Universal Orlando Resort Statistics & Media Fact Hub — a single, source-cited reference for reporters, editors, students, and researchers who need verified facts about Universal Orlando Resort, its four parks (including the new Universal Epic Universe), attendance, hotels, and economic impact. Every figure below links to its original source so you can verify and quote with confidence.
Compiled and maintained by Universal Family Vacations, a Universal Orlando travel-planning resource from the team at Pixie Vacations. Last updated August 2026. Members of the media are welcome to cite this page — see the “How to cite this page” section below.
Universal Orlando Resort at a Glance
- Owner: NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation. (Wikipedia)
- Opened: June 7, 1990, as Universal Studios Florida — the ribbon was cut by director Steven Spielberg. (History of Universal Orlando)
- Core resort size: Approximately 1,291 acres (522 ha) for the original resort footprint; the new Epic Universe development sits on a separate ~750-acre parcel a few miles south. (Wikipedia)
- Theme parks: Four — Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Islands of Adventure, Universal’s Volcano Bay (water park), and Universal Epic Universe. (Wikipedia)
- On-site hotels: 11 Loews-operated hotels totaling roughly 11,000 rooms. (Wikipedia)
- Location: Orlando, Florida, USA.
Planning a trip? See our Best Times to Visit Universal Orlando guide and Universal vacation packages.
The Four Parks — Opening Dates
| Park | Opened | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Universal Studios Florida | June 7, 1990 | Theme park |
| Universal’s Islands of Adventure | May 28, 1999 | Theme park |
| Universal’s Volcano Bay | May 25, 2017 | Water park |
| Universal Epic Universe | May 22, 2025 | Theme park |
Sources: History of Universal Orlando Resort; Comcast press release (Epic Universe opening). Universal CityWalk opened February 4, 1999; the resort was briefly branded “Universal Studios Escape” before adopting the name Universal Orlando Resort.
Universal Epic Universe — The Headline Story
Universal Epic Universe opened May 22, 2025, becoming Universal Orlando’s fourth park and its first entirely new theme park in the U.S. in over 25 years. (Comcast)
- Size: The park itself covers 110 acres (45 ha); the total development spans about 750 acres (300 ha). (Wikipedia)
- Investment: Reported at roughly $6–7 billion; Comcast has not published a single official construction-cost figure, so outlets cite a range. (NBC News)
- Five worlds: Celestial Park (central hub), The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, Super Nintendo World, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, and Dark Universe. (Wikipedia)
- Attractions: Universal describes “more than 50 experiences” (rides, dining, and entertainment); the park includes roughly 16 rides and attractions, among them four roller coasters. (Wikipedia)
- Signature rides: Stardust Racers (dual-launch coaster), Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry, Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, Hiccup’s Wing Gliders, and Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment. (Wikipedia)
- First-year Florida economic impact: projected at approximately $2 billion. (NBC News)
Read our deep dives: Epic Universe: complete overview, what to know before you go, and Epic Universe at 1 year.
Universal Orlando Attendance Numbers
Attendance figures are published annually in the TEA/AECOM Global Experience (Theme Index) report by the Themed Entertainment Association and AECOM. The most recent verified per-park figures are for 2023.
| Park | 2023 Attendance | 2022 Attendance |
|---|---|---|
| Universal’s Islands of Adventure | ~10.0 million | ~10.93 million |
| Universal Studios Florida | ~9.75 million | ~10.50 million |
| Universal’s Volcano Bay | ~1.8 million (#2 water park in North America) | ~1.85 million |
Source: 2023 TEA/AECOM Theme Index, as reported by WDWNT and Theme Park Tribune; report published by AECOM. Combined 2023 attendance for the two dry parks was roughly 19.75 million, or about 21.5 million including Volcano Bay. Figures for 2024–2025 (the first year with Epic Universe) had not been published in the TEA/AECOM per-park format as of this update.
