Universal Orlando Resort, often shortened to Universal Orlando, is a 541-acre (219 ha) theme park and entertainment resort complex located in Orlando, Florida. Following the opening of Universal Studios Florida in 1990, NBCUniversal moved forward with plans to expand from a single park into a large resort hoping to compete with Walt Disney World. In 1999, a second theme park called Islands of Adventure opened in addition to CityWalk, a shopping promenade and nightlife district that incorporates a variety of themed hotels, restaurants, and retail outlets. A third 30-acre (12 ha) water theme park, Volcano Bay, was added in 2017, and a fourth upcoming theme park, Epic Universe, is scheduled to open in 2025.
The Universal Globe, the icon of the resort, with the gates to Universal Studios Florida in the background
The Pharos Lighthouse marks the entrance to Islands of Adventure.
Panoramic view of Universal Studios Florida's lagoon, December 2005
Entrance sign to CityWalk from the parking garage
An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, as well as other events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central theme, often featuring multiple areas with different themes. Unlike temporary and mobile funfairs and carnivals, amusement parks are stationary and built for long-lasting operation. They are more elaborate than city parks and playgrounds, usually providing attractions that cater to a variety of age groups. While amusement parks often contain themed areas, theme parks place a heavier focus with more intricately-designed themes that revolve around a particular subject or group of subjects.
Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom in Florida – Cinderella Castle, the park's icon.
Al-Shallal Theme Park in Saudi Arabia.
Unity Park zoo in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Frederick Savage's 'Sea-On-Land' carousel, where the riders would pitch up and down as if they were on the sea, was the first amusement ride installed in Dreamland Margate in 1880 England.