News Summary
Grande Lakes Orlando, a luxury resort near the new Epic Universe theme park, offers families a unique vacation experience with upscale accommodations, exceptional amenities, and its new ‘Upgrade & Away’ package. This package enhances family stays with access to club lounges, children’s activities, and transportation to the park. The resort features sprawling grounds with lakes, a water park, and extensive recreational options while anticipating the opening of Epic Universe. This new park promises to provide immersive experiences, diverse dining, and unique attractions, making it a prime destination for family travel.
Orlando, Florida – Grande Lakes Orlando, a luxury resort situated near the newly opened Epic Universe theme park, offers families an exceptional getaway with an array of amenities and activities. The resort features two upscale accommodations: The Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott, providing guests access to extensive recreational activities, a luxury spa, an 18-hole golf course, and specially designated programming for children.
To enhance its family vacation offerings, Grande Lakes Orlando is promoting its “Upgrade & Away” package, which includes complimentary Club Lounge access for suite reservations, Ritz Kids activities for two children, and private transportation to the nearby Epic Universe. This comprehensive offer is designed to enhance the guest experience, especially for families looking for engaging activities during their stay.
The resort sprawls across expansive grounds that host twelve lakes, which provide guests with numerous opportunities for outdoor activities. Additionally, families can enjoy the resort’s water park and various leisure programming designed to keep all ages entertained. The management of the golf course is under Marriott’s Global Golf Division, which manages 45 golf courses across 14 countries, showcasing the resort’s commitment to providing an all-encompassing leisure experience.
The much-anticipated Epic Universe, Universal Orlando Resort’s fourth theme park, is set to open on May 22, 2025. Covering 750 acres, the park will introduce five themed worlds that focus on creating immersive experiences for visitors. The park’s design follows a “hub-and-spoke” layout, facilitating easy movement between attractions.
Among the major attractions, guests can anticipate Super Nintendo World, featuring the thrilling Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge and a Donkey Kong Country roller coaster. The Dark Universe area will showcase rides themed around classic Universal monsters, while fans of the Harry Potter universe can look forward to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic, where guests embark on a new adventure alongside beloved characters. The park will also introduce How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk, which will feature interactive rides and shows tailored for family enjoyment.
The dining experience at Epic Universe promises to be diverse, with 30 dining locations offering over 100 menu items that prioritize elevated food offerings, catering to various tastes. New accommodations within the resort will include the Universal Helios Grand Hotel, styled after Greek mythology, which features a dedicated entrance to the park, alongside two Prime Value Hotels – the Universal Stella Nova Resort and Universal Terra Luna Resort.
To facilitate park access, complimentary shuttle buses will operate from Universal’s existing hotels, and visitors can take advantage of a multi-park ticket system. Epic Universe will also offer advanced ticket purchasing options, providing discounts through various authorized resellers. Ticket pricing will range, with single-day tickets starting at $139 and special rates available for Universal Orlando Annual Passholders, who can purchase tickets between $121 and $173 depending on the selected date.
As the opening of Epic Universe approaches, it is expected to encourage longer stays in Orlando, providing enhanced competition to Disney’s offerings in the region. With high-demand days potentially leading to increased ticket prices, visitors planning trips closer to the park’s opening should be prepared for fluctuating costs. Unique dining experiences throughout the park will emphasize themes and immersive food offerings, enriching the overall visitor experience.
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Additional Resources
- The Golf Wire: An Epic Golf Escape – Orlando
- Reuters: What to Expect from Florida’s New Epic Universe Theme Park
- Visit Orlando: Insider Guide to Epic Universe
- Fox Business: Universal Aims to Cut Disney’s Theme Park Lead
- Disney Tourist Blog: Epic Universe Previews Open to General Public
- Wikipedia: Epic Universe
- Google Search: Epic Universe Theme Park
- Google Scholar: Epic Universe Development
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Epic Universe
- Google News: Epic Universe Orlando
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