustrating experience. There were many dessert options, but the ONLY one that was egg-free…was covered in peanuts. That left my son literally no dessert options. Any parent knows how excruciating it is for a kid to watch a table full of other kids eat dessert and have nothing to offer them. 

What was most disappointing for a VIP experience and a supposedly gourmet meal was that even after the staff was aware of my son’s allergies and that there was nothing for him to eat, they did not offer to get him something different or bring in something from elsewhere in the park, which frankly I would expect at this price point. 

Instead, he and I left the private VIP dining room and ventured into the park to find an ice cream stand, where the very kind cashier let me check the ingredient labels on all the packaged ice cream treats until I found one my son could eat. She asked why the heck we were buying ice cream when our lanyards indicated that we were VIP guests and offered us a discount when she learned of our situation. It was far kinder than the service we received in the private dining room, and I very much appreciated it.

I suppose if you don’t deal with food allergies regularly, this might not be top of mind, but I hope Universal’s executive chef takes a second look at the offerings and makes some simple adjustments to make the menu significantly more allergy-friendly. As all of our allergies are in the Top 8 allergens worldwide, one would assume we aren’t the only VIP visitors with dietary restrictions to accommodate.

Universal Studios VIP Tour Experience Review

One of the first things you should know as a VIP guest is that you might think that you have a completely private tour, but you don’t (unless your group is large enough). We had 8 people in our group (4 adults and 4 kids) and we were paired with a family of 4, for a total of 12. Their kids were similar ages, and the kids ended up hanging out for the day, which was fine. I would have preferred a fully private group, especially since we were already 8 people, but it didn’t detract from the day.

Best Rides for Kids – Pets, Minions, Simpsons

Our private guide led us to each attraction, starting with the Pets ride. This one was good for littler kids, with interactive elements that weren’t scary. Both my kids liked this one a lot, but it was boring for adults. 

One of the additional VIP benefits that you get in addition to a private guide is skip the line tickets, which saves a lot of time standing in line. Our guide led us to the front of the line and we got right in.

The second ride we did was a crowd favorite, as it was Minions. There were lots of special effects but toed the line of being great for kids and being too scary. Again, the skip the line benefit got us quick access to the ride, though there was some waiting to get into the actual room. The ride is set up like stadium seating, and you go in a single file line, so it’s possible to be separated from your group (if you are in the third row, for instance, you may be in the third row of 2 different ride machines, as our group was – they don’t take your group and do rows 3 and 4 of the same equipment). Our kids were old enough (and with friends) where this wasn’t an issue, but if you have a little one who may need a helping hand, make sure you pay attention to where you are in line. 

One of the last rides we did was the Simpsons, which my kids really enjoyed despite having never seen The Simpsons before. We all enjoyed it, though it wasn’t one of the television shows I was allowed to watch as a kid, and it doesn’t hold any nostalgia for me. 

Scary Rides for Kids – Transformers and Jurassic World

I loved the Transformers ride personally, but my 5 year old thought he was getting actually attacked and completely lost his mind. I couldn’t wait to get off this ride because of how panicked he was, and our entire car was giving us sympathetic looks and trying to calm him down. We opted out of the Jurassic World ride for that reason, because our guide steered me away from it. Our older son and my husband went ahead, and they loved that this one ended with a literal splash!

The big hiccup we had with the Mummy ride was that you have to store your gear in a locker. It is supposed to be smart and save you time by giving you a keycode to use to open it rather than a physical key…except that my husband’s code wouldn’t open the locker at the end. We ended up waiting a long time while they had to get park maintenance to come open it for him, which put a damper on the day. We did feel that bringing a backpack was critical for our day, but it did get annoying on the rides where you couldn’t bring it on. 

Want to know what else we packed for our day at Universal Studios? Check out my  packing list and what to wear at Universal Studios Hollywood.

One of the nice perks of the VIP tour is that they think of the little comforts that make your day more pleasant – they provide bottled water (crucial for those hot days!!) as well as ponchos for the water rides. I loved that we didn’t have to carry everything ourselves, but yet we had everything we needed at just the right time.

Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Our tour ended with the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which was just as well, because I sure as heck didn’t want to leave once we got there. The physical embodiment of one of the world’s favorite movies, Harry Potter World is nothing short of magical. Whether you’re a Muggle who has never experienced Harry Potter or you know just which house you belong to, you can’t miss Harry Potter at Universal.

Our guide obligingly took photos of us at the entrance, and found us the best way to skip lines on the many rides within the bounds of Harry Potter. The whole world is magical, from Ollivander’s wand store and RFID-enabled wand activities throughout Hogsmeade to Hogwarts Castle and the Forbidden Journey ride (my favorite – I did it twice…but my stomach wished I only did it once). I loved that our VIP tickets for us unlimited express access, so I was able to zip through the castle…more or less…while my husband took the kids for food. 

My kids preferred the Flight of the Hippogriff ride, and they tolerated the long line (even in the fast pass line) well. So well, in fact, that they opted to ride it twice, one of the only rides they wanted to do again.

I did find that lines in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter were longer than in other parts of the park, but they make the experience so immersive that you sort of forget you are waiting in a line, especially while going into Hogwarts Castle. 

Live Show on the Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Tour

To switch up the pace, we attended a live show during our day as VIPs. Our guide led us to the best seats, which had been reserved for VIP visitors only. They were farther up than I would have expected in the amphitheater, but we had a great view and we didn’t get hit with water like the lower rows. The show was a combination of daring stunts, acting, and audience participation. It was entertaining, believable, and very well executed. I wouldn’t have chosen to attend the show if it weren’t part of our itinerary, but it was a nice way to rest from all the movement of the day, and our kids loved it!

Universal Backlot Tour

After a full morning of rides, our entire group went together for our back lot tour. You are combined with other VIP groups to visit the set pieces and sound stages of the world’s largest movie studio. I didn’t love that we were put with a larger group, but it was generally ok. The tour on the bus (really more like an open-air trolley) is narrated by Jimmy Kimmel, and your expert tour guides get off the bus with you and explain more about the sets, like how they design them for camera angles, and how they achieve optical illusions in the filming process. We even got to go inside one of the houses on Wisteria Lane!

One of the most interesting parts was hearing how they adapt the same set for different productions with just small tweaks, and seeing how you could turn the corner on the bus and go from gritty downtown Chicago to a rural Mexican shootout town, showing just how efficient and immersive they can make a single “street.”

Visiting iconic sets of Hollywood movies isn’t the only activity on the backlot tour. There are several “rides” you experience as well – from King Kong to Fast and the Furious. My kids didn’t love these rides, and I did a lot of snuggling and reassuring that no, we weren’t going to catch on fire, and no, the giant ape wasn’t going to attack us. Another indication that 5 is definitely the floor for visiting Universal Studios…older ages may have a better, less scary time.

My favorite part of the backlot tour was the War of the Worlds section. Despite it being a plane crash, it somehow felt the most “real” to me, with sirens going off sporadically, and “smoke” emanating from the wreckage of the plane. My kids were freaked out a bit, it felt so real. After some reassurance, they loved seeing the wreckage spread out before them.

Best Spots for Photos at Universal Studios

There are several great spots for photos during the unique experience of being a Universal VIP. My favorites were the following:

• Red carpet leading into the check in area – don’t get shepherded in too quickly – your arrival is the only time you will be here. Take a moment to grab a photo!
• The Universal Studios fountain leading to the private VIP entrance – this one if FULL of people, so don’t expect to get a photo without a ton of people in it, but it is a classic photo with the Universal logo
• Standing at the gates of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter
• Standing at the entrance of Hogwarts Castle
• Hanging out of the special trolley for VIP guests – this is a good place to get a family photo…if you can arrive early and each pop into a window seat, you can hang out the windows and get a cute photo
• The fake Hollywood sign setup on the backlot tour – the background is surprisingly real-looking, and you can crop your photo to make it look like you’re really there!
• On set on the back lot tour – pick your backdrop based on your favorite tv shows and movies…Wisteria Lane is possible, as is some of the Jaws set, the courthouse from Back to the Future, or just wandering down the various streets used to make movie sets look like anywhere but Hollywood – old Mexico, Chicago, and more. 

Is the Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Experience Worth It?

Admittedly, I haven’t been to the Disney World VIP tour or to Universal Studios Orlando, so my review has to stand alone for the Universal Studios Hollywood. That said, yes, I would absolutely recommend it . You get a completely different backlot tour than you can get with a regular ticket, and the VIP guide helps you save a ton of time throughout the day. It’s great having the little things taken care of, like ponchos and water, and to have someone who can help you navigate lost items (RIP sunglasses) and hold bags at certain rides. 

The experience fell short for us on food, but when your time is limited, the VIP tour experience is a really solid value. With regular tickets starting at $109 and skip-the-line tickets starting at $199, the $369 starting price for VIP isn’t too much of a stretch. 

What do you think – is the VIP tour right for you?

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Universal Studios Orlando VIP Tour Guide: Should You Do It in 2024?

Have you ever wanted to do the Universal Studios Orlando VIP Tour ?

BEWARE ThemeParkHipster! 

Only read further if you’re interested in getting the FULL VIP, red carpet treatment during your next visit to Universal Studios Orlando!

Yup, that’s right.

Today I’m talking ALL THINGS Universal Orlando VIP Tour.

From what the Universal VIP Tour is, to how much it costs, by the end of this post you’ll know FOR SURE whether or not the this tour is for you!

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ MY  DISCLOSURE  FOR MORE INFO.  Which means if you click on certain links, I may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you.

Universal Orlando VIP Tour at a Glance:

• You are personally escorted by a Universal Orlando expert on a guided tour
• This experience can be a group tour or private tour
• You can choose from: 1-Day, 1-Park Tour (Not available during peak times), 1-Day, 2-Park Tour, 2-Day, 2-Park Tour
• Cost starts at $189 per person (however, based on my experience the price usually starts at $250) and DOES NOT include park admission

Keep reading to see if the Universal Orlando VIP Tour is worth the money!

What is the Universal VIP Tour?

The Universal Orlando VIP Tour is a private, exclusive experience available to all Universal Studio guests.

For an extra cost on top of park admission – which I’ll get into later – you’ll receive a 5 hour, 1 park or 7 hour, 2 park behind-the-scenes tour of Universal Studios Orlando and/or Islands of Adventure. 

You can also choose between a private or group tour.

Not only that, but the Universal VIP Tour includes:

• Escorted front of the line ride access
• Behind-the-scenes experiences
• Meals (breakfast and lunch)
• Valet parking
• Reserved show seating
• Access to all of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ attractions
• Discounts at select Universal Orlando owned and operated merchandise locations
• An UNLIMITED Universal Orlando Express Pass

So, even when your Universal VIP Tour is over – you can still enjoy a little bit of VIP treatment!

ORDER NOW to secure your Universal Studios theme park ticket! GET MY TICKETS.

What’s Included in a Universal Orlando VIP Tour?

Ok, so I went into this a little bit above, but as always, when it comes to Universal Orlando add-ons like the Universal Studios Orlando VIP Tour, everything’s not so cut and dry. 

By that I mean, there are different levels of the Universal Studios Orlando VIP Tour that you can choose from. 

So, let’s get into EXACTLY what each one includes below.

1. The VIP Experience at Universal Orlando

• What is it?  A behind the scenes tour with other parties (capped at 12 people).
• What choices do I have? With the Universal VIP Tour, you get to choose if you want a 1 Day, 1 Park Experience for 5 hours , where a minimum of 10 rides of priority access is guaranteed, or a 1 Day, 2 Park Experience for 7 hours , where a minimum of 8 rides is guaranteed.
• What’s included? Personal behind-the-scenes tour guide, front of line access, valet parking (when available), breakfast and lunch, reserved show seating, all of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ attractions and an UNLIMITED Express Pass.

2. The Private VIP Experience at Universal Orlando

• What is it?   A behind the scenes tour with ONLY YOUR PARTY.
• What choices do I have? A 1 Day, 1 Park Experience, a 1 Day, 2 Park Experience, or a 2 Day 2 Park Experience (which IS NOT a choice with the normal VIP tour).
• What’s included? Everything included in the VIP Experience, plus dinner at a full service restaurant and the ability to customize your own itinerary.

Ready to plan your theme park trip? Watch the best vacation planning tips on YouTube. Get started here!

