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How Busy Is Universal Studios On Thanksgiving? | Tips & Guide

With the weather cooling down and holiday decorations already on display, Thanksgiving seems like one of the best times of year to visit Universal Studios. 

But with schools out across the country and many offices also closed it's easy to be concerned about how busy Universal Studios might be on Thanksgiving.

In this article, we'll assess the Thanksgiving crowds at both Universal Studios Hollywood and Florida to let you know what to expect if you're planning to visit!

Questions We'll Answer About Universal Studios:

  • Is Universal Studios Hollywood Busy On Thanksgiving?
  • Is Universal Studios Florida Busy On Thanksgiving?
  • Ways To Beat The Crowds On Thanksgiving!
  • Other Great Times To Visit Around Thanksgiving!

 

Drinking butterbeer during the holidays at Universal Studios

Is Universal Studios Hollywood Busy On Thanksgiving?

While Thanksgiving is a great time of year to visit Universal Studios Hollywood thanks to mild weather and the park being full of festive holiday spirit, it will be one of the more busy times of year.

Thanksgiving may not be as busy as Christmas Day, Christmas Eve, or New Year's Day, but you can still expect to see some of the longest wait times all year on Thanksgiving.

Universal Studios Hollywood entrance decorated with holiday decor

This means even the smaller attractions can have waits of over 60 minutes, while some of the most popular attractions can have waits stretch over 120 minutes.

Is Universal Studios Florida Busy On Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving at Universal Studios Florida is one of the busiest days of the year.

Orlando consistently ranks in the top five Thanksgiving destinations each year and Universal Studios is certainly near the top of many people's to-do lists.

Holiday decorations will be already be displayed come Thanksgiving and Universal's Holiday Parade featuring Macy's will also be performing daily, making Universal Studios a popular Thanksgiving day destination for tourists and locals alike. 

Macy's Thanksgiving parade at Universal Studios

Ways To Beat The Crowds On Thanksgiving!

Universal Studios will definitely be crowded on Thanksgiving, but there are still ways to beat the crowds!

We've included some tips below to make the most of your Thanksgiving Day visit to Universal Studios.

  • Purchase Your Tickets Online: Don't wait to purchase your tickets at the front gate of Universal Studios as you'll spend valuable time waiting in often lengthy lines. Purchase your tickets for Universal Studios Florida or Universal Studios Hollywood in advance online and save some money along the way! 
  • Arrive Early and Stay Late: Crowds are often the lowest first thing in the morning and late at night. If you can get to the park early you might be able to hit some of the most popular attractions before lengthy wait times being to build. Crowds will also start to dwindle as it gets later in the evening, so you'll have another opportunity at shorter wait times at night (typically after 8 PM).
  • Consider Express Pass: Wait times for most attractions can easily stretch for two hours or more on Thanksgiving. If you're willing to spend some extra cash then Express Pass is the way to go as you'll wait a fraction of the time you would in the general lines.

Grinch Singing during Grinchmas

Other Great Times To Visit Around Thanksgiving!

While Thanksgiving might be one of the busiest days of the year, there are plenty of other great days to visit Universal Studios in November. 

Early November

The first two weeks of November are some of the best days all year to visit Universal Studios.

The weather will be cooling and holiday decorations are likely to be on display with much lower-than-average wait times to be found across the park! With school still in session and most people waiting until Thanksgiving to visit Universal, these two weeks are a great time to visit!

    Week After Thanksgiving

    The week after Thanksgiving is also another great time to visit Universal Studios.

    The larger crowds will have returned home from Thanksgiving break and many local schools will be back in session. Similar to the first two weeks of November, the week immediately following Thanksgiving typically sees some of the lowest crowd levels all year - and you'll still be able to enjoy the holiday festivities! 

       

      LEARN MORE ABOUT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS!

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