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Can someone give good traveling tips, for Disney California and Universal Studios Hollywood?
February 11, 2010 By 6 Comments
Hollywood Vacation Packages
Our reader has asked:
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perhaps you could be more specific. Where are you traveling from…? What hotel will you be staying at in California…?
I assume you are arriving at LAX. If your staying at a hotel there may be a bus service from the airport to your hotel, make sure to tip as this is their main source of income. The bus services to Universal Studios Hollywood as well but requires a booking one day atleast in advance to go. Most hotels have a shuttle service to Disneyland but ends about 8 pm most nights, weekends maybe longer. So keep that in mind at the end of the night, you could also walk back or take a taxi to your hotel. Try carry little as you can when in the park, most rides don’t allow you to carry bags. Rest when you can, make the most of each day….all the rides and especially the shows are great. At Universal we upgraded to a VIP it was very expensive but I think worth it…we got a private tour of Universal…it was awesome and we got to go ahead of the line in any show. A fast pass at Disney will get you ahead of the lines too.
Make sure to check out Disneyland, California Adventure and downtown Disney…
Hope that helps and answers your question.
There are lots of tips and information on all California theme parks here. http://www.socalthemeparks.com/theme-park-tips.html
My suggestion is to consider getting a theme park discounts by buying a GoCard or City Pass. http://www.socalthemeparks.com/special-deals.html You will save a lot of money that way and can see more of Southern California.
(You weren’t very specific)
There are literally hundreds of things to do here in LA. Here is my top ten list:
Disneyland: The Happiest Place on Earth. Half a billion visitors can’t be wrong. (Sometimes it seems all at once)
Universal Studios: A theme park that grew out of a studio tour. And Universal City Walk is a fun place to hang out in the evening after your day inside the park.
Hollywood: Hollywood Boulevard is ready for its close-up, thanks to years of urban renewal and renovation. Enjoy the Walk of Fame, Entertainment Museum, Chinese Theatre and more. You can see a lot for free. The Hollywood & Highland complex has lots of shops and restaurants, and the Kodak Theater (home of the Academy Awards). I also like the El Capitan theater, because it has been restored to its former glory.
Rodeo Drive, 90210: Packed with exclusive shops, full of gawkers. They all came to enjoy the excess. Free, unless you intend to buy something.
Venice Beach: Los Angeles kitsch and over-the-top culture at its best. Here you’ll find Muscle Beach, street performers and tacky shops galore. Fun, VERY interesting, but I avoid it after dark, when it gets a little TOO interesting for my taste. And it’s a short bike ride from Santa Monica Pier.
Santa Monica Beach and Pier: Great beach scene and a classic seaside amusement park, complete with antique carousel that has been in a lot of TV and movies. (The Sting and “Three’s Company” come immediately to mind). After visiting the pier, you can ride a bike south a couple miles to Venice Beach.
Santa Monica Third Street Promenade – Downtown Santa Monica’s shopping promenade is often the scene of movie star-sightings. Just a short walk from the Santa Monica Pier.
Sunset Boulevard: Perhaps one of the world’s most famous streets, it began as a route between the stars’ posh neighborhoods and the Hollywood studios. It runs from downtown to the ocean, passing through the “Sunset Strip” on its way. It makes for a fun drive. Along the way, you see a lot of different neighborhoods: Hollywood, West Hollywood, Bel Air, and Pacific Palisades. When you get to the ocean, stop at Gladstone’s for Fish.
Queen Mary: Once the largest ship afloat, she’s been docked in Long Beach for longer than she sailed, and her elegance never fails to impress. Free to visit. You can actually stay on board, for a price.
Farmers Market and The Grove – A new shopping complex right next to a Los Angeles landmark, The Grove and Farmers Market coexist. Enjoy a movie or shopping, and then take the trolley to the Farmers Market for lunch or dinner. It is right next to CBS, so walk across the lot to see if they are taping “The Price is Right”. You might even get in.
