Location: Universal Studios Globe (at Universal’s CityWalk)
The Universal Studios Globe is hands down one of the most iconic spots at the park. The Globe is located right in front of the entrance of Universal Studios on CityWalk, so it’s easy to catch either on your way or your way out! Out of the three days I went, I did notice that it was least busy an hour or two before parks closed. I also would not recommend going in the morning since the fog emanating from the bottom was heavy enough that you could barely see through the camera.
Location: Hogwarts castle (at Universal’s Islands of Adventure)
The first time I walked out of the Jurassic Park area and saw the Hogwarts castle, I almost cried. The bridge between the two areas is your best bet on getting an uninterrupted shot since the other side of the castle has the ride entrance and queue. I would recommend getting here as early as possible! The Hogsmeade area of the park incurs some of the most foot traffic (especially with the new Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure ride) and the bridge is often crowded with other picture-takers.
Location: Sweet Shop on Diagon Alley (at Universal Studios)
If you hop on the Hogsmeade Express, you can travel from Hogsmeade (and Islands of Adventure) and find yourself at Diagon Alley! When you initially enter Diagon Alley, this location can find found directly to the right. This whole area is full of great little picture spots, but I am especially attracted to this one because of all the pink! The Sweet Shop is great to visit at any time of day.
Location: The Simpsons Ride (at Universal Studios)
If you’re a fan of the HUJI app like me, this spot is the place for you! The Simpsons Ride is one of my favorite rides at Universal, but I never considered all the opportunities for photos. Both the queue lines outside and inside are chock-full of opportunities, but don’t put away your camera yet! The waiting room before you enter the ride itself was so fun, we went back just for the photos. We did have the room to ourselves (due to COVID-19 precautions) but I’ll be trying again in December.
Location: Universal Studios Alley (at Universal Studios)
I didn’t discover the potential of this little alleyway until years after my first annual pass. Tucked in between a cluster of stores, the most prominent entrance will be by the best ice cream shop ever — Ben & Jerry’s! Treat yourself to some ice cream, some shade and some beautiful brick backdrops.
Location: Outside of Mel’s Drive-In
With a drive-in being one of the cutest concepts ever for a restaurant, it only makes sense to line up a series of vintage cars outside. I was especially attracted to the light blue not only because I love pastels but because the other cars were located by the entrance (a.k.a. high photobombing potential). The one thing I will warn of is that after being out in the sun for hours, the tops of cars will be hot. Keep this in mind if you plan on wearing a skirt or a dress.
Overall thoughts: I prefer Universal Studios over Universal’s Islands of Adventure when it comes to “instagrammable” locations, just because the park has more themes (vintage, backlot) rather than product-based concepts (Marvel Studios, Cat in the Hat). If you are just visiting the area and don’t have the time to visit the parks, CityWalk has a great selection of restaurants to choose from — Voodoo Doughnuts is a personal favorite, but I’m biased.
If you find yourself going to the parks soon, make sure to take a moment and take in your surroundings — you’ll never know what you’ll find!
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