Theme parks play host to a variety of special celebrations throughout the year! You can visit for special holiday events at Halloween and Christmas, and sometimes they’ll host unique offerings for big milestones (like how Disney World is celebrating the 50th Anniversary!).
But on a more personal level, perhaps the most important thing you can celebrate at a theme park is the happiest day of them all — your wedding!
Disney World is Known for Its Weddings
If you’ve ever seen Disney Fairy Tale Weddings on TV or heard a friend discuss the topic of a Disney wedding, then you know that nuptials at Disney World are a pretty big deal. Disney weddings can be held at a variety of places around the globe, but the Most Magical Place on Earth may be the most famous spot for fans to wed.
Over the years, we’ve seen over-the-top ceremonies in front of park icons, low-key celebrations in EPCOT pavilions, and the ever-classic party at Disney’s Wedding Pavilion at the Grand Floridian. These weddings often cost thousands (or tens or hundreds of thousands!) of dollars, especially if you want to invite more guests or purchase available add-ons.
But even though they’re expensive, we’ve heard many a bride or groom rave about their Disney wedding, sharing that it’s a completely unique and magical experience that was worth every penny. And considering weddings have been such a successful venture for Disney…why hasn’t Universal Orlando tried to capitalize on it in the same way?
Why Doesn’t Universal Orlando Host Weddings in the Parks?
First of all, Universal Orlando does have a select few wedding venues around the property. According to their website, guests can currently reserve wedding spaces at four hotels: Portofino Bay Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel, Royal Pacific Resort, and Sapphire Falls Resort.
But despite the fact that Universal does host some weddings, they don’t currently offer packages for weddings inside their theme parks! It’s not really clear why weddings in Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, or Volcano Bay aren’t available at this time, but today, we’re here to convince you (and hopefully Universal Orlando) that it’s a truly spectacular idea.
First of all, let’s discuss the obvious — a Harry Potter wedding! Come on, how magical (get it?!) would it be to say “I do” in front of Hogwarts or in Diagon Alley? You could have your reception inside the castle or at Gringotts Wizarding Bank underneath the stunning chandelier.
Harry Potter weddings are already incredibly popular outside of the theme parks, so just imagine how much they’d explode if Universal decided to host them! There are so many delicious treats you could serve (we’re thinking specifically of a Butterbeer fountain), and you could get very creative with the details, handing out wands as party favors or having the Marauders Map as your guest book.
But if Harry Potter isn’t your thing and you’re the adventurous type, what about a Jurassic Park-themed celebration? You could get married directly under the big archway or with the new VelociCoaster as a backdrop. The Jurassic Park Discovery Center would be a great spot for a reception, and you could ride off into the sunset on the replica of the Jeep from the film!
But even outside of those specific themes, there are plenty of other ways to have a stunning wedding at Universal Orlando. Islands of Adventure has an amazing skyline, or the city-based areas of Universal Studios Florida would make for a cool “destination” wedding.
If you want something more iconic, try a ceremony in front of the Universal Studios archway or the big globe! You could also pick a favorite ride or show as your location, and if you’re feeling particularly spooky, imagine how cool a Halloween Horror Nights-themed party would be.
Basically, there are so many awesome possibilities! Universal Orlando, if you’re reading this, please, please, please consider hosting weddings and receptions in your theme parks. Sincerely, a woman who would gladly consider having a second wedding and getting married all over again if Diagon Alley were an available ceremony location. (And I have a whole team of people who feel the same way!)
Stay tuned to AllEars for more updates and fun from Universal Orlando Resort and Walt Disney World! We’ll keep you in the know with all the theme park news!
Click Here to Learn the Cost of a Disney Wedding!
Would you get married in a theme park? Let us know in the comments!
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I have been trying to beg for a year now to get married in Harry Potter World but to no avail it is a NO. I offered to pay for space rental, to bring my own set-up/clean-up crew so as to NOT take away from their staff but again it was a firm NO. Come on Universal studios if Disney can do it so can you…think of the money you are missing out on.
Guess what, it’s possible! We saw a lovely couple eloping in Islands of Adventure about three weekends ago. They were positioned on the bridge between Hogsmeade and JP with Hogwarts as the backdrop of their photos! AND they had an officiant dressed in an AMAZING witch costume complete with robe and hat. The bride’s dress was all lace with a beautiful train. There didn’t appear to be any guests, just a photographer, so it’s possible these were just photos. But I am pretty sure they really were getting married right then and there!