3 Easy Tips to Prepare for Your Universal VIP Tour Experience

Now that you know what to expect on your VIP Tour at Universal and Islands of Adventure, let’s go through a few tips to help you have the BEST experience ever!

1. Plan to Stay at the Parks ALL DAY!

To make the most of your Universal Studios Orlando VIP Tour, I recommend staying in the parks all day, from open to close. 

Why?  Because you’ll also get an UNLIMITED Express Pass to use the day of your Universal VIP Tour, even after the guided tour part is over.

So, think of it like this.  After your AMAZING 5 or 7 hour behind-the-scenes park tour, you’ll still have at least 5 more hours to take advantage of these add-ons. 

The UNLIMITED Express Pass lets you into the shorter, Express Pass ride queue on the vast majority of attractions!

Recommended: The Solo Theme Park Traveler’s Guide

2. Check Park Hours Before Booking Your Universal Studios Orlando VIP Tour

Before deciding which day to book your Universal VIP Tour for, we highly recommend checking Universal theme parks and CityWalk’s hours here . 

Why?  Because park hours vary from day to day.

So, on some days you may find you get an extra hour or two of theme park fun , which is DEFINITELY something to take advantage of when you have an Unlimited Express Pass to use!

Top 5 BEST Restaurants in Universal Orlando CityWalk You Can’t Miss in 2024!

3. Purchase your Universal Orlando VIP Tour Ahead of Time

Can you purchase your Universal VIP Tour upon arrival at Universal Studios Orlando? Sure. Is it recommended? No.

You see, the Universal Studios Orlando VIP Tour has limited spaces, therefore it’s very possible that it will be sold out if you wait until the day of.

So, definitely plan like a pro and purchase your Universal VIP Tour pass here , well in advance of your park day!

For a no obligation, FREE Universal Vacation Quote, you can fill out the form with The Park Prodigy by Clicking HERE!

Pros and Cons of the Universal VIP Tour

Now let’s go over a few pros and cons of doing the VIP experience at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.

Pros of a Universal Orlando VIP Tour

1. good value.

Is the Universal Orlando VIP Tour pricey? Yes. Does it cost more than normal park admission? Yes. Do you still have to pay admission on top of the Universal VIP Tour fee? Yes.

HOWEVER, when you break it down by value – you’re actually making out on the deal. 

Especially if you book far in advance for a slow time of year – since the Universal VIP Tour price changes based on demand.

Anyhoo, remember that included in the Universal VIP Tour fee, you’re getting:

• breakfast ($12 value)
• lunch ($18 value)
• valet parking ($75)
• an unlimited Express Pass ($100+)
• in-park merchandise discounts
• behind-the-scenes and front of line access with a tour guide for 5+ hours

All of that is already well over a $200 value. And the Universal VIP Tour costs…. Well we’ll get to that in a sec.

2. So Many Perks Included

Honestly, it’s called the Universal VIP Tour for a reason.

You literally get everything handed to you for a seamless, headache-free, luxurious theme park day.

Meals? Taken care of. Parking? Done for you. Waiting in lines? Basically non-existent.

All of this to say, even when your 5 or 7 hour tour is over, you’re still getting the VIP treatment.

25 Mistakes You MUST AVOID for Universal Orlando Resort in 2024!

Cons of a Universal VIP Tour

Obviously this goes without saying, but unfortunately the Universal VIP Tour will more than double your park admission.

As I discussed above, if you look at the value of what you’re getting, you’re probably saving money in the long run, but if you don’t want to put out a big chunk of change up front for one park day, then this might not be the best choice for you.

Additionally, the cost of the tour isn’t entirely predictable since, like the Universal Express Pass, it’s on a sliding scale, so that the price matches demand. i.e. peak times, seasons, and certain days of the week cost more.

So, definitely purchase your Universal Orlando VIP Tour as far in advance as possible to maximize savings!

Top 10 Ways to Find CHEAP Universal Orlando Tickets (2024)

2. Dirty Looks

This one’s silly, but, let’s be honest. 

If you were standing in the 95 degree humid heat for one hour to get on a ride, and then a group comes up and totally cuts the line, wouldn’t you be a little angry?

Of course you’ll be on the receiving end of the dirty looks instead of the giving end in the Universal Orlando VIP Tour scenario, but if you’re someone who doesn’t like drawing attention to yourself, it’s something to keep in mind.

Especially since you’ll be wearing a Universal VIP Tour lanyard throughout your tour.

Ready to start planning your next Universal Orlando vacation? Listen to the  latest podcast episode on Apple  or on your  non-Apple  device now!

How Much Does the Universal VIP Tour Cost?

Alright, the moment you’ve all been waiting for… how much is the Vip Experience at Universal Studios Orlando? $189, plus tax! Or, at least that’s the starting price. 

Because remember , the price spikes during peak seasons.  So let’s break down the specific costs below.

• 1 Day, 1 Park VIP Tour: Starts at $189, plus tax, per person (however, based on my experience the price usually starts at $250)
• 1 Day, 2 Park VIP Tour: Starts at $260 , plus tax, per person
• Private VIP Tour: Starts around  $3,200.00 per party (this price changes based on the season so call Universal at (866) 346-9350 to get a price quote for your party)

Check out my latest theme park adventures on Instagram TODAY!

Universal Orlando Express Pass vs. Universal Studios Orlando VIP Tour Experience… What’s the Difference?

Think of the Universal Orlando Express Pass as a Disney Genie+ that lets you take a shorter line on most rides, usually guaranteeing that your wait time is cut in half, and rarely ever more than 20 minutes total.

The Universal Orlando VIP Tour, however, goes FAR beyond that!

Sure, you get an Unlimited Express Pass, but you also get valet parking, meals , reserved show seating, and a 5+ hour behind-the-scenes tour. 

Basically, the Universal VIP Tour pales the Express Pass in comparison.

Get up to 25% off of your Universal Orlando Vacation with Groupon TODAY!

Universal Private VIP Tour vs. Universal Non-Private VIP Tour… What’s the Difference?

Basically, there’s two major differences between the Private and Non-Private Universal Orlando VIP Tour: price and group size.

Whereas the Non-Private Universal VIP Tour will cost you in the hundreds and can accommodate up to 12 people from various different parties, the Private Universal VIP Tour is exclusively your party, and will cost you THOUSANDS.

Literally. The Private Universal Studios Orlando VIP Tour starts at about $3,200 (price subject to change). And in addition to just being your own group, it also allows you to customize the itinerary, add a second day onto your tour, and have dinners included.

What’s Included in a Universal Studios VIP Tour for Halloween Horror Nights?

Just like how the normal Universal Studios Orlando VIP Tour has multiple different offerings, the same is true for the Halloween Horror Nights R.I.P. tour experience (RIP instead of VIP…get it?)

Basically, you can choose between the Halloween Horror Nights Behind-the-Screams: Unmasking the Horror Tour for around $120 and the Halloween Horror Nights R.I.P. Tour for around $300.

The difference?  The Unmasking the Horror Tour DOES NOT require ANY additional admission, and is a daytime, lights-on haunted house tour for your choice 3 or 6 houses.

Whereas the Halloween Horror Nights R.I.P. Tour requires Halloween Horror Nights admission and allows you a guided tour and VIP front of line entry to each house – PLUS an Unlimited Express Pass, Valet Parking, food reception, and more. 

Basically, a great way to ensure you will experience EVERY haunted house during this limited time event!

25 BEST Halloween Horror Nights Tips (2024 Survival Guide)

Is a Universal VIP Tour Worth It?

As I broke down above in the Pros and Cons section, the Universal Orlando VIP Tour really does give you A LOT for your money!

Especially, when you consider that an Unlimited Express Pass alone already costs $100+.

I’d highly recommend the Universal Studios Orlando VIP Tour to any Universal Studios superfan, anyone who’s never been to the park before, or any veteran ThemeParkHipster who wants to spoil themselves with the most stress-free theme park experience they can imagine!

Get up to 25% off of your Universal Studios Tickets with Groupon TODAY!

How Can I Book the Universal Orlando VIP Tour Experience at Universal?

You can book your VIP tour by clicking here or calling 1-866-346-9350 to book!

2024 Groupon Universal Studios Orlando Deal: How to Save THE MOST Money on Tickets

Wrapping Up…

Well ThemeParkHipster, I truly hope that this comprehensive guide gave you all the answers to your Universal Orlando VIP Tour questions!

So before you go, please do let us know in the comments below: Will you be booking the Universal VIP Tour anytime soon? Or, do you have your own Universal Orlando VIP Tour experience to share?

Until next time, Happy Park Hopping Hipsters!

About the Author

Gina is a former Walt Disney World and Disney Cruise Line Cast Member who enjoys reliving the magic by writing helpful tips and tricks for future guests! 

Check out more about her Disney adventures and writing endeavors here on ThemeParkHipster or Florida Hipster!

UP NEXT: SMACKDOWN! Universal Studios vs. Islands of Adventure: Which Should You Choose?

(Original Article Date: August 9, 2021/Updated by Editor on February 18, 2024)

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2024 Universal Orlando Packing List Guide: What to Pack for an EPIC Trip!

Avoid the universal orlando wait times with express pass: is it worth it in 2024, 2 thoughts on “universal studios orlando vip tour guide: should you do it in 2024”.

We are doing a Private VIP Tour at Universal and was curious and tipping our guide.

Sorry for the late response. From my understanding I didn’t find a rule from Universal that stops us from tipping a Tour Guide. You can double check with the Universal representative by calling (866) 346-9350. I like to tip but just make sure it’s okay for your visit.

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15 Universal Studios Hollywood Tips You NEED To Read (2023)

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Visiting a theme park like Universal Studios Hollywood is so much fun and exciting but it can be incredibly stressful – and disappointing – if you go in with no plan. After reading this article, you’ll understand where to save and where to splurge and how to maximize your time at Universal!

These are my favorite Universal Hollywood tips that you need for an amazing trip! I’ll cover everything starting with considerations as you book your trip to Universal Studios Hollywood to how to save money and maximize your experience in the park.

Where to stay near Universal Studios Hollywood

Unlike Universal Studios Orlando, there are no “on-property” hotels at Universal Studios Hollywood. Some hotels are closer than others, but you won’t find official perks like early entry, Express Pass, ticket discounts or anything else. While that may seem frustrating at first, it also means that you have complete choice among hotels near Universal Studios without feeling like you have to spend a ton of money. Here are a few great choices for where to stay near Universal Studios Hollywood – including their pros and cons.

Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City

And the award for closest hotel to Universal Studios Hollywood goes to… Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City ! It’s just a ~10 minute walk to the theme park gate, though it requires some stairs that may be challenging for those with limited mobility. The hotel also runs a free scheduled shuttle to Universal Studios Hollywood if that’s a better fit for your needs.

The Hilton is a very nice hotel, with a great pool and on-site dining as well, but it’s also one of the most expensive hotels near Universal Studios Hollywood. Be sure to compare prices at Hilton’s website and Expedia to make sure you’re getting a good deal. You can also consider booking this hotel as a package with theme park tickets and your rental car through Undercover Tourist , which we’ve used before to save tons of money.

You do have the option to pay for an upgraded theme park view, but personally I don’t think it’s worth the money since there aren’t night time fireworks at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Sheraton Universal Hotel

Just a few more minutes away on foot gets you to the Sheraton Universal Hotel . The hotel interior is a little nicer than the Hilton next door and it’s often a little less expensive, but the trade off is a slightly longer walk to the gate and slightly smaller rooms unless you upgrade.

In addition to Expedia , check prices on Marriott’s website and through Undercover Tourist to make sure you get a great deal!

The Garland

For a more boutique hotel near Universal Studios Hollywood, check out The Garland . It’s just a mile away in North Hollywood, though it’s definitely not walkable given the freeway and hills. There’s a trolly that runs hourly if you’re looking for a way to get to Universal for free.

Inside the mission-style building, you’ll find a beautiful blending of SoCal craftsman architecture with Mid-Century Modern design touches. The hotel offers quite a few different room types including standard queen-queen rooms, rooms with junior bunk beds in alcoves for early bed times, and even family suites with bunk beds. It’s even an option if you need a pet-friendly hotel near Universal Studios Hollywood.

There are also on-site activities available to keep you busy when you aren’t out exploring. There’s a lovely pool and a family jacuzzi, plus a rotating calendar of activities that includes lawn games, local food pop ups, guided tours and hikes in the area and more.

