Roller coasters and room service: How hotels made Universal Orlando a top vacation destination

When Universal Orlando opened June 7, 1990, it did so with only one theme park. Although it was a thrilling park with rides and attractions based on popular films like “E.T.,” “Back to the Future” and “Jaws,” it was a far cry from the tourist hot spot we know today.

It wasn’t until Universal opened its first on-site hotel nine years later that the theme park resort took its first major step toward becoming a full-fledged vacation destination. Loews Portofino Bay Hotel opened Sept. 10, 1999, allowing guests to stay within steps of the movie-themed park.

What started with only one hotel and 750 guest rooms will soon grow to 11 hotels and 11,000 guest rooms when Universal opens its three newest hotels: Universal Stella Nova Resort, Universal Terra Luna Resort and Universal Helios Grand Hotel. They are part of the resort’s Universal Epic Universe expansion next year.

As Universal — which co-owns and operates its properties with Loews Hotels & Co. — celebrates 25 years of its now-robust hotel portfolio, TPG wanted to answer the question, “What makes a hotel a theme park hotel?” Is it the proximity to the parks? The immersive theming? The conveniently placed coffee shops with copious amounts of caffeine to power your day? In short, it’s all of the above, but let’s dig a little deeper.

In the beginning

“Loews Portofino Bay Hotel helped us start our journey to becoming the reason people come to Orlando for their vacation,” Dennis Quinn, senior vice president of hotel commercial strategy for Universal Orlando Resort, told TPG. “Portofino Bay is still our flagship hotel, but now we’ve been able to expand our hotel portfolio to fit every budget and travel style for our guests,” he added.

Portofino Bay opened only a few months after Universal’s second theme park, Universal Islands of Adventure, opened May 28, 1999. Combined with Islands of Adventure, the addition of Portofino Bay put Universal on the map as more than a one-day stopover in Orlando. “Those two pieces were major jumps in taking Universal from a single park to a true vacation destination,” Quinn said.

Universal knew the people flocking to the area to see the new park would also need somewhere to stay. But that isn’t the only reason it decided to partner with Loews Hotels and get into the hotel business. “We’re always looking for ways to enhance our guest experience. Adding hotels so that you never have to leave the themed environment is just another extension of that,” Quinn explained.

Related: Surprising things you can do at Universal Orlando without a park ticket

It’s the same reason the resort opened Universal CityWalk — a themed shopping, dining and entertainment complex — in 1993 and the Universal Volcano Bay water park in 2017. When you stay on-site, you have more opportunities to see and do everything Universal has to offer.

“We want to deliver the ultimate experience for our guests,” Quinn said. “Staying in a Universal hotel helps give guests the complete experience. It really is the best way to visit Universal Orlando,” he added.

All in the details

In tandem with Loews Hotels, the Universal Creative team is involved in conceiving and constructing the resort’s hotels. This is the same team that brings Universal’s immersive attractions and experiences to life. However, its expertise doesn’t stop at roller coasters or building a real-life version of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

As with any hotel, the goal is to provide comfort within your budget and travel style. But Universal’s emphasis on theming is one of the primary elements that sets its hotels apart from those outside of a theme park.

“You can be transported to the Cinque Terre area in Italy at Portofino Bay, a California mansion at Hard Rock Hotel or transported through time to the 1950s through 1970s at Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort,” Quinn shared.

These hotels go all in on their respective themes. It goes beyond just the facades and the furniture. At Cabana Bay, for example, the bathroom amenities include a bar of Zest soap and VO5 shampoo and creme rinse in retro packaging.

At the Hard Rock Hotel, you can ask the front desk to turn your hotel room key into a souvenir guitar pick before you check out. These little details drive the theme home and make your hotel stay part of the theme park experience.

When special occasions like Halloween and the holiday season roll around, the celebration doesn’t stop at the theme parks. Each of Universal’s hotels gets themed decor and experiences. There are meet-and-greets with Santa and Mrs. Claus, specialty menu items, and nightly menorah lightings during Hanukkah.

In terms of Universal’s newest hotels, the creative team leaned into the theming of its new park, Universal Epic Universe. Universal Terra Luna Resort and Universal Stella Nova Resort will open in early 2025, while Universal Helios Grand Hotel will likely open when Epic Universe opens next year. (Universal has not yet announced an opening date for either.) The first two properties will be adjacent to Epic Universe, and Helios Grand will be inside the theme park.

“All three are connected to Epic Universe and the theming of the first land you will encounter, Celestial Park,” Quinn explained. “It’s basically a celebration of our universe. Stella Nova is inspired by the stars and galaxies, while Terra Luna is inspired by the diversity of planets in our vast universe. And Helios Grand Hotel is a celebration of Helios, the Greek god of the sun,” he added.

