The centerpiece of Universal Orlando’s new Epic Universe theme park will be the Helios Grand Hotel. This towering and stunning resort hotel will feature themed rooms and sits at the far end of the new theme park, set to open for the public on May 22, 2025. It also includes a private dedicated entrance to the newest of Universal’s parks.
Concept art of Stardust Racers in Celestial Park at Universal’s Epic Universe
Universal recently revealed the cost per night for the Helios and it left potential guests speechless. That’s mostly because it’s less than half the cost of comparable Deluxe resorts at Universal’s chief rival, Walt Disney World.
For a four-night stay at Universal’s Helios Grand Hotel, guests can expect pricing starting around $293 per night, depending on the time of year you’re visiting. This is a shockingly low cost for a brand new resort hotel with dedicated access to a brand new theme park.
Concept art for Super Nintendo World at Universal’s Epic Universe
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Compare that to a Walt Disney World Deluxe Hotel with easy theme park access (Disney doesn’t have any resorts with dedicated theme park entrances like Helios).
A stay at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, just outside the Magic Kingdom for a week in late October would run you a minimum of $700 per night with a resort view and $820 per night for a King bed room.
Disney’s Beach Club Resort, which is nestled right beside the back entrance to Epcot has an even higher per night price, coming in at $766.
Concept art for How To Train Your Dragon’s Isle of Berk at Universal’s Epic Universe
This marks a concentrated effort by Universal to combat Disney’s stranglehold on the Orlando vacation industry. On top of the massive price discrepancy between the two, Epic Universe will not sell single day tickets to the new theme park.
Instead, guests can only experience Epic Universe with a three to five day multi park ticket, with only one of those days going to Epic Universe. The other days will be divided up between Universal Studios, Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme park, and the Volcano Bay water park.
Key art for the Dark Universe at Epic Universe
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That means if vacationers traveling or Orlando for a week want to see and experience the city’s beautiful newest addition, they’ll have to divide that week between Disney and Universal.
In the past, most Disney vacationers would dedicate a single day to the most magical place on Earth’s chief competitor, but now the entire landscape or Orlando vacations seems to have changed.
Concept art for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic via Discover Universal Blog
Are you planning to stay at the Helios Grand Hotel? Would you consider it over a Disney Deluxe resort? Sound off and let us know!
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