Neighborhood 48H guide
Universal / CityWalk: Where to Stay & What to Do in 48 Hours
Walk or boat to the Universal parks, CityWalk at night.
Universal Orlando is its own small city: Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and Volcano Bay around CityWalk’s restaurants, plus a row of on-site hotels with water taxis and walking paths. Epic Universe opened nearby in 2025.
Photo gallery
Photo: Farragutful · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Farragutful · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Farragutful · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Why stay here
From an on-site hotel you walk or take a water taxi to two parks and CityWalk, and some hotels include Express passes.
Who it's for: Universal-first trips, Harry Potter fans, and groups who want nightlife within walking distance.
Pros
- Walk or boat to the parks and CityWalk
- Early park admission from on-site hotels
- Hotels from value (Cabana Bay) to premier (Portofino Bay)
Cons
- Little outside Universal within walking distance
- Premier hotels are expensive
- Disney is 25+ minutes by car
48H at Universal
Two parks, two CityWalk nights.
08:00 – Islands of Adventure
Use early admission from your on-site hotel for Hogsmeade.
19:00 – Toothsome Chocolate Emporium
Steampunk dining room on CityWalk known for its milkshakes.
08:00 – Day 2: Universal Studios
Take the Hogwarts Express from Hogsmeade if you have a park-to-park ticket.
20:00 – Bob Marley – A Tribute to Freedom
Jamaican food and reggae on the courtyard at CityWalk.
23:00 – Voodoo Doughnut
Late doughnut on the way back to the hotel.
Named recommendations
Real places with links to their official site or a Maps place page. We do not invent hours, prices, or ratings.
Coffee
Coffee
Voodoo Doughnut
Universal CityWalk
Portland’s doughnut shop, open early and late on CityWalk.
Official site / map →
Eat
Eat
The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen
Universal CityWalk
Steampunk-themed dining room; come for the milkshakes.
Official site / map →
Drink
Drink
Bob Marley – A Tribute to Freedom
Universal CityWalk
Jamaican food and live reggae in an open courtyard. Opening days have been cut back, so check the Universal app first.
Official site / map →
See / do
See / do
Universal CityWalk
6000 Universal Blvd
Free-entry restaurants, bars and a movie theater between the two original parks.
Photo: Farragutful · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons Official site / map →See / do
Universal Islands of Adventure
6000 Universal Blvd
Hogsmeade, Jurassic World and the Hulk coaster.
Official site / map →
Where to stay
Specific named properties—not vague city-wide searches. Expedia stays use tracked Creator links; others open the hotel's official site.
Roam48 may earn a commission when you book a stay through Expedia or Vrbo links on this page, at no extra cost to you. All commercial stay links use rel="sponsored nofollow".
Hotel · Expedia
Universal’s Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
5601 Universal Blvd
Italian harbor-village hotel with water taxis to CityWalk and Express Unlimited with park admission.
Check rates on Expedia →Hotel · Expedia
Universal’s Hard Rock Hotel
5800 Universal Blvd
The closest hotel to CityWalk and the parks, with a big pool and Express Unlimited.
Check rates on Expedia →Hotel · Expedia
Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort
6550 Adventure Way
Retro motel-style value resort with a lazy river, bowling and a walking path to the parks.
Photo: Farragutful · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons Check rates on Expedia →
Vacation rentals
Prefer an apartment or whole home in this neighborhood? Browse Vrbo listings for Universal / CityWalk.
Browse vacation rentals in Universal / CityWalk on Vrbo →Other ways to spend 48 hours in Orlando
- International Drive — The wheel at ICON Park, big convention hotels, and Universal ten minutes up the road.
- Disney Springs / Lake Buena Vista — Walk to Disney Springs dinner, shuttle to the parks.
- Epcot Resort Area / BoardWalk — Walk to EPCOT, boat to Hollywood Studios, dinner on the BoardWalk.
- SeaWorld / Sea Harbor — SeaWorld, Aquatica and Discovery Cove on one doorstep.
- Downtown / Thornton Park — Lake Eola mornings, brick streets, and a real city dinner.
- Winter Park — Park Avenue shops, the Tiffany chapel at the Morse, and a boat through the lakes.
- Celebration — Disney’s planned town: lakefront, Market Street, and 10 minutes to the parks.
- Kissimmee / US-192 — Big pool homes, Old Town, and the Disney gate down the road.
- Lake Nona — A new town by the airport: Boxi Park, the USTA campus and a design hotel.