Universal December Crowds

[JLDMKSMMD]

I WAS WONDERING WHAT THE CROWDS WOULD BE LIKE AT US/IOA ON DECEMBER 15 - DECEMBER 17, AND SHOULD WE STAY ONSITE OR AT A DIFFERENT LOCATION. I HAVE A DH37 AND DD6 AND WE WILL NOT BE RIDING THE REALLY POPULAR COASTER RIDES SO THE CROWDS MAY NOT MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

 

[sumrmist]

I'd like to know too. I was thinking about possibly surprising the kids with a trip to Universal after Christmas...we would be in the parks the 27, 28, 29 of Dec.

 

[FeeFeeWhite]

Does anyone know about week before Christmas???

 

[kenban]

I am not really sure what the crowds at Universal do in December but if its anything like Disney then most of december is the off season. The week before Christmas the crowds should pick up. Then the week between Christmas and New Years is normally the highest attendance week of the year. Then right after New Years its back into the off season and the crowds just seem to disappear.

Having said that the december crowds are starting to pick up compared to what it was a few years ago. No clue if more people are trying to visit during the off season or whats going on but this is a lot like the weather at some point its just a guess. For me I would NEVER visit between Christmas and New Years.

 

[PlutoLuvr]

We went last December on a Friday, 12/16. It was a ghost town at US and IOA. I'm a native, never, ever go during high crowd times, and even our December trip was something I'd never seen crowd-wise. We did all of our favorite rides (no coasters) at both parks, had a leisurely lunch at Finnegan's, and did a ton of shopping -- had to make an extra trip back to the garage to put all the bags in the car and come back for more shopping (yes, our loved ones got tons of excellent presents!!!) between the hours of about ten a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

However, we went to MK that Saturday, 12/17, and it was a total madhouse, packed, wall-to-wall people. The park was full to capacity by early afternoon. I'm talking Mardi Gras packed, Superbowl packed -- you have no choice but to move the way the crowd moves you packed.

Wish we had just gone back to US/IOA that day.

 

[SunnyOne]

Just go by the school schedule to figure out when the crowd will pick up. The weekend after the last day of school it begins to get crowded til Christmas thru New Year's when it is packed. First half of December is a wonderful time to go.