Our 2025 Common Studios Hollywood planning information gives suggestions & methods that can assist you lower your expenses & time, keep away from crowds in Tremendous Nintendo World, and what to do on the “Leisure Capital of Los Angeles.” USH is one in every of Southern California’s finest theme parks, and an awesome aspect journey in the event you’re visiting Disneyland. (Up to date December 28, 2024.)
The final yr has been a enormous one for Common Studios Hollywood as a result of opening of Tremendous Nintendo World! This marks the official arrival of Mario, Luigi, Bowser, and different iconic Nintendo characters to the USA theme park scene. It’s the second of three variations of the land; with the primary already open in Common Studios Japan.
We’ve had the possibility to expertise Tremendous Nintendo World at Common Studios Hollywood a number of instances, and it’s actually one thing particular. Tremendous Nintendo World options the groundbreaking Mario Kart: Bowser’s Problem trip, in addition to many interactive actions designed to interact the whole household inside the fascinating Mushroom Kingdom.
Earlier than we dig into technique for Tremendous Nintendo World, let’s cowl the most recent replace, which is that Common Studios Hollywood has introduced its slate of seasonal occasions for 2025. Listed below are the highlights:
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Common Fan Fest Nights (Choose nights April 25–Might 18, 2025) – Step into Common Fan Fest Nights, the brand-new, after-hours occasion celebrating sci-fi, fantasy, gaming and anime. Consider it like Halloween Horror Nights-meets-comic e book/popular culture conference. The individually ticketed occasion will happen on choose nights all through April and Might 2025.
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New Unnamed Summer time Occasion (June 14–August 10, 2025) – Common Studios Hollywood has some main summertime enjoyable on the schedule for 2025. We are able to’t share the main points fairly but, however suffice it to say you gained’t wish to miss it! Keep tuned for extra particulars within the coming months.
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Halloween Horror Nights (September 4–November 2, 2025) – Mark your calendar for one more season of jump-scares, gore, immersive storytelling, and extra jump-scares at Common Studios Hollywood. For those who’ve by no means been, be taught what this spooky and twisted occasion is all about proper right here.
- Christmas (November and December) – It wouldn’t be the vacations with out festive enjoyable at Common Studios Hollywood! Anticipate finding the acquainted worlds celebrating the happiest season in 2025, together with Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Grinchmas. Precise dates are TBD, and will probably be introduced later in 2025.
There are additionally a bunch of Annual Passholder appreciation days all year long, however that’s solely actually related to locals and APs. Common inundates you (and us!) with emails sharing all of those official particulars, so anybody to whom that data is related already will get it straight from the supply! Oh, and there are just a few Harry Potter “occasions” deliberate for 2025, however these are hokey issues like Butterbeer Appreciation” and merchandise choices, so additionally not price mentioning.
For those who’re planning a go to to Common Studios Hollywood and Mario and pals are your essential motivation, you must seek the advice of our complete Technique Information for Tremendous Nintendo World at Common Studios Hollywood. That gives suggestions & methods, learn how to beat the crowds, and a ton of different recommendation for profiting from your time on this unbelievable new land.
The largest factor to learn about Tremendous Nintendo World is that it’s crowded. This could not come as a shock given the recognition of Tremendous Mario Bros., however suffice to say, you really want to have a plan of assault. Whether or not that imply shopping for Early Entry, rope dropping the land, staying late, and many others. The above information has you lined with all of these choices–we simply wish to reiterate their significance.
The excellent news is that crowds decreased massively in 2024 as in comparison with 2023, and we anticipate an extra erosion in 2025. That’s in all probability why Common Studios Hollywood is planning a brand new summer season occasion. Locals already bought their repair of Tremendous Nintendo World and have been turned off by the crowds (that actually describes us), and the ‘new land odor’ has worn off for vacationers. Not solely that, however the massive Nintendo vacationer attract 2025 will probably be Epic Common in Orlando, which has a greater model of Tremendous Nintendo World that features Donkey Kong Nation!
