logo
Can you take SunRail or Brightline to Universal Orlando's Epic Universe? Sort of, see how

Can you take SunRail or Brightline to Universal Orlando's Epic Universe? Sort of, see how

Yahoo14-05-2025
Floridians can travel to Epic Universe by car and plane, but can they also get there by train?
Universal Orlando's newest theme park will open its doors to the public on Thursday, May 22, taking guests into five immersive worlds through themed portals.
Florida has two commuter rail systems that go to Orlando: SunRail in Central Florida and Brightline in South Florida. Here's how you can take them to Epic Universe.
Epic Universe is located at 1001 Epic Boulevard in Orlando.
Please note: it's not right next to the other Universal Orlando theme parks. It is located about 4 miles away from Universal's "north campus"— which includes Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure and CityWalk. This might mean a 13 to 15-minute drive for visitors.
There will be complimentary transportation between Epic Universe and the other parks.
Brightline operates between South Florida and Orlando with stops at Miami, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, and Orlando. Brightline ticket prices vary based on the distance traveled and the type of ticket purchased.
Parkgoers can take Brightline to the Orlando stop at the Orlando International Airport, where Universal Orlando offers the SuperStar Shuttle for traveling round-trip or one-way between the airport and Universal Orlando hotels. The ride from MCO to Universal Orlando is roughly 30 minutes.
It costs $39 round-trip per adult, $36 round-trip for children ages 3-9, and free for children 2 and under. As for one-way prices, it costs $23 per adult, $18 per child ages 3-9 and children under 2 ride free.
This service can be added to any Universal Parks & Resorts Vacation package with a UOR hotel, or individual UOR hotel reservations. The shuttle must be booked at least 24 hours before guests' scheduled flight time.
Rideshare services, such as Uber and Lyft, are also available as an alternative.
SunRail is a Central Florida-based commuter train with stops from Volusia County to Osceola County. It began services back in May 2014, currently seeing a daily ridership of over 4,500 people. Like Brightline, SunRail ticket prices vary based on the distance traveled and the type of ticket purchased.
While it does not have a stop directly at Universal Orlando, you can get pretty close. The nearest stop to Epic Universe is the Sand Lake Road Station, which is roughly 7 miles away from the new theme park.
From the station, you can use rideshare services to travel to the theme park.
There is hope that SunRail will be extended to the Orlando International Airport and other areas.
The Florida Department of Transportation previously proposed a study looking into an expansion of SunRail between Orlando International Airport and Disney Springs, referred to as the 'Sunshine Corridor.'
This would also allow parkgoers to ride to MCO and take the shuttle to the theme park.
Epic Universe officially opens to the public on Thursday, May 22, 2025, ahead of Memorial Day weekend.
Some might be able to see it early. Universal is currently offering a park preview to select guests through May 19.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Epic Universe opens on May 22. Can Floridians take Brightline to park?
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Montreal over Miami: Patriotic Canadians change summer vacation plans
Montreal over Miami: Patriotic Canadians change summer vacation plans

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Montreal over Miami: Patriotic Canadians change summer vacation plans

