What's with their early closing??

[MissM]

I admit, I haven't been to Universal in probably ten years. Last time I was there they didn't even have Islands of Adventure open yet. But I have two freebie tickets to go that expire in June so I thought I'd check it out. I was looking at their website for hours and Universal is only open until 7pm!! on Saturday, May 20th. MK is open until 11pm that same night; MGM 10pm.

What gives? I even called them to confirm it was correct and all the (very snippy I might add) agent told me was, "those are our normal hours for this time of year."

I don't even know if it's worth it. It's a 1.5/2 hour drive out there and I normally don't like to leave at the crack of dawn. Without a fastpass system, how much can you actually do in such a short day?

What a joke. I notice they don't put their tiny operation hours in the "comparisson" chart to wdw.

Thoughts?
-m

 

[unkadug]

Think about it this way, after you leave at 7 o'clock that leaves you 4 hours for WDW !! :sohappy:

 

[JROK]

Universal has been doing TONS of events this year after park close... McDonalds rented out the parks and had concerts on Thursday and tomorrow somebody else is renting out the park and even having thier own Mardi Gras parade... Maybe somebody's renting them out that night?

Also remember that MK gets like 2x as many guests as IOA and USF combined, so they have to stay open later... compare USF's times to MGM or Animal Kingdom... those parks gets about the same attendence numbers as IOA or USF...

 

[MissM]

Think about it this way, after you leave at 7 o'clock that leaves you 4 hours for WDW !! :sohappy:

I wish. I don't have AP's at the moment.

Maybe somebody's renting them out that night?

Their hours for all of May and even June are just as pathetic. It's weird. I know they're not as busy as WDW but jeez....that's just crazy to me to close so early. (Oh and AK is open until 6pm that night and MGM is open until 10pm.)
-m

 

[AndyP]

Even if closing at 7, Universal is still WAY worth visiting, especially if you haven't visited in 10 years! Maybe it's worth getting up early since it's not a regular trip and then going home early/enjoying CityWalk while you're there. Universal really is very good, and there's plenty of single rider lines to reduce queues as well!

 

[MissM]

Well I wouldn't be going by myself. My Love and I and a friend of ours would be going. Very little is worth getting up early for me :lol: so it's hard to justify the darn early close time. I'm normally more of a get-there-at-11am-stay-until-close kinda person. With Disney, that's never a problem.

Eh, I mean we'll probably go. They're freebie tickets so we'd just be out gas and food for the day. It's just hard feel like you're getting enough chance to experience the park(s) when you are heading home before it's even dark.
-m

 

[JT3000]

What a joke. I notice they don't put their tiny operation hours in the "comparisson" chart to wdw.

Thoughts?
-m

Well, I can fix that for you.

Universal parks close: 7 pm

Animal Kingdom closes: 6 pm

Do you moan just as much about that park's operations? Or is it forgivable because it's WDW? If you aren't willing to get up a little earlier, like a normal person, you obviously don't want to go anyway.

 

[MissM]

Do you moan just as much about that park's operations? Or is it forgivable because it's WDW? If you aren't willing to get up a little earlier, like a normal person, you obviously don't want to go anyway.

Actually, I think it's absurd that AK closes so early. Many days they close at 5pm. It's completely ridiculous to charge the same admission for a park that's only open half again as many hours. In fact, I've never paid for a full day to AK and I never, ever would. I've been there twice, and only because I had an AP one time and a park hopper the second. So don't go around assuming anything. You are familier with what happens when you ASSume, aren't you?

If you want to be a jerk, do it on your own time. Though finding more grown-up hobbies will get you further in life.
-m

 

[perculata]

Yea, Universal does close way too early. I'm the same kind of person you are. I love sleeping in a little and going to a park around 11 or 12 and then staying there to closing. At Disney, the last park doesnt usually close till around 10 or 11, and 1 or 2 if im stayin on property. I love that. I love being able to stay at a park that late, mostly because its cooler and rides in the dark are so much different than during the day. I'm really glad Animal Kingdom got EVerest too. Although its closing at 6 on that day, its generally open till 7 or 8 during the summer. Thats still not that late, but its improving. Usually when I go to florida with my family, i sneak over to Universal for a day and then join them later at night at Disney World. It doesnt sound like you have that option really, but you should still go. I mean if its free what do you have to lose.

