Universal Studios Florida (Orlando, Fla.

Universal Studios Florida is a theme park located in Orlando, Florida, United States. Owned by NBCUniversal and operated by Universal Destinations & Experiences, it opened to the public on June 7, 1990, and features numerous rides, shows, and attractions that are primarily themed to movies, television, and other aspects of the entertainment industry. Universal Studios Florida was the first park to open at Universal Orlando Resort, joined later by Universal Islands of Adventure (1999), Universal Volcano Bay (2017), and Universal Epic Universe (2025). The success of Universal Studios Hollywood in the 1980s, fueled by the popularity of Studio Tour attractions like King Kong Encounter, led to a desire to expand into the Orlando market to compete with Walt Disney World. The new park was designed to be both an amusement park and an active studio lot, incorporating some of the same behind-the-scenes elements popularized at the Hollywood location. As the interest to produce films in the Orlando area quickly faded, the studio backlot aspect was soon abandoned. Two of the early attractions at the theme park were developed in close collaboration with famed Hollywood director Steven Spielberg, and other attractions over the years followed suit, working closely with directors, producers, and actors of the films they are based on. One of the biggest draws at the park is Diagon Alley, a Harry Potter-themed portion of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter that opened in 2014. Another notable attraction is E.T. Adventure, which is the oldest ride in the park and the last remaining remnant from the park's grand opening still in operation today. Universal Studios Florida also operates a well-known annual event during the fall season called Halloween Horror Nights, featuring haunted houses and scare zones on select nights. Over 9.5 million guests visited the park in 2024, ranking it as the thirteenth-most visited theme park in the world.