Best time to visit Universal Studios Hollywood
Universal Studios Hollywood is quietest in January, February, September, averaging around 46% crowd levels in January. Wednesday is typically the calmest day of the week, at about 54%. Avoid July and August - July peaks near 78%.
Quietest month to visit
Averages 46% crowd level across 28 recorded days, 33 points below July. The busiest is July at 78%.
Open the January 2027 calendarQuietest months to visit Universal Studios Hollywood
Crowd level by month
345 recorded days · % crowd level - how full the park was: queue length on one scale (50% is about a 17-minute queue) or, where it sells dated tickets, the share of capacity sold
January averages 46% crowd level at Universal Studios Hollywood - typical - from 28 recorded days. That is 12 points below the typical month.
Open the January 2027 calendarUniversal Studios Hollywood season by season
Which season to visit
Quietest is December to February at 48%, busiest is June to August at 75%
Spring. March to May averages 56% crowd level at Universal Studios Hollywood, from 87 recorded days. Within it, March is the calmest at 55% and April the busiest at 58%.
Summer. June to August averages 75% crowd level at Universal Studios Hollywood, from 92 recorded days. Within it, June is the calmest at 72% and July the busiest at 78%.
Autumn. September to November averages 53% crowd level at Universal Studios Hollywood, from 81 recorded days. Within it, September is the calmest at 49% and November the busiest at 55%.
Winter. December to February averages 48% crowd level at Universal Studios Hollywood, from 85 recorded days. Within it, January is the calmest at 46% and December the busiest at 54%.
Quietest day of the week at Universal Studios Hollywood
Crowd level by day of the week
Averaged across 345 recorded days
- Mon58%
- Tue57%
- Wed54%Quietest day of the week here
- Thu57%
- Fri57%
- Sat67%
- Sun58%
Wednesday is the calmest day at Universal Studios Hollywood, averaging 54% against 67% on Saturday. Weekdays run 5 points below weekends.
Best time of day to arrive at Universal Studios Hollywood
Average wait by hour
Park-wide, across the last 60 operating days · minutes
The park-wide average is 33 minutes at 11am, peaking at 37 minutes around 3pm and easing to 20 minutes by 9pm. Walking in at opening rather than at the peak is worth about 4 minutes on every queue you join, across every tracked ride.
How the Universal Studios Hollywood crowd figures are worked out
Every figure on this page comes from queue times recorded at Universal Studios Hollywood itself, sampled every few minutes across every ride the park publishes and stored day by day. A day's crowd score is that day's average wait expressed against this park's own busiest recorded day, so 100% means "as bad as it gets here" rather than "as bad as it gets anywhere" - a quiet day at a small park and a quiet day at Universal Studios Hollywood are not the same number of minutes, and scoring each park against itself is the only way the months stay comparable. In plain minutes, the park-wide average across the last 60 operating days runs from 20 minutes at its calmest hour to 37 minutes at 3pm. Months with fewer than 10 recorded operating days are left unranked rather than averaged from a handful of days, and holidays, school terms and weather are all part of the model.
We publish how well those forecasts actually hold up: the crowd forecast accuracy ledger scores every past prediction against what the queues did on the day, versioned so you can see whether the model is getting better or worse. If you are choosing between parks rather than dates, the best time to visit a theme park guide covers the seasonal patterns that hold across every park we track, and the Universal Studios Hollywood crowd calendar gives you a day-by-day forecast for the specific dates you are considering. Always check the park's own site for opening hours and closures before travelling.
Frequently asked
When is the best time to visit Universal Studios Hollywood?
Weekdays in term-time are usually the quietest at Universal Studios Hollywood, with midweek (Tuesday-Thursday) typically calmer than weekends and school holidays. Arrive at opening to beat the longest queues.
What are the quietest days at Universal Studios Hollywood?
Midweek days outside school holidays are normally the quietest. Saturdays, Sundays and holiday periods see the biggest crowds.
Is Universal Studios Hollywood busy today?
Crowd levels change daily. See Universal Studios Hollywood's live crowd calendar for a day-by-day forecast and today's expected crowd level.
When does Universal Studios Hollywood get busiest?
Weekends, school holidays and major event days (e.g. public holidays and school breaks and seasonal events) are the busiest. Crowds also peak in the middle of the day.
What time should I arrive at Universal Studios Hollywood?
Be at the gates for opening. The park-wide average is 33 minutes a ride at 11am, rising to 37 minutes around 3pm - so arriving at opening rather than at the peak saves roughly 4 minutes on every queue you join.
How long are the queues at Universal Studios Hollywood?
Across the last 60 recorded operating days, the park-wide average has run between 20 and 37 minutes a ride depending on the hour. Individual headline rides queue considerably longer than the park-wide average.
Is it worth visiting Universal Studios Hollywood midweek?
Yes. Monday to Friday averages 57% crowd level at Universal Studios Hollywood against 62% at weekends - 5 points quieter - so a midweek day in term time is the single biggest saving available.