Best Day of Week to Visit Universal Orlando in 2025

Best Day of Week to Visit Universal Orlando in 2025

Harry Potter Escape from Gringotts Ride

Best Day of Week to Visit Universal Orlando in 2025

One of the most common questions when planning their Orlando vacation is, what are the best days to visit Universal Studios Orlando? Based on the most recent 12-month wait time data, Wednesdays, Sundays, and Tuesdays will be the best days to visit Universal Orlando. Our guide will cover why that’s true and what days to visit each park during your next university Orlando vacation including the newest park EPIC Universe!

We hope you find this post helpful! Our goal at The Park Prodigy has always been to help you save time and money on your next Universal Orlando vacation!  If you are planning a trip to Universal Orlando, be sure to check out our discounted multi-day Universal Orlando tickets and Universal Orlando vacation package deals, which include EARLY PARK ADMISSION to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and can save you up to $80 per theme park ticket!

So if you’re ready to learn about the best day of the week to visit Universal Orlando in 2025 read on!

SPECIAL NOTE: If you need help picking the best time to visit Universal Orlando for your next vacation be sure to check out our Universal Crowd calendar!

 Universal Orlando Crowd Calendar

What is the Best Day to go to Universal Studios Orlando in 2025?

Let’s start this guide with the most common question we receive, and that is, what is the best day of the week to visit Universal Orlando Resort? Based on the past 12 months worth of wait time data Wednesday, Tuesday and Sunday are considered the best days to visit the theme parks for shorter lines. We are also expecting this to be true for the newest Universal Orlando Park EPIC Universe, as Universal is currently showing the cheapest one-day ticket prices to be Monday through Thursday.

It’s important to note that we do expect crowds to be higher at EPIC Universe and Islands of Adventure compared to Universal Studios Florida and Volcano Bay, with the exception of the popular Halloween Horror Nights, which can bring larger crowds to Universal Studios Florida. And for Florida locals who come in to visit the parks on the weekend typically see Sunday as less crowded than Friday and Saturday.

What is the Best Day to Go to Islands of Adventure?

As a general rule of thumb, the best days to visit Islands of Adventure Park are Wednesday, Sunday and Tuesday. The busiest days are Saturday, Thursday, and Friday. It’s important to note that the discrepancies between the crowd levels are not as wide as over at Universal Studios Florida because this park has the two most popular rides in Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure and the Jurassic World Velocicoaster and is typically the go-to park for early park admission which is included with all of our multi-day Universal tickets.

Best to worst days ranked

  • Sunday
  • Wednesday
  • Tuesday
  • Monday
  • Friday
  • Thursday
  • Saturday

Best Day of the Week to Visit Universal Studios Florida

Based on the historical wait time data found at queue-times.com, Wednesday is the optimal day to visit Universal Studios Florida, followed by Sunday and Tuesday. On the flip side, we can also see that the busiest days at this theme park tend to be Saturday, Monday, and Friday in that order, especially in the fall when it hosts Halloween Horror Nights.

Best to worst days ranked

  • Wednesday
  • Sunday
  • Tuesday
  • Thursday
  • Friday
  • Monday
  • Saturday (busiest day at Universal Studios)

When is the Best Time to Go to EPIC Universe?

Picking the best day to visit EPIC Universe in 2025 is a bit harder than the other parks as it’s scheduled to open on May 22nd, 2025 so we do expect for it to be busier than normal in the initial phase. However, based on previous crowd levels at Islands of Adventure and one-day EPIC Universe ticket pricing, we do expect Wednesday, Tuesday, and Monday to be the best day of the week to visit.

When is the Best Time to Go to Volcano Bay?

Based on historical wait time data, the best days to visit Volcano Bay tend to be Wednesday, Tuesday, and Thursday, as this park is extremely popular among Florida locals on the weekend, especially in the summer. Volcano Bay is such an interesting park to plan around the crowds because you can truly get so much done even when the parks are a bit busier. One of the main reasons is the Volcano Bay TapuTapu system, which is essentially a virtual line. However, even with this amazing system, it is important to try to pick the best day to go to Volcano Bay during your next trip. This is also especially true if you plan to rent one of the Universal Orlando cabanas. 

Best to worst days ranked

  • Wednesday
  • Tuesday
  • Thursday
  • Monday
  • Sunday
  • Friday
  • Saturday

Related Page: Harry Potter Early Park Admission Tickets

Tips And Tricks For Picking The Best Day of the Week at Universal Orlando

hagrids-magical-creatures-motorbike-adventure

One of the easiest ways that you can find the best day of the week to visit Universal once you have your vacation booked is to pay attention to one day ticket prices. The reason is Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando theme park tickets now fluctuate based on the time of year you visit. So, one of the easiest ways to pick the best day to visit Universal is to compare the cheapest Universal Orlando ticket prices. The cheaper the tickets are, the more likely it is that the parks won’t be as crowded during that time of year. If you prefer to use a free tool to find the lower crowd levels at Universal Orlando, check out our Universal Orlando Crowd calendar. We break down estimated crowds based on the month, week, and even one-day ticket pricing to help you find the best day to visit Universal Orlando Resort.

