Credit: Universal OrlandoAccording to recent data, a Universal Park experienced a record low Independence Day holiday yesterday, one of the lowest in a long time. 
Credit: Brian McGowan on Unsplash
Universal Orlando and NBCUniversal Showing Up – Revenue Is up, and Attendance Is High
Universal Orlando Resort has seen a spike in attendance that has rivaled the likes of other major theme Parks like Disney World, which is right down the street. Universal has also seen a massive spike in revenue that has increased significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Blooloop, Universal made a record $7.5 billion in 2022, which was a big increase from the prior year – 49.3 percent, attributed to improved conditions throughout the Park, such as adding new attractions, better food options, and a lot more. NBCUniversal is investing heavily in location-based entertainment. IPs like SUPER NINTENDO WORLD and Minions have shown to be bringing in record numbers in profit and drawing in more families from around the country as more options become available.
Epic Universe, dubbed the “Disney Killer” theme Park is setting its sight on WDW with an opening date in 2025, making Universal a week-long vacation hotspot for families and Guests, something that only Disney has been able to offer in recent years. Universal Orlando is also gearing up for the opening of a year-long Haunted experience based on their famous and popular Halloween Horror Nights event, which will be based in Las Vegas. That experience alone is set to bring billions into not just the area but to NBCUniversal as well, giving Universal Orlando Resort and the other Universal Parks an upper hand against its direct competitor, Walt Disney Resort and its Parks.
So with all this talk of big bucks and critical new things going on with Universal and its properties, why was this year’s 4th of July holiday a bust compared to recent years? Where did the crowds go, and why did they vanish?
Universal Orlando Sees a Major Drop on 4th of July Holiday for Crowds – Universal Park Record Low
According to new data released by Thrill Data online, Universal Orlando Resort saw one of its worst crowd attendance holidays in a long time. The latest data shows a significant dip in crowd levels for a July 4 holiday, indicating the Parks were not busy and wait times were low for a major holiday. Check out the report below, characterized by the thick black line on the graph, which compares it to the prior 4th of July holidays.
For comparison, Universal Orlando is pretty slow too. On the lower end of the past 6 months pic.twitter.com/KysVmhdOQq
— Thrill Data (@ThrillData) July 4, 2023
Many people are wondering the same thing you might be wondering: why a sudden dip in crowd levels and overall theme Park attendance? Well, the answer might be more simple than you realize. This year’s 4th of July holiday fell on a Tuesday, which means many people were not looking to head on vacation during a weekday due to work or other commitments. On top of that, Orlando is experiencing one of the hottest Julys recorded. Other Julys have been more desirable, but with record heat and people having to work, the wait times for attractions at Islands of Adventure or Universal Studios Florida were low. Even places like Walt Disney World saw a record dip in overall Park attendance yesterday. Everyone wanted to be home in time for fireworks but also home in time for bed to get up the next day. Not to mention everyone had the same thought; the Parks would be busy.