1. If it's your kid's birthday they can pick up a free birthday button at Guest Relations.
2. You can rent a stroller at the park if you didn't bring one.
3. The lines to meet a wide variety of characters — including Woody Woodpecker, Curious George, Spongebob, and Shrek — go much faster than at other theme parks.
4. Kids must be at least 40 inches tall to go on most of the rides.
Visitors watch a five-minute 3D movie — which becomes 4D thanks to water, air, and lighting effects.
5. Before you get in line at Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem, ring the doorbells and see what happens.
6. Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem is also the least intense and most kid-friendly 3D motion simulator ride at the park.
7. Next door is Super Silly Fun Land, a play zone featuring carnival games where your kids can win their own "fluffy unicorn" like the one in Despicable Me.
8. The big attraction here, though, is the water play area.
There are changing rooms behind the water play area so your kids can change into dry clothes afterward.
9. You can buy a Front of Line ticket which will allow you to skip the lines on most rides and attractions.
10. No Front of Line ticket? You can still cut down your wait times by visiting USHWaittimes.com while in the park.
11. Springfield — a recreation of the home of The Simpsons — is guaranteed to captivate kids with fun spots like Lard Lad Donuts.
Speaking of Large Lad Donuts — they sell these giant donuts that will blow your kids' minds.
12. While in Springfield you can pick up a Simpson’s Sipper for $15.99, which can end up being a wise investment if you play your cards right.
13. The Kwik-E-Mart is a "must visit" location, and not just because you can meet The Simpsons out front.
Inside the mart is all kinds of amazing Simpsons-themed memorabilia you won't easily find elsewhere.
14. If you have a hankering for an alcoholic beverage, you can get one at Moe's Tavern.
Your kids, meanwhile, can order an alcohol-free, orange-flavored Flaming Moe.
The drink appears to be "flaming" thanks to dry ice which is safely hidden at the bottom.
15. Be warned — The Simpsons Ride is a lot of fun but might be too intense for little ones.
16. Pressed pennies are the cheapest souvenirs available at Universal Studios.
17. To save time, you should schedule your day so you only have to go to the lower lot once.
The escalator ride to the lower lot is long — so long, in fact, that a round trip takes a full 15 minutes. Because of this, it's smart to check-out all of the things you want to see on the lower lot while you're there.
18. Next door to Jurassic Park —The Ride is Dino Play, a dinosaur-themed playground for kids.
19. Kids will also love Raptors Encounter, where they can come face to face with a dinosaur.
20. Props and wardrobe from kid-friendly films and television shows are on display at The NBCUniversal Experience.
You can see the original Delorean from Back To The Future there, too.
21. Transformers: The Ride — 3D is definitely the scariest of the motion simulator rides.
22. Kids of all ages will delight in meeting Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, and Megatron.
23. There are a number of spots around the park that offer an incredible view of the San Fernando Valley.
24. The legendary Universal Studio Tour of the backlot is the "can't miss" attraction for families.
There are lots of kid-friendly things to see on the tour, like the original set from How The Grinch Stole Christmas.
The tour climaxes with the new Fast and Furious — Supercharged.
25. You can help younger kids keep their cool on the tour by explaining to them what they're about to see beforehand.
26. Kids will love Special Effects Stage, a show that teaches the secrets behind how movies are made — and features an appearance by the Minions.
They usually pick a family of four to five members to participate on-stage. If you fit that description and want to participate, get there early and be enthusiastic.
27. If a ride is too scary for your kid, the “child switch” program lets you and your partner each ride it without the double wait.
Here's how the program works: One adult waits with the child in the attraction’s Child Switch room while the second adult experiences the ride. When the second finishes the ride, they switch places with the first parent who then can get on the ride without having to wait in line again.
28. While the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is still under construction and won't open until Spring, 2016...
The Harry Potter Store is open now.
29. Lastly, you and your family can see celebrities up close and personal during free live tapings of EXTRA in front of the park.
