How crowded will it be on New Year's Eve?

[magentarhps93]

Hello! I've only been to Universal Studios once about 8 years ago and will be going for one day during the winter specifically to see the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. (Proud Potterhead here!) The dates of our trip are December 29th-January 6th and we will be spending the rest o our days at Disney. I was wondering how crowded Universal will get on New Year's Eve? We were at Disney New Year's Eve ten years ago and MK was at capacity by 11 am and though we got into Epcot it wasn't even fun because of the crowds.


We want to try avoiding Disney on December 31st but I'd hate to waster our one day at Universal and first time at WW on a day we can only squeeze in 4 or 5 rides due to crowds.

Thanks!

 

[macraven]

it will be crowded........

 

[magentarhps93]

it will be crowded........

Like to the point where it will be impossible to enjoy anything?

 

[Metro West]

Like to the point where it will be impossible to enjoy anything?

That's a good bet. All local parks are jammed to the rafters that whole week and I wouldn't be surprised to see IOA close at different times that week due to capacity issues.

 

[JessicaR]

We were there 2 years ago - it was packed - and if I didn't have express no way would I want to be there. As a matter of fact we didn't spend much time in the parks because of it and we had hotel express.

 

[AlexandNessa]

We have spent the past few years at Universal during the New Year holiday. It's been crazy busy, especially with foreigners who seem to stay the full week. One year we tried to do early entry into WWOHP on January 4. We did Forbidden Journey and Dragon Challenge. Then it became unbearably crowded and we left IOA to go enjoy the pool at HRH. I would recommend one night either onsite or at a partner hotel to gain early entry to WWOHP, if you really want to see it.

We've spent NYE day in the parks, but we stay onsite and avoid WWOHP, unless we get in early entry.

 

[magentarhps93]

thanks everyone! Maybe we'll go to a beach or something that day instead!

(We're from Chicago, anything over 40 degrees is beach weather. )

 

[P-elmo]

Bump ....

We're thinking New Year's Day and January 2nd, and I'm sure it will be jammed then too. How bad is for the first 2-3 hours? We're hoping that it won't be too crazy and we can get in a bunch of attractions early and then leave before it's too insane.

So ... How quickly after open is it insane to be there?

 

[HeidiGW]

we have been to SW on NYE and NYD the last couple of years. NYE, was crowded, but festive and enjoyable.
We've been and were not "pressed" to see anything or do rides. Last year, I know we watched "Best Christmas Story," it is not to be missed..."Shamu" and "Blue Horizons" and the ice skating show. All good, imnsho. They had pre-show musicans and folks were caroling. Words were provided at the Shamu stadium with jumbo screens. Nice. Resturants were packed, though.
Fireworks were decent. Sea of Trees is cool. And they actually gave free noisemakers out to ring in the new year.
NYD the park was dead. I think all of the Christmas shows were done, too. But I'm not totally sure on that point.
They sell a Christmas mug that has 99 cent hot chocolate refills.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

we have been to SW on NYE and NYD the last couple of years. NYE, was crowded, but festive and enjoyable.
We've been and were not "pressed" to see anything or do rides. Last year, I know we watched "Best Christmas Story," it is not to be missed..."Shamu" and "Blue Horizons" and the ice skating show. All good, imnsho. They had pre-show musicans and folks were caroling. Words were provided at the Shamu stadium with jumbo screens. Nice. Resturants were packed, though.
Fireworks were decent. Sea of Trees is cool. And they actually gave free noisemakers out to ring in the new year.
NYD the park was dead. I think all of the Christmas shows were done, too. But I'm not totally sure on that point.
They sell a Christmas mug that has 99 cent hot chocolate refills.

Shhhhhhhhh..........don't tell anyone SW is a good place to spend the holiday season. I am hoping for low crowds on our upcoming Christmas getaway (staying onsite at SW ).

Just kidding!

I love hearing the positive feedback about Christmas at the SW parks. Reading some of the holiday crowd threads for the various parks (Disney, Universal, etc.) it has us kind of worried and discouraged. And I didn't know about the mug w/hot chocolate refills. What a nice festive touch!