/r/universalstudios
The fan-run subreddit for all Universal Studios parks, resorts, destinations, and experiences. For film content, see r/Universal.
Welcome to r/universalstudios! Feel free to post photos and videos, write trip reports, spark discussions, and ask/answer travel questions all about Universal destinations and experiences.
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/r/universalstudios
Hi...need help with only admission tickets to Universal Studios Osaka for 10th April, 2025...all tickets available online are inclusive of Expo passes and priced hefty...
Hi! I’m in Orlando for work and wondering if it’s worth it to do a fast pass, to see both Harry Potter locations in one day? I would be staying at a Universal resort and getting early entry. How bad are the lines this time of year?
Hello, what is the your best recommendation to hit all the major rides in the Hollywood park?
Hello! Bought the vip tickets for the fan fest and never done VIP before. I hear it is similair to HHN. How does it work? And do they have a seperate merch area? Some of the Back to the Future stuff is really cool and trying to not miss out on anything. Thank you!
Hello, everyone.
Please use this Megathread to discuss Fan Fest Nights for 2025. Share photos, ask questions, request meet-ups, and whatever you like so long as the sub's rules are followed.
As with the Super Nintendo World FAQ/Megathread, I wanted to go over the basics of this event because it is completely new. I’ll discuss the event in general, then go into each franchise.
QUICK LINKS
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FAQ / BASICS
What are Fan Fest Nights? What happens there?
Imagine Halloween Horror Nights, but without the spooks. Fan Fest Nights is a nighttime event at Universal Studios Hollywood. There will be exclusive walkthrough attractions, food, merchandise, and meet and greet opportunities.
When are Fan Fest Nights? What are the dates and times of the event?
Please see below for dates. Each event night lasts from 7:00p to 2:00a the next day.
April Dates: 25, 26, 27
May Dates: 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18
Is this part of my normal ticket?
NO. Admission to this event is sold separately. You can buy tickets here.
Is parking included?
ONLY FOR VIP GUESTS, as they get valet parking included. Standard parking rates will apply to all other guests.
What kinds of tickets are offered? Is there an all-access pass?
As with HHN, there are general admission, standard Express, Unlimited Express, After 2 general, After 2 Express, and VIP tickets. There are also 2-day tickets and all-access passes. You can add Early Access to any ticket that doesn’t include it already. There are also options to add admission to existing hotel & ticket packages. More information on all kinds of tickets can be found here.
If I have Early Access, do I still need to buy a ticket?
If you have an After 2 ticket, early access is included, so you won’t need to buy another ticket. Otherwise, Early Access alone won’t be valid admission on its own; you must buy a ticket and EA together to attend Fan Fest Nights with early access.
If I buy Express/VIP, do I still need to buy a general admission ticket?
NO, or at least not if you buy online. If you buy in person or over the phone, talk to the representative to determine if you’ll need to purchase anything else to attend.
Can I bring young children?
YES. There is no minimum age requirement for Fan Fest Nights. Keep in mind that each child will need their own event ticket to attend the event.
Is each night dedicated to one franchise?
NO. Every franchise will appear on every available event night. Each franchise will just have a different section of the park to call home for the duration of the event.
Can I dress up? Is cosplay allowed? Are costumes allowed? Can I bring props?
YES. New costume/cosplay guidelines were written up specifically for this event, so please review them before planning your attire here.
Can I still ride normal stuff during the event?
Transformers: The Ride 3D will be closed during the event. Jurassic World: The Ride will close at 12:15a. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey will close at 11:15p. Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge will close at 10:00p. The Studio Tour will not be running its normal itinerary (it will only be used to provide transport between Courthouse Square and the Upper Lot). DreamWorks Theater will not be showing Kung Fu Panda: The Emperor’s Quest (it will be showing Jujutsu Kaisen: Hunger of the Curse instead). All other attractions will remain open and operate as normal throughout the event.
Unlike with HHN, all ticket types will be able to access Super Nintendo World throughout the entire event.
Can I still eat normal stuff during the event?
TBA.
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What will each franchise offer during the event?
The main highlight of this franchise is a walkthrough experience, formally called Star Trek: Red Alert. The entrance for it will be in the Illumination section of the park. Guests will board the USS Enterprise-D, where “a mysterious entity wreaks havoc throughout the ship’s systems”, and guests will walk through the various sets from the show.
