This article is your complete guide to the best time to visit Universal Studios Fl. We find January, February, August, and September to be the best time to visit Universal Orlando based on crowd projections, ticket prices, weather and also the most recent deals and promotions going on at the parks. With that being said, there are plenty of specific times you can visit Central Florida to have the best time at Universal!
SPECIAL NOTE: If you’re looking for our 2025 Universal Orlando Crowd Calendar be sure to go straight to the link below.
Universal Orlando Crowd Calendar
The best time to visit Universal Studios Fl is early January, February, late August, and the entire month of September. For the most part, the best time to go to Universal Orlando is going to be right when kids go back to school after any major break or holiday. Of course, we understand that not every family can travel during one of these months, so one of our favorite tricks for picking the best time to visit Universal Orlando is to pay attention to one-day ticket prices as they fluctuate based on the date.
One of the things that we have found from helping our clients pick the best days to visit Universal Orlando is that Universal will have the cheapest ticket prices during what they project to be the slowest times of the year.
Based on events and traffic of years past, the least crowded days to visit Universal Orlando in 2025 are:
As a general rule of thumb, the off-season at Universal Orlando is right after kids go back to school which includes the months of January, February, September, late April, and early May. As we have been discussing this is also when you will find the cheapest Universal ticket prices. In September, you’ll find Universal to be a lot quieter than the earlier summer months. During April, you can take advantage of the post-spring break lull in the last two weeks of the month.
Historically you only had to avoid the first week or so, but recent years have proved this to be untrue as school’s spring break schedules have varied more and more across the country. As for January and February, we also find these months to be among the least crowded time to visit Universal Orlando. The main reason being is this is right after the holiday rush when most families vacation. If you’re still unsure which month works best for your group, check out our Universal Crowd Calendar.
The cheapest month to go to Universal Orlando is typically one of the least crowded months: January, August, and September. Universal ticket prices are the cheapest in September. The only downside is that if you’re traveling with kids, you might have to take them out of school for a more affordable vacation, but we’re not judging!
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The winter is an incredible time to visit Universal Studios Florida, as there are not only exclusive events like the Universal holidays, it’s also cooler and typically less crowded! Guests love the Holiday Parade Featuring Macy in Universal Studios Florida, or even celebrating Christmas in the Wizarding World in either park which is one of the best things to do for the winter holiday season. Just make sure you don’t visit during the winter breaks when school is out! Just know park hours are usually reduced in the winter due to lower crowds, but it’s will a great time to visit!
There are a ton of advantages of visiting Universal in January which include the cool weather, low park crowds, and discounted Universal Orlando tickets. You and your family might even be able to take advantage of visiting the Islands of Adventure or Universal Orlando still decorated for Christmas depending on the week you visit. The first week of January has always been a popular week for runners coming to the Orlando area. This is typically when Disney hosts the Walt Disney World Marathon weekend, in which all runners who sign up are welcome. Guests can partake in a 5k, 10k, half marathon, full marathon, or even all of the above! Then, I hope over to Universal CityWalk for a celebration meal!
For these reasons, it’s no secret that January has some of the best days at Universal Orlando. As outlined above, the best weeks and weekends include January 11th -18th and the 25th-31st. If you are only planning on visiting Universal Orlando for a few days, the best individual park days based on crowd levels and theme park ticket prices are January 13th or January 14th. If you’re unable to travel during these weeks, just keep reading to find the best time to visit Universal Orlando.
You’ll want to visit Universal Orlando before Presidents Day weekend if you are trying to avoid the crowds. Luckily, there are the same advantages as visiting in January, such as amazing weather, lower park crowds, and discounted Universal Orlando tickets if you do. As we discussed, the best weeks to go to Universal Orlando are February 1-7 and 7-14th. However, the best day to go to Universal Orlando in February will be the 9th or the 10th. We also find the first few days to be the best time to visit Harry Potter World. If you and your family decide to visit in February, be sure to check Mardi Gras, which is one of the most popular Universal Orlando events. We do find that when you look at all of the benefits, February is one of the best times for adults to visit Universal Orlando.
