Universal Orlando

Universal Orlando Resort
	The Universal Globe, the icon of the resort, with the gates to Universal Studios Florida in the background
Company type	Division
Industry	Hospitality; Theme parks; Resorts;
Founded	June 7, 1990
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
Website	www.universalorlando.com

Universal Orlando Resort, often shortened to Universal Orlando, is a 1,291-acre (522 ha) theme park and entertainment resort complex located in Orlando, Florida. It is the flagship of the Universal Destinations & Experiences theme park chain. Following the success of Universal Studios Florida, which opened in 1990, NBCUniversal shifted into transforming the area into a large resort with the intention of competing with Walt Disney World Resort. The first major expansion occurred in 1999 with the opening of a second theme park, Universal Islands of Adventure, along with a shopping promenade and nightlife district called Universal CityWalk. Both additions helped to form the new resort, which was briefly dubbed Universal Studios Escape. The resort expanded further in 2017 with the addition of Volcano Bay, a 30-acre (12 ha) water park, and again in 2025 with the upcoming third theme park, Universal Epic Universe.

Notable additions over the years include Woody Woodpecker's KidZone at Universal Studios, multiple hotels and The Rising Star karaoke bar within CityWalk, as well as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter themed areas, which spans both theme parks and significantly boosted attendance at the entire resort. It also features well-known annual events, such as Universal's Halloween Horror Nights, along with a variety of live entertainment and shows.

Universal Orlando ranks as one of the most visited resorts in the world with an annual attendance of 21 million as of 2017.^[3] Guests staying at certain hotels receive special perks such as early admission into The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Universal's Volcano Bay, or in some cases, benefits such as free Universal Express Pass, which gives access to shorter lines at major attractions. The resort also features an organized transportation system, including water taxis, pathways, buses, and moving walkways that connect many of the area's hotels and theme parks. Universal Orlando exceeded three of the four Walt Disney World Resort theme parks in estimated 2021 attendance.^[4]^[5]^[6]

^ Tapp, Tom (December 1, 2021). "Universal Parks Leadership Shakeup: Karen Irwin to Lead Orlando Resort". Retrieved April 11, 2024.
^ "Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations". SunBiz.org. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
^ "Theme Index". Themed Entertainment Association. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
^ "Universal Makes Big Gains in 2021 Theme Park Attendance Report". Theme Park Insider. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
^ "Leading amusement and theme parks worldwide from 2019 to 2021, by attendance". Statista. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
^ "Universal Orlando beat 3 of 4 Disney World parks in attendance in 2021". Theme Park Tribune. October 15, 2022. Retrieved July 10, 2023.

[1] Tapp, Tom (December 1, 2021). "Universal Parks Leadership Shakeup: Karen Irwin to Lead Orlando Resort". Retrieved April 11, 2024.

[2] "Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations". SunBiz.org. Retrieved January 8, 2025.

[3] "Theme Index". Themed Entertainment Association. Retrieved May 30, 2018.

[4] "Universal Makes Big Gains in 2021 Theme Park Attendance Report". Theme Park Insider. Retrieved July 10, 2023.

[5] "Leading amusement and theme parks worldwide from 2019 to 2021, by attendance". Statista. Retrieved July 10, 2023.

[6] "Universal Orlando beat 3 of 4 Disney World parks in attendance in 2021". Theme Park Tribune. October 15, 2022. Retrieved July 10, 2023.

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