[["parks",[{"id":12,"name":"Universal Studios Florida","abbreviation":"uf","created_at":"2009-08-06T22:32:52.000-04:00","updated_at":"2023-07-10T12:30:58.000-04:00","short_name":"Universal Studios FL","property_id":4,"time_zone":"Eastern Time (US & Canada)","permalink":"universal-studios-florida","intro":"

\r\nUniversal Studios Florida is home to many rides based on popular movies, such as Despicable Me, Transformers: The Ride-3D and Diagon Alley of the Harry Potter franchise. Scroll down to learn more about the Universal Studios and how our tools will help you do more in this park without getting caught up in crowds and lines.\r\n

\r\n","dining_overview":null,"byline":null,"operator_id":10010,"operator_index":null,"operator_name":null,"traffic_patterns_content":null,"opening_date":"1990-06-07","category_code":"theme_park","fastpass_content":null,"meta_description":null,"address":"6000 Universal Blvd","city":"Orlando","state_code":"FL","zip_code":"32819","phone_number":"4073638000","themeparks_obj":"UniversalStudiosFlorida","primary_color":"#801BC3","themeparks_id":"eb3f4560-2383-4a36-9152-6b3e5ed6bc57","basics_arriving":"

DRIVING Universal Orlando has two multistory parking garages that hold 20,000 cars each. All resort entrances have signs leading to these parking structures.


To avoid delays, plan on arriving at the parking garages about an hour before the parks open.


The parking garages are divided into sections named after Universal movies and characters, such as Jurassic Park, King Kong, E.T., and Spider-Man.


Each section is color-coded, and each row in the section has and has a number. The first digit of the number tells you which level of the parking deck you're on, and the rest of the numbers tell you the row you're in.


For example, if you park next to a sign that says 'King Kong 409', then you're in the King Kong section of the parking garage, on floor 4, and in row 9.


\n

Take a photo of the name and number of your section, level, and row when you park.


From the parking garage you'll have an 8- to 20-minute walk to the theme park entrances (there are no parking trams).


From the garages, moving sidewalks deliver you first to a central hub between the two garages. Here you'll find a security checkpoint to pass through before getting to the parks.


\n

If you're going to Volcano Bay, follow signs to park on the lowest level of the south garage, where you'll find ticket booths, security screenings, and dedicated shuttle buses that will transport you to and from the water park.


WALKING FROM THE HOTELS The walk from most Universal Orlando hotels takes abotu 15-20 minutes using the resort's dedicated walking paths. The walk from Cabana Bay Beach Resort and Portofino Bay are the farthest, taking about 25 minutes.


WATER TAXI service water taxi service is available between Universal's Preferred and Premier hotels and the two theme parks. The boat service uses a dock in CityWalk near the bridge to Universal Studios Florida as a hub.


Boats depart about every 15-20 minutes, from 1 hour before Early Park Admission begins until 15 minutes before CityWalk shuts down.


\n

Give yourself 20-25 minutes for the boat ride, plus time for the boat to arrive. Bus service is usually faster.


\n

HOTEL BUS SERVICE runs every 20-30 minutes between its hotels and the parking garage, from which you can walk to CityWalk or the theme parks.


\n

Theme park buses run until 15 minutes after CityWalk closes.


","basics_getting_around":"

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS FLORIDA is laid out in a P-shape, with the rounded part of the P bigger than usual. The main entrance plaza is called the Front Lot. Going clockwise around the park, the first area you'll encounter after the Front lot is Production Central, which includes Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, Transformers: The Ride 3-D, and other attractions.


At the top of the P is the New York area, including Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon and Revenge of the Mummy.


Next is San Francisco, the home of Fast & Furious: Supercharged.


Next is The Wizarding World of Harry Potter-Diagon Alley with Hogwarts Express-King's Cross Station and Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts.


After that is World Expo area, with Men in Black Alien Attack.


Continuing on you'll find Springfield: Home of the Simpsons, featuring, of course, The Simpsons Ride


The last themed area, near the front of the park, is Hollywood, featuring Universal Orlando's Horror Make-Up Show and The Bourne Stuntacular stunt show.

","basics_rope_drop":"

Early Park Admission is the most valuable free perk available to Universal on-site guests. It allows you to enter the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and other select attractions, 1 hour before the parks open to the general public.


The park and attractions open for Early Admission on any given day will vary depending on crowd levels.


When Universal Studios Florida has Early Admission will open its turnstiles 60 to 90 minutes before the official opening time.


Both hotel and day guests will be admitted to the park, and everyone in your group (including children) who are eligible for Early Admission will need to show their own room key or annual pass to get beyond the park's entry plaza during Early Admission. Everyone else will be held in an alternate area until official opening.


When USF's turnstiles open for Early Admission, resort guests walk straight toward Revenge of the Mummy and are escorted to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Diagon Alley.


REGULAR PARK OPENING On days when Universal Studios Florida does not have Early Admission, the park may still open up to 15 minutes before opening, with Despicable Me typically running for all guests.


Guests can enter the Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts queue before official opening, but the ride may not begin running until park opening (or a few minutes before) on these mornings.