TAAB: The Americana at Brand- The newly opened TAAB, developed by the same group that gave us The Grove, breathes new life into Glendale, and gives all those hip people in Eagle Rock and the eastern half of LA a great place to go.
Griffith Park – Home of the Los Angeles Zoo, Griffith Park Observatory, Travel Town, the Greek Theatre, and Gene Autry Museum of Western Heritage.
Getty Museum – The Getty’s architecture is so beautiful that it keeps me fascinated. No matter whether you like their art or architecture better (or maybe you’ll just enjoy the view), the Getty is sure to please. Free.
Attend a TV taping – You can get free tickets at audiencesunlimited.com, tvtix.com, or see the booth at Universal City walk. It’s very interesting to see a show being taped. The most popular, by far, is the Tonight show with Jay Leno. Check the NBC web site for all the details there.
Places to eat:
In-N-Out Burger: Multiple locations, best burger in LA, ask anyone.
Pink’s Hot Dogs: 709 N. La Brea, just north of Melrose. You might even see a celebrity. Maybe.
Tommy’s Chili Burgers: Look for the shack, an LA tradition. The original location is at Beverly & Rampart, a couple miles west of downtown.
Canter’s Deli: 419 N. Fairfax, between Beverly & Melrose. Near CBS, you might spot a celebrity.
Phillippe’s: 1001 N. Alameda. Great roast beef sandwiches. Near Union Station and Olvera Street. Watch the mustard, it’s hot.
The Pantry: Corner of Figueroa and 9th, downtown. Huge portions, they never close, GREAT steak and eggs.
Places to Stay:
Since LA is so spread out, there is no single place that is close to EVERYTHING. Most people who come here tend to stay in Hollywood, Santa Monica, or Anaheim. Tip: Stay in one hotel for a few days, then go to one of the other hotels in a different area. That way you will be close to different attractions on different days, which makes it much easier.
In Hollywood, I recommend the Renaissance Hotel at Hollywood and Highland, the Best Western Sunset Plaza, or the Holiday Inn Walk of Fame.
In Santa Monica, the Holiday Inn Santa Monica is close to the pier and reasonably priced.
In Anaheim, I recommend the Howard Johnson (HoJo) Anaheim, and the Candy Cane Inn. If you want to splurge and make this a most memorable trip, stay at Disney’s Grand Californian. You get the full Disney experience.
Places to Shop:
Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica
The Grove, Los Angeles
Americana @ Brand, Glendale
Beverly Center, Los Angeles
Citadel Outlets, Commerce
Brea Mall, Brea
The Block at Orange, Orange
South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa
Fashion Island, Newport Beach
Santee Alley, Los Angeles
okay I don’t know a lot about universal studios but Disneyland I do. Okay my suggestion is that you arrive just before it opens. Just ask someone at the front desk for disneyland opening time. Once you get in get a fast pass for Indiana jones or space mountain. Once you get the fast pass go and ride the other ride. These two rides have the longest lines. About three hours by noon. Splash mountain and pirates should also be some of the first.
Okay for food you might want to check out the blue byou restaraunt. Its a nice restaraunt inside pirates. You’ll need to make a reservation. You’ll want to do that pretty early. And just a warning the food isn’t exactly cheap. If you want to eat cheap you’ll have to leave the park.
Shopping is best done in downtown disney but the shopping on mainstreet is pretty good to. Since its all sold by Disney the price for one thing is the same in all the stores. There’s usually at least one parade and a fireworks show everyday , you’ll find the times on the inside of your park map.
Also if your going in the summer plan for it to be jam packed. Hope you have a lot of fun.
To get the most out of your Disneyland trip, utilize the incredible FastPass system. While getting a Fastpass for one ride, ride another less crowded one, etc, etc. That is the glorious system used by Disneyland regulars (it’s not that hard to figure out).
That’s my amazing tip. =)