However, you completely shouldn’t arrive late and hit Tremendous Nintendo World noon. Even with crowds down year-over-year, they’re nonetheless huge. Nearly all of company present up late, and so they encounter triple-digit wait instances for Mario Kart, get shut out of Toadstool Cafe, and fail to complete the entire minigames in consequence. Only a truthful warning–don’t make the identical errors!
For those who’re on the fence about Tremendous Nintendo World, or need extra suggestions for no matter cause, take a look at our ideas in Tremendous Nintendo World Evaluate: Good, Unhealthy & Ugly. For those who’re in search of extra Mario Kart data, see our Experience Evaluate: Mario Kart Bowser’s Problem. (Each of these evaluations are primarily based on the USJ model of Tremendous Nintendo World.)
On a extra sensible be aware, there’s our Evaluate of Toadstool Cafe in Tremendous Nintendo World, which is predicated on the California model of that restaurant.
It ought to go with out saying, however Tremendous Nintendo World has drawn colossal crowds to Common Studios Hollywood as an entire, not simply the brand new land. Attendance exploded final yr after the brand new land opened, and is barely lastly beginning to decelerate a bit. We anticipate that to die right down to a fair higher diploma in 2025, however not fully.
Compounding the group problem is the dimension of Tremendous Nintendo World. Because of that compact footprint coupled with excessive demand, Common makes use of a digital line system for accessing Tremendous Nintendo World on busier days. The excellent news is that the land doesn’t require advance reservations. Visitors are capable of enter Tremendous Nintendo World as regular, as long as it isn’t at capability. Whether it is at capability, make reservation from the USH app whereas inside park, or kiosk on Decrease Lot.
In our expertise, as long as you arrive early or late, the digital line is a non-factor. It’s often solely in use on weekends, holidays, and different peak season days when college is out of session. Even then, as long as you arrive earlier than 10 am or after 4 pm, you sometimes gained’t need to take care of the digital queue.
Common Studios Hollywood has improved tremendously within the final a number of years, so there are a ton of enjoyable issues to do past Tremendous Nintendo World! The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Studio Tour, WaterWorld Stunt Present, and Jurassic World: the Experience (that includes a brand new Indominus Rex) are all superior.
On the family-friendly entrance, there’s the Secret Lifetime of Pets: Off the Leash. We reviewed this in Common’s New Darkish Experience Rivals Disney’s Greatest! Because the title suggests, this attraction is great and to not be missed. Secret Lifetime of Pets: Off the Leash additionally makes use of Digital Line on busier days, so you’ll want to rating a spot within the digital queue so that you don’t miss this superior attraction!
Past that, Common Studios Hollywood has modified a lot within the final decade–and for the higher. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was added to the higher lot. On the decrease lot, there’s the redone Jurassic World space, which incorporates Raptor Encounter, DinoPlay, Isla Nu-bar, and Jurassic World — The Experience.
Enormous areas of USH have already got been dramatically remodeled from how they have been a few decade in the past after we first purchased our Common Studios Hollywood Annual Passes. The longer term can also be vibrant, with substitute stage reveals and different leisure, and rumors that USH is making an attempt to determine some option to increase Tremendous Nintendo World.
Within the lead-up to the 2028 Los Angeles Summer time Olympics, there are different long-term plans so as to add extra rides to this hybrid of a theme park and dealing movie studio. That ‘hybrid’ nature of the park is vital to Common Studios Hollywood’s success, and what makes it distinct from each different theme parks in Southern California and different studio excursions at Warner Brothers, Paramount, and Sony.
When it comes to concrete additions, the subsequent massive factor is the Quick & Livid: Hollywood Drift curler coaster. This new trip will begin on the Higher Lot and proceed on the hillside above the Decrease Lot, even looping across the high escalator to the Decrease Lot. Common has introduced that it’ll open in 2026, which caught us unexpectedly–we anticipated it to debut in 2025 primarily based on building progress. With that mentioned, it’s prone to open in early 2026 and tender openings throughout the Christmas 2025 season make sense.
With that mentioned, right here’s what you could learn about visiting Common Studios Hollywood all year long…
Park Tickets
Now that Tremendous Nintendo World is open, there are far fewer methods to avoid wasting on admission to Common Studios Hollywood. Demand has skyrocketed, which suggests offers have dried up. However, there are nonetheless a few good choices for saving cash on Common Studios Hollywood tickets.
