week of 7/4 or week of 7/11

[poohfan]

Planning our 1st trip to Universal and the best weeks for us are either the week of 7/4 or 7/12. Planning to stay at the Royal Pacific. As a child my family went to WDW in July and it was unbelievably crowded. I swore I'd never go to WDW in July. I always heard Universal isn't as bad but with the WWoHP opening on 6/18 I'm worried it'll be crazy there. Do you think it'll be crazier around July 4 or will it be just as crowded no matter when we go? Or will it be so bad we should wait until next year?

 

[Metro West]

Planning our 1st trip to Universal and the best weeks for us are either the week of 7/4 or 7/12. Planning to stay at the Royal Pacific. As a child my family went to WDW in July and it was unbelievably crowded. I swore I'd never go to WDW in July. I always heard Universal isn't as bad but with the WWoHP opening on 6/18 I'm worried it'll be crazy there. Do you think it'll be crazier around July 4 or will it be just as crowded no matter when we go? Or will it be so bad we should wait until next year?

If you're thinking of going this summer and after WWoHP opens, it won't matter when you go...it's gonna be slammed the whole summer.

 

[bubba's mom]

I agree ^ BUT...it might be more crowded around the 4th. Only because people will travel then because of the holiday w/ the hopes/maybes of having that Monday (5th) off as a paid company holiday. They use one less vacation day that way. (at least, we do ...but, we have other reasons for traveling around the 4th)

 

[Selket]

We are going the week before the 4th as we have a conference to attend in Orlando as well so the date isn't flexible. We're staying at HRH.

Wouldn't staying on-site to get the "express pass" with the room key help in such a busy time? I'm hoping not to wait more than 30 mins for the most busiest rides and hopefully less than that.

Is that unrealistic around the 4th due to the opening of Harry Potter?

 

[bubba's mom]

Wouldn't staying on-site to get the "express pass" with the room key help in such a busy time? I'm hoping not to wait more than 30 mins for the most busiest rides and hopefully less than that.

Is that unrealistic around the 4th due to the opening of Harry Potter?

Absolutely. Usual wait times are 60min+ in the summer (late June-July when we've been there). We never usually wait any longer than 5-10 for any ride using EP. If you stay onsite, I can't see waiting 30 min...even with the Harry Potter opening up.

 

[poohfan]

One of the reasons we picked Royal Pacific was for the express pass so that's good news.

 

[mjohnson96]

We went last year the first week of July and had a blast and it was not that busy...this year we are going the last week of June due to DH schedule and I know it is going to be busy no matter what.

I didn't see where you were from, so just in case you are from Florida and trying to use a power pass or something they do have blackout dates around the 4th. Other than that, I think it will be busy no matter what you try to do. I would just price out the rooms for both weeks, I know that while we are there the last night 2 of the 3 hotels are already sold out so getting a discount that night was kinda hard.

We are staying at RPH again, loved it last year.