Helios Grand Hotel at Universal’s Epic Universe Luxury Resort: Rooms, Restaurants & Perks
Universal Orlando Resort has shared a first look at Loews Helios Grand Hotel, a 500-room luxury in-park resort overlooking Epic Universe, their third theme park in Florida that opens in 2025. This sneak peek shares concept art & info about guest rooms, restaurants, retail and everything else in the upcoming accommodations–including how perks and tiers are changing with the arrival of this new property.
Epic Universe is Universal Orlando Resort’s third theme park, just down the road from Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure, as well as Volcano Bay Water Park. Once fully built out, the new theme park campus would essentially double Universal Orlando Resort’s existing footprint. It won’t be that big in 2025–that build out is years, if not decades, down the road.
Epic Universe will transport guests to expansive worlds featuring more than 50 experiences that include attractions, entertainment, dining and shopping to create an unforgettable adventure located at Universal Orlando Resort. For a big picture overview of the entire park, see our Universal’s Epic Universe Preview, which unveiled all of the lands and much more. Against that backdrop, let’s introduce Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a Loews Hotel…
Helios Grand Hotel is brought to life by the award-winning Universal Creative team and co-owned and operated by Loews Hotels & Co. The new luxury resort is a majestic Mediterranean-inspired escape rising above the lush gardens and scenic waters of Celestial Park at Epic Universe.
Designed to blend immersion and relaxation to create a hotel stay like no other, this palatial resort features tranquil sleeping accommodations, entertaining amenities for the whole family to enjoy, divine dining options, a stunning rooftop bar and the hotel’s very own dedicated entrance to the new theme park.
Bringing Universal Orlando’s resort portfolio to a total of 11 hotels and 11,000 guest rooms, Universal Helios Grand Hotel builds upon Universal’s more than three decades of expertise in world-class entertainment and creative theming – combined with Loews Hotels’ hospitality and service excellence – to set a new standard in immersive hotel experiences.
Only at Universal Helios Grand Hotel can guests unwind in the serenity of a sunlit retreat in one moment and then within minutes find themselves in the heart of exhilarating theme park adventures. Universal Helios Grand Hotel is so much more than just a place to stay; it’s the crown jewel of Epic Universe and the pinnacle of Universal Orlando’s hotel experiences.
According to Universal Orlando, as soon as guests step into this radiant sanctuary, they will be transported to a fantastical world within the palace of Helios, the Greek god of the sun, adorned with beautiful details of celestial patterns, dazzling constellations and elegant yet casual Mediterranean design elements. (All their words, not mine.)
Through the lobby’s floor-to-ceiling windows is a vista of Celestial Park – boasting some of the best views of Epic Universe in the entire hotel and showcasing the park’s brilliance by day and night.
Here’s everything that Universal Helios Grand Hotel offers:
Serene Guest Rooms and Spacious Suites – Bright, inviting and warm, the guest rooms and suites of Universal Helios Grand Hotel evoke the tranquility of a blissful garden – with many of the rooms offering fantastic views of Epic Universe. And unique to Universal Helios Grand Hotel are the imaginative How to Train Your Dragon Kids’ Suites, where little ones can take to the skies and rest amongst dragons in a colorful room inspired by the Viking village of Berk.
Dedicated Entrance to Universal Epic Universe – Located off the lobby is the hotel’s dedicated entrance into Epic Universe – an unparalleled amenity for guests of Universal Helios Grand Hotel that provides direct, convenient access to and from the theme park (valid theme park admission required).
Bar Helios – A sparkling and stylish rooftop lounge, Bar Helios at Universal Helios Grand Hotel offers a delectable menu of creative tapas and familiar favorites, thoughtfully-handcrafted specialty cocktails, and unmatched 360-degree views of Epic Universe and beyond – making this the perfect spot for guests to kick back in the evening after a busy day in the parks.
Resort-style Pool – The oasis of the zero-entry pool is the ultimate spot for rest and relaxation – complete with underwater speakers, poolside cabanas available for rent, a hot tub, poolside movies, recreational activities and more.
Guests of Universal Helios Grand Hotel can also enjoy:
- a complimentary state-of-the-art fitness center featuring a variety of strength and cardio equipment;
- a game room for guests to blast, zap and race their way through a collection of arcade games with the purchase of a game card;
- a Universal Orlando Resort Store for guests to purchase everything from sundries and necessities to Universal Orlando merchandise; and so much more.
