• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Universal Orlando for Military

By Military for Military

  • Home
  • Theme Parks
    • Universal Studios Florida
    • Universal’s Islands of Adventure
  • Hotels
  • Tickets
  • Transportation
  • Newsletter
  • About
  • Contact
  • Get a Quote

Universal Orlando Resort Hotels

Universal Orlando Resort’s on site hotels are eligible for up to 40% off via a their Military Discount.

I highly recommend staying with at a Universal Resort Hotel, the close proximity and added benefits like early park entry can’t be beat!

You’ll find Universal’s rooms to be cheaper than comparable Disney World Rooms. For example, Universal’s Preferred Hotels are often priced like Disney’s Moderates.

Universal Orlando Resort Hotels

About Staying On Universal Orlando Resort Property

There are several Universal Orlando Resort Hotels right on property in a few different price/amenity categories. Staying at a Universal Hotel on property resort comes with a few great benefits. The most important of which is location! No commute time, no parking garage! Most Universal Orlando Resort Hotels are located within easy walking distance to Universal’s parks.

Universal Orlando Resort Hotels

Check out this table listing the amenities that you’ll receive or be eligible for when you stay at a Universal Orlando Resort Hotel:

Benefits

Premier

Preferred

Prime Value

Value

Free Universal Express Unlimited

X      

Priority seating at select restaurants throughout the resort

X      

Early Park Admission to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Universal’s Volcano Bay

X X X X

Free Water Taxi transportation to Universal’s theme parks and CityWalk

X

X

 

 

Free Bus transportation to Universal’s theme parks and CityWalk X X X X

Resort-wide charging privileges with room key

X X X X

Complimentary delivery of merchandise purchased throughout the resort to your hotel

X X X X

Universal Orlando character appearances

X X

Cabana Bay Only

 

Golf Universal Orlando program

X X X X

Complimentary access to select live entertainment venues at Universal CityWalk for the length of stay

X X X X

Resort Categories

Universal Orlando Resort breaks their resorts down into four categories. From cheapest to most expensive these are:

Value Resort Hotels

Universal Orlando Resort Hotels
Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites

There are two Value Resort Hotels on Universal Orlando Resort Property. These are the lowest priced of Universal’s resorts and understandably have the lowest level of amenities and are furthest from the parks.

  • Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites
  • Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites

These two resorts are some of the Universal’s most price-friendly hotels, with prices starting at around $75 a night during the cheapest price season.

The Endless Summer Resorts are located off of the mainUniversal Main Campus. They are actually located about three quarters of a mile to the ease across Interstate 4. The only way to get to the parks and Universal CityWalk is by bus.

The Endless Summer Resorts are the newest Universal Hotels and are in perfect condition. They are shiny and sparkling.

Being entry level resorts, they have entry level amenities such as: Quick Service food courts, an arcade, playground, heated pools, pool bar, luggage service, in room safe, iron and board, and coffee makers. 

These resorts are removed from the main Universal Orlando campus, being on the other side of Interstate 4 from the theme parks, Volcano Bay, and CityWalk. A bus ride is required to get the the main campus.

Prime Value Resort Hotels

Universal Orlando Resort Hotels
Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort

There are two Prime Value Hotels on Universal Orlando Resort Property. This is the next step up in the level of amenities.

  • Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort
  • Universal’s Aventura Hotel

These two hotels are the next step up in price from the Values, with prices starting at around $140 during the cheapest price season.

Cabana Bay features 2,200 rooms, including over 900 family suites. While Aventura has 600 rooms.

Prime value hotels offer all the benefits of the value resorts plus one extra perk: a private entranceway to Volcano Bay.

Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites
Volcano Bay

Preferred Resort

There is one Preferred Resort Hotel on Universal Orlando Resort Property. 

  • Lowe’s Sapphire Falls Resort
Lowes Sapphire Falls Resort
Lowes Sapphire Falls Resort

Sapphire Falls Resort is a AAA Four Diamond–awarded hotel.

This resort is another step up in price, coming in with a starting price of about $200 during the cheapest price season.

Premier Resorts

Universal Orlando Resort Hotels
Lowe’s Portofino Bay Resort

There are three Premier Resorts on Universal Orlando Resort Property.

The Deluxe Resorts are the premier hotels of Walt Disney World. They are decorated exquisitely based upon their overall resort theme.

  • Lowe’s Royal Pacific Resort
  • Hard Rock Hotel
  • Lowe’s Portofino Bay Resort

These resorts are at the top of the Universal Orlando lineup! 

Rates for Royal Pacific start at about $270, Hard Rock at about $315, and Portofino Bay at about $330 during the cheapest price season.

The major benefit of staying at one of the Premier Hotels is the complimentary Express Pass that comes with your stay.

Resort Hotel Locations

The main campus of universal studios resort is located on the west side of Interstate 4. Located on the main campus are all of the resort hotels except the Values, both theme parks and Volcano Bay, Universal CityWalk, the main bus station, and the parking structure. Central to the main campus is the waterway which connects the theme parks, Universal CityWalk, in the Premier end Preferred Resort Hotels.

Complementary boat transportation is provided between the Premier and Preferred Resort Hotels and Universal CityWalk along the waterway. Each resort has its own dedicated boat(s), they do not share routes.

It is possible to walk between all locations on the main campus.