Most of the crowd will head for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter's Gringotts ride, which usually sees its longest waits between opening and early afternoon.


Despicable Me, located a short distance past the entrance, also attracts large crowds, as do Transformers: The Ride 3-D and Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit.


A smaller number of visitors will head for The Simpsons Ride or Revenge of the Mummy, but these attractions usually don't get crowded until an hour or two after the park has opened.

","basics_fastpass":"

\n Universal Express is Universal's front-of-the-line system. It's free for some Universal Orlando hotel guests and annual passholders and costs (a lot) of money for everyone else.


Universal Express will significantly reduce the amount of time you spend waiting in queues at Universal Orlando. But whether that time saving is worth it depends on the season you visit, hours of park operation, and crowd levels.


During busy periods, Universal Express users should wait no more than 15-20 minutes for a ride, even when the standby wait is well over an hour. That's a big time savings and may make it easier to see your favorite headliners in a single day.


During slow periods, Express users should experience little to no wait at most attractions and can practically walk on to most rides. However, the standby waits will typically top out between 15 and 30 minutes at these times, making the total minutes saved with Express much less.


Universal Express is not mandatory for enjoying the parks, as long as you show up early with a well-organized touring plan. If you want to sleep in and arrive at a park after opening, Express is an effective but expensive way to avoid long lines at the headliner attractions, especially during holidays and busy times.


If, however, you arrive at least 30 minutes before park opening and you use our touring plans, you should experience the lowest possible waits.


If you aren't eligible for free Express Passes, try the touring plans first. If waits for rides get too long, you can almost always buy Express in the parks, because they rarely run out.

","basics_other":null},{"id":13,"name":"Universal's Islands of Adventure","abbreviation":"ia","created_at":"2009-08-06T22:33:32.000-04:00","updated_at":"2023-07-10T12:30:58.000-04:00","short_name":"Islands of Adventure","property_id":4,"time_zone":"Eastern Time (US & Canada)","permalink":"islands-of-adventure","intro":"\r\n

\r\nFor a quick look at IOA's history, click here.\r\n

","dining_overview":null,"byline":null,"operator_id":10000,"operator_index":null,"operator_name":null,"traffic_patterns_content":null,"opening_date":"1999-05-28","category_code":"theme_park","fastpass_content":null,"meta_description":null,"address":"6000 Universal Blvd","city":"Orlando","state_code":"FL","zip_code":"32819","phone_number":"4073638000","themeparks_obj":"UniversalIslandsOfAdventure","primary_color":"#BB4F24","themeparks_id":"267615cc-8943-4c2a-ae2c-5da728ca591f","basics_arriving":"

DRIVING Universal Orlando has two multistory parking garages that hold 20,000 cars each. All resort entrances have signs leading to these parking structures.


To avoid delays, plan on arriving at the parking garages about an hour before the parks open.


The parking garages are divided into sections named after Universal movies and characters, such as Jurassic Park, King Kong, E.T., and Spider-Man.


Each section is color-coded, and each row in the section has and has a number. The first digit of the number tells you which level of the parking deck you're on, and the rest of the numbers tell you the row you're in.


For example, if you park next to a sign that says 'King Kong 409', then you're in the King Kong section of the parking garage, on floor 4, and in row 9.


\n

Take a photo of the name and number of your section, level, and row when you park.


From the parking garage you'll have an 8- to 20-minute walk to the theme park entrances (there are no parking trams).


From the garages, moving sidewalks deliver you first to a central hub between the two garages. Here you'll find a security checkpoint to pass through before getting to the parks.


\n

If you're going to Volcano Bay, follow signs to park on the lowest level of the south garage, where you'll find ticket booths, security screenings, and dedicated shuttle buses that will transport you to and from the water park.


WALKING FROM THE HOTELS The walk from most Universal Orlando hotels takes abotu 15-20 minutes using the resort's dedicated walking paths. The walk from Cabana Bay Beach Resort and Portofino Bay are the farthest, taking about 25 minutes.


WATER TAXI service water taxi service is available between Universal's Preferred and Premier hotels and the two theme parks. The boat service uses a dock in CityWalk near the bridge to Universal Studios Florida as a hub.


Boats depart about every 15-20 minutes, from 1 hour before Early Park Admission begins until 15 minutes before CityWalk shuts down.


\n

Give yourself 20-25 minutes for the boat ride, plus time for the boat to arrive. Bus service is usually faster.


\n

HOTEL BUS SERVICE runs every 20-30 minutes between its hotels and the parking garage, from which you can walk to CityWalk or the theme parks.


\n

Theme park buses run until 15 minutes after CityWalk closes.


","basics_getting_around":"

Think of Islands of Adventure as a large circle with a lagoon in the middle. Each \"island” has its own self-contained, visually consistent theme.


You first encounter Port of Entry at the front of the park, a mélange of Middle Eastern and Asian architecture, where you'll find Guest Services, lockers, stroller and wheelchair rentals, ATM banking, Lost and Found, and shopping.


From the Port of Entry, moving clockwise around the lagoon, you'll find Marvel Super Hero Island, Toon Lagoon, Skull Island, Jurassic Park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter—Hogsmeade, and Seuss Landing.


