Los Angeles: All-Inclusive Pass Plus with Universal Studios

Los Angeles is spread out, expensive, and packed with attractions that can quickly drain your budget. This pass puts Universal Studios Hollywood, Warner Bros. Studio Tour, Big Bus sightseeing, museums, zoos, and coastal activities under one digital ticket. Universal Studios alone can make the pass worthwhile if you also plan two or three other paid stops.

I like the flexibility: you choose a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 7-day pass, and those days can be used across a 14-day period. I also like the practical Go City app, which keeps attraction details, opening times, and reservations in one place. The catch is that LA distances are real, so a pass only saves money if you plan your days by location and start early.

Key points to know before you buy

• Universal Studios is included once: You receive single admission, but you must reserve in advance.
• The pass covers 40-plus attractions: Major picks include Warner Bros. Studio Tour, Big Bus, Madame Tussauds, Knott’s Berry Farm, and the Aquarium of the Pacific.
• Your days are calendar days: Scan in before 5:30pm, then stay until the attraction closes.
• The app matters: Use it for current opening times, attraction instructions, and advance reservations.
• San Diego needs careful planning: LEGOLAND California and San Diego Zoo must be visited on different days.
• Value depends on pace: Four attractions in a well-planned trip can produce strong savings, while a slow itinerary may not.

What the Los Angeles All-Inclusive Pass Plus really offers

The Go City All-Inclusive Pass Plus is best understood as a prepaid sightseeing budget, not a guided tour. You buy access for two to seven days, then choose from more than 40 attractions during that period.

The lineup mixes major theme parks with shorter visits. That matters because a full day at Universal Studios uses the same pass day as a one-hour theater tour, but you can add smaller stops around your larger plans.

The pass costs $246 per person. To judge the value, add up the attractions you would genuinely visit without the pass. If Universal Studios, Warner Bros., a Big Bus tour, and one or two museums or tours are already on your list, the numbers can work well. If you mainly want one theme park and a relaxed beach day, buying separate tickets may be cheaper.

You also need to count time, not just admission prices. Los Angeles traffic can turn a short map distance into a long transfer. The pass saves money only when you have enough time to use it.

Universal Studios Hollywood makes the first day easy

Universal Studios Hollywood is the headline attraction. The pass includes one admission, and this is usually a full-day plan rather than a quick stop between other activities.

You can expect movie-themed rides and attractions, with the park built around familiar films and television productions. The value here is simple: if Universal is already a must-do, having it included removes one large separate ticket from your budget.

Plan this day on its own. Trying to add a Hollywood museum or a beach tour afterward is likely to make the day rushed, especially since you need to scan your pass by 5:30pm. Reserve Universal in advance, and check the current access instructions in the Go City app before setting out.

The pass does not mean you skip every line. It provides admission, not a general promise of priority access. That distinction is important for a theme park, where crowds and opening hours shape your day.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour adds a behind-the-scenes angle

The Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood gives you a different kind of movie experience. Instead of rides, you go behind the scenes at a working studio setting and see how productions are presented to the public.

This is a strong partner for Universal Studios because the two experiences feel different. Universal is about large-scale entertainment and rides. Warner Bros. is better suited to you if you want studio stories, screen production, and a closer look at the machinery behind famous shows and films.

Advance reservation is required. Treat the time slot as fixed and build your day around it. A late studio appointment can make it hard to fit another major attraction before the pass entry cutoff.

Big Bus helps you get your Hollywood bearings

The Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off Discover Tour is useful early in a Los Angeles visit. You can see a broad sweep of the city without arranging every stop yourself, then return later to the places that interest you most.

The included Celebrity Homes and Lifestyle Tour adds a more specific Hollywood theme, but it requires a reservation. These tours also give you a break from driving, which is valuable in a city where parking and traffic can eat into sightseeing time.

