Universal City: Find hotels for your stay

When looking for hotels in Universal City, you can start planning your trip by sorting your options according to the types of experiences on offer. The World-Famous Studio Tour is a tour, Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge is a ride on a moving track, WaterWorld is a show, and Universal CityWalk is a dining option. This brings together a variety of options: a tour, a ride, a show and dining. Consider which type of experience will be the main focus of your stay.

Getting to know the Studio Tour and ride

The World-Famous Studio Tour is located in the Upper Lot at Universal Studios Hollywood. This identifies a specific area within Universal Studios Hollywood for the tour. If the tour is one of your travel priorities, keep the name Upper Lot in mind as a specific point of reference for this activity. The tour is distinct from Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, which is a ride on a moving track, and from WaterWorld, which is a show. These are different types of experiences, each with its own focus, to consider when planning.

Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge brings together augmented reality (AR), projection mapping and physical set pieces on a moving ride track. The ride combines digital design, tangible sets and movement in a single experience. For travelers interested in technical staging, this combination is a distinctive feature: what matters is not just one individual technology, but how it works together with the sets and ride track. This helps distinguish Mario Kart as a ride from the Studio Tour and the show.

WaterWorld: a show with a clearly stated duration

A description published on February 20, 2026, calls WaterWorld a 20-minute show. It features jet skis, stunts, dramatic fights, 50-foot explosions and a seaplane that crashes into the water in front of the audience. The stated duration is a specific detail to consider when planning: it describes the length of the show, not necessarily the total time needed for the activity. Water vehicles, stunts and large-scale effects are at the heart of WaterWorld. This makes the show format distinct from the moving ride track at Mario Kart and the tour through the Upper Lot.

Dining options at Universal CityWalk

Universal CityWalk offers more than 30 dining options. The number may change as businesses open or close, so check the selection for your travel dates. When planning, you can consider CityWalk as a dining option separate from the tour, ride and show. The number gives you an indication of the range of dining options, while the selection may vary over time. If you would also like to include a meal in your plans, CityWalk is another consideration alongside the different types of experiences.

Choose your hotel stay to suit the purpose of your trip

When searching for hotels in Universal City, it helps to first decide on the purpose of your trip and the experiences that matter to you. Then you can compare the details of the specific hotel offers you’re considering with your own priorities. This way, you can base your decision on what will shape your stay and keep it aligned with your travel plans.

For the broader travel overview: Burbank.