Can you see all the shows and ride all the rides in only one day? I know you may want to skip less fun things, but it's our first and most likely only day here so we want to try it all if it fits in one day.

It depends on a couple of things. One thing would be how many people are in your party? I think it is possible, but you have to time everything. I know that we didn't get to do everything, but we were on the Disneyland/Universal Studios thing. We didn't get there when it first opened. Be sure when you first get there, to go to the bottom level first. You can ride a lot of the rides there, see the shows and get done with all that first - before it gets really busy. (Believe me it was really great when we got to go on the Jurassic ride and had the boat all to ourself. It was myself and three kids.)

Another thing you need to do is get the schedule, look at what shows are showing and when, plan around that. If you have seen the Shrek 3-D on video, then you might want to skip the Shrek 4-D show. It is the same show BUT the seats move and you feel the air and things like that. It was fun, but we could have done something that we missed - like Back to the Future ride.

Whatever you do, enjoy yourself!

I agree that if you get there when it opens you can do it all in one day. 4 of us went last Memorial Day and it was pretty crowded by Universal standards. We easily did everything (except the Waterworld Show), including Mummy twice, and were leaving by 4.

I should have given more info :) It's just me, 23, and my mom, old :).

I am not getting there right away since we are staying the night before at our anaheim hotel, and staying out in Disneyland until midnight, so we figured we would need to be up too early to beat the traffic and should go after it. I figured we would leave the hotel room around 8:30. it would be 9 by the time we load the car, check out and get going on the freeway, would we be past the traffic by then, and we can use carpool lanes in the busy areas.

We have never seen anything on tape before, and I would like to see it there. When I said it is our only day there, I meant we probably won't go back, not just on this trip. I am already half and half on going only because I keep thinking I could be in Disneyland that day:) We also will stay until closing which is 8pm, but it is the friday of spring break.

I go to Universal a lot and it is very possible to do everything in one day and even hang out in city walk afterwards. Things you should do get there when the park opens and do the tram first. thats the longest line usualy and if you get there early you wont usualy have to worry about a super long weight.... Hope I could help:)

Wanring: When we last went there, Back to the Future was not at full capacity first thing in the morning --- making it a VERY LONG line.
Shrek gets a long line -- but can take a lot of people at once.
The trams also are constantly loading, so even a long line will move fairly fast.
Terminator 2-3D also can take a large amount of people.
The bottom area isn't open first thing in the morning, but if you get there later, I guess you can go right down (it takes several minutes to go down the four escalators).
It is right off the 101, but traffic north from the 5 to the 101 can be tricky, though....

You can definitely do it in a day...

Some hints...

1. Show times listed for the shows means the show closes at that time. Make sure to arrive 15 mintues before (usually when the theaters open.) You can bring food and drink in some of them, so you can "multitask!"

2. There is an information board just past the main entry area that lets you know wait times without having to go to the attraction. Check this when you first get there to help you plan.

3. The lower level (Jurassic Park, Mummy Ride, Backdraft - is it open?, Special Effects stage) can take about 15 - 20 minutes to "get" to using the elevators. Plan on hitting everything in this area at one time.

4. Depending on what you are in to (movie magic or rides) there are things you can skip. When I go, I skip Backdraft & the Special Effects stage. But that is because I have seen them already, and I am not all that into movie magic stuff. BUT if you are into that stuff, they are cool shows. If you aren't all that into thrill rides (Back to the Future, Jurassic Park, Mummy) you could skip those (I skip BTTF because it is too jerky for my tastes...it is simulator similar to Star Tours).

We plan to do a day here in July. I have been, but not for like , 10 years. About the new rides, I am guessing that Van Helsing and the Mummy will be too scary for my kids, but what about Jurassic Park ? The kids will be 5,8 and 13.

Are there any little secrets etc. - you know - must do's like at DL ?

passthepixiedust - Mummy really isn't very scary, and Im a big giant chicken (I was terrified of the ET ride, even after I turned 21.. Im 23 now, and when I went 2 weeks ago, was worrying about ET, but they kicked out ET for the mummy) ... but it still might be too much for the 5 and 8 year olds. Jurassic Park isn't too bad either, its really pretty, but I also havent been on it in a long time becsue I don't like getting wet.
I always love the western stunt show.. and the animal show is good if your kids like animals.
agreed that the tram is best ridden early, for me personally its always the first thing I do.
The only thing with Back to the Future is younger kids don't relally get it. I mean the actual fun part of the ride is great, but the whole car time travel thing.. not so much. I tihnk thats part of why ET got the boot, it wasn't a "new" movie. but if your kids have ever seen Back to the Future, they will enjoy it more, since a lot of the line is movie-themed.
Agreed also to get everything on the lower level done at once. Backdraft is still there, For some reason I always have to see it (it warms you up if its cold out!).
And if you are local (or semi local) they are doing the buy a days admission, get an anual pass with it, you just have to go to the AP center to have your photo taken and get your AP that day. So if you do that, dont forget! And if you buy tickets online when I went last there was a $10 off deal, so you could do that also.
Have a fun trip!