Universal Studios Hollywood is a dream come true. My fiancee and I went to relax before our wedding preparations began, and it was exactly what we needed. We loved the shows, Waterworld in particular. We also adored Shrek 4D (which I described above) and Back to the Future. How cool to travel through time and space to chase the evil Biff! This ride could be old-school, but it is still cool and a total thrill. The Van Helsing maze was good but not quite what I expected. I was hoping for something a little more along the lines of Jurassic Park.

Jurassic Park was a blast. It is one of our favorite movies, so it was a real treat to be travelling through what felt like the real set. The dinosaurs are so real, and the drop is frightening (and wet!). Waterworld is another good way to cool off if you're too old for the Nickolodean Blast Zone. The show left us drenched, with our mouths open in disbelief that something that cool and movie-like could happen before our eyes. My fiancee and I enjoyed playing the games as well--he won some pretty neat stuffed animals for me, photos included. We had the best time and recommend this as a vacation spot for anyone looking for a good time.

I just went to Universal Studios Hollywood with my family and had the most amazing time. We began our day at CityWalk, where we had a delicious lunch and enjoyed great people-watching. When we got into the park, we went straight to the Mummy, which had been one of our original reasons for going (we had prepped by buying the DVDs). My kids and husband went nuts when they saw the scenery, and we all screamed our heads off when the ride really got going. The Mummy gives a whole new meaning to the word fast. There is no greater thrill than being shot through the dark at what feels like the speed of light. After the Mummy, my kids cooled off in the Nickelodeon Blast Zone. Obviously, it was not for us adults, but it was great watching them have fun in the water.

As I mentioned before, Jurassic Park was also a total thrill. The movie is one of my favorites, so it was great to be in what felt like the actual set. The dinosaurs are remarkably real. And it’s the perfect blend of relaxation and absolute terror—a surprise 84-foot drop. We bought a fantastic photo of us on the ride--the look on my husband's screaming face is priceless. The shows are also fantastic; our family favorite was "Water World," which was nonstop, action-packed fun. I took a lot of pictures of this attraction because the set was so well-done (included in my LA journal).

Real stars play the "Water World" characters—and they are clearly experienced, because they do stunts you only see in movies. And, as my sons will attest, it’s 100% better live. Just wait for the airplane… but I won’t spoil it.

I can’t really imagine a better day for the family. Everyone had the time of their lives.

There are lots of fun things to do at Universal Studios. It is easy to see why this is the number one attraction in L.A. We were there on a Monday and got to see everything in a day without much queuing. The rides are not for thrill-seekers, as the park is geared for a relaxing time with family and friends. Do enjoy all the rides and the Universal Studio Tour. We ended the day by catching a movie at Universal Theatres on Universal City Walk. You get to save by setting off the ticket cost with the parking costs, giving you the cheapest movie tickets in Hollywood. Awesome fun.

It's just awesome!! But a tip: Be there early! In the afternoon, you can stand for over an hour just to go on one ride! Go early on the sightseeing ride, where you have a guide that drives you all over the park and tells you about a lot of movies, and you get to see a lot of movie scenes, like "Jaws", "Psycho", "Apollo 13", "Back to the Future", "Waterworld", and "Backdraft". You also get to experience a simulated earthquake inside a subway!!

Now, Universal Studios is a huge place. It is split into two places, the amusement park and the studio area. We went with some relatives. The lines were long, so I would recommend tickets ahead of time via the phone or internet. The worst part was waiting in the lines, which took all of 1 hour or so.

Once in, it was quite an assortment of themed rides and games. From the T2 ride/show to the Jurassic Park water ride, it was quite up to the hype of an amusement park. We went from ride to ride, although people started to line up outside the bigger rides as the day went on.

After a day of rides, we went to the Studio Tours. Waiting in line, we were called and jumped on our tram. The tram ride took you through several lots that were used for movies and TV shows. We also were treated to a "ride" when the tram entered a warehouse and shook as if we were in an earthquake. Still an old-time standard and fan favorite is the old, reliable mechanical shark from JAWS. As the tram came to an end, so did the evening. It was a lot of fun, but we were ready for bed.