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In 1971, Orlando was put on the map as the theme park capital of the world with the opening of the Walt Disney World Resort. Here families could make memories to last a lifetime.
The Walt Disney World Resort was a giant version of the Disneyland Resort that opened in 1955 in Anaheim, California.
In the late 1980s, Universal announced it would open its own East Coast theme park, similar to the one it operated in Hollywood.
Disney saw this new theme park as a significant threat and also started building a theme park based around movie studios.
Miraculously, Disney’s MGM Studios managed to open its doors in 1989, before the grand opening of Universal Studios Florida one year later. MGM was a rushed project, and Universal Studios Florida blew Disney’s theme park away when it finally opened in 1990.
In 1995, the expansion of Universal’s Orlando project began as the company invested billions of dollars in creating a second theme park, Universal’s Islands of Adventure. Three on-site resort hotels and an entertainment and dining district, CityWalk, were also unveiled.
The original Universal Studios Florida park was also expanded with new areas to create a multi-day destination rivaling Disney.
In 1999, Universal’s Islands of Adventure opened to rave reviews. It featured innovative attractions such as The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk Coaster which win awards year after year, even to this day.
The Universal Orlando Resort has fast become the place to visit in Orlando. Innovative attractions and areas such as The Simpsons Ride and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, have sent visitor figures sky-rocketing. Collectively, both theme parks now welcome 16 million guests yearly.
2021 marks an exciting year for the resort as it unveils a new Jurassic Park rollercoaster.