It’s easy to book The Garland on its own via Expedia, which shows you the details of all the different room types including suites. If you’re looking for a Universal Studios Hollywood vacation package to save money, check out Get Away Today (use code ‘VOYAGE’ to save $10) and Undercover Tourist for major savings.

Magic Castle Hotel

Are you looking for where to stay near Universal Studios Hollywood on a budget with a big family? Do you like fun? If you answered yes to either of those questions, check out the Magic Castle Hotel . It’s just a 10 minute drive to the park and you can even walk to the Hollywood Bowl along with other area attractions.

Magic Castle Hotel isn’t fancy, but it has a lot going for it. This used to be an apartment building, so the rooms are huge – most are designated as suites but are really one- or two-bedroom apartments with full kitchens so you can save money on meals. Speaking of saving money on meals, breakfast is included daily and even includes a magician on weekends! Plus there’s an unlimited supply of free snacks and popsicles out on the pool deck.

Oh, and they’ll even do your laundry for free.

Even with all of these amazing amenities (including bargain-basement parking fees), Magic Castle Hotel is reasonably priced if you have a large family or need more space than a traditional hotel room offers. It’s easy to see why it’s considered the most kid-friendly hotel near Universal Studios Hollywood! Check prices for your stay .

How to get discounted tickets to Universal Studios Hollywood

Tickets to Universal Studios Hollywood are expensive, ranging from $109 to $149 online and even more if you purchase in person (with the risk of ticket being sold out). I strongly recommend that you buy your tickets in advance online to save money and ensure that you’ll be able to visit the park! There are a few ways to get discounted tickets to Universal Studios Hollywood:

• Undercover Tourist – We’ve used authorized ticket seller before and had a seamless experience. They sell Universal Studios tickets at a discount of several dollars each. But the real savings come when you bundle your rental car: you can get up to 50% off your car rental! We’ve done this before and it saved us $200 on the car. If you have an account set up with the rental car company, you can even reach out before your trip to link it to your reservation to make pick up faster.
• Get Away Today – Similar to Undercover Tourist, GAT is a big player in the authorized ticket market. They offer discounted packages for tickets + hotel, plus you can save an extra $10 with coupon ‘VOYAGE’.
• Get Your Guide – For our most recent visit, we actually booked our tickets through tour marketplace Get Your Guide. You can buy tickets from them just as you would from any other retailer. Why did I buy from a 3rd party seller? I only needed tickets for this visit, and I was able to cash back through TopCashback ! If you aren’t familiar with TopCashback, they provide a percentage of your purchase back at nearly every retailer you can think of. I use them

Universal Studios Hollywood tips for an amazing visit

• Check the calendar for your time visiting in LA. Generally Universal Studios tickets are date-specific and they’re priced based on projected crowds and park hours. But those hours can vary dramatically: during busy season Universal Studios hours can be 8am to 10pm, while on weekdays or when there’s an evening event they can be as short as 10am-6pm.
• Know how much of Universal Studios you want to visit. If you want to hit every single popular ride at Universal Studios Hollywood, a day with limited hours may not be enough time. How much time to spend at Universal Studios Hollywood completely depends on whether or not you want to do all of the rides and attractions and how busy the park is.

• Download the Universal Studios Hollywood app while you’re planning to familiarize yourself with ride options and wait times.
• Decide if the Universal Express Pass is worth it for you. In my experience, if you’re visiting Universal Studios when it isn’t a school break or a weekend you can save your money. As of this writing, Express Pass costs an extra $90+ per person and doesn’t even include the most popular ride in the park! But if you’re visiting during summer or spring break and want to hit every ride it may be worth the cost to avoid spending an hour or two in line for popular rides. This guide is really helpful for deciding whether or not to purchase it.

• Plan to arrive at the Universal Studios Hollywood parking structure about 30-40 minutes before opening time. You’ll need to wait in line to pay, park and then walk through CityWalk. That process took us 25 minutes on an extremely quiet day. Alternatively, if you take Uber you’ll be dropped off righ near the park entrance. Paying up for premium parking (an extra $20-40) also gets you closer to the gate.
• Consider upgrading to Super Nintendo World “early access” at Universal Studios Hollywood. The new Mario Kart ride is absolutely amazing and is not part of Express Pass. But if you pay the (more reasonable) price to get in an hour early, you can enjoy Mario Kart before everyone else with a very short line and then quickly hop to the other popular rides while everyone else dashes down to Super Nintendo World! Several of the other popular rides are also nearby in the lower lot, so you’ll even have an extra 10-15 minutes after the regular opening time before other guests arrive.

• You may need to join the “virtual line” for Super Nintendo World when you enter the park if it’s busy. You can’t do it before you enter the park and it doesn’t get you on Mario Kart any faster, but just helps with crowd control while the World is still at peak popularity. 
• Universal Studios Hollywood has two sections, the Upper Lot and Lower Lot. You’ll enter in the Upper Lot, which has Hogsmeade (Harry Potter), Krustyland (The Simpsons), the Waterworld live stunt show and most of the attractions for younger kids including Dispicable Me Minions Mayhem (one of our family’s favorites), Kung Fu Panda, Secret Life of Pets and Super Silly Fun Land. The Lower Lot is home to the new Super Nintendo World along with Jurassic World (and the Dino play area), The Mummy and Transformers. A series of steep escalators connects the two sections, with an alternative tram option for those with mobility challenges. Expect to spend 5-10 minutes getting between the Upper and Lower Lots.

• Choose your dining wisely. We tried out some of the Universal Studios themed dining options in Orlando and can’t say we were very impressed with the quality for the exorbitant price so we avoided the park food in Hollywood almost entirely. But my sources tell me that Cocina Mexicana and Jurassic Cafe are decent options that won’t cost an arm and a leg. On a busy day you can order your meal through the app and just go pick it up at the counter when it’s ready – that can be a huge time saver. 

• One of the best snacks at Universal Studios Hollywood is (obviously) butter beer! The iced/slushie version is perfect for a hot day. Yes it’s almost $10 per cup, but it’s worth it. Two cups is enough for our family of four to share.
• If you want to eat at Toadstool Cafe (which we’ve heard is cute but terrible), scan the waitlist QR code at the entrance to Super Nintendo World first thing in the morning. We visited on a very light day and the entire day’s waitlist was full 90 minutes after park opening. Insider tip: if Super Nintendo World is on a virtual line, a Toadstool Cafe reservation will get you in. 

• To fully experience Super Nintendo World or the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, prepare to pay up for an accessory – a power up band for Nintendo ($40) or a wand at Ollivanders in Hogsmeade ($40-60). In our experience the wands from Orlando work in Hollywood, but it seemed like many of the interactive elements didn’t function as smoothly as we expected. On the other hand, the power up bands we purchased worked perfectly and unlocked so many cool experiences in Super Nintendo World – plus they continue to be useful as amiibo with compatible games for Nintendo Switch. My kids specifically recommend using them for Super Smash Bros , Super Mario Odyssey , Mario Kart 8 and Captain Toad Treasure Tracker . Winning the “mini games” within Super Nintendo world earns keys that link to your power up band; once you have three keys, you can participate in the final boss showdown in Bowser Jr’s castle! No power up band = no boss battle. 

• The Waterworld live stunt show at Universal Studios Hollywood is pretty darn impressive! It only runs a few times per day so be sure to set an alarm to get there about 5 minutes before showtime on a quiet day or as much as 15-30 minutes early on a busy day. Choose your seats wisely – the lower seats in the green zone get soaked while the higher seats stay dry. There’s no wrong answer though, as sometimes the splash zone a nice way to cool off!
• Consider a change of clothes or a swimsuit for young kids. Super Silly Fun Land has a pretty amazing water play structure full of dump buckets and sprayers, and it’s hard for kids to resist on a hot day.
• Some of the more intense rides require you to put your belongings in a locker. The lockers are free, but you can’t have a backpack on The Mummy or Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.

What to bring to Universal Studios Hollywood

Overall a day at Universal Studios Hollywood isn’t nearly as intense as visiting Disneyland or other large theme parks. But there are a few things to bring with you to make your day awesome.

• External battery pack. Between all the photos and videos you’ll take plus checking wait times in the Universal Studios Hollywood app, you’ll probably chew through your phone’s battery faster than yoh think – and at the end of the day you need a little juice for Uber or GPS navigation back to your hotel! I love this battery pack because it plugs straight into my phone without needing any cables or adapters. There’s an Android version as well.
• Versatile daypack. We use this backpack for theme parks and it’s perfect for us! There’s plenty of space for snacks, water, dry shirts, souvenirs and more (it’s just long enough for an Elderwand box, in case you were curious). There’s even a built-in rain cover on the off-chance of a shower. It pairs with this belt bag , which is great for easy access to small items or if you and your travel buddy need to split up for part of the day. 
• Insulated water bottle or Camelbak . Universal Studios Hollywood has tons of places to refill your water bottle – even in the middle of some of the longer lines! I love this insulated water bottle thanks to its ergonomic shape. We’ve also tucked a Camelbak bladder into the daypack I mentioned above, which is a great solution if you don’t want to refill often. You can even fill it most of the way with ice in the morning.
• Comfortable shoes. There’s no faster way to ruin a day at Universal Studios Hollywood than by wearing uncomfortable shoes. I opted for this pair and was able to go go go non-stop!
• Sunscreen stick. Be sure to bring sunscreen with you for Universal Studios Hollywood – there’s plenty of waiting in line out in the sun. I love that I can fly with this sunscreen stick without worrying about liquid restrictions. It’s compact enough to fit anywhere!
• Sunglasses. No matter what you plan to do, be sure to include a great pair of shades on your LA packing list .

Universal Studios Hollywood FAQs

In my experience one day is usually enough for Universal Studios Hollywood unless you’re visiting on a short day and want to ride every single ride. 

Unlike Orlando, there’s really no such thing as “on property” in Hollywood. There are several hotels in walking distance that you can consider but they don’t get any extra theme park benefits.  

Before you go…

If you’re certain you’ll include Universal Studios Hollywood in your Los Angeles itinerary, be sure to read up on whether or not to rent a car in LA and which airport to fly into !

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Is Universal Orlando’s Holiday VIP Tour Worth the Price?

It’s the holiday season at Universal Orlando !

The holidays kicked off earlier this month , with decorations going up around the parks , special entertainment , and festive food . There are a ton of things you can do to enjoy the holidays at Universal just with regular theme park admission. But, if you want some extra holiday cheer, you can add on the Universal Holiday Tour ! We went to the first day of the tour today and are here to tell you all about it.

The Universal Holiday Tour takes place on select dates from November 21st through January 2nd and starts at $69.99 . You also have to have a separate park-to-park ticket and reservations in order to go on the tour. So, this cost is in addition to your regular ticket cost.

This is a guided tour through both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, so that’s why you need the park-to-park ticket! Now, let’s break down everything you get to see and do during the tour.

You start off by checking in inside Universal Studios near Rip Ride Rockit, on the other side of the lawn in front of the stage.

There will be a sign so you know where to go!

Then, a Team Member will guide you to the next spot.

Holiday Parade Featuring Macy’s

The tour begins with VIP viewing for the Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s! There is a huge viewing area, but we recommend checking in early to get best possible spot.

It was unfortunately really windy when we were there, so they couldn’t fly most of the giant balloons over the floats, but we still saw some fun characters all decked out in their holiday gear!

You’ll can see Shrek and Fiona dressed up as Santa and Mrs. Claus…

…Donkey with a bunch of presents…

…and Puss in Boots in his holly jolly best.

Then, we saw King Julien from Madagascar …

…and the Penguins…

…the girls and Gru from Despicable Me …

…as well as some Minions…

…and Santa Claus, of course!

And, you can’t forget about those big Macy’s star balloons.

The Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular

After the parade, we headed on over to see The Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular!

As part of the tour, you get reserved viewing fo the show. This is the first time the show has been in this theater, which used to be where the Blue Man Group performed.

The show is a live retelling of the story of the Grinch and includes music from Mannheim Steamroller. It’s the story you know and love, with the super funny Mr. Grinch, of course.

Also, you get to see a REAL DOG playing Max — which is honestly worth the cost of the entire tour, in our humble opinion.

The Grinch is up to his usual shenanigans of stealing Christmas from the Whos.

He dresses up like Santa Claus so he can be disguised during his stealing.

And, has his usual encounter with little Cindy-Lou Who.

