Universal Studios Florida

Location

Universal Studios Florida is at the Universal Orlando resort in (duh!) Orlando, Florida

Phone

407-224-4233

Universal Studios Florida Ticket Info

Reduced price for children, ages 3 to 9. 2 and under are free.

Universal Orlando offers two basic ticket options: A 1-day, 1-park ticket to either Universal Studios Florida or Islands of Adventure; or, a 2-park ticket with park-hopping access to both parks for up to seven days.
Save money and time. Get Universal Orlando tickets in advance of your visit. Buy Discounted Tickets Online, Direct from Universal Orlando.

Other choices: a 3-park ticket that adds the nearby Wet 'n Wild, and ticket packages that include SeaWorld, Busch Gardens Africa, and Aquatica through Orlando Flex Tickets. For additional fees (which are quite high), Universal Orlando offers guided V.I.P. tours (reservations recommended).

The resort also offers Express Plus passes, which grant quick access to most attractions. (Unlike Disney's Fastpass program, Universal does not offer complimentary line bypass tickets.) Prices vary for Express Plus according to the time of year.

Universal Studios Florida Hotels

In addition to convenience, guests staying at Universal's three hotels receive great perks including quick access to most park attractions by showing their room cards. Read more about Universal Orlando's Hotel Benefits.

• Portofino Bay
  • Luxury with an Italian Accent- Portofino Bay Hotel overview.
  • Portofino Bay Photo Gallery
  • Compare rates for Portofino Bay Hotel at About.com's booking partner, Kayak.
• Royal Pacific
  • The Royal Treatment--at a Commoner's Price- Royal Pacific Hotel overview.
  • Compare rates for Royal Pacific at About.com's booking partner, Kayak.
• Hard Rock Hotel
  Compare rates for Hard Rock Hotel at About.com's booking partner, Kayak.

• Other Area Hotels
  Compare rates for Orlando-area hotels at About.com's booking partner, Kayak.

More Universal Orlando Info

For more info about when to visit, directions, other parks, CityWalk, and a general profile of the Universal resort, go to About.com's Universal Orlando Overview.

Universal Studios Florida Highlights

Wild, in-your-face, movie-themed attractions including:

• Revenge of the Mummy coaster/dark ride hybrid attraction.
• Terminator 2:3D film presentation
• Men in Black Alien Attack interactive dark ride
• Shrek 4-D 3-D film presentation
• Twister: Ride It Out presentation
• The Simpsons Ride motion simulator attraction.

Holidays Events at Universal Studios Florida

• Holidays 2008 Overview
• Hummable Humbug at Universal Orlando- An About.com exclusive interview and article.

Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Florida

• Halloween Horror Nights 2008 Overview
• A Bloody Good Time at Halloween Horror Nights- An About.com exclusive interview with Michael Roddy. Learn more about Bloody Mary and Universal's 2008 Halloween event from Halloween Horror Night's creative director.
• Halloween Horror Nights 2007 Photo Gallery- See images from last year's "Carnival of Carnage."

What's New at Universal Studios Florida

New for 2009
Universal's New Rip-Roaring Coaster- Read about the Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit coaster coming to Universal Studios Florida in spring 2009.

• Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit Preview Video
• April 2009 Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit Update

New for 2008
The Simpsons Ride
Homer, Bart, Marge, and the rest of The Simpsons gang bring their enduringly popular, unique, and often hilarious worldview to Universal Studios Florida.

Universal Studios Florida Dining

There are a wide variety of options including everything from snacks and fast food to sit-down restaurants. Among the better choices:

• Lombard's Landing- Very good food, full-service restaurant
• Finnegan's Bar & Grill- Another full-service restaurant with decent Irish pub food
• Mel's Drive-In- Straight out of American Graffiti
• Universal Studios' Classic Monsters Cafe- Nice decor (if you like monsters) and decent buffet fare.

Official Web Site

Universal Orlando Online

Universal Studios Florida Overview

Caught in the rather long shadow cast by Walt Disney World, Universal Studios has always been something of a scrappy younger sibling. To make comparisons even more pronounced, the similarly themed Disney's Hollywood Studios opened at the Mouse House around the same time. But Universal Studios offers some tremendous attractions and has its own, unique rhythm to compel vacationers through its turnstiles. Like its sister park, Islands of Adventure, nearly every major attraction features loud, kinetic, frantic action. It's one over-the-top moment after another.

The wonderfully themed lands are divided into Production Central (the front of the park, which includes the sound stages), New York (a very convincing 20th-century streetscape--which inexplicably includes the Midwest-U.S.-themed Twister attraction), World Expo (the facade of the Men in Black attraction is actually modeled after a pavilion at the 1964 New York World's Fair), Woody Woodpecker's KidZone (home to E.T., Curious George, and--shudder!--Barney), San Francisco (where earthquakes take place every few minutes for your pleasure), and Amity (the faux Cape Cod home of the maniacal Jaws).