We do find the best week to visit Universal Orlando in March is the 1st – 7th, and the 3rd and 4th if you are only planning on spending a day. This isn’t as easy as January and February, as March is typically when we start to school breaks. It’s also when the weather in Florida starts to heat up, but it’s not as humid as the summer months. We find this month to be one of the best times to visit Universal Orlando based on the weather. This gives families a ton of flexibility as they can plan a few days by the pool of their favorite hotel. This is also when resort guests can really start to take advantage of Universal’s Volcano Bay water park.
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Springtime also has plenty of perfect times to visit Universal Orlando for theme park-goers. Mardi Gras is running during this time, which is one of Universal’s most popular festival and throughout the year. Guests do have to be careful during this time as Spring Break crowds can be very heavy if you aren’t paying attention to those dates before you book!
Visiting Universal in April is very popular among families for a few reasons. The first is another month when almost all schools will have a break, which allows families to take advantage of a great vacation without taking their kids out of school. The second reason is there is so much to do including, spending a ton of time at Universal’s Volcano Bay which is our favorite water park. The temperature at Universal in April is exactly what you would expect, with hot Florida days and enjoyable nights. If you’re picking a full week to travel, we recommend the last week of April 25th – May 1st. But if you are looking for the slowest time to go to Universal Orlando for a day, try April 29th or 30th.
Historically, May has been a great month to visit Universal Orlando as it is typically a slower month compared to April, and this is right before summer breaks. The middle of May has two of the best weeks to visit Universal Orlando throughout the entire year. This is because guests will have access to all of the attractions and water parks but enjoy lower crowds than in March and April. Guests can also visit Walt Disney World to check out the EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival. The only downside to visiting Universal Orlando in May is the hot Florida temperatures. If you’re picking a full week to travel, we recommend the week of May 11th-17th. But if you are looking for the slowest time to go to Universal Orlando for a day try May 12th or 13th.
June and July typically give families more flexibility to take longer trips to Universal as they don’t have to worry about school. As you can probably guess, the downside is Universal crowds typically start to pick up towards the end of June and last through early August. Florida temperatures are notoriously humid in the summer as well. With all of that being said, summer vacations at Universal Orlando can still be a blast! Universal also has our favorite water park in Orlando Volcano Bay!
Be prepared and plan your trip in advance if you are trying to avoid being out in the heat. You can take advantage of the Early Park Admission with all Park Prodigy multi-day Universal Orlando tickets. You can split your days up, and be sure to take pool breaks. If you’re picking a full week in June to visit Universal Orlando, we recommend the 1st – 6th. But if you are looking for the slowest time to go to Disney World for a day, try June 7th or 8th.
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Summer is among the busiest times to, but there are still plenty of times guests can visit and beat the crowds. School is out in Florida in July, so most days are busy and very hot. August and September, on the other hand, are much quieter when kids go back into school. Halloween Horror Nights also begins in August, one of the best events Universal has! We are also in peak hurricane season, so be prepared for rainy season and potential disruptions in travel with weather.
The few days leading up to the 4th has always been one of the most popular time to visit Universal Orlando. With that being said, one of the most interesting trends over the past few years has been more and more discounts in late July and early August than in years past. For this reason, if you can grab a discounted Universal vacation package or Discount Universal tickets this can be one of the cheapest times to visit Universal Orlando. Like in June, guests will still have to deal with the heat. This is most likely why so many people have tried to stay away the past few years, and we have been able to stay at some great Universal on-site resorts at amazing rates! So when is the best time to visit Universal in July? If you are planning a full week, we recommend July 25th – 31st. If you are only visiting Universal Orlando for one or two days in July we recommend the 28th or 29th.
August has always been the best summer month to visit Universal Orlando. This has typically been the case as many of the schools in the southern part of the United States are back in session, and Universal runs some amazing vacation deals. Guest’s might be able to upgrade to stay at one of the premier such as the Hard Rock Hotel and end their summer relaxing by the pool! So when is the best time to visit Universal Orlando in August? If you are planning a full week, we recommend August 22nd – 28th. If you are only visiting Universal for one or two days in August, we recommend the 25th or 26th.