Employment & Economic Impact
- Team Members: Universal Destinations & Experiences employs more than 45,000 team members across its U.S. operations. (NBCUniversal)
- U.S. investment: Comcast NBCUniversal invested more than $10 billion in new and existing Universal U.S. destinations between 2018 and 2024. (NBCUniversal)
- Epic Universe construction: roughly 65,000 workers were involved in building the park. (NBC News)
- New jobs: Epic Universe is projected to create 17,500+ new jobs in its first year. (NBC News)
- Job multiplier: for every 1,000 jobs inside Epic Universe, an estimated 700 additional off-site jobs are generated. (NBCUniversal)
On-Site Hotels
Universal Orlando has 11 on-site Loews-operated hotels totaling roughly 11,000 rooms.
| Hotel | Opened | Rooms |
|---|---|---|
| Loews Portofino Bay Hotel | 1999 | 750 |
| Hard Rock Hotel | 2001 | 650 |
| Loews Royal Pacific Resort | 2002 | 1,000 |
| Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort | 2014 | 2,200 |
| Loews Sapphire Falls Resort | 2016 | 1,000 |
| Universal’s Aventura Hotel | 2018 | 600 |
| Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn & Suites | 2019 | 750 |
| Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn & Suites | 2020 | 2,050 |
| Universal Helios Grand Hotel (Epic Universe, in-park) | 2025 | 500 |
| Universal Terra Luna Resort | 2025 | 750 |
| Universal Stella Nova Resort | 2025 | 750 |
Sources: Wikipedia; Universal Cabana Bay fact sheet; Wikipedia (Endless Summer); Loews Hotels. For help choosing, see our Universal Orlando hotel guide and Epic Universe hotels guide.
Iconic Attractions & Records
- Jurassic World VelociCoaster (Islands of Adventure, opened June 10, 2021): top speed 70 mph, a 155-foot top hat, a 140-foot drop at 80 degrees, two magnetic launches, and four inversions — the fastest coaster at any Universal park on its opening. (Wikipedia)
- The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade opened June 18, 2010, at Islands of Adventure; Diagon Alley opened July 8, 2014, at Universal Studios Florida. The two are connected by the Hogwarts Express, which physically links the two parks (a park-to-park ticket is required to ride). (Magic Guides) (Wikipedia)
- The Incredible Hulk Coaster (Islands of Adventure, 1999) was the resort’s original speed record-holder before VelociCoaster. (Wikipedia)
Ride-planning resources: VelociCoaster guide and Universal Express Pass guide.
Universal Orlando Timeline
- June 7, 1990 — Universal Studios Florida opens.
- February 4, 1999 — Universal CityWalk opens.
- May 28, 1999 — Islands of Adventure opens; the “Universal Orlando Resort” era begins.
- 1999–2002 — First three Loews hotels open (Portofino Bay, Hard Rock, Royal Pacific).
- June 18, 2010 — The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade opens.
- July 8, 2014 — Diagon Alley opens.
- May 25, 2017 — Volcano Bay water park opens.
- June 10, 2021 — Jurassic World VelociCoaster opens.
- May 22, 2025 — Universal Epic Universe opens.
Source: History of Universal Orlando Resort, cross-checked with Wikipedia and Comcast press releases.
Fun Facts & “Did You Know?”
- Universal Studios Florida was opened with a ribbon-cutting by director Steven Spielberg. (Magic Guides)
- The Hogwarts Express is one of the only theme-park attractions that physically transports guests between two separate parks — and the windows show different scenes depending on the direction of travel. (Wikipedia)
- Volcano Bay ranked as the #2 water park in North America by attendance in 2023. (WDWNT)
- Epic Universe has been described in the press as one of the largest and most expensive theme parks ever built. (NBC News)
Universal Orlando Media Resources & Planning Tools
Journalists and readers researching Universal Orlando may find these free Universal Family Vacations resources useful to reference or link:
- Best Times to Visit Universal Orlando — crowds, weather, and seasonal guide
- Epic Universe Complete Overview
- Universal Orlando Hotel Guide
- Universal Express Pass Guide
- 2026 Universal Orlando Events Calendar
- How to Get From Disney to Universal
- Universal Orlando Blog & News
How to Cite This Page
Members of the media and researchers are welcome to cite these statistics. Suggested citation:
“Universal Orlando Resort Statistics & Media Fact Hub.” Universal Family Vacations (Pixie Vacations), universalfamilyvacations.com. Accessed [date].
We update this page as new attendance reports, park openings, and figures are released. If you spot a figure that needs updating, email info@pixievacations.com.
Primary Sources
- Comcast / NBCUniversal press releases — Epic Universe opening; economic impact
- TEA/AECOM Global Experience Index (Theme Index) — AECOM 2023 report
- NBC News — Epic Universe economic impact
- Wikipedia (for cross-reference and primary-source links) — Universal Orlando; Universal Epic Universe; VelociCoaster
- Universal Orlando official fact sheets — Cabana Bay
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