There is no in-park transportation to move you between lands.

","basics_rope_drop":"

Early Park Admission is the most valuable free perk available to Universal on-site guests. It allows you to enter the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and other select attractions, 1 hour before the parks open to the general public.


The park and attractions open for Early Admission on any given day will vary depending on crowd levels.


When Islands of Adventure has Early Admission will open its turnstiles 60 to 90 minutes before the official opening time.


Both hotel and day guests will be admitted to the park, and everyone in your group (including children) who are eligible for Early Admission will need to show their own room key or annual pass to get beyond the park's entry plaza during Early Admission. Everyone else will be held in an alternate area until official opening.


When IOA opens for Early Admission, offered at IOA, resort guests may head to Hogsmeade and the VelociCoaster as soon as the gates open, walking clockwise through Seuss Landing and Lost Continent.


Guests without Early Admission can still enter the park early but will be held in the Port of Entry and Seuss Landing.


Marvel Super Hero Island's attractions may open to all guests up to 15 minutes before the official park opening time.


If IOA officially opens an hour after USF, only guests eligible for EPA may ride the Hogwarts Express Hogsmeade Station during IOA's early-entry hour.


On days when Early Admission isn't offered, the park will still open its turnstiles 15 minutes before \n opening time. Most entering guests turn counterclockwise through Seuss Landing and make a beeline for Hogsmeade or the VelociCoaster as soon as the park is open.


A smaller number of guests will head clockwise for The Incredible Hulk Coaster and then continue through Toon Lagoon to Skull Island.

","basics_fastpass":"

\n Universal Express is Universal's front-of-the-line system. It's free for some Universal Orlando hotel guests and annual passholders and costs (a lot) of money for everyone else.


Universal Express will significantly reduce the amount of time you spend waiting in queues at Universal Orlando. But whether that time saving is worth it depends on the season you visit, hours of park operation, and crowd levels.


During busy periods, Universal Express users should wait no more than 15-20 minutes for a ride, even when the standby wait is well over an hour. That's a big time savings and may make it easier to see your favorite headliners in a single day.


During slow periods, Express users should experience little to no wait at most attractions and can practically walk on to most rides. However, the standby waits will typically top out between 15 and 30 minutes at these times, making the total minutes saved with Express much less.


Universal Express is not mandatory for enjoying the parks, as long as you show up early with a well-organized touring plan. If you want to sleep in and arrive at a park after opening, Express is an effective but expensive way to avoid long lines at the headliner attractions, especially during holidays and busy times.


If, however, you arrive at least 30 minutes before park opening and you use our touring plans, you should experience the lowest possible waits.


If you aren't eligible for free Express Passes, try the touring plans first. If waits for rides get too long, you can almost always buy Express in the parks, because they rarely run out.

","basics_other":null},{"id":65,"name":"Universal Epic Universe","abbreviation":"eu","created_at":"2024-02-16T23:43:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2024-10-17T10:31:23.000-04:00","short_name":"Epic Universe","property_id":4,"time_zone":"Eastern Time (US & Canada)","permalink":"epic-universe","intro":"

Universal Destinations & Experiences expands its Orlando presence by 750 acres in 2025 with the opening of Epic Universe and three nearby hotels. This state-of-the-art park promises fantastic rides, experiences, and dining for guests of all ages. At opening, Epic Universe will offer an elaborate central hub (Celestial Park) and worlds themed to\r\nUniversal monster films,\r\nNINTENDO,\r\nHarry Potter, and\r\nHow to Train Your Dragon.

\r\n\r\n

See our Universal Epic Universe Preview blog post for the latest details.","dining_overview":"Epic Universe promises to offer several unique dining experiences, complementing pizza, coffee, burgers, and other theme park staples. Ever wanted to dine with vikings? Or eat in an aquarium or a toadstool?","byline":"Universal Orlando's Newest Theme Park","operator_id":null,"operator_index":null,"operator_name":null,"traffic_patterns_content":null,"opening_date":"2025-05-22","category_code":"theme_park","fastpass_content":null,"meta_description":null,"address":"4700 West Sand Lake Road","city":"Orlando","state_code":"FL","zip_code":"32819","phone_number":null,"themeparks_obj":null,"primary_color":null,"themeparks_id":null,"basics_arriving":null,"basics_getting_around":null,"basics_rope_drop":null,"basics_fastpass":null,"basics_other":null}]],["hotels",[["Deluxe",[{"id":155,"property_id":4,"name":"Hard Rock Hotel","code":"ORL095","address":"5800 Universal Boulevard","city":"Orlando","state_code":"FL","zip_code":"32819","phone_number":"4075037625","url":"http://www.hardrockhotelorlando.com/","off_site":false,"permalink":"hard-rock-hotel","created_at":"2010-07-16T15:02:21.000-04:00","updated_at":"2024-12-18T23:41:53.000-05:00","overview":"

