If you’re planning a trip to Los Angeles, you’ll definitely end up choosing between these two iconic spots: Disneyland Park and Universal Studios Hollywood.
As someone who’s been to both, I’m breaking them down for you.
| Relative Comparison (Tier 0 Basis) | Disneyland Park Anaheim | Universial Studios Hollywood |
| Price | ⬆️ | ⬇️ |
| Area | ⬆️ | ⬇️ |
| Population Density | ⬆️ | ⬇️ |
| Number of Parks | 2 | 1 |
| Total Number of Rides | Approx. 70 | Approx. 10 |
| Thrill Score | ★★★☆☆ (3 out of 5) | ★★★☆☆ (3.1 out of 5) |
| Location | 1 hour from Downtown | 10 mins from Downtown |
| To Conquer | All day | Enough until afternoon |
My Personal Perspective
I’m a huge fan of thrill rides. For me, rides always come before parades. Since I went with a friend, our main goal was to hit as many attractions as possible. My accommodation was near Hollywood, so the travel time to each park was significantly different. I used Uber for everything. Also, I visited both on “Tier 0” days (the projected least crowded days), so this is a fair, head-to-head comparison.
🐭 Disneyland Resort: The Ultimate Family Magic
Disneyland is the definition of family-friendly. Since Disney is a childhood staple for most, you’ll see tons of families with strollers. When I visited (off-season), there were more toddlers than students. You’ll see people everywhere decked out in Disney headbands and themed outfits.
- The Thrill Factor: “Family-friendly” means you won’t find many extreme roller coasters. Even though the Incredicoaster and Star Wars rides were closed when I went, the overall level is manageable for an older elementary student. It’s not that it’s boring, it’s just not “terrifying.”
- Shows: Instead of fireworks, I saw a castle projection and laser show. It was stunning, though I honestly thought they did fireworks every single night!
- Operating Hours: Even on a weekday, Disneyland hours are long. I stayed from 8:00 AM to 11:00 PM. Since there are two parks—California Adventure and Disneyland Park—you need a full day (and a Park Hopper ticket) to see both.
🌎 Universal Studios Hollywood: Fast & Efficient
I was shocked by Universal Studios Hollywood—mostly because it was so empty! Even compared to a Tier 0 day at Disney, the wait times here were non-existent. I spent more time walking through the queues to get to the loading dock than actually waiting in line.
- Scale & Layout: It’s split into the Upper Lot and Lower Lot. Combined, they felt about the size of one Disney park.
- Efficiency: Even with a 1-hour Studio Tour, I finished every single ride by 2:00 PM (starting at 9:00 AM with Early Access). I even rode my favorites 3–4 times in a row!
- Comparison to Osaka: Having been to Universal Studios Japan (USJ), Hollywood felt much smaller—maybe less than half the size. However, it has the essentials.
- The Big Advantage: Because you can finish so early and the location is closer to the city, you can easily fit in other LA sightseeing in the evening.
- Nintendo World & Harry Potter: In Osaka, Super Nintendo World requires a reservation and hours of waiting. In Hollywood? I walked onto the Mario Kart ride in 10 minutes. The same goes for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.
- Thrill Rides: There are two main thrills: Jurassic World and The Mummy. These are scarier than Disney’s offerings. Also, keep an eye out—they are building a massive Fast & Furious roller coaster set to open in Summer 2026!
The Final Verdict: Which one should you choose? 🤔
- Want to spend the entire day immersed in a theme park? → Disneyland
- Want to squeeze in other LA tourist attractions on the same day? → Universal Studios
- Want more variety and more things to see? → Disneyland
- Want a diverse range of thrill rides? → Disneyland (due to quantity)
- Want to feel like you rented out the whole park? → Universal Studios
See you in my other posts. An-nyeong!