You CAN Park at the NEW Epic Universe Hotel to Dine, But There’s a Big Catch

With the opening of Epic Universe right around the corner, there’s been a lot of questions regarding the resort’s three new hotels in the area.

Universal’s Stella Nova and Terra Luna Resorts are located across the street from the park with a direct shuttle option (or you can walk from Stella Nova, but not Terra Luna), but Universal’s Helios Grand Hotel is located inside the park. Guests have been asking if this means only guests of the hotel will be able to park there, meaning that dining at the hotel and not staying there would become an even more costly endeavor, and now we have an official answer from Universal!

Someone recently asked in a Universal Orlando Annual Passholder Facebook group “Does anyone know if you have to pay for parking if you just want to come in and eat at Helios?”

This is a very important question regardless, but especially when you consider that you have to pay to park at CityWalk, even if you’re not heading into the parks. Certain Annual Passholder tiers get discounts on parking, while the two highest levels get free parking after their first visit (as the pass must be activated inside the resort).

Universal responded to this post with an official answer, saying that yes, non-guests at the hotel can park at the hotel to come in and eat, but to avoid paying the $125 a day parking fee (and pricing is subject to change), they must spend a minimum of $50 at Bar Helios, or a minimum of $75 must be spent at Flora Taverna. If this minimum is spent, parking will be validated, but ONLY for four hours — if someone is parked for over four hours, they will be charged the $125 parking fee, even if they met the minimum dining requirement to have their parking validated.

We understand that Universal is keeping the day parking fees high for this hotel so that people don’t take up parking spaces there while visiting the Epic Universe theme park — we just want to be sure you’re aware, too, because this could be a costly mistake!

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Are you thinking of eating or staying at Helios Grand Hotel? Tell us in the comments!