In my previous post, I mentioned that this is my first time in the United States. As a theme park enthusiast, I enjoy visiting theme parks all over the world. During my visit to California, I made it a point to include three theme parks in our itinerary: Disneyland California Adventure, Disneyland, and Universal Studios Hollywood. Even though visiting all three parks would take up at least three days of our trip, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.
In this post, I’ll share my experiences and compare the three theme parks in terms of rides, shows, prices, priority access passes, and more. I hope that by sharing my experiences, I can help you decide which park to visit if you have limited time.
*Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. This means that if you click on the link and purchase an item, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Theme Parks Location
The theme parks in Los Angeles are situated in different parts of the city. The Disneyland Resort is specifically located in Anaheim, which is about 25 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles. On the other hand, Universal Studios Hollywood is just north of the Hollywood Hills and close to other iconic tourist destinations like the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Universal Studios Hollywood is renowned for its immersive experiences based on popular films such as Harry Potter, Despicable Me’s Minions, and the thrilling Jurassic Park franchise. In contrast, the Disney Parks at Disneyland Resort showcase beloved classic Disney characters and beloved Pixar movies, providing a nostalgic and magical experience for visitors of all ages.
Theme Parks Size
The size of Disneyland is much larger than that of Universal Studios Hollywood, so there are more rides and attractions. It takes at least one to two full days to experience everything. On the other hand, Universal Studios Hollywood has fewer rides, but the attractions and shows are equally appealing, especially with the opening of the Nintendo World. Both parks are very big, so be prepared to walk a lot. I was also surprised to find single-rider Electric Conveyance Vehicles for rent inside the park, as we don’t have these in Hong Kong Disneyland.
Theme Parks Tickets
When purchasing tickets for theme parks, it’s important to consider a few key factors such as the type of tickets, how many days to spend on each park, etc. Both parks implement tier pricing based on dates and seasons.
Standard Tickets
Disney Parks
At Disney Parks, the tier pricing system means that each tier has a different price, with higher tiers being more expensive. This can be a useful indicator of expected crowd levels during your visit. As of the time of writing, the ticket starts from $104 (lowest tier) to $194 (highest tier). For more details, pricing details can be found on their website.
If you’re planning a two-day visit, you can choose between a Park-Hopper ticket or a 1 Park per day ticket. While the Park-Hopper ticket may seem appealing, it may not be the most efficient use of time as it involves walking between parks. I would recommend purchasing a 1 park per day ticket, focusing on one park each day. For priority access to rides, a Genie+ pass can be purchased. More details about that will be provided later.
Consider saving time and money by purchasing your tickets in advance. I bought ours from Klook.
Universal Studios Hollywood
Similarly, Universal Studios Hollywood also offers ticket prices based on the date of visit. They are categorized by different colors. As of the time of writing, the ticket price starts from $109 (lowest tier) to $154 (highest tier). For more details, pricing details can be found on their website.
You can select from a 1-day ticket or a 2-day ticket. To enjoy priority access to rides, an Express pass can be purchased. I’ll share my experience with the Express Pass later in this post. Additionally, for an extra $20, you have the option to gain early access to Nintendo World before the park officially opens.
Consider saving time and money by purchasing your tickets in advance. I booked ours from Klook.
Skip the Line Options
We only had three days to visit each theme park, so we decided to purchase Disney’s Genie+ and the Universal Express passes. We also got early access to Nintendo World to avoid spending all our time waiting in lines. It’s not cheap, but is it worth it? Keep reading to find out.
Both passes allow one-time access to attractions, so we had to use them wisely.
Disney’s Genie+
To use Genie+, we downloaded the official Disneyland app and added the passes. With Genie+, we could book Lightning Lane in advance using the Disneyland app. Besides, having the skip the line advantage, the Genie+ also allows you to receive digital downloads of PhotoPass attraction images. If you plan to purchase Genie+, download the Disneyland app a few days before your trip to familiarize yourself with how to use the app.