Guests looking to have a meal or grab a quick snack in between visits to the parks can choose from a variety of unique dining options, including:
- Flora Taverna – a full-service restaurant offering breakfast, lunch and dinner and lobby bar with a light and airy atmosphere – featuring an open-style kitchen with live cooking, Mediterranean comfort foods, pizza ovens, and al fresco seating overlooking the beautiful scenery of Celestial Park;
- Aurora Market – a contemporary coffee shop and market offering freshly-roasted coffees, delightful grab-and-go food items and enticing snack and dessert options from morning to night;
- Lotus Lagoon – a poolside bar and grill where guests can cool off with refreshing cocktails or non-alcoholic drinks and enjoy casual fare options like burgers, salads, sandwiches and more.
Staying at any Universal Orlando hotel is the best way to experience all that the destination has to offer and comes with exclusive theme park benefits. Guests staying at Universal Helios Grand Hotel, or any of the other Universal Orlando hotels, receive Early Park Admission to enjoy select attractions at the theme parks, which will expand to include Universal Epic Universe with the park’s opening in 2025. Early Park Admission will offer up to one hour of priority access before the park opens with valid theme park admission.
Universal Orlando hotel guests can also take advantage of complimentary shuttle bus transportation to the theme parks and Universal CityWalk, resort-wide charging privileges, complimentary merchandise delivery and more.
The addition of Universal Helios Grand Hotel also brings three reimagined hotel categories to Universal Orlando – designed to make it even easier for guests to choose the hotel that best fits their preferred style and budget:
Signature Collection – Offering full-service amenities, distinguished service, exceptional dining and more:
- Universal Helios Grand Hotel
- Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
- Hard Rock Hotel
- Loews Royal Pacific Resort
- Loews Sapphire Falls Resort
Prime Value Hotels – Offering a mix of services and amenities made for comfort
- Universal Aventura Hotel
- Universal Stella Nova Resort (opening January 21, 2025)
- Universal Terra Luna Resort (opening February 25, 2025)
Value Inns and Suites – Offering fun, affordable options offering standard rooms and spacious suites with kitchenettes.
- Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort
- Universal Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites
- Universal Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites
Turning to commentary, let’s start with the perks and changes to hotel tiers. Fans might be stunned to learn that Universal Helios Grand Hotel won’t offer Unlimited Express Pass. This has been confirmed by Universal Orlando on social media: “While Universal Helios Grand Hotel will not include Universal Express Unlimited, Guests can take advantage of other incredible exclusive theme park benefits.”
Regular readers of this site won’t be too surprised. We’ve speculated for a while that Helios Grand Hotel wouldn’t offer it or that Epic Universe wouldn’t…or both. I would’ve bet on the latter–that no hotel would offer Unlimited Express Pass to Epic Universe. So it’s slightly surprising that Helios Grand Hotel won’t offer Express Pass at all, not even to Universal Studios Florida or Islands of Adventure.
As I’ve been saying for a while, I don’t know why Universal first opted to offer Unlimited Express Pass to its Premier Hotels, but my shot-in-the-dark guess is a deal with Loews to get that hotelier on board. Accordingly, I would also guess that the only theme parks subject to such a contractual agreement would be the ones in existence at the time.
Likewise, I’ve warned fans that Universal would not make the same deal in the 2020s that it did in the late 1990s, which is precisely why Sapphire Falls doesn’t offer Express Pass. Universal Orlando is now already established as a bona fide theme park heavy hitter, and there is no need to dangle such a park to get a commitment from Loews. The hotelier couldn’t get a sweetheart deal this time–it’s Universal with the leverage now.
Once again, the mistake fans continue to make is assuming that Universal is any different than Disney as a business. It feels necessary to reiterate this, because there’s this misguided notion that Universal is more guest-focused than Walt Disney World. The idea that Comcast, of all companies, actually cares about consumers and offers better value, perks, or whatever out of the kindness of its heart is ludicrous.
Honestly, I’m pleasantly surprised here that Early Park Admission is being expanded to Epic Universe. I wouldn’t necessarily have bet on that (Helios Grand getting the perk at the existing parks seemed like a given), and expected that Universal Orlando would instead try to monetize early access in the same way they do at Super Nintendo World in Hollywood. So that is a small victory at the very least.
Another surprise to me is that Sapphire Falls is moving up to the top tier. We really like Sapphire Falls, and felt that it punched above its weight with its categorization before. However, I also think it’s well below the other options in that top tier. More importantly, it’s the only one of the currently-operating existing hotels that does not offer Unlimited Express Pass at Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure.