 

[bayoutinkbelle]

Well, I can fix that for you.

Universal parks close: 7 pm

Animal Kingdom closes: 6 pm

Do you moan just as much about that park's operations? Or is it forgivable because it's WDW? If you aren't willing to get up a little earlier, like a normal person, you obviously don't want to go anyway.

Welcome to the board. Have a magical day!

 

[jesserin]

Well, I can fix that for you.

Universal parks close: 7 pm

Animal Kingdom closes: 6 pm

Do you moan just as much about that park's operations? Or is it forgivable because it's WDW? If you aren't willing to get up a little earlier, like a normal person, you obviously don't want to go anyway.

wow... out of the 36 posts you have contributed to this site - you have yet to say one thing kind, helpful or anything worth reading. i'm not sure if you misunderstood the meaning of this site - but it was not to fill it with junk and accusations... let's clean up our posts k? :wave: welcome to the boards!

(anyone who questions the validity of that comment please refer to all posts by JT3000)

 

[beyondthepalace]

I admit, I haven't been to Universal in probably ten years. Last time I was there they didn't even have Islands of Adventure open yet. But I have two freebie tickets to go that expire in June so I thought I'd check it out. I was looking at their website for hours and Universal is only open until 7pm!! on Saturday, May 20th. MK is open until 11pm that same night; MGM 10pm.

What gives? I even called them to confirm it was correct and all the (very snippy I might add) agent told me was, "those are our normal hours for this time of year."

I don't even know if it's worth it. It's a 1.5/2 hour drive out there and I normally don't like to leave at the crack of dawn. Without a fastpass system, how much can you actually do in such a short day?

What a joke. I notice they don't put their tiny operation hours in the "comparisson" chart to wdw.

Thoughts?
-m

While I agree that our park hours can be kinda silly, since you got free tickets, maybe you would be willing to purchase Express Plus. Since most likely you will be coming during our slower season, the prices will be on the low end. Spending approx. $50 for two people to enjoy all the rides in a shortened day is not a bad option.

 

[kcnole]

I do wish they stayed open till at least 9, but there's still plenty to do in their parks and you'll have plenty of time to do things but you do need to get up earlier. Plus, visit Citywalk afterwards.

In the end, if you don't want to go, send your free tickets to my wife and I. We really want to go we just don't have the money right now.

 

[Michael72688]

Although I disagree with the early closing times, even if you get there at 11 and stay till 7 you'll be able to hit most of the big stuff.

 

[kcnole]

Also I read that they're getting a closing show later this summer, the 360 vision or something like that. I'm assuming that can't run till nighttime. Won't they have to stay open later once they start that?

 

[Michael72688]

Universal 360: A cinephere spectacular will start in July and probably only run during peak seasons after that. That is when the park is open till 10

 

[CTXRover]

Their hours are kind of ironic considering their most recent commercial campaign has some kid saying "who goes to bed at 7?", insinuating that Universal gives a more grown up experience and has things to do well into the night.

For the most part, their park's hours pale in comparison to the MK year-round, as to be expected given the difference in attendance figures for those parks. For most of the year though, IOA and Universal tend to be open somewhere in between AK's and MGM's "normal" operating hours, minus the EMH additions of course.

 

[dxwwf3]

Their hours are kind of ironic considering their most recent commercial campaign has some kid saying "who goes to bed at 7?", insinuating that Universal gives a more grown up experience and has things to do well into the night.

:lol:

 

[MissM]

Their hours are kind of ironic considering their most recent commercial campaign has some kid saying "who goes to bed at 7?", insinuating that Universal gives a more grown up experience and has things to do well into the night.

I know! :lol: That's why I actually called them to be sure the website had the correct hours. Just seemed really, really early. Especially since May should be a ramp-up month towards summer. But even their summer hours are wonky. In the middle of July they have closings at 10pm one night and 7pm or 8pm the next! So odd.
-m

 

[dxwwf3]

Even though I'm going to take about 3 or 4 years off from Universal, I still wouldn't be going there on this trip even if I wasn't on UO hiatus. For me, the park has to be open to about 9 or 10 for me to go. I have to see everything multiple times in both parks during my day there and it makes it tougher when the parks close so early.