The primary is solely shopping for an Annual Move. For those who stay in Southern California, that is just about a no brainer, because the decrease tier is cheaper than multi-day tickets to USH. As famous, we’re Common Studios Hollywood Annual Passholders although we stay a lot nearer to Disneyland and don’t go to USH. (We’ve got two completely different tiers for the sake of perks and free parking–a sensible choice for households.)
For those who’re not native of view the AP as overkill, the opposite choice is shopping for discounted multi-day tickets by way of Get Away At the moment. To be clear, we don’t assume USH is a 2-day or 3-day park in the event you strategize nicely. However in the event you don’t–or are an enormous Harry Potter or Mario fan–spreading your go to over a number of days is absolutely good. Common Studios Hollywood sells each 2-day and 3-day tickets with a reasonably low incremental value (versus single-day tickets). We advocate doing 2-day tickets, somewhat than 3-day ones.
Three full days is overkill, however we love doing a night one night time adopted by arriving for rope drop on day two and staying the whole day. For those who nonetheless haven’t had your fill, get the 3-day ticket and do rope drop once more on day 3 and depart early. Or just do mornings and evenings, skipping the center of the day, and taking the Metro into Los Angeles to keep away from the longest strains throughout the noon rush at USH.
Spreading issues out over an evening and the next morning makes issues much more nice, and means far much less ready in line. Plus, it offers you an opportunity to expertise each day and night time within the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Tremendous Nintendo World. (Talking of which, enormous Harry Potter followers who wish to spend a complete day in Hogsmeade, after which elect to spend a second day doing the remainder of the park. Ditto Mario maniacs and Tremendous Nintendo World.)
For those who’re contemplating doing greater than a few days, take into account an Annual Move. This principally applies to Californians who may wish to revisit later within the yr. We’ve got the bottom tier (the “Season Move”) and it value us barely lower than a 2-day ticket. There are blockout dates and this move doesn’t embrace parking, nevertheless it has been an awesome worth for us.
You may additionally discover low cost gives on 1-day tickets or Annual Passes at Costco, Ralph’s, Vons, and different California grocers. Sam’s Membership and AAA generally provide reductions on tickets for his or her members, so you’ll want to test that out in the event you’re eligible.
When to Go to
Only a few persons are in all probability planning a visit to Los Angeles solely for Common Studios Hollywood. Most of you might be in all probability including on a day as a part of your Disneyland or Southern California trip, so the reply to that is straightforward…everytime you’re coming to California.
On this regard, crowd patterns at Disneyland translate fairly equally to Common Studios Hollywood. The busy season at one is the busy season on the different, and vice-a-versa with gradual seasons. Crowds at each are based totally upon college schedules–primarily these of Los Angeles and Orange County, California (however to a lesser diploma, the western United States). You possibly can mainly check with our When to Go to Disneyland put up to find out when to go to.
As for when to go to California, we’re keen on the autumn and winter months. Summer time doesn’t get humid like Florida and plenty of different states, however it may be scorching. Extra importantly, that’s when everybody else involves California–that means crowds.
Technique
For those who’re driving to Common Studios Hollywood, add half-hour to no matter Google Maps estimates as your drive time so you’ll be able to arrive earlier than park opening. For those who’re making an attempt to make it out of your Disneyland-area resort to Common Studios Hollywood for rope drop, there’s an affordable probability you can be driving throughout no less than a part of rush hour. If you sit at your pc and plan this all out at 11 p.m., this visitors gained’t be accounted for.
The plus aspect to leaving early and arriving to USH at rope drop is that few different folks will do it. Los Angelenos are unfamiliar with the idea of being “on time” for the reason that visitors gods kind of preclude that. Crowds have a tendency to point out up about 1-2 hours after park opening, and have a tendency to tour the park in a predictable method. If you will get forward of the wave of crowds, you’ll be able to actually come out forward at Common Studios Hollywood.
