The 4 Best GoPro Style Action Cameras for Your Trip to Universal Studios

Universal Studios is one of the best places to make lasting memories with your family. For a lot of people, this isn’t the kind of trip where you want to trust your cell phone camera to capture every moment. Instead, you might be thinking of upgrading to a GoPro style action camera to get the best possible pictures. To help you make the best choice, we’ll explain Universal Studios camera policy and recommend a few of our favorite gadgets that comply with it.

Can You Bring a GoPro into Universal Studios?

Universal Studios camera policy is a bit unclear – probably by design, so they have the freedom to turn people away if they bring in large equipment or something they find objectionable. It’s all at their discretion. So while it doesn’t say you can bring in a GoPro, it also doesn’t say you can’t.

Here’s what their policy does say:

• You can bring in selfie sticks (at Universal’s discretion). But it has to be strapped to you and can’t be used on rides or attractions.
• Commercial photography and videotaping are prohibited without a permit or Universal’s prior consent. Any footage or images you take have to be for personal use.

Can You Film Rides at Universal?

You won’t be able to record video on rides, even if your camera is strapped to you like the rules say. This is for safety (to prevent cameras from getting knocked off you and hitting people accidentally) and to avoid ruining the experience of the ride for other people. This is especially important for dark rides, where flash, an LCD screen that lights up, or any other bright parts of your GoPro could mess up the experience of the attraction.

The Takeaway

You can take a GoPro as long as you’re prepared to stash it when you’re asked to. Since GoPros aren’t explicitly allowed, we recommend going with a pretty classic design – small, unobtrusive, and nothing too over the top or anything that looks like it might be for professional or commercial use.

Here are our recommendations for the best cameras to bring along that shouldn’t get you into trouble:

The Best GoPro-Style Action Cameras to Bring for Your Next Trip to Universal Studios 

When they first came out, GoPros were the only action cameras on the market – which is why we still call pretty much all action cameras “GoPros,” even if they’re another brand. But the market’s really opened up in recent years. We’ll show a range of price points and brands so you can make the best choice for your adventure!

GoPro Hero 10

We’ll start with the most expensive of all – the Holy Grail of GoPros. And that comes at a price — $500, to be exact.

But it’s worth every penny. If you want your GoPro to be able to do everything, your answer is the Hero 10. The camera is waterproof on its own (no need to add on a protective case). It can take videos at 2880p and capture photos at crystal-clear 23MP. You want to capture memories with high-quality resolution so they’ll stand the test of time for years to come. That’s exactly what the Hero 10 delivers.

It can also take videos in 8x slow motion, meaning you’ll get to capture all the action in all its glory. Or try pausing your videos and grabbing high-quality still photos that capture the life of the moment without that typical graininess of video stills. It absolutely beats out your iPhone on this one.

And it’s easy to transfer and share your memories as well. When you get home, just connect your camera to your home’s wifi network or plug it into your computer. Let the cloud handle transferring the photos from your GoPro to your phone or laptop while you unpack, unwind, and focus on what’s really important – like deciding where to display all your new souvenirs!

GoPro Hero 9

If you’re fine with compromising between budget and still getting GoPro’s amazing reputation (along with the almost-latest and greatest in tech), we recommend the Hero 9. It’s one generation from GoPro’s most recent iteration, meaning you still get some great features, but you can save a bit of cash.

It has a lot of what the Hero 10 has going for it. The camera is waterproof and you can easily take time lapse footage and capture video in crystal-clear 5K resolution. While the camera’s 20MP isn’t quite as good as the Hero 10’s 23MP, the difference is relatively minor, so you can still enjoy your pictures and focus on what’s important – your family’s smiles all throughout your trip.

The Hero 9 also has a few features the Hero 10 doesn’t have. The SuperPhoto feature automatically picks the best image processing and editing for you. And if you’re a live streamer, the Hero 9 has built-in live streaming and webcam capabilities built right in. You can stream in 1080p across social media platforms with HyperSmooth stabilization, so you can show the world your adventures in real-time without having to worry about shaky video.

DJI Osmo Action

If you’re not into name brands, you can find some fantastic options from other brands to save some serious money. This option takes 12MP photos, is waterproof up to 36 feet deep, and still has great features like time lapse video and RockSteady smoothing technology to edit out any shaking while you’re capturing video. 

It can even capture 8x slow motion in 1080p resolution at 240 frames per second. And it charges fully in 90 minutes, so you can start playing with it and learning how to use it practically right out of the box.

But our favorite thing about the DJI Osmo Action is that you can switch to wide-angle mode. The wide-angle lens can capture up to 145 degrees around you in stunning 4K. It makes it easy to always get the action in frame, even if you’re capturing larger-than-life moments or taking group photos.

COOAU Native 4K

At a stunning $100, this is our favorite budget option. We love how versatile and affordable this pick is. It certainly doesn’t feel like a budget option when you’re using it.

The COOAU Native has plenty of features to choose from to help you get the best shot. The 2-inch LCD touch screen makes it a breeze to switch between settings. You can choose between narrow, medium, and wide angles so you can always get the action in frame. And it comes with 6 built-in video modes like time lapse, loop video, fast motion, slow motion, and more.

There are also plenty of ways for you to take awesome 20MP images to capture your most important moments. The 5 photo modes include the self timer, time lapse, long exposure, and more.

It even comes with a rugged waterproof case, making it waterproof up to 131 feet underwater. We doubt snorkeling mode will get much use at Universal Studios, but if you’re looking for a camera you can take on a variety of trips, this is a great pick.

If you already have a go-to GoPro camera and want a backup or a starter camera for the kids, you can’t find a better option than the COOAU Native.

Do you have a favorite camera to bring along for trips to Universal? Let us know about it in the comments so your fellow Universal Studios enthusiasts can get the most out of their trip! 

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