There is a kid in everyone – and at Universal Studios Hollywood, it doesn’t take long to bring the inner child out.

Lights! Camera! Action!

Universal Studios Hollywood is an LA icon. Since it first opened as a studio (complete with tours for just 25 cents) in 1915, and then as a theme park in 1964, USH has grown to become a legend as large as the films it showcases.

With millions every year still flocking to Universal, we decide to jump the queue – one of the benefits of the park’s VIP Experience tickets – to sample some of the park’s finest offerings.

Transformers The Ride-3D: ‘Autobots, roll out!’

Opened in May 2012 in the park's Lower Lot, the Transformers ride utilizes the latest in ‘virtual ride’ technology, fusing 3D-HD media and flight simulation machinery with original action sequences and a new storyline.

Following a pep talk as new ‘Autobot’ recruits, 14 oversized front projection, rear projection, flat and compound curved screens assault the senses as visitors experience an adventure worthy of the park’s ‘most ambitious ride ever’ moniker. As we are told, the fate of the world depends on us, so this is a ride definitely not to be missed.

Revenge of the Mummy-The Ride: ‘He took my eyes!‘ 

As mind-blowingly good as the Transformers ride is though, I find myself walking (not unlike an Egyptian) over to the neighboring Mummy ride for a dose of ‘real action’.

Like the ‘Mummy’ films, which grossed nearly $1 billion worldwide, the Mummy ride is a romp of an adventure. More than just an indoor rollercoaster, the Mummy is an all-encompassing experience fusing very (very) high-speed action with CGI and other special effects storytelling techniques.

Dark, fast and a whole lot of fun, the Mummy ride is not for the fainthearted. Oh, and look out for the bugs. I hate bugs… 

Jurassic Park: ‘You think they'll have that on the tour?’ 

You may not be chased by an actual T-Rex though its winding river, but Jurassic Park-The Ride is still an awesome experience. Before the hair-raising (and sometimes drenching) 84-foot plunge at its climax, journeyers are brought face-to-face with a 50-foot T-Rex, Velociraptors and even Brontosauruses as they wend their way through tranquil rainforests.

Despite its relatively old-age (opened in 1996), the Jurassic Park ride remains one of the park’s most popular attractions.
The Simpsons Ride: ‘Take me, take me, take me, take me now!’

A must for Simpsons fans, the Simpsons ride brings to life – in extreme fast-forward – the action of the world’s most popular animated series through state-of-the-art digital projectors which cover a massive 80-foot diameter dome. And like the Transformers ride, you won’t even feel yourself not moving.

The experience may prove dizzying for some, but as a motion-simulated 3D romp it is tough too beat. Springfield, Oregon? Forget it. The real Springfield is in California.    

Waterworld: ‘I've had a vision so great, as it came to me I wept.’

Okay, so the movie may have had its shortcomings, but Waterworld at Universal Studios is hard to fault. With an original storyline, a rocking soundtrack, death-defying stunts and huge explosions, Waterworld will have you on the edge of your seats for 20 minutes of heart-stopping action – and interaction.

Word of warning: those looking to get up close to the excitement will get wet. But hey, it isn’t called Waterworld for nothing.  

The Studio Tour. And beyond.

The signature experience of USH, the Studio Tour allows visitors to explore Hollywood’s most famous back lot in the world’s largest working movie studio.

For most, this remains the biggest draw card of the park as guests leave behind the rides and candy floss to learn about the serious business of moviemaking.

Highlights of the Studio Tour include: a simulated (but very real) San Francisco earthquake, the site of the War of the Worlds plane crash, Wisteria Lane from Desperate Housewives, special effects scenes from Fast and the Furious: Extreme Close-Up, the Bates Motel and home from Psycho, and of course, the famous Jaws attack (hokey, but still fun). And be prepared to take a lot of photos.

Added to the Studio Tour in 2010, the award-winning King Kong 360 3-D ride has quickly become one of the standout attractions on the back lot tour. The world’s largest 3-D experience features two curved screens, each measuring a massive 187 feet wide by 40 feet high – the equivalent of 16 movie theatre screens. Now that’s intense.

For the avid film buff (or even occasional cinemagoer), the VIP Experience ticket allows you to go where the general public can’t. With a personal guide, VIP guests are walked through working sets and soundstages (today the current television series Parenthood) as well as told inside stories about the production of famous movies and shows. This is as close to being in front of the camera as you can get, so smile.

The VIP ticket also includes a tour of the Archive and Collections Department (housing nearly a century’s worth of props), Front of Line access to all rides and attractions, special reserved seating at shows and VIP lounge and dining room access.

Bonus features and (un) deleted scenes

From the unpredictable House of Horrors to the Adventures of Curious George playground; the educational Special Effects Stage to Universal’s Animal Actors – Universal Studios Hollywood truly does offer everything for everyone.

And with visitors from across the globe still flocking through its famous red carpet entrance, ‘The Entertainment Capital of LA’ looks set to be a box-office hit for some time to come.

Don’t roll the credits.