Universal Orlando facts for kids

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Universal Orlando Resort

The Universal Globe, the icon of the resort, with the gates to Universal Studios Florida in the background
Type	Division
Industry	Hospitality Theme parks Resorts
Founded	June 7, 1990; 35 years ago (1990-06-07)
Headquarters	Orlando, Florida, U.S.
Key people	Karen Irwin (President)
Products	3 Theme parks, 1 Water Park, 11 Resorts
Services	Entertainment and Dining
Owner	Universal City Development Partners, LTD
Number of employees	28,000 (2024)
Parent	Universal Destinations & Experiences

Universal Orlando Resort, often called Universal Orlando, is a huge theme park and entertainment area in Orlando, Florida. It covers about 1,291 acres (522 hectares). This resort is the main location for the Universal Destinations & Experiences theme park company.

After Universal Studios Florida opened in 1990, Universal decided to make the area a big resort. They wanted to compete with Walt Disney World Resort. The first big expansion happened in 1999. A second theme park, Universal Islands of Adventure, opened. Also, a shopping and nightlife area called Universal CityWalk was added. These additions created the new resort, which was first called Universal Studios Escape. The name quickly changed to Universal Orlando Resort.

The resort grew even more in 2017 with Volcano Bay, a water theme park. In 2025, a fourth theme park, Universal Epic Universe, also opened. Famous additions include The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. These areas are in both theme parks and made the resort much more popular. Universal Orlando also hosts fun yearly events like Universal's Halloween Horror Nights.

Universal Orlando is one of the most visited resorts in the world. In 2017, about 21 million people visited. Guests staying at certain hotels get special benefits. These include early entry to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Volcano Bay. Some guests even get a free Universal Express Pass. This pass lets them skip the regular lines at many rides. The resort also has a good transportation system. This includes water taxis, paths, buses, and moving walkways. These connect the hotels and theme parks.

History of Universal Orlando

Universal Studios Florida first opened on June 7, 1990. After its success, Universal Entertainment partnered with The Blackstone Group. They started planning to turn the single park into a multi-day resort. In late 1995, construction began on a new park, Universal Islands of Adventure. During this time, new attractions were also built at Universal Studios Florida. These included Woody Woodpecker's KidZone and Men in Black: Alien Attack.

Universal's Islands of Adventure opened on May 28, 1999. It had six themed areas, like Jurassic Park and Marvel Super Hero Island. When it first opened, not many people visited. Because of this, some rides closed soon after.

Along with the new theme park, a Universal CityWalk also opened. This was similar to the one at Universal Studios Hollywood but had different shops and restaurants. Universal also opened its first hotel in September 1999, the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel. The two theme parks, CityWalk, and the hotel were first called Universal Studios Escape. However, the name changed to Universal Orlando Resort in July 2000. This happened because guests were confused about what the resort offered.

In December 2000, the Hard Rock Hotel opened as the second hotel. In 2001, Loews Royal Pacific Resort also opened. During this time, two parking garages were built. The popular water park Wet 'n Wild Orlando was also bought by Universal.

In 2003, rumors started about a Harry Potter attraction coming to Universal. On May 31, 2007, Universal and Warner Bros. officially announced it. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter would be built in Islands of Adventure. This amazing area opened on June 18, 2010.

After the success of the Hogsmeade section, rumors began about a second Harry Potter area. This new area, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley, was built in Universal Studios Florida. It replaced the Jaws: The Ride. Diagon Alley officially opened on July 8, 2014.

As of 2024, Universal Orlando Resort covers about 1,291 acres (522 hectares) of land. This includes the new Universal Epic Universe park.

Theme Parks at Universal Orlando

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Universal Studios Florida

Universal Studios Florida was the first theme park at the resort. It opened on June 7, 1990. The park lets visitors "Ride the Movies." It has themed areas, rides, and shows based on movies and TV. Guests can also enjoy themed dining, shopping, and special events.

The park makes you feel like you are on a movie set. Rides and shows are inspired by popular films and TV. Universal Studios Florida has eight themed areas. These include Hollywood, Illumination's Minion Land, and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley.