Upon arrival, right here ought to be your priorities, so as:
- Tremendous Nintendo World
- Transformers: The Experience 3D
- Jurassic World – The Experience
- Revenge of the Mummy – The Experience
- Exhibits
- Studio Tour
- The Simpsons Experience
- Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem
- Secret Lifetime of Pets: Off the Leash
- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
Okay, a little bit of rationalization for all of that. First, we strongly encourage all however probably the most hardcore Harry Potter followers to skip Ollivanders. It’s mainly a pre-show for purchasing wands, and takes beneficial time early within the morning. Likewise, Flight of the Hippogriff is a waste of time in the event you’re over the age of 5.
Your essential purpose ought to be getting right down to the Decrease Lot sights (Tremendous Nintendo World, Transformers, Jurassic World, and Revenge of the Mummy) as early as doable. This space of the park, separated by a sequence of escalators and stairs, used to begin slower within the morning. Tremendous Nintendo World has modified that, however you must nonetheless try to beat the push down there.
Secret Lifetime of Pets, Forbidden Journey, Simpsons, and Despicable Me are the 4 sights which can be going to attract lengthy waits early-on. It is because they’re the favored rides close to the entrance of the park. For those who can trip these earlier than the “crowd wave”, superior. If not, save them till the tip of the day when strains will taper off.
Actually, the above itinerary works about the identical forwards and backwards. You both wish to beat the crowds or outlast them. Crowds peak at Common Studios Hollywood within the late morning and early afternoon, and reduce after that. We extremely advocate staying till park closing after which doing dinner afterwards in CityWalk.
With that strategy, not solely will you expertise decrease crowd ranges on the finish of the night, however you’re additionally much less prone to be caught in visitors within the car parking zone that’s the Hollywood Freeway throughout rush hour. Park opening and shutting instances differ primarily based on season, nevertheless it’s all the time our purpose to not depart USH till after 8 pm. Any time earlier than that may be a recipe to be caught in visitors on the 101.
For those who’re prepared to make use of it, Single Rider will save a ton of time throughout busier instances. Single Rider is offered on the following sights:
- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
- Jurassic World – The Experience
- Revenge of the Mummy – The Experience
- Transformers: The Experience 3D
Whereas we like (and advocate) doing the entire reveals, the most important can’t miss at Common Studios Hollywood is the Studio Tour. Don’t confuse its placement on the itinerary above because it being of low significance. It’s the must-do at USH. (We solely place it later within the day as strains are inclined to get shorter later within the day.) Don’t miss it.
For those who’re visiting throughout a season when the Nighttime Studio Tour is being supplied, we extremely advocate doing each the common Studio Tour and the Nighttime model. Each trip on the Studio Tour is completely different, however night time brings a brand new ingredient to the attraction.
Significantly, we can not stress it sufficient: do the Studio Tour. That is the defining attraction of Common Studios Hollywood, and the one factor we make some extent of doing every time we go to. (Simply don’t get your hopes up in regards to the Quick and the Livid sequence…it has extra cheesiness than the flicks, however with out the redeeming attraction and coronary heart.)
Specific Move Line-Skipping
Specific Move is Common Studios Hollywood’s “Entrance of Line” entry, which is like Lightning Lanes at Disneyland, besides that Specific Move prices much more cash. Specific Move costs begin at +$100 the price of single day tickets and enhance in value relying upon the season (the busier it’s, the extra you pay).
We’re not proponents of buying Specific Move until you’re going throughout the top of vacationer season (assume summer season, spring break, or any nationwide holidays), and even then, we might advocate making the most of Common Studios Hollywood’s Single Rider strains or arriving at park opening and using an environment friendly park touring technique just like the one above.
For those who comply with our plan above, Specific Move is simply not vital the overwhelming majority of the time. Possibly it will be on like the ten busiest days of the yr, however we have now by no means had a difficulty doing every part in USH throughout a single day with out Specific Move.
The place to Keep
There are a selection of variables that play into this. First, are you visiting Common Studios Hollywood as a day-trip from Disneyland? Is the go to a part of a Southern California trip? A California street journey? Let’s deal with every of those…
Disneyland Day Journey – Keep on with your resort in Anaheim and simply drive there and again. Visitors apart, that is fairly easy. Common doesn’t open on the daybreak, so that you’ll have an affordable quantity of transit time whereas nonetheless having the ability to make park opening.
