2nd week of March or 3rd week of August?

connorlevismom

DIS Veteran
Joined
Dec 31, 2005
Taking our first trip to Universal next year and wondering from the experts which is the better time to go. Weather is better in March, but crowds may be worse. Any guidance you can give me would be wonderful.

Thanks!
 
Taking our first trip to Universal next year and wondering from the experts which is the better time to go. Weather is better in March, but crowds may be worse. Any guidance you can give me would be wonderful.

Thanks!
I'm not a Universal expert, but I'd think March would bring Spring Break crowds. As much as I hate the heat, I'd go with August.
 
March will have much higher crowds and be more expensive (due to March Break). That being said, if you are willing to stay at a deluxe resort and have express pass, I would pick March because of the much better weather (i.e. not rediculously hot and typically no major daily downpours of rain).
 
We went in mid-Sept once and it was so hot. We stayed onsite so went back to the hotel each afternoon to hang by the pool, then back to the parks at night. I needed 2 sets of clothes per day. You do tend to get the afternoon showers also, but that doesn't bother us so much. It really is a crowd/potentially higher prices vs weather/lower price decision for you!
 


Yes, that is what I am struggling with. We normally go in August, but it is so HOT! We just went to WDW in March of this year and the weather was amazing. It didn't bother me as much to stand in the long lines because it wasn't so brutally hot. But the crowds were heavy and having never been to Universal, I am afraid the crowds will ruin it for us. I am willing to stay at a Deluxe hotel to get the express pass, but we love renting homes and having our own pool to lounge in.
 
I like staying onsite. The Universal hotels are so close to the parks. Some only a 10 min walk. And the Unlimited Express Pass you get staying at the 3 Premier resorts will spoil you!
I’d stay away from March spring break crowds and high costs. We go to Orlando lots in Aug/Sept for the lower crowds. Heat doesn’t bother me, we go back to Resort in afternoon and enjoy the pool.
What about end of April/May? After spring break? We are trying that this year.
 
If you're willing to splurge for a deluxe hotel with EP I would go for it and go during March. August is brutal. The weather gets more brutal each year. March should be fine, but moving even to just April, or May, can get some heat.

For Florida, Winter only lasts a couple of months and "spring" weather might come every other weekend, or a few weekdays, or so, if you're lucky during Spring.

While all the perks on staying on-site are amazing, even if you didn't and stay off property to rent a home and you do not mind waiting as you previously stated; the good thing about Universal is that almost all their queues tend to make plenty of room for you to still be indoors. Disney is fine in that department, however Universal I feel is far better in designing and ensuring their queues are indoors and lengthy. The few that are outside queues are water based rides, or queues in which you'll quickly gain access inside.
 


I like staying onsite. The Universal hotels are so close to the parks. Some only a 10 min walk. And the Unlimited Express Pass you get staying at the 3 Premier resorts will spoil you!
I’d stay away from March spring break crowds and high costs. We go to Orlando lots in Aug/Sept for the lower crowds. Heat doesn’t bother me, we go back to Resort in afternoon and enjoy the pool.
What about end of April/May? After spring break? We are trying that this year.

I wish we had that option but have one in high school now so he cannot miss any school for vacations anymore.
 
If you're willing to splurge for a deluxe hotel with EP I would go for it and go during March. August is brutal. The weather gets more brutal each year. March should be fine, but moving even to just April, or May, can get some heat.

For Florida, Winter only lasts a couple of months and "spring" weather might come every other weekend, or a few weekdays, or so, if you're lucky during Spring.

While all the perks on staying on-site are amazing, even if you didn't and stay off property to rent a home and you do not mind waiting as you previously stated; the good thing about Universal is that almost all their queues tend to make plenty of room for you to still be indoors. Disney is fine in that department, however Universal I feel is far better in designing and ensuring their queues are indoors and lengthy. The few that are outside queues are water based rides, or queues in which you'll quickly gain access inside.

Thank you so much, I appreciate your input. Can you tell me if you get multi-day passes, do they have to be used right away or can you skip a day to relax and go back the next day? That makes a difference on if we stay on-site as well. We like to chill by the pool for a day in between parks.
 
Thank you so much, I appreciate your input. Can you tell me if you get multi-day passes, do they have to be used right away or can you skip a day to relax and go back the next day? That makes a difference on if we stay on-site as well. We like to chill by the pool for a day in between parks.

Multi-day tickets don't have to be used in consecutive days, they just have to be used in a 7 day period from the first day you go.

We usually get 3 or 4 day tickets for a week long vacation and alternate between park days and resort days to make sure we get to enjoy both.
 
Thank you so much, I appreciate your input. Can you tell me if you get multi-day passes, do they have to be used right away or can you skip a day to relax and go back the next day? That makes a difference on if we stay on-site as well. We like to chill by the pool for a day in between parks.
Right now I think there’s an offer to buy 2 days and get 3 free. So 5 days for the price of 2.
 
Slice of reality-it's March here in Orlando, 7:30 am and its 61degrees with 76 degrees predicted for noon, no rain in forecast. Gorgeous day, yes it's Spring Break but stay at a US on-site hotel that gives Express Passes with reservations and your good to go. Express Passes are FAR SUPERIOR to DW Fast Passes! Less hassle, UNLIMITED riding, lines not a consideration unlike DW even with Fast Passes. Makes dealing with Spring Breaks crowds bearable.

Now August, 7:30 am, temps in the 80's, noon prediction mid 90's, humidity oppressive, guaranteed afternoon thunderstorm. Even for Floridians high on the miserable scale. No on-site hotel, no Fast Passes, summer vacation crowds, what were we thinking? July and August is when Floridians head for the mountains of North Carolina- that's your clue.

Hmmm....March or August????? Crowds and cooler temps, or Crowds and oppressive heat and rain? Which sounds like more fun? I know when I'd go but whatever your choice, for whatever reason, have fun!
 
I wish we had that option but have one in high school now so he cannot miss any school for vacations anymore.
The 3rd & 4th week in Aug have lower crowds. The closer to the end of Aug, the lighter the crowds. All the southern schools are back in session mid Aug. and many families who’s schools start after Labour Day like to get home to prepare for back to school.
 
March will be Spring Break and potentially Mardi Gras. Easter is April 12 next year. But even with the chance of higher crowds, I'd still choose March and plan to either purchase EP or stay at a deluxe resort. With EPs, the crowds will be manageable and you'll be dealing with it in much better weather conditions. August is hot and can be rainy, which made it miserable for us. I'd rather deal with a negligible difference in crowds for much nicer weather.
 
We go to Orlando in 3rd week of August usually... Yes, it's very hot and humid. But wear light weight clothes and keep hydrated, along with a mid day break and it's doable. Would probably enjoy more with milder weather, but higher crowds and higher prices are deterrent from spring break.. Plus our school district doesn't get much of a spring break, only a 4 day weekend.

So depends on how well deal with heat... We live in Maryland and the weather really isn't that much different than Orlando in the summer. If you live in a cooler climate it might be a more difficult change.
 

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