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Park Queue TimesPQT

Kennywood
vs
Universal Studios Florida Park

On a typical day Kennywood queues less: about 34 minutes a ride against 37 at Universal Studios Florida Park, a difference of roughly 3 minutes on every queue you join.

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01 · On a typical day

What you would normally queue.

Averages across recent weeks, so one broken ride or one wet Tuesday cannot decide it. This is the comparison to plan a trip on; the live figures below are the one to act on today.

Kennywood and Universal Studios Florida Park compared on their typical recorded queue times
TypicallyKennywoodUnited StatesUniversal Studios Florida ParkUnited States
Average wait per ride 34 min (best of the two)37 min
Rides with recorded waits 1235 (best of the two)
Longest typical queue Exterminator70 minMADLANDS: Caged Cannibals Accessibility Return Time114 min
Shortest typical queue Aero 36013 minOllivanders™ Experience in Diagon Alley™6 min
Average ride uptime Share of opening hours a ride is running95% (best of the two)60%

Averaged across every ride at each park with recorded waits. A ride that never opened is left out, so a park is not flattered by counting a shut ride as a queue of zero.

02 · Right now

Both parks, this minute.

Live queue times at both parks. These fill in as soon as the page loads, and keep updating while you are here.

Kennywood and Universal Studios Florida Park compared on live queue times
Right nowKennywoodUnited StatesUniversal Studios Florida ParkUnited States
Average wait right now --
Rides open --
Opening hours today --
Longest queue --
Shortest queue --

These keep refreshing while this page is open. A closed park posts no waits, so its rows read as dashes rather than zeroes.

Verdict, on a typical day On a typical day Kennywood queues less: about 34 minutes a ride against 37 at Universal Studios Florida Park, a difference of roughly 3 minutes on every queue you join.

03 · Choosing

Which one is your day out.

Every line here is earned by one of the figures above - nothing is a generic sentence with a park name dropped into it.

Pick Kennywood if…

  • You want shorter queues: Kennywood averages 34 minutes a ride against 37 at Universal Studios Florida Park
  • You would rather not find rides shut: Kennywood's rides run 95% of opening hours against 60% at Universal Studios Florida Park
  • Exterminator is on your list - it is Kennywood's longest typical queue at about 70 minutes, so it is the one to do first
  • You want Kennywood's own character - the rides, theming and atmosphere described below

Pick Universal Studios Florida Park if…

  • You will accept a longer queue - 37 minutes a ride here against 34 at Kennywood - for what Universal Studios Florida Park has that Kennywood does not
  • You want more to do: 35 rides here have recorded wait data against 12 at Kennywood
  • MADLANDS: Caged Cannibals Accessibility Return Time is on your list - it is Universal Studios Florida Park's longest typical queue at about 114 minutes, so it is the one to do first
  • You want Universal Studios Florida Park's own character - the rides, theming and atmosphere described below

04 · The parks

What each one is.

Kennywood

Kennywood is a historic traditional amusement park in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, just outside Pittsburgh. It has been running since 1898 and is a US National Historic Landmark - home to three classic wooden coasters (Thunderbolt, Jack Rabbit, Racer) alongside modern additions like Phantom's Revenge (a steel coaster known for a near-400 ft second drop) and Steel Curtain (part of a Steelers-themed area).

Kennywood's season runs roughly May to October, with peak crowds concentrated on summer weekends, July 4th, and during the Phantom Fright Nights event. Weekdays in June and September stay noticeably calmer. Check live queue times before committing to Phantom's Revenge or Steel Curtain, and use our crowd calendar to pick a quieter day if you want plenty of re-rides.

Kennywood live queue times

Universal Studios Florida Park

Universal Studios Florida is one of two major parks at the Universal Orlando Resort, themed around film and TV. Highlights include Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, Revenge of the Mummy, Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, Fast and Furious, and Transformers: The Ride. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter's Diagon Alley connects to Universal's Islands of Adventure via the Hogwarts Express.

Universal Studios Florida is busy year-round, with peak crowds during US school holidays, Halloween Horror Nights, and the Christmas season. Mid-January and early September are the quietest periods. Check live wait times across both parks on arrival, and use our crowd calendar to pick a lower-crowd date - the extensive Wizarding World areas regularly top 60-minute queues.

Universal Studios Florida Park live queue times

05 · Questions

Kennywood or Universal Studios Florida Park?

Which is better, Kennywood or Universal Studios Florida Park?

If you are judging on queues, Kennywood: it averages about 34 minutes a ride on a typical day against 37 at Universal Studios Florida Park, roughly 3 minutes back on every queue you join. Kennywood has 12 rides with recorded waits against 35 at Universal Studios Florida Park. Kennywood also runs its rides more reliably - 95% of opening hours against 60%.

Which has shorter queues, Kennywood or Universal Studios Florida Park?

Kennywood, by about 3 minutes a ride. On a typical day Kennywood averages 34 minutes against 37 at Universal Studios Florida Park. Queues still move hour by hour, and a midweek day outside school holidays beats the gap at either park. See Kennywood best time to visit and Universal Studios Florida Park best time to visit to pick a quiet day.

Can I visit Kennywood and Universal Studios Florida Park in the same trip?

Yes - both parks are in United States, so a two-park trip is realistic over a long weekend. Split the days so you start at whichever opens earliest and drive to the other in the evening.

How many rides does each park have?

See the tables above for ride counts - or jump to Kennywood and Universal Studios Florida Park for the full ride lists.

Is Kennywood bigger than Universal Studios Florida Park?

By rides we track waits for, Universal Studios Florida Park is the bigger day out: 35 rides against 12. Acreage matters less than how many you can actually get on, which comes down to queues and opening hours - and on those Kennywood is the quicker park.

Then pick
the quiet day.

Both parks have a crowd calendar with six weeks of forecast and the best day left to go.

Kennywood calendarUniversal Studios Florida Park calendarCompare other parks