Guests can dine at Quark’s Cafe, which will serve dishes like the Tribble Truffle Trio, Vulcan Fritters, Klingon Targ Legs, and Onion Spice Funnel Cake. There will also be the 10 Forward Bar, which will serve alcoholic drinks like the Ceti Eel Margarita and Romulan Ale. No word on pricing or ingredients.
Taking the Studio Tour tram, you’ll be dropped off right in Courthouse Square. Recreated lightning will strike the clock tower. There will be an Enchantment Under the Sea dance. Doc Brown and Marty McFly will be meet and greet characters. One of the original time machine props from the film will be publicly viewable as a photo op.
There will be some exclusive food. These include Doc Brown’s Chicken Pot Pie, the Flux Capacitor Patty Melt, the Time Machine Melt, the Outatime Cookie, and the Time Traveler’s Milkshake. No word on pricing or ingredients.
Like Back to the Future, Dungeons & Dragons will feature a walkthrough experience. It will be called Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets of Waterdeep, and its entrance will be behind Transformers: The Ride 3D. The experience takes guests through Waterdeep to save it from the clutches of Xanathar the Beholder.
There will be a food stand called The First Roll Tavern, which will serve items like the Eldritch Blast drink, Beholder’s Brew Fondue, Fireball dessert, Goodberry drink, and Dragon’s Breath cocktail. No word on pricing or ingredients.
One Piece will offer a “Fan Zone”, a dedicated space in the event plaza in the Upper Lot. Meet and greet characters include Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, and Sanji. The site notes cosplay is allowed but is still subject to the cosplay costume guidelines. There will be interactive photo opportunities and sketch artists.
There will also be exclusive food, likely using Grinchmas-style stands. These include the Franky’s Cola Barbacoa, the Devil Fruit Concha, and the Chopper Cupcake. Exclusive drinks include Nico Robin’s Tropical Iced Tea and Nami’s Tangerine Breeze. No word on pricing or ingredients.
The main feature of this franchise is a show hosted in the DreamWorks Theater titled Jujutsu Kaisen: Hunger of the Cursed. Likely, this will be an English localization of the JJK 4D show at Universal Studios Japan.
There will also be exclusive food, likely from the churro stand outside the DreamWorks Theater. These include churros with frosted stripes (name not legible in photo), Sukuna Cursed Crunch (a kind of cookie) and Yuji’s Chocolate Curse (a kind of cake). No word on pricing or ingredients.
THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER
Hogwarts Always, a projection show that first debuted at UOR’s Islands of Adventure, will come to Hollywood.
The Niffler, a kind of baby dragon that will be a permanent part of Epic Universe, will be at the event for meet and greets.
Three Broomsticks will feature exclusive food. These include the Toad in the Hole, Curry Chicken over rice, and the Hogwarts Cornish Pasty. No word on pricing or ingredients. Note that reservations will be required to eat here during the event.
Super Nintendo World will feature a Yoshi celebration. Drones will “illuminate the sky.” Yoshi will be a meet-and-greet character. A scavenger hunt will take place, encouraging guests to find Yoshi’s eggs.
Toadstool Cafe will feature exclusive Yoshi-themed items. These will be the Yoshi’s Apple Melon Smoothie and the Yoshi’s Fettuccine Alfredo. No word on pricing or ingredients. Note that reservations will be required to eat here during the event.
BLOCK PARTY
This doesn’t have its own dedicated page, but USH also mentions a “block party” with no map or anything. I’ll just copy/paste the blurb from the site.
“This celebration continues at the Block Party where the biggest fans of Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Gaming, and Anime can gather together for live performances, cosplay (subject to Cosplay Costume Guidelines), trivia, and photo opportunities.”
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Please let me know if I’ve missed anything. I am not perfect, as shown this morning as I forgot to empty the browser cache before responding to people.
Special thanks to u/dooglemeiser and u/Coasterfanman1 for providing some sample questions to be answered by the Megathread. If any more popular questions arise in the comments, I’ll add them to the main post.
Thanks for reading, and happy trip planning. :)
What would you recommend and what are you allowed to take in to the park, e.g snacks, drinks etc
Hey everyone! My girlfriend, some friends, and I (23yo Male) are planning our first trip to Universal Studios, as I've been researching, I have a bunch of general questions i'd like to have answered by you guys on here, and maybe it will help others out in the same boat. Feel free to chime in with your own tips or ask anything I missed!
