Roller coasters and room service: How hotels made Universal Orlando a top vacation destination

16.09.2024 - 21:58 / thepointsguy.com

When Universal Orlando opened June 7, 1990, it did so with only one theme park. Although it was a thrilling park with rides and attractions based on popular films like "E.T.," "Back to the Future" and "Jaws," it was a far cry from the tourist hot spot we know today.

It wasn't until Universal opened its first on-site hotel nine years later that the theme park resort took its first major step toward becoming a full-fledged vacation destination. Loews Portofino Bay Hotel opened Sept. 10, 1999, allowing guests to stay within steps of the movie-themed park.

What started with only one hotel and 750 guest rooms will soon grow to 11 hotels and 11,000 guest rooms when Universal opens its three newest hotels: Universal Stella Nova Resort, Universal Terra Luna Resort and Universal Helios Grand Hotel. They are part of the resort's Universal Epic Universe expansion next year.

As Universal — which co-owns and operates its properties with Loews Hotels & Co. — celebrates 25 years of its now-robust hotel portfolio, TPG wanted to answer the question, "What makes a hotel a theme park hotel?" Is it the proximity to the parks? The immersive theming? The conveniently placed coffee shops with copious amounts of caffeine to power your day? In short, it's all of the above, but let's dig a little deeper.

"Loews Portofino Bay Hotel helped us start our journey to becoming the reason people come to Orlando for their vacation," Dennis Quinn, senior vice president of hotel commercial strategy for Universal Orlando Resort, told TPG. "Portofino Bay is still our flagship hotel, but now we've been able to expand our hotel portfolio to fit every budget and travel style for our guests," he added.

Portofino Bay opened only a few months after Universal's second theme park, Universal Islands of Adventure, opened May 28, 1999. Combined with Islands of Adventure, the addition of Portofino Bay put Universal on the map as more than a one-day stopover in Orlando. "Those two pieces were major jumps in taking Universal from a single park to a true vacation destination," Quinn said.

Universal knew the people flocking to the area to see the new park would also need somewhere to stay. But that isn't the only reason it decided to partner with Loews Hotels and get into the hotel business. "We're always looking for ways to enhance our guest experience. Adding hotels so that you never have to leave the themed environment is just another extension of that," Quinn explained.

Related: Surprising things you can do at Universal Orlando without a park ticket

It's the same reason the resort opened Universal CityWalk — a themed shopping, dining and entertainment complex — in 1993 and the Universal Volcano Bay water park in 2017. When you stay on-site, you have