The Universal Orlando Resort is expanding at an unprecedented rate; however, that’s creating an infrastructure issue for guests.
Earlier this year, after nearly three decades of visiting the Universal Orlando Resort, I stayed at a Universal on-property resort for the first time. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at the Surfside Inn and Suites portion of the Endless Summer Resort. In fact, there were many ways that I found Universal’s Value Tier offering superior to Disney’s competing (in name) level of resort. However, one issue jumped out to me: Transportation.
To understand Universal’s transportation issue, one must understand how Universal Orlando developed. The resort’s entire footprint was made up of one theme park — Universal Studios Florida — as well as a Hard Rock Cafe from 1990 through 1998.
In 1999, Universal Orlando expanded greatly with the additions of Islands of Adventure, CityWalk, and the Portofino Bay Hotel, all of which were still located in one centralized area. Things have changed in the 25 years since, however.
Over the last quarter century, Universal has expanded exponentially, with the opening of 7 more hotels and the Volcano Bay water park, before culminating in the 2025 opening of Epic Universe and its accompanying hotels: The Helios Grand, Terra Luna, and Stella Nova.
While all of this expansion has led to the resort expanding its footprint exponentially, it’s also led to transportation issues. See, unlike Disney World, which is still building on land acquired in the late 1960s, Universal has accumulated its real estate piecemeal, with the original park’s hotels and CitWalk, expansion hotels and water park, and the Epic Universe park and resort area all separated by miles of public roads and Orlando infrastructure, including non-affiliated hotels, restaurants, and shopping.
Universal does offer bus service that connects all these properties (as well as walking paths and watercraft routes that connect some of the closer hotels). During my recent visit, this service was reliable for the most part; however, there’s no denying that traveling on public roads, passing real-world businesses, and getting caught in real-world traffic jams definitely breaks the immersion of vacation in a way those staying on Disney property aren’t used to. In addition, as the resort expands further and business around it continues to grow, moving between the company’s properties may only get more difficult.
None of this is to say that this is a dealbreaker to staying at Universal. In fact, like I said above, I found some definite advantages to staying on property, including aesthetics, theming, food offerings, and amenities that far surpassed Disney’s Value Tier experience for a cheaper price.
Universal’s transportation reality could become a bigger problem as the resort continues to expand. Stay tuned to AllEars for more.
4 Quiet Changes Universal Orlando Was Hoping You Wouldn’t Notice
Have you stayed on-site at Universal? Let us know in the comments below.
My daughter and I stayed there in May 2025. Transportation was an issue. However, transportation was not the only difference. The Disney Bubble was sorely missed. At Disney, I felt safe. The cast members were so very kind and helpful. I got neither of those at Surfside Inn. The employees, while kind, had a different attitude toward the guests. The feeling of safety was not there. Perhaps I got spoiled by Disney.
We stayed at Disney during our Universal trip. We were in the Old Key West townhomes section and after my daughter had a breakdown about losing her “pygmy puff” from Harry Potter, I had to drive back to Universal and buy her another one. So it wasn’t bad, distance-wise.
We have stayed at hard rock as well as Cabana Bay, found Trans to be ok, it may have took a minute at Cabana but both hotels are to us, ten times those of overpriced Disney, to be honest, Universal has never been political, keeps in the middle so to speak. When Disney backed down over Reedy Creek, letting gov’t strip their “self governing” then this ABC fiasco, (Disney is the biggest Money Maker this state has ever seen Florida.) We won’t go any longer.Our money is best spent at Uni. and the entertainment there.
I’ll take Sapphire Falls over ANY Disney hotel
I found the transportation to be more than adequate. We stayed at Cabana Bay. Feels like the article is mostly on what could be instead of what is. My only complaint was the slow check in. Even with online check in the wait can exceed 30 minutes. There are much more efficient ways to hand out cards (like a true express desk that has cards at the ready) for peak check in times. Still, a very good experience.
This is not a problem. Yes, you go off campus when traveling in between the main campus and Epic Universe. But the idea that immersion must extend to all aspects of a vacation is absurd. Truth is, reality always creeps into theme park experiences. The most common immersion breaker everyone experiences comes when you’re about to pay twice as much for something that you know you could find cheaper a mile away from resort limits.
And Disney fails at the immersion game when it comes to transportation, too. I don’t want to be reminded that they don’t care how the roofs of Epcot buildings look as I glide in on the monorail. I don’t want a bus trip to Animal Kingdom to take at least 45 minutes—possibly standing the whole way. And I don’t want to float over miles of construction walls in a gondola.
We stayed at Dockside in ’23 and ’25, and are planning to go in ’26 and stay there again. The constant bus flow is great, very convenient, priced fairly, and make the travel route very worth it.