Just got an update for park hours for my trip in January. Strangely January 9th USF and IOA close at 6pm and they close at 9 pm every other night that week.
Any idea why that is? I don’t see a special event listed for that date
I don’t know with any certainty, but it is very likely a private event.
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Do they usually close both parks for private events? I thought it was only one park
Not sure. BUT, I do know there is a music festival happening on January 23, and both parks close at 6 pm that date as well…but the UOR park hours calendar doesn’t list anything about that…so if not a private event, likely SOME event is happening.
But that’s as much as I can offer. I don’t have any insider info, so just going on past history.
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They do close both parks for some private events. Universal informer often books both parks (not on these dates).
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I thought of UI but didn’t check dates.
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The week I last visited, both parks had private events, and the parks closed a little early. Universal has a bit of a niche for after hours private corporate events.
If you ever see tables prepared to be set up, that’s what it’s for. They set up all kinds of things. I’ve even seen a long red carpet rolled out, and cool lighting too.
I think of them as fancy big business picnics. 
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I’ve been working for the wrong companies. 
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Me, too.
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To piggyback on this, do people think that parks have lighter crowds on days that they close early? I just realized that my plan for IOA is on a day that it closes at 6pm. We were already planning to be done by then but now I feel like we might be rushed for dinner there. At WDW usually an early close equals very light crowds, not sure at Universal. Might be worth it to do that day anyway.
Sometimes crowds are lower. Universal shortens hours when they don’t think enough guests will stay the whole day but other times it’s a park rent out.
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But Epic stays open until 10pm on the 9th. Couldn’t you hop over to Epic after dinner?
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