Universal Orlando Resort Parking: Complete Guide
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Parking at Universal Orlando is more complex than you might think with several different options available and even the most basic can be expensive. There are two parking garages at Universal Orlando:
- 6000 Universal Boulevard; Orlando, FL 32819: for CityWalk, Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and Volcano Bay.
- 1001 Epic Boulevard; Orlando, FL 32819: for Epic Universe.
Each complex offers three parking tiers. Full 2026 rates are in the table below:
| Parking type | 2026 cost |
|---|---|
| Self-parking, standard | $35 ($32 pre-paid online) |
| Prime parking | $50 to $60 |
| Valet, 2 hours or less | $38 |
| Valet, over 2 hours (before 6PM) | $76 to $81 |
| Valet, after 6PM | $46 to $81 |
| RV / Bus | $45 |
| Self-parking after 6PM | Free (except event nights) |
| Universal hotel guest self-parking | $26 to $36 per night (varies by tier) |
| Universal hotel guest valet parking | ~$45 per night (Premier and Preferred tiers only) |
Rates verified May 2026.
Regular Parking
Regular Parking costs $35 at the toll plaza, or $32 if you pre-pay online via the Universal app or website.
These parking spaces are the furthest away from the park entrance. There’s no shuttle from the parking spaces to the theme park entrance. Instead, the walk is about 15 minutes. Free Regular Parking is available at Universal Orlando:
- For Universal Cinemark showings from 11am to 6pm with purchase of two or more tickets.
- After 6pm on most nights (exceptions: Halloween Horror Nights, Mardi Gras concert nights, July 4, and New Year’s Eve)
Keep your parking receipt. If you leave Universal Orlando and want to come back the same day, show the receipt at the toll plaza to re-enter without paying again.
Prime Parking
Prime Parking costs $50 to $60 (depending on season) and allows you to park closer to the theme park entrance. This reduces the time you need to walk between your car and the park entrance by about 15 minutes.
Personally, I don’t think the upgrade from Regular Parking to Prime Parking is worth the extra $15 to $25.
If you do upgrade and arrive after 10am, you’ll often be sent to a Prime row further from the escalators than a Regular space would have been. The fix is simple: skip the Prime upgrade after a 10am arrival.
That verdict shifts at Epic Universe. Because Epic’s lot is flat and open-air rather than a multi-level garage, the Prime sections (Viking and Monster) are the only covered spaces. On hot Florida summer days, paying $15 to $25 for shade is genuinely worth the upgrade.
If you take a Regular ticket at the toll plaza and change your mind once inside, you can upgrade to Prime on the spot for around $14 to $28 depending on time of day. Keep your original receipt and pay the difference at the kiosk.
You can get a free upgrade from Regular to Prime Parking by renting a car from Avis or Budget and collecting at Orlando Airport. Ask for the voucher when picking up your rental car.
Valet Parking
The price of Valet Parking varies depending on when you park and the duration of your visit:
Before 6 pm
- $38 for 2 hours or less
- $76 to $81 for over 2 hours
After 6 pm
- $38 for 2 hours or less
- $46 to $81 for over 2 hours
If you do go with valet, the upside is skipping the self-park entirely, parking closest to the gates, and using a separate secured area.
Premier Annual Passholders get free Valet and Prime self-parking from their second visit. Preferred Annual Passholders get free standard self-parking, plus 50% off Prime and Valet, again from the second visit. These Annual Passholder benefits only apply to the theme park, not the on-site hotels.
Epic Universe Parking
Epic Universe opened on 22 May 2025 with its own parking lot, separate from the USF/IOA/Volcano Bay complex although the prices are the same. Unlike at CityWalk there is no parking garage and instead the lot is flat and has five sections:
- Explorer (rows 101 to 107)
- Monster (rows 201 to 211)
- Viking (rows 301 to 311)
- Dragon (rows 401 to 410)
- Hero (rows 501 to 511)
EV charging is available in section Viking (row 301).
Volcano Bay Parking
There is no parking available at the entrance of Volcano Bay. Instead, you’ll need to park at the main parking complex (6000 Universal Boulevard) where you would park for USF/IOA/CityWalk (the cost of parking is the same as highlighted in the table above).
From the parking garage you’ll need to take the complimentary bus to Volcano Bay. The bus pick-up point is well signposted, buses run regularly and the journey takes around five minutes.
Universal Orlando Hotel Parking
Self-parking is available at all Universal Orlando on-site hotels and valet parking is available at Preferred and Premier resorts:
| Hotel | Tier | Self-parking per night | Valet per night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loews Portofino Bay Hotel | Premier | $36 | $45 |
| Hard Rock Hotel | Premier | $36 | $45 |
| Loews Royal Pacific Resort | Premier | $36 | $45 |
| Universal Helios Grand Hotel | Premier | $36 | $45 |
| Loews Sapphire Falls Resort | Preferred | $36 | $45 |
| Universal’s Aventura Hotel | Prime Value | $30 | not offered |
| Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort | Prime Value | $26 | not offered |
| Endless Summer Resort Surfside Inn & Suites | Value | $26 | not offered |
| Endless Summer Resort Dockside Inn & Suites | Value | $26 | not offered |
| Universal’s Stella Nova Resort | Value | $30 | not offered |
| Universal’s Terra Luna Resort | Value | $30 | not offered |
Day-guest parking rates are separate from the overnight rates above and considerably higher. Most Loews-tier hotels charge around $50 per night for day-guest self-parking; the Helios Grand is the strictest, covered next.
The Helios Grand has a strict day-guest parking fee of about $125 for stays over 30 minutes if you are not a registered overnight guest or a verified dining or spa visitor.
Bring your room key to validate at the toll plaza if the gate does not register your room number automatically.
Free transportation to all of the Universal Orlando parks is available from every on-site hotel. This is one of the biggest perks of staying on-site.
On my recent trip (May 2026) the shuttle bus from Sapphire Falls where I was staying was outside of the hotel entrance ready and waiting to take us to Epic Universe and the journey itself took under 15 minutes.
Both the buses and water taxis around Universal Orlando run regularly so you’re never waiting long for the next one.
Guest Drop-off and Ride-Share
If you are being dropped off or arriving by Uber or Lyft, you do not need to pay for parking at all.
- CityWalk (USF and IOA): drop-off and ride-share pickup is on the 5th floor of the garage in the Jurassic Park section.
- Epic Universe: personal vehicle drop-off uses the Red Zone, and ride-share pickup uses the Blue Zone, both near the Viking section of the lot.
Bike parking is free at both complexes, near the King Kong section at the CityWalk garage and near the bus drop-off and pickup entrance at Epic Universe.
Accessible Parking
Universal Orlando has accessible parking at both parking complexes and all on-site hotels. Tell the attendant you need an accessible space at the toll plaza and they will direct you to the right row. You do not need to display a permit at the plaza, but you do need to have it visible once parked.
If your car needs a battery jump, Universal Orlando provides free jumps in both parking complexes. Pick up any security phone on the parking level and ask for assistance.
Electric Vehicle Charging
EV charging is available across Universal Orlando. Accessibility of EV charging depends on where you are parked.
- Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure & Volcano Bay: EV Parking is only available at Valet Parking. As a result you must pay for Valet Parking to charge your car.
- Epic Universe: EV charging is in section Viking, row 301.
- On-Site Hotels: There are at least two EV Parking spaces at each hotel on-site at Universal Orlando.
In practice, if you are low on charge and you are at USF or IOA, valet is your only on-property charging option, which means paying for valet on top of any charging cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
These are the questions readers ask me most often about parking at Universal Orlando and Epic Universe.
