What is the Best Day of the Week to Visit to Universal Orlando?

What is the Best Day of the Week to Visit to Universal Orlando?

Harry Potter Escape from Gringotts Ride

What is the Best Day of the Week to Visit to Universal Orlando?

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 date, 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 for your epic vacation.

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!

So if you’re ready to learn about the best day of the week to visit Universal Orlando in 2024 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?

Generally, Wednesday, Sunday and Tuesday are considered the optimal days to explore the three parks at Universal Orlando, as they typically experience lower crowd levels. The time of year you plan to visit is crucial, as peak seasons and holidays can significantly affect crowd sizes. Additionally, we do see that Islands of Adventure is typically busier than Universal Studios Florida during the majority of the year, with the exception of the popular Halloween Horror Nights, which can bring larger crowds to Universal Studios Florida.

Best day of the week to visit Universal Studios Florida: Wednesday

Best day of the week to visit Islands of Adventure: Sunday

Best day of the week to visit Volcano Bay: Wednesday

It’s important to note that if you prefer to use a free tool to plan your Universal vacation, then check out our Universal Orlando Crowd calendar. We break down estimated crowds based on the month, week, and even day. We even easily outline exactly which parks we recommend to visit each day, including the average temperatures and daily ticket prices. Not only will this save you a ton of time in the theme park, but it can also save you money! How, you might ask? Well just like Walt Disney World, 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.

What will be the best day to go to Universal Epic Universe?

Many guests are anticipating the arrival of Epic Universe, which means that low crowds might be hard to find for this new park! If you’re looking to beat long lines, you might want to avoid this new park for a couple of months after the opening, May 22nd, 2025. Once crowds level out, we’ll update the least busy days for Epic Universe here!

Related Page: Is the Universal Orlando Express Pass Worth it? 

Best Day of the Week to Visit Universal Studios Florida

things-to-do-at-universal-studios

So, when is the best day to visit Universal Studios Florida? Based on the historical wait time data found at queue-times.com, Wednesday is the best 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 as well.

Best Days to Visit Universal Studios Florida in Order:

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

Related Page: Harry Potter Early Park Admission Tickets

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

hagrids-magical-creatures-motorbike-adventure

As a general rule of thumb, the best days to visit Islands of Adventure Park are Sunday, Wednesday and Tuesday. With the busiest days being Saturday, Thursday, and Friday. It’s important to note that the discrepancies between the crowd levels is not as wide as over at Universal Studios Florida, because this park has the two most popular rides and is typically the go to park for early park admission. 

The best time to go to Universal Islands of Adventure is usually the mornings with Early Park Admission, as well. This is due to the lowest wait times for Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure

Best Day of the Week to Visit Islands of Adventure?

Universal Islands of Adventure Least Busy Days in Order:

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

Related post: What are the Top 10 Universal’s Islands of Adventure Rides?

When is the Best Time to Go to Volcano Bay?

best-day-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. 

What is the Best Day of the Week to Visit Volcano Bay

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

Related post: A Guide to Volcano Bay: The 15 Best Volcano Bay Rides

Tips And Tricks For Picking The Least Busy Day at Universal Studios Orlando

one-of-the-best-days-to-visit-universal-orlando

Ticket prices indicate the best days to visit Universal Studios Orlando

One of the easiest ways to figure out the best day of the week to visit Universal Orlando is to pay attention to one-day Universal ticket pricing. One of the ways Universal tries to entice people to visit during the least crowded days at Universal Studios Orlando is to lower ticket prices. We typically see the cheapest Universal Orlando tickets during the weekdays in September and between the middle of January and early February.

Best Days to Visit Universal Orlando in 2024 By Ticket Pricing

Month Date Day of Week
August 8/21/2024 Monday
August 8/22/2024 Tuesday
August 8/23/2024 Wednesday
August 8/28/2024 Monday
August 8/29/2024 Tuesday
September 9/4/2024 Monday
September 9/5/2024 Tuesday
September 9/6/2024 Wednesday
September 9/7/2024 Thursday
September 9/10/2024 Sunday
September 9/11/2024 Monday
September 9/12/2024 Tuesday
September 9/13/2024 Wednesday
September 9/14/2024 Thursday
September 9/17/2024 Monday
September 9/18/2024 Tuesday
September 9/19/2024 Wednesday
September 9/20/2024 Thursday
September 9/21/2024 Friday
September 9/25/2024 Monday
September 9/26/2024 Tuesday
September 9/27/2024 Wednesday
November 11/6/2024 Monday
November 11/7/2024 Tuesday
November 11/13/2024 Monday
November 11/14/2024 Tuesday
November 11/27/2024 Monday
November 11/28/2024 Tuesday
November 11/29/2024 Wednesday

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 important tip when figuring out the best days to go to Universal Orlando is to pay attention to the special eventsUniversal 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 like it’s obvious but Holidays tend to attract the largest crowds 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.

Get into Harry Potter Lands Early

Even on slower days, Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade will have some of the most crowds of all of the park. So, we suggest using your Early Park Admission to head over to Diagon Alley to ride Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure and then use the Hogwarts Express to hop over to Hogsmeade Village.

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 Universal Orlando tickets come with some amazing benefits that can help save you up to three hours in the parks!

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

 

attachment-img
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!