Panoramic view of Universal Studios Florida's lagoon, December 2005

Universal Islands of Adventure

The Pharos Lighthouse, the entrance to Islands of Adventure.

The second park, Universal Islands of Adventure, opened on May 28, 1999. It has eight unique "islands." Each island is themed to different stories, like adventure, cartoons, and myths. Visitors start at the Port of Entry. Then they explore islands like Marvel Super Hero Island and Jurassic Park.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade is a very popular island. It opened on June 18, 2010. Skull Island, based on the King Kong film, opened on July 13, 2016.

Universal Volcano Bay

The Krakatau volcano is the icon of Volcano Bay

Volcano Bay is a 27-acre water theme park. It opened in 2017. This park replaced Wet 'n Wild, an older water park owned by Universal. Wet 'n Wild was one of the first major water parks. It opened in 1977 and was bought by Universal in 1998.

Wet 'n Wild had many water slides and attractions. It closed on December 31, 2016, to make way for Volcano Bay. The land where Wet 'n Wild stood was later used for new Universal hotels.

Universal Epic Universe

On August 1, 2019, Universal announced a fourth theme park. It is called Universal Epic Universe. This park is a few miles south of the current resort. It is part of a larger 750-acre site. Epic Universe opened on May 22, 2025.

The park has five themed areas. These include a central hub called Celestial Park. The other four areas are based on How to Train Your Dragon, Wizarding Paris from Fantastic Beasts, Universal Monsters, and Super Nintendo World. This project created 14,000 jobs. It was a huge investment for Universal. The complex also includes three new hotels, dining, and shops.

Entertainment District

Entrance sign to CityWalk from the parking garage

Universal CityWalk Orlando is a fun area for entertainment and shopping. It opened on May 28, 1999. Guests park in large garages and then walk over to CityWalk. From there, they can enter one of the two theme parks.

The Universal Store is the main shop, selling items from all three parks. CityWalk has many shops, nightclubs, and restaurants. It also has a Cinemark Theatres and live music. Popular spots include Rising Star, a karaoke club, and Hard Rock Cafe. There are also many casual dining options like Panda Express and Voodoo Doughnut. In June 2024, the Universal Epic Universe Preview Center opened. It shows a model of the new park and sells merchandise.

Resorts (Hotels)

Universal Orlando Resort has eight official hotels on site. They have over 11,000 rooms in total. All 11 hotels are very close to the theme parks. Guests staying at these hotels get free water taxi or shuttle bus service to the parks. The hotels are grouped into three types: Signature Collection, Prime Value Hotels, and Value Inn and Suites.

Signature Collection
Name	Opening date	Theme	Number of rooms
Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando	September 10, 1999	Italian seaside village	750
Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando	January 19, 2001	California mission design	650
Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando	June 1, 2002	The enchanted isles of the South Seas	1,000
Loews Sapphire Falls Resort at Universal Orlando	July 7, 2016	Leisurely estate in the heart of the tropics	1,000
Universal Helios Grand Hotel	May 22, 2025	Elegant Mediterranean-inspired feel	500
Prime Value Hotels
Universal's Aventura Hotel	August 16, 2018	Modern aesthetic	600
Universal Stella Nova Resort	January 21, 2025	Infinite universe	750
Universal Terra Luna Resort	March 25, 2025	Terrestrial exploration	750
Value Inn and Suites
Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort	March 31, 2014	Classic Florida beach resorts of the 1950s and 60s	2,200
Universal's Endless Summer Resort - Surfside Inn and Suites	June 27, 2019	Surfing lifestyle	750
Universal's Endless Summer Resort - Dockside Inn and Suites	December 15, 2020	Coastal retreat	2,050

Special Events

Universal's Halloween Horror Nights

On certain nights from September to early November, Universal Studios Florida changes for Halloween Horror Nights. This is one of the biggest Halloween events in the U.S. It started in 1991. The event features haunted houses and "scare zones." It is a separate ticketed event, meaning you need a special ticket to attend.

