Universal Studios Beijing Itinerary 2026: Open Run & Dim Sum Guide

China's Beijing Universal Studios opened its gates in '21, making it a relatively new theme park, and for a theme park enthusiast like myself, it was an absolute must-visit!

On the third day of our 3-night, 4-day adventure, we kicked off with an 'open run' to Universal Studios. Later, back in the city, we indulged in some mouth-watering dim sum – truly the quintessential Chinese delight – making for a perfectly fulfilling day!

I've put together a fantastic one-day itinerary for your Beijing trip, covering everything from my 'open run' experience at Universal Studios and must-try attractions, to incredible restaurants and the amazing dim sum spot we visited for dinner!

Beijing, China Independent Travel: Course, Itinerary, Map, Difficulty, Security, Review, Universal Studios, Dim Sum

1️⃣Universal Studios Open Run

2️⃣Recommended Attractions

3️⃣Mr. Ping's Noodle House

4️⃣Jin Ding Xuan Dim Sum

1. Universal Studios Open Run

Our lodging was the Legendale Hotel near Wangfujing, and while Universal Studios was over 30km away, the DiDi taxi fare was only 66.9 yuan, which at the time was roughly ~$9.

I highly recommend taking a DiDi taxi, as the fares here are incredibly affordable – even more so than in other countries boasting a Universal Studios!

On the day of our visit, opening time was 10 AM, but when we reached the entrance queue around 9:30 AM, there was already a substantial crowd!

We finally made it inside at 10:20 AM, 50 minutes after arrival, only to find the ride queues were already stretching far!

If you're aiming for an 'open run,' I'd suggest waking up about 30 minutes earlier and arriving by 9 AM; you'll likely find significantly shorter ride queues once you're inside Universal Studios!

Since most of the waiting lines aren't shaded, be sure to pack a parasol, hat, and plenty of water on bright, sunny days!

Beijing Universal Studios not only boasts the title of the largest and most recently opened Universal park in Asia, but its ultimate charm lies in featuring the world's only Kung Fu Panda themed land!

You'll find rides and restaurants designed around the Kung Fu Panda theme, and since it's an indoor area, you can have an absolute blast, come rain or shine, hot or cold!

There's also a fantastic array of Kung Fu Panda souvenirs, from plushies and headbands to t-shirts and hats, making it incredibly fun to explore and shop!

When it comes to Universal Studios tickets, prices are generally higher on weekends and holidays, and more budget-friendly on weekdays.

If your travel plans allow you to visit Universal Studios on a weekday, you can snag your tickets for a slightly better price.

And here's a hot tip: look out for early bird tickets! The sooner you purchase, the more affordable your tickets will be, so it's smart to book as soon as your travel dates are confirmed.

September Weekend Admission Ticket Prices by Travel Site

For single tickets, Trip.com offers the best price, while Klook sells tickets for two.

If you use a Klook discount coupon, it gets even cheaper, allowing you to go for less than ~$66 per person.

If you're not going solo, buying a 2-person ticket from Klook is definitely the best deal!!

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#BeijingUniversalStudios #UniversalStudiosBeijing

#UniversalChina

2. Universal Studios Attractions

For theme parks like Universal Studios, it's a great idea to know the recommended attractions beforehand to make the most of your visit.

✔️Transformers

Decepticoaster

This is the fastest roller coaster at Universal Studios Beijing, and it even does a 360-degree loop!

✔️Kung Fu Panda

Journey of the Dragon Warrior

This dark ride takes you on a boat through the water, following Kung Fu Panda as he battles villains.

The character models and movements were incredibly natural, making it feel very vivid and alive.

✔️Harry Potter

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey

If Journey of the Dragon Warrior is a boat-based dark ride, then the Forbidden Journey is a 3D dark ride that makes you feel like you're flying on a broomstick, just like Harry Potter.

✔️Jurassic World

Jurassic World Adventure

This attraction is so incredibly high-quality that I'd call anyone a fool if they went to Universal Studios Beijing and didn't ride it!

It's a dark ride where you escape Jurassic World as if you're a character from the movie. The lighting, sound, and dinosaur models were so realistic that I was startled multiple times throughout the ride.

I rode it before watching the Jurassic World movie, and now after seeing the film, looking at the photos and videos makes me want to ride it again.

3. Mr. Ping's Noodle House

We had lunch at Mr. Ping's Noodle House.

Since it's inside a theme park and a Kung Fu Panda-themed restaurant, I didn't have high expectations for the taste, but surprisingly, we absolutely loved it.

We'd already had breakfast, so the three of us only ordered two noodle dishes, but the portions were quite generous.

We ordered the Beef Noodles and Sichuan Dan Dan Mian, and the quality wasn't just 'good for a theme park' – it was so good we would have happily eaten it outside the park too.

#BeijingUniversalStudiosFood

4. Jin Ding Xuan Dim Sum

After leaving Universal, we went to Jin Ding Xuan, a famous dim sum restaurant in Beijing, for dinner.

金鼎軒

There are over 10 branches in Beijing, so you can find the one closest to your current location using Gaode Maps (Amap).

They tend to operate late, and the Worker's Stadium branch we visited was open from 06:00-22:00.

Our order included Shrimp Har Gow, Red Rice Roll Cheong Fun, Steamed Chicken Feet, Steamed Pork Ribs, Braised Pork Belly, and Vegetable Congee, but I highly recommend the Shrimp Har Gow, Red Rice Roll Cheong Fun, and Steamed Chicken Feet!

The Shrimp Har Gow had a thin skin and plump, juicy shrimp inside, while the Red Rice Roll Cheong Fun offered a unique crispy texture tucked within its chewy wrapper.

The Steamed Chicken Feet were incredibly tender, steamed for so long that the meat practically fell off the bone – a completely different texture from typical chicken feet dishes you might be used to.

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