Universal Studios Hollywood is a movie studio and theme park in the unincorporated Universal City community of Los Angeles County, California, United States, and is the original Universal Studios theme park. 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."There are many Universal Studios around the world like Universal Studios Florida, Universal Studios Japan, Universal Studios Singapore and the upcoming Universal Studios Dubai land, Universal Studios South Korea theme parks. And it is tone of the best among them.
If you are in California don’t miss to see Universal Studios. When I visited first time I took yearly pass and visited almost more than 5 times. It includes participation on 2009 New Year calibration too! And still if I get a chance it will be always a preferred place to me visit for me. I just want to share my experience with Universal Studios.
Basically attractions here can be roughly divided in to 3three categories- Studio Tour, Shows , Rides and water Play.Remmber if you want to cover everything here be here on time when it opens for public @ morning. We have reached here morning finished up ticket formalities and they have issued one slip which tells us the schedule of the shows. This is very important to cover all the shows inside the studio. In order to cover all the shows by one day we need to literally run between the shows. So doesn’t rest come with me...
Studio Tour: The Universal Studios tour takes you through several well-known movie scenarios, actually putting you "in the action." There's the famous run-in with King Kong where the big ape tears up a reproduction of New York. This two hour tour is an actual tour of working studios. So the chance of seeing a star behind or in front of the camera is excellent. Its fun to see some of their classic film sets, but you'll learn little about films are made on this tour. Traveling through the back lot, The residential Colonial Street, once Beaver Cleaver's hood, now plays Wisteria Lane on "Desperate Housewives". Up the road loom the creepy "Psycho" house and Bates Motel. Next door, the smoldering wreckage of a jet airliner litters a huge outdoor set built for Stephen Spielberg's "War of the Worlds. And friendly shark Jaws, the caves of The Mummy. We also went into a sound studio for Bones and it was freaky. Water falling all over us, stunt buses and trucks being thrown at us. Don’t even know how fast these 2 hours will go. Once this is completed we head to various shows which are open. These were some of the shows :
Uiversal Studios Hollywood Shows.
Everything at Universal Studios Hollywood has a movie theme.
House of Horrors: An carnival fun house updated movie-style, this walk-through attraction (which has some stairs) is full of screams and surprises. You'll see skulls, bones, evil-looking dolls, and other "scary" scenes. Beware for costumed creepies to pop out at you! How scary is the House of Horrors? If you go through when many other people are both ahead of you and behind you (which is most of the time!) it's not very scary at all. You'll already know where the spooks are going to jump out at you. And, it's hard to think that fake skulls are scary when there's a crowd around. On the other hand...it might send quite a chill up your spine if you could go through it alone. So Get ready for scream loud inside this scary house.
Shrek 4-D: Take adventure to the next dimension in Shrek 4-D — the attraction that puts you in the action with hair-raising, eye-popping, butt-busting effects so real, all your senses will be on ogre-time. The fourth "D" is nothing but your seat, which seems to be constantly moving, which means it is designed to make viewers feel what they are watching. For example when Donkey sneezes, the front of the seats spray mist into viewers' face. It also has movable seats, air jets and rubber tubing, to simulate other effects such as air, "creepy crawlies" and other movements. The story is cute, like the film. Use stationary seats in the back row if you'd rather not get jostled. You will really love this show with the 3D glass they have provided.
Terminator 2:3D: “Terminator 2: 3D” combines thrilling live action stunts with the most sophisticated digital imaging technology ever created, projected on the world’s largest 3-D screen to achieve the immersive effect of a virtual adventure experience. Starring the original cast from “Terminator 2: Judgment Day,” Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong and Robert Patrick have reunited with triple Oscar-winning “Titanic” writer, director and producer James Cameron in the filming of the spectacular 3D film sequel. This action-packed, 3-D film depicts a battle at Cyberdyne Technologies and is full of loud noises, strobe lights, fog and effects. Also the feel of this show is really remarkable. You'll feel like you can reach out and touch the characters (and feel like the cyborgs can reach out and touch YOU as well). Featuring both familiar characters from the Terminator movies and an array of all new characters, it's a totally unique experience that will have you saying "Hasta la vista, baby" to entertainment as you know it. It is so engaging, audiences regularly rise and cheer Arnold and the gang with a standing ovation at the film's conclusion.
