One of the most beloved theme park companies in the world, and certainly the kindest-environmentally friendly-to-its-neighbors, is Universal Studios. It is among the most famous in the world, attracting an impressively insane number of visitors each year—28 million in 2018 alone, a figure that doesn’t even encompass all the global Universal outposts. The question is, how much does it really cost to visit this megastructure of movie magic in our own lives? The Daily Beast took a look at the numbers to come up with an answer.
Ticket Prices
The first and most important cost when budgeting for a trip to Universal Studios is the price of admission. Several factors affect how much you’ll pay, including the time of year, the kind of ticket you choose, and whether you buy ahead of time or at the gate.
Standard Admission Tickets
As of 2025, a one-day ticket to Universal Studios usually goes for $109 to $159 per person, depending on the season. Peak times like summer and the holidays feature elevated pricing. If you’re asking yourself, “What’s the price tag on going to Universal Studios for more than one day?” consider this: a two-day ticket usually runs about $200 to $300, while a three-day ticket ranges from $300 to $400. And remember, these prices are pre-tax.
Express Passes
If you would rather not wait in the long lines, you can purchase an Express Pass that allows you to bypass the normal queues for most of the rides. An Express Pass ranges in price from about $70 to $200, with the actual price depending on the day and how many people are in the park. This is, of course, an added expense to your trip, but it really helps you make the most of your time in the park.
Special Packages
Promotions and packages offered by Universal Studios can help you save money. For instance, you might find that they offer deals that encompass not just park tickets but also hotel accommodations and even dining options. These packages can often yield some substantial savings, and all the more reason to check their website or with authorized travel agents for the latest and greatest.
Accommodations
Your overall budget can be affected by where you decide to stay during your visit. Several on-site hotels that provide easy access to Universal Studios are available, but they can be expensive. Rate ranges for these hotels typically fall between $150 and $600 per night, depending on the hotel’s star rating and the time of year.
Off-Site Hotels
If you want to cut costs on lodging, think about staying in an off-site hotel. A number of competitive hotels in the surrounding area offer good rates and, in some cases, shuttle service to the park. Ranging from $80 to $200 nightly, off-site hotels are a much better option for families or large groups.
Food and Beverages
Calculating the cost of a trip to Universal Studios requires giving consideration to another vital aspect: the park’s food and drink. Within Universal, there are places to eat that span the gamut from quick service to full table service. If you opt for quick service and eat like a normal human being (i.e., you don’t skimp), you can expect to spend in the neighborhood of $15 to $25 per meal. For those of you who can somehow survive on less, just know that these are not starving artist prices; they are quite reasonable, when you consider inflation.
Dining Plans
Universal Studios also provides dining plans that can help you save money on meals. These plans generally encompass a predetermined number of meals and snacks, which makes it easier to budget. A dining plan can run $50 to $70 per person per day.
Transportation Costs
Another factor to consider in your overall budget is getting to Universal Studios. If you’re coming in by plane, you’ll have to budget for more than just the tickets to the park. Figure in the cost of transporting yourself from the airport to your hotel, which typically means using either a rental car, taxi, or rideshare service. Those all cost a different amount depending on how far you are from the studio and really ramp up the expense if you’re in a time crunch.
Parking Fees
Should your plans include driving to Universal Studios, you had better be ready to shell out some cash for parking. As of 2025, the going rate for standard parking at the park is around $30, and if you want a better spot, you can pay a little extra for preferred parking, which starts at about $50.
Souvenirs and Extras
A visit to Universal Studios isn’t finished until you’ve picked up a few mementos to mark the occasion. That’s my rule, at least. The thing is, Universal sells a whole bunch of stuff. Some of it is relatively affordable, but other items land squarely in the realm of “if you must” purchases. I reckon budgeting around $20 to $100 for souvenirs is a smart strategy, depending mostly on what you deem worthy of commemorating.
Additional Experiences
Universal Studios provides a range of exclusive events where you can meet characters in person, enjoy private tours of the theme park, or have the kind of VIP experience that the prices at Si VIP line suggest.
The main thing with these add-ons is to keep them in mind when calculating how much it costs to go to Universal Studios. They can push your spends higher than the typical visited price if you’re not factoring them in.
To sum up, the inquiry of “what’s the price tag for a trip to Universal Studios?” can shift dramatically depending on your selections and inclinations. For just a one-day visit, that could be a range of $200 to $500 per person we’re spending on not just the admission but also grub and getting to and from the place (if you don’t have a car or don’t plan on using it). If we’re budgeting more for each of those individual categories, then we’re easily exceeding $1,000 for the four of us to go for a convoy trip to the place (not counting any souvenirs we might buy).
You can have an unforgettable experience at Universal Studios without spending a lot of money. If you’re a roller-coaster-riding, laugh-in-the-dark kind of person, or if you have a passion for all things cinematic, know that you can go to this place of magic without going broke. Live your best U.S. (that’s Universal Studios) life!