Overview

\r\n

\r\nFor younger adults and families with older kids, the Hard Rock\r\nHotel is the hippest place to lay your head. Opened in 2001, it is the closest\r\nresort to Universal’s theme parks. The exterior has a California Mission\r\ntheme, with white stucco walls, arched entryways, and rust-colored roof\r\ntiles. Inside, the lobby is a tribute to rock-and-roll style, all marble,\r\nchrome, and stage lighting. The lobby’s walls are decorated with enough\r\nconcert posters, costumes, and musical instruments to start another wing\r\nof Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Exhibits include outfits from\r\nLady Gaga and Rihanna, and QR codes near each artifact let you take a\r\nself-guided memorabilia tour via your smartphone.\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\n

The Rooms

\r\n

\r\nThe eight floors hold 650 rooms, including 29 suites, with the rooms\r\ncategorized into standard, deluxe, and Rock Royalty club-level tiers.\r\nStandard rooms are 375 square feet, slightly larger than rooms at Disney’s\r\nModerate resorts and a bit smaller than most Disney Deluxe rooms.\r\nThe rooms feature light-gray walls and linens, pastel furniture, and colorful\r\nretro-inspired accents, such as throw pillows crocheted with phrases\r\nsuch as “Quiet Please” and “Be Nice.” To be frank, the style looks more\r\nbubblegum pop than hard rock, but the brighter look is a bit more soothing\r\nafter you stumble back from a fatiguing day in the parks. \r\n

\r\n

\r\nStandard rooms are furnished with two queen beds, with plush, comfortable\r\nlinens and more pillows than you’ll know what to do with. Rooms\r\nalso include a TV, refrigerator, coffee maker, and an alarm clock with an\r\niPhone docking port.\r\n

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\r\nA six-drawer dresser and separate closet with sliding doors ensure\r\nplenty of storage space. In addition, most rooms have a reading chair and\r\na small desk with two chairs. An optional rollaway bed, available at an\r\nextra charge, allows standard rooms to sleep up to five people.

\r\n\r\n

Each room’s dressing area includes a sink and hair dryer. The bathroom\r\nis probably large enough for most adults to get ready in the morning\r\nwhile another person gets ready in the dressing area.\r\n

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\r\nGuests staying in standard rooms can choose from one of three views:\r\nstandard, which can include anything from walkways and parking lots to\r\nlawns and trees; garden view, which includes the lawn, trees, and (in\r\nsome rooms) the waterway around the resort; and pool view, which\r\nincludes the Hard Rock’s expansive pool.\r\n

\r\n

\r\nA step up from standard rooms are deluxe rooms. Deluxe rooms with\r\nking beds are around 400 square feet and can accommodate up to four\r\npeople with a pullout sofa and an optional rollaway bed rental. These\r\nrooms feature a U-shaped sitting area in place of the second bed, and the\r\nrest of the amenities are the same as in standard rooms. Deluxe queen\r\nrooms are 500 square feet and can hold up to five people using a pullout\r\nsofa, located in a small cubby just off the room’s entrance. \r\n

\r\n\r\n

For families, each 800-square-foot Future Rock Star suite features an\r\nauthentic piece of music memorabilia, along with a simulated stage\r\ninside the separate kids’ bedroom. Or you can really live like The King in the 2,000-square-foot Graceland Suite, which comes complete with a\r\nbaby grand piano and fireplace.

\r\n

Pool, Gym and Recreation

\r\n

\r\nSituated in the middle of the resort’s C-shaped main building, the\r\n12,000-square-foot zero-entry pool includes a 250-foot waterslide (the\r\nlongest at any Universal hotel), a sand beach, and underwater speakers\r\nso you can hear the music while you swim. Adjacent to the pool are a\r\nfountain play area for small children, a sand volleyball court, hot tubs, and\r\na poolside bar. The entire pool area is lined with tall palm trees, and private\r\ncabanas are available for rent. The Hard Rock also has a small, functional\r\nfitness center, but for spa services you’ll have to go to the Mandara\r\nSpa at Universal’s nearby Portofino Bay. Like all Universal Orlando Resort\r\nhotels, the Hard Rock has a business center and video arcade.\r\n

\r\n

\r\nThe Hard Rock also has a small, functional fitness center. Universal's nearby Portofino Bay hotel has a full-service Mandara spa.\r\n

\r\n

\r\nA supervised activity center, Camp Lil Rock, serves kids 4 from 5 pm until 11:30 pm (Sunday through Thursday) or midnight (Friday and Saturday). Cost is $15 per hour per child, plus $15 per meal. Call (407) 503-2200 for reservations.\r\n

\r\n

On-Site Dining

\r\n

\r\nOn-site dining includes The Kitchen, a casual full-service restaurant open\r\nfor breakfast, lunch, and dinner that serves American food such as burgers,\r\nsteaks, and salads. The Kitchen hosts strolling magicians on Wednesday\r\nand Friday, Kids Can Cook activities on Tuesday and Thursday, and random\r\ncelebrity-chef sightings. The Palm Restaurant is an upscale steakhouse\r\navailable for dinner only. There is also an Emack & Bolio’s ice cream shop\r\nand grab-and-go marketplace on the lower level; the stylish Velvet Bar in\r\nthe lobby for drinks after dark and monthly Velvet Sessions rock-and-roll\r\ncocktail parties; and the BeachClub bar and grill by the pool. And, of course, the\r\nHard Rock Cafe is just a short distance away at CityWalk. Oenophiles will\r\nwant to keep an eye on tinyurl .com/HRH Wine Riffs for announcements\r\nabout periodic Wine Riffs events ($125 plus tax and gratuity), which pair\r\nfive courses of vino and victuals with a carefully curated soundtrack.\r\n