By Nivedita Balu TORONTO (Reuters) -Canadians are trading their annual vacation south of the border for road trips around Ottawa, the midnight sun in Yukon, whale watching in Nova Scotia or hiking in Banff. The newfound desire to stay local started earlier this year when U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to annex Canada and imposed a series of tariffs on Canadian goods, spurring a 'Buy Canadian' movement to boycott U.S. businesses and avoid traveling to the U.S. London, Ontario-based Guess Where Trips sells curated mystery road trip packages in four Canadian provinces and reported a 75% increase in sales of trips across the country so far this year from a year ago. "It is clear that more Canadians are choosing to explore small businesses and hidden gems close to home, rather than crossing the border for their holidays and vacations," operations manager Jessica Bax said. Road trips around Ottawa are among their most popular packages, Bax said, as more Canadians explore their capital city. Prime Minister Mark Carney has also made a pitch for Canadians to take advantage of a new "Canada Strong" pass that grants free or discounted access to several national parks, historic sites and museums this summer. "Canadians are making choices to visit this great country, spend time here with their family, with their friends. They're making choices to buy Canadian products," he said in a press briefing in Huntsville, Ontario on Tuesday. The discount pass contrasts with Trump ordering higher entrance fees at U.S. national parks for visitors from other countries. A Bank of Canada survey this week showed that 55% of Canadians plan to spend less money vacationing in the United States this year while 35% said they would spend more on traveling within Canada. A survey by TD Bank showed 64% of Canadians polled planned to travel within the country, mirroring an increase in domestic flight bookings. Canadian domestic tourism spending rose 4% in the first quarter this year from a year earlier, said Destination Canada, a government agency that promotes Canadian tourism. The number of flight return trips from the United States made by Canadians fell 17% in May from a year earlier, while the number of such trips made by car fell by 37% that month, according to Statistics Canada. Walter Flower, who operates whale watching tours in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, said he has been busier this year as more people exploring the UNESCO World Heritage town booked a 45-minute ocean adventure hoping to spot whales off the east coast. Divya Mohan, a communications specialist in Toronto, says she had initially planned to go to Texas this year but instead opted to explore the city of Winnipeg in Manitoba. "It just felt like the timing wasn't right... may be in the future," Mohan, 39, said of her trip in April. "Winnipeg is just one more destination in Canada to explore," Mohan said, coming away impressed with the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. On the west coast in British Columbia, RVs have gained popularity, said Storm Jespersen, a regional manager at family-owned tourism firm Evergreen Hospitality Group. "This year is going to be the busiest year in our company's history across our 26 properties... it's so busy, I don't think you can even rent one (RV) very easily right now," said Jespersen. WORTH THE BUCK Traveling in Canada can be expensive as domestic flights to remote locations often cost more than traveling to the United States or even Europe. But travelers have found ways to do it cheaper - through road trips or by hunting for discounts. "Doing road trips or just weekend trips to a cabin nearby is a great way to switch things up without spending thousands of dollars to fly a family of four across the country and back," said Vancouver-based marketing executive Kramer Solinsky. On his list this year, Solinsky plans to visit Montreal and the east coast for the first time and is traveling to Mexico City and Osaka in Japan instead of other sun-soaked options like Florida and California. To make some remote regions in northern Canada more accessible, Air North - the airline for the northern provinces of Yukon and Northwest Territories - added more capacity and non-stop routes for the summer, betting on higher demand from what it said was "clear and growing interest among Canadians in exploring more of their own country" Air North said arrivals to Yukon rose 7.6% from January to June this year and the airline continues to see growth in demand for flights to northern Canada. Other Canadian carriers have reported similar trends: Porter Airlines increased its summer network capacity to domestic travel to 80% from 75%, while peer WestJet in May suspended nine routes between Canada and the United States citing lower demand. Sign in to access your portfolio

Top 5 concerts this week in Sarasota, Bradenton, Punta Gorda
Top 5 concerts this week in Sarasota, Bradenton, Punta Gorda

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Top 5 concerts this week in Sarasota, Bradenton, Punta Gorda