Our one-day Universal Orlando Ticket pricing analysis

In order to find the best day of the week to visit Universal Orlando Resort, we studied the cheapest 180 one-day ticket prices to find which day of the week had the lowest prices on average. Below are our findings, and on average, we typically see the cheapest time to visit Universal Orlando to be the weekdays in September and between the middle of January and early February.

Best Days to Visit Universal Orlando in 2025 By Ticket Pricing

Wednesday: 34 days out of the top 180 cheapest days of the year

Tuesday: 33 days out of the top 180 cheapest days of the year

Monday: 33 days out of the top 180 cheapest days of the year

Thursday: 33 days out of the top 180 cheapest days of the year

Friday: 22 days out of the top 180 cheapest days of the year

Sunday: 19 days out of the top 180 cheapest days of the year

Saturday: 12 days out of the top 180 cheapest days of the year

Pay attention to Universal Orlando Resort park hours

Very similar to the one-day ticket pricing, another great way to find the best days to visit Universal is to pay attention to theme park hours throughout the year. During the busier times of year, Universal Orlando will have longer operating hours to make up for the larger crowds. On the flip side, they typically have shorter hours during the slower times of the year, which results in lower crowds and shorter wait times. For the most up to date park hours be sure to check out our Universal Orlando crowd calendar.

Use Universal Orlando early park admission

One of the easiest ways to make sure you get the most out of your day no matter which Universal Orlando park you plan to visit is to take advantage of early park admission. This is one of the most popular benefits of purchasing your Universal Orlando tickets from The Park Prodigy. This is also a huge time saver for anyone looking to make the most out of their trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! 

Taking advantage of early park admission will also allow you an afternoon break at your hotel if need be. It’s important to note that early park admission can switch between parks during the slower times at Universal. 

Avoid the weekends when possible

Weekend foot traffic at Universal Orlando can be unpredictable. Another essential tip when figuring out the best days to go to Universal Orlando is to pay attention to the special events. Universal is home to some of the most popular events in Florida, such as Halloween Horror Nights, Mardi Gras, and holiday celebrations.  These events have become extremely popular among the Florida locals, and as you could have guessed, many people visit on the weekends.

Avoid major holidays

This might seem obvious, but holidays tend to attract the largest crowds and be the busiest days at Universal Orlando. In many cases such as the Fourth of July and Christmas, the parks will reach capacity. You can still plan a great family trip around holidays such as Labor Day, Memorial Day, and Halloween; however, we still recommend following the tips outlined above.

Related post: What to Bring to Universal Studios Orlando; Ultimate Packing Guide

Best Days to Go To Universal Studios Orlando FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are the least busy days at Universal Orlando?

A: As a general rule of thumb,  the least busy days at the three Universal Orlando parks will typically be Wednesday, Sunday and Tuesday in that order. By visiting the park on these quieter weekdays, you can expect shorter wait times for the most popular Universal Orlando rides and also have a better chance of grabbing those hard-to-get Universal Orlando dining reservations. For Florida locals or guests visiting Universal Orlando on the weekend, we always recommend visiting on Sunday as that tends to be the least busy weekend day. It’s important to keep in mind that factors such as holidays, special events, and seasonal fluctuations may impact crowd levels, so it’s essential to consider these when planning your visit, and we always recommend reaching out to one of our Universal Orlando travel experts at The Park Prodigy if you need additional help planning your vacation.

Q: Is Universal as crowded as Disney?

A: Another popular question that we receive is, is Disney or Universal more crowded? As a general rule of thumb, the least crowded days at Universal Studios and Disney can vary, but overall we tend to see Walt Disney World Resort theme parks with larger crowds throughout the year. The slowest days at Universal Orlando and Disney World can change based on the season and special events happening, especially over at Universal Orlando with Halloween Horror nights in September and October.

Q: When is Harry Potter world least crowded?

A: Harry Potter World will be least crowded on Tuesdays and Wednesdays based off historical data. That can change based on the season, but we typically will avoid Harry Potter lands on weekend days due to it being so busy.

When Is The Best Time To Visit Universal Orlando?

Our Universal Orlando Crowd Calendar is the best tool to help you get the most out of your time in the parks. We break down the park crowds, park hours of operation, ticket prices by day, and average temperature.

Are You Ready to Plan Your Next Universal Orlando Trip?

If you’re ready to plan your trip to Universal Studios, be sure to check out Universal Orlando Tickets! Not only will you save money vs buying direct, but all of our multi-day Universal Orlando tickets come with some amazing benefits, such as early park admission!

And to stay up to date on everything going on inside the theme parks be sure to check out our partners at Themeparktoday.com!

 

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Michael Belmont

Michael Belmont is the owner at Theparkprodigy.com, an authorized Disney and Universal travel agent. He specializes in Disney and Universal theme park tickets and vacation packages, as well as daily park plans to help optimize vacation time. Michael and The Park Prodigy have been featured on ABC’s Florida affiliate, WTFV, as well as over 10 Disney focused blogs. As owner, Michael manages The Park Prodigy blog and social media, a Disney themed podcast, and a Disney and Universal focused YouTube channel. Prior to starting The Park Prodigy, Michael was a long time Disney and Universal enthusiast, frequent visitor of the parks, and even served as a Walt Disney World Cast Member in Orlando, Florida!