Universal Studios is a fun day, and saving a day on your next stop to LA is worth the visit. It's fun for all ages and far more than just rides and thrills. You will actually come away having learned something about LA's number-one industry--movie-making!

The park is easy to reach from LA, and the parking is not a hassle. Heck, it's LA, so you can even get valet parking at the park! The lines are not as long as Disney; this was spring break, and we only waited at the front gate for 5 minutes to buy tickets.

We opted for the $79 Frontline Passes, which seems a little rude, but we feel that they were worth EVERY penny. Basically, it allows you to CUT IN THE FRONT OF ANY LINE! You never wait more than a few minutes, and for the shows you are in first and get the prime pick of seats!

The tram ride is still the best. You go through the Backlot and see real movie sets. This day nothing was in production, but in the past, movie stars have walked up to the trams to shake hands. There are a few thrills, like Jaws jumping out at the tram and King Kong trying to tip over the tram, but overall it's about movie-making and the guides have a lot of cool facts to share. The typical characters roam the park; you will see anyone from Sponge Bob to the Marx brothers. We enjoyed our day. It's not as high-tech as Disney and is more about the shows than rides. The kids loved the Spiderman show the best. It's a mix of gymnastics and hip-hop. I have to admit that the guy who played Spiderman was pretty impressive as he swung around the stage on a rope. They are really well produced and are something the kids and the parents can enjoy together.

We also advise that you splurge for the Frontline Pass--it's worth every penny and will allow you to be in shows, not waiting in lines. Check out more information at Universal Studios.

The Los Angeles version of Universal Studios is nowhere near as good as the one in Florida. If you are in the area, it is worth a visit, but if you have been to the Orlando version, you will be disappointed!

Many of the attractions are the same, such as ET, Back to the Future and Terminator 3D but many of the other ones such as Earthquake, Jaws and King Kong are incorporated into the Studio Tour and are very tame in comparison to Florida equivalents. If you are a first time Universal visitor, you are sure to be impressed.

Other attractions here include City Walk – shops and restaurants including Hard Rock Café. Water World a water stunt spectacular, Jurassic Park Ride and Backdraft.

All rides are very good fun, but as I mentioned before, the Orlando version is much bigger and better.

I wasn't actually expecting much of Universal Studios. I'd heard it was really stagey and more of a theme park than a real look behind the scenes. And it is. Buts it's also great fun. Be prepared to just enter into the fantasy world of movies and enjoy it.

There are several different rides and shows, all based on various movies. The ones I particularly recommend are Jurassic Park (log flume ride), the Mummy (ghost house ride or rather walk), and Terminator 2 (a lovely combination of live action and 3D effects). The studio tour is also pretty cool. You get loaded into these little cars and taken to the backlots of the studio. The drive takes you through sets you've seen in a hundred different movies and there are also a few special effects along the way - King Kong, Jaws etc. you know they're coming but they're still great.

Universal Studios is such a fun day out. I loved the blurring of reality and movie fantasy. Tips. There's not a lot of shade and the heat can get really punishing. Take a lot of water - everything is expensive in the Studios. If you have a time and aren't too wrecked, spend the evening at Universal complex. There's lots of shops, a huge cinema (no surprise) and lots of cafes, nice restaurants and cool bars. You should be able to get a few dollars discount off the ticket and off some of the food places with the promotional flyers given out along Hollywood Blvd. The Studios are easily reachable by the metro and there's a free shuttle to the gates. But you may have to wait a long time for the shuttle back to the Metro the later you leave.

Universal Studios theme park is based on movies made by Universal (duh).

Some of the attractions are rides, like Back to the Future and Jurassic Park. My personal favorite is Jurassic Park because it’s like being in the movie, and there's a ten-story drop at the end that is such a rush!

Other attractions, like Backdraft, are like walk-through, interactive experiences -- it’s hard to describe.

Outside the park, there is Universal City Walk, which is a strip about 2 blocks long with shops, movie theaters, restaurants and clubs. Hard Rock Cafe is at the end of the City Walk -- and as with all Hard Rocks, it is overpriced, but still fun.

E.T.'s Adventure is getting tired!

This is a very slow ride appropriate for children and for people who don't like thrills. The premise is that E.T.'s planet is dying and they need E.T.'s healing touch to save them. Your mission is to bring E.T. home to his planet on a nine-person bicycle. Posters show happy children bringing E.T. home.

The only problem is that very few children today seem to know who E.T. is.

Because the ride is dark and E.T. is a bit scary looking to children who don't know him, many children are too scared to even sit on a ride vehicle. However, once they complete the ride, they usually love it.

There are no drops, no loops, and the ride travels at a very sedate speed. Most people who love thrill rides are frankly bored by it.

E.T. has more technical difficulties that any attraction in the park and many of these can cause the ride to close for hours. The ride has been known to close for an entire day due to wiring problems caused by a bad light bulb.

In addition, the ride simply looks a bit old.

If there is less than a 15 minute wait, go ahead and ride. It's cool, dark, and a nice break from a hectic day. However, if the wait is much longer, there are other things in the park that are much more exciting and much more up-to-date.