If you want to maximize your time exploring Harry Potter's world or watching Spider-Man defeat the Green Goblin at Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure, it helps to plan your journey in advance. Experts say you can skip some of the biggest crowds by visiting on certain days and weeks, and also by getting there early
No Matter What, Buy in Advance
- Forget the lines inside the park -- during busier times you may have to wait as long as an hour just to buy tickets to gain admission. An easy way to avoid this annoyance is buying your tickets in advance on the Universal Orlando website or by calling the ticket line at 407-224-7840. As an added bonus, you get a discount off the gate price on any multi-day tickets purchases online. You can buy your tickets literally minutes in advance of your visit, and can pick up your ducats at the will-call kiosks near the gates.
Best Days of the Week
- Frommer's recommends treating either Universal Orlando park the same: your best bet to avoid the larger crowds is by touring on a Thursday or Friday. Crowds are heaviest on weekends, with a "somewhat fast" pace Monday through Wednesday, Frommer's says. That's because many Orlando visitors began their exploration of the Universal and Disney parks on the weekend, finishing their vacation in the middle of the week.
Slower Seasons and Weeks
- Just as certain days are better, certain weeks are too. Most find that the week after Labor Day, just as summer vacation ends and school begins anew, is one of the best times for minimal crowds. Most weeks of October are good times to visit, as are the weeks after Thanksgiving until mid-December. You'll absolutely want to avoid weeks during spring break (generally mid-March to mid-April), where all Orlando theme parks tend to see the greatest influx of patrons.
Managing Your Day in the Park
- Plan your day using some practical tips to aid in your enjoyment of Islands of Adventure. For one, get there early. Arrive an hour in advance to park and walk to the entrance gate so you'll be one of the first in the park (if you haven't paid extra for a front-of-line access ticket.) Don't plan to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter until later in the day for two reasons: Universal hotel guests get early access to it, and most visitors rush to this back-of-the-park feature first. Instead, ride the popular attractions at the front of the park before the lines grow long in the afternoon. These include the Incredible Hulk Coaster, The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls and Popeye and Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges.
