Universal Orlando never ceases to amaze us!
Universal’s newest theme park, Epic Universe, has been a big hit, but it hasn’t been without its challenges. It’s officially been open for 5 months, and we have been there more times than we can count, but it’s also shown us that not everything about Universal’s expansion is all it’s cracked up to be. Let’s break down the harsh realities of the Epic Universe hotels
Universal’s Epic Universe expansion included the theme park and three new hotels. The three hotels are Helios Grand Hotel, Stella Nova Resort, and Terra Luna Resort. We have been lucky enough to stay in all three hotels, and we have some big thoughts. First, you can’t really walk to the park unless you’re paying an arm and a leg.
Helios Grand Hotel is connected to the theme park and even has a special entrance for guests to head straight inside! This ensures that there’s no easier way to get to the park for a day of fun, but it’s certainly going to cost you. Rooms for Helios Grand can range in price, but if you’re staying for one night in November 2025, prices start at $842. We’ve seen prices start as low as $293, but that’s a rare occurrence.
That’s a big price tag just to have an easier walk to the park. Stella Nova also technically has a walking path to the theme park; however, it’s anywhere from 10-15 minutes. This isn’t a bad walk by any means! That being said, starting your day of walking with extra walking doesn’t seem like the perfect way to kick it all off. This can also be an issue if you’re with a larger group that ranges in age.
Next, we would also say one glaring issue is that the Club Level isn’t quite up to par for the price. Helio Grand Hotel does offer Club Level service, which is an upgrade that gives you access to a private lounge with snacks, drinks, and special service. We’ve been lucky enough to experience Club Level access at Disney World, so we had certain expectations.
For the same November 2025 night, all of the Club Level access rooms are over $1,000 per night. Club Level at Helios Grand doesn’t offer a separate check-in, which is common for other resorts. The rooms are on the 9th floor, where the lounge is, which is convenient! The lounge is the main reason people book the club level. It offers convenience and easy ways to dine. Reviews of the lounge have stated the food and drink offerings are seriously lackluster for that price tag.
Reviews have also stated that it feels overcrowded and doesn’t face the park, which was expected for the price. If it’s something you want to try, we understand! It’s just hard to swallow that price when we expect more. The hotels are also far from the other Universal parks.
All three of the Epic hotels are also a bit far from Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios. All three resorts offer free transportation to the parks. The bus rides are roughly 15 minutes to the drop-off location outside of City Walk. It’s not a deal breaker, but it is something to be aware of! It’s not as convenient as many people would expect, so it’s worth noting.
Another major drawback is Universal’s Helios Grand doesn’t offer Unlimited Express Pass! At the other Signature Collection hotels, the Unlimited Express Pass is included for everyone in the room, but this is not available at Helios as of now. That is a major perk for the other Signature Collection hotels, so we can understand why people would expect to find it with the Helios Grand perks.
Finally, there’s limited dining at these hotels if you’re used to Disney resorts. At Stella Nova, you can find Cosmos Cafe and Market, Galaxy Bar and Grill, and Nova Bar. In reality, that’s a quick service, bar, and pool bar. At Terra Luna, you can find the Omega Cafe and Market, Moonrise Bar and Grill, and Luna Bar.
Helio Grand has a bit more with Flora Taverna, Bar Helios, Lotus Lagoon, and Aurora Market. We have honestly really enjoyed these spots, so no complaints there, but if you’re used to Disney World dining, this might seem sparse. For example, the Grand Floridian has about 10 dining locations between its restaurants, lounges, and pool bars.
They aren’t all bad by any means! These hotels also feature very nice rooms. We have really enjoyed the crisp, clean design and how functional the rooms are. They feel nice and unique, which is exactly what you want from your theme park room.
Terra Luna and Stella Nova are also very affordable! For a night in November, a room at each location would cost $166 and $159, respectively. To put it in perspective, the cheapest room at Universal for the same night is $133 at Cabana Bay Beach Resort. You can stay at the newest hotels for roughly $30 more a night, which is a really nice surprise.
You also get early entry perks by staying at the resorts and nice views of the park! Helios Grand, of course, has the best view, but you can still peek at Epic from Terra Luna and Stella Nova.
We have honestly loved these resorts, and we think they’re a wonderful addition to the resort. They offer tons of amenities, and are close to the new park that we love! They might not be perfect in every way, but we’re still pretty big fans of these on-property stays. As always, be sure to keep following AllEars for more Universal news and updates.
Learn More About Epic Universe Here
Would you stay at these resorts? Tell us in the comments!
I love how a 15-minute walk in this article is presented as a potential challenge, while for most people visiting Disneyland Paris and staying onsite, a 15-minute walk to the parks is a perk and something that, at least in my family, we really look forward to!
Your article isn’t totally factual. We stayed at the Loews Portofino Bay recently. They don’t supply express passes for Epic for staying at their hotel, just the other parks. They didn’t tell us that, and there were no express passes for sale that day. The wait was over two hours on each ride. NEVER AGAIN!!!!