Golf goes intergalactic at Universal CityWalk

Last year when Hollywood Drive-In Golf was opened at Universal Citywalk, I played the The Haunting of Ghostly Greens course.  One year later, I returned to play the Invaders From Planet Putt course and celebrate the attraction's first birthday.

Hollywood Drive-In Golf features two 18 hole miniature golf courses that are filled with wonderfully themed holes, fun special effects, and ‘thrills’ for the whole family to enjoy.

What makes this course so family friendly is that all of the holes are relatively easy, with pars of 2 or 3, and the ‘thrills’ are more tongue-in-cheek than scary. But my favorite tip for anyone playing at Hollywood Drive-In Golf is to make sure that you take time to read all of the signs that you see, because they will either give you hints on how to best play each hole or make you giggle.

> IMAGE GALLERY: Invaders from Planet Putt

The Invaders From Planet Putt course tells the story of Aliens who have come to Earth to wreak havoc and have a lot of fun!

Over the 18 holes of the course you join a band of cute aliens as they land in the fields and encounter crop circles, travel to Area 51 to battle a robot, and then to head out to explore their galaxy on a spaceship, ultimately coming face to face with a giant and hungry creature.

I have to say that the Area 51 holes were my favorite to play, because these holes were PACKED with fun details, special effects, and gags! We definitely spent a lot of extra time on these holes, because we were having so much fun.

But my only word of warning is to be absolutely careful on the 18^th hole, because part of course for the hole spins and it is really easy to lose your balance.

Since I last played, Hollywood Drive-In Golf has added a few new bonuses to playing on their courses which are pretty awesome!

First, upon checking in you will get your scorecard and a Playing into the Movie Trivia Challenge to play along the course. During this challenge, all you have to do is answer a few fun and simple questions to receive a scratch off card for prizes that can be redeemed on your next visit. And the best part of the prize is that it doesn’t expire, so if you only visit once a year you don’t have to worry that you won’t be able to use it!

They have also added some fun new merchandise and themed golf balls that you can purchase. You will want to make sure that you use the ball they provide you with on the final hole so yours isn’t lost in space!

But I definitely saved the best new addition to the Hollywood Drive-In Golf course for last. When you play on the two courses you can now use their new Scorecard App! The app is free, works for both courses, tallies the score with a fun twist, and even lets you take a picture of your scorecard and post your results to Facebook. I have to say not having to add all of the scores at the end of the game is a huge time saver!

Hollywood Drive-In Golf is open daily from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. Admission rates to play one course are $13.99 plus tax for adults and $11.99 plus tax for children (ages 3 to 9). If you download the app before you go, there is a special offer that if you add an extra 18-hole course (Play anytime – Never expires) to your game you will receive a free t-shirt.

Playing a round or two of miniature golf is an excellent way to start or cap off a fun filled time at Universal CityWalk! We absolutely enjoyed the time we spent playing at the Hollywood Drive-In Golf Invaders From Planet Putt course...in fact, I really think that it is my favorite of the two courses!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Shelley Caran recently moved to Celebration, Florida from Virginia, but has had a passion for Disney World and SeaWorld since her first visit in 1986.  She is a wife and stay-at-home Mom, who never seems to stay at home! She loves to take pictures, talk about her adventures, and what is important to know as you are on the go in the Orlando and Tampa attractions.  In addition to her own site, On the Go in MCO (www.onthegoinmco.com) she is a contributor for Touring Plans (www.touringplans.com).

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