When is Universal Studios Hollywood least crowded?
Known as “The Entertainment Capital of L.A.,” Universal Studios Hollywood is the very first Universal Studios theme park and is located less than an hour from Disneyland. The park is still a working movie studio, and features many rides, shows, and attractions from the big screen.
Universal Studios attracts millions of visitors each year, making it one of the most popular destinations in all of Southern California, but when is the best time to go? Let’s take a look at what kind of crowds to expect throughout the year.
January
New Year’s Day – The holiday season crowds are still around for the first week of the New Year. The off season (and shorter lines) doesn’t usually begin until after the first weekend of the month.
MLK Weekend – Weekdays and weekends after the first week of January are traditionally manageable, but it does get busier for MLK Weekend. Plan on that Saturday, Sunday, and Monday (MLK Day) to be crowded.
February
Presidents Day Weekend – The off season continues into February, with light crowds on weekdays and manageable weekends. Presidents Day Weekend, however, attracts big crowds.
March – April
Spring Break – Aim for going early in March if you can. The Spring Break crowds start to pick up by the end of the month as schools get out of session, peaking on the week before Easter and the week of Easter.
May
Weekdays – Crowds aren’t too bad at Universal in most of May. Saturdays are still busy, but weekdays and Sundays tend to be manageable.
Memorial Day Weekend – The three-day weekend marks the start of the summer season as more schools get out of session. Plan on that Saturday, Sunday, and Monday to be crowded. The weekdays after Memorial Day are manageable.
June
Summer Season – For shorter wait times in June, try to go on weekdays early in the month. Weekends in all of June are crowded, and weekdays are packed as well by the last week of the month.
July
4th of July Weekend – Universal Studios is typically very crowded for the 4th of July. Try to arrive early.
The summer season is in full swing by July, and most days are very busy. Avoid the weekends if you can. Weekdays (Monday – Thursday) are your best bets for lighter crowds.
August
Summer Season – The summer season crowds are still out in early August, but start to die down on weekdays by the last two weeks of the month. Saturdays and Sundays are still crowded.
September
Labor Day Weekend – The summer crowds are back for the three-day weekend. Be prepared for that Saturday, Sunday, and Monday to be busy.
Weekdays – The summer season crowds are gone completely after Labor Day, with manageable weekdays. Saturdays are most crowded.
October
Halloween Horror Nights – The annual Halloween event is wildly popular and starts in late September through the first weekend of November. Shorter hours mean manageable crowds during the day, especially on weekdays. For lighter crowds on Halloween Horror Nights, go in September or early October. It traditionally gets very crowded on the last weeks of October around Halloween, especially on Saturdays.
Check out our updated Halloween Horror Nights: Best & Worst Dates to Go crowd guide, with our handpicked best and worst nights to visit HHN every year.
November
Veterans Day Weekend – Weekends in November are traditionally busy, including the holiday weekend. Crowds are usually light on weekdays.
Thanksgiving Weekend – Universal Studios gets crowds for the extended weekend starting on Thanksgiving Day through Sunday.
December
Grinchmas – Grinchmas takes over Universal for the holiday season in December. Expect weekends to be busy, while crowds are manageable on weekdays for most of the month. The holiday crowds peak at the end of December, so be prepared for some of the biggest crowds of the year on the week of Christmas (including Christmas Eve and Christmas Day) through the end of the year (New Year’s Eve).
For crowd predictions of upcoming dates, as well as historical crowd ratings, check out the Universal Studios Hollywood Crowd Calendar.
For live crowd updates and conditions at the park, check out the Universal Studios Hollywood Crowd Tracker.
When do you think is the best time of the year to go to Universal Studios Hollywood? How crowded was it when you visited? Got any crowd tips?
Be sure to let us know in the comments below!
Image: billyv
I would call to find out for sure because I don’t know exactly what the price would be with your annual pass. I think the way it works is you have to pay the difference between the price of a regular ticket for that day and the price of Front of Line for that day.
Thank you !
How crowded will Halloween Horror Nights be on the 19th of October?
Halloween Horror Nights isn’t scheduled for that day.
I’m actually considering universal now over six flags I go every year but thinking of trying something new. Would Dec 1& 2 be ok? Im thinking of going either day or both. & also wanting to take my 4yr old he’s pretty tall for his age would he be too small though,?
Yes, it’s not expected to be crowded on those days. One day should be enough. You have to be 40″ or taller for most of the small rides and at least 48″ for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey and Revenge of the Mummy.
Hi, we are going to be in LA/Anaheim from 2nd Jan to 9th Jan 17, What might the crowds be like? We are unsure whether to get FOL passes. We are coming from Australia and have limited time to see it all. Thanks
Schools in the area will still be on winter break that week, so it’s expected to be fairly crowded (maybe 30-60min waits). If you’re going to be at the park the whole day, I’m thinking Front of Line won’t be absolutely necessary. If you’re going to be a hurry, I think FOL would be helpful.
When will be less crowded (slightly), Wednesday December 21st or Thursday December 22nd?
That week is always crowded, so I really don’t think there will be much of a difference. I would recommend getting Front of Line since the holiday season crowds will be out by then.