Southern California Trip – For those who’re doing this and don’t thoughts altering resorts as soon as–which is what we advocate–we’d recommend doing (no less than) a cut up keep, having a resort in Orange County/Anaheim for the Disneyland, seaside, and no matter else within the O.C. portion of your journey, after which a separate resort in Los Angeles or close to Common Studios Hollywood.
California Street Journey – For those who’re doing a street journey down/up the state (let’s say flying into San Diego and flying out of San Francisco with a one-way automobile rental), we might advocate Common Studios Hollywood being what you do in your final day within the Los Angeles space earlier than heading north.
The night time earlier than, keep in L.A., however the night time after, drive as much as Santa Barbara. It’s a bit of over an hour drive, however getting again to your (a lot nearer, distance-wise) resort in L.A. may take simply as lengthy that night time. Staying in Santa Barbara will get you away from town and ready to take pleasure in dawn over the ocean the subsequent morning with out having to battle visitors to move north.
In terms of particular resorts close to USH, we just like the Garland and Sheraton Common Lodge. Each are actually near the park, with the Sheraton being a brief stroll and the Garland being a brief (free!) shuttle trip. You’ll additionally discover the Hilton Los Angeles/Common Metropolis “on-site” at Common Studios Hollywood.
There’s additionally a Metro Purple Line station at Common Studios Hollywood, making something alongside the Purple Line tremendous handy to the park, together with choices in Downtown LA. Fairly than going for a bland chain, you may take into account one thing eclectic or with old-Hollywood attraction, just like the Safari Inn.
When reserving in Los Angeles, be conscious of neighborhoods, parking fees, and resort charges. For those who discover a “too good to be true” worth, it in all probability is. In case you are choosing a resort particularly for USH, we advocate wanting north of downtown Los Angeles. Burbank and Glendale will be higher choices than Hollywood/Los Angeles. Neighborhoods like North Hollywood, Hollywood Hills, and Los Feliz are additionally good picks.
To economize, take a look at the Common Studios Hollywood resort + ticket packages supplied by way of Get Away At the moment. They’ve a number of resorts from which to decide on, however our high decide is unquestionably the Garland. It’s an awesome resort-style property with a ton of character, nice rooms, and posh facilities. The Sheraton can also be stylish and good, nevertheless it’s the sort of resort you could possibly discover wherever.
Transportation
There are not any two methods about this: driving in Los Angeles sucks. And, in the event you’re visiting Common Studios Hollywood, there’s a superb probability you’ll drive by L.A. to get there. Nevertheless, that doesn’t need to be the case!
As famous above, there’s a Metro Purple Line station situated at Common Metropolis, which is a brief stroll from each the park itself and CityWalk. The Metro Purple Line is a subway operating between Downtown Los Angeles and North Hollywood, with stops in or close to the Civic Middle, Monetary District, Wilshire Boulevard, Hollywood & Sundown Boulevards, Koreatown, and the San Fernando Valley.
Even in the event you’re staying in Orange County close to Disneyland, you will get to Common Studios Hollywood with out driving. Merely take the Pacific Surfliner from Anaheim to Union Station in Los Angeles, the place you’ll be able to then catch the Metro. We solely advocate this for probably the most traffic-averse, as it’s a little bit of a trouble.
Most individuals will wish to drive themselves from Disneyland to Common Studios Hollywood. There aren’t any good shuttles, Uber is just too dear, and public transit will be convoluted and inefficient. Sadly, visitors will be dangerous too, and shouldn’t be underestimated. Plan on no less than an hour, and probably nearer to 2 relying upon visitors.
For probably the most half, in the event you’re visiting California and plan to go wherever off Disneyland property, you’ll wish to hire a automobile. Visitors will be intimidating, however in the event you drive between the hours of 10 am and three pm or 9 pm and seven am, you’ll be completely nice. We’ve executed a number of one-day leases from rental automobile businesses inside strolling distance of Disneyland, after which have simply executed after-hours drop-offs.
