Public transport to universal studios

[suey]

We are doing a circle pacific cruise and are wondering if it is possible to get public transport in LA from cruise terminal to Universal Studios.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[SadieN]

ETA---Just checked, looks like you'll be in on the Golden in Los Angeles on Friday July 7, 2017. You'll be docking in San Pedro. No easy way to get the Universal Studios on public transportation. It can be done but will take up too much port time.

Leaving this post as is for future reference.

****

 

Extremely difficult from San Pedro. Need to take a bus, then get on the Red Line. A shuttle will take you up the hill to Universal Studios and City Walk.

 

Much easier from Long Beach. Passport Bus to the Blue Line to the Red Line.

 

We've taken the Metro from Long Beach many, many times. Plan for two hours each way. (By car it can take anywhere from an hour to forever, never know what will happen on our freeways) You will not have enough time (comfortable) to take the trains during a regular port stop. Also, the Blue Line goes thru some of the toughest areas of Los Angeles. All of our city-wide riots have started along its route. Wouldn't ride it after dark. Metro.net

 

IMHO a better way to spend the day would be in Long Beach. Visit the Queen Mary and the Aquarium of the Pacific. They're linked by the free Long Beach Passport bus. Would need to taxi/Uber/Lyft it to Long Beach.

The USS Iowa is a static display in San Pedro. It's right next to the cruise terminal.

Edited January 2, 2017 by SadieN

[Bruin Steve]

Actually, a little more information is needed...

If I am reading this correctly, the Golden is on a "World Cruise" and there are different options when departing Sydney on May 19...One has the OP disembarking in Los Angeles...but there is also a longer option which would continue on...

 

Assuming that the OP is on the "shorter" option and is disembarking in Los Angeles, then they are not concerned with getting back to the ship for sailaway (which, if I am correct, is not until 10 pm anyway)...'

 

However, I, personally, would NOT deal with public transportation--especially if I was disembarking and dealing with a lot of luggage...Too many changes and LA public transportation isn't set up well for traveling with luggage...plus, the time required to get from San Pedro to Universal City is unconscionable...

 

Say you were disembarking at the World Cruise Center in San Pedro and headed for Universal to spend at least a day or two there, staying in a Universal City hotel, here's what I would do:

 

Contact a shuttle company about either a shared shuttle or an exclusive towncar...Checking on the Super Shuttle site, a shared van from the pier in San Pedro to the Universal Hilton one way would cost $71 (plus tip) and an Execucar (not shared) car service would be $91 (plus tip)...It's a little costlier than attempting public transportation but a whole lot quicker and simpler...You'd be picked up at the pier and drive directly to your Universal area hotel...Well worth the little bit of extra money for the ease of travel...

[Cruisin' Chick]

If the OP is doing as Steve is thinking, ending the cruise in LA, then I would agree about his plan. Maybe even checking on a hotel in Universal City that has a discount to Universal Studios if that exists. Get a shuttle or taxi to your hotel.

 

If you're not ending your cruise there, I would think trying to get over to the valley (where Universal studios is) and back to San Pedro would eat up much of your time in port. Add in public transit and that would leave you very little time...not even much time to go to City Walk without going to the theme park.

[suey]

We are doing the whole circle pacific cruise the ship offers a bus transfer to Universal Studios but it only gives you four and a half hours there and after spending a full day at Universal Studios Singapore I wanted to spend longer as we don't sail out until 10pm. But will have to rethink it. Thanks for your replies.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Edited January 3, 2017 by suey

[Bruin Steve]

We are doing the whole circle pacific cruise the ship offers a bus transfer to Universal Studios but it only gives you four and a half hours there and after spending a full day at Universal Studios Singapore I wanted to spend longer as we don't sail out until 10pm. But will have to rethink it. Thanks for your replies.

 

Okay, that makes some sense...If you're staying onboard and it's merely a port day and the ship sails at 10:00 pm...they will likely need you back on board by no later than 9:00...July 7 is a Friday, so expect traffic to be at its worst...

...And Universal is about 45 miles from the port...and you have either got to go via Downtown and Hollywood or via the 405 past LAX and through the Sepulveda Pass...

 

Say you get off the ship and out by 9:00 am (which may be tough as many are disembarking there as their final destination) and need to be back by 9:00 pm, then, at best, you have 12 hours. But you should figure you are more likely getting on your way at 10:00 am and you'd be foolhardy to aim at getting back at 9:00--better to figure on trying to get back by 8:00...so, really figure on a maximum of 10 hours.

 

Now, remember, you will likely hit MAJOR traffic in BOTH directions on a Friday...

Figure if you drove it, you'd need two hours in each direction...BUT, if you took public transportation, you'd probably have to figure on three hours each way--or worse, depending on schedules and trying to figure out where to pick up each leg...and pray you don't get lost...

 

So, if you got that maximum 10 hours and subtracted 3 hours on either end, you'd get no more than about 4 hours in the Park...

If you hired a driver to pick you up at each end and assume nothing went wrong, you might squeeze out 6 hours...

 

Suddenly, the cruise line shorex doesn't look quite as bad...

[Philob]

Transport issue to/from aside, July is peak season. We were there last July, many of the attraction queues are over an hour long :eek:

 

We got there at the front gate opening and the Harry Potter line was already 45 minutes from the end of the line to the door; another 20 to the ride vehicle. When we finished the ride the queue advisory said 90 minutes from the end.

Edited January 4, 2017 by Philob

[suey]

Thinking if we do go might pay the extra for front of line tickets - so undecided now. [emoji32] any other suggestions for our day [emoji3]

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[SadieN]

IMHO a better way to spend the day would be in Long Beach. Visit the Queen Mary and the Aquarium of the Pacific. They're linked by the free Long Beach Passport bus. Would need to taxi/Uber/Lyft it to Long Beach.

The USS Iowa is a static display in San Pedro. It's right next to the cruise terminal.