The Grinch also has a run in with the Mayor of Whoville…

…which seems to go well!

Then, the Grinch and Max comes back and returns Christmas to the Whos.

The show ends with singing…

…and snow falling down onto the stage!

Meeting Santa Claus

After the show, we got to meet Santa Claus!

Jolly ol’ St. Nicholas is located in the executive room about Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon, so there is a great view from the balcony. There are also a TON of Christmas trees in here.

A Universal photographer snaps your pic with Santa and then you can talk to him for a moment and tell him what you want for Christmas.

Then, Santa gives you an ornament!

Right after, a Team Member will give you your pictures with Santa — it was super quick. And, you get to take these pictures home as a souvenir.

This is the only way to meet Santa Claus in Universal and it’s the first time they’ve done a real meet and greet with him.

After meeting Santa, we also got a few minutes to take some pictures of all the decor in the empty park.

The Christmas tree was looking beautiful…

…and the decorations over in the New York area are stunning.

Who & A

Next up, we got to see an exclusive “Who & A” with some of the Whos from The Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular.

This was super cute! You can submit questions when you check-in for the tour while you’re waiting for the parade, and they ask them to the Whos sort of like a talk show.

The is really entertaining if you’re a big fan of the Grinch like we are. Otherwise, you may not like it as much.

Meeting the Grinch

After that, we got to meet the Grinch himself over at Circus McGurkus Cafe Stoo-Pendous in Islands of Adventure.

The inside is all decorated for the holidays!

In here you can get sugar cookies…

…and there’s a hot cocoa bar that’s all you can enjoy included in the price of the tour.

And, the cookies are very festive!

While in here, the Grinch will be wandering around and you can meet and take pictures with him.

He definitely has a good time wandering around!

We, of course, had to take some selfies.

And, we got some great shots of the Grinch, too — for your viewing pleasure.

We’re not entirely sure what’s going on here!

But, he seems to be having fun…

…maybe.

Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle Show

To end the night and the tour, you  get to see an exclusive after-hours showing of The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle Show. Yep! You get to watch the show after regular guests have left the park.

Before the show, you get about 30 minutes to explore Hogsmeade — the shops and Hog’s Head are open if you want to buy anything!

And, the holiday decoration in here are absolutely gorgeous.

We want to celebrate Christmas at Hogwarts every day, please.

The magic spots also work during this time if you have an interactive want you would like to use!

Then, it was time for the private viewing of show. The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts.

The projections on the castle are so awesome. You’ll see characters you know on the area where the Great Hall is…

…snowmen…

…a Christmas tree…

…a whole Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes section…

…and SNOW!

Then, there are a few fireworks to end the show.

Let’s just appreciate the beauty of Hogwarts for a second!

That’s everything on the tour! Overall, we think the Universal Holiday Tour is really fun. You get to do a lot of things you can’t do with a regular park ticket. Plus, it’s way less expensive than Disney World’s Very Merriest After Hours event (although it’s important to note that does include admission into Magic Kingdom). If you’re looking for a way to get the most out of the holidays while you’re at Universal, we definitely recommend the tour! Stay tuned to AllEars for more Universal news and updates.

Click here to see why we love the holidays at Universal Orlando

Will you be taking the Universal Holiday Tour this year? Let us know in the comments!

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One Reply to “Is Universal Orlando’s Holiday VIP Tour Worth the Price?”

Do you think they will add more tickets to dates that are sold out? Also, can you meet the Grinch without the tour?

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Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Tour- Is It Worth It?

Much like the VIP Tour at Disneyland Resort or Walt Disney World Resort , the VIP tour at Universal Studios Hollywood gives you access to areas not open to the general public. Under the watchful eye of a Universal Team Member, you'll be escorted through the park, have unlimited Express Pass access to all rides and attractions, and more.

But how long is the VIP Tour, what are  all of its perks, and – more importantly – how much does it cost?

We visit Universal Studios Hollywood monthly and make sure to understand the ins and outs of the theme park. That way, you have the information you need to decide whether or not a VIP tour is right for you.

Read on for everything you need to know about the Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Tour, including its perks and need-to-know details.

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In this planning guide:

How Much is the VIP Tour at Universal Studios Hollywood?

Let’s get down to the nitty gritty before jumping into the fun details of the Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Tour.

Similar to ticket pricing used at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort , ticket costs for the VIP Tour operate on a date-based system. This means that more expensive tickets tend to fall on days that are expected to be more crowded. On the other hand, less expensive tickets tend to fall on off-peak times when crowds are expected to be lower.

With that said, Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Tour ticket prices start at $379, with prices reaching as high as $499.

Make sure to visit the Universal Studios Hollywood website for up-to-date pricing. You can also book a VIP Private Experience tour via telephone by calling 818-622-8477.

Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Tour Details

There’s a few more nitty gritty details you need to know before considering booking a VIP Tour:

• VIP Tours start at various times throughout the morning, with the first tour usually starting at 9:30am. However, the number of tours per day varies depending on the season and day of the week
• Each VIP Tour accommodate up to 13 guests
• Tours run for a minimum of 5 hours and usually lasts between 6 to 7 hours from your booked start time
• Children must be at least 5 years old and accompanied by an adult; children starting at 17 years old can attend without an adult

With the nitty gritty out of the way, let’s discuss the VIP Tour perks.

VIP Pre-Tour Perks

Before even starting your Universal Studios Hollywood VIP tour, you get a number of perks that make your day that much easier.

Here’s what you can expect before starting your tour:

• Valet Parking : When you arrive at Universal Studios Hollywood, follow the signs to the Jurassic Valet garage entrance. Make sure to keep your valet ticket you receive when parking. That way, you can present it when you check in at the VIP Reception for validation
• Complimentary Refreshments: At the VIP lounge, you’ll have a comfortable, air-conditioned area to wait in before your tour. You’ll also have access to a complimentary continental breakfast, including bagels, coffee, iced water, and other morning snacks
• Sun Protectants:  Like any other day at a Universal or Disney theme park, sunscreen is an absolute must. Before your tour, you’ll receive complimentary sunscreen and lip balm in the VIP Experience Center

All of these pre-tour perks set you up for a smooth and fun experience inside the theme park.

• Discount Universal Studios Hollywood Tickets

Purchasing your tickets before you arrive eliminates the time you would’ve spent in line at the ticket booth and gets you into the park quicker. Another benefit to advanced ticket orders is the opportunity to save money. We partner with Universal Studio’s top travel partner to offer discounts on tickets exclusively for our readers.

For the best prices on Universal Studios Hollywood tickets and info on how to avoid scammy tickets, visit our guide to  discount Universal Studios Hollywood tickets .

Your Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Tour Guide

Much like the VIP tour guides at Disneyland Resort or Walt Disney World Resort, your Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Tour guide makes your experience unique.

Each Universal tour guide has what seems like endless amounts of knowledge about all things Universal Studios. As you’re led around the theme park, you’ll learn more things than you ever thought you’d learn about Universal.

Along with passing along valuable Universal Studios knowledge, each tour guide is there to help you experience exactly what you want. Because of this, each Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Tour is different. Other than the basics of the tour – the Studio Tour, the WaterWorld show, and lunch – you’ll have plenty of time to experience the rides and attractions of your choice.

Your VIP Tour guide is there to make your experience well worth it.

The Studio Tour on the VIP Tour

This 2 hour studio tour takes you behind the scenes into areas other guests don’t have access to.

Instead of staying on the tram like the General Admission guests do, you’ll get to hop off and walk the sets. You’ll get exclusive access to movie and TV sets and certain luxe amenities.

These perks include:

• Riding the VIP Trolley: Instead of riding the tram with the General Admission guests, you’ll get your very own private open-air trolley as well as complimentary ice water.
• Stopping at a Soundstage: Depending on which soundstage is operating, you’ll be able to walk through a soundstage and see exactly what actors experience when shooting a movie or show
• Edith Head Costume and Prop Department: This building is home to countless props used in iconic Universal films. Your tour guide will point out some of the most iconic items along the way
• Walk on a Real Set: You’ll also get to explore iconic movie sets on foot. The best part is each tour is different, so the set you walk on may change depending on the day

Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Tour Ride Perks

No VIP Tour (at Universal Studios Hollywood  or Disneyland Resort) is complete without ride perks.

Your Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Tour comes with an Unlimited Express Pass . This means you get to use the Express Lanes on every ride in the theme park, effectively skipping the standby lines.

Right now, this is also the  only way to bypass the standby line for Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge at Super Nintendo World .

In addition to Unlimited Express Pass, you’ll have a tour guide who can hold your bags as you hop on a ride. This means no need to waste precious time placing your bags in a locker before riding.

You’ll also have VIP seats for WaterWorld, making viewing this popular show a cinch. And after your VIP Tour is over, your VIP lanyard functions as an Express Pass for the remainder of your day.

This means that if your VIP Tour starts early, you’ll have the rest of your theme park day to hit as many rides as you can until the theme park closes.

Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Tour Meal Perks

Once lunch time rolls around, you’ll have your own VIP Tour meal at the Parisian portion of the Upper Lot.

Here, you’ll be able to enjoy a 1 hour, all-you-care-to-eat experience. The high quality buffet usually features sushi, seafood, meat, salad, soup, an array of desserts, and more. There are plenty of food options for kids, vegetarians, and picky eaters. You might even get the chance to meet a few iconic Universal characters!

You’ll also have access to phone charging stations as well as visits from Universal Studios characters, making for a great experience.

The buffet meal is usually scheduled 3 hours after your tour’s start time.

Universal Studios Hollywood R.I.P. Tour

If you’re a big fan of big scares, you’ll likely love the R.I.P. Tour.

The R.I.P. Tour combines Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights and the VIP Tour. It differs slightly from the regular VIP Tour, but the general schedule is the same. It’s essentially the VIP Tour plus access to Halloween Horror Nights.

Along with the perks we listed earlier, your tour will include:

• A guided walking tour of Halloween Horror Nights
• One-time express entry into each haunted house and available attractions
• The Terror Tram backlot experience in a VIP trolley

If you’re looking for a spooky twist on the all-inclusive VIP Tour, the R.I.P. Tour is up your alley.

Who Should Experience the Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Tour?

There’s no question that the Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Tour comes at a steep price.

However, is it worth splurging on VIP Tour tickets? Here’s who the VIP Tour is geared towards:

• Universal Studios Superfans:  If you’re an avid Universal fan who wants to experience as much of the Universal theme parks as possible, the VIP Tour allows you to do that without wasting time or stress. Additionally, there are experiences on the VIP Tour that are exclusive to VIP Tour guests
• Film and Show Superfans:  Sure, you might learn a thing or two even if you’re the biggest film nerd. But being able to walk on set of some of the most iconic films will likely make you lose your mind
• Guests Who Want a Stress-Free Theme Park Day: The Unlimited Express Pass along with your own private tour guide makes the VIP Tour worth it if you’re looking experience as many rides and attractions as possible. It’s also worth it for families with younger kiddos who are tired of planning every single detail of their vacation. Having your tour guide plan your entire day takes the stress out of your entire trip

If you think the Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Tour is for you, make sure to reserve your tour on the Universal Studios Hollywood website .

Plan Your Universal Studios Hollywood Vacation

To get a head start to planning your Universal vacation, subscribe to our FREE Deals newsletter . Here you will have access to useful planning information, exclusive Universal deals, and access to the lowest priced Universal tickets anywhere. Find more information on planning your vacation here:

• Disneyland VIP Tour – Pricing, Details, Tips
• Universal Studios Hollywood Guide 2024
• Disneyland Planning Guide
• Universal Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights Strategy & Tips

The VIP experience is very much worth it at Universal Hollywood. With valet parking, a Continental breakfast, an extremely knowledgable guide, Unlimited Express Pass, and a high quality buffet lunch included, your day at Universal Hollywood will be jam packed with fun, thrills, and learning.

The Universal VIP tour includes Unlimited Express Pass as well as the only way to bypass the line for Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge at Super Nintendo World . This comes in handy for the new and popular attraction, especially if you don't visit Universal Studios Hollywood often.

The VIP tour of Universal Hollywood runs for a minimum of 5 hours and usually lasts between 6 to 7 hours from your booked start time. On this tour, you'll experience the Studio Tour in a VIP vehicle, the WaterWorld show with VIP seating, and a high quality buffet lunch – as well as plenty of time to experience the rides and attractions of your choice.

