What You’ll Learn in This Guide
- USJ crowd forecast for August 2026 and trends for less-crowded days
- What to know about the Obon holiday, Annual Pass blackout dates, and summer events
- A recommended plan for making the most of USJ during summer vacation
USJ Crowd Forecast for August 2026
The Obon holiday is one of the busier periods during summer vacation.
Annual Pass holders, except Grand Royal Annual Pass holders, cannot enter on the blackout dates from August 6 through 23. As a result, crowds are more likely through August 5 and again from August 24 onward.
After the Obon holiday, visiting by August 23 is recommended.
Enjoy USJ’s nighttime events during summer vacation!
Because these events take place at night, you can enjoy USJ even during periods of extreme heat.
Many days are likely to become busier from the evening onward.
USJ Summer Event 2026 Guide: How to Enjoy Universal Summer Matsuri Night
Celebrate a summer festival at USJ, with shows, fireworks, and many other events.
A Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End attraction is also underway.
This is our USJ crowd forecast.Less-crowded days, busy days, and extremely crowded days are forecast by our editor in chief, who visits USJ about 50 times a year.
We also summarize the forecast actual opening time, which is often earlier than the officially announced time, and ticket prices.
| Visit Date | Crowd Forecast |
Park Hours |
Opening Forecast |
Adult Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 1 (Sat) |
Moderate | 8:30-21:30 | 7:30-8:00 | US$68.13 |
| August 2 (Sun) |
Moderate | 8:30-21:30 | 7:30-8:00 | US$68.13 |
| August 3 (Mon) |
Moderate | 8:30-22:00 | 7:30-8:00 | US$61.88 |
| August 4 (Tue) |
Moderate | 8:30-21:30 | 7:30-8:00 | US$61.88 |
| August 5 (Wed) |
Moderate | 8:30-21:30 | 7:30-8:00 | US$61.88 |
| August 6 (Thu) |
Moderate | 9:00-21:00 | 8:00-8:45 | US$61.88 |
| August 7 (Fri) |
Moderate | 9:00-21:00 | 8:00-8:45 | US$61.88 |
| August 8 (Sat) |
Moderate | 9:00-21:00 | 8:00-8:45 | US$74.38 |
| August 9 (Sun) |
Moderate | 9:00-21:00 | 8:00-8:45 | US$74.38 |
| August 10 (Mon) |
Crowd | 8:30-21:30 | 7:30-8:00 | US$74.38 |
| August 11 (Tue) |
Very Crowded | 8:00-22:00 | 7:15-7:45 | US$74.38 |
| August 12 (Wed) |
Crowd | 8:30-21:30 | 7:30-8:00 | US$74.38 |
| August 13 (Thu) |
Crowd | 8:30-21:30 | 7:30-8:00 | US$74.38 |
| August 14 (Fri) |
Crowd | 9:00-21:00 | 8:00-8:45 | US$74.38 |
| August 15 (Sat) |
Moderate | 9:00-21:00 | 8:00-8:45 | US$74.38 |
| August 16 (Sun) |
Moderate | 9:00-21:00 | 8:00-8:45 | US$61.88 |
| August 17 (Mon) |
Moderate | 8:30-21:30 | 7:30-8:00 | US$61.88 |
| August 18 (Tue) |
Moderate | 9:00-21:00 | 8:00-8:45 | US$68.13 |
| August 19 (Wed) |
Moderate | 9:00-21:00 | 8:00-8:45 | US$68.13 |
| August 20 (Thu) |
Moderate | 9:00-21:00 | 8:00-8:45 | US$68.13 |
| August 21 (Fri) |
Moderate | 9:00-19:00 | 8:00-8:45 | US$68.13 |
| August 22 (Sat) |
Moderate | 9:00-20:00 | 8:00-8:45 | US$61.88 |
| August 23 (Sun) |
Moderate | 9:00-21:00 | 8:00-8:45 | US$58.75 |
| August 24 (Mon) |
Moderate | 9:00-21:00 | 8:00-8:45 | US$58.75 |
| August 25 (Tue) |
Moderate | 9:00-21:00 | 8:00-8:45 | US$58.75 |
| August 26 (Wed) |
Moderate | 9:00-21:00 | 8:00-8:45 | US$58.75 |
| August 27 (Thu) |
Crowd | 9:00-20:00 | 8:00-8:45 | US$55.63 |
| August 28 (Fri) |
Crowd | 9:00-19:00 | 8:00-8:45 | US$55.63 |
| August 29 (Sat) |
Moderate | 9:00-20:00 | 8:00-8:45 | US$55.63 |
| August 30 (Sun) |
Moderate | 9:00-20:00 | 8:00-8:45 | US$55.63 |
| August 31 (Mon) |
Light | 9:00-20:00 | 8:15-9:00 | US$55.63 |
USJ Crowd Forecast Calendar 2026 | Updated Daily for Today, Tomorrow & Quiet Days
Not Sure Which USJ Hotel to Choose? Find Your Best Match with a 30-Second Quiz
This is a season when typhoons may cause temporary closures or early park closing. See this article for information on whether trains may still be available when a typhoon approaches Osaka.
