Universal Studios Hollywood

Despite coming to SoCal more times than I can count, I've never gone to Universal Studios. It just wasn't something that we had ever put on our schedule. I had Monday off because I'm working through the weekend and was invited by Kevin to go with him to the park for the day. It was supposed to be cold and rainy but it certainly didn't deter us! We just put on a couple layers and headed to the park.

Thanks Kevin for being such a peach!

Perk of rainy and cold: no lines. We walked right up to the cars for every ride that morning and had a fairly short wait for the Studio tour. I was surprised with how compact the "theme park" side of Universal is. They have certainly mastered the art of getting a lot into a little. The rides were more interactive screens than meandering through a set. We started with Transformers, followed by Jurassic Park, and ended with The Mummy. I don't know what it is at that park, but I got spit on by dinosaurs, mummies, and robots, sneezed on by Donkey, drooled on by Maggie, and rained on in Mexico.

Talk about a view!

For Lunch we hit up an LA classic, Pink's! Seriously, I might argue that they have the best fries I've ever had. EVER. Again, rainy day perk and being at the park was there was no line for Pink's either, which usually has a pretty lengthy wait off park grounds.

The burger was meh, but those fries...mm mm!

Seeing as how it's the time for all things spook and gore, the park was decked out for their Halloween Horror Nights! The french quarter had all things morbid, the english alley way had lots of chucky dolls and part of the studio tour drops off (at night) to the Walking Dead maze, challenge, something or other.

The studio tour was interesting and of course full of pop culture trivia facts and some really pretty scenery, smack dab in the middle of the hollywood hills. The views from the park are amazing. And the best part? They broke ground on the addition of Harry Potter for the Hollywood park!!! Too bad its still a few years out.

For the characters, we kept bumping into the same ones over and over, small park, slow day, same characters. Minions from Despicable Me, Spongebob (walked off with a stroller), Shrek, Curious George, Scooby and Shaggy with the Mystery Machine, Marilyn Monroe, Betty Boop, Beetlejuice, The Simpson's family, Feivel(!), and Frankenstein.

Bonus points if you find Shrek! 

I snagged Feivel before he headed off to the casino and George is a little more curious than they would like you to believe.  

Scooby minus the Mystery Machine and Shaggy.

It was a fun day and a new adventure with a good friend! Talk about a great Monday!