Is Express Pass worth it?
How many days do I need?
Park-to-Park ticket or single park?
What are the absolute must-do rides?
Best food spots in the parks? also Are there good drink spots for adults?
Best time to go to avoid crowds?
Is staying at a Universal hotel worth it?
I bought tickets in a rush and have never been to any of these events. I’m not sure who is going with me yet, but was wondering if it’s possible to change the name on the ticket? Is there some sort of customer service number or email for this? Thank you!
Hurry and get them quick! Passholders only, for now.
Taking daughter to Universal in march. She wanted to go there instead of Disney. Is there any similar experience like the lightsaber build at Disney?
Hi, planning on visiting LA with 1 day at universal, midweek in August. Family of 4, our daughter will qualify for AAP but keen to hear thoughts whether express pass is still worth the extra?
For my dates, express ticket more than doubles the overall cost, so don't want to spend that extra if it's not going to offer any benefits. TIA
We are going to visit the Studios in March, but we can not find any Express Passes in March. Is it possible that all of them are sold out? What are other alternatives to buy the express pass?
Hello, everyone.
ICYMI, new Pass Member bonuses will be dropping this coming weekend. I've outlined everything below in bullet points, but this information was all sourced from this page.
FREE ITEMS
EXCLUSIVE FOOD
IN-PARK DEALS
CITYWALK DEALS
TICKET DEALS
"Bring a Friend or Family Member" - Up to $60 off front gate price of general admission tickets on select days. Must be purchased online in advance at universalpassmember.com, does not stack with other discounts.
$20 off Universal Express Upgrade, only available on the day of the visit at the Universal Box Office inside the park.
$100 off VIP Experience Upgrade, only available on the day of the visit at the VIP window at the front gate (subject to availability)
A nice little bundle of bonuses for the dead season, I think. I'm definitely going for the magnet, anyway. Happy trip planning. :)
Hi there! My parents are going to Universal next month and they have some doubts, but since they only speak Spanish, I'm doing the internet sleuthing for them.
Thank you in advance for any answer!
I applied for a character escort position fairly recently and booked a phone call interview for this upcoming Monday. Are there any questions other than the typical recruiter questions I should prepare myself for?
I'll be going to Universal Studios Hollywood this summer for the fan fest nights (hopefully).
I have a couple of questions.
Should we dress up like Disneybounding or is that not a thing?
Also, would it be weird to make little gifts to give out to employees or other patrons? Whenever I go to Disneyland I make and bring stickers, jewelry, ears, ect to give to people just because it's fun for me.
I know Universal Studios isn't the same as Disney, but I'm all for making and spreading a little more magic.
I need to wear glasses in order to see. (My vision is too high.) Wondering if I can wear the VR headsets.
Hello, everyone. :)
Wanted to ask this one for some food for thought on something I've been considering writing up. What do you look for when deciding how much you enjoyed an amusement park ride?
Yeah, this question is entirely subjective. Yeah, this question is super open-ended. Yeah, that's entirely the point. :)
Do you look for just thrill? Smoothness/bumpiness of the track? Is there a ride mechanic that stands out more than others? Maybe you aren't good with thrill attractions for health or personal reasons and perfer something smaller-scale or slower-paced?
For theme parks specifically, are set designs and themed elements considered more? Are people okay with a slower ride if the show scenes make up for this? What is okay to pass as theming for a fast ride? Even within show scenes, what are you looking for most? Quality/consistency of animatronics? Set dressing and design? Music? Original concepts or faithfulness to the adapted property if that applies?
While I would like to ask about shows, I feel like that would need entirely different questions, so for now, I'd like to focus on rides. :)
How does this connect to Universal? I keep thinking back to a USH research survey I took maybe several months or a full year ago now... Very curious about what it was asking about, but also if people will be receptive to it differently than how I feel about it. Not going to go into it further in public, but if you're super curious, I may be willing to discuss in private depending on the circumstance.
Thanks if you decide to answer. I look forward to seeing responses. :)
So I'm planing a trip to Japan and want to visit universal. I keep seeing posts about being able to buy the mushroom bowl with the soup in Universal Hollywood does anyone know if its the same for USJ? Also I'm assuming you can only get the bowl with the mushroom soup, is that correct?