Annual Pass Blackout Dates
August 6–23
USJ Crowd Forecast Calendar 2026 | Updated Daily for Today, Tomorrow & Quiet Days
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Recent Crowd Conditions
Even on busy days, the park is less crowded than it was last year.
Some guests may also be postponing their visit until the Pokémon area opens.
Construction is underway in many parts of USJ’s New York Area, and the reduced number of street shows may also be a factor.
USJ’s new Donkey Kong Country area opened in 2024.
Many guests arrive early in the morning specifically for Donkey Kong.
USJ Wait Times by Crowd Level
USJ crowd levels are shown on a six-level scale.
Popular attractions such as The Flying Dinosaur, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, and Hollywood Dream – The Ride may have waits of 30 minutes or less during quieter periods, but lines can reach about three hours.
We use the following guidelines for our crowd forecasts.
Typical Daytime Wait Times by USJ Crowd Level
- Very Light: Many attractions have 5–20 minute waits, and there are few people in the park.
- Light: Many waits are 20–50 minutes.
- Moderate: Many waits are 40–80 minutes. The park feels busy, and restaurants have lines.
- Crowded: Popular attractions often have waits of 100 minutes or more. Expect lines at restaurants and restrooms.
- Very Crowded: Popular attractions often have 2–3 hour waits. The park is difficult to walk through, and restaurants and restrooms have long lines.
- Extremely Crowded: Crowds make it difficult to walk, and many attractions have waits of two hours or more.
However, Mine-Cart Madness in Donkey Kong Country can have a three-hour wait even on a less-crowded day.
It is so popular that waits may reach four hours on busy days.
Why Is This Day Expected to Be Busy?
We are often asked why certain dates are forecast to be crowded, very crowded, or extremely crowded.
Here are the most common reasons.
Busy Days: Annual Pass Blackout Dates
Annual Pass blackout dates can be crowded.
Because Annual Passes without blackout dates are expensive, more middle school, high school, and university students are choosing the lower-tier Annual Pass.
As a result, the day before and the first two days after a lower-tier Annual Pass blackout date are more likely to be crowded.
Recently, however, admission prices on blackout dates have been high, so the blackout dates themselves may sometimes be less crowded.
• A date when holders of the Standard Annual Pass, one of the two Annual Pass types, cannot enter
• Dates expected to be busy are designated as blackout dates
Busy Days: School Makeup Holidays
Elementary school sports days and classroom observation days are often held on Saturdays, making the following Monday a school holiday.
Many families from Osaka, Hyogo, and Kyoto visit on those Monday holidays.
Busy Days: Spring and Winter Breaks
During spring break, many recent graduates visit for graduation trips, along with many families.
Winter break also brings many visitors.
Note: Because summer heat is intense and many events are available outside USJ, most summer vacation days do not become extremely crowded.
Which Is Busier, Saturday or Sunday?
Crowd levels do not differ much between Saturday and Sunday.
Sunday tends to have slightly more visitors. However, June, September, and October are common seasons for school sports days and classroom observation days, so during those months Saturdays are busier. because fewer people visit on Sunday.
During the Halloween season, the park closes late, but many guests leave before 7:00 p.m. on Sundays.
During the Halloween season, the park is sometimes open until 10:00 p.m. Saturdays become crowded after 3:00 p.m. as guests arrive to enjoy the evening.
Sundays are busy in the morning but should begin to clear after 6:30 p.m.
During the Christmas season, closing time is around 9:00 p.m., so a later time, when the Christmas tree area is less crowded, is recommended.
Which Weekdays Are Less Crowded?
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays tend to be less crowded than other days.
Mondays can be busier than weekends when they are school holidays following elementary or middle school events held one or two days earlier.
Fridays are busier because more travelers arrive from farther away.
During Halloween season, the park becomes very crowded from Friday evening.
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USJ Opening Times
USJ opens about 5–90 minutes earlier than the time published on its official website on almost every operating day.
The final opening time may sometimes be moved up at short notice based on morning crowd conditions. However, USJ previously informed Early Park In guests of the early-opening time three days in advance, and crew schedules must also be adjusted and communicated. This suggests that opening times are set using factors such as occupancy at USJ official hotels, USJ ticket sales volume, including current bookings and the booking curve, and the weather forecast to estimate crowd levels.
Note: Early Park In has ended.
For example, when the forecast changes from sunny to rainy only a few days before an expected busy date, the park may still open early even when it is very quiet that morning.
This makes it difficult for first-time visitors to know the actual opening time.
Use the forecast information on this site as a reference.
Attractions with Shorter Waits on Crowded Days
Which Weekday Is Less Crowded?
2026 Update: When USJ Mario Timed-Entry Tickets Run Out, Distribution Status, and App Guide
Exchange rate used: US$1 = ¥160.
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