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Family Hotels With Shuttle to Universal Studios, Orlando

Posted on by Our Globetrotters
A water shuttle in front of the universal sign in Orlando
21
Oct

A comprehensive guide to convenient accommodation options visiting Universal Orlando

When planning a trip to Universal Florida, there are many factors that you will want to consider, and one of those will be the hotel in which you stay. If you do not have a vehicle, either of your own or a rental car, you may want to consider staying at a hotel that will offer shuttle services to the park property.

Luckily, many hotels in the Orlando area offer this service to their guests as it has become a popular demand amongst Orlando visitors.

Some hotels that offer shuttle services include this in your booking price, while others charge an additional fee. The following is a list of Universal Resorts, Universal Partner Hotels, and Orlando Area hotels that offer shuttle service to Universal Studios Florida.

This post is part of our Florida Family Vacation Series – helping you plan a theme park vacation to Orlando & beyond!

The recommendations below contain affiliate links that can earn us a commission if a qualifying booking is made

Universal Studios Resorts – All With Free Shuttles

All Universal Studios Resorts will offer shuttle services to their guests, and this is at no additional cost to you.

Two types of shuttles are available to resort guests, including Water Taxi and Shuttle Busses. Universal Resorts are as follows:

Value & Prime Value Resorts at Univeral Orlando

The following resorts offer only shuttle bus service for their guests. Shuttles typically start around one hour prior to the park opening and will run every 15 minutes until CityWalk closes at the end of the day.

Preferred & Premier Resorts at Universal Orlando

The higher-end resorts in the Universal Resort lineup offer both the water tax shuttle service as well as bus service. The shuttles for these resorts start one hour prior to park opening and run every 30 minutes until closing of CityWalk.

NB – if you plan to be there right on opening, give yourself a generous amount of time to arrive; the first shuttle you want may be full, and you still need a 10-minute+ walk (with a security check) to cross from where the shuttle drops you and through City Walk to the theme park entrances.

Universal Partner Hotels – All With Free Shuttles

A Universal Partner hotel is pretty self-explanatory. These are hotels in the Orlando area that are not on the Universal property, but they are partnered with Universal Studios in order to offer great rates, perks, and promotions to guests who choose to stay there (plus, having the Universal Partner seal allows these hotels to be booked as part of a Universal package).

The following list includes some popular Universal Partner Hotels choices that offer guests complimentary shuttle services.

Reservations are required and must be booked 24 hours in advance or less up to 30 minutes prior to departure time. Check with your hotel lobby or ticket/attraction center for making reservations and shuttle schedules.

Orlando Area Hotels With Free & Paid Shuttle Service

In addition to Universal Resorts and Universal Partner Hotels offering shuttle services, there are also a number of other hotels in the area that offer shuttle services to their guests, some being complimentary and some being an additional paid service.

Some of these hotels include:

  • Crowne Plaza Orlando – 7800 Universal Boulevard, Orlando FL 32819 (4-Star Hotel)
    • Transportation: Daily scheduled roundtrip departures are available via the I-4 Trolley to Universal Studios, reservations are required for all shuttle services, and information for booking is provided upon your check-in.
    • Fee: Yes, the Average fee cost is $7 per person
  • Blue Tree Resort – 12007 Cypress Run Road Lake Buena Vista, FL 32836 (3-Star Hotel)
    • Transportation: Shuttle service provided to guests; see activities booth for more information
    • Fee: No fee; the shuttle is complimentary to all guests.
  • Homewood Suites by Hilton – 8745 International Drive Orlando, FL 32819 (3-Star Hotel)
    • Transportation: Shuttles are available daily; no reservation is required. Please note: guests are responsible for finding their return trolley at the parks in order to be shuttled back to the hotel; reservations are required 24 hours in advance if special assistance or accommodations are required on the shuttle*
    • Fee: No fee; the shuttle is complimentary to all guests.
  • Liki Tiki Village By Diamond Resorts – 17777 Bali Blvd Winter Garden, FL 34787 (3-Star Hotel)
    • Transportation: Shuttle services are offered daily. Shuttle departure time for Orlando Studios: 7:05 AM; Shuttle Return time from Orlando Studios back to the resort: 8:00 pm. Note: If you miss the return shuttle or choose to stay later than the return shuttle departure, you are responsible for your own means of transportation back to the resort.
    • Fee: No fee, is complimentary to all guests.
  • Embassy Suites by Hilton – 8100 Lake St Orlando, FL 32836 (3-Star Hotel)
    • Transportation: Shuttle services are offered daily, and reservations and vouchers are required. Please visit the front desk area to make your reservation and receive your voucher. Seating is first offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Shuttle departs at 7:20 AM to Universal Studios and departs the park for return at 6:50 pm.
    • Fee: There is a fee for non-Disney transportation, which is $5 roundtrip.
  • Comfort Inn at the Parks – 7675 West Irlo Bronson Hwy Kissimmee, FL 34747 (3-Star Hotel)
    • Transportation: Shuttle services are offered daily to guests of Comfort Inn. Shuttle departure for Universal Studios is 7:05 am, and departure from the park to return to the hotel is 8:20 pm (Lane 33)
    • Fee: No fee; the shuttle is complimentary to all guests.
  • Sonesta ES Suites Lake Buena Vista – 8751 Suiteside Dr Orlando, FL 32836 (3-Star Hotel)
    • Transportation: Shuttle services are offered daily, and shuttle times vary dependent on the season. You will be provided with a shuttle schedule upon check; reservations are required before boarding.
    • Fee: The shuttle fee is $7 per person per day for round-trip transportation
  • Cypress Pointe Resort – 8651 Treasure Cay Lane Orlando, FL 32836 (3-Star Hotel)
    • Transportation: Shuttle services are offered daily, and the shuttle schedule does vary based on the season. You can get the current shuttle schedule by contacting Cypress Pointe directly.
    • Fee: No fee; the shuttle is available to all guests staying at the Cypress Pointe Resort