As we've said before, summer in the Sarasota area is when the many talented musicians that call Florida home take center stage, and that's certainly true of this week's concert picks, composed entirely of performers from the Sunshine State. We kick things off with a sold-out show in Sarasota featuring a Tampa Bay jazz trio and a singer from St. Petersburg. There's also a Fort Myers-based blues musician playing two local dates in Sarasota and Punta Gorda; one Bradenton venue hosting two concerts, each with Manatee County-based headliners and bands from throughout Florida; and another Bradenton venue featuring a musician who's also a local radio station host. Here are this week's highlights. Event details are subject to change. Looking for more fun events? Top 5 things to do in Sarasota this weekend (July 24-27) 50-plus fun things to do in July in Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice, Punta Gorda Ticket Newsletter: Sign up to receive restaurant news and reviews plus info on things to do every Friday La Lucha featuring Allison Nash Tampa Bay jazz trio La Lucha, joined by St. Petersburg singer Allison Nash, will visit Sarasota's Fogartyville on Friday. La Lucha are known for their covers of songs from other music genres, with last year's album "La Lucha Plays the '80s" featuring jazzy renditions of hits from that decade such as Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer," Prince's "Nothing Compares 2 U" and "Raspberry Beret" and Madonna's "Like a Virgin" and "Like a Prayer." The album's guest musicians include Nash, who performs on a cover of Culture Club's "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" along with saxophonist Jeremy Carter. 7 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. show Friday; Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center, 525 Kumquat Court, Sarasota; $30, $25 members, $15 students ages 13 and up (sold out as of press time); 941-894-6469; Deathbed Prom Homecoming x Groovehive Market Bradenton indie label Deathbed Records and Groovehive Market will team up for this prom-themed event at Oscura, featuring live music from groups throughout the greater Tampa Bay area. Those include Bradenton punk/emo band Spanish Bombs, whose member Jake Pinkney runs Deathbed Records, and Tampa alternative act Pilot Jonezz, whose sound blends punk, funk, soul, R&B and hip-hop. Held Up, Amateur Taxidermy and Trainier will also perform at the event featuring vendors, food trucks, a photobooth and prom court nominations, with prom attire strongly encouraged but not required. 7 p.m. Friday; Oscura, 816 Manatee Ave. E., Bradenton; free; 941-201-4950; Sean Chambers Fort Myers blues-rock guitarist/singer-songwriter Sean Chambers will play Celtic Ray and Big Top Live this weekend. Chambers most recently released this year's album "Live from Daryl's House Club," recorded at the Daryl Hall-owned venue with the Savoy Brown Rhythm Section — bassist Pat DeSalvo and drummer Garnet Grimm — who Chambers has been playing with since Savoy Brown's founding member Kim Simmonds died in 2022. Chambers himself was formerly a guitarist and bandleader for the late blues great Hubert Sumlin, paying tribute to him on his 2021 album "That's What I'm Talkin About." 8 p.m. Friday; Celtic Ray Public House, 145 E. Marion Ave., Punta Gorda; 941-916-9115; 7 p.m. Saturday; Big Top Live, 975 Cattlemen Road, Sarasota; free; 941-371-2939; Rev. Billy C. Wirtz Restaurant and blues/roots music venue Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen, located in Bradenton's Village of the Arts neighborhood, will host a return visit from the Rev. Billy C. Wirtz this weekend. Local radio listeners may know his name from the weekly The Rhythm Revival show that he co-hosts with "Marvelous Marvin" Boone that airs Friday afternoons on WMNF. Wirtz is a musician himself, blending irreverent lyrics with serious boogie-woogie piano chops. 7 p.m. Saturday; Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen, 1114 12th St. W., Bradenton; 941-243-3735; Domino Pink Oscura's live music lineup this weekend will also include Palmetto garage/fuzz/psych-rock group Domino Pink, celebrating the recent release of their latest EP "Echolette," which came out in May. The band, which also released a self-titled EP in 2023, takes heavy inspiration from the psych-rock scene on the West Coast and in Austin. Other bands performing will include St. Pete prog rockers Cruel Curses, Englewood experimental act Movie Props, South Florida prog/punk/doom trio Psychofluid and Orlando garage acid pop group The San Francisco Renaissance. 7 p.m. doors, 7:30 p.m. show Saturday; Oscura, 816 Manatee Ave. E., Bradenton; $10 advance, $15 day of; 941-201-4950; If you would like to be considered for this story, please submit your event to at least 10 days before our Thursday publication date. Email entertainment reporter Jimmy Geurts at Support local journalism by subscribing. This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Top 5 concerts this week near me Sarasota Bradenton Punta Gorda Solve the daily Crossword

