Disneyland and Universal in California are worth it for their charm – 09/18/2024 – Tourism

With the popularity of Orlando, the most visited American city by Brazilians, theme parks are not the first attraction that comes to mind for tourists planning a trip to Los Angeles. But it was in California that both Disney and Universal built their first such parks and created the foundations for what is now seen in greater proportion in Florida.

There’s no denying that the biggest symbols of these parks — Disney’s Sleeping Beauty Castle and Universal’s Hogwarts from “Harry Potter” — are much smaller than those in Orlando, but they have their own charm, and a visit to them can be even more fun for children and fans of these stories than the decadent glamour of Hollywood.

Universal Studios Hollywood is the closest park, located about 15 kilometers by car from downtown Los Angeles and also accessible by subway. Its proximity, combined with its smaller size than Disney parks, makes the visit simpler, quicker and less tiring.

Universal Studios Hollywood is the closest park, located about 15 kilometers by car from downtown Los Angeles and also accessible by subway. Its proximity, combined with its smaller size than Disney parks, makes the visit simpler, quicker and less tiring.

Even without the express ticket, which allows you to skip the lines, it is possible to visit all the attractions in a single day, especially if the tourist avoids weekends or holidays, when the parks are more crowded.

It is divided into two areas, connected by an escalator. The highlight of the upper area is the boy wizard complex, which on special dates hosts a projection show on Hogwarts castle, inspired by the houses of the school of magic — Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff.

While the “Harry Potter” roller coaster is limited and not very creative by today’s standards, the area has Universal’s most creative simulator, which replicates the one in Orlando.

It is made up not only of projections, like most simulators —including the one from “The Simpsons”—, but of full-scale scenic elements, such as magical creatures and trees that twist and threaten to hit the visitor. The simulator takes the visitor on a flight inside and outside Hogwarts, in a chair that has no restrictions and rotates almost 360°.

There is also a section inspired by the Nintendo gaming universe, opened three years ago, which has attracted many visitors, as it does not yet exist in Orlando, where it will only open at the end of 2025. The area is quite small, and the main ride, which simulates a kart race with 3D glasses, is a bit confusing, but the space is good for taking themed photos and for children to interact with the characters.

At Universal, there is also the Studio Tour, which recreates sets from the company’s biggest film productions and, unlike the tours from competitors Disney, Sony and Paramount, does not require an additional payment.

The Disney complex is located in the city of Anaheim, about an hour from Los Angeles by car, without traffic. The studio has two parks, which can be visited on the same day —with a lot of rush— or on separate days.

To make the most of it, it’s best to stay at least one night in Anaheim, to get to the parks early and avoid the high cost of parking, since, as the city and its tourist area are small, everything is usually accessible on foot or by transportation apps, which don’t charge as much as in Los Angeles.

The oldest park, with Sleeping Beauty’s castle in the center, is Disneyland itself, but that’s not where travelers should start their visit, especially if they choose to visit both parks on the same day.

Disney California Adventure Park, whose main symbols are the roller coaster from “The Incredibles” and the Mickey Mouse Ferris wheel, is the smaller of the two parks, so a visit to it can be made in one morning so that, in the afternoon and evening, the tourist can just stay at Disneyland, where there is more to do and also longer lines.

There are two types of rides: those inspired by classic Disney characters, such as The Little Mermaid and Peter Pan, which don’t offer much fun for adults as they are just reproductions of scenes from the films, crossed by a cart, and those aimed at adults, which offer more adrenaline.

At Disney California Adventure, the standout rides are the Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” elevator for adults and the “Cars” race for kids. At Disneyland, the highlights are Space Mountain, a traditional park mountain that takes visitors on a blind race through the starry darkness of space, and the “Star Wars” area, which opened about five years ago.

The main simulator in the area dedicated to George Lucas’ films is one of the best in theme parks, not only in California, but worldwide. The fun begins in the queue itself, where visitors are invited to take part in the story. Then, the attraction combines practical and ultra-technological effects in a journey through many scenes from the saga, sometimes on foot, sometimes inside cars. It is capable of impressing even those who have no emotional connection with the universe of Darth Vader.

The journalist visited Universal Studios Hollywood at the studio’s invitation