One practical detail from the tour operation is worth noting: an open-air tour on a smaller bus can reach narrower roads more easily. A guide named Andrew received particular praise for making that format enjoyable. Guide assignments can change, so do not book on the assumption that he will lead your departure, but the smaller open-air option is worth considering when available.

Big Bus is not a substitute for visiting every neighborhood on foot. It is a useful overview, a photo opportunity, and a way to reduce the amount of navigation on one day.

Hollywood’s indoor attractions work well together

Madame Tussauds Hollywood is included, as are the Dolby Theatre Guided Tour and a choice involving TCL Chinese Theatre. You may choose a tour or a movie and drink at the Chinese Theatre option, according to the current pass terms.

These attractions are convenient to combine because they sit in the same general Hollywood sightseeing zone. A Hollywood day can therefore include a bus tour, a theater visit, and a wax museum without sending you across the city after every stop.

Check the app before you go. Attraction lineups can change, and one recent pass user was turned away from Madame Tussauds after the attraction was no longer included under the terms they had. The supplied attraction list includes it, but the wider lesson is clear: confirm the current list immediately before your visit rather than relying on an old PDF or saved itinerary.

The Original Hollywood Sign Walking Tour is another useful choice for you if you want time outdoors instead of another indoor attraction. It requires a reservation. Plan for the meeting instructions and timing carefully, since the walk is not an instant drop-in stop.

Museums and tours fill the shorter gaps

The pass includes a mixture of attractions that can take a few hours rather than a full day. That helps you build a sensible schedule around a reservation.

The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach is one of the stronger choices for families and anyone who enjoys marine life. It also gives you a reason to visit Long Beach, rather than keeping every day in central Hollywood.

The pass also includes SoFi Stadium Tour, the Grammy Museum, and other activities. The exact lineup and operating hours can change, so use the app as your working guide. One key advantage of this type of pass is that it may prompt you to consider places you would otherwise overlook. One drawback is that a closed attraction can affect your value calculation, especially if you bought the pass mainly for a small number of stops.

The TCL Chinese Theatre option, Dolby Theatre, Madame Tussauds, and a Hollywood Sign walk can create a full day with different kinds of activities. You may prefer this mix to spending every day at a major theme park.

Knott’s Berry Farm gives you another full park day

Knott’s Berry Farm is included and can serve as another full-day outing. It gives you a theme park choice beyond Universal Studios, which is helpful if you are planning several days with children or enjoy rides enough to spend more than one day in a park.

Do not squeeze Knott’s into a schedule built around downtown museums or the coast. Give it its own day and confirm operating hours before you travel. Theme park schedules can shift, especially around holidays.

The value question is similar to Universal. If you would buy a separate ticket anyway, inclusion is useful. If you are adding Knott’s only to force more value from the pass, the extra drive and full-day commitment may not suit your trip.

San Diego attractions require a separate strategy

The pass reaches beyond Los Angeles to LEGOLAND California and San Diego Zoo. This expands the choice dramatically, but it also introduces distance and scheduling issues.

LEGOLAND and San Diego Zoo cannot be visited on the same pass day. You need to assign a separate day to each, and each requires its own planning. These are not casual add-ons to a Hollywood schedule.

For a longer Southern California holiday, this can be excellent value. A family could use one day for LEGOLAND, another for the San Diego Zoo, and several more for Los Angeles attractions. For a short LA break, the travel time may make the southern attractions poor choices even though admission is included.

Reserve in advance where required, and check the current rules in the app. The pass is flexible, but it cannot remove geography.

Newport Beach and the coast add outdoor variety

The Whale Watch and Dolphin Tour from Newport Beach gives you a chance to trade city streets for time on the water. It requires advance planning and is subject to operating schedules, so do not treat it like a guaranteed spare-hour activity.

The Highlights of Santa Monica and Venice Beach Bike Tour is another outdoor option. It suits you if you want movement and coastal scenery instead of museums and studio tours. It also works well as a change of pace after a theme park day.