Universal Express Pass
For Universal Studios Hollywood, we received a separate physical Universal Express ticket upon entry. We had to present the physical ticket whenever we wanted to use the express lane. Overall, the Universal Express pass was very straightforward to use.Â
Skip the Line Experience
After using the Skip the Line feature at both parks, I found Genie+ to be more convenient than using a physical ticket, as there was a risk of losing the ticket. If you have limited time like us, I highly recommend purchasing priority access to both parks if you want to skip the lines. However, be sure to check the crowd calendars of each park before purchasing.
In our case, when we visited Universal Studios Hollywood on a Monday, all the rides had an average waiting time of only 15 to 20 minutes. Additionally, some rides also had a single-rider lane, so we were able to finish all the rides before 5 pm. I think even without the Universal Express, we could have finished the rides before the park closed.
Must-Ride Attractions
I absolutely love the thrilling and fun rides at Disney California Adventure. They offer an exhilarating experience that I enjoyed very much. The rides at Disneyland are also fantastic, catering more to families and providing a wonderful experience for all ages. When it comes to Universal Studio Hollywood, I’ve noticed that while there are a few thrill rides, the majority of them are virtual roller coasters.
Here are some of the rides I particularly enjoyed at each park:
Disney California Adventure
– Pixar Pal-A-Round: This Ferris wheel offers stunning views of the park and surrounding areas.
– Pixar Mania: A 4D shooting game featuring beloved Pixar characters.
– Web Slingers: An interactive Spider-Man ride that’s incredibly immersive.
– Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout: A thrilling drop tower ride with a fantastic soundtrack.
Disneyland
– Rise of the Resistance: An epic and immersive Star Wars experience that’s truly one-of-a-kind.
– Indiana Jones: A classic dark ride with exciting adventure scenes.
– Pirates of the Caribbean: A timeless water-based ride featuring swashbuckling pirates and treasure.
– Big Thunder: A thrilling mine train roller coaster that’s perfect for the whole family.
Universal Studio Hollywood
– The Mummy: An indoor roller coaster combined with special effects, making for an exciting experience.
– Harry Potter The Forbidden Journey: A groundbreaking dark ride that takes you through the iconic wizarding world.
– Jurassic Park: A water-based thrill ride featuring encounters with dinosaurs and epic drops.
Must-Watch Shows
Disneyland
When you’re at Disneyland, make sure you catch the awesome afternoon parade with all your favorite Disney characters. It’s cool that they include characters from classic and new movies like Merlin, Coco, and Moana. And don’t miss the amazing nighttime fireworks show – it’s truly magical! We were lucky to see the Pixar Fest’s “Together Forever” fireworks display with Buzz Lightyear and the UP house flying over Disneyland, which was spectacular.
Disney California Adventure
At Disney California Adventure, set an alarm for 12 noon to get in line for the World of Color nighttime show. It’s an incredible display of lights, water, and music that you don’t want to miss. Just be ready to get splashed if you’re in the front row.
Universal Studios Hollywood
When you’re at Universal Studios Hollywood, don’t skip the Studio Tour and Water World. The Studio Tour gives you a behind-the-scenes look at famous movie sets, and Water World offers a thrilling experience. If you don’t want to get wet, arrive early and choose your seats wisely for the Water World show.
Which park should I visit?
When it comes to picking a theme park to visit in the future, I’d definitely go for one of the Disney Parks. I enjoy all kinds of theme parks, but I really love physical roller coasters over virtual ones. Keep in mind that everyone’s got their own preferences, so I’d suggest doing some solid research on the rides, shows, and attractions at each park before you decide. If you have the time, I’d highly recommend checking out all the parks, like I did. But if you can only visit one, here’s a detailed summary to help you make your choice:
- Price: If you’re on a tight budget, Universal Studios Hollywood is a more affordable option.
- Rides: Disneyland offers a greater selection of family-friendly rides, making it an ideal choice for a theme park day that the entire family can enjoy.
- Location: Universal Studios Hollywood is situated much closer to popular attractions, making it more convenient to visit than Disneyland.
In addition to the Disney Parks and Universal Studios Hollywood, there are other great options such as Six Flags Magic Mountain and Knott’s Berry Farm. I’d love to hear from you, let me know what is your favorite ride from each park in the comments!