\r\n

\r\nGuests can also stream a free personalized playlist at music.hardrock\r\nhotels.com, and swap their room key card for a free souvenir guitar pick\r\nat checkout. If all that musical immersion puts you in the mood to jam,\r\nyou can borrow a Crosley turntable with a stack of vinyl records or 1 of\r\n20 Fender guitars—including Stratocasters, Telecasters, and even bass\r\nguitars—with\r\namp and headphones for free (after a $1,000 credit card\r\ndeposit) through the hotel’s The Sound of Your Stay program; ask the\r\nfront desk for details. Alternatively, investigate the Rock Om in-room\r\nyoga program (hardrock hotelorlando.com/rock-om.htm) if you yearn to\r\nachieve a state of Zen.\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\n\r\n","good_not_so_good_rooms":null,"strengths_weaknesses":"

Strengths and Weaknesses

\r\n

\r\nStrengths: Shortest walk to Universal Studios; pool; on-site dining options, glitzy lobby\r\n
\r\n
\r\nWeaknesses: Expensive dining; extra charge for parking\r\n

","recommend_to_friends":null,"recommend_annual_change":null,"stay_again":null,"stay_again_annual_change":null,"fitness_center":true,"water_sports":false,"marina":false,"beach":false,"tennis":false,"biking":false,"suites":true,"concierge_floor":true,"room_service":true,"wired_internet":false,"wireless_internet":true,"num_rooms":650,"theme":"California Mission-style with rock memorabilia displayed throughout","cost_range":"$399-$704","shuttle_to_parks":true,"cost_estimate":"$$$$$$$+","lodging_area_code":"universal_orlando","category_code":"deluxe","check_rates":null,"percent_random_ads":30,"show_map":false,"meta_description":null,"survey_update_hash":"28d798af2efd2e5fcc35ec3ae174f164","author_user_id":null,"fax_number":null,"hidden":false,"smallest_room_size":null,"blog_slug":"hard-rock","property_owned":true,"extra_hours":true,"early_fastpass":false,"express_queue":true,"airport_transportation":false,"parking_fee":null,"resort_fee":null,"sort_name":"hard rock hotel","club_name":"Rock Royalty Lounge","operator_id":null,"operator_type":null,"operator_url":null,"opened_on":"2000-12-01","extinct_on":null,"opened_on_uncertain":null,"extinct_on_uncertain":null,"abbreviation":null,"refresh_year":null,"renovation_year":null,"pool_slide":false,"pool_play":false,"typical_bed_code":null,"max_guests_std":null,"child_bed_std":false,"parent_hotel_id":null,"travel_request_quote_image":null,"travel_request_quote_overview":null,"travel_request_quote_image_tab":null,"overview_short":"Not only the hippest place to lay your head, Hard Rock Hotel is also the closest resort to Universal's theme parks. The exterior has a California Mission theme, and the lobby's walls are decorated with concert posters and musical instruments.","dining_overview":null,"good_for":"Easy access to both theme parks","recommendation":null,"hotel_category_id":14,"hotel_category_recommended":false,"pet_friendly":null},{"id":82,"property_id":4,"name":"Loews Portofino Bay Hotel","code":"ORL164","address":"5601 Universal Boulevard","city":"Orlando","state_code":"FL","zip_code":"32819","phone_number":"4075031000","url":"http://www.loewshotels.com/en/Portofino-Bay-Hotel","off_site":false,"permalink":"loews-portofino-bay-hotel","created_at":"2010-07-16T15:02:19.000-04:00","updated_at":"2024-12-23T23:46:30.000-05:00","overview":"

Overview

\r\n\r\n

\r\nIf you want the ultimate European-style, spare-no-expense on-site\r\nexperience, look no further than the Portofino Bay Hotel. Universal’s top of the line hotel evokes the Italian seaside city of Portofino, complete\r\nwith a man-made Portofino Bay past the lobby. To Universal’s credit, the\r\nlayout, color, and theming of the guest room buildings are a good\r\napproximation of the architecture around the harbor in the real Portofino\r\n(Universal’s version has fewer yachts, though).\r\n\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The front of the Portofino continues the theme, with Vespa-like scooters\r\nparked around a burbling fountain. Deep-green tapestries hang from\r\nthe sand-colored porte cochere, which is flanked by narrower recessed\r\narches. It’s a convincing transition from the nearby parking deck.