The main difference between Universal Express Pass and the VIP tour is that on the VIP tour, you'll be escorted through the park by a knowledgable Team Member, have unlimited Express Pass access to all rides and attractions, VIP seating for the WaterWorld show, a high quality buffet lunch, and more. Universal Express pass, on the other hand, is a paid ticket system that allows you to skip the regular standby lines for certain rides.

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About Stephen Cabebe

A California native, Stephen found his love of all things Disney through his wife. He loves anything to do with Disney history, down to the minute details. If you don’t find him at Walt Disney World, he’s either practicing as a physical therapist, sharing his love of exercise on Instagram, or writing for his personal blog!

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Universal Studios Hollywood Tour Review – Are the Studio Tours any good?

Universal Studios Hollywood is an action-packed theme park that can hold its head up high against many of its rivals and competitors. However, there is one thing that really sets it apart from the competition. The Park is located on the edge of Universal Studio’s actual Back-lot Filming locations. For decades the Studio has offered tours of the facility and is now one of the premier “rides” at the Park. The Tours have changed vastly over the years so are they still any good or just a gimmick, find out with our Universal Studios Tour Review.

• Location – Upper Lot, Universal Studios Hollywood
• Type – Tram Tour With 3/4D Tunnel Rides x2 and Special Effects Zones
• Duration – 1 Hour +
• Height Restriction – None
• Average Queue time – 30 mins – 1 hrs
• Single Rider – No
• Additional Info – Tours available in Spanish and Mandarin (as well as English, obviously)

Universal Studios Tour

• Exhilaration
• Smoothness and Comfort
• Uniqueness and Theming
• Value For Time

We really do love the Universal Studio Tours and Actually, it is not only one the best attractions at Universal but possibly up there in all of L.A. The Park itself is good but it’s not outstanding and falls well short of its sister Park in Florida. But that is without the Tour, With that factored in the Hollywood park is right there as a must-visit, the tour really is that good. That’s a pretty bold statement. So let’s take a look at the actual tour to try and show you why we love them SO much.

Things don’t start well. The Queue line is awful. A total cattle pen with little organization and nothing to see. If it is hot there is no shelter from the sun as you wait in line for the trams to arrive. The only plus is the queue moves quite well as the trams are large and regular.

The Trams are pretty impressive beasts, seating up to 46 (Rows of 6) People per tram and usually 3 trams per train. These beasts are powered by a pretty beefy engine, and pump out a lot of heat. They really are a thing to behold and we have a lot of respect for the drivers especially in some of the trickier parts of the tour.

NOTE – If you are having a hard time choosing a side try and go for the left-hand side of the tram. Most things happen on the left and you get the best views. It’s not perfect and some things are better from the right, there is no perfect choice unfortunately

The Tour is currently narrated by Jimmy Fallon. Obviously via a recorded link but as the tour is different every day you still get a real tour guide to point out the sights, scenes, and people you are actually seeing, To Be honest, the Jimmy Fallon Tie in is a bit of nothing, the Tour Guide is the Star of the Show.

We will Describe the typical route and things we have seen on our tours but you should understand this is a live studio and areas and locations can and are used for filming and tour trams make bad movie backdrops, so routes and sights can and do change, but we are going for typical.

The tour starts off touring the Sound stages of Universal. These are where Tv Shows, Indoor sets, and complex sets are built. The tour here is pretty dull actually, while some of the sound stages are incredible inside you don’t get to go in. So apart from a sneaky open door, you are just looking at buildings. Dull Buildings at that. The guide will point out any current Movies or programs being shot. The best part about this tour is this is where you are most likely to see Celebs!

Will We See Celebrities?

This is one of most people’s big questions and the answer is …probably. There is NO guarantee and the quality may be dubious, but there is a very good chance. Unlike other Studio tours, Such as Warner Bros, where the Celebs hideaway and the tour guides are not allowed to point them out (They Still do, subtlety) They are encouraged to interact with the tours, even stand and wave and inviting pictures. Seeing Celebs is part of the expectation for these tours so it’s great to see it embraced. Don’t expect it though it’s all about timing.

Movie Sets and Locations

The Tour then heads into the Outdoor Facade areas. These are Metropolitan areas that resemble different City’s and locations to save shooting on location saving $millions and not requiring shutting down a real city street. These locations feature in many films including the brownstone from Home Alone 2 and Bruce Almighty. The Tour also takes you to the clock tower from Back To The Future

This Whole area is pretty fantastic and is one of the highlights of the tour for us. The amount of cinema history created here is pretty moving and it gives a real insight into the goings-on behind the scenes in the Film Industry. To be honest some of the fakeries are a little disheartening but it’s nice to feel “in on it” rather than being fooled.

After a good 15 mins exploring this area, you head off for your first “ride”

King Kong 360 3D – Ride

Similar to its counterpart in Orlando the King Kong Ride is an HD 3D Tunnel ride where the tram drives into a digitized Tunnel and the action appears all around the occupants. Riders will be Given 3D Specs that are useless for the most part of the tour and really just a pain but are finally put to use in the Kong Ride.

The Journey takes you through a prehistoric jungle where the trams are predictably attacked by Dinosaurs and then embroiled in a duel between the dinosaurs and Kong. The Ride uses air and water effects along with tram movement and is pretty immersive. Some of the action can be missed as it takes place on either side of you and it’s easy to be looking the wrong way when something exciting is going on behind you.

The best effects are the swinging tram effects which do feel a lot like swinging across an abyss. The too and fro war of the beasts does provide a few shocks and jumps as dinos are thrown around and charge out of nowhere and the Air and water effects are always fun adding a different element to the ride. There are also smell’s but we don’t notice them but they may subconsciously add to the ambiance.

Overall it feels a bit awkward. you are not really sure why during a tour of the studios suddenly you are thrust into this King Kong duel. But another way of looking at is you are getting a ride thrown into the tour without the need to queue. And it’s a pretty decent ride at that.

After exiting your tour moves on. The next stop is the Star Cars where you get to see some famous cars from movies such as Back To Future, Jurassic Park, and Fast and the Furious. In all honesty, they have seen better days and could do with a good detailing.

Flash Flood

As the Tour takes in the Wild West and Old Mexico Sets which are really cool to see, it stops by a dried-up river bed. Within Seconds the streets are filled with gushing water as the flood cascaded down the hill and into the side of the tram. Before you know it it’s over and the tram moves on.

Earth Quake

The Earthquake zone is a Special effect demonstration where the whole set transforms from a regular San Francisco Subway into a disaster set as a huge earthquake rips through the stage. There are Exploding Trucks, Flying Sparks, and cascading floods as the set is torn apart.

Once the Tram leaves everything simply returns to normal for another “take” showing how sets can be reset for multiple takes. Of Course, nowadays this would be done with CGI but it is cool to see and obviously a pretty epic spectacle as the quake hits!

Amity Island – Jaws

The Jaws scene is as old as time, or so it seems, and was introduced in 1975 a year after the Film. It is a very dated attraction but is really charming and dripping with nostalgia. We fear the datedness of the ride makes it a target for removal/replacement but this would be sacrilege in our opinion so hopefully it lives on for decades more!

You start off arriving at Amity Island before things take a turn for the worse. There is fire and explosions before the Tram is attacked by the shark. The Dummy shark is every bit as realistic as the films Shark, which is not very! But that’s not the point at all. It’s just a fun romp down Memory lane.

Wisteria Lane

The Tour now takes in Wisteria Lane, However, this is a Heavily used film set and is very often left out due to filming. It’s quite frustrating to drive by the junction of Wisteria Lane, or Colonial Street as it’s called, and not head down for a look. Which seems to be the case whenever we go! And, yes, we are fairly bitter about it!

Bates Motel – Psycho

The Tour then swings past the Bate motel from the Psycho movie, with the house set on the hill behind with mother rocking in the window. As you pass the Motel Norman will leave one of the rooms with a “package”. He then makes a beeline for the Tram to Silence the Witnesses. It’s all a bit Cheesy, yes. But good fun.

War Of The Worlds – Plane Wreck

During the production of War Of The Worlds Spielberg used ultimate realism and for the plane wreck scene and actually got hold of a real 747 Jet and Cut it up to simulate the wreckage! This left them with the issue of what to do with the huge expensive plane wreckage they had lying around. The answer is obviously to turn it into an attraction!

Passing through the wreckage scene is genuinely unnerving and creepy. Some people really just dislike this part of the tour as it makes them that uncomfortable. It is very lifelike as it is an actual plane so it doesn’t get much more real. Thankfully there are no gore effects as that would be too much.

After the Wreckage, the tour loops around falls lake with its giant green screen and cabin from “the great outdoors” before heading to the final segment of the tour it’s another ride Segment.

Fast and the Furious – Supercharged – Ride

Like the Kong Ride, we treat this as a “Free Ride”, However unlike Kong, you will be really glad you didn’t queue for this one. The intro is long, pretty uninteresting, and forgettable. You are then thrust into a Fast And Furious Car chase. However, unlike Fighting Dinosaurs and Giant Gorilla’s Car chases surprisingly don’t work too well in a tram.

There is a lack of suspense, realism, fear, or excitement, it really isn’t a good ride. The Imagery is a bit low-rent video game and doesn’t feel real or convincing. It’s worth saying we love the Franchise (and I particularly love Japanese performance cars, have owned several, and consider the original Film one of my favorite films of all time) We really wanted to like the ride, but it just doesn’t work. In our opinion of course, but we left very underwhelmed.

Still, As we say, look at it as a ride you don’t have to queue for and it’s actually better than the standalone version in Orlando!

This marks the end of the tour apart from some great views studios and valley off to the left of the tram.

Overall we love the tour. It is completely unique and takes you to some epically Iconic and unique locations. Some of the tour is very dated but the nostalgia element completely overrides this. Although for younger people this may be lost.

Some of the set pieces are a little out of place and some pretty rubbish (F&F) but as it’s one queue for nearly an hour of fun it’s great value in terms of queue time for entertainment.

Simply Put, Everyone heading to the park should DEFINITELY take the tour. It is, without doubt, the number one attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood. In fact, if the above description of the Tour leaves you a bit cold, it might be worth skipping the entire park. It is such a major part of the Studio experience. Without it, the park is a little bit weak and we question the $119 ticket price.

Have Your Say

Let us know what you think of the Studio tour? Have you done the tour or are you planning on going soon? What was your favorite part? What are you hoping to see? Let us know in the comments below and feel free to ask any questions below.

You May Also like

• Universal Studios Hollywood Ride Guide
• Transformers – The Ride Review
• Warner Bros Studio Tour

2 thoughts on “Universal Studios Hollywood Tour Review – Are the Studio Tours any good?”

So you want to know what our experience with Universal studios studio tour was. We don’t know what was worse, us running for our lives from a burning tram or the fact that NOBODY, and I mean NOBODY offered an apology or anything. We lost everything. In the late 1980s me, my wife and infant daughter was on the studio tour when going up the hill out of the back lot the tram, it was busier than normal so they used a, “super tram” as they called it to handle more people. It was an older one we were told, it had more cars and half way up it stopped and started smoking. Everybody thought it was part of the tour. That is till from under the seats in the row right behind us fire started coming from between the seats literally right behind us. By the time we got out of the tram the entire back half was on fire. Me and other guests helped the wheel chair bound guest off the tram. The driver and announcer ran also, but left him there. Naturally those behind the fire ran downhill and those of us in the front tram car ran up the hill. That was the beginning of our horror after that it was nothing, I mean nothing. No direction from staff on what to do or anything. None of the park staff would even talk about it. We heard “what are you talking about?” 4 times. All our infant daughters clothing, diapers and everything we had in the diaper bag burned up and NOBODY would even talk about it. Other guests each chipped in to give us supplies and diapers for her. After a trip half way across California to go there we were so traumatized after that we left and went home with a lifelong disgust for Universal Studios. If someone had at the very least offered an apology our trip may have ended differently but they didn’t. They would not even acknowledge it happened.

That was our experience at Universal Studios Hollywood. Here it is 35 years later it still is a issue for us for the way we were treated

Wow, that’s quite an experience! We always think the most important part of travel is the “experience” but maybe not that kind of experience!

The Lack of apology is something we find more and more in American Culture. We are British Citizens exploring the States and apologizing is second nature in the UK, I have had to try very hard not to apologize to you in this response even though I have done nothing wrong, it’s just second nature for us to say sorry.

