Handicap Access at Universal Studios - Hollywood

[Boo's Mommy]

Hi Everyone,
Anyone that regularly uses an EVC at DLR been to Universal Studios Hollywood recently?
I haven't been in about 20 years, so I'm sure the park has changed quite a bit. But also, I am not familiar with it at all from the EVC aspect.
I tried calling, but I kept getting transferred between the Park and Citiwalk.
I saw on the park map that they have this super long elevator that takes you from the top to the lower level. Is there an elevator or how does that work for handicap access?
Do we need to get a special card at customer service first even though we have the evc? I recall learning this the hard way when we went to Hershey World a few years ago.... and we had to go all the way back outside the park entrance for a book.
Are their lines all accessible?
Their website doesn't offer very much information.
thank you!

[MsPeggySue911]

I have used an ECV at IOA and Universal twice and their ride queues didn't seem very ECV friendly to me. I had to park it outside most of the rides and walk myself into the ride queue. I remember the MIB ride at US has an ECV friendly queue but Simpsons, not so much. You can take your ECV directly into all of the shows.

[Drince88]

MsPeggySue - you're talking Florida, correct? The OP is asking about Hollywood.

[Boo's Mommy]

Yes, thank you for clarifying Drince!

I am interested in info for the one in Hollywood. I find it odd that there isn't very good information out there!

[currence]

I read on a different blog a trip report highlighting the new transformers ride and the blogger seemed to indicate that there are elevators to go up/down the hill. I can't remember where I saw that though, possibly Miceage?

[AVP]

I am interested in info for the one in Hollywood. I find it odd that there isn't very good information out there!

My husband used to write a guide for USH, but it's been so many years that I'm sure everything has changed. However, what I remember is that they didn't have elevators to get from the upper level to the lower lot, they had a shuttle van you had to take. If I remember correctly, you boarded it behind what is now the Simpsons ride, and they drove you down to the lower lot.

Wow. That reminds me how long it's been since we went there....

[candles71]

Not an ECV but my mil has used her wheelchair. For the escalator down the big hill there is an elevator to the right (looking at escalators) that takes you down a level where there is a shuttle that drives you down the hill (limited room, so they recommend if you have a large party and the rest can go down the escalator it is helpful) and deposits you under the bottom part of the escaltors by the Mummy ride. There is a wheel chair entrance for the Jurassic park ride, I am certain the Mummy does as well but I am not picturing it. I know both Shrek and Terminator have seats that don't move.
The tram tour has an elevator right where the escalator is. You then continue down and they have a ramp to board the tram ahead of the rest of the line. (Very like the one for the Mickey and friends tram)
Water World has spots for them. Simpson's puts them on that floor if I remember correctly (been 3 years since we took her), I have no clue about Transformers, haven't been there for it yet.
I know we really had no issues with her wheelchair use.
Hope that helps.

[Boo's Mommy]

Thank you all! This is helpful!

[RMartin]

One thing to add. The last time we went to Universal Hollywood they did not have ECV so make sure you have your own. Also the wheelchairs that they have are very small.

[candles71]

Here Is the copy of their PDF for ADA accesibility. It is sort of long but seems to get realy detailed.

[Boo's Mommy]

Candles... i am only getting a link to the menu page not a pdf.

[Drince88]

Candles... i am only getting a link to the menu page not a pdf.

You might want to try again. It worked fine for me.
Ah, just noticed you posted using an app -- that might be the reason. Try from a computer.

[candles71]

I never know who is on their phone and who is on a computer.

[Drince88]

I never know who is on their phone and who is on a computer.

If it's an app, it puts it in the bar at the bottom of a post. I've seen Android Apps and iPhone Apps.

[Boo's Mommy]

Ahhh yes, Drince is ubersmart. And thank you Candles. It did come up....once i got onto a real computer.

We're going to do a trial run at the park a day before our trip with a big group.... so we will know what to expect and not hold everone up!

[Drince88]

Ahhh yes, Drince is ubersmart.

Nah, just luckily observant this time.

[candles71]

Water World closes the gates just before the scheduled start time and doesn't allow anyone in after, so you want to line up about 20 minutes early. It is well worth it. There are definate splash zones, we like the view from the right side towards the center the best, I believe the far right and far left Handicap parking areas don't get wet, but you may want to bring a poncho or something to cover the ECV with. It is a great show.

[Boo's Mommy]

No splash zone for us (the kids maybe)! Great to know!

Any food recommendations?

Dh checked and it's supposed to be in the 90's thurs/fri!

[candles71]

Um, pretty standard park fare. I did like the pasta place on the left hand side before you go down the escalators. We usually end up eating in the Jurassic Cafe. They have both Panda Express items (dh and G love orange chicken) and personal Pizza hut pizzas and their breadsticks, along with chicken sandwiches and burgers (I like the blue cheese burger, it is your pretty basic theme park burger but they do have a condiment bar like in Taste Pilots.) If you have more than one small kiddo and they both want chicken strips one adult meal is cheaper than 2 of the kids meals.
Oh, and if you buy the sports bottle for (8 bucks iirc) refills are only .99. They are just fine with us taking them back on subsequent trips. We don't mind sharing drinks though.
If you end up buying an AP, you get 10 percent off of food and drinks (even the refill price), or Jurassic Cafe takes my AAA card for 10 percent off as well.

[Boo's Mommy]

Thank you Candles for your tips! Everything was accessible. The only area that was a bit difficult as the queue was tight on the turns was Jurassic Park and the shuttle from the top to the lower lot took FOREVER...ok, not really, but it was a good 30 minute wait and that was without anyone else in line! We saw everything once and split up the shows in 2 days (we were tired and head was hurting and it got too crowded for our likes by 3-4ish). By far, the tram tour was my favorite - dh and kids think I'm being "old". The second day's tram tour - we got to see Jerry O'Connel walking in the backlot and also saw people filming for Mockingbird Lane! Fun time, different experience from Disneyland for sure, but still fun. We stayed at the Sheraton and didn't realize till day 2 that walking was easier and faster than their shuttle - it was sooo close to the entrance! The only down side is there are not handicap ramps for the evc on the street, so dh had to ride in the street.

[candles71]

I like the tram tour as well. The shuttle to the lower lot does seem to take forever. I am glad you guys had a good time. It isn't Disneyland but we enjoy it. Our first trip down we used the Citypass, which is 1 day at Universal and 3 days at DL (plus the San Diego stuff). We missed a bunch of stuff trying to do Universal in one day. In fact at the end of the day my Mil went one way because she wanted to see one thing, and the rest of us went another. Whistler and I went the following Spring, just the two of us and had a ball. We kept getting asked to do surveys, we even got paid to watch a pilot episode and give our opinions (when the show debuted in the fall, they had changed things.)
We have found one day isn't quite enough (They close at 5 or 6 when we go usually), our last trip we took mil, we scheduled Univeral for both Saturdays since Whistler and I were blocked out at DL. The second Saturday was the last day of our trip, we stayed until about 2 and did the stuff we wanted to that we had missed, and then drove home.

[Boo's Mommy]

We bought tix at costco for $69. And it is an annual pass. There are actually very few blockout days considering! It will get me through until we save up enough for Disneyland again.

[currence]

We bought tix at costco for $69. And it is an annual pass. There are actually very few blockout days considering! It will get me through until we save up enough for Disneyland again.

This is the main reason why I'm afraid to go to other theme parks. It's so cheap to just get annual passes but I don't need them. Maybe if I ever get my whole family synced at Disneyland we can take a few months off and explore other local parks.

[candles71]

We buy the annual passes frequently. Sometimes they are just the buy a day get a second day free.