Universal Orlando Resort – Fun for all the family
Universal Orlando Resort is a massive entertainment destination located slightly north of the Disney World resort. It's the second most popular spot for vacation and leisure in Florida, following its long-standing competitor to the south. The resort features two famous theme parks, Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. The parks boast rides and a plethora of memorabilia related to the giant production company. The resort also offers accommodations, a large and popular themed water park, and of course, its own small downtown area for evening entertainment.
Time to Spend in Universal Orlando Resort
It's worth setting aside at least two days for Universal Orlando Resort, including the two theme parks. Evening hours are best spent at CityWalk, and you might dedicate an extra day to the resort's large water park.
Must-See and Do at Universal Orlando Resort
- Rides and Attractions at Universal Studios Florida
- Great Attractions and Rides at Islands of Adventure
- Evening Fun at the Resort's CityWalk
- A Full Day of Pools and Water Slides at Universal's Volcano Bay Water Park
This page covers the grand Universal Orlando Resort, including the downtown area and the water park
Click here for all the information on the attractions at Universal Studios Florida…
Click here for all the information on the attractions at Universal's Islands of Adventure…
Click here to check availability and prices at hotels near Universal Orlando Resort…
What is Universal Orlando Resort?
- Universal Studios Theme Park in Orlando, Florida opened in 1990 following the tourism boom of Disney World.
- This park has always been the main competitor of Disney World and its two parks at the time – Magic Kingdom and Epcot Park.
- With Disney World's expansion, Universal also decided to develop the theme park into a massive resort that includes evening entertainment spots, a water park, and hotels.
- Additionally, the resort's second theme park – the wonderful Islands of Adventure – was opened.
- The park is located slightly north of Disney World, towards the center of Orlando.
- It is the second most popular entertainment spot in Orlando and all of Florida (after Disney World, of course).
Tickets for Universal Orlando Resort's theme parks
Click here to purchase 2-day tickets for the two theme parks…
Click here for a daily combo ticket for both parks and park hopping on the same day…
How to get to Universal Orlando Resort?
- The large Universal Resort in Orlando, Florida, is located just west of the intersection of the Florida Turnpike and the I-4 highway, west of downtown Orlando
- The park is situated halfway between downtown Orlando and the massive Walt Disney World Resort to the south
- The resort has a transportation system that includes a rail line (the Harry Potter train) connecting the two theme parks to each other as well as the resort's hotels and water park.
Map of Universal Orlando Resort
How to Plan a Trip at Universal Orlando Resort?
- Universal Resort Florida is a premier tourist destination and an incredible tourist site. Unfortunately, the park competes against the crazy empire of Disney World and is always overshadowed by the massive resort to the south.
- It's worth combining the visit to Universal Studios with other attractions in Orlando, primarily Disney World (especially Epcot and Magic Kingdom).
- The Orlando area is also home to many attractions such as Cape Canaveral and the Space Coast to the east, the NASCAR race city, Daytona Beach on the Atlantic coast, and Tampa and St. Petersburg to the west on the Gulf of Mexico coast
You really should dedicate at least a full day to each of the two theme parks. You can also do both in one day and travel between them on the Harry Potter train.
- Visiting Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure is highly recommended and significantly better than visiting Disney World's less significant theme parks (Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios)
- If you're staying at a Universal Resort, it's highly recommended to spend your evening hours at CityWalk. Even if you're lodging near Disney World, it's worth visiting Universal's charming open-air mall.
- If you have a few extra days, it's highly recommended to visit Universal's themed water park. It's one of the best water parks in Florida with amazing scenery and fantastic facilities.
Accommodation and Hotels at Universal Orlando Resort
- Accommodation is an important part of the Universal Orlando Resort experience.
- Within the resort complex itself, there are several wonderful hotel resorts. Although the accommodation within the resort doesn't quite match the grandeur of Disney's resorts at Disney World, Universal's hotels, though fewer in number, offer a great lodging experience.
Click here to check availability and prices at hotels near Universal Orlando Resort…
Outside the resort area, there are two large sections of hotels and motels that are very close to the park area:
- On the other side of the I-4 in what is known as Sand Lake, there’s a huge abundance of motels from the best American chains. These are the most affordable accommodations in terms of price near the park, including some pretty decent hotel amenities.
- Adjacent to the Universal Resort itself to the east along Major Boulevard, there is a line of much more luxurious and higher-end hotels and resorts. These accommodations are really close to the theme parks.
There are many more hotels and motels south of the Universal Resort towards Disney World, such as near the large SeaWorld Orlando water park. Disney World is just a fifteen-minute drive south, with lots of motels and hotels in between. Staying between both parks allows you to visit both during your stay.
Click here for all information about staying in Disney World…
The Two Theme Parks of Universal Orlando Resort: Universal Studios Florida
Universal Studios Florida is a large theme park located a bit west of Orlando, Florida. It is the larger of the two theme parks at Universal Orlando Resort, the main competitor to Disney World in the city.
The park is filled with attractions and entertainment related to Universal movies, including roller coasters, 3D and 4D movies, and plenty of experiences for kids and the whole family. Around the park, there are many dining and entertainment spots, encounters with famous movie characters, activities, and play areas.
Click here for all the information on Universal Studios Park attractions…
10 Must-See and Do Activities at Universal Studios?
- The Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts Roller Coaster
- Fight aliens with Will Smith in Men in Black: Alien Attack
- Hang out with all the characters from The Simpsons in Springfield
- Embark on a bike ride with ET in Woody Woodpecker's KidZone
- Energetic simulation journey with the Minions in Despicable Me Minion Mayhem
- A thrilling simulation voyage in Transformers: The Ride-3D
- The Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster in the Production Central
- Go on an adventure inside “The Mummy” in the Revenge of the Mummy ride
- Feel the adrenaline on Fast & Furious – Supercharged
- Shows and performances at the Universal Music Plaza Stage
Map of Universal Studios
What is Universal Studios Theme Park?
