Alex J.
Yelp
The VIP Experience at Universal Studios Hollywood is one of the best things to take part in whether you are a local or visitor to LA. But fair warning - if you don't love and appreciate films, don't bother taking this tour!
I have been going to USH for years and finally made my way to this tour. I booked it a few weeks in advance at the parks because, as a pass-holder, you do not get the discounts online or over the phone, they have to do it onsite. The day I chose had a regular price of $379 and I paid $225 with a gold pass.
I arrived around 10:15am and was sent to Jurassic Parking for the free valet parking. The VIP entrance is between the turnstiles and customer service areas, I was greeted by a friendly doorman and checked in at the counters. Then you're sent up to the VIP lounge for free breakfast, a place to relax, and free water bottles, hand sanitizer, poncho, and face wipes! You also have the option to go to the park and use up whatever time you have. My tour was at 11:15 so I did not have too much time to explore (not that I needed to!)
Breakfast consisted of croissant sandwiches, pastries, oatmeal, hardboiled eggs, yogurt, coffee, tea, and juices. I ate both croissant sandwiches, one with ham & cheddar, the other salmon, cream cheese, cucumber, and greens. The salmon was my favorite but both croissants were soft and fluffy! I only ate the raspberry cream cheese danish which was delicious! The coffee was not too good though and the orange juice tasted great!
Around 11 our tour guide Zan gathered the group and we were off! Our lunch was at 2:20 and backlot tour was after that so he took us to all the rides where we were given express lane entrance, the longest we waited was maybe 5 minutes through Secret Life of Pets because the regular line joins the express line. We were also given reserved seating for Water World, right in the middle bleachers for the perfect view!
While on the tour, Zan (or any tour guide) offers history, insight, and facts about the park, rides, and more! He will even point out easter eggs on some attractions.
When lunch came, he gave us a meeting spot and time, we had an hour for lunch. The lunch buffet is inside the Moulin Rouge building in the French Pavilion, a quaint and fancy-ish place compared to the rest of the park! I chose to sit on the outdoor patio which is beautiful and we had great weather for the day.
I was SHOCKED at how amazing the food was! I did not expect the usual "theme park food" but did not expect it to be as good as it was. They have a huge array of salads, appetizers, main items, desserts, and drinks. I ate the following:
prosciutto wrapped cantaloupe - a classic and great pairing with fresh juicy fruit and salty savory prosciutto
ahi tuna poke - surprisingly fresh and tasty, just a bit too salty from the soy sauce
lobster risotto - made with langoustine instead of lobster, but it was still delicious! Creamy and rich risotto with big chunks of langoustine
tri-tip - a bit tough but cooked well and juicy
cheese assortment - obviously the best addition to any buffet
chili ginger salmon - probably my favorite, tender and moist salmon with a slight sweetness and kick!
pizza - it was okay, nothing to rave about
cucumber salad - fresh, crunchy, delicious!
chocolate chip cookies - these rest on a warming tray to stay gooey, but they are slightly over-baked to begin with
cheesecake - great flavor, slightly sweet and slightly sour, just wish the crust was thicker
fruit tartlet - fresh fruit, great custard, and a crispy cookie like pie shell
Coffee was also much better here than the VIP lounge
gelato - do not miss it! They have it in an awkward place at the buffet so people miss it (even the chef mentioned that) I chose the cherry and vanilla flavors, both were so creamy and rich and delicious!
We met back with our tour guide and went off to the studio tour, and this is the sole reason for my visit! It was absolutely incredible!! We joined with another tour group and their guide Chris was just as amazing as Zan, offering tons of information while on the bus and getting off to walk around Brownstone street, town center/courthouse, the airplane crash from war of the worlds, and the classic sets where we see the monster movies, pirates, the good place, and more!
The bus goes on pretty much the same route as the usual tram seeing Amityville, King Kong, Wisteria Lane, Fast & Furious, the subway earthquake, and more. But it's definitely a more intimate experience and comfortable!
After the tour, we had a few attractions left - Zan took us to Forbidden Journey which we did not have time for earlier, then let us go to either explore the park, use our express passes for rides again, or seeing Kung Fu Panda and the Animal Actors show. I opted for Animal Actors and by then it was about 6:30. Since the park closed at 7 I did not have time to really stay and go through the rides again but again, it's fine since I have a pass.