However, we have always found the exact opposite in US customer service, especially when the situation is more severe. Apologies seem to be seen as admissions of guilt, as such employees are encouraged not to give them as this can then be used later in litigation. This often escalates situations, as in your case, as often people just want a reassuring voice to say sorry and make up for the issue in a small way. But the fear of litigation makes them circle the wagons and refuse to even acknowledge the incident.

We have found this over and over, although never In such extreme circumstances as yourselves!

A little bit of humility and communication can go a long way.

Sorry, your experience was so bad (See I couldn’t help myself), and glad to hear everyone made it off the tram unharmed!

But this was 35 years ago, lets hope things have improved since then!

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Skipping the lines of 12 major rides at Universal Orlando on a $349 group VIP tour

Theme parks this summer are...busy. Very, very busy .

In a recent earnings call, we got an official statement that Universal Orlando's capacity and attendance are pretty much back to pre-pandemic levels, which matches what we've seen on the ground. After a postponed 2020 trip, we were ready to visit Universal's Wizarding World of Harry Potter to take our oldest on a delayed 11th birthday celebration (which is, of course, the age when you get invited to attend Hogwarts in the Harry Potter books).

But between the summer crowds, the heat and the ongoing pandemic, we wanted to avoid lines to the greatest extent possible while going full-on into the Harry Potter side of things.

Universal Orlando actually has several available options for those looking for a shortcut to the front of the lines. Universal has private VIP tours and Express Passes, both of which we have tried before. But this much-anticipated trip presented a good excuse to try something situated at a price point between those two choices: the group VIP tour.

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The Universal Orlando group VIP experience gives you a guide, walk-up attraction access, two meals and valet parking, but it costs a lot less than the private VIP tour. It also includes unlimited Express Passes for you to use after the tour concludes, but the ride access it provides during the tour is faster than the Express Pass lines.

After trying the Universal group tour out for ourselves, we found the tour to be outstanding for certain situations — and not so great for others.

Related: Guide to visiting Universal Orlando

Universal Orlando group VIP tour basics

The one-day, two-park Universal Orlando group tour lasts for seven hours and provides priority entrance into at least ten rides and attractions. It will start at 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. and run until 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. The day starts with a private VIP buffet breakfast at Cafe La Bamba, which is also where the VIP buffet lunch takes place.

Those meals and some bottled water are included, as is valet parking — which was extremely helpful and came with its own security screening. Normally, valet parking costs $75.

The group tour starts at $239 per person on the least expensive days, with rates going up to $300 to $400 per person during peak dates. For our busy Saturday in July, the group tour was $349 per person. This is obviously a lot of money on top of admission tickets, which are not included. However, it's magnitudes less expensive than paying for a private VIP tour, which costs over $3,000 . This is especially true if you only need the tour for yourself or a small family.

You'll get an Express Unlimited Pass to use when the VIP tour concludes. While the best way to get Express Unlimited Passes is normally by staying at a Universal Orlando Premier hotel such as Loews Portofino Bay Hotel , Hard Rock Hotel or Loews Royal Pacific Resort , you can also purchase the passes individually for anywhere between $110 to $240 per person per day if you aren't staying at one of those resorts.

If you were planning to pay for those extras, you are already a decent chunk of the way to the cost of the group VIP tour price.

You can price out and book the Universal group VIP tour online directly with Univeral or you can book for no extra cost via our friends at Mouse Counselors, who will help you navigate the pros and cons of all of these options for your group.

Related: Why you may want to rethink that Florida theme park trip

Our experience on the Univeral Orlando group VIP tour

We spent the night before the tour at the Hyatt Regency at Orlando International Airport using points and made the drive to Univeral Orlando that morning. While there were reports of back-ups in the garage parking and security screening that Saturday morning, we didn't have any problem pulling right up into valet parking and zipping through that dedicated security entrance.

We were at the Univeral Orlando entrance within minutes after parking, ready to head into the lobby for the VIP tour, where you get your tickets and lanyards for the day. Our check-in time was at 10 a.m. and by arriving about 15 minutes before, we had ample time to pick up the included stroller and head over to Cafe La Bamba for the included buffet breakfast.

The food was good, but not over-the-top amazing.

It's also important these days to note that it was a traditional buffet, and you are seated at full tables with people not in your party. Masks are not currently required at Univeral Orlando and there are really no pandemic precautions in play on this tour.

Our actual tour started at around 10:35 a.m. when our group of 12 — the maximum size for the group tour — headed to ride E.T.

This classic ride is one of my favorites, but unfortunately, it was "on delay" (aka not working) when we arrived. The same was true for Men in Black, the next ride we attempted to ride on the tour. It finally started working right as we were getting ready to leave the building, so we rode our first attraction of the day at 11:16 a.m. Later in the morning, we had the same problem with Transformers, which we didn't get to ride.

In fact, we only successfully rode three attractions before lunch, and it got to be a bit frustrating with the amount of bad luck our group encountered. Here's a quick look at our morning:

• 11:16 a.m. Men in Black Alien Attack (regular wait posted as 45 minutes)
• 11:51 a.m. Harry Potter: Escape from Gringotts (regular wait posted as 50 minutes)
• 12:48 p.m. Revenge of the Mummy (regular wait posted as 50 minutes)
• 1:15 p.m. Lunch break

Lunch was made up of a variety of buffet options such as salad, sliders, chicken wings, salmon, mashed potatoes, asparagus, macaroni, tater tots, cookies, macarons, fruit and beyond. We were also given more bottles of water to get us through the hot afternoon.

Thankfully, the afternoon was significantly more successful when it came to attraction availability. After a slow start that morning, we still surpassed the "guaranteed" 10 rides on the tour:

• 2:25 p.m. Hogwarts Express (regular wait posted as 20 minutes)
• 2:50 p.m. Harry Potter: Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
• 3:05 p.m. Harry Potter: Forbidden Journey (regular wait posted as 60 minutes)
• 3:30 p.m. Harry Potter: Flight of the Hippogriff (regular wait posted as 40 minutes)
• 3:50 p.m. Velocicoaster (regular wait posted as 80 minutes)
• 4:15 p.m. Jurassic Park River Adventure (regular wait posted as 60 minutes)
• 4:30 p.m. Skull Island: Reign of Kong (regular wait posted as 70 minutes)
• 5:08 p.m. The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman (regular wait posted as 45 minutes)
• 5:26 p.m. Incredible Hulk Coaster (regular wait posted as 40 minutes)

If the posted wait times were true, that was over nine hours of lines we mostly skipped since this was almost walk-on access (other than the lockers you still have to deal with before many of these rides). You often enter through alternative entrances that usually entirely bypass the traditional queues.

And all of that saved time doesn't even count the virtual queue we didn't have to mess with for Hagrid's Magical Creatures since it was included in the tour. (However, that ride is outstanding and therefore worth whatever effort it takes to get on it.)

Once the tour ended after the Hulk Coaster, we were free to continue our adventure in the park on our own — which is exactly what we did. We rounded out the day with another ride on the Hogwarts Express and more time spent living out our best Harry Potter lives in Diagon Alley.

Related: Here's what happens on a Disney VIP private tour

Is the Univeral Orlando group VIP tour worth it?

Unlike with the (much pricier) Disney VIP tour , there wasn't a commemorative pin or any tangible takeaway item provided on the tour, but the $349-per-person fee did get us 12 walk-on attractions, an Express Pass Unlimited, valet parking, two meals, multiple bottles of water, large lockers at each attraction where they are required (usually, only the smallest ones are free to use) and a stroller rental.

If we hadn't hit bad luck in the morning with multiple rides that weren't working, our ride total could have easily been 13 or 14 rides.

If you put no value on the meals, parking, lockers, the Express Pass, and other extras, that breaks down to $29 per ride for walk-on access. Obviously, the more value you put on those extras, the lower your cost-per-ride.

Given the very high crowd levels on this particular day, I thought the tour was an overall good value for us. However, there are some situations when I don't recommend this particular group tour.

First, if you have young kids (or kids who aren't yet over 48 inches tall), you won't get the full benefits of the group VIP tour.

Our youngest daughter is right at 48 inches. It was a big debate between Universal team members each time she would get measured as to whether she was tall enough for a given ride, so we eventually stopped trying and had her skip rides on the tour.

Unlike on the private VIP tour, where you get to dictate which rides you do and in what order, there are no re-rides on the group tour. This means parents can't take turns sitting out with a kid not tall enough to ride while each gets a turn.

The tour guide did sit with our youngest daughter while we both did the newer Hagrid's ride, but for the most part, one of us skipped anytime there was a ride she couldn't or didn't want to do.

Second, while this tour does help you avoid time spent in line, you have to be comfortable being in pretty close contact with mostly unmasked people for the day. Your group will stay together, ride attractions together, eat together, and more.

Frankly, while I planned the tour long ago, the pandemic situation was changing (again) by the time it actually happened, and it was uncomfortable for us at several points in the day — especially around the relatively crowded meals.

This is in contrast to the private VIP tour we did a few years ago, where we ate in an essentially empty Cafe La Bama restaurant and were really only in close contact with the tour guide. That may or may not matter to you, but it's worth knowing these days.

Bottom line

If you want walk-on ride access, have a traveling group that is over 48 inches and are OK not being the one picking out the rides and planning the agenda, the Universal Orlando group VIP tour may be a good fit. It offers many of the conveniences of the private VIP tour but at a fraction of the price.

Being able to truly skip the lines, get some "backstage access," enjoy valet parking, eat two included meals, score some inside info from your tour guide and get an Unlimited Express Pass to use when the tour ends is a pretty solid return for an added price that starts at $239 per person.

This is not the tour to do with little kids, but if there are just a handful in your group (and you want a special experience at a more reasonable price than a private tour), this may be exactly the tour you're looking for.

Is the Universal Group VIP Tour Worth It?

by Erin Wingard · August 23, 2022

Who doesn’t want to feel like a Very Important Person – Especially when on vacation?! 

Universal Orlando Resort VIP Experience Logo

When we planned our Universal vacation we kept in mind that: 

• We have a Harry Potter-loving family! 
• We had reached a point where both our children are tall enough to go on all the Harry Potter rides. 
• We were going to be celebrating my husband’s birthday while on this vacation and wanted to do something special!

Universal Studios globe with a double rainbow. Photo by Erin Wingard

That is when we started looking into the VIP Experience at Universal. Universal Studios advertised that a friendly guide will lead you through the park and make sure you get on at least 10 rides. Being a VIP in a theme park on a busy and hot summer day sounded very appealing to us! The idea of breezing past lines and not worrying about planning or wait times won us over!

Check out the list below of Universal’s description of their tour!

Along with your guide, you’ll also get:

• Priority front-of-the-line access to all rides and attractions including The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man®, TRANSFORMERS™: The Ride-3D and all of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ attractions
• Exclusive behind-the-scenes experiences in the parks (subject to availability)
• Complimentary valet parking (one vehicle, based on availability)
• Reserved seating at shows (excludes live performances during Mardi Gras and Mannheim Steamroller during the holidays)
• Complimentary continental breakfast and lunch. Dinner included in Private VIP Experiences only
• Universal Express Unlimited ride access at participating rides and attractions throughout the rest of the day (during normal park operating hours after your tour is complete)
• Exclusive VIP Experiences lanyard and credential
• Discounts at select Universal Orlando owned and operated merchandise locations in the theme parks and CityWalk

Universal CityWalk In Orlando

What’s the difference between the VIP Experience and the Private VIP Experience?

• The VIP Experience and Private VIP Experience are both personally guided walking tours of one or both of Universal Orlando’s theme parks, that are conducted by one of the Resort’s friendly and knowledgeable Tour Guides. 
• A VIP Experience will include multiple parties in the same tour group, whereas the Private VIP Experience is exclusive to you and your party. 
• Additionally, during a Private VIP Experience, you can customize your itinerary to do what you want, when you want. The Private VIP Experience also includes two full-service meals at one of Universal Orlando’s popular restaurants in either theme park or Universal CityWalk.

VIP Experience Sign

Price is also a big difference between the group VIP and the private VIP Tour. Tours begin at $189 per person and in the Summer months range more from $229 to $379 per person. Booking in advance is highly recommended and as prices increase as you get closer to the tour date. 

There are tour options of just doing either Universal Studios OR Islands of Adventure but for our needs, we wanted a tour option that included both parks so we could do all the Harry Potter attractions, including the Hogwarts Express that goes back and forth from Universal Studios to Islands of Adventure. 

