Universal Studios Florida (Part II)
We stepped off the plane and into the Florida heat. Even in December it was seventy degrees and sticky. This was a good thing. My bones had become far too used to the frigid New England frost. I instantly relaxed and let out a long, deep sigh. We were finally here. After four long months of anticipatory waiting, we had finally arrived in sunny Florida. We collected our luggage, ordered an Uber, and relaxed into our seats as rows and rows of palm trees greeted us.
Like Disney, Universal is only a short 20 minute ride from Orlando Airport. And it is completely unnecessary to rent a car if you stay at one of their properties. Most of their hotels are directly connected to the Parks via water taxis, which are just as cool as they sound. Taking the water taxi to and from the parks is one of the most beautiful and luxurious forms of transportation I’ve ever experienced.
I become jealous of myself just watching the above video I took while aboard one of these vessels. So magical and such a fun way to travel to and from the Universal Parks. During this particular trip, we stayed at Sapphire Falls, but these free forms of transportation are also available at the Royal Pacific, Hard Rock, and Portofino Bay. The latter three hotels also come with complementary Universal Express Passes, meaning you get to skip the ride lines. They also cost more per night because of this.
We planned this Universal trip in early December during the pre-Christmas lull, so Express Passes weren’t really needed. However, if you travel to Universal during a busier week of the year, I would definitely recommend splurging on the Royal Pacific, Hard Rock, or Portofino Bay. If you don’t, paying out of pocket for the passes will cost you an additional several hundred dollars per day.
We really enjoyed our stay at Sapphire Falls. This 1,000 room resort opened in 2016 and was just 3 years old when the uber deposited us at the front door with our double stroller, suitcases, and tired kids. Inspired by the tropical Caribbean islands, Sapphire Falls is bright with pops of cerulean and turquoise blue throughout. A central stone staircase winds down from the hotel lobby into Amatista Cookhouse, a beautiful, casual restaurant that serves Caribbean-inspired cuisine. It’s atmosphere is breezy and light filled. Just outside this lower level is where you board the water taxi.
And the pool?
So visually appealing with palm trees, sand, and warm brown rock formations at every turn. You definitely feel fully immersed in island life from the moment you enter the resort until the moment you exit. There is also a grab and go spot called New Dutch Trading Co. located in the lobby. It’s super cute and we grabbed our coffees and croissants there every morning before heading out to the parks. Both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure have their own Starbucks (and so does CityWalk) but the lines are usually not worth the wait. However, if you’re dying for Starbucks, it’s nice to know it’s there. We have actually decided as a family that we will only stay in hotels that have designated coffee shops in their lobbies. This family of four relies heavily on caffeine upon waking.
So there we were, the four of us, waiting in line for our water taxi, fully caffeinated and ready to take on the Parks.
First stop?
CityWalk.
To be continued