Located on the upper lot of Universal Studios Hollywood is Illumination’s The Secret Life of Pets: Off The Leash. This attraction is based on the hit film from Illumination. And just like the film, all your favorite characters are here on the “Secret Life of Pets” ride. Max? Check. Duke? Check. Gidget and Snowball? Check and check. Get ready to get up close with these lovable pets.
THE STORY
The story of “The Secret Life of Pets” takes place in New York City. You’re going on a journey through the city streets, joining Max, Duke, and the crew as they get ready for adoption day. SPOILER: it isn’t just their adoption day — it’s yours too. On this attraction, you’ll be turned into a stray puppy yourself. Cue dramatic music.
THE QUEUE
Like many of the attractions at Universal Studios Hollywood, the queue at The Secret Life of Pets: Off The Leash is an attraction in itself. You’re literally walking through Katie’s New York City apartment building. If you’re a fan of the film, you’ll love seeing Buddy getting a massage from a food mixer in the kitchen, Duke and Max playing a game where they’re stacking dog bones, and so much more.. If you’re just a fan of immersive theme park theming, there’s plenty to geek out about as you go through all nine rooms. The queue even includes a few animated figures, featuring the original voices from the film.
PRO TIP: As you walk through the queue, be on the lookout for mail slots. Be sure to lift up these slots and get a look at these pets in their not-so-secret lives.
THE RIDE
On this family-friendly ride, you’ll board a cardboard box/ride vehicle that holds two guests. Now here’s the really cool part: the “Secret Life of Pets” ride uses optical enhanced gesture-tracking technology which is a high-tech way of saying you’re going to be transformed into a stray puppy. In other words, when you blink, your puppy self will blink. When you turn your head, so will your puppy self. Sounds cool? It is. You’ll ride through a variety of places from the films, including Cat Alley, as you encounter over 60 animated figures.
Well, everything will be going according to plan until Snowball has the idea to get to the adoption fair faster by traveling via rocket. Oh, that Snowball… Anyway, let’s just say that rockets and fireworks factories don’t mix well and you’ll need a quick bath before making it to the adoption fair.
PRO TIP: As you travel through the “Secret Life of Pets” ride you’ll pass several New York City storefronts. Many of the shop names are tributes to Universal team members.
RIDE DETAILS
The Secret Life of Pets: Off The Leash is a must-experience, family-friendly attraction!
- Height requirement: guests need to be at least 34 inches to ride.
- There are actually 15 different stray puppies that you can become. Five different breeds and three different colors.
- With over 60 animated figures, action happening in every direction, a ton of different sight gags all around you, and the fact that you can transform into different stray puppies, there’s a lot to take in on the “Secret Life of Pets” ride. This is one of those rides where, every time you ride, you can appreciate something different.
- To access the ride’s Virtual Line, use the Official Universal Studios Hollywood App.
THE PETS STORE
After you ride and before you ride again (you’ll want to), you can check out The Pets Store where you can adopt your own plush pet. I dare you to walk by this area without saying at least one “awwwww.”
The Secret Life of Pets: Off The Leash is a must-see on your next trip to Universal Studios Hollywood. Let me know your thoughts on this fan favorite attraction in the comments below.