Comfort and fun

Of course, there are also practical aspects to consider. “We have a variety of products from high-end suites to standard rooms. As a family destination, we typically have more double queen rooms than king rooms,” Quinn explained.

“We want families to be comfortable, but we also want them to have fun and create memories. We have some of the largest hotel pools in the area, with features like waterslides at several of our hotels, a lazy river at Cabana Bay, and underwater speakers at Hard Rock Hotel and Helios Grand Hotel,” he added.

All of Universal Orlando’s hotels are set up in clusters of two or three, which makes it easy to explore nearby properties. Cabana Bay, Aventura Hotel, Sapphire Falls and even Royal Pacific (though it’s a bit further) are within walking distance of one another. The same is true for Hard Rock Hotel and Portofino Bay and the two Endless Summer resorts.

“We have dining options available at each hotel, but the hotels are also close enough to the parks and each other that people can easily experience the broader campus,” Quinn said. If you are saving money by staying at one of Universal’s more budget-friendly hotels, you can still pop over to a full-service property for a sit-down meal or just to take in the ambience.

In addition to traditional sit-down meals, Universal’s hotel theming extends to specialty dining experiences at some of its resorts. Royal Pacific holds a weekly luau with an all-you-can-eat buffet, dancers and live music. Sapphire Falls has experienced rum captains who will walk you through rum tastings and food pairings at the Caribbean-inspired Strong Water Tavern.

Something for everyone

Speaking of budgets, Universal also caters to its guests by offering three hotel categories for varying travel styles. The five hotels in Universal’s Signature Collection (Portofino Bay, Hard Rock Hotel, Royal Pacific, Sapphire Falls and, soon, Universal Helios Grand Hotel) are the most expensive because they have amenities like table service dining, 24-hour room service, bell staff to assist with luggage, valet parking and poolside dining service.

“If you are sitting in your lounge chair and want a pina colada or plate of fries (or both), you have servers available to bring them to you,” Quinn said.

Several of the Signature Collection hotels also have themed kids suites. These have one room for the parents and a connecting bedroom decked out with bedding and decor based on kid-friendly favorites like “Despicable Me” at Portofino Bay and “Jurassic World” at Royal Pacific.

When it opens, the kids suites at Helios Grand will be designed to resemble the Isle of Berk from “How to Train Your Dragon.”

At Portofino Bay, Hard Rock Hotel and Royal Pacific, every guest staying in the room also gets Universal Express Unlimited passes to skip the standby line on most attractions at Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure.

Aventura Hotel and the upcoming Universal Stella Nova Resort and Universal Terra Luna Resort fall into the moderately priced Prime Value category.

“These properties don’t have 24-hour room service or a bell staff to deliver your luggage. They are more comfortable, casual and self-service, but they still have amenities like casual dining outlets, 24-hour pizza delivery and easy access to Universal’s theme parks,” Quinn explained.

The third category, Value Inns and Suites, is the least expensive. In this category, you’ll find Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort and Universal Endless Summer Resort — Dockside Inn and Suites as well as Surfside Inn and Suites. Not only are these properties the most budget-friendly, but they are also the best for large families.

About half the inventory at each of these properties is two-bedroom or family suites with two sleeping areas, a kitchenette, refrigerator, microwave and dining table. These rooms are designed just as much for comfort as they are for value.

“You can bring breakfast supplies with you and dine in the room instead of going out each morning or have pizza in the room and play cards at the table at the end of a long day,” Quinn said.

Theme park benefits

No matter which hotel you choose, they all have benefits that enhance your theme park experience.

Guests of Universal’s on-site hotels can enjoy Early Park Admission to one of Universal’s theme parks up to an hour before the official opening time. This can be a lifesaver when you are trying to get on popular rides before the lines get too long. Hotel guests can also get their theme park purchases delivered to the front of the park or straight to their hotel room. This means you won’t have to carry shopping bags around all day.

All Universal hotels also have complimentary transportation to the theme parks, CityWalk and Volcano Bay. You may even spot costumed characters taking photos with guests in the lobby. This is a great touch because it’s the perfect time to meet your favorite characters without waiting in line.

Bottom line

So what makes a hotel a theme park hotel? It begins with necessities like a comfortable place to sleep. It also encompasses immersive theming, theme park perks and those special moments like fireside s’mores or fireworks views that make your hotel more than just a place to rest after riding roller coasters all day.

Each of Universal Orlando’s on-site hotels is unique, and you’ll always find that at least one has pricing and a theme to match your vacation style. Plus, any hotel where you can meet one of the Minions is sure to be a winner.

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