Looking to stay somewhere convenient to both Universal and Walt Disney World? You might want to try our guide to hotels that offer shuttles to Disney AND Universal

See All Accommodation Options Near Universal

This is a great handy map for seeing all available accommodation options nearby from different third-party websites, helping you shop around for who has the best price.

Enter your group size and dates, then search around; compare it to our list above to see if they have a Universal shuttle!

You may also be interested in our guide to the best resorts in Orlando with water parks! A great compromise for families who just want to chill at their resort without being at the theme parks every day.

Tips & Tricks/Need to Know for Riding Universal Hotel Shuttles

  1. Check with your hotel’s front desk or concierge service for more information: If you are unsure if your hotel offers shuttle services or if reservations are necessary, be sure to check in with the team at your hotel to ensure that you are able to take advantage of the benefit if applicable.
  • Be Mindful of Space/Traveling: If you are going to be traveling via shuttle, be mindful that large groups may be denied shuttle services as it may be unfair for your group to occupy a large majority of the shuttle bus. Additionally, be mindful of the belongings you bring aboard, and avoid large bags and strollers that may not be space-saving – check what the parks will allow you to bring in, too.
  • Know Your Schedule: Most hotels that offer shuttle services (particularly those that are not on-site) will only shuttle guests back based on their specific schedule, which is often before the closing of parks. Be sure to know what time your shuttle is scheduled to depart the park, and if you choose to stay after or miss your shuttle, be mindful that you will be responsible for finding your own transportation back to your hotel.
  • Be On Time: It is always recommended that you are ready to board your shuttle at least 10 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time. Most shuttle services are first-come, first-served, and spots fill up quickly! You will want to ensure that you are able to secure a spot by being in line and ready to go. Have a backup plan if you’re late to the queue.
  • Allow Walking Time: As we mentioned above, but will say it again! Where you are dropped off by the shuttles is the same spot as car parking at Universal. From this central transportation hub to Universal Studios and Island of Adventures, you should allow yourself at least 10 minutes in walking time through all the attractions of City Walk. Especially with small children, factor this into your timings.

Your Best Hotel Choice For Universal Orlando

Choosing a hotel that offers shuttle services to your favorite nearby attractions is a game changer when it comes to vacation planning. Most hotels in Orlando offer this service as a complimentary amenity to their guests, and even those that do charge a fee, this fee still tends to be much lower than paying for gas and parking to travel to the parks on your own.

If you are visiting Universal Orlando, we hope that this hotel shuttle guide has provided you with useful information to help make the best choice for your family on your upcoming trip.

Looking for the best value Universal Orlando vacation packages? We recommend OrlandoVacation.Com for your best-value resorts with theme park tickets.

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A water shuttle outside universal studios orlando titled Hotels that offer a shuttle to univeral orlando
A hand holding a pass to Universal Orlando with title Easiest way to get to Universal Studios

Looking at Visiting Disney World & More of Orlando

If you’re still in the research phase of an Orlando family vacation, you may also find these guides helpful:

Disclosures: This page contains affiliate links to our preferred suppliers, which earn us a commission if a qualifying purchase or booking is made. You can find our full disclosures, privacy policy, and website terms of use here.

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