So there’s the question of whether Sapphire Falls is getting Unlimited Express Pass for the first two parks, or the others are losing it? I think the latter scenario is the more likely of the two–perhaps terms of Loews’ deal came up for renewal or Universal was able to renegotiate with the addition of Epic Universe.
Another entirely plausible scenario is that Sapphire Falls is being bumped up to the top tier without any changes–it won’t offer Unlimited Express Pass and the other existing hotels (Portofino Bay, Hard Rock, and Royal Pacific) won’t lose it. Again, Helios Grand Hotel won’t offer Express Pass at all, so that wouldn’t be a huge shock.
Nevertheless, it’s going to make for an odd classification if three of the hotels in the top tier offer Unlimited Express Pass but the two newest–including what I assume is going to be the flagship hotel of Universal Orlando in Helios Grand–don’t offer it. Unlimited Express Pass is the defining amenity offered by the top tier resorts, so it’ll be odd if some have it and others don’t. But it also wouldn’t surprise me if Universal wants more options in that top tier for the sake of marketing.
It also wouldn’t surprise me if the original three top tier hotels retain Unlimited Express Pass for now, but lose it at some point in the next few years. If my assumption about this being a contractual deal with Loews is correct–and Universal couldn’t or didn’t renegotiate–that’ll presumably expire at some point down the road. I can’t imagine the perk existing in perpetuity–even in the 1990s, it’s not like Loews had that much leverage.
As for the themed design of Universal Helios Grand Hotel, I like it! The exterior looks to me like the strange love-child of Disney’s Riviera Resort and Gran Destino Tower at Coronado Springs, but with more artifice and attention to detail so it’s not so boxy. I do think that Walt Disney World fans still would’ve complained if this were the appearance of Riviera Resort, but not as loudly.
Still, not nearly as good as Portofino Bay, which remains the high-water mark for themed resorts at Universal Orlando. Of course, it’s also a product of a different era. Guest preferences have changed since then, and so too have both Universal’s and Disney’s approaches to themed hotel design.
Universal Helios Grand Hotel looks better than Disney’s Riviera Resort (not quite as ‘value engineered’), and there’s also the reality that Universal and Disney are held to different standards. I’ll be the first to admit that I do this, and I know most of you do too, judging by how much of a pass Universal gets for the things fans would excoriate Disney over.
The pool likewise looks nice, which is not a huge surprise since Universal Creative and Loews have done a fantastic job with pool complexes at many of the existing resorts. It’s probably fair to say that Universal hotels, on average, outdo Disney from the perspective of pools. The pools at Hard Rock and Portofino Bay are my personal favorites, but there are several great ones. (Cabana Bay can be good, but it’s often packed.)
The standard guest rooms at Universal Helios Grand Hotel look lackluster. The How to Train Your Dragon suites are fun, and I’m sure families will love them. No criticism there.
The regular rooms, though, are surprisingly bland. The standard rooms also look very small. Nothing about these say ‘luxury hotel’ or ‘flagship resort’ to me. It instead looks like Universal wanted to cram as many rooms into as small of a footprint as possible. If Disney did this, people would be comparing these rooms to the All Stars.
I don’t see much daylight between these and the other rooms that Universal has done in the last several years (new rooms and redone ones at the existing resorts). Maybe I’m missing something, but I don’t see much to separate the rooms at Universal Helios Grand Hotel from Sapphire Falls. Perhaps that’s why the latter has moved up into the top tier?
Same goes for the bars, markets, restaurants and other common areas. These look very similar to what we’ve seen done by Universal Creative in the last decade–everything post-Cabana Bay, which does have a distinct style. It’s all very underwhelming. I did a double-take after reading the lofty language in the press release about the theme and quality…only to see concept art that looks pretty pedestrian.
That’s perfectly fine for the lower tier resorts, as those common areas are way better than their counterparts at similarly-situated Walt Disney World resorts. But Universal Helios Grand Hotel is presumably drawing comparisons to the Deluxe Resorts at Walt Disney World, and those aren’t nearly as favorable. Even Gran Destino Tower (a Moderate Resort) looks more ambitious on the inside.