- Universal Studios Theme Park in Orlando, Florida, is Disney World's biggest competitor.
- The two parks are close to each other, just a fifteen-minute drive apart on the I-4 in the western part of Orlando.
- The theme park opened in 1990 following the tourism boom that Disney World brought to central Florida.
- The park competes head-to-head with Disney's Hollywood Studios, which opened a year before it.
- It brings the best of Universal Studios' cinematic experience, where all the attractions are tied to the best films of this Hollywood giant.
- While Disney's movie park is mostly based on George Lucas' films, Universal is largely based on the films of Lucas's friend, the legendary director Steven Spielberg.
Universal's Islands of Adventure
Universal's Islands of Adventure is a theme park that brings together attractions for all ages with Universal's popular franchises and those of other companies. The park is divided into eight sections appealing to both children and teenagers.
The park includes beloved franchises such as Harry Potter, Marvel superheroes, the fantasy world of Dr. Seuss, Jurassic Park, and more. It features thrill rides alongside attractions suitable for young kids, play areas, shows, restaurants, and memorabilia shops.
Click here for all the info on Universal Adventure Islands' attractions…
10 Must-See and Do Things at Universal's Islands of Adventure?
- 360-degree spins on the Incredible Hulk Coaster
- Free falling from Doctor Doom's Fearfall towers
- A wet tubing adventure at Popeye & Pluto's Bilge-Rat Barge
- An exciting journey following King Kong on Skull Island: Reign of Kong
- The fast roller coaster Velocicoaster
- A boat trip with dinosaurs on the Jurassic Park River Adventure
- The Harry Potter trail at Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey coaster
- A fast roller coaster at Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
- Sit down to eat at Hogwarts Castle and Hogsmeade Village in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter
- A kids roller coaster on Flight of the Hippogriff
- The mystical fountain in the Lost City of Atlantis
- Dr. Seuss's Fantasy World on the High in the Sky train ride
- A journey following the Cat in the Hat in Seuss Landing
- Evening illumination of Pharos Lighthouse at the park entrance
Map of Universal's Islands of Adventure
What is Universal's Islands of Adventure theme park?
Islands of Adventure Park is an expansion of the Universal Studios Park, owned by NBCUniversal. The island aims to continue the competition between Universal's theme park and Disneyland's theme parks. Similar to its older sibling to the north, Islands of Adventure is filled with various amusement rides based on Universal's characters and movies.
The park opened in 1999 together with CityWalk, the downtown of Universal Florida Resort. With their opening, the Universal complex became a serious competitor to Disney World for the tens of millions of tourists who come to Orlando every year.
The park consists of eight “islands” built around a multi-armed lagoon that separates them. The park's islands from the entrance (Port of Entry) going counter-clockwise:
- Port of Entry
- Seuss Landing
- The Lost Continent
- The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade
- Jurassic Park
- Skull Island
- Toon Lagoon
- Marvel Super Hero Island
Tickets for Universal Orlando Resort's theme parks
Click here to purchase 2-day tickets for the two theme parks…
Click here for a daily combo ticket for both parks and park hopping on the same day…
Universal Downtown – Universal CityWalk
Universal's CityWalk is the resort's cool and energetic answer to Disney Springs at Disney World. It's also a fun hangout, brimming with memorabilia related to Universal Park and characters from the company's films.
CityWalk is packed with places to eat, from restaurants to fast food (including big chains like Starbucks and Panda Express), cafes, bars, and evening entertainment spots. There are also various shops, many of which are themed around amusement park memorabilia. CityWalk is adjacent to Universal Studios on the east, right across from the park's entrance gate that was the foundation of the entire resort.
Universal's Volcano Bay Water Park
The large water park of Universal Resort is located at the southern tip of the vast complex, right next to the I-4 highway. The park is built around Mount Krakatau, the undeniable symbol of the park (a volcano in Indonesia). The park opened in 2017 as a competitor to the popular parks at the Disney World Resort.
The park has four sections filled with water slides of various speeds, lazy rivers, different pools, children's areas, dining and drinking spots, and rest areas.
The sections of the park are:
- Krakatau
- Wave Village
- River Village
- Rainforest Village
Attractions in Krakatau
Krakatau Aqua Coast – A wet roller coaster inside Mount Krakatau with a quick drop into the pool
Kala and Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slides – Extremely fast body slides in capsules with a drop from nearly 40 meters high
Ko’okiri Body Plunge – A fast slide at a 70-degree angle
Punga Racers – Exciting slalom slides
Attractions in Wave Village
Waturi Beach – The park's large wave pool at the foot of Mount Krakatau
Ohyah and Ohno Drop Slides – A rapid water slide
Puka Uli Lagoon – A peaceful pool
Attractions in Rainforest Village
Taniwha Tubes – Fast tube slides
Maku – A slightly less fast tube slide
Puihi Slide – A tube slide that goes through tunnels
TeAwa The Fearless River – A tube slide with rapids and varying speeds
Attractions in River Village
Kopiko Wai Winding River – A calm river that winds through the park, perfect for tubing or leisurely swimming
Tot Tiki Reef – A pool with a play area for kids and toddlers
Runamukka Reef – A fortress full of pools and fountains for slightly older kids
Honu and Ika Moana – Tube slides
