Memorial Day Weekend - Universal Studios

This Memorial day weekend, I had been to the Grand Canyon, Vegas and LA with my friends. The trip was really great and had loads of fun.

In case you decide to go to the Universal Studios in LA, here are some tips for you:

1. Get the Head-Of-The-Line (HOTL) pass. It is really worth it. Also, order your tickets in advance and try to bargain with the Studios people. We got a discount and paid only about $25 more than the usual price (against almost double the price!!). With the HOTL pass, we didn't have to wait for more than 4-5 minutes for any ride. We were able to cover all the rides comfortably (without rushing) in just 6.5 hours (11:00am - 5:30pm). And this was on a Sunday of a Memorial day weekend !!
2. If you bought the HOTL pass online, make sure you get a hang-on-the-neck id card from the Guest Relations office immediately after you enter the Studios. Otherwise, you will have to keep the print out safely and show it before entering every ride which is a big pain. You lose the printout, and you are done !!
   
3. Finish the tram Tram Ride first. Get the first coach if possible - seeing the guide talk in person is certainly better than watching him on a TV screen. Both, extreme right and the extreme left seats are the best although you won't miss much otherwise either.
4. Some shows start only at specific times (like WaterWorld, Animal Stars, Fear Factor). Keep track of the show timings and catch these accordingly. We mixed our rides and shows such that we didn't have to wait for long. However, remember that these shows will be crowded and except in Water World, there weren't any seat reservation for the HOTL pass. So, a last minute entry may not get you any good seats.
5. In the Jurassic Park ride, try to get the rightmost seat. Go for the front seats in Back To Future ride. The other seats are good too but I thought these were a bit more fun. Also, wearing slippers for the Mummy ride makes it a bit more interesting [;)]
6. Have fun but take care of your belongings. We lost our digital camera (more like someone stole it) and we also lost all the photos (the only sore point of my trip [:(]). You certainly wouldn't enjoy that.
7. Let me know if any of these tips were useful for you !!

PS:
Against better judgment (and friends' reviews), caught Shrek3 on its opening weekend [:(].
Need I say more ?!!

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