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Is Disney or Universal more busy?

The Crowds Aren't So Bad Universal seems to be less crowded than Disney World these days, which may mean that you're not as stressed about your planning. During your trip, the wait times will likely be lower at Universal Orlando and you won't encounter quite as many long lines.



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Disney World tends to be more crowded, especially around the popular attractions. Disney World usually has large crowds. This is especially noticeable in front of popular attractions like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

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For thrilling theme park staples, go with Universal. Disney offers a tamer, more family-friendly experience. After spending seven years in the U.S. Air Force as an Arabic linguist, Carissa is now a freelance writer using points and miles to fund a four-year (and counting!) adventure.

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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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Most visited amusement and theme parks worldwide 2019-2022 In 2022, the United States' Magic Kingdom (Walt Disney World) was visited by over 17 million people, making it the most visited amusement park worldwide.

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With over 17 million visitors in 2022, the most visited amusement park in the United States was Magic Kingdom Theme Park at Walt Disney World Resort, located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

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5, up from 12th in 2019. Park attendance grew 21% between 2021 and 2022. In the U.S., Magic Kingdom and Disneyland again took the top two spots, followed by Islands of Adventure, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Universal Studios Florida. Overall, Florida's eight parks accounted for 77.3 million visitors in 2022.

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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 Studios vs Disney World for Adults – Which is Better? Ultimately it comes down to personal preference. In general, Universal is cheaper. Disney World has more attractions, some of which are arguably better than any of the rides at Universal.

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As happens every year around this time, crowds are starting to fall before Fall 2023 at Walt Disney World. This wait times report covers data for Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom.

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While a Universal vacation tends to be slightly less than a Disney vacation, food is going to cost you about the same at either resort. A family of four at Disney can expect to spend between $200-$300 a day on dining, depending on what restaurants they go to. The same goes for Universal.

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However, the Universal Studios age recommendation is a fairly mature 8 years-old. If they're younger they probably won't be able to appreciate much of the entertainment or be able to go on many rides, but families do have a fun experience when taking a trip together.

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One of the questions I get asked most is “how much time do I need at Universal?” Several factors do come into play here, but I generally recommend 3:1. For people doing three days at Disney, add 1 day at Universal and for six days at Disney, add 2 days at Universal.

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When is Universal Orlando Most Crowded?
  • Presidents' Day week (third week in February)
  • Spring Break period from mid-March through late April.
  • Memorial Day weekend.
  • Summer (mid-June through Labor Day)
  • Thanksgiving week (including the weekends)
  • Christmas week through January 1.


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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 Most Crowded?
  • Presidents' Day week (third week in February)
  • Spring Break period from mid-March through late April.
  • Memorial Day weekend.
  • Summer (mid-June through Labor Day)
  • Thanksgiving week (including the weekends)
  • Christmas week through January 1.


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It really depends on your interests. There are lots of adults who love Disney – I am one of them! Both are really great for kids of all ages though I do think of Universal as an older kid/person park more than a toddler place. But Disney, on the other hand, has something for every age from babies to grandparents.

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Our Top Ways to Save Money at Universal Studios Hollywood
  1. Purchase Tickets in Advance. ...
  2. Purchase Discount Tickets. ...
  3. Pick the Least Expensive Days to Visit. ...
  4. Save on Halloween Horror Nights Tickets. ...
  5. Bundle Hotel or Theme Park Tickets with Rental Car to Unlock Deeper Discounts. ...
  6. Save on Dining. ...
  7. Purchase Souvenirs in Advance.


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Traveling between Universal Orlando and the Disney World Resort isn't too terribly complicated or too terribly far. In fact, the two major vacation destinations are just 9 miles apart and only about 15 minutes by car.

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As a general guideline, vacation prices for Universal Orlando are most affordable during specific months: late August, September, January, and February. These months often align with the best time to go to Universal Studios 2023 and beyond, as they offer a combination of lower costs and fewer crowds.

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Average Uber cost from Walt Disney World to Universal Orlando's drop-off point is $20-25 per trip. Average wait for a pick-up at Walt Disney World is 4-8 minutes.

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The Magic Kingdom park at Walt Disney World is the most visiting theme park in the world so one of the other most popular questions we receive is, which day of the week is the slowest at Magic Kingdom? And as a general rule of thumb Tuesdays tend to be the slowest day at Magic Kingdom park.

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When is Disney World the MOST crowded?
  • Easter (both the week before and the week after typically have increased crowds)
  • Independence Day (July 4)
  • Indigenous Peoples' Day (2nd Monday in October)
  • Veterans' Day (November 11)
  • Thanksgiving Day (4th Thursday in November)
  • Christmas week through January 1.


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Visitors to Disney theme parks in the U.S. 2019-2022, by park. Magic Kingdom was the most visited Disney theme park location in the United States in 2022. The Disney theme park with the fewest attendees throughout 2022 was Blizzard Beach, which reported just 100 thousand guests in the year.

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