My Quick Guide to Universal Studios, Los Angeles

What is this place about?

Universal Studios Hollywood is a movie studio and theme park in the unincorporated Universal City community of Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is one of the oldest and most famous Hollywood movie studios still in use. Its official marketing headline is "The Entertainment Capital of LA", though during the summer it is often advertised as "The Coolest Place in LA." It was initially created to offer tours of the real Universal Studios soundstages and sets. It is the first of many full-fledged Universal Studios Theme Parks located across the world. Woody Woodpecker is the mascot for Universal Studios Hollywood. The entrance to the theme park may be accessed by the Metro Red line subway line at Universal City Station and other Metro bus routes.

How to get there?

Universal Studios Hollywood can easily be accessed by public transportation. 

The Metro Red line subway train runs between Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles, Westlake, Koreatown, Los Angeles, East Hollywood, and Hollywood. The subway line runs daily between the hours of 4:55 a.m. and 12:35 a.m. The last Metro Red Line train to Downtown Los Angeles departs the Universal City station at 12:58 a.m. on Mondays-Thursdays and Sunday/Holidays. On Fridays and Saturdays, the last Metro Red Line train to Downtown Los Angeles departs the station at 2:00 a.m. 

Passengers can also arrive at the entrance of the theme park entrance by several Metro bus routes. Metro Local lines: 150, 155, 224,240, and Metro Rapid line: 750 stop at Lankershim Blvd & Universal Center Drive (front entrance). Metro local line: 165 and Metro Shuttle Line: 656 Owl stop farther away from the entrance at Ventura Blvd. & Lankershim blvd. Passengers will need to walk north on Lankershim blvd and turn right on Universal Center drive. There is an additional stop further south at Cahuenga / Universal Studios Blvd served both by these lines. This stop is leads directly towards citywalk and the entrance to the theme park. At the front entrance (Universal Center Dr. & Lankershim Blvd), there is a free shuttle tram which directly takes the passengers directly towards the theme park entrance. The shuttle time varies between days but it typically runs between: 7:00a.m.-7:00p.m. and later on Fridays and Saturdays.

Any nearby hotels or restaurants?

Outside the theme park, Universal City includes hotels Universal Hilton & Towers, the Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, the multi-screen Globe Theatre, often used for banquets and receptions, and Universal CityWalk, which offers a collection of shops and restaurants.

Interested in a little more about its history?

In 1965, The War Lord Tower opened as one of the first attractions in the theme park. This was followed by the opening of the Animal Actors School Stage in 1970. In 1974, the Rockslide staged event was added to the Studio Tour. The following year The Land of a Thousand Faces opened on the Upper Lot. In 1979, The Battle of Galactica replaced Rockslide as a staged event on the Studio Tour. In 1980, Universal Studios Hollywood replaced The Land of a Thousand Faces with the Castle Dracula Live Show. The Wild Wild Wild West Stunt Show also opened in the same year. In 1983, The Adventures of Conan: A Sword and Sorcery Spectacular opened, replacing the Castle Dracula Live Show. In 1984, The Screen Test Theatre was closed and replaced by Star Trek Adventure. The A-Team Live Stunt Show also opened. In 1986, the park added the King Kong Encounter to the Studio Tour. The following year the A-Team Live Stunt Show was replaced with Miami Vice Action Spectacular.

In 1990, An American Tail and Fievel's Playland opened on the Upper Lot. This was followed by the opening of E.T. Adventure, Lucy: A Tribute and The World of CineMagic in 1991. In 1992, Backdraft and Rocky and Bullwinkle Live opened. Beetlejuice's Rock and Roll Graveyard Revue also began, replacing The Adventures of Conan: A Sword and Sorcery Spectacular on the Upper Lot. In 1993, the Battle of Galactica event on the Studio Tour was removed and the area was utilised for Back to the Future: The Ride. In 1994, Spectrablast opened for a limited season. Both Spectrablast and Miami Vice Action Spectacular were replaced later in the year by Waterworld: A Live Sea War Spectacular. The Flintstones Show opened, replacing the Star Trek Adventure. In 1996, Jurassic Park: The Ride opened. In 1997, two shows were replaced: The Land Before Time show replaced Rocky and Bullwinkle Live; and Totally Nickelodeon replaced The Flintstones Show. Just one year after it opened, The Land Before Time show was replaced with Coke Soak. In 1999, T2 3-D: Battle Across Time and a Chicken Run Walkthrough opened on the upper lot. Additionally, Beetlejuice's Rock and Roll Graveyard Revue was closed.

In 2000, the Rugrats Magic Adventure replaced Totally Nickelodeon. In 2001, the Nickelodeon Blast Zone opened. Also in 2001, Animal Planet Live replaced the Animal Actors School Stage. In 2002, the Special Effects Stages replaced The World of CineMagic, Spider-Man Rocks opened where Beetlejuice's Rock and Roll Graveyard Revue once stood and The Mummy Returns: Chamber of Doom replaced Chicken Run Walkthrough. The Wild Wild Wild West Stunt Show was also closed and has yet to receive a replacement. In 2003, Shrek 4-D replaced Rugrats Magic Adventure on the Upper Lot. Additionally, E.T Adventure was closed to make way for Revenge of The Mummy The Ride which opened in the following year. In 2004, Van Helsing: Fortress Dracula replaced The Mummy Returns: Chamber of Doom. The following year, Fear Factor Live replaced Spider-Man Rocks. In 2007, Universal's House of Horrors opened, replacing Van Helsing: Fortress Dracula. Both Lucy: A Tribute and Back to the Future: The Ride were closed, prior to being replaced in 2008 by The Simpsons Ride and The Universal Story Museum respectively. Also in 2008, the Nickelodeon Blast Zone was rebranded to The Adventures of Curious George. In 2009, Creature from the Black Lagoon: The Musical replaced Fear Factor Live in the Upper Lot.

In 2010, the Special Effects Stages and Backdraft attractions were closed to make way for Transformers: The Ride which was announced in 2008 (Special Effects Stages was moved to the former Creature From The Black Lagoon building and reopened as Special Effects Stage). King Kong 360 3-D also opened. On May 24, 2012, Transformers: The Ride opened on the Lower Lot. On December 31, 2012, Universal Studios Hollywood closed T2 3-D: Battle Across Time for Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem, the attraction at Universal Studios Florida, set to come in the April of 2014.

Universal Studios Hollywood has plans to open The Wizarding World of Harry Potter which will feature the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride sometime in 2015-2016.