Skip to main content
Park Queue TimesPQT

Seaworld San Diego
vs
Universal Studios Hollywood

On a typical day Seaworld San Diego queues less: about 9 minutes a ride against 24 at Universal Studios Hollywood, a difference of roughly 15 minutes on every queue you join.

See both right nowCompare other parks

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.

Seaworld San Diego and Universal Studios Hollywood compared on their typical recorded queue times
TypicallySeaworld San DiegoUnited StatesUniversal Studios HollywoodUnited States
Average wait per ride 9 min (best of the two)24 min
Rides with recorded waits 1431 (best of the two)
Longest typical queue Shipwreck Rapids16 minOzzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness57 min
Shortest typical queue Tidepool Twist5 minKill-Ceanera - Express5 min
Average ride uptime Share of opening hours a ride is running76% (best of the two)36%

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.

Seaworld San Diego and Universal Studios Hollywood compared on live queue times
Right nowSeaworld San DiegoUnited StatesUniversal Studios HollywoodUnited 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 Seaworld San Diego queues less: about 9 minutes a ride against 24 at Universal Studios Hollywood, a difference of roughly 15 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 Seaworld San Diego if…

  • You want shorter queues: Seaworld San Diego averages 9 minutes a ride against 24 at Universal Studios Hollywood
  • You would rather not find rides shut: Seaworld San Diego's rides run 76% of opening hours against 36% at Universal Studios Hollywood
  • Shipwreck Rapids is on your list - it is Seaworld San Diego's longest typical queue at about 16 minutes, so it is the one to do first
  • You want Seaworld San Diego's own character - the rides, theming and atmosphere described below

Pick Universal Studios Hollywood if…

  • You will accept a longer queue - 24 minutes a ride here against 9 at Seaworld San Diego - for what Universal Studios Hollywood has that Seaworld San Diego does not
  • You want more to do: 31 rides here have recorded wait data against 14 at Seaworld San Diego
  • Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness is on your list - it is Universal Studios Hollywood's longest typical queue at about 57 minutes, so it is the one to do first
  • You want Universal Studios Hollywood's own character - the rides, theming and atmosphere described below

04 · The parks

What each one is.

Seaworld San Diego

SeaWorld San Diego sits on the shore of Mission Bay in San Diego, California. It's the original SeaWorld park, opened in 1964, and blends marine-animal exhibits with modern coasters: Emperor (a floorless dive coaster), Electric Eel (a triple-launch coaster), Manta (a launched family coaster), and the newer Arctic Rescue straddle coaster.

Southern California weather keeps SeaWorld San Diego open year-round, with peak crowds during US school holidays, Halloween Spooktacular and Christmas. Weekdays in January, September and October are dramatically calmer. Check live queue times for Emperor and Electric Eel on arrival, and use our crowd calendar to pick a midweek day for shorter waits. The park pairs well with a full-day visit to nearby San Diego attractions.

Seaworld San Diego live queue times

Universal Studios Hollywood

Universal Studios Hollywood sits in Universal City, California, combining a working film studio with a full theme park. The famous Studio Tour trams run through real backlots, while the park's themed rides include Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Jurassic World – The Ride, Revenge of the Mummy, Transformers, and the newer Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge in Super Nintendo World.

LA and Southern California visitor patterns keep Universal Hollywood busy much of the year, with US summer school holidays, Halloween Horror Nights and Christmas driving the peak. Mid-January and early September are the quietest periods. Check live queue times before committing to long waits, and use our crowd calendar to pick a weekday outside California school breaks for shorter lines.

Universal Studios Hollywood live queue times

05 · Questions

Seaworld San Diego or Universal Studios Hollywood?

Which is better, Seaworld San Diego or Universal Studios Hollywood?

If you are judging on queues, Seaworld San Diego: it averages about 9 minutes a ride on a typical day against 24 at Universal Studios Hollywood, roughly 15 minutes back on every queue you join. Seaworld San Diego has 14 rides with recorded waits against 31 at Universal Studios Hollywood. Seaworld San Diego also runs its rides more reliably - 76% of opening hours against 36%.

Which has shorter queues, Seaworld San Diego or Universal Studios Hollywood?

Seaworld San Diego, by about 15 minutes a ride. On a typical day Seaworld San Diego averages 9 minutes against 24 at Universal Studios Hollywood. Queues still move hour by hour, and a midweek day outside school holidays beats the gap at either park. See Seaworld San Diego best time to visit and Universal Studios Hollywood best time to visit to pick a quiet day.

Can I visit Seaworld San Diego and Universal Studios Hollywood 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 Seaworld San Diego and Universal Studios Hollywood for the full ride lists.

Is Seaworld San Diego bigger than Universal Studios Hollywood?

By rides we track waits for, Universal Studios Hollywood is the bigger day out: 31 rides against 14. Acreage matters less than how many you can actually get on, which comes down to queues and opening hours - and on those Seaworld San Diego 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.

Seaworld San Diego calendarUniversal Studios Hollywood calendarCompare other parks