We wanted to provide some basic information to visitors that are new to Universal Orlando Resort to help them plan their visit. Use the Index below to jump to the section of interest.

Introduction

Universal Orlando is a resort that has three separate theme parks, a shopping area, and a multitude of hotels. Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure are traditional theme parks featuring rides, shows, and other attractions. Volcano Bay is a themed water park that has water rides and swimming areas. The shopping and entertainment district associated with the resort is called CityWalk and features a movie theater, stores, and a variety of eating establishments.

Parking

There is a single parking area for all three parks and the CityWalk shopping and entertainment district. The parking area has two entrances, one off Universal Boulevard and the other off Hollywood Way. Guests may either pay for their parking pass at the toll plaza or show their prepaid parking pass or Annual Passholder card with picture ID at the parking toll plaza to gain entry.

The parking area has two parking garages. Guests are directed to a garage based on the park they are visiting and the type of parking pass they purchased. Guests heading to Volcano Bay will be directed to the first level of the garage where they will park and take a complimentary shuttle to Volcano Bay. Guests heading to Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, or CityWalk with Prime Parking will park on the second level and those with Regular Parking passes will park on the higher levels. Handicap parking is located on the Prime Parking level. Guests may make use of moving walkways to travel from the parking garage to the security area.

Guests may leave the park and return the same day without paying again for parking by presenting their parking receipt to the team member at the toll plaza upon re-entry. Currently the parking system is paperless so if you need a receipt for re-entry or business purposes, you must ask for one when you pay.

Parking Fees:

Regular Parking: $26

Prime Parking: $40

RV/Bus Parking: $40

After 6 pm: free except during special events

With Cinemark matinee tickets: cash reimbursement at theater

Some Universal Annual Passholders receive parking benefits. Premier Annual Passholders get free Prime Parking and Valet Parking. Preferred Annual Passholders get free Regular Parking. Power Annual Passholders get 50% off Regular Parking. Visitors with car rentals from Avis or Budget get a free upgrade to Prime Parking with purchase of Regular Parking.

The advantage of Prime Parking over Regular Parking is that guests get to park on the same level as the security area. Guests with Regular Parking have to take an escalator or elevator down to the security level. Depending on how the lots fill, Regular Parking may be closer to security than Prime Parking. Guests that prepay for their parking pass can always upgrade their pass at the toll plaza by paying the difference upon arrival.

Valet Parking

Valet parking is available to guests for a fee. The valet area can be accessed by a separate entrance off of Universal Blvd. The cost is $26 for less than 2 hours of parking and $65 for more than 2 hours, although that price drops to $55 after 6 pm. The advantage of Valet Parking is that you are only a short escalator ride from the security area.

Preferred Annual Passholders may use valet parking for $20. Premier Annual Passholders receive complimentary valet parking. The valet option is not available to annual passholders for special events, including New Year’s Eve, Mardi Gras event nights, July 4th, and Halloween Horror Nights.

RIDESHARE

Pick-up and drop-off by rideshare services like Uber and Lyft is on the top floor of the North Parking Garage. Guests using rideshare services do not pay for parking. There are signs inside the park along walkways to the garage that direct guests to/from this area.

TAXIS & BUSES

Taxis and buses drop off guests in a separate part of the parking area. An escalator or elevator takes guests up one level to the walkway to security. The taxi and bus drop-off is approximately the same distance from security as the parking garages.

WATER TAXIS

Any guest at Universal Orlando has free access to the water taxis. Visitors do not have to be staying at a Universal resort hotel to use this service. We recommend using the water taxis to dine and shop at the different hotels on property. Typically, the first taxi picks up guests about 30 minutes before the parks open and continues until 2:30 am. Each leg is about 15 minutes so expect to wait no longer than that before catching the next boat. Water taxis travel between CityWalk and these Universal hotels: Hard Rock Hotel Orlando, Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Loews Royal Pacific Resort, and Loews Sapphire Falls Resort.

