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OI Universal Center

Welcome to the OI Universal Center!

Prepare to upgrade your adventure to Universal Orlando Resort with our obsessively updated collection of Universal insider information and expert advice.

The OI Universal Center is home to our free next-generation encyclopedia of Universal Orlando vacation-planning information. It contains over 200 pages covering Universal’s theme and water parks, hotels, and more. In addition, we offer our readers six extraordinary advantages over traditional guidebooks and other websites:

  • Nearly same-day updates to our insider information as changes take place in the parks
  • Comprehensive analysis of all construction projects and anticipated resort developments
  • Immersive multimedia, including more than 10,000 full-screen photos and hours of HD video
  • Intense, first-hand coverage of annual events with advice written based on this year’s activities
  • Over a thousand “real guest reviews” of Universal’s theme park attractions and dining venues
  • In-park photo updates broadcast live from Universal Orlando each and every week

Last year, over three million families used our website to plan the perfect vacation and gain complete confidence in their knowledge of the parks. As we now celebrate an even bigger and busier year, we are very proud to take our place as the premier independent resource for guests visiting Universal Orlando Resort.

First-time visitors, please read this page:
How to use our FREE online guide to plan your Universal vacation

OI Universal Center table of contents

Skip to…
Tickets and Planning | Vacation Tips | Wizarding World guide | Events | Touring plans | USF | IOAVB | CityWalk | Hotels | Prop Graveyard

Overview and Introduction:

Tickets and Planning

Insider Tips on Your Vacation

These guide pages will give you the inside scoop on how to get the most out of your vacation to Universal Orlando Resort. From internet access to mobile food ordering, all your questions can be answered here. Perusing these pages now will save you countless hours later, allowing you to spend more time on what’s important – your trip!

Insider’s Guide to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

With Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade Village, Universal Orlando changed the game for what it meant to be immersed in a theme park. These guide pages will cover our best insider tips on getting the most out of your visit to the Wizarding World.

Annual Events at Universal Orlando

There’s more to do than just rollercoasters! The following guide pages provide information on annual events at Universal Orlando Resort. Check here periodically for updates and news.

Universal Orlando Touring Plans

We combined our years of expertise and insider experience to build the best touring plans for you so you don’t have to! Whether you’re staying one day, or all week, we’ve got you covered!

Universal Studios Florida – Complete Guide and History

Universal Studios boasts The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley, Men in Black, Springfield, U.S.A, and more. Use these guide pages to help plan your ultimate vacation.

Universal’s Islands of Adventure – complete guide and history

Islands of Adventure features lands such as Seuss Landing, Jurassic Park, and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade Village. That means you can ride The Cat in the Hat, come face to face with dinosaurs, and attend Hagrid’s magical creatures lesson. These pages contain great insider tips and tricks to make sure you have a great vacation.

Universal’s Volcano Bay – complete guide and history

The water theme park at Universal Studios, Volcano Bay takes your vacation to a whole new level of relaxation and excitement – all in the same day! Go with the flow in a raft, or climb to the top of Krakatau volcano just to slide back down again! But whatever you do – use our guide pages to plan your day at Volcano Bay and maximize your trip.

Park-wide tips

Universal’s Epic Universe – complete guide and history (opening May 22, 2025)

Epic Universe will be Universal Orlando Resorts’ biggest park, housing four intellectual properties: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Nintendo, How to Train Your Dragon, and Universal Monsters.

Universal CityWalk Orlando

These guide pages will walk you through everything you need to know about Universal City Walk and all you can find there! With formal dining options, to-go pizza, and even a tattoos parlor, you’ll find what you need (and more) at City Walk.

Universal Orlando’s hotels (general information)

Universal Orlando Resort boasts 11 hotels, and each has something the others don’t! Use these guide pages to read about each one and decide which is best for you and your family on your unforgettable vacation.

The Prop Graveyard: TOURING THE EXTINCT ATTRACTIONS

Unfortunately, even good things must come to an end. Universal Orlando Resort opened more than 20 years ago, and in their journey to keep things fresh and updated, sacrifices had to be made along the way! Use these guide pages to read up on the attractions of days gone by.

Universal's Islands of Adventure in the evening
Universal Orlando Resort’s Islands of Adventure in the evening (before the advent of VelociCoaster)