Parking at Universal Studios Hollywood: 2026 Prices and Every Garage
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Parking at Universal Studios Hollywood costs $40 for General, from $60 for Preferred and from $70 for Front Gate, and all three have gone up since I last wrote this guide. Every price here comes from Universal’s directions and parking page.
Pay $40 for General and walk, unless you arrive after 5pm, when General drops to $10 and Preferred to $20.
| Tier | Before 5pm | After 5pm | Garages |
|---|---|---|---|
| General | $40 | $10 | E.T., Curious George and Jurassic |
| Preferred | From $60 | From $20 | Frankenstein and Woody Woodpecker |
| Front Gate | From $70 | From $70 | Open-air lot by the security checkpoint |
| Valet | $25 first 2 hours, $60 after | Same | Jurassic Parking Garage |
General, Preferred and Front Gate Parking
🅿️ General: $40 before 5pm, $10 after 5pm
⭐ Preferred: From $60 before 5pm, from $20 after 5pm
🚪 Front Gate: From $70 all day
General Parking is the cheapest option at $40 before 5pm, and it covers three garages:
- E.T. Garage, about 20 minutes on foot from the park entrance
- Curious George Garage, about 15 minutes
- Jurassic Parking Garage, about 15 minutes
Universal says General Parking is subject to availability, which in practice means the E.T. Garage fills last.
Preferred Parking starts from $60 before 5pm and covers the two garages closest to the gate, both about five minutes from the entrance:
- Frankenstein Garage, which is also where Uber and Lyft pick up and drop off
- Woody Woodpecker Lot, next to Front Gate Parking
Front Gate Parking starts from $70 and is not a garage at all. It is the open-air lot across from the security checkpoint, so it is the shortest walk in the resort and the first to fill on a busy day.
Unfortunately, the two premium tiers are now starting prices rather than fixed ones. Universal’s page says Preferred and Front Gate rise on busier dates, so budget above $60 and $70 for a weekend or a school holiday.
After 5pm General drops to $10 and Preferred to $20, which makes an evening visit for dinner at CityWalk or a late park session far cheaper to park for. On Halloween Horror Nights dates that discount disappears and the daytime rates run all day.
Valet Parking and Restaurant Validation
🚗 Standard valet: $25 for the first 2 hours, $60 after
🍽️ With restaurant validation: $10 up to 2.5 hours, $15 up to 3.5 hours, $60 after
🎯 With Escapology validation: $10 up to 3.5 hours, $60 after
Valet runs from the Jurassic Parking Garage at $25 for the first two hours and $60 after that, which makes it the most expensive way to spend a park day and a sensible way to spend a dinner.
Validation from a CityWalk full-service restaurant brings it down to $10 for up to two and a half hours and $15 for up to three and a half. Universal decides which restaurants count, and its CityWalk list currently has eight:
- NBC Sports Grill & Brew
- VIVO Italian Kitchen
- Antojitos Cocina Mexicana
- Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
- Buca di Beppo
- Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville
- Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen
- Wasabi
I ate at NBC Sports Grill and VIVO on this trip. Johnny Rockets and Dongpo Kitchen have closed since the last version of this guide. Two more routes to cheap valet:
- Escapology, the escape-room venue at CityWalk, validates to $10 for up to three and a half hours
- The VIP Experience includes valet. Park in the Jurassic valet garage, keep the ticket and have it validated at VIP reception
Electric Vehicle Charging
🔌 Rate: $0.40 per kWh
🏢 Most ports: E.T. Garage, 16 on Level B1
⭐ Preferred tier: Frankenstein Garage, 4 ports on Levels 2 and 7
Every garage has at least one charger, and the rate is $0.40 per kWh. The ports by garage in September 2026:
- E.T. Garage, 16 ports on Level B1
- Jurassic Parking Garage, 8 ports on Level 1 and B1M
- Frankenstein Garage, 4 ports on Level 2 and Level 7
- Curious George Garage, 2 ports on Level 1
- Woody Woodpecker Lot, 1 port near Front Gate Parking
If charging matters more than the walk, the E.T. Garage is the one to aim for. It has four times the ports of any other structure, and it is General Parking, so it is also the cheapest.
