Los Angeles Attractions

Believing that filmmaking itself is a bona fide attraction, Universal Studios began offering tours to the public in 1964. The concept worked: Today Universal is more than just one of the largest movie studios in the world -- it's one of the largest amusement parks as well. By integrating shows and rides with behind-the-scenes presentations on moviemaking, Universal created a new genre of theme park, stimulating a number of clone and competitor parks.

The main attraction continues to be the Studio Tour, a 1-hour guided tram ride around the company's 420 acres. En route you pass stars' dressing rooms and production offices before visiting famous back-lot sets that include an eerily familiar Old West town, a clean New York City street, the famous town square from the Back to the Future films, and newer sets such as Curse of the Mummy's Tomb, Jurassic Park III, and The Grinch. Along the way, the tram encounters several staged "disasters," which I won't divulge here lest I ruin the surprise (they're all very tame). Though the wait to board might appear long, don't be discouraged -- each tram carries several hundred people and departures are frequent, so the line moves quickly.

Other attractions are more typical of high-tech theme-park fare, but all have a film-oriented slant. The newest ride, Revenge of the Mummy, is a super-high-tech indoor roller coaster that whips you backwards and forwards through a dark Egyptian tomb filled with creepy Warrior Mummies. Jurassic Park -- The Ride is short in duration but long on dinosaur animatronics; riders in jungle boats float through a world of five-story-tall T-rexes and airborne raptors that culminates in a pitch-dark vertical drop with a splash ending. Terminator 2: 3D is a high-tech cyberwar show that combines live action along with triple-screen 3-D technology, explosions, spraying mists, and laser fire (Arnold prevails, of course). Shrek 4D is one of the park's best attractions, a multisensory animated show that combines 3-D effects, a humorous storyline, and "surprise" special effects -- the flying dragon chase is wild. Back to the Future is a virtual-reality ride within a bucking simulation chamber similar to Star Tours at Disneyland. You're a guest in Doc Brown's lab and get caught up in a high-speed chase in a time-traveling DeLorean through a million years (try to count how many times Biff says "butthead").

There are also several live shows performing daily. At the new Fear Factor Live show -- based upon the NBC hit -- park guests compete against each other in a progression of extreme stunts. Waterworld is an entertaining, fast-paced outdoor theater presentation (and far better than the film that inspired it) featuring stunts and special effects performed on and around a small man-made lagoon (most performances are sold out, so arrive at the theater at least 15 min. before the show time listed in the handout park map). In Backdraft, guests move from theater to theater amid realistic ruptured fuel lines, melting metal, and scorching warehouse scenes. Animal Planet Live! stars trained monkeys, pigs, hawks, and other animals doing various entertaining tricks (well, most of the time). Also be sure to check out the Wardrobe Dept., a new retail store offering an eclectic array of men's and women's clothing from popular television and movie productions such as Will & Grace and Crossing Jordan. Each item is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity, documenting the television or movie production on which the item was originally worn (and they're all surprisingly affordable). And straight ahead of the park's main entrance on Main Street is the Audiences Unlimited ticket booth, where you can obtain free tickets to join the audience for any TV shows that are taping during your visit (subject to availability).

Universal Studios is an exciting place for kids and teens, but just as in any theme park, lines can be brutally long; the wait for a 5-minute ride can sometimes last more than an hour. In summer, the stifling Valley heat can dog you all day. To avoid the crowds, try not to visit on weekends, school vacations, and Japanese holidays. If you're willing to pay extra money to save the hassle of standing in line, the park offers a "Front of Line" pass with -- obviously -- front-of-the-line privileges, as well as VIP passes (essentially private tours). You can also save time standing in line by purchasing and printing your tickets online. Log on to the website for more information.

Located just outside the gate of Universal Studios Hollywood is Universal CityWalk (tel. 818/622-4455; www.citywalkhollywood.com), Universal Studio's version of Downtown Disney, complete with throngs of bored-looking teens. If you have any money left from the amusement park, you can spend it at this 3-block-long pedestrian promenade crammed thick with flashy name-brand stores (Billabong, Fossil, Skechers, Vans), nightclubs (Blues at B. B. King's, Howl at the Moon dueling piano bar, Rumba Room Latin dance club), restaurants (Hard Rock Cafe, Daily Grill, Jerry's Famous Deli), a six-story 3-D IMAX theater, an 18-screen cinema, a 6,200-seat amphitheater, NASCAR virtual racing, and even a bowling alley (Take that, Disney!). Be sure to stop into the Zen Zone (tel. 818/487-7889) where you can get an inexpensive 20-minute "aqua massage." You lay down fully clothed in what looks like a tanning bed, and strong rotating jets of water massage your backside from neck-to-toe (a blue rubber sheet keeps you dry). Entrance to CityWalk is free; it's open until 9pm on weekdays and until midnight Friday and Saturday. Tip: The sushi at the Wasabi at CityWalk restaurant (tel. 818/622-7224) was surprisingly good and very reasonably priced.

- Frommer's