May 14, 2025
Headed to the airport around noon and grabbed lunch at Stinger Rays between gates 20–39. Jen called it lackluster, which felt accurate. Flight departed at 13:49.
We arrived later that night and got to the hotel. Check-in was seamless, but the $600 security hold was a bit of a shock. Dropped our bags and went back out for a late dinner around 22:50. At that point, we were both running on fumes. Straight to bed after.
May 15, 2025
Up early and in the lobby by 7 to meet Brians parents who we were spending the day with. Breakfast at the hotel, then out the door by 7:45. About an hour drive to the TCL Chinese Theatre area where we parked.
Barricades came down around 9, but things didn’t really open until closer to 11, so we wandered a bit before hopping on the Big Bus Tour at 11.
First stop was Beverly Hills Gardens. We got off, realized it was still too early to really do much, wandered a bit, then ended up waiting for the next bus.
Next stop was the La Brea Tar Pits. We did the museum there, then walked across the street to Descanso for lunch. We both got taco sets, which came with free sides since it was lunch, and grabbed drinks. After that, we walked around outside a bit before getting back on the bus.
We eventually looped back to where we started and went into the TCL Chinese Theatre, originally Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, and did the tour. From there we headed to the Medieval Torture Museum, which was exactly what it sounds like.
After that, we walked back to the car and drove about an hour and change to Top Golf, which at least moved us closer back toward the hotel.
May 16, 2025
Up at 7 and out sometime after 8. Uber ride was about an hour. Driver was from Lebanon, moved here in 2000, and had been driving Uber since 2015. He mentioned Uber now takes about 65% of earnings, which used to be closer to 20%.
Got into Universal and started with the usual Starbucks drinks and a sandwich. Then headed straight to Nintendo World. We did Bowser’s Castle, which was interesting, but a lot of the other experiences required a $60 band that we decided not to buy.
Moved over to Transformers, then did The Mummy twice as single riders. It was good, different from Orlando, and shorter. Also did the Jurassic World encounter.
Back up to the Upper Lot for the Backlot Studio Tour, which took about an hour. Lunch was at Three Broomsticks. We both got Shepherd’s Pie and butterbeer.
After that, we did the Ollivanders wand experience show. Jen ended up buying McGonagall’s wand. Then we rode Forbidden Journey in the Harry Potter area.
Worked our way back toward the front of the park and did Kung Fu Panda Adventure, Secret Life of Pets, and then Minions. Minions had a long wait and was only running at half capacity for some reason, which didn’t help.
Around 5, we shifted gears for the evening and got into our Wizarding gear. Grabbed a themed funnel cake at Quark’s Cafe and rolled into FanFest Nights at Universal.
All in, it was a 9:00 am to midnight day. Fifteen hours in the park. Long, but worth it.