The Prime Value Hotels (Cabana Bay Beach Resort & Universal’s Aventura Hotel) are slightly removed from the main campus as they are not on the waterway. The Adventura is attached to the far side of the Sapphire Falls Resort. It’s a little bit of a hike to get to the Sapphire Falls boat dock to catch the water taxi, or to continue on walking to the theme parks. The Cabana Bay Beach Resort is located across a street called Adventure Way from the Adventura in Sapphire Falls Resort. It is possible to cross the street using crosswalks to get to the new Sapphire Falls boat dock. Complementary Bus transportation is available from these two resorts.

As mentioned above, both of the value resorts are located on the other side of I-4. The only way to get to the main campus from here is via bus.

Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites
Universal CityWalk Boat Dock

Universal Studios Orlando Resort’s Bus Station

I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about the Universal Orlando Bus Station here. 

Universal’s Bus Station is located between the parking structure and CityWalk. It’s not big or impressive and also functions as a pick up and drop off location for a ride hire services, non-Universal hotels, and local traffic drop off’s.

After exiting the bus from your resort you will take an escalator up to the elevated walkway from the parking structure. here you will process through security, and then walk through CityWalk in order to reach the theme parks.

What bothers me about universal’s bus station, displaying total lack of customer service, is the way those paying lots of money to stay at Universal’s Hotels are treated during high-volume periods. The escalators from the bus station Bring you right to the entrance to the security checkpoint, which during low volume periods you can just walk right through and up to the checkpoint directly from the escalator.

However during very busy periods, Universal security personnel block off where you would walk directly into the security checkpoint area and force you to walk all the way out to the parking garage past the long line of people who have parked in the garage and are now waiting to process through security. When you arrive at the garage you will then get in the end of this long line. In my opinion this is no way for Universal to treat those who are staying at their hotel’s, but because the bus station mixes universal hotel’s bus riders with off-property guests, universal feels they need to take this measure.

Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites
Security area just to the left and the line you have to get into with Garage Guests

For this reason I don’t usually stay at the Value Hotels or Cabana Bay Resort. I stay at the Premiers, Preferred, and Adventura where I can catch the boat or walk.

Interested in a stay at  Universal Hotel?

Check out my Recommended Travel Agent

My Recommended Universal Orlando Travel Agent Use a Military Expert for your Universal Studios Vacation! Jen Novak is My Recommended Universal Studios Travel Agent! Just click this link to get your Quote

Planning a Universal Orlando Trip? Want to get the best military discounts that are available? Feeling a little confused? Get Our Email Newsletter

Want to get the lowest price on your Universal Orlando Resort Hotel? Contact Our Recommended Military Specializing Travel Agent 


Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Get a Quote from a Universal Orlando Military Vacation Expert

Military Discounts

Scooters/ECVs
Universal Orlando Military Discounts on Scooters and Wheelchairs

Strollers
Universal Orlando Stroller Military Discount

Recent Posts

  • Universal Orlando 2023 Freedom Pass for the Military Community
  • 2023 Universal Orlando Freedom Pass Information
  • Universal Orlando 2022 Freedom Pass for the Military Community
  • Military Prices on Universal Orlando’s 2022 Halloween Horror Nights
  • What’s the Right Military Discounted Universal Orlando Ticket for Me?

Pages

  • California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) Policy
  • Meet the Universal Orlando for Military Team
  • Newsletter
  • Shades of Green an Armed Forces Recreation Center
    • Shades of Green Resort Military Attraction Ticket Sales Office
      • Military Discounted Universal Orlando Resort Tickets
  • Universal Orlando Resort Hotels
    • Universal Orlando Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
    • Universal Orlando Loews Royal Pacific Resort
    • Universal Orlando Loews Sapphire Falls Resort
    • Universal Orlando Resort Adventura Hotel
      • Universal Orlando Resort Adventura Hotel Multi-function iPad
    • Universal Orlando Resort Cabana Bay Beach Resort
    • Universal Orlando Resort Hard Rock Hotel
    • Universal Orlando Resort Hotels Tested by Universal Orlando for Military
    • Universal Orlando Resort The Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites
    • Universal Orlando Resort The Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites
  • Universal Orlando Resort Main Campus
  • Universal Orlando Resort Military Discounted Tickets Overview
  • Universal Orlando Resort Military Tickets
  • Universal Orlando Resort Transportation
    • Universal Orlando Resort Bus Service
    • Universal Orlando Resort Water Taxi Service
    • Universal’s Orlando Resort’s SuperStar Shuttle
  • Universal Orlando Resort Vacations by a Military Expert
  • Universal Orlando Resorts Theme Parks
    • Universal Studios Florida
    • Universal’s Islands of Adventure
  • Your 2022 Introduction to Universal Orlando Resort Security

Support Universal Orlando for Military | Contact | Why are there ads on this site?
Marketing Disclosure | Privacy Policy | Copyright Statement
© Copyright 2007-2022 Universal Orlando for Military is a Magic Shell Media LLC Website
See my General Public Universal Orlando Site: Universal Orlando Guide
U.S Military Veteran Owned Business

FTC Disclosure of Material Connection: In order for us to maintain this website, some of the links in the post above may be affiliate links. Regardless, we only recommend products or services we use personally and/or believe will add value to readers. Universal Orlando for Military is not affiliated with, authorized or endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with: NBC Universal, Universal Studios Orlando or any of their affiliates, nor the Shades of Green Resort or the Armed Forces Vacation Club.

Buy American!