Hogwarts Express – photo by Erin Wingard

This was a significant add on cost to our vacation – So – Was it worth it? Here is how it went!

The location where guests go to check-in for their VIP tours and pick up their lanyards. Photo by Erin Wingard

We chose to schedule the tour on my husband’s birthday and our 1st park day. We were told the tour started at 9:30am and to meet at the VIP Experience center a little before to pick up our credentials. 

Entrance to VIP Checkin in Universal Studios. Photo by Erin Wingard

No need to rush on the day of our tour!

This was a more leisurely start to our day. Normally we are the people that are up early and at the theme park gate before it opens so we can squeeze in as much as possible. 

After going through security in City Walk we headed to VIP check-in. We received a warm welcome from the staff there and were given our VIP lanyards. We were then shown the way over to La Bamba, the restaurant in Universal that is dedicated to VIP Experience participants and serves a buffet style breakfast and lunch for guests on the VIP tours. 

Cafe La Bamba Restaurant for VIP Experience Guests Only. Photo by Erin Wingard

Breakfast and Lunch are included!

We were again greeted in a friendly manner. The host escorted us over to what would be our table for breakfast and lunch.  Here we were seated with our group for the day. We joined 2 other families with kids of similar ages. When booking this tour Universal told us they try to match parties by interests and ages when possible. 

One group table at Cafe La Bamba. Photo by Erin Wingard

When I shared with friends that I was going to do a group VIP tour – several asked, “What if you don’t like the people you are with?” Honestly, I wasn’t concerned about this. I figured folks spending the money on this tour were all invested in seeing as much as they can and having a good time and that was true of our group. Everyone was friendly and made light conversation while we enjoyed our breakfast. 

Assorted breakfast pastries at Cafe La Bamba. Photo by Erin Wingard

There were also scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, and fruit platters.

Assorted fruit at the buffet – it was a fresh and popular choice! Photo by Erin Wingard

Our waiter also brought us ice-cold bottles of water to take with us into the park.

Meeting out Guide for the Day

Our guide joined our table and introduced himself. He was enthusiastic and eager to make sure we had a great day! He surveyed our interests and priorities for the day and made a plan on the spot that made everyone happy!

Kreature looking out onto the London Street from The Order of the Phoenix’s headquarters. Photo by Erin Wingard

Here are the rides we did while on the tour: 

• Hogwarts Express – Our guide pointed out the house-elf in the window on our way to the train and filmed us going through platform 9 ¾ .
• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
• Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure was down so we headed to Jurassic Park River Adventure
• Velocicoaster – Got to sit in the front car!

One of our Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure ride photos.

• Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure – Also got to sit in the front!
• The Incredible Hulk Coaster
• Back to Cafe La Bamba For Lunch. There were lots of good options! Here are a few:

Char Grilled Angus Beef Sliders

Tray of Angus beef sliders.

Tomato and Goat cheese salad description.

Salad options at the buffet

Chilled Asian Noodles were also on the menu

Then came dessert!

Cookie Buffet at Cafe La Bamba. Photo by Erin Wingard

Macarons and Lemon Tarts were also part of the dessert buffet at Cafe La Bamba. Photo by Erin Wingard

The Warm Apple Oatmeal Flan was my favorite! Photo by Erin Wingard

Then we headed back out into the Parks with more bottled ice waters from our waiters.

• Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts in Diagon Alley
• Revenge of the Mummy
• Jimmy Fallon’s Race Through New York
• The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman
• Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket
• Transformers: The Ride

Rip Ride Rocket at Universal Florida. Photo courtesy of Blog.Universal.com

Our guide was very helpful in helping us put bags in lockers or just holding our bags for us. He also was able to stay with our daughter who was not quite tall enough to ride the Velocicoaster and keep her entertained and not feeling left out.  

Lockers for Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure. Photo courtesy of Blog.Universal.com

It was great traveling through the Parks with a guide! We got to see some backstage areas, learn fun facts about the parks, even see inside a ride area and view under the tracks of the Mummy!

The front entrance of The Mummy ride. Photo courtesy of Blog.Universal.com

Our guide also took the time to talk to the kids on the tour and chatted about all things Harry Potter and even their favorite animals. When he found out ducks w

Walking into Diagon Alley. Photo by Erin Wingard

At the end of the tour, our VIP cards worked as express passes for the rest of the day. Our guide gave us a few tips on how to spend the rest of our day before we parted company. We did give him a cash tip for all his help that day. 

We headed to Ollivander’s and participated in the Wand ceremony. My son was chosen to participate and had so much fun interacting with the wizard!

The opening of the Wand Ceremony at Ollivander’s Wand Shop. Photo by Erin Wingard

We were able to use out VIP badges to get 10% off the kids’ wands. We enjoyed our frozen Butter Beers and went on Gringotts again and were able to experience the queue.

Frozen Butterbeer in Diagon Alley with our wands. Photo by Erin Wingard

Next we hopped back aboard the Hogwarts Express over to Islands of Adventure and went on Forbidden Journey and enjoyed walking through the Express Pass line which still takes you through Hogwarts and then headed over to ride Hagrid’s one last time before the park closed. We really enjoyed seeing the details of the queues!

You can see Hagrid’s hut as you walk through the queue for Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure. Photo by Erin Wingard.

Learning Spells in Hogsmeade

We were still pretty full from lunch so we just had a snack to tie us over and of course, we  made a stop in Hogsmeade at Honey Duke’s and picked up some candy treats!

Honey Duke’s Candyshop in Hogsmeade sells candy by the pound as well as prepackaged candies and chocolates. Photo by Erin Wingard

Overall we were able to do 16 rides in one day! 

SO – was it worth it? YES! If you want a more relaxed park visit during a bust time of year, I would highly recommend the VIP Tour! Bypassing the long lines, getting on all of the Harry Potter rides easily, and even getting to ride in the front car of the Velocicoaster, all without constantly checking my phone for wait times made the day the highlight of our Universal vacation!

Thanks for visiting UniversalParksBlog.com! Want to go to Universal? For a FREE quote on  your next Universal vacation , please fill out the form below and I will be in touch soon! As an agent with Let’s Adventure Travel I specialize in Universal Studios vacations!

I can provide custom itineraries, dining reservations, advice, and so much more. best of all, my services are complimentary to you get in touch via email at [email protected] or message me on  facebook.  you can also follow me on  instagram. , grab a butterbeer and join the fun, get a free quote.

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Complete Guide to the Universal Orlando VIP Experience

This article is your complete guide to the Universal VIP Experience! We are going to cover everything about the Universal Studios Orlando VIP tour! There are some major benefits to the Universal VIP pass, including front-of-the-line access to all the major shows and rides, free meals, free parking, and your tour guide for the day. We have done the Universal Orlando VIP tour a few times and have a lot of good things to say, as well as downsides for the extra cost.

We hope you find this post helpful! Our goal at The Park Prodigy has always been to help you save time and money on your next Universal Orlando vacation!  If you are planning a trip to Universal Orlando be sure to check out the latest deals on Universal Orlando vacation packages and our discounted Universal Orlando tickets which include EARLY PARK ADMISSION to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter!

SPECIAL NOTE: If you’re looking for the best time to visit Universal Orlando be sure to check out our Universal Crowd Calendar!

 Universal Crowd Calendar

What are The Universal Orlando VIP Tours?

The Universal VIP tour offers an unparalleled experience for guests. This tour is guided by an expert through the park’s top attractions and shows and is available at Universal Orlando Resort and sold on a per-day basis! This exclusive experience includes significant perks like the Universal Express Pass , allowing you to bypass lines at most attractions. The tour is offered in both private and non-private formats and provides the flexibility to customize your visit.

How long does the Universal Orlando VIP tour last?

The duration of the Universal VIP tours varies between 5-7 hours, depending on the type of tour package you choose. The Universal Orlando VIP tour typically spans 6-7 hours, while its counterpart, the Universal Studios Hollywood VIP tour, usually lasts between 5-6 hours.

Related Post: Complete Guide to Harry Potter Orlando Vs California 

How Does it Work

The Universal VIP experience provides guests with front-of-the-line access to both of the main Universal Orlando parks. Out of the many perks that the Universal Orlando VIP ticket also includes, the free Universal Express Pass ticket is our favorite one! The second biggest pro to the VIP experiences at Universal Studios Orlando is that they include the two most popular rides in Hagrid’s Magical Creatures, Motorbike Adventure, and the VelociCoaster.

It’s important to point this out as although both of these rides are included with early park admission, Hagrid’s is not included with the Universal Orlando express pass ticket at this time. The significance of this feature cannot be overstated, especially considering that the standard Universal Orlando Express Pass does not cover this ride. So when you decide to go for Universal Studios VIP tickets, you’re gaining an advantage that goes beyond the usual benefits!

Universal Orlando Non-Private VIP Tour Overview

You can purchase tickets for up to six guests for the Universal Orlando non-private VIP experience. Then, you will be combined with other parties to form a group of up to twelve people for the day’s adventures. The non-private Universal Orlando VIP tour typically begins at 11:00 AM each morning and typically lasts between five and seven hours. We will also say that even though guests follow the Universal tour guide lead on average they are guaranteed to get an average of ten rides.

One key distinction between the non-private and private Universal Orlando VIP experience is the role of the tour guide in selecting the day’s attractions. While the guide will make the final decisions, they typically conduct a group poll to gauge everyone’s interests. Given this, we strongly recommend engaging in a discussion with the other members of your non-private VIP experience Universal Orlando tour before it starts! This will allow you to align your ride preferences and ensure a more enjoyable experience for everyone.

What is Included in the Universal Orlando Non-Private VIP Tour?

• Free Valet Parking
• Front-of-the-line access to Universal Orlando shows and rides
• Backstage tour and knowledge from your tour guide
• Universal Express pass for after
• Complimentary breakfast and lunch

What does the Universal Orlando VIP Experience Cost?

Another common question we receive is, how much is the Universal Orlando non-private VIP tour?  The Universal Orlando non-private VIP tour for 2 parks over 1 day starts at  $289.00 per person plus sales tax, however most guests can expect to pay around $489.00. It’s also important to note that a valid Universal Orlando park-to-park admission ticket is required as well to participate in the Universal Orlando VIP tour.

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Private Universal Orlando VIP Tour Overview

This option is mandatory for groups of seven or more who are interested in upgrading to the Universal Orlando VIP experience. The most significant difference between private and non-private VIP tours lies in the level of control you have over your itinerary. In a private VIP tour, the guests have the final say on which attractions they’ll visit during the eight-hour tour.

This level of customization can be a game-changer. For instance, if your private tour group is enamored with H agrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure or the VelociCoaster , you have the freedom to ride these attractions as many times as you’d like. This makes the VIP experience uniquely tailored to your group’s preferences.

As for the Universal Private VIP Experience cost , it’s worth noting that while this option may come at a premium, the personalized nature of the tour often makes it a value-added choice for larger groups or those seeking a bespoke experience at VIP Universal Studios .

Overall the private Universal Orlando includes the same private Universal tour guide to bring guests to the front of the line on all shows and attractions. It also includes free valet parking, a Universal express pass for after the tour, and two full-service meal vouchers which can be used inside the theme parks or at CityWalk. Non-private VIP tours also come with a 3-day Universal Orlando photo pass. 

What is included in the Universal Orlando Private VIP tour?

• Front-of-the-line access to Universal Orlando shows and rides which you select
• Universal express pass for after
• Complimentary breakfast, lunch, and dinner
• 3-day Universal Orlando photo pass
• Additional discounts on food and merchandise

Private VIP tour Universal Orlando Cost?

So, what is the Universal private VIP tour cost? The Universal Studios private VIP tour costs start at $3,099 for the two park-a-day private VIP experience for up to five guests, and additional guests will start at $375 per person each. The private VIP tours at Universal Orlando can accommodate up to ten guests. It’s also important to note that these are the starting costs and the final price can fluctuate based on the time of year that you are visiting.

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Is the Universal Orlando VIP Tour Worth it?

One of the most frequently asked questions we encounter is: Is the Universal Studios VIP tour worth it? As a general guideline, if your goal is to maximize your time and experiences, the Universal VIP tour is often well worth the investment. This is particularly true if you’re already considering an upgrade to include the Universal Express Pass ticket.