\r\n\r\n

\r\n Inside, the lobby is decorated with pink marble floors, white wood\r\ncolumns, and arches. The space is both airy and comfortable, with side\r\nrooms featuring seats and couches done in bold reds and deep blues.\r\n

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\r\n\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\n

The Rooms

\r\n

\r\nMost guest rooms are 450 square feet and have either one king bed or\r\ntwo queen beds. King rooms sleep up to three people with an optional\r\nrollaway bed; the same option allows queen rooms to sleep up to five.\r\nTwo room-view types are available: garden rooms look out over the landscaping\r\nand trees (many of these are the east-facing rooms in the resort’s\r\neast wing; others face one of the three pools); bay-view rooms face either\r\nwest or south and overlook Portofino Bay, with a view of the piazza\r\nbehind the lobby too. Rooms in the west wing are closest to the water\r\ntaxi dock and resort walking paths. A very small number of rooms have\r\nworking balconies; you can’t reserve one in advance but may upgrade at\r\ncheck-in if one is available for $15–$30 extra.\r\n

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\r\nRooms come furnished with a 42-inch TV, a small refrigerator, a coffee\r\nmaker, and an alarm clock with an iPhone docking port. Other amenities\r\ninclude a small desk with two chairs, a comfortable reading chair\r\nwith lamp, a chest of drawers, and a standing closet. Beds are large and\r\ncomfortable. You’ll have a hard time in the morning convincing yourself\r\nthat getting out of them and going to a theme park is the best option\r\nyou have.\r\n

\r\n

\r\nGuest bathrooms at Portofino Bay are the best on Universal property.\r\nWe’ve seen smaller New York apartments! Speakers inside the bathroom\r\ntransmit the audio from whatever is playing on the room’s TV. The best thing is the shower, which has enough water pressure to strip paint\r\nfrom old furniture, not to mention an adjustable spray nozzle that varies\r\nthe water pulses to simulate everything from monsoon season in the\r\ntropics to the rhythmic thumps of wildebeest hooves during migrating\r\nseason. We love it.\r\n

\r\n\r\n

While we think Portofino Bay has some of Universal’s best rooms,\r\ncertain areas are starting to show their age, and the prices put it on par\r\nwith the Ritz-Carlton, something its good points can’t quite justify. On\r\nthe other hand, the Ritz isn’t a short walk from Harry Potter, and the\r\nPortofino is significantly cheaper than the hotels along Disney’s monorail.

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Pools, Spa, Recreation and Child Care

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\r\nPortofino Bay has three pools, the largest of which is the Beach Pool,\r\non the west side of the resort. The Beach Pool has a zero-entry design\r\nand a waterslide themed after a Roman aqueduct, plus a children’s play\r\narea, hot tubs, and a poolside bar and grill. We like the naturalistic Mediterranean\r\nseaside feel of the Beach Pool.\r\n

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Two smaller quiet pools sit at the far end of the east wing and to the\r\nwest of the main lobby. The Villa Pool has private cabana rentals for that\r\nItalian Riviera feeling and a bocce ball court with free equipment for that\r\nJersey shore feeling, while the smaller Hillside Pool, tucked behind the\r\neast wing, is the most secluded. Rounding out the luxuries are the fullservice\r\nMandara Spa; a complete fitness center with weight machines,\r\ntreadmills, and more; a business center; and a video arcade.

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Besides the pools, the Portofino has a full-service Mandara spa and a complete fitness center with free weights, weight machines, treadmills, ellipticals, bikes and more.\r\n

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\r\nCampo Portofino offers supervised activities (movies, video games, crafts, and such) for children ages 4-14. The cost is $15 per hour plus $15 per meal, per child; hours vary.\r\n

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On-Site Dining

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\r\nOn-site dining includes three sit-down restaurants serving Italian cuisine,\r\nplus a deli that doubles as a pizzeria, as well as a café serving coffee\r\nand gelato. Two bars round out the food offerings at Portofino. The Portofino\r\nhas 10 separate convention meeting rooms and is a popular destination\r\nfor small to midsize groups. Perhaps because Universal figures\r\nthat most guests have an expense account, some of the food prices go\r\nwell beyond what we’d consider reasonable, even for a theme park hotel. \r\n

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The Portofino has ten separate convention meeting rooms and is a popular destination for small to midsize groups. Perhaps because they're figuring that most people staying there are on an expense account, some of the restaurants' prices are well beyond what we'd consider reasonable, even for a theme park's hotel. \r\n

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Rates

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\r\nWhile we think Portofino Bay has Universal’s best rooms, the prices put it on par with the Ritz-Carlton, something its rooms and grounds can't quite maintain. On the other hand, the Ritz isn’t a short walk from Harry Potter, and the Portofino is significantly cheaper than the Grand Floridian at Disney. If you’re going to stay at the Portofino for two nights or more, consider getting an annual pass to the Universal parks, which gives substantial discounts on rooms (often more than $100 per night) and can more than offset the cost of the room.\r\n

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Additional Activities

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\r\nIf you still can't swing a stay here, at least take a complimentary sunset water taxi ride to the harbor for Musica della Notte, the free mini-concert of romantic popera tunes belted from Portofino's bayside balconies daily at dusk (weather permitting). Several times each year, Harbor Nights are held on the plaza, with wine tasting, hors d'oeuvres, and live music. Tickets are $45 in advance, $55 if purchased at the event, and $75 for VIP admission with reserved seating. See Loews' event page for details on the next date. ","good_not_so_good_rooms":null,"strengths_weaknesses":"

