Is it worth staying on site at Universal Orlando Resort?

One thing that will inevitably come up when planning a vacation to Universal Orlando is if you should stay on site or stay at a nearby hotel. With four tiers of hotels there’s definitely something for everyone and every budget. For the sake of time though let’s just review the benefits of staying on site.

What’s better than getting to the park at the opening? Easy! Getting there an hour earlier. This is a standard for staying at any of the hotels at Universal Orlando Resort and that extra hour can make a huge difference in what you can pack into a day at the park.

Parking is another battle we all face whether it’s at the grocery store or a multi-level parking lot at peak time in a tourist city. Staying on-site you can avoid this by using the provided transportation whether it’s the shuttle or the water taxi. Plus for kids the water taxi can seem like an attraction.

Most of us don’t carry cash anymore and sometimes keeping track of charges on different cards can be burdensome. Universal Orlando has a solution for that! If you stay on site you can charge purchases across the resort whether it be dining or shopping to your room key card. How simple is that? Keep up with your room key card and you’re good to shop or eat unencumbered!

We’ve talked about getting to the park earlier than everyone else already but what about getting on rides quicker? If you are a guest staying at the premier hotels which include Loews Portofino Bay, Loews Royal Pacific, and Hard Rock you will receive Express Passes with your stay. Obviously you have to have valid theme park admission but this perk can definitely make the extra cost of the premier hotels more beneficial!