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Universal's Endless Summer Resort - Dockside Inn and Suites

4.0$Universal on-siteCheapest on-site tierTwo-bedroom suitesNo resort fee

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Universal's Endless Summer Resort - Dockside Inn and Suites, photo 1

Photos: Photo: Leonard J. DeFrancisci, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Our take

By Matt Spaulding, Founder and writer

Dockside is the larger half of Endless Summer and the cheapest tier on Universal property. The reason to pick it over its twin next door is the room mix: 1,059 of its 2,050 rooms are two-bedroom suites with three queen beds, a bathroom split into separate bath and vanity areas, and a kitchenette, which is hard to find anywhere at this end of the market. What you give up is most of what Universal charges more for. Universal Express Unlimited is not included at this tier, so you are in standby lines unless you buy passes. Getting to the parks means the bus. There is no water taxi or walkway from Endless Summer, unlike the hotels ringing the lagoon. Buses run every 15 minutes and reach the transportation hub in 5 to 10 minutes, where you ride an escalator up, clear security, and walk about five more minutes on moving walkways to the gates. Figure 15 to 20 minutes door to turnstile. The pools are plain zero-entry rectangles with sand edges and no slide. The recurring complaint in reviews is the building itself. Hallways run long, guests hear each other through connecting doors, and elevator waits at park-opening time come up again and again in a tower this size. Parking runs $26 plus tax a night, though there is no resort fee, which is unusual in Orlando.

Quick facts

Express Pass
Not included. Only Portofino Bay, Hard Rock and Royal Pacific include Express Unlimited.
Park access
Complimentary bus only, 5 to 10 minutes to the transportation hub, then security and about a 5-minute walk to the gates.
Parking
$26 plus tax per night to self-park; RV parking $80 plus tax
Resort fee
None
Rooms
2,050 rooms; 1,059 are two-bedroom suites sleeping six (440 sq ft, three queen beds)
Pool
Two zero-entry pools with sand edges, pool bars and a splash pad. No waterslides.

Where you are

Map showing the location of Universal's Endless Summer Resort - Dockside Inn and Suites📍 7125 Universal Blvd, Orlando, FL 32819

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Dockside sits on Universal Boulevard, set apart from the main Universal campus and reached only by shuttle bus. International Drive dining and the Orlando outlet malls are close by.

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Universal's Endless Summer Resort - Dockside Inn and Suites FAQ

Is Universal Express Unlimited included at Dockside Inn and Suites?

No. Express Unlimited comes with a stay at exactly three hotels: Portofino Bay, Hard Rock Hotel and Royal Pacific. Dockside guests can buy Express separately. It covers participating rides at Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure, and it is not valid at Volcano Bay. Epic Universe sells its own separate Express Pass, which you buy on top of admission, and no hotel stay includes it.

Does Dockside Inn and Suites charge a resort fee?

No. Dockside Inn and Suites does not charge a nightly resort fee, which is rare for Orlando. Self-parking is billed separately.

How much is parking at Dockside Inn and Suites?

$26 plus tax per night, per vehicle for self-parking, with in and out privileges. RV parking is $80 plus tax. Rates are subject to change.

How do you get to the Universal parks from Dockside Inn and Suites?

By complimentary shuttle bus, which is the only option here. There is no water taxi or walkway from Endless Summer, unlike the hotels closer to CityWalk. Buses run every 15 minutes, from an hour before early entry until 2am, and reach Universal's transportation hub in 5 to 10 minutes. From the hub you ride an escalator up, clear security, and walk about five minutes on moving walkways to the gates, so figure 15 to 20 minutes door to turnstile. Epic Universe has its own bus route, 15 to 25 minutes.

Do Dockside guests get early park admission?

Yes. Early Park Admission comes with a stay at any Universal on-site hotel, Endless Summer included, and lets you into a participating park up to an hour before the public with valid admission. It covers Epic Universe as well. It is a separate perk from Express Pass and gives you a head start on the day; once the park opens to everyone you are in the standby lines.

Is Dockside Inn and Suites worth booking?

Yes if you need a two-bedroom suite for six people and want early entry at Universal's cheapest on-site tier. Over half the rooms here are two-bedroom suites, which is hard to find at this end of the market. Do not book it expecting to skip lines, and budget the bus ride plus the walk from the hub into your morning.

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