Universal Studios Hollywood and the hillside studio-park experience
Published on 09/16/2026 at 15:30 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Universal Studios Hollywood in Los Angeles occupies a hillside above the city, combining a working film studio with a theme park divided into two levels linked by long escalators. Opened to visitors as a studio tour in 1964, it grew out of Universal City Studios, a motion picture facility first inaugurated in 1915 under the direction of producer Carl Laemmle.
A studio turned theme park on the Hollywood Hills
Universal Studios Hollywood sits in Universal City, a district in the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles, where film production and visitor attractions share the same slope. The studio complex traces its roots to Universal City Studios, which received a formal opening in March 1915 under Carl Laemmle, who had established Universal Pictures a few years earlier.Universal City Studios opened in 1915 The film studio side continues to host soundstages and backlot streets, while the theme park occupies terraces carved into the hillside around them.
The visitor side began as a tram ride through the backlot, inaugurated as the Universal Studios Tour on 15 July 1964, using roads that already threaded between standing sets and production areas.the tram tour opened in 1964 Over subsequent years, additional rides and themed streets accumulated alongside the tour, and Universal Studios Hollywood developed into a full-scale theme park wrapped around an active film studio.
Upper Lot, Lower Lot and the working backlot
One of the defining physical features of Universal Studios Hollywood is its split-level layout, with an Upper Lot at the top of the slope and a Lower Lot further down, connected by a chain of escalators known collectively as the Starway.Upper and Lower Lots joined by the Starway Visitors enter on the Upper Lot, where streets of shops, show venues and ride entrances frame views over the valley and give glimpses towards soundstages and working studio buildings.
The Lower Lot lies significantly below, reached by riding the escalators down the hillside, and concentrates several of the park’s major attractions in a compact cluster. From these terraces the proximity of large show buildings, steel ride structures and nearby soundstages underlines how closely the entertainment offerings share space with the production facilities.the park sits on a two-level hillside The Starway itself functions as a dramatic viewpoint, with successive landings opening out over freeways, suburban neighbourhoods and the wider Los Angeles basin.
The Studio Tour and lands shaped by film and television
At the heart of Universal Studios Hollywood, the Studio Tour remains a central attraction, sending trams from the Upper Lot onto roads that loop through the working backlot. The route passes standing sets, outdoor streets and staged effects sequences such as a staged flash flood, an earthquake simulation and large-scale props including aircraft wreckage and creature encounters.the tour visits sets and effects The mix of production spaces and special-effects show scenes highlights how the studio infrastructure has been adapted to accommodate visitors alongside filming.
Elsewhere in the park, self-contained themed areas draw on prominent film and television properties. The Upper Lot includes Hogsmeade from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Springfield inspired by The Simpsons and other lands connected to animated franchises.lands based on Harry Potter and The Simpsons The Lower Lot houses areas such as Super Nintendo World and high-intensity rides derived from blockbuster series, set among industrial-style facades and show buildings that echo the working character of the broader studio complex.
Visiting Universal Studios Hollywood: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Universal Studios Hollywood lies in Universal City on the northern side of Los Angeles, reached by road from central districts and by Metro Rail via the Universal City/Studio City station on the B Line.
- The park occupies a hillside, with movement between the Upper Lot and Lower Lot relying on long outdoor escalators; walking between levels involves substantial gradients and extended flights of steps.
- Universal CityWalk, an adjoining entertainment district at the base of the park, offers additional restaurants, cinemas and shops within walking distance of the theme park entrance.
- The official language is English and the currency is the United States dollar.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Universal Studios Hollywood
Where is Universal Studios Hollywood located?
Universal Studios Hollywood is located in Universal City on the northern side of Los Angeles, in the Hollywood Hills area above the city.
What should a visitor expect during a day at Universal Studios Hollywood?
A visit combines rides and themed streets on two hillside levels with the Studio Tour, which uses trams to reach the working backlot and staged effects sequences.
What makes Universal Studios Hollywood distinctive among theme parks?
Its defining features include the split-level Upper and Lower Lots on a steep hillside and the close integration of a major film studio with visitor attractions and the long-running Studio Tour.