Transportation is not generally included. You must arrange your own way to Universal, Long Beach, Newport Beach, San Diego, and other stops unless an attraction specifically says otherwise. That cost belongs in your value calculation.

How to plan two, three, five, or seven days

A two-day pass requires discipline. Use it for two high-value days, such as Universal Studios on one day and Warner Bros. plus nearby Hollywood attractions on the other. Do not waste a pass day on a single short visit.

A three-day pass gives you room for a theme park, a studio tour, and a mixed Hollywood or coastal day. Reserve the timed activities first, then place flexible stops around them.

A five-day pass is easier to justify if your list includes Universal, Warner Bros., Big Bus, Knott’s, museums, or a coastal activity. You can slow the pace and avoid turning every day into a race.

The seven-day option suits a broad Southern California plan, especially if you also want San Diego Zoo or LEGOLAND. Remember that the pass is valid for the purchased number of days within a 14-day period, not for unlimited use over 14 days. The days are also not rolling 24-hour periods. If you activate the pass at 3pm, that calendar day counts.

Start early. Your pass must be scanned for entry by 5:30pm, though you can remain at an attraction until closing once admitted.

Using the app without losing your schedule

Your pass arrives digitally as a PDF and can be saved to your phone or printed. You activate it at your first included attraction, and it remains unused until that first visit. The pass is valid for one year from purchase before activation.

I recommend syncing it with the Go City app before leaving your hotel. The app contains the current attraction list, opening times, reservation instructions, and access details. It is also useful for spotting which activities are close enough to combine.

Keep your phone charged. A paper copy is a sensible backup, especially for a long day when you may be using your phone for directions and reservations.

Popular attractions require reservations, and some activities can put you on standby if you arrive without one. Book the fixed-time experiences first, then use flexible attractions to fill the spaces.

The main drawbacks to consider

The pass is non-refundable, so avoid buying it before you have a workable schedule. LA’s attraction hours can change, and holiday periods may bring closures or altered times.

You still need to handle transportation, food, drinks, parking, and ordinary trip costs. The pass covers admission, not the entire day.

You may also encounter attraction staff who need to process the digital pass and issue a separate ticket. That can mean an extra step at the entrance rather than walking straight through. The pass is easy to use overall, but it does not guarantee a faster entry line.

Finally, the large lineup can tempt you into overplanning. Four good attractions in four days may be a better trip than eight rushed stops spread across distant parts of the region.

Who should buy this pass?

I would consider it for a first Los Angeles visit with a long must-see list. It is especially useful for families, theme park fans, and anyone who wants Universal Studios plus Warner Bros. and several Hollywood activities.

It is less suitable for a slow trip focused on beaches, neighborhoods, restaurants, or free sights. You also need to be comfortable making reservations and organizing each day around geography.

The strongest value comes from combining one expensive theme park with several paid tours and attractions. Plan by area, begin early, check the app often, and compare the separate ticket prices for your actual itinerary. If those totals approach or exceed $246, the pass is a sensible buy. If you will use only Universal and one small attraction, purchase separately.

FAQ

How many days is the Los Angeles All-Inclusive Pass Plus valid?

You can choose a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 7-day pass. After activation, those days must be used within a 14-day period.

Is Universal Studios Hollywood included?

Yes. The pass includes single admission to Universal Studios Hollywood, and you need to reserve in advance.

When does a pass day begin and end?

Pass days are calendar days, not rolling 24-hour periods. You must scan the pass for entry between 9am and 5:30pm, but you may stay until the attraction closes.

Do I need to reserve attractions?

Yes, several popular attractions and tours require reservations. The Go City app provides current reservation instructions and opening information.

Are transportation, food, and drinks included?

No. Transportation to and from attractions is not included, and food and drinks are excluded unless an attraction specifically states otherwise.

Can I visit LEGOLAND California and San Diego Zoo on the same day?

No. The pass rules require LEGOLAND California and San Diego Zoo to be visited on different days.