Eating
When you trip the flicks proper into the reward store and purchase the flicks along with your American Specific–official bank card of the Leisure Capital of L.A.–it’s time to dine (at?) the flicks.
For those who’re nice with counter service eating, Common Studios Hollywood has a number of stable choices contained in the park. As an entire, I don’t assume the culinary expertise is on par with Disneyland’s, however the highlights are greater than serviceable. One of the best choices, in my thoughts, are the counter service eating places within the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (Three Broomsticks) and the Simpsons eating places in Springfield.
The meals at Three Broomsticks is costly, nevertheless it’s near-table service high quality. The Simpsons meals is usually responsible pleasure stuff, however the burgers and waffle rooster sandwich are wonderful. Don’t knock them till you’ve tried ’em!
Then there are the snacks. Common Hollywood’s snack sport is robust. Holy cow. Clearly, you’re going to wish to strive Butterbeer–maybe all three varieties.
At Three Broomsticks, snacks deserving of your consideration are the potted cream and sticky toffee cake. Each are extremely scrumptious, and though you must share them, you in all probability gained’t wish to.
Then there are the donuts the scale of your head in Springfield, deserving of one other holy cow. There are some fascinating varieties, however these ought to be cut up. After consuming the maple bacon one just about on my own, my tooth damage.
One factor you may wish to take into account is buying a refillable Coke Freestyle mug. Relies upon upon whether or not you need a number of Coke or the memento mug. Coke Freestyle machines situated all through the park’s eating places, and regular drink purchases in eating places will not be entitled to refills. In contrast to in Florida, there isn’t any Common Eating Plan at USH.
Seasonal Occasions
Common Studios Hollywood doesn’t do a lot in the best way of seasonal occasions. The largest exception to that is Halloween Horror Nights, which you may make an effort to see or to keep away from, relying upon your perspective. This can be a laborious ticket occasion by which you step onto the set of a few of your favourite horror motion pictures, and strolling by these units as actors try to scare you. This occasion will not be for youngsters below the age of 13, and is unquestionably grownup in tone.
Halloween Horror Nights are an enormous draw for Common and so they undoubtedly appeal to an grownup crowd. You probably have no younger youngsters and like horror motion pictures, you’ll in all probability take pleasure in this occasion and discover it price the price of the ticket. You probably have a youthful household, you’ll wish to keep away from it. For those who’re touring throughout the months of September and October, be conscious of the Halloween Horror Nights schedule.
Christmas is well known with decorations, Christmas within the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Grinchmas leisure, however there’s nothing that requires advance-planning or round which you must schedule. Simply present up and tour the park principally as regular. It’s truly a number of festive enjoyable!
I believe that is in all probability covers nearly every part most individuals might want to know when planning a go to to Common Studios Hollywood as an add-on to your Disneyland or Southern California trip. The largest factor to know–which might be apparent from this information–is that Common Studios Hollywood is considerably completely different from Common Orlando Resort.
Nevertheless, fewer sights and just one park doesn’t essentially imply it’s a pale imitator or inferior substitute. Very similar to Disneyland is smaller than Walt Disney World however gives a wonderful, albeit completely different expertise, so too does Common Studios Hollywood. And a part of that is as a result of of its hybrid nature, not regardless of it. We completely love USH, and can’t wait to proceed watching it evolve!
Planning a Southern California trip? For park admission offers, learn Ideas for Saving Cash on Disneyland Tickets. Find out about on-site and off-site resorts in our Anaheim Lodge Opinions & Rankings. For the place to eat, take a look at our Disneyland Restaurant Opinions. For distinctive concepts of issues that’ll enhance your journey, take a look at What to Pack for Disney. For complete recommendation, seek the advice of our Disneyland Trip Planning Information. Lastly, for guides past Disney, take a look at our Southern California Itineraries for day journeys to Los Angeles, Laguna Seashore, and plenty of different SoCal cities!
Your Ideas
Are you contemplating visiting Common Studios Hollywood? In case you are a USH veteran, are you able to fill in any of the ‘gaps’ right here or add suggestions of your personal? For those who’re a first-timer, is there the rest you’d prefer to know? Likelihood is in case you have questions nonetheless, so does another person! Please share your ideas within the feedback under.
