Are you planning a visit to Southern California and wondering which is better Universal Studios Hollywood vs. Disneyland for families? We are sharing what each theme park has to offer and advice for which park is best for your vacation.
If you are planning a Southern California trip and trying to decide between Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood- you are asking the right question. We have visited both parks multiple times as a family and most recently on our April 2026 Southern California trip. Here is our honest comparison.
The short answer: they are genuinely different experiences and if you have the time and budget, both are worth doing. But if you have to choose one, we can help you figure out which park is the better fit for your family.
Already decided on Disneyland? Read our Disneyland Guide for Disney World Families for everything you need to know before you visit. Heading to Universal? Our Universal Studios Hollywood Guide covers Super Nintendo World, the Studio Tour, and our exact day-by-day itinerary.
- Universal Studios Hollywood vs. Disneyland for Families- My Experience
- Difference between Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood
- Cost Comparison of Universal Studios Hollywood vs. Disneyland
- Where to Stay Disneyland or Universal Studios Hollywood
- How to Get from Disneyland to Universal Studios Hollywood
- Rides at Disneyland vs. Universal Studios Hollywood
- Which is Better Universal Studios Hollywood or Disneyland
This post may contain affiliate links.
Universal Studios Hollywood vs. Disneyland for Families- My Experience
We have been lucky enough to visit Disneyland three times and Universal Studios Hollywood twice over the last ten years. We have visited with school aged kids and teenagers, and have found that both parks offer a great experience for families.
I would consider us a theme park family, my kids have been visiting Disney and Universal parks since they were all under five and have been experiencing the attractions as soon as they reached the height requirements.
Disneyland is magical and the characters bring the parks to life, but at Universal they have a fun vibe that makes your theme park day just as special. Both parks offer attractions and experiences for all ages.
If it is your first theme park experience Disneyland park is probably the best choice. The castle park is a classic for a reason and families will love it. If you are looking for more Universal Studios Hollywood can be a great place for the Studio Tour and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
I really enjoyed Universal Studios Hollywood even though it is the less visited park of the two. It has great shows and rides that you can only experience there. It is also a great addition to a Los Angeles itinerary if you don’t feel like driving down to Anaheim but still want a theme park day.
Difference between Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood
Disneyland and Universal Studios are both theme parks in Southern California. They have familiar and beloved characters in their parks and they both have world-class entertainment and attractions.
Disneyland Resort has two theme parks: Disneyland and California Adventure. These parks include popular attractions based on Disney characters. There is also a dining and shopping area, Downtown Disney, as well as on-site Disney hotels.
Disneyland park has Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge, classic dark rides, and Disney princesses. It is similar to Disney World’s Magic Kingdom park. Disney California Adventure park has Pixar Pier, Avenger’s Campus, and Cars Land.
Universal Studios Hollywood has one park and a dining and shopping area, CityWalk. There are not official on-site Universal hotels like the Universal Orlando resort.
Universal Studios Hollywood has The Wizarding World of Harry Potter-Hogsmeade. Super Nintendo World, Jurassic World ride, and the Mummy. It also has Despicable Me Land as well as the Studio Tour that tours an real-working studio.
Cost Comparison of Universal Studios Hollywood vs. Disneyland
Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood ticket prices are pretty comparable at over $100.00 a day. They also offer extra add-ons in addition to your tickets.
Universal Studios Hollywood Tickets
Universal Studios Hollywood tickets start at $109.00 and include admission to the park. This includes the Studio Tour. Guests can purchase add-ons like early entry to Super Nintendo World, Express Pass, or VIP Experiences.
Disneyland Tickets
Disneyland tickets start at $137.00 a day and this depends on the day of your visit. If you would like to skip the stand-by line you will want to add on Lightning Lane to your ticket price. This starts around $30.00 a day per person.
Guests can also purchase a VIP tour at Disneyland. We experienced one at Disney World and you can read about it in this article: Is the Disney Private VIP Tours Experience at Disney World Worth It
Where to Stay Disneyland or Universal Studios Hollywood
Disneyland offers 3 on-site resorts as well as numerous off-site hotels within walking distance. We stayed at the Courtyard Marriott Anaheim Theme Park entrance and it was a fantastic location that was great for families. Look for hotels near Disneyland.
There is no official on-site hotel at Universal Studios Hollywood. On our most recent trip we stayed at the SpringHill Suites Burbank and the location was excellent. The closest hotels are Sheraton and the Hilton but they are not really an easy walk to the parks, especially if you have strollers and young children.
We have stayed at Loews Hollywood Hotel and SpringHill Suites Burbank on different trips, and I would recommend either. They were a short drive from the park. Look for hotels near Universal Studios Hollywood.
How to Get from Disneyland to Universal Studios Hollywood
Universal Studios Hollywood is located in the city of Los Angeles and Disneyland is 35 miles south in Anaheim. The best way to get to and from the parks is to have a car.
