Is attendance down at Universal Studios Orlando?

In Orlando, Cavanagh said, we're obviously down on attendance, which was kind of unprecedented coming off Covid, so we're not surprised by that softening. That said, we're at levels of attendance and per cap [spending] being better [than pre-pandemic], so overall, we feel good about what we're seeing in in Orlando.



As of early 2026, attendance at Universal Studios Orlando has seen a complex shift rather than a simple "downward" trend. Following a slight decline in 2024 and 2025 (with Islands of Adventure seeing a roughly 5.5% drop), the 2026 landscape is dominated by the massive anticipation and opening phases of Universal Epic Universe. While the older parks—Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure—have seen stabilized or slightly lower crowds as visitors "save" their vacation days and budgets for the new park, the overall resort-wide attendance is projected to hit record highs. However, "Experience Fatigue" and rising ticket prices (now often exceeding $170 for a single day) have led some domestic families to opt for regional parks instead. In 2026, Universal is focusing heavily on its "Resort Guests" to keep numbers high, using exclusive early entry to the new lands as a primary driver for park attendance.

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According to InsideTheMagic.com, “Disney's attendance has dropped substantially,” with some attendees reporting impacts at Disneyland and other parks, with Disney World appearing more like a “ghost town” than a thriving tourist destination.

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In addition, Universal is working on a revamp of its rides for younger visitors as well as the Epic Universe theme park, which will become the third gate on the property. In Orlando, our results were also strong, with attendance relatively in line with 2019 pre-pandemic levels and revenue substantially ahead.

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The theme parks are very good at keeping tabs on the numbers of guests and when those numbers are high or low. Universal has chosen to close early during off season; if they didn't they would be out of business because their expenses would exceed their income in off peak months.

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Universal's Attendance Grew More Than Disney's in 2022, Report Reveals. For nearly twenty years following its 1971 grand opening, Walt Disney World remained an unchallenged titan in the Orlando theme park industry. But Universal Orlando Resort has slowly chipped away at Disney's market share over the past few decades.

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It's likely due to several variables. One factor is that people may be less interested in theme parks. From what we're seeing with our bookings, that pent-up demand has somewhat transitioned to cruises and Europe, Greg Antonelle, the co-owner of Florida travel agency MickeyTravels, told the Journal.

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Lowest Attendance: January (except New Year's Day) until just prior to Presidents' Week in February. The week following Labor Day until the week prior to Thanksgiving.

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2023 Disney vs. And as a general rule of thumb, Universal is cheaper than Disney in almost every category, from tickets to theme park food, and the most noticeable being hotel rooms.

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Universal is much similar to Disneyland in size — so a lot smaller than Disney World, which is 27,000 acres. As detailed by Orlando Park Stop, with the addition of Epic Universe (it's being built on 750 acres), the resort as a whole will nearly double in size. But, just because Universal is smaller isn't a bad thing.

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As you can guess if Saturday and Monday tend to be the busiest, Tuesday tends to be the best day to visit Universal Studios Orlando. We also find Thursday to be one of the least busy days of the week at Universal Studios, with Sunday being a great weekend option.

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When is Universal Orlando Least Crowded?
  • January 2nd until just prior to Presidents' Day week (third Monday in February)
  • End of April — Mid-May.
  • Labor Day through mid-October.
  • Beginning of November through the week before Thanksgiving.
  • The week following Thanksgiving weekend until the week prior to Christmas.


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Best Time of Year to Visit There's really no off season for Universal, but the week after Labor Day until mid-December (excluding Thanksgiving week) and January to mid-May (excluding spring break) are known for smaller crowds, cooler weather, and less humid air.

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January 2023 was the last month that was busier than last year (significantly so, although at least part of that comes down to the timing of New Year's Eve and winter breaks). Every month since has been slower in 2023 than last year. Above is a look at weekly wait times at Walt Disney World.

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For a longer trip complete with luxury accommodation and visits to multiple parks, Walt Disney World in Orlando might be your best bet. If you live on or near the West Coast and you're looking for a short getaway teeming with nostalgia, Disneyland is the way to go.

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Which has more attractions, Disney World or Disneyland? With double the theme parks and two water parks, Disney World offers more attractions overall than Disneyland. Guests can find details on all the attractions and experiences available at Disneyland and Disney World on their respective websites.

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Universal Orlando Attendance Remains Higher Than Most Disney World Theme Parks as Disney Claws Back Market Share. The 2022 Global Attractions Attendance Report has been published by the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) and the Economics practice at AECOM.

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In 2021, Disney Parks and Resorts was the leading amusement or theme park company worldwide in terms of revenue, reporting a total of almost 17 billion U.S. dollars.

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