Of course, these are all first impressions based on concept art released for Universal Helios Grand Hotel. But I do think it’s kind of odd that several pieces of art were showcased for bland bars and markets. These all look very same-y, and certainly don’t sell me on Helios Grand Hotel. The one of the bar overlooking Epic Universe definitely does…and perhaps that view and location are all that’s needed. This hotel will probably sell itself with its proximity to Epic Universe. Maybe Universal realized that, and decided to cut corners on the hotel. It wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened recently (looking at you, Fantasy Springs Hotel at Tokyo DisneySea).
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think of Universal Helios Grand Hotel? Impressed by the style or substance? What do you think of the exterior vs. interior? Will you book Universal Helios Grand Hotel, or stick with one of the existing resorts? Think Epic Universe will be a third gate that’s a worthy addition to Universal Orlando Resort…and potentially on par with Disney’s best lands? Agree or disagree with our assessment that much of the interior looks too similar to Universal’s new lower-tier resorts? Any questions? We love hearing from readers, so please share any other thoughts or questions you have in the comments below!
I could see Grand Helios and a future Epic Campus hotel getting an Epic Only Unlimited Express pass a few years after park opening. It could be used as a tool to encourage longer split stay vacations.
While the 500 new rooms that Grand Helios adds would not dilute the current Unlimited Express perk too much, hotel spending would probably be higher if Grand Helios guests only visited Epic Universe during their stay.
Honestly, if you take away the Express Pass from all the hotels, Cabana Bay jumps up to number one if you have children in your group or even just more than two adults in your group because of their family suites and two bedroom suites that tend to cost LESS than standard “Premier Hotel” rooms. Plus there’s Cabana Bay’s cooler pool area (as the “Volcano Bay” hotel, it makes sense. Now, prices may equalize more in the future …. With the prices for the “non-Signature” more likely going up rather than the “Signature” going up … maybe. I don’t disagree that Universal/Comcast is as much about their bottom line as Disney; but there is still a reason Universal has to offer more significant perks to get the prices they want for their hotel rooms. Disney has the advantage of owning all the land around their parks; Universal does not. There are and will continue to be non-Universal hotels very close to their parks … several are physically closer to the current parks than the “Endless Summer” ones. All they need to do is provide shuttle buses to equalize. There is a significant perk on being literally next to the park sure. Two years ago walking out toward the garage after a long day, I looked at “The Hard Rock” and thought, “I wish I was staying there!” But that perk kinda goes away a little with “Epic Universe.” “Helios” will be great for an “Epic Universe” day; the other “Signatures” are great for the other three parks. But if your plan is to go to “Epic Universe” and the older parks in the same vacation, you calculate you are going to have to deal with shuttle buses or use a private car at some point. So then, why continue to stay in their most expensive hotels when there are much less expensive options including their own hotels which have bigger rooms for families?
Could you explain this: “Once fully built out, the new theme park campus would essentially double Universal Orlando Resort’s existing footprint. It won’t be that big in 2025–that build out is years, if not decades, down the road.”
Are you saying that when Epic Universe opens next year, it will only feature some of the lands currently being teased in promo videos? Or is there even more on the way after that?
The southern Universal theme park campus that Epic Universe sits on is a large parcel of land that includes space for more lands in Epic Universe, more hotels near Epic Universe, probably another City Walk-like area, and land that could go to any of those.
All five lands announced (four portals and Celestial Park) will open next year.
I really love Cabana Bay as like you Tom, I am a big fan of mid century modern and would go to Palm Springs in the summer when prices are cheaper. What do you think demoting Cabana Bay would do to its pricing? Also I am really surprised that they tiered cabana bay under adventura, as I think cabana bay is so much better.
I wouldn’t read too much into the tier changes–they’re probably just for the sake of marketing. And since Aventura is one of their group booking/convention locations, they probably want that slotted higher than Cabana Bay. If that means less people booking the better resort, fine by me!
Palm Springs in the summer was a one and done for me. “It’s a dry heat” they said. Well, how dry the heat is doesn’t matter when it’s 115 degrees before noon!
I’m surprised that Cabana Bay is moving down a tier to value. Does that change any perks? We stayed there last year and it was great.
I would not expect any material changes at CBBR.