Water World: This stunt show is a shorten version of the movie of the same name. The stunts were excellent and the pyrotechnics could be felt in the back row. A little loud for my taste but what would you expect from all those explosions. First few rows is a good place to get wet during the summer. If you sit in the green seats, you'll get wet. It is a real time show by the Hollywood acteres.I herd that these actors will change each day. And this is really risky real time show. This is also one of the major attractions of Universal Studios. Never miss this.
Special Effects Stage: A three-part show that introduces the audience to motion picture special effects. Stage 1: Virtual Studio. Stage 2: Universal's Creature Factory. Stage 3: The Sound Lab .Learn the secret of how sound and visual effects are created and how monsters are made. This is something learning curve. How different back ground sounds are creating and they have served this covered with sweets and humors.
Back draft: Backdraft is a live show that combines amazing fire effects with pyrotechnics and surprising but minor "drop" as you watch a scene from Backdraft flow into life. Includes a pre-show, where the director and actors of Backdraft talk about the movie and how dangerous fire is. Then you head into the next room, where a demonstrator shows you how they create some fire effects. And then you finally enter the big show where the madness begins! Intense, fire-based show recreates the film's final scene, a chemical warehouse fire with exploding barrels and falling catwalks. Stand in the back row to stay cooler. I don’t like much this compared to other shows but this was something interesting no doubt.
Universal's Animal Actors show: One of the Universal Studios California shows that is sweet and endearing...and always leaves the audience cooing "Oh, how CUTE!"...is the "Universal Animal Actors" show. This entertaining live performance is a can't-miss attraction for animal lovers. Even the kiddies will sit still when they see the adorable cats, dogs, birds, chimps...and more...acting on stage. A few lucky kids even get to act as volunteers!Billboards around the park give show schedules for The Blues Brothers and Universal's Animal Actors. You can visit The Universal Experience any time. It's an interactive exhibit featuring props, costumes and other memorabilia from Universal's long film-making history.
Universal Studios Hollywood rides.
Now let’s go to all the rides:
The Simpsons Ride: The most entertaining attraction in the park combines a wild, cartoon ride through Krustyland with a motion simulator. Once you board your vehicle you're in for one surprise after another, over-the-top ride through the park... flying, floating, and more or less crashing your way through Krustyland's kiddie attractions, stunt shows, and thrill rides. Be sure to keep an eye out for many of your favorite characters from the TV series in this all-new animated adventure, which takes you through Springfield and beyond... it's the first-ever attraction based on the show!. This really one of the most exiting ride for me even thought it was simulated, it was remarkable.
Jurassic Park - A fun, well-done ride. This powerhouse has beautiful theming and details from the original movie, as well as the climactic and long final drop. The beginning section of the ride has a nice atmosphere, and the part where the boat takes a wrong turn is nicely recreated to look like a scene of the legendary movie. Once the boat starts climbing up the hill the ride gets better and that drop is just awesome, drops you down an 80-foot waterfall. Getting wet? Guaranteed. Experience this location where the world famous Oscar winning Jurassic Park shooting location.
The Adventures of Curious George: A water play area for the kids. But don’t miss, just go there and get wet yourself here! You are grown up, well, don’t wait, go inside and enjoy. You will automatically get back your child hood.
Revenge of the Mummy - is an indoor dark ride roller coaster. The ride features warrior mummies, treasures and tombs, a sudden launch, a scarab beetle attack, forwards and backwards motion and surround sound speakers inside the vehicles. You'll plunge in total darkness, plagued on all sides by huge fireballs, swarms of scarab beetles and an army of warrior mummies. Universal Studios has taken all the terrifying thrills and spine-tingling excitement of The Mummy motion pictures and placed you right in the middle of the action. Come face to face with the Mummy as he attempts to capture your soul for all eternity. Besides the Mummy theming, it goes forward, treats you to a creepy effect and then gets you back in reverse. Don’t tell anyone, this was one of the scary rides in Universal Studio and I did not go. But somehow I managed to take this ride in my last visit. So I advice don’t even think to miss this ride.
Best Time to Visit: Halloween Horror Nights are busy throughout their run, but the first weekend and weeknight any time are your best bet.I could not able to include all the photos here and I am not a good clicker too.Well, my plan was to share my experience here in my words.So dont wait, entertainment capital of LA calling you !