When you are planning a trip to Universal Studios Florida, one of the most important choices you will need to make is whether or not you will spend the money to stay on-site at one of the eight hotels that are located at the Universal Orlando Resort. Is it Worth Staying at a Hotel in Universal Studios?

If you decide to stay on-site at a hotel at Universal Studios, you will benefit from a range of perks. First off, you will get more time inside the parks. You’ll also benefit from the proximity of the hotels to the park — all for little extra money compared to other hotels in Orlando.

You may, however, want to stay elsewhere if you are visiting Orlando for more than a week and intend to visit places other than Universal Studios as part of your vacation.

How much does a Universal Orlando hotel cost?

The price of a night’s stay in one of the hotels located on the Universal Studios property ranges from $170 to over $710, depending on the hotel that you select.

There are four distinct types of hotels located within the Universal Orlando Resort:

  • Value
  • Prime value
  • Preferred
  • Premier

Value hotels are the least expensive on-site hotels at the Universal Studios Resort. In contrast, premier hotels are the most expensive and come with the additional benefit of complimentary Unlimited Express Passes for their hotel guests to use while visiting the theme park.

Most Popular Hotels at Universal Studios Florida

Universal’s Aventura Hotel

Universal’s Hard Rock Hotel

Loews Royal Pacific Resort

Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn

Loews Sapphire Falls Resort

Loews Portofino Bay Hotel

Cabana Bay Beach Resort

What are the benefits of staying on-site at a Universal Orlando Resort hotel?

Staying in a hotel that is part of Universal Orlando Resort is a little more expensive than staying in a comparable hotel in the surrounding neighborhood.

However, this additional cost will almost always be money well spent due to the numerous perks you will receive when visiting Universal’s theme parks.

The perks for resort guests include:

The convenient location: All of the Universal Studios hotels are within easy walking distance of the Universal parks, as well as the Volcano Bay waterpark and CityWalk entertainment complex.

Early park access: If you book a hotel room at one of the hotels inside the Universal Orlando Resorts complex, you can get early park admission.

This perk allows you to enter Universal an hour early, getting you into The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and a few other attractions at either Universal Studios Florida or Universal’s Islands of Adventure. Additionally, guests may receive a half-hour of early admission to the Volcano Bay waterpark before the park opens to the general public.

This offers some truly exclusive perks, as it’s the only way to take advantage of decreased wait times on some rides which do not let guests use Express Passes.

Free transportation: All of the on-site hotels provide free shuttle bus service to CityWalk for Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and Volcano Bay.

Free Universal Express Unlimited passes at Universal Hotels: Guests staying at a some Universal Resort Hotels can get an extra perk in the form of a free Universal Express Unlimited pass.

If you have a Universal Express Unlimited pass, you can skip the line for most of the rides in the Universal Studios theme parks.

So, is it worth staying at a hotel near Universal Orlando Resort? Given all of the benefits and perks, we think it is.

How Much Will It Cost to Stay at a Universal Orlando Hotel?