Experts Reveal If Astronomer CEO Can Sue Coldplay Amid Resignation As HR 'Mistress' Keeps Her Job
Experts Reveal If Astronomer CEO Can Sue Coldplay Amid Resignation As HR 'Mistress' Keeps Her Job

Yahoo

time10 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Experts Reveal If Astronomer CEO Can Sue Coldplay Amid Resignation As HR 'Mistress' Keeps Her Job

Days after Andy Byron resigned from his role as Astronomer CEO, lawyers have now weighed in on whether he could bring claims against Coldplay. Byron had gone viral alongside the head of HR of the company, Kristin Cabot, when the two were caught showing PDA at the band's concert in Massachusetts. The attorneys have now claimed that Andy Byron has no legal grounds for a lawsuit against the band while also citing reasons why such a step is unlikely. Why Astronomer's Former CEO Can't Bring Legal Claims Against Coldplay Despite Andy Byron's life being upended by his kiss cam incident at Coldplay's concert, legal experts have claimed that he can't take the legal path even if he wants to. Ron Zambrano of the Los Angeles-based West Coast Employment Lawyers told The U.S. Mirror that "any legal claims from Byron would be dead on arrival." He pointed out that the former CEO has "no grounds to sue," as any legal claim would likely be dismissed as a "restriction on creative speech and Coldplay's ability to be artistic during their performances." The attorney further emphasized that both Byron and his company's Head of HR, Kristin Cabot, voluntarily attended the public concert. As a result, being filmed while cosying up to each other did not constitute a legal violation, since they had effectively "waived their right to privacy" by being in a public setting. "Their public display of affection is on them, not on Coldplay," he added. "They just got caught." The Former CEO Has 'No Right To Privacy' In A Public Setting Civil and entertainment lawyer Tre Lovell also echoed Zambrano's sentiments, with particular mention of Byron having no right to privacy when in public. "CEO Andy Byron has no legal recourse against Coldplay for putting him on the big screen," he told the outlet. "When you are out in public, you have no right to privacy for your actions." Lovell added that anyone can be filmed or photographed in public without it breaking any laws. He then explained that legal recourse would only be possible if such footage were used for commercial purposes or to spread a false or defamatory narrative. "What people cannot do is use the video or photographs to violate your right to publicity in terms of using your image for commercial purposes or defame you and depict you in a manner that is false or untruthful." Lovell added, "The fact that the big screen caught the CEO doing something embarrassing or immoral in public is on him." Sources Claim Andy Byron's Resignation Was The Best Course Of Action Financially In the wake of the kiss cam incident, Astronomer released a statement revealing that Byron had resigned from his position as CEO. "Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding. Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met," the company said in a statement, per the New York Post. "Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted," they added. At the time, reports suggested that Byron negotiated an exit deal before stepping down, though the specifics remain unclear. Sources claimed the board had the option to fire him but chose not to, likely out of respect for his role as a co-founder of the company. They added that Byron's resignation was a smart financial move, as it ensured he wouldn't walk away empty-handed if he had fought to keep his role. Why The Astronomer HR Exec Has Kept Her Job Despite Kiss Cam Scandal Unlike Byron, who is now no longer associated with Astronomer in an official capacity, Cabot, with whom he was caught at the concert, still remains a staff member. She is currently on leave, likely until the controversy settles down or the company makes a final decision. According to attorney Nicole Brenecki, terminating Cabot's employment is difficult for a number of reasons. "In a real-world big company, you can't just fire someone because the headlines are ugly," she told the New York Post. "There are likely contracts, internal investigations, and legal issues involved." The HR Chief Could Still Get Fired In The Coming Days Despite the complications behind the scenes, attorney Brenecki believes that Cabot could still lose her job when the investigations are completed. "If HR greenlit what happened with Coldplay, and there is a supporting paper trail, heads will likely roll," the attorney stated. She added, "It just might take a few more days before the ax drops." Solve the daily Crossword

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store