An Epic Journey: All the Best at Super Nintendo World and More at Universal Studios Hollywood

Introduction

Hey fellow adventurers! 🌟 Grab your favorite power-up snacks and let’s dive into my recent escapade at Universal Studios Hollywood in California! 🎢🎮 From racing through Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge to sipping on Princess Peach’s Peach Soda, this post is your backstage pass to the Super Nintendo World magic. But that’s not all – we’ll also brave the Jurassic World, face off with Transformers, and experience The Wizarding World of Harry Potter! 🦖✨

So, join me as I spill the details on everything from epic rides to delicious eats and maybe a NOPE moment or two. Buckle up for a wild ride through Universal Studios Hollywood! 🚀🌈 #AdventureAwaits #UniversalStudiosHollywood

Getting in the park

I booked two days of Universal Hollywood Studios, mostly because the first day I was coming for Halloween Horror Nights and I knew I was not going to be able to do much that day. So this is a combination of those 2 days doing Non-HHN related stuff.

Obviously the first step when arrived was to go to the Lower Lot where they have most of my favorite attractions on this park. They got Super Nintendo World, they got The Mummy, the got Jurassic World, and other attractions and food options that make it the best half of the park.

Super Nintendo World

I had already been to this Super Nintendo World, and the one in Osaka, Japan, but it always feels so great to come back to this great land, full of fun, good food and an amazing ride.

Walking in Super Nintendo World through the warp pipe just feels unbelievable. Is it so alive in here, everything moves.

Everybody was rope dropping Mario Kart™: Bowser’s Challenge, and with a reason, this is the best time in the day to be able to go in this attraction. The wait time is significantly lower than at other times in the day.

Mario Kart™: Bowser’s Challenge

The queue is just amazing and full of easter eggs everywhere.

Time to compete, and to go through the Rainbow Road!!!

After doing that amazing ride, I had to for sure go into Toadstool Cafe, where by the way, you need to make a reservation in person as early as you can. I went here before I got in line for Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge.

Toadstool Cafe^™

This place is just so amazing, and the TVs (or windows) will show you a different story in each of them.

To start, I had the Super Star Lemon Squash, which was very fruity, and the mango bits where so delicious, I had to finish every single of them.

I didn’t want to have my stomach all full for the day, so I opted for the Power-Up Spaghetti Marinara which is part of the Kid’s Menu (Spaghetti with marinara sauce, Power-Up parmesan crisps, Toadstool cheesy garlic knot and a coin cookie).

And to eat later I got the Princess Peach Cupcake, and oh Lord, this is just so yummy.

I finally left Super Nintendo World, and right outside you could find a Popcorn and Drink Cart where I got myself my always favorite Princess Peach’s Peach Soda. In Japan I got the Mario version of this drink (strawberry flavored) at least 2 times.

Jurassic World

I love to spend time in Jurassic Park back in Orlando, or even in Japan, but I had not been able to go into the Jurassic World – The Ride in Universal Studios Hollywood. Since its retheming, it was always closed or had delays when I was there. But today was they day I could go into it.

And it was amazing, I really liked the added screens and the animatronics at the end. Just WOW. And when I left the ride, just outside I was able to the Raptor Encounter. Which even though looks not scary from afar, when you are right next to it, it’s very scary.

To finish my visit to the fantastic park in Costa Rica, I mean this mini-land, I got the Piña Colada from Isla Nu-Bar, and oh boy! I really started feeling it right away. Like I could not believe it. It was delicious, but also very full of alcohol.

Revenge of The Mummy

A bit different from its counterpart in Orlando, this attraction is definitely fun wherever you ride it. I like the visual effects, and the fact that so far, this is the only roller coaster in this park, until the Fast and Furious roller coaster opens soon.

I rode it multiple times in the couple of days I was there, just because it is so fun, and it has Single Rider line.

Transformers: The Ride 3D

What I like of the Lower Lot is that there are so many random rides next to each other, and in Halloween Horror Nights is even crazier with all the scary stuff happening around them. Transformers, just like its counterpart in Orlando, is just fun, and would not hurt to ride it at least once during this trip.

And hey, Optimus Prime was out and about too.

As part of the Halloween Horror Nights celebrations, and the Stranger Things house (just steps from this location), there was Scoops Ahoy Ice Cream stand. Where unfortunately I wasted time doing the line, because they did not have the item I wanted, but had many other good stuffs too.

Universal Studio Tour

Finally in the Upper Lot, after going up all those escalators, almost tipsy from the Pina Colada, I was able to go into the Universal Studio Tour.

I had been on this the night before for Halloween Horror Night, where it is transformed into the Exterminatorz Terror Tram.

The tour takes around an hour, so be ready for it, with no bathroom breaks. During the tour you will go into some “rides” like Jaws, Fast and Furious: Supercharged and King Kong.

And also pass by Jupiter’s Claim from the acclaimed movie NOPE, from Jordan Peele.

It is funny that you take this tour in the Upper Lot but everything they show is below the mountains, at the same level of the Lower Lot.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Of course I could not come to a Universal Park, and not come to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Very similar to the one in Orlando but missing the Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure.

Regardless, they still have The Three Broomsticks and I got for myself Fish and Chips and warm Butterbeer. First time trying the hot drink, and it was delicious. I might add it to the list for the next time I am in this land anywhere in the world. But the Fish and Chips is just a staple for me at this point. Love to try them wherever I go.

Shows are always some of the best parts of this land, and I had to see the Triwizard Spirit Rally. Love that the cast members were representing Eastern Europe dudes but they were all Hispanic just like me hehe. Still very well performed.

The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash

To finish my 2 days at Universal Studios Hollywood. I went into The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash, which had a very long line, but was worth the wait.

As a New Yorker I approve of how my city is represented in this ride. And the animatronics are just crazy, not only for the special effects but for the amount of them, so many!

How to arrive and where to stay?

Although some would think that the LAX Los Angeles International Airport is closer to Universal Studios Hollywood. Actually the Burbank Airport is just minutes away on an Uber from the park. This is where I flew from Las Vegas in a very short flight on Spirit. The airport is so tiny you can just go out quick and grab a Lyft or Uber very fast.

Since this was a budget trip, which I did not plan until like 2 days before when I was in Vegas, I opted for a cheap stay around in the El Royale Hotel Studio City. It had its purpose of just letting me crash for the night after Halloween Horror Nights, and then keeping my suitcase during the next day.

Returning to New York

Even though unrelated to the park, I like to show how I opted to go back into New York. I took an Uber from the hotel to Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles. There, I took a FlyLAX bus that took me to the airport in no time. From there I flew on United to Newark International Airport.

On a red-eye flight I arrived the next morning in Newark, and took the AirTrain back to Newark Airport Station, and from there just the public transportation system to my home in NYC.