No Express Pass for Epic is unsurprising and may actually be welcome since we can finally just have natural standby lines. Not giving Helios Express Pass for the two OG parks is surprising, mostly because I assume it’s going to cost significantly more than Hard Rock and Portofino. And especially given Universal’s one-day ticket limit on Epic, at least in the only package we have details on so far, and no APs (again, understandably), being right next to a park that you have to pay a boatload for if you want to attend multiple days on your trip starts to look like a way less enticing perk. Don’t get me wrong. The views look amazing! (I agree the rooms do not. It feels like Universal is allergic to artwork, which is not true of Disney and its stunning pieces over at Riviera). So given the mediocre rooms and the fact that I can just end my night at Epic with a nice dinner or drink at Helios to get those same views without the perk-less price tag, I’m sure a lot of people will be just fine sticking with Portofino/Hard Rock and using Universal’s very efficient bus system to get to Epic instead.
You’re right on the money about Express being a contract stipulation with Loews.
Care to add anything to that?
As mentioned, I can’t imagine the perk exists in perpetuity for the original 3 top tier resorts. That would be terrible negotiating on Universal’s part (not to mention a failure to revisit the clause when entering a deal on Helios, which will be a license to print money). Any idea when it ends?
If they end Express Pass as a perk then the prices better reflect the change.
Maybe they’re going the Disney route and will just gouge at every corner they can.
Prices aren’t going anywhere but up. We should all be very worried if they do drop, because that would mean Epic Universe is a flop and/or the demand isn’t there. (Which would also have a ripple effect on Walt Disney World, and likely mean a pullback of investment there.)
Comcast didn’t invest several billions of dollars in Epic Universe to lose money–they’ve already got Peacock for that.
I like your point about Universal/Comcast being just as profit driven as Disney. Just so! Universal has had to differentiate itself in “perks” and customer service playing the underdog all these years. You can tell that they now think they are going to get the upperhand and can command higher margins. You are absolutely right comparing Helios to the lackluster Riviera. While I have been impressed with everything coming out of the Epic Universe announcements, Helios fell flat. It is the same sleek, modern aesthetic we have been seeing with Disney, which really just saves design and construction costs.
I think Universal is overplaying their hand on the Express Pass perk. My guess is that you are right that free EP Unlimited is going away at all their resorts. But once you take that away, even the Portofino (which is far better than Helios looks) would be put on par with a moderate Disney resort. Portofino is not in the same league on its own merits (seeking EP aside) with AKL, Grand Floridian, Wilderness Lodge, Poly, etc.
I would also guess that the large majority of Express Passes at Universal were coming from guests of their 3 premier hotels. Their express passes are massively overpriced for families, especially given that you end up waiting in the “express” line much longer than Disney guests ever wait in a LL line.
Universal-boosters should start applying the same skeptical eye to Universal as many do with Disney.
“Universal-boosters should start applying the same skeptical eye to Universal as many do with Disney.”
Agreed.
Disney has its share of ‘pixie dusters’ who never criticize the company, but there are also a ton of fans who hold them to a high standard. Meanwhile, it seems like the only people who ever criticize Universal are Disney fans. And even most Disney fans simply do not care about Universal, so it’s superficial or reactionary critique at best.
Universal fans have a chip on their shoulder that they really need to shake because the reflexive defensiveness is not doing them any favors.
I had SUCH high expectations for Grand Helios … a flagship hotel, the “crown jewel” of Epic Universe? With a dedicated theme park entrance like the Grand Californian and Hotel Miracosta? Given all that, I expected it to be on the level of those two resorts. Or Portofino Bay, which to your point is so transportive! I fully planned to spend at least two nights here on my Epic Universe trip to take full advantage of the perks and amenities.
But I am also underwhelmed. The concept art does feel very sort of basic resort, which is a bummer. And with the lack of Express Pass I’m genuinely considering making Portofino home base for my Epic trip instead. We’ll see what details roll out about other perks, park access and rates though.
Tom,
I understand your best guess is that Express Pass won’t be offered at Epic Universe. When do you think that might change?
Also, if you think Helios ends up with the same perk as the other luxury resorts, do you think Helios will offer express pass to the other IOA and UO or do you think the other luxury resorts stop offering express pass when Epic Universe opens up?
Thank you for all the information – your blog is the best!
I don’t think the common areas are overly bland. The bars seem nice (although they do remind me of the Hard Rock in Ft. Lauderdale). The guest rooms do not seem premium though. The floor plans look like cruise ship cabins and the renderings look like Cabana Bay, with different finishes. I’m a value hotel goer myself, so I wouldn’t be staying there either way. I am intrigued/ excited to have Cabana Bay demoted to full, normal value status. Thanks for the update!
“I don’t think the common areas are overly bland.”