Can you do Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood in one day? I would not suggest it. With the everyday traffic and the cost to visit the parks it would not be beneficial. If you are an annual pass holder at both parks this may work for you, but if you are visiting on vacation, set aside a day or more to visit each of the parks.
How many days do you need to visit Universal Studios Hollywood and Disneyland? Universal Studios Hollywood can be done in one day. Disneyland has two parks and I suggest planning at least a day at each. If you want to take your time and explore a more in-depth visit of the parks you could visit 2 days at USH and 4 days at DL.
This is for big theme park fans not the casual visitor. 3 days total should be enough to spend one day at each park.
There are more rides at Disneyland and California Adventure than Universal Studios Hollywood. It will take more time at the Disney parks to get all the attractions done. Universal Studios Hollywood is easier to get everything done in one day.
We did 1 day at Universal Studios Hollywood and 4 days at Disneyland (2 at each park). This was enough time for us to get everything we wanted done. We also had time to ride our favorite attractions multiple times.
Are the parks busy? Both parks can experience high crowds. Disneyland tends to get more visitors but Universal Studios Hollywood will get busy too. If you are visiting during spring breaks and other school holidays the parks will be busy.
Rides at Disneyland vs. Universal Studios Hollywood
Both Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood have attractions that are worth a trip to the parks. From roller coasters to simulators the most popular rides at the parks are often the most thrilling.
Disneyland Parks
- Big Thunder Mountain
- Space Mountain
- Rise of the Resistance
- Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run
- Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
- Indiana Jones Adventure
- Matterhorn Bobsleds
- WEB Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure (DCA)
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout (DCA)
- Incredicoaster (DCA)
- Goofy’s Sky School (DCA)
- Alice in Wonderland
- Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- Haunted Mansion
- “it’s a small world”
- Jungle Cruise
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Pinocchio’s Daring Journey
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Radiator Springs Racers (DCA)
- Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough
- Snow White’s Enchanted Wish
- The Little Mermaid-Ariel’s Undersea Adventure (DCA)
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Monster’s Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue (DCA)
- Toy Story Midway Mania! (DCA)
Universal Studios Hollywood
- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
- Revenge of the Mummy-Ride
- Transformer’s The Ride
- Jurassic World-The Ride (Jurassic Park)
- Studio Tour (some thrilling moments but usually okay for all ages)
- Fast & the Furious Hollywood Drift
- The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash
- Despicable Me Minion Mayhem
- Flight of the Hippogriff
- Kung Fu Panda Adventure (Simulator Show)
I go into full details of how we plan our day at Disneyland and Universal that includes the most popular rides and our favorites. Check them out if you want more information on the best rides and touring plans.
- One Day at Disneyland Itinerary
- One Day California Adventure Itinerary
- One Day Universal Studios Hollywood Itinerary
Which is Better Universal Studios Hollywood or Disneyland
This is such a personal decision on what you are looking for in your theme parks day. The best park to one family may be lots of characters to meet while others want thrill rides. Maybe you love Harry Potter or want to meet princesses. Each park offers a really great theme park day.
Some things to think about to decided which park is best for you:
- Are you a big Star Wars fan? Visit Disneyland!
- Are you a big Harry Potter fan? Visit Universal Studios Hollywood!
- Love Marvel? Visit Disney’s California Adventure!
- Love Mario? Visit Universal Studios Hollywood
- Are you visiting with older kids and teens? Universal Studios Hollywood may be a better fit.
- Are you visiting with young children and toddlers? Disneyland and California Adventure will have more options.
Can you do all three? We planned our trip around visiting both theme parks because we knew we love them all. A lot of people mentioned we would be disappointed with Universal Studios Hollywood because it is not as big at Universal Orlando but we really loved the differences, despite the size.
There are also bundle ticket deal offers that may off-set the costs and should be researched before you finalize your plans. You can find the latest deals ticket deals with our partner Undercover Tourist .
Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood for families offer a lot which ever you choose. Your family will be visiting some of the best theme parks in the world and you should choose the one that fits you best. Want to learn about our favorite theme parks? Read Best Theme Parks We’ve Visited as a Family (Honest Reviews)
Planning your full Southern California trip? Read our Southern California Family Itinerary for how we combined both parks and Los Angeles into one trip.
Exploring more of the Southwest? Visit our Southwest Guide for every California and Southwest destination we’ve covered.
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Leah has been traveling with her family of 5 since 2012 and sharing her expertise on planning family vacations and visiting theme parks since 2016. Leah has been featured in Visit Rochester, Undercover Tourist, and Home Publications. She has worked with brands like Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, Hersheypark, Toyota, and various Tourism boards and destinations. Leah creates family travel itineraries based on real trip experiences with her family. Her guides and tips help others plan great family vacations. Learn more about Leah and Five for the Road.