Generally, the best time to visit Universal Orlando in September is right after Labor Day weekend and will continue through the end of the month. We typically find Universal to also run some great vacation package deals in September making it another reason why it’s one of the best months to visit Universal. September is a great time to visit Universal if you are looking for very low crowds. Schools throughout the entire country are now back in session and it is one of the cheapest times to visit Universal Orlando. One of the coolest parts about visiting Universal in September is the fact that you can attend Halloween Horror nights. Halloween Horror Nights are the most popular event at Universal Orlando and aren’t that expensive when it comes to extra-ticketed events.
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The fall is arguably the best time of the year to visit Universal because you can either get the holidays or Halloween when you decide to visit. Choose from Halloween Horror Nights or The Holidays at Universal and you can’t go wrong!
And as a general rule of thumb, the first week in October is best to visit Universal Orlando. The main reason is that it is still early enough in the Halloween season that Universal has not reached peak crowds just yet. We would also say the week following Columbus Day weekend is another one of the best times to visit Universal in October. October is one of my favorite times of year to visit Universal Orlando, as it is the perfect mix between warm Florida days and cool nights. This will allow you to take advantage of afternoon breaks by the pool or visit Universal’s Volcano Bay. Crowds can pick up based on the time of the month you visit, and you will want to avoid Columbus Day weekend if possible. Just like in September, one of the coolest parts about visiting Universal in the fall is the fact that you can attend Halloween Horror Nights.
One of the coolest things about visiting Universal Orlando in November is you can attend both a Halloween Party and start to celebrate Christmas in the same week if you plan it right! The last Halloween Horror Nights is held on November 1st, and then typically, the parks start their holiday transformations. Universal Orlando officially starts their holiday celebrations around November 13th, but you can still see some decor being added throughout the parks beforehand. During the holidays at Universal, you can partake in Grinchmas, Harry Potter Christmas and more!
Just like October, this is another great month to visit Universal as it is the perfect mix between warm Florida days and cool nights. The only downside is depending on the time of the month you visit it might be too chilly to hang by the pool. Crowds are consistent throughout the month and pick up right around Thanksgiving. So, when is the best time to visit Universal Orlando in November? If you are planning a full week, we recommend November 1st – 7th. If you are only visiting Universal for one or two days in November, we recommend the 10th or 11th.
As you can probably guess, the closer you visit towards the beginning of the month, the better. This is because many schools are still in session, and crowds will still be moderate. Check out our complete guide to visiting Universal Orlando for Christmas. As discussed, crowds are consistent throughout the first two weeks and continue to get worse as you get closer to the Holiday. Peak times tend to be the week of Christmas and New Year’s Day, as most people like celebrating in the Universal theme parks.
If you are planning a full week, we recommend December 1st – 8th. If you are only visiting Universal for one or two days in December, we recommend the 7th or 8th.
The Holidays in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter are a top attraction too, as the lights, special entertainment and Castle Show are a must-do. There’s Universal’s Holiday Parade in Universal Studios Florida and Grinchmas to enjoy too!
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Planning the best time to go to Universal Studios Orlando can not only 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 time to visit Universal is to compare the cheapest Universal Orlando ticket prices. The cheaper the tickets the more likely it is that the parks won’t be as crowded during that time of year.
Using the ticket prices to find the best time to visit Universal Orlando could also make the difference between staying off-property and on-property at one of the amazing Universal Orlando resorts. All on-property guests can take full advantage of special Universal Orlando benefits, including free transportation, free express passes at participating resorts, and, of course, early park admission, which is still included with all of our Universal Orlando tickets.
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Epic Universe will be opening in May 2025, which means crowds might be heavy over the summer while this new park is opening. With brand new lands like Super Nintendo World, Ministry of Magic, Classic Monsters, and more we are expecting the park crowds to pick up for a while.
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.
If you’re ready to plan your trip to Universal Orlando, be sure to check out our 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!