Take a look at the same spaces in Universal Orlando’s last 4 hotels. There’s not that much daylight between them…and all of those resorts are budget/moderate caliber. It’s fine with those, they’re punching above their weight. But for a flagship hotel? Very underwhelming IMO.
Interesting. The express pass is the only reason I would stay at any of those top tier hotels with my family. If the price of the hotel rooms doesn’t go down and the unlimited pass is removed, I would definitely just stay off site or at a value for the early entry and purchase the unlimited express pass. I am baffled by this – perhaps they don’t realize just how many people only stay at the more expensive hotels because of the pass? Time will tell…
“perhaps they don’t realize just how many people only stay at the more expensive hotels because of the pass?”
That’s right now, though.
I would imagine their calculus is that a brand-new park is going to create a ton of hotel demand, regardless of perks. Early entry will still be a huge one, and if guests start downgrading resorts as a result, they’ll raise the prices on the lower-tier ones or offer better discounts for the top-tier.
Universal’s cheapest resorts are currently underpriced. My bet is those room rates increase *a lot* by 2026.
The only reason we stayed at Royal Pacific last year was for Express. Much rather would have been at Sapphire Falls. Was unimpressed with Royal Pacific resort as a whole, wouldn’t ever go back except for it being the lowest cost of the Express pass resorts. Looking at summer 2025 pricing for Royal Pacific, it is a huge premium over Sapphire Falls. So, I can’t imagine that doesn’t include Express still into next year. If it doesn’t, then the numbers make no sense at all.
Are the new tiers expected to kick in once Helios is open? As in, do you expect it be business as usual until then for the Premieres?
If Premiere are potentially going to lose Express Pass when that happens, I might try to fit in a quick trip before that perk goes away. It’s been such a gamechanger for me in spending time and money at Universal….
Are you saying/speculating that Helios will not have any Unlimited Express Pass, the ones that currently have it will keep it, and Sapphire Falls will get it added to better match the amenities of the other hotels in its new tier? Because that seems like the most confusing version for consumers on all fronts.
What makes the most sense/seems easiest from a logistics perspective is that all the hotels lose Unlimited Express Pass. Second most likely seems that all of the top tier hotels get it solely for the two existing parks, since as you said that is the defining perk currently. But I think having Epic Universe be excluded would cause a ton of customer service headaches from people who did not notice the shiny new park is classed separately. Alternatively I could maybe see the top tier getting the one skip per ride version of the Express Pass for all 3 parks, with the caveat that some rides at Epic Universe just aren’t eligible for Express Pass, period.
Another option could be that the top tier hotels do not get Express Pass included, but are eligible to add it on to their stay for a discount as compared to the full price.
Universal Orlando is saying Helios won’t offer Express Pass–at all: https://x.com/UniversalORL/status/1826614741785096275
I don’t necessarily take social media accounts as the gospel, so it’s possible they’re wrong.
If they aren’t wrong, I would guess that all Unlimited Express Pass is gone–period–as a top-tier perk once Epic Universe/Helios open. That’s totally a guess, though. Just what I think makes the most sense from a logistical and operational perspective, as well as Universal’s likely deal with Loews.
Universal updated its hotel comparison chart with a hotel comparison tool: https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/places-to-stay/hotels/compare-features
Not only does it note that Helios does *not* include free Universal Express Unlimited, but it clarifies that the free Universal Express Unlimited is limited to Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure.
(Also, if anyone uses Priority Seating at Universal resorts, Helios will not be offering it at any of its restaurants.)
I’m excited but the rooms do look bland.
It would be really wierd for Helios to not have express pass, but for other hotels to have it, considering Helios is likely to be priced higher than the others. It would be nice for Helios to have express pass for first two parks, but I agree its more likely that all the hotels lose it. But if all lose it, would they be able to sustain the same prices for their other hotels? Its still kind of a ridiculous deal that the sticker price for express pass is often higher than the cost of the rooms.
Regarding Saphire – it is techinically “walkable” which Disney would use to say its Deluxe. Seems like they would use that as the differentiator.
I would expect that Helios will end up having whatever Portofino, Hard Rock, and Royal Pacific end up with in terms of Express Pass. Whether that means Helios adding it or the other three losing it, I have no clue. At this point, Universal Orlando is telling people (via social media) Helios won’t offer Express Pass–at all. We shall see if that ends up being accurate.
I just don’t expect *any* of them to have Express Pass for Epic Universe. That’s the big thing.