Most articles about accommodation in Orlando assume the family’s primary destination is Disney World. For a significant portion of travelers, that premise is wrong. There are families who go to Orlando specifically for Universal Studios, for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, for Jurassic World VelociCoaster or for Volcano Bay, Universal’s water park. For that profile, staying in Kissimmee near Disney but far from Universal means starting every day with a 30 to 40-minute transfer instead of 15. This guide is built for those who are clear that Universal is their main park.
Walt Disney World is so large that virtually the entire Kissimmee and Davenport area is “close” in relative terms. Universal is more compact and its location on the Orlando map is different: it is north of I-4, closer to the city center and International Drive than to Kissimmee.
That means the vacation rental communities that are well located for Disney (Windsor Hills, ChampionsGate, Encantada) can be 30 to 40 minutes from Universal, while properties in other parts of Orlando can cut that journey to 10 or 15 minutes.
For families planning 3 or more Universal days, that accumulated transfer time is real. A 25-minute difference per round trip, multiplied by 6 trips over 3 days, is two and a half hours that could be spent inside the park.
International Drive is the highest-concentration zone of hotels and tourist services in Orlando, and also the closest to Universal Studios. Vacation properties in the I-Drive area are between 10 and 18 minutes from Universal’s entrance and have direct access to rides, restaurants and entertainment without needing a car for many activities.
The downside of I-Drive for vacation rentals is limited availability of large homes with private pools. The predominant format in that zone is hotels and condos, not single-family homes. For groups of 4 to 6, there are good options. For groups of 10 or more, the search is more challenging.
South of I-Drive, along the Vineland Road and Sand Lake Road corridor, there are residential communities with vacation properties that combine Universal proximity with quick I-4 access toward Disney. From this zone, Universal is about 15 to 20 minutes and Disney about 20 to 25 minutes.
For families wanting to split the itinerary between Universal and Disney without sacrificing too much transfer time in either direction, this zone is an interesting balance point.
Storey Lake is in Kissimmee but has a more balanced location between Disney and Universal than other communities in the area. From Storey Lake, Disney is about 12 minutes and Universal about 25 to 28 minutes. It is not the closest option to Universal, but for families visiting both parks with similar weight in the itinerary, it is one of the communities with the best balance. The Storey Lake vacation homes guide covers its full layout, clubhouse and what the community is best for.
Flexible late-night check-in: Universal has shows and nighttime experiences that run late, especially Halloween Horror Nights. A home with an easy digital check-in without coordinating arrival time is more convenient for families returning after midnight.
Quick breakfast setup: arriving at Universal before opening is as important as at Disney. A well-equipped kitchen with a toaster, coffee maker and microwave lets the family leave in 20 minutes without stopping anywhere.
Pool for hot afternoons: Universal in summer has the same heat as Disney. A private pool or resort pool access for the midday break makes the same difference as in any other Orlando itinerary.
Space for groups: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is an experience many families do in groups, with friends or extended family who share the fandom. Homes of 5 or more bedrooms for groups of 10 to 14 are frequent for this traveler profile.
Volcano Bay is Universal’s water park, opened in 2017 and considered one of the best in Florida. It is physically adjacent to the Universal Studios complex and shares the same I-4 access.
For families including Volcano Bay in the itinerary, the accommodation location logic simplifies: being near Universal Studios is also being near Volcano Bay, with no additional calculations needed.
A Volcano Bay day has a different dynamic from a theme park day. Lines are shorter thanks to the virtual reservation system (TapTu Ride), the pace is more relaxed and returning to the accommodation at the end of the day involves wet clothes, exhausted kids and the need to wash and dry for the next day. In-unit laundry goes from a convenience to a practical necessity for families going to Volcano Bay multiple days.
For Harry Potter fans, The Wizarding World has two zones in different parks: Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure and Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida. To visit both on the same day, a Park-to-Park ticket is needed, which includes the Hogwarts Express ride between the two parks.
The complete Harry Potter experience at Universal requires at least a day and a half to do without rushing: one full Park-to-Park day to cover both worlds and the main attractions, and half a day to repeat favorites and explore what was left pending.
For that type of itinerary, staying in an area that allows arriving at Universal before opening is especially important, because Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, which is in Hogsmeade, is the resort’s longest-wait attraction and arriving among the first can mean the difference between a 20-minute wait and a 90-minute one. For a full breakdown of how to skip lines at Universal Orlando, there are strategies specific to Hagrid’s and the rest of the Wizarding World.
Properties on International Drive and its surroundings are the closest to Universal, with transfer times of 10 to 18 minutes. For homes with private pools and more bedrooms, communities in the Vineland Road area or Storey Lake offer a good balance.
Yes. From communities like Storey Lake or the Vineland Road areas, both Disney and Universal are within 30 minutes. The difference is 10 to 15 extra minutes of transfer toward one or the other, which is perfectly manageable for an itinerary including both parks.
Yes. Volcano Bay has its own admission and is not included in standard Universal Studios or Islands of Adventure tickets. There are 3-park packages that include both main parks plus Volcano Bay, which are the most affordable option if you plan to visit all three.
For families with kids of different ages wanting to cover Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and Volcano Bay, the minimum recommendation is 3 full days. With Epic Universe opening in 2026, add at least one extra day if you want to include that park.
Top Stay can guide you on available properties in the most convenient zones for Universal-focused itineraries. Check availability directly for current options based on your dates and group size.
The most common mistake families who go primarily to Universal make is booking in Kissimmee out of habit, because “everyone stays there for Orlando.” If your itinerary has 3 Universal days and 1 Disney day, your accommodation should be planned around Universal, not the other way around. The difference in transfer time, accumulated energy and daily logistics is enough to make it worth finding the right option from the start.
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