Accessible and RV Parking
♿ Accessible spaces: In every garage, first come first served
💰 Cost: The normal rate for the tier you park in
🚐 RVs: Front Gate lot only, no overnight parking
Universal now says accessible parking is available in every structure on a first-come, first-served basis, and that you are directed on arrival to the closest ADA section for wherever you are heading. You pay the normal rate for that tier.
RVs and oversized vehicles cannot use the garages. Front Gate is the only open-air lot, so it is the only place an RV fits, and overnight parking is not permitted anywhere on the resort.
Each garage also has its clearance height posted at the pay booth. If your vehicle is anywhere near it, a lifted truck or a van with a roof box for example, ask the attendant at the booth and you will be directed to a section that fits or to the Front Gate lot.
Cheaper Ways to Park
🎬 Cinema deal: $5 General parking with a same-day Universal Cinema ticket
🎟️ Gold and Platinum passes: Free General parking, with three restrictions
🌙 After 5pm: $10 General, $20 Preferred
Three ways to pay less than $40:
- Buy a same-day ticket at Universal Cinema on CityWalk and show your General Parking receipt at the box office, which brings the day’s parking down to $5
- Arrive after 5pm, when General is $10 and Preferred $20, unless it is a Halloween Horror Nights date
- Hold a Gold or Platinum annual pass, both of which include free General parking. Silver does not
Universal’s pass benefits page attaches three conditions to the parking benefit:
- General only, so Preferred, Front Gate and valet are excluded
- Not valid for entry after 6pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in April, May, September and October
- Gold passes lose it on blockout dates
Skipping the Car Altogether
🏨 Sheraton Universal: About 8 minutes on foot to the gate, uphill on the way in
🚌 Hotel shuttle: Complimentary
🚕 Rideshare: Free drop-off at the Frankenstein Garage
On my September 2026 trip I did not park at all. I stayed at the Sheraton Universal next to the park, walked in each morning in about eight minutes, and took the free hotel shuttle back when I could not face the slope. If you are still deciding how long to stay, one day is enough for the park, which also means one day of parking.
If you drive to the Sheraton or the Hilton next door instead, you park at the hotel for the length of your stay and walk or shuttle in, so you never pay Universal’s rate at all. Both hotels charge for overnight parking, so check the current rate on the hotel’s site before you compare it with $40 a day at the park.
Rideshare drop-off at the Frankenstein Garage is free too, and the pick-up points at Universal Studios Hollywood are inside the same garage, one floor below the walkway.
Frequently Asked Questions
The questions I get asked most about parking at Universal Studios Hollywood.
How much is parking at Universal Studios Hollywood in 2026?
General parking is $40 before 5pm and $10 after, Preferred starts from $60 before 5pm and from $20 after, and Front Gate starts from $70. Those are the rates on Universal’s own parking page as of 15 September 2026.
Is parking cheaper after 5pm at Universal Studios Hollywood?
Yes. General drops to $10 and Preferred to $20 after 5pm on normal days. On Halloween Horror Nights dates the daytime rates run all day, so there is no evening discount during the event.
Which Universal Studios Hollywood parking garage is closest to the entrance?
Front Gate, the open-air lot across from the security checkpoint, is the closest, followed by the Frankenstein Garage and the Woody Woodpecker Lot on the Preferred tier. Both are about five minutes on foot from the gate.
Is parking free with a Universal Studios Hollywood annual pass?
General parking is free with the Gold and Platinum passes, but not Silver. It excludes Preferred, Front Gate and valet, does not apply after 6pm on Friday to Sunday in April, May, September and October, and Gold loses it on blockout dates.
Can you get cheaper parking at Universal CityWalk?
Yes. A same-day Universal Cinema ticket brings General parking down to $5 when you show the parking receipt at the box office, and full-service restaurants validate valet to $10 for up to two and a half hours.
Does Universal Studios Hollywood have EV charging?
Yes, in every garage at $0.40 per kWh. The E.T. Garage has the most ports with 16 on Level B1, followed by the Jurassic Parking Garage with 8 and the Frankenstein Garage with 4.
