We are going to be planning a trip to Universal this coming August. We are trying to decide between the 2nd and 3rd week. I’m trying to decide whether or not the crowd predictions should be used to help make that decision. There is quite a significant difference in the 2 weeks. 7/8 vs 4/5. I’ve never been to Universal, so I don’t know what to expect. I’m reading that crowd predicting is less reliable because of the shifting travel patterns. Would any of you bother using the crowd calendars or just not bother?? Thank you!
I personally never bother looking at crowd calendars. But late August will always have lower crowds than early August. It’s worth mentioning that crowds at UOR are less than at WDW so a 7-8 is more like a 6-7 at WDW.
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The crowd level should be a guide and a consideration. Of course, things could change between now and the actual dates and the crowd estimate could rise or fall. Yes, it’s based on historical data, but I was there is Sept 18 and in the course of planning my trip to actual going, the crowd prediction changed many times. It is true that a 7-8 at Universal feels more like a 6-7 at Disney. Use the crowd expactation as a relative number/ The difference you are seeing is real - the 3rd week of August will probably always have less attendance than the 2nd week because so many areas of the US are going back to (or getting ready to go back to) school. So the 3rd week will be lighter crowds no matter what the actual level turns out to be. (And after you book it, you just hope the estimates keep going down in actual number!)
I made it a primary consideration, with weather being second.
For those that have to work around school schedules, I’ve heard that late August is the best time to go. Those that go in summer, have already been. Those that don’t need to work around school schedules will wait a bit longer to go.