As someone who lives in Los Angeles, I get that Universal Studios Hollywood is a very different theme park than Universal Orlando Resort. I mean, we’ve only officially had our very first outdoor roller coaster with Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift for about two months now. Regardless, as a local who lives within 15 minutes of the theme park on the hill, I actually think the perks you get with the upper tier annual passes are stellar, and I think a lot of theme park fans are sleeping on this.
Like any theme park, there are options when it comes to choosing an annual pass for USH. At the time that I bought one for myself, I decided to splurge on the highest tier available in December 2025. While that other theme park in Orange County that’s also known as the Happiest Place on Earth kept raising prices and cutting back on perks and left me in a position where it made more financial sense for me to just pay for a ticket when I could make a day of it, Universal Studios Hollywood gave me more than enough incentives to welcome me in as an annual passholder.
Do You Get Your Money’s Worth With A Platinum Annual Pass For USH? I
First of all, I spent time doing all the calculations to see what the best value would be for what you get and whether I thought I would go enough times to make it worth the money. Ultimately, I decided to go all in on the Platinum Annual Pass for $599.95.
Sure, that’s a chunk of funds, but when you consider there are no blackout dates over the 15-month period (the 12-month pass was offering a bonus three months at the time of purchase), free general parking (with minor restrictions), Universal Express after 3 p.m., a complimentary general admission Halloween Horror Nights ticket (so you don't have to miss the great haunted houses), invitations to special events, and 15% off food and merchandise, it’s an amazing deal that I’ve made extensive use of.
Every time I’ve gone to USH this year, it’s been great not to have to worry about checking blackout days. I can go on a whim if I so chose; I don't have to make a full day of it. The best part and biggest value really has been the Universal Express perk. For me, I’m good with going a bit later in the day so that I don’t have to hassle with waiting in line for more than a few minutes, and it’s nice not to have to pay for parking. It all feels very easy, whether I go for a couple hours or spend a good portion of my day there.
Now, Universal Studios Hollywood Has An All-New Diamond Tier
As it gets closer to the March 2027 expiration date for my Platinum Annual Pass, I was definitely leaning towards renewing. It’s actually the most positive I’ve felt about any theme park annual pass I’ve ever had. Then this week, Universal actually decided to sweeten the deal. They upped their Annual Pass game even further by adding a brand-new Diamond Annual Pass. Now, not only do you get all the benefits that come with Platinum, but Universal Express works from park opening, you get a complimentary general admission ticket for Universal Fan Fest Nights, the discount is raised to 20%, and best of all, you get a complimentary VIP Experience ticket.
Yes, $999.95 is a large chunk of money and is an upgrade, and I totally get it will take a bit of thought. While it takes six visits to the theme park to justify the cost of a Platinum Annual Pass, it takes about 10 visits with a Diamond. But if you’ve never gotten to be a VIP at USH (which I’ve only done in Orlando as part of a media trip), it comes with Unlimited Express, a guided tour, a special meal, and valet parking, which would normally run you anywhere from $359.95 to $519.95 just on its own.
I understand that a lot of the theme park annual pass conversation in Southern California tends to revolve around the Disneyland Resort, but whether you’re feeling priced out there, you want to add something additional, or you are just looking for something different, you shouldn’t sleep on what Universal Studios Hollywood has to offer.
From the iconic Backlot Tour to the amazing Universal Studios rides that everybody should experience at least once, USH does have a lot to offer. Whether I stick with my Platinum status or move up to Diamond is still undecided, but if you’re a theme park fan, you definitely shouldn’t sleep on this, or at least checking it out.