\r\nStrengths: Guest room bathrooms; on-site dining variety\r\n
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\r\nWeaknesses: Expensive on-site dining\r\n

","recommend_to_friends":null,"recommend_annual_change":null,"stay_again":null,"stay_again_annual_change":null,"fitness_center":true,"water_sports":false,"marina":false,"beach":false,"tennis":false,"biking":false,"suites":true,"concierge_floor":true,"room_service":true,"wired_internet":false,"wireless_internet":true,"num_rooms":750,"theme":"Italian Riviera village","cost_range":"$414–$739","shuttle_to_parks":true,"cost_estimate":"$$$$$$$$+","lodging_area_code":"universal_orlando","category_code":"deluxe","check_rates":null,"percent_random_ads":30,"show_map":false,"meta_description":null,"survey_update_hash":"47fd765d8c545963d3233febdb41e8b2","author_user_id":null,"fax_number":null,"hidden":false,"smallest_room_size":null,"blog_slug":"portofino-bay","property_owned":true,"extra_hours":true,"early_fastpass":false,"express_queue":true,"airport_transportation":false,"parking_fee":null,"resort_fee":null,"sort_name":"loews portofino bay hotel","club_name":"Portofino Club Lounge","operator_id":null,"operator_type":null,"operator_url":null,"opened_on":"2000-09-01","extinct_on":null,"opened_on_uncertain":null,"extinct_on_uncertain":null,"abbreviation":null,"refresh_year":null,"renovation_year":null,"pool_slide":false,"pool_play":false,"typical_bed_code":null,"max_guests_std":null,"child_bed_std":false,"parent_hotel_id":null,"travel_request_quote_image":null,"travel_request_quote_overview":null,"travel_request_quote_image_tab":null,"overview_short":"If you want the ultimate European-style, spare-no-expense on-site experience, look no further than the Portofino Bay Hotel. Universal's top of the line hotel evokes the Italian seaside city of Portofino, complete with a man-made Portofino Bay past the lobby.","dining_overview":null,"good_for":"Great theme and luxurious amenities","recommendation":null,"hotel_category_id":14,"hotel_category_recommended":true,"pet_friendly":null},{"id":48,"property_id":4,"name":"Loews Royal Pacific Resort","code":"ORL200","address":"6300 Hollywood Way","city":"Orlando","state_code":"FL","zip_code":"32819","phone_number":"4075033000","url":"http://www.loewshotels.com/en/Royal-Pacific-Resort","off_site":false,"permalink":"loews-royal-pacific-resort-at-universal-orlando","created_at":"2010-07-16T15:02:18.000-04:00","updated_at":"2024-12-18T23:41:53.000-05:00","overview":"

Overview

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\r\nA favorite of young families and solo travelers, the Royal Pacific Resort is the least expensive\r\nand most relaxing of Universal’s top hotels. You may be tempted, as we\r\nwere initially, to write off the Royal Pacific, which opened in 2002, as a\r\nknockoff of Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. There are indeed similarities,\r\nbut the Royal Pacific is attractive enough, and has enough\r\nstrengths of its own, for us to recommend that you try a stay there to\r\ncompare for yourself.\r\n

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\r\nThe South Seas–inspired theming is both relaxing and structured.\r\nGuests enter the lobby—which received a thorough refurbishment in\r\n2020—from a walkway two stories above an artificial stream that surrounds\r\nthe resort. Once you’re inside, the lobby’s dark teakwood accents\r\ncontrast nicely with the enormous amount of light coming in from the\r\nwindows and three-story A-frame roof. Palms line the walkway through\r\nthe lobby, which surrounds an enormous outdoor fountain.\r\n

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The Rooms

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\r\nThe Royal Pacific’s 1,000 guest rooms are spread among three\r\nY-shaped wings attached to the resort’s main building. Standard rooms\r\nare 335 square feet and have one king or two queen beds. The beds, fitted\r\nwith 300-thread-count sheets, are very comfortable.

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\r\nA standard Royal Pacific room.\r\n

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\r\nThe rooms feature modern monochrome wall treatments and carpets,\r\naccented with boldly colored floral graphics. Rooms include a flat-panel\r\nTV, a refrigerator, a coffee maker, and an alarm clock with an iPhone\r\ndocking port, plus several USB-equipped power outlets. Other amenities\r\ninclude a small desk with two chairs, a comfortable reading chair, a chest\r\nof drawers, and a large closet. \r\n

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\r\n \r\nAs with the Hard Rock, rooms at the Royal Pacific have a dressing area\r\nwith sink, separated from the rest of the room by a wall. Adjacent to the\r\ndressing area is the bathroom, with a tub, shower, and toilet. While\r\nthey’re acceptable, the bathroom and dressing areas at the Royal Pacific\r\nare our least favorite in the upscale Universal resorts.\r\n

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\r\nA Royal Pacific bathroom.\r\n

