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Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash! is the ride Universal Studios Hollywood was missing.
It’s no secret that Universal Studios Hollywood has a serious real estate challenge. Between being built into a hillside in L.A.’s Cahuenga Pass to sharing space with one of the largest working movie studios in the city, old theme park attractions regularly have to be taken out just so they can squeeze in the new ones. Fortunately, in the case of the park’s newest ride – The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash! – the Universal creative team was able to put an area previously used only for event space to good use by bringing the all-new attraction to life without sacrificing any fan favorites.
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Location, Location, Location
The charming new attraction is a welcome addition to the park’s already family-friendly upper lot. While the ride is based on the popular “The Secret Life of Pets” films, previous knowledge of the movies and its furry friends is not required – something I was grateful for since having two 20-something sons put the relatively new franchise off my radar. Plus, the ride’s original storyline and special effects transform park guests into lost puppies in search of forever homes, which is another reason riders who’ve never seen the movies will still enjoy the adventure.
Snowball explains his plan to get the lost puppies to an adoption fair across town – © Samantha Davis-Friedman
What to Expect: The Ride
Riders enter ‘Secret Life of Pets – Off The Leash!” through Katie’s New York City apartment building from the movies – © Samantha Davis-Friedman
Guests are immediately immersed in the attraction’s story as they make their way through the queue experience inside Katie’s apartment building in New York City from the movies. Here, they encounter a parade of unsupervised pets like Norman the guinea pig, who acts as an unofficial tour guide; Buddy the dachshund, who’s getting a kitchen counter massage courtesy of a stand mixer; and Snowball the somewhat controlling rabbit, who comes up with a plan to get the lost puppies into an adoption fair across town.
Buddy the dachshund gets a kitchen counter massage courtesy of a stand mixer – © Samantha Davis-Friedman
Snowball explains his plan to get the lost puppies to an adoption fair across town – © Samantha Davis-Friedman
Featured in the queue and throughout the ride are favorite characters from the “Secret Life of Pets” voiced by the original actors from the films, including Max (Patton Oswalt), Snowball (Kevin Hart), Duke (Eric Stonestreet), Gidget (Jenny Slate), Daisy (Tiffany Haddish), Chloe (Lake Bell), and Pops (Dana Carvey).
Riders board cardboard box-shaped vehicles in the apartment building’s mailroom – © Samantha Davis-Friedman
The traditional dark ride employs an Omnimover ride system that propels two-person cardboard box-shaped ride vehicles boarded in the apartment building’s mailroom (of course) through the streets of New York City to make it to the ” pets store ” in time to be adopted. As the cardboard boxes move through the colorful cityscapes, we notice pets enjoying a day on the town – including one exceptionally limber pup who “upward dogs” right along with a neighborhood yoga class.
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One NYC pup takes in a yoga class – © Samantha Davis-Friedman
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Advanced Features
One particularly unique feature of the Secret Life of Pets Ride is the advanced optical gesture technology that allows people in a ride vehicle to see themselves as animated puppies in the window of an electronics store, and while Universal Studios Hollywood is known for attractions that rely heavily on video screens, this ride uses projection mapping, shadow projections, and digital media sparingly, so the technology never detracts from the practical sets and characters, including the unsavory feline gang in cat alley who attempts to hinder the puppies’ progress.
The Problem
Snowball’s plan to use fireworks as rockets backfires – © Samantha Davis-Friedman
As with so many animated adventures, the journey hits a snag when Snowball (as the self-appointed mastermind) comes up with the arguably short-sighted idea to use fireworks from the Skyline Fireworks Factory to speed up the trip. Thankfully, despite Snowball’s plan “backfiring,” the stray puppies make it to the local pet store in time for a visit to the pet wash before meeting their new families and celebrating at a rousing pet party that rivals the minion dance party at the minion mayhem ride across the street.
A spa day is needed to clean up after the adventure – © Samantha Davis-Friedman
The adoption celebration is the hottest party in town © Samantha Davis-Friedman
As always, riders exit through the gift shop, which in this case, is the “Pets Shop” from the ride that carries super cute “Pets”-related merch, including plush pets up for adoption.
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What? No Lines?
But, wait. There’s more! “The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash!” uses a Virtual Line system – the same one Universal Studios Florida guests use to ride Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon and Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure without standing in painfully long queues. That’s right, there’s no standby line. But have no fear, it’s very easy to access the Virtual Line and get a return time via the official (and free) Universal Studios Hollywood App, which you can download onto your phone from the app store, or with help from a team member at the kiosk next to the ride entrance – one might even say it’s a walk in the (dog) park.
When You Go
Getting To Universal Studios Hollywood
The entrance to Universal Studios Hollywood is off the Lankershim exit off the U.S. 101 Freeway. Parking is plentiful. There are general and preferred lots. General parking before 5 pm is $30 and $10 after. Preferred is $50 before 5 pm and $20 after. Front Gate parking is $60.
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Where To Stay Near Universal Studios Hollywood
There are hotels in the area that have special relationships with the theme park and may get early admission and discount tickets. Hilton Los Angeles – Universal City is one. It’s a beautiful hotel less than a mile from the park with a gorgeous glass garden atrium and an outdoor pool. The Sheraton Universal Hotel, about a mile from the entrance, provides a shuttle to the park. It also has an outdoor pool with a bar inside it. Both are also super convenient to enjoy City Walk which is like an amusement park of retail shops and restaurants. In North Hollywood, about 2 miles from Universal, the Garland is a swanky hotel that has family suites and rooms with bunk beds. It also has a pool and a restaurant, and bar.
Or use this interactive map to find private homes and hotels around Universal Studios Hollywood.
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