Universal Studios / best weekday question

Question

Hi there,

We are planning to spend a day at Universal in late June and plan to buy the VIP tickets.

For our original day, a Friday, the earliest booking slot is 10:45am. Is this getting too late to make the most of our time there?

Alternatively, we could book a 9:30 or 10am on the Saturday.

We would be coming from and returning to Redondo Beach on the day. Is the traffic likely to be better on a Saturday anyway?

Thank you,

Mel

Answer

For visiting Universal Studios in late June with VIP tickets, the timing of your entry and the day of the week can influence your experience, even with the VIP access which helps skip regular lines.

Regarding your options:

Friday, 10:45am entry: While 10:45am is later than park opening (usually around 9:00am), VIP tickets allow you to skip most lines, so you can still accomplish most rides and shows efficiently. You would lose the early morning hours when the park is slightly less crowded, but VIP access mitigates this.
Saturday, 9:30 or 10:00am entry: Arriving closer to opening time gives you a full day in the park and potentially slightly fewer crowds in the first hour or two. Saturdays can be busier overall than Fridays in summer, but again, VIP tickets reduce the impact of crowding significantly.

Traffic considerations from Redondo Beach:

Weekday traffic (Friday) in the LA area tends to be heavier in the morning (7–10am) and late afternoon (3–7pm), so a 10:45am start may help you avoid peak morning traffic, though you might encounter some congestion returning home late afternoon/early evening.
Weekend traffic (Saturday) is often more spread out, but the freeway may still be busy mid-morning, and leaving the park can be slower due to general visitor numbers. Traveling early from Redondo Beach should give you a reasonable commute time.

Recommendations:

If you prioritize maximum time in the park and early experiences, choose the Saturday 9:30am slot, but be prepared for slightly higher general crowds in common areas.
If you prefer avoiding morning traffic and a more relaxed start, the Friday 10:45am slot works well with VIP tickets and will still allow you to cover almost all major rides and attractions.
Consider having breakfast before leaving Redondo Beach or plan a late lunch in the park to optimize your time.

Overall, either option is workable, and the VIP tickets make both times very effective for covering the park highlights without long waits.