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\r\nSome standard-view rooms look out over the Royal Pacific’s green\r\nlandscape, while others see the parking lot or nearby roads. Water-view\r\nrooms facing the pool or lagoon are also available, many of which have\r\na great look at Hogwarts Castle. Guests in north- and west-facing rooms in Tower 1 are closest to the walking path to the park but also closest to\r\nthe attractions at Islands of Adventure (IOA); you can hear the roar from\r\nIOA’s Incredible Hulk Coaster throughout the day and night. East-facing\r\nrooms in Towers 1 and 2 are exposed to traffic noise from Universal\r\nBoulevard and, more distantly, I-4. Quietest are south-facing pool-view\r\nrooms in Tower 1 and south-facing rooms in Tower 3, which are also\r\nnearest to the water taxi dock. Tower 2 is the most remote from amenities\r\nand transportation.\r\n

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Jurassic World Kids' Suites

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The Royal Pacific also offers themed rooms for kids with its Jurassic\r\nWorld Kids Suites, which were refurbished in 2018. These 370-squarefoot\r\ntwo-room suites have a door connecting the kids’ room to the main\r\nhotel room, but only the main room has a door out to the hallway. The\r\nkids’ room has two twin beds with headboards that look like Gyrospheres,\r\nas well as a wall-size mural of dinosaurs.

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Pool, Gym and Recreation

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\r\nLike the Hard Rock Hotel, the Royal Pacific’s zero-entry pool includes\r\na sand beach, volleyball court, play area for kids, hot tub, and cabanas\r\nfor rent, plus a poolside bar and grill. Designed to look like a cross\r\nbetween a tropical island and cruise ship pool (complete with faux\r\nexhaust tower and observation deck), the swimming complex pool is\r\nhuge; it does not, however, have a waterslide. Lounge chairs line most\r\nof the walkway around the pool, and portable folding umbrellas provide\r\nshade where the palm trees and lush green plants can’t. A free torch lighting\r\nceremony with Polynesian dances, music, and fire juggling is\r\nheld by the pool around sunset on select nights (usually Tuesday, Friday,\r\nand Saturday during the summer). For the full island experience, the\r\nWantilan Luau is held every Saturday night year-round\r\n\r\n\r\n

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\r\nThe Royal Pacific includes a 5,000-square-foot fitness facility, with\r\nfree weights and machines, treadmills, stair-climbers, elliptical machines,\r\nand exercise bikes, plus separate lockers, dressing areas, and sauna rooms\r\nfor men and women. The Royal Pacific’s expansive\r\nconvention facilities\r\ncover more than 132,000 square feet and connect to the Sapphire Falls\r\nResort via an air-conditioned bridge. A business center and video arcade\r\nround out the on-site amenities.\r\n

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On-Site Dining

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\r\nOn-site dining includes a full-service restaurant, three bars, and a luau.\r\nIslands Dining Room is open daily for breakfast; à la carte options range\r\nfrom steel-cut oatmeal and custom omelets to more exotic eye-openers\r\nlike Tahitian French toast l’orange. At dinner, Islands has better-thanaverage\r\ninternational cuisine. Another breakfast option is the grab-andgo\r\nTuk Tuk Market in the lobby, which also serves Starbucks coffee, hot\r\nsandwiches, and gelato. Jake's American Bar serves a casual sit-down\r\nmenu for lunch and dinner, along with late-night bar snacks. On select\r\nSaturday mornings, the Tahitian Room opens for a character breakfast\r\nwith the Minions and their Despicable Me pals.\r\nSeveral casual bar areas—including Jake’s American Bar, the Orchid Court\r\nLounge & Sushi Bar, and the poolside Bula Bar & Grille with neighboring\r\nice cream stand—are located in the resort.\r\n

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Rates

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\r\nRack rates run from a low of around $210 per night up to about $480 per night, excluding tax, depending on the time of year. Though nice, the rooms alone aren't worth those rates, but adding in unlimited Universal Express, one hour early access to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and a short walk to the parks makes makes it the best deal among Universal's deluxe hotels.\r\n

","good_not_so_good_rooms":"

\r\nGuests in north- and west-facing rooms in Tower 1 (the Windward wing) are closest to the attractions at Islands of Adventure and can hear the roar from IOA Incredible Hulk Coaster throughout the day and night. East-facing rooms in Towers 1 and 2 are exposed to traffic noise from Universal Boulevard and (more distantly) Interstate 4. Quietest are south-facing pool-view rooms in Tower 1, and south-facing rooms in Tower 3.\r\n

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\r\nThe Royal Pacific was one of the first Orlando hotels to offer themed rooms for kids with their Jurassic Park Kid's Suite. These two room suites have a door connecting the kid's room to the main hotel room, but only the main room has a door out to the hallway. The kid's room has two twin beds with light-up raptor slash marks on the head boards while the rest of the room is fully themed to the Jurassic Park film, including on-set photos.\r\n

","strengths_weaknesses":"

\r\nStrengths: Theming; pool; variety of on-site dining; pet friendly, character dining, close to IOA\r\n

\r\nWeaknesses: Guest room soundproofing; bathroom size; extra charge for self-parking\r\n

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\r\nBlog Posts About Loews Royal Pacific Resort\r\n

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