Universal Orlando Resort Wait Times for May 2023
We know that business is good at Universal Orlando Resort.
Universal Studios seemingly reports record profits every quarter.
Photo: Orlando Informer
For that to happen, the parks must be crowded all the time. So, how were the wait times for Universal Orlando Resort last month? Let’s check!
About Universal Studios Florida
Photo: Universal
This past month reflected a tale of two halves, more or less.
Park crowds reached a crescendo on Easter Weekend, which is historically one of the most popular times at Universal Orlando Resort (UOR) each year.
Photo:instagram/universalorlando
Afterward, crowds dissipated as students returned to school after Spring Break.
Meanwhile, some of the ongoing construction at the parks is keeping regulars away.
Photo: Universal
Universal is currently replacing the following attractions:
- Curious George Goes to Town
- DreamWorks Destination
- Fievel’s Playground
- Meet Shrek and Donkey
- Poseidon’s Fury
- Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster
We recently posted photographs of the construction. It’s a mess, y’all.
Photo: Spectrum News/Ashley Carter
However, Universal has wrecked the place for a good reason. The next park iteration will be the best one yet.
Park officials will replace all the unpopular attractions with beloved characters, rides, and experiences.
We’re experiencing some upheaval now for a better park later. Did the renovations impact the crowds significantly? Well…
Universal Studios Florida – The Big Four
While these attractions don’t always require the longest waits, the Big Four at Universal Studios Florida are obvious.
Those rides are Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem, Hollywood Rip Rockit, Revenge of the Mummy, and Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts.
Typically, the Harry Potter attraction requires the longest wait, and that was the case over the past month.
Photo: Universal
Guests stood in line for an average of 62 minutes to try to Escape from Gringotts. That’s two minutes more than last time.
Again, the early-month crowds leading up to Easter Sunday can skew the picture dramatically.
To wit, during the past week, the ride required a wait of just 43 minutes. In the days leading up to Easter, the average was often over 90 minutes.
Photo: Universal
Meanwhile, Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem averaged a wait of 60 minutes, seven minutes more than the previous month.
At Revenge of the Mummy, guests stood in line for 48 minutes on average, which is two minutes more than last time.
Photo:instagram/universalorlando
Finally, Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit averaged a wait of 45 minutes, which is four minutes less than last time.
By the way, these were the top four wait times at Universal Studios Florida this past month. It was the first time in a while that the Big Four had been the top four.
Universal Studios Florida – Everything Else
Photo: Universal
Here are the other average wait times at Universal Studios Florida for the past month:
- Hogwarts Express – King’s Cross Station—42 minutes, up 2
- TRANSFORMERS: The Ride 3-D – 38 minutes, down 10
- Fast & Furious – Supercharged – 34 minutes, up 1
- The Simpsons Ride – 32 minutes, up 4
- MEN IN BLACK Alien Attack! – 30 minutes, up 1
- Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon – 29 minutes, no change
- T. Adventure – 28 minutes, up 2
- Kang & Kodos’ Twirl ‘n’ Hurl – 27 minutes, up 2
Photo: Universal
Overall, guests stood in line for an average of 39 minutes per attraction at Universal Studios Florida last month.
By the end of the month, the number had dropped to 29 minutes. That’s also what we can expect for the rest of May and during early June.
The story won’t change much until the school year ends.
Universal’s Islands of Adventure
Photo: Universal Orlando
At Islands of Adventure, normalcy has returned now that Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure is up and running.
The wildly popular roller coaster, THE hottest ride at UOR, required an average wait of 113 minutes, which is 18 minutes more than last time.
Photo: Thrillist.com
Part of the explanation is that the ride had previously closed for refurbishment. Once it reopened, it was even more popular since guests had missed it.
Here are the other average waits at Islands of Adventure this past month:
Photo: Instagram/Universal
- Jurassic World VelociCoaster – 74 minutes, down 9
- Flight of the Hippogriff – 60 minutes, up 14
- Skull Island: Reign of Kong – 55 minutes, down 6
- Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls – 49 minutes, up 13
- Pteranodon Flyers – 48 minutes, up 2
- The Incredible Hulk Coaster – 46 minutes, up 1
- The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man – 40 minutes, up 5
- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey – 39 minutes, down 2
- Jurassic Park River Adventure – 37 minutes, up 8
- Hogwarts Express – Hogsmeade Station – 31 minutes, no change
- The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride! – 25 minutes, up 4
- Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges – 23 minutes, up 5
- One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish – 22 minutes, up 2
- Doctor Doom’s Fearfall – 19 minutes, up 4
- The Cat in the Hat – 17 minutes, up 1
- Storm Force Accelatron – 11 minutes, no change
- Caro-Seuss-el – 10 minutes, up 1
Photo: Universal Orlando
Overall, guests waited in line for 39 minutes per attraction. That’s three minutes more than last time.
Let’s Talk about Universal’s Islands of Adventure Wait Times
Photo: Universal Orlando
Folks, never stand in line for 60 minutes for Flight of the Hippogriff. That’s just common sense.
To a larger point, more attractions increased than decreased this past month.
Image: Universal
Again, that’s a misleading statistic, though. Once Easter Weekend ended, wait times started to drop.
During the final ten days of the month, the waits were as good as you’ll find at the park these days.
Photo:attractions magazine
The next six weeks represent one of the best times this year to visit because crowds will remain low until school ends.
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