Are there any reports on crowds at USF/IOA?

[marriedmarylander]

I know Disney has unofficial guides and stuff, but I didn't know if Universal parks had any such online guides as to the days parks are most crowded/least crowded? Do they usually follow similar days as Disney.. although I heard that weekends are crowded for Universal/IOA since they are local attractions.

 

[KelNottAt]

Hello from another Marylander!

We just returned from Universal yesterday. We were there Holy Thursday - Easter Monday. Before we arrived, I assumed this would be a VERY crowded time of year (just like Disney). I was pleasantly surprised, however, at how it really wasn't a dreadful mob scene.

Granted, we enjoyed the on-site FOTL perk. We were able to finish our rides by 1PM each day then return around 7PM in the evening. As we left each afternoon, I noticed most of the rides had waits of 60 - 75 minutes, which, to me, doesn't seem as bad as it could be (90 minutes+ in some cases).

HTH.
Kelley

 

[Motherfletcher]

The unofficial guide that you are referring to is probably Bob Sehlinger's. I have tried to get them to do the necessary pedestrian count info required to determine the best days like they have done for WDW. The response was that Universal is yet to have enough volume to warrant the extensive research necessary to compile this information. There have been many regulars who have offered their opinions but I've never seen the hard data to support it. The easy answer would be to say that US/IOA is close to the same attendance patterns as WDW. That said, you need to consider that US/IOA does not have early entry or televised parades that greatly influence the crowds. As always there are unforseen spikes that occur. Last Weds. we were at the parking gates when they opened. When we got to the hub there was hundreds of people coming off the elevator from what must have been several buses. They turned toward US so we went straight to IOA. The next day I talked to a veteran turnstile employee who was telling how crowded it was the day before.