EXPRESS PASSES

Express Passes allow guests to skip the regular lines to get on rides quicker. How much quicker? Some days there is almost no wait time at all. On busy days, guests may still have to wait 20 minutes or more to ride, but the wait time will generally be substantially faster than waiting in the regular, standby line. Simply follow signs at each ride directing guests to Express Pass line and show the card to the team member at each ride to enter the Express Line. Different Express Pass options are available for Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. Separate Express pass options are available for Volcano Bay. During Halloween Horror Nights in the fall, there is also a Halloween Horror Nights Express Pass to access express lines to the haunted houses.

Purchasing Express Passes

There are several ways to get Express Passes. They may be purchased online, at the park entrance ticket booths, or in certain shops within the parks. Guests that purchase their Express Pass online still have to pick up their physical passes at the ticket booths or at self-serve will call kiosks. We recommend using the kiosks as they are usually much faster.

Guests will receive a paper card that acts as their Express Pass. Universal sells a limited number of Express Passes per day so, during busy times, it’s generally a good idea to buy them before arriving at the park or soon after arrival. Express Passes cannot be shared or transferred between guests.

Guests who are Premier Annual Passholders have an after 4pm Express Pass included in their benefits. These guests are limited to one ride on each participating attraction per day after 4pm.

Guests staying at one of Universal Orlando’s three top-tier resort hotels have Express Unlimited Passes included for each day of their stay. This includes the Hard Rock Hotel Orlando, Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, and Loews Royal Pacific Resort. The hotel keycard acts as the Express Unlimited Pass, allowing unlimited rides each day on participating rides/attractions. If your budget allows, we highly recommend this method of getting Express Unlimited Passes. It is worth noting that these Express Unlimited Passes are good from the morning of your first day to the end of park hours on the last day of your stay. Guests can pick up these passes early in the morning for use at park opening, even if their room is not yet ready. This also means that if you book a one night stay at a top tier resort, you will get two days of Express Unlimited Passes.

Types of Express Passes:

Universal Express*: $69.99 for 1 park, $74.99 for 2 parks

Universal Express Unlimited**: $89.99 for 1 or 2 parks

Volcano Bay Express*: $39.99 upgrade for Volcano Bay only

*Express passes may only be used on each participating attraction 1 time per day **Unlimited pass allows unlimited rides on participating attractions

Attractions that accept Express Passes:

Universal Studios Florida

Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts

Hogwarts Express (Park-to-Park admission ticket required)

Despicable Me Minion Mayhem

Transformers: The Ride-3D

Fast & Furious – Supercharged

Men In Black Alien Attack Hollywood

Rip Ride Rockit

Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon

The Simpsons Ride

Kang & Kodos’ Twirl ‘n’ Hurl

Revenge of the Mummy

E.T. Adventure

Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster

Universal’s Islands Of Adventure

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey

Hogwarts Express (Park-to-Park admission ticket required)

Flight of the Hippogriff

The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man

The Incredible Hulk Coaster

Storm Force Accelatron

Doctor Doom’s Fearfall

Jurassic Park River Adventure

Skull Island: Reign of Kong

Caro-Seuss-el

The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride

Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls

Poseidon’s Fury

Universal’s Volcano Bay

Krakatau Aqua Coaster

Punga Racers

Maku of Maku Puihi Round Raft Rides

Puihi of Maku Puihi Round Raft Rides

Honu of Honu

ika Moana ika Moana of Honu ika Moana

Taniwha Tubes

Additional Rides Available with Express PLUS: Kala & Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slides Ko’okiri Body Plunge Ohyah of Ohyah & Ohno Drop Slides Ohno of Ohyah & Ohno Drop Slides

Rides NOT included with Express Passes:

Islands of Adventure: Pteranodon Flyers, Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure Universal Studios: Fievel’s Playland Volcano Bay: Kala & Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slides, Ko’okiri Body Plunge

VIRTUAL LINES

Two rides at Universal Studios have Virtual Lines. They are Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon and Fast & Furious – Supercharged. All the rides at Volcano Bay have a Virtual Line system. Pteranodon Flyers is the only ride with a virtual line at Islands of Adventure.

The Virtual Line system allows guests to reserve a spot in line using the Universal mobile app. After reserving a spot, guests receive a time to return to the attraction. Reservations are made on a first come, first served basis so guests that reserve earlier in the day have a better chance of reserving a spot in line. On busy days, the virtual lines may fill and spots will not be available. The amount of time it takes to get on the ride varies by day and attraction.