Universal Studios: A Bad Day Trip

Number of days: 1 day
Time: October
Average cost: 3000 yuan
With whom：parents and children

On October 1, 2022, I went to Universal Studios. I chose this day because the tickets were cheaper than on the following days. Generally, the more expensive the ticket, the more crowded it is. Universal Studios opened at 8:00, and I didn't want to join the crowds. I left home at 9:30, drove for over an hour, and arrived at 11:00. If it weren't for the traffic on the Sixth Ring Road, I would have been there in an hour. I paid 100 yuan for parking at the parking lot. There was also a 200 yuan parking garage. I chose the former because I wanted to save money. After getting off the bus, I grabbed my campervan and folding chairs, went through security, and headed onto City Boulevard. Because my wife's birthday was that month, she got a birthday star badge at the front desk. My child insisted on wearing it, so I gave it to her. We didn't rush into the park, but instead ate at a pizza place at the entrance. The waiter saw the child's badge and offered her a tiramisu cake. After a satisfying meal, we took a photo with the giant ball at the entrance. Upon entering, I went to the Minions base to buy some popcorn. They say the popcorn carts sold for hundreds of dollars when the park first opened, so I kept it mainly as a souvenir. My wife and kids played with the Minions while I set up a chair and people-watched. We then headed to the Harry Potter area. They waited in line while I watched the show outside and drank Butterbeer, a sweetened soft drink without any beer flavor. I chose the one with a smoothie, but it wasn't as good as Dayao or Arctic Ocean.

Next, we went to Waterworld. We were just able to get in, so we chose the middle area instead of the wet area. There was a warm-up before the show, with audiences from different areas competing with each other for cheers and splashing water. The front row was soaked. The show was fantastic and well worth seeing. It was drizzling outside, so we headed to the Kung Fu Panda area, a favorite of the kids. After dinner at Po's Noodle Shop, while they played inside, I arrived 40 minutes early with my stroller to secure a spot for the parade. It wasn't crowded then. While Universal's parade isn't as good as Disney's, it's still pretty good. The familiar theme song played, and everyone was having a blast. Afterwards, they went to the Transformers and Jurassic areas while I wandered around, buying a large chicken drumstick and eating it while watching Megatron and the beautiful women. Half an hour before closing time, I rode the Decepticon roller coaster and Allspark. There were practically no lines. When I lined up for Decepticon, there were only 10 minutes left until closing time. I experienced a thrill, holding onto my glasses tightly with both hands. The Allspark looked straightforward, but the line was actually quite long and winding.

Finally, the park closed, and I put my child in the car and pushed her out. She quickly fell asleep, and we drove home. To summarize this trip: First, I like to avoid peak hours. October 1st is the least crowded of the seven-day holiday (for two consecutive years), so I didn't rush the opening time. Second, I enjoyed myself while I could, and if I couldn't make it, I rested and watched the street performances. Third, I ate and drank when I should; the most important thing was to have a good time. Fourth, there were no lines for many attractions in the last hour, so if you want to try them, you can try them.