The reason for this is quite compelling. In the case of Universal Orlando, three major rides are not covered by the standard Express Pass but are included in the VIP tour Universal . This offers families a significant level of flexibility. You won’t need to worry about arriving for early park admission, which can sometimes be as early as 7:00 AM, to benefit from shorter wait times at the most popular attractions.

So, when considering a tour of Universal Studios Orlando, the VIP option provides a comprehensive and convenient way to experience the park. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a seasoned theme park veteran, the Universal Studios Orlando VIP and Orlando VIP experiences offer a premium, hassle-free way to enjoy all that Universal has to offer.

From a budgeting standpoint families will also be surprised to learn that the non-private VIP tours can make sense when you add up all of the extra benefits. We believe the fact that an unlimited Universal express pass is included with your Universal VIP ticket is huge as it will allow you to get onto so many more rides within your day. We also find that the Universal express pass is typically 60-70% of the cost of the non-private VIP tour anyway. So once you add the free valet parking and meals to your budget it might not be that much more to upgrade to the Universal VIP tour.

Related post:  Guide to the Universal Hogwarts Express

Universal VIP Tour FAQ

Does the Universal VIP tour include VelociCoaster?

As a general rule of thumb, the Universal Orlando VIP tour does include the VelociCoaster. It’s important to note that the VelociCoaster is not included with the Universal Express pass so you will be sure to want to ride this attraction during your tour throughout the day.

How Early Should You Arrive for Your Universal VIP Tour?

• 45 – 60 minutes before the tour begins

One of the most useful tips and tricks we can provide to get the most out of your Universal Orlando VIP tour is to arrive at least 45-60 minutes before your tour even begins. One of the main reasons is it will take you some time to get through security at Universal. And once you do arrive at the park gates, your group will still have to check in to your VIP experience. We also enjoyed getting to meet with our Universal VIP tour guide and coming up with a game plan for how the entire group would prefer to tackle the parks.

When Is The Best Time To Visit Universal Orlando?

Our   Universal Orlando Crowd Calendar  is the best tool to help you get the most out of your time in the parks. We breakdown the park crowds, park hours of operation, ticket prices by day, and average temperature.

Are You Ready to Plan Your Next Universal Orlando Trip?

If you’re ready to plan your trip to  Universal Studios,  be sure to check out  Universal Orlando Tickets! Not only will you save money vs buying direct, but all of our Universal Orlando tickets come with some amazing benefits that can help save you up to three hours in the parks!

And to stay up to date on everything going on inside the theme parks be sure to check out our partners at  Themeparktoday.com!

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Warner Bros.? Paramount? Universal? How to choose the best Hollywood studio tour for you

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When it comes to L.A. outings, the movie studio tour can be easy for locals to overlook. After all, surrounded by Hollywood productions, the entire city can feel like a stage. And if you’ve been on backlots or know people who work in the film and television industries, the magic of the moving picture may already be demystified.

And yet there’s still much to adore about an afternoon jaunt through a filmmaking campus.

In a city that’s too often unjustly stereotyped as favoring the new, the Hollywood studio reminds us of how much history — and, specifically, pop-culture myth-making — is rooted in and around Los Angeles. There in these spaces, you might see a spot where James Dean once stood, roll past the “Psycho” house, step into a partly dressed soundstage or walk through a sound-making Foley factory. Our studios remain working palaces dedicated to crafting dreams.

That all may sound romanticized — the reality of “ making it ” in Hollywood is increasingly challenging, and the studio itself is threatened by a global, digital and consolidating production industry — but it’s only meant to note what’s at risk.

For me, the studio tour was once a go-to destination when out-of-towners came to visit. These days, I like to revisit one every few years, just as a reminder to remain uncynical and to marvel at the talent and cinematic art that this region has invented. And each tour has a slightly different flavor. Whether it’s animation history you crave or museum-like installations, there’s a tour for every kind of film buff.

Universal Studios

Best for: Seekers of thrills and cinematic magic

It’s not an exaggeration to say that if there was no tram tour on the Universal Studios lot, there would be no Universal Studios theme park. Sixty years ago, the backlot tram tour began as a way, in part, to increase commissary sales as tourists liked the opportunity to dine on the lot. Quickly, however, those running the tour had a realization that every studio trek has to confront: looking at giant soundstages or deserted sets is fun for only so long.

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How the Universal Studios tram tour defined the modern theme park

The most important theme park ride ever created? It may just be the Universal Studios tram tour, which dates to the silent film era. Once primarily a behind-the-scenes tour, the trek has evolved to define the modern theme park.

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Thus, Universal Studios pioneered the concept of melding the tour with various attractions — cinematic illusions such as a flash flood, a runaway train or, in the late ’80s, an earthquake simulator. Today, the tram tour — now officially designated as the World-Famous Studio Tour — is but one part of a larger theme park, designed to show us mini-attractions such as an encounter with a shark from “Jaws” or a 3-D ride alongside King Kong. Yes, there are backlot sets, including instantly recognizable locations from “Back to the Future,” “Pyscho,” “Desperate Housewives” and, most recently, “Nope.” But this 60-minute journey is more than a behind-the-scenes look. Instead, the focus is on the emotion and excitement of movie-making mirages.

There is even a lesser known VIP option to exploring the park. Expect to spend around $400 per person for it, but the perks include a longer tour with the ability to walk around the sets, venture into a prop house and likely set foot on a soundstage.

Universal Studios, 100 Universal City Plaza. The tram tour is included with theme park admission, which varies per day but ranges from $109 to $149 per person. For more information , visit universalstudioshollywood.com .

Warner Bros.

Best for: Fans of interactive exhibits, Central Perk selfies and everything “Harry Potter”

Warner Bros. has always had a showman’s approach to its studio tour, opening its gates to the public in the mid-’60s to herald the arrival of “The Great Race” with cars, props and a behind-the-scenes featurette to accompany a backlot venture. It’s a mindset that continues today, as the Warner Bros. Studio Tour aims to walk the line between pure history and entertainment, with numerous recent expansions into interactive installations. Come for the tour, stay for a potion-making mini-game to celebrate the “Harry Potter” franchise or the ability to pose with multiple Batmobiles.

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The standard tour offers about a 60-minute tram outing. Expect to stop and walk among its suburban town, where guides will point out filming locations from “Friends,” “The Big Bang Theory,” “Gilmore Girls,” “Cool Hand Luke” and more, as well as to see the wilds of San Fernando Valley, including a forest area that’s been used in the likes of “Jurassic Park,” “True Blood” and “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure.” There’s also a Turner Classic Movies-themed tour , if you lean more toward cinematic classics such as “Casablanca” and “Rebel Without a Cause.”

But what truly separates Warner Bros. from its competitors is recent investments in a re-creation of the “Friends” Central Perk Café — yes, you can dine there — and its surrounding museum-like exhibits. Interactive tables will allow you to explore the actors of Warner Bros. past and present, while special effects stations can add or subtract digital accouterments with the movement of a knob. There’s up-sell green screen photo ops, short films and demonstrations of motion-capture technology. A secondary stop pulls from tricks from the theme park industry, with photo ops pegged to DC superhero films and the “Potter” franchise, including the ability to be assigned a personality by the latter’s wizardly Sorting Hat.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour, 3400 Warner Blvd., Burbank. The standard tour starts at $73 ; Southern California residents receive a $12 discount through Dec. 17 , with deluxe and VIP offerings providing additional exploration of the studio’s backlot. For more information , visit wbstudiotour.com.

Walt Disney Studios

Best for: Disney history buffs and animation lovers

If Disneyland idealizes American stories and Western takes on classic fairy tales, then a trip to the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank grounds them in a bit more reality. But it is still Disney, so expect a little bit of folkloric mythologizing, especially when it comes to company founder Walt Disney.

A centerpiece of the 2½-hour tour — open only to members of the Disney fan club D23, including those with a free membership — is the meticulous restoration of Disney’s five-room office suite. It’s a treasure trove of items belonging to Disney — or re-creations of them, such as a reproduction of the special Oscar he won for “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” with a normal-sized statuette and seven smaller ones. Marvel, too, at the Disneyland master plan, with nods to what were then recently completed projects such as It’s a Small World. The office is preserved as it would have looked at the time of Disney’s death in 1966. (Note: At the time of publication, the office was due for renovation in late 2024.)

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Additionally, no other tour is as dedicated to the art of animation as this one. No real surprise, of course, but guests will visit the original animation building — where “Cinderella” and “Lady and the Tramp,” among many others, were created — and learn about Disney’s many advancements to the medium. Discover, too, the unique construction of the lot, and clever efforts to conceal precious hand-drawn animation cels from the sun. The tour also includes a stop at the Walt Disney Archives, the working research lab dedicated to preserving all things Disney.

The Walt Disney Studios Official Tour, 500 S . Buena Vista St., Burbank. D23 members are allowed to purchase two tickets; ticket cost varies by membership level but starts at $79. For more information , visit d23.com/upcoming-events.

Sony Pictures

Best for: Game show devotees and a vision of Oz

The Times first wrote about a tour of the famed MGM Studios lot in the late ’60s. Times, culture and ownership have changed, and the now Sony Pictures Studio Tour no longer, for instance, provides a look at Esther Williams’ private swimming pool. Today, it begins with a re-creation of the “Seinfeld” set and props from the “Men in Black” films. The Culver City lot still offers the occasional nod to its past, via architectural allusions to MGM’s history or artist Tony Tasset’s 94-foot, 2012-constructed rainbow that references “The Wizard of Oz,” which was filmed at the locale.

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A signature of the modern Sony Pictures tour is a stop on the sets of venerable game shows such as “Jeopardy!” and “Wheel of Fortune,” provided they’re not in the midst of filming. But even if they are, you’ll still have the opportunity to stand before a green screen and take home a “Jeopardy!” picture as a memento.

You’ll also likely get a look at various working aspects of the studio. On the day I visited, we strolled through the sound production offices to see how Foley artists operate. Imagine a darkened, cramped room that looks like someone’s garage filled with old clothes, crusty leaves, an assortment of footwear and broken machinery.

It was a brief chance to play, as guests stepped among different floor types to create various sounds. We also spent a moment in an overdub room, mimicking the creation of white noise from a crowd.

“Breaking Bad” and Ghostbusters” fans will snare a look at vehicles used in productions. For a different perspective, schedule one of Sony’s evening tours.

Sony Pictures, 3990 Overland Ave ., Culver City. Tours start at $55. For more information, visit sonypicturesstudiostours.com.

Paramount Pictures

Best for: Those looking for Hollywood nostalgia

Paramount dispenses with the slickness and some of the how-to’s of other tours, focusing instead on its historic Hollywood locale on Melrose Avenue. A sense of grandeur permeates the lot, thanks in large part to the ornate archway of the Bronson Gate — which was a filming location for “Sunset Boulevard.” On Paramount’s standard tour, you’ll learn how Alfred Hitchcock nearly destroyed a soundstage to film “Rear Window,” and glimpse the lot’s expansive “blue sky tank,” which can create oceanic illusions. On the day I visited, we explored a soundstage dressed for Taylor Tomlinson’s “After Midnight,” and paused to watch crews ready the lot’s New York streets for filming.

At a prop warehouse specifically geared for the tour, one can step on a transporter from “Star Trek Beyond.” Also present: costumes for the “Halo” series, a full-scale Bumblebee from the “Transformers” films and mushrooms and an “egg mobile” from the “Sonic the Hedgehog” movies. This is more of a gallery-like setup than it is a venture into a working prop house.

The two-hour Paramount tour is relatively intimate, featuring a small group and a tour guide armed with an iPad. Higher-priced options offer a look into more operational archival areas of the lot, but as it stands, it’s primarily a chance to see a historic Hollywood lot, one potentially on the verge of significant change .

Paramount Pictures, 5515 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles. Tour start at $65. For more information, visit paramountstudiotour.com.

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Todd Martens is a features columnist at the Los Angeles Times who writes about theme parks and West Coast Experiences, among other topics. Martens joined the Los Angeles Times in 2007 and has covered a mix of interactive entertainment as its game critic and pop music as a reporter and editor. Previously, he reported on the music business for Billboard Magazine. Martens has contributed to numerous books, including “The Big Lebowski: An Illustrated, Annotated History of the Greatest Cult Film of All Time.” He continues to torture himself by rooting for the Chicago Cubs and, while he likes dogs, he is more of a cat person.

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