If you’re considering planning a trip to Universal Orlando, you’re probably wondering when is the best time to visit. I get this question a lot from prospective clients and my answer is that it depends on what you mean by “best.” The “best” time can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. So, let’s talk about some of the most common “best” times to travel to Universal Orlando Resort!
The Best Weather
For many people (myself included) the best time to travel to Universal is whenever the weather is most temperate. Florida weather is notoriously hot, but one can typically count on the months of January, February, March, November, and December to be the mildest in terms of average highs. The average high for these months ranges from the low to high 70s with lows in the high 40s to upper 50s, so if beating the heat is your objective then you might want to consider planning to travel between November and March.
The Best Rates
Although there’s not really a “slow” season in Orlando anymore, certain times of the year are less busy than others, so rates can be a little bit lower. Universal usually has lower rates in mid-January and early February, the latter half of August, early November, and early December. Just make sure that you check the event calendar (or work with a travel agent who will keep up with that for you) to make sure that you schedule your trip to avoid holiday weekends and big events such as Rock the Universe, Mardi Gras, etc. which can bring an uptick in price. It’s also a great idea to lock in one of Universal’s amazing ticket promotions when they’re available. Universal will sometimes offer a Buy 2 Days Get 2 Days Free ticket deal (I’ve also seen a Buy 2 Days Get 3 Days Free ticket deal before) that can be an amazing savings even if you travel at one of the more popular times of year.
The Best Activities
Although you may not find the lowest rates during holidays and special events at Universal Orlando, you will definitely find enough fun things to do to make traveling during those times completely worth it! Universal goes all out for their seasonal events such as Mardi Gras, Halloween Horror Nights, and Christmas & Holidays at Universal. From special themed dining opportunities to themed parades to entire themed event nights, there are so many reasons why Universal’s special event periods are some of the BEST times to travel to Universal Orlando Resort!
The Best Crowd Levels
When most people ask what the “best” time to travel to Universal is, they’re usually referring to the least crowded times to be in the parks. As I mentioned earlier, there’s not necessarily a “slow” season anymore. However, mid January, early February, the latter half of August, the month of September (excluding Halloween Horror Nights event dates), most week days in October (excluding Halloween Horror Nights event dates), early November, and early December often come with lower crowds. However, if you want to experience Universal Orlando at historically low crowd levels, then the best time to travel is RIGHT NOW. With the health and safety protocols in place limiting capacity in the parks, there are far fewer people in the parks than there would be in a typical year. And, with Universal’s current Buy 2 Days Get 2 Days Free promo, you can save money while you take advantage of the lower crowd levels.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that, no matter what the “best” time to travel looks like for your family, you will have an epic time at Universal Orlando Resort! And having a travel agent (like one of us!) in your corner can help take the stress out of your vacation planning. Not only do agents help you walk through the process of choosing your best travel dates, we also monitor for discounts, provide you with personalized tips and recommendations, and handle customer service. Best of all: we do all this work for FREE! You pay the same amount to book through a travel agent that you would pay to book and service everything yourself through Universal’s website. Marvelous Mouse Travels was voted Top Travel Agency by Universal Parks and Resorts in 2019. Because of our special relationship with Universal, we are able to offer ALL clients (even if you just need tickets) complimentary early entry: a perk that is usually reserved for onsite or partner hotel guests and higher tier annual pass holders! Reach out to us today for a free quote on your epic Universal adventure!
Want a free quote from Ginger? Contact her here.
What is your family’s “best” time to travel? Let us know in the comments below!
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