Rock the Universe

Rock the Universe is a yearly Christian rock music festival. It takes place inside Universal Studios Florida. The event started in 1998 and usually happens in early September. Many Christian rock artists perform. The resort offers special tickets and packages for this weekend. Some rides are also open during the evenings.

Grad Bash and Gradventure

Grad Bash and Gradventure are two events held in April and May. Grad Bash is for high school seniors who are graduating. They can have an exclusive, all-night party at Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. They can ride all the attractions. There are also live performances by popular artists and dance parties. Gradventure is similar but for middle school students who are graduating. Both events are sponsored by Coca-Cola.

Universal's Holiday Parade featuring Macy's

In November and December, Universal Studios Florida hosts Macy's Holiday Parade. This event brings real balloons, some based on park attractions. It is part of the Christmas celebrations at the park.

Mardi Gras

From February through April, Universal Studios Florida hosts a Mardi Gras celebration. It is inspired by the famous party in New Orleans. The event includes a parade and concerts. It usually happens on Friday and Saturday nights. Guests can hear blues and zydeco music. This event is included with your park admission.

Visitor Numbers

Universal Orlando Resort and Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, have a long-standing friendly competition. This competition became even more exciting in 2025 when Universal's Epic Universe opened. This new park has attractions based on Nintendo, Harry Potter, and other popular stories. Experts believe Epic Universe could attract many visitors.

Year	Universal Studios Florida	Islands of Adventure	Overall
2006	6,000,000	5,300,000	11,300,000
2007	6,200,000	5,430,000	11,630,000
2008	6,231,000	5,297,000	11,528,000
2009	5,530,000	4,627,000	10,157,000
2010	5,949,000	5,925,000	11,874,000
2011	6,044,000	7,674,000	13,718,000
2012	6,195,000	7,981,000	14,176,000
2013	7,062,000	8,141,000	15,203,000
2014	8,263,000	8,141,000	16,444,000
2015	9,585,000	8,792,000	18,377,000
2016	9,998,000	9,962,000	19,960,000
2017	10,198,000	9,549,000	19,747,000
2018	10,708,000	9,788,000	20,496,000
2019	10,922,000	10,375,000	21,297,000
2020	4,096,000	4,005,000	8,101,000
2021	8,987,000	9,077,000	18,064,000
2022	10,750,000	11,025,000	21,775,000
2023	9,750,000	10,000,000	19,750,000

Other Services

Universal Express Pass

Revenge of the Mummy (previous entrance pictured) features a line for Universal Express Pass.

Many rides at Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure offer Express Pass. This pass lets guests use a separate, faster line for the attraction. You can enter the Express line whenever you want.

The Express Pass is not included with your park ticket. You can buy it for an extra fee. The price changes depending on the date. There are two options: Express Pass, which lets you use the Express line once per day per ride, or Express Unlimited Pass, which lets you use it an unlimited number of times.

Dining with Characters

Universal Orlando has many characters, from Woody Woodpecker to Spider-Man. You can eat with characters in a few ways. At Loews Royal Pacific Resort, guests can have breakfast with Universal Characters on certain days. Characters also meet guests in the parks during the day. They appear during lunchtime at some park restaurants. On select nights, you can have dinner with Universal characters at places like Trattoria del Porto. The Marvel Super Heroes also appear in a special attraction.

Transportation Around the Resort

Universal Orlando Resort has a system of water taxis, buses, and walkways. These connect the parking areas, hotels, CityWalk, and theme parks. You can also rent strollers, wheelchairs, and electric scooters.

An organized bus system takes guests between the hotels, theme parks, and even Orlando International Airport. The LYNX bus system also connects the resort to other parts of the city.

Guests staying at hotels on site can get to the theme parks and CityWalk easily. They can take a water taxi or bus directly to CityWalk. They can also use the walking paths.

Universal's Super Star Shuttle

Many hotels and the main airport are close to Universal Orlando. Universal's Super Star Shuttle service has two main routes. One route takes guests to all thirty Universal Partner hotels. The other route, which started in 2016, goes to Orlando International Airport. This shuttle also provides free transportation between Universal Orlando, SeaWorld, and Aquatica. Airport service costs a fee for hotel guests who book through Universal Parks and Resorts Vacations.