Universal CityWalk With Kids
Mini Golf, Milkshakes & No Park Ticket Required
Free to enter, steps from the Universal parks, and genuinely good for a relaxed half day or evening with kids — without setting foot in a theme park.
What to know before you go
- Where: 6000 Universal Blvd, Orlando, FL 32819 — directly connected to Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure parking
- Admission: Free to enter. No theme park ticket required.
- Parking: Free after 6:00 p.m. for all guests. Before 6:00 p.m., self-parking is approximately $30 per vehicle. Universal hotel guests park free at all times.
- Hours: CityWalk itself opens at 8:00 a.m. Individual restaurants and venues have their own hours; most full-service restaurants close between 10:00 p.m. and midnight.
- Best for families: Daytime and early evening — the atmosphere shifts toward adult nightlife after approximately 9:00–10:00 p.m.
- Kid highlights: Hollywood Drive-In Golf · Toothsome Chocolate Emporium milkshakes · Voodoo Doughnut · free splash ground · Cinemark movie theater · Universal Studios Store with Butterbeer counter
- Time needed: Half day (3–4 hours) is plenty for most families. Can easily combine with a morning or afternoon at the hotel pool.
- Key tip: If you’re visiting only for CityWalk and not entering the parks, arrive after 6:00 p.m. for free parking. Reservations are recommended for full-service restaurants on weekends.
Most families discover CityWalk by accident — it’s the walkway between the parking garage and the Universal parks, so you pass through it every day. What surprises a lot of people is how much is actually worth stopping for. It’s a genuine entertainment district: mini golf, a steampunk chocolate restaurant with milkshakes that are basically architectural projects, one of the most creative doughnut shops in the country, a movie theater, a splash pad, and more than 20 restaurants ranging from Voodoo Doughnut quick bites to proper sit-down dinners.
What makes it a smart rest day choice specifically is the math: no ticket, free evening parking, and a relaxed pace that’s completely at odds with a park day. For a family mid-way through a Universal trip, an evening at CityWalk — mini golf, a milkshake, a walk through the Universal store — resets the energy without going anywhere far. It’s also genuinely one of the best dinner options available to Universal visitors, with better variety and quality than most in-park quick service.
Low effort, no ticket, genuinely fun
The best thing about CityWalk as a rest day is that it requires almost nothing from your family. No rope drop strategy. No Lightning Lane decisions. No height requirements to navigate. You show up, you walk around, you eat something good, and the kids end up at a mini golf course or a splash pad. The low-commitment format is the whole point.
It’s also the most natural choice if you’re staying at a Universal on-site hotel — it’s walkable from every Universal hotel via the resort path system, and as a hotel guest your parking is always free. A CityWalk evening is also a smart way to handle the night before a big park day: eat a real dinner, let the kids decompress, get to bed at a reasonable hour.
What to do at CityWalk with kids
The standout kid-friendly activity at CityWalk and honestly one of the best-themed mini golf experiences in all of Orlando. Two separate 18-hole courses built around vintage drive-in movie genres — one sci-fi, one horror — with interactive elements, special effects, and genuinely creative holes throughout. Both are family-friendly despite the horror theme; think cartoonish haunted house rather than anything scary.
- The Haunting of Ghostly Greens — spooky cemetery, haunted house, giant spider; more dimly lit and atmospheric of the two courses
- Invaders from Planet Putt — alien invasion theme with little green men, robots, a giant space worm, and multilevel challenges; the brighter and more active of the two
- Single course: approximately $16–$22 per person depending on age and time of day; Double Feature (both courses) adds roughly $18–$20 on top
- Ages 3–9 get a reduced rate on both options; book online in advance for a 10% discount
- Open daily 9:00 a.m. to midnight; located at the entrance to CityWalk from the parking garage, easy to find
- If you opt for the Double Feature, you don’t have to play both courses back to back — save your receipt and come back later the same day
Play in the morning before the Florida heat peaks — the courses have limited shade. Bring water. Alternatively, an evening round after dinner when the lights and effects pop more dramatically is genuinely better for atmosphere, especially on Ghostly Greens.
CityWalk has over 20 dining options and the range is genuine — from a $4 doughnut at Voodoo to a proper sit-down dinner at The Cowfish. For a rest day with kids, the sweet spots are the places that are actually fun to eat at, not just convenient.
- Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen — a steampunk-themed restaurant and confectionary that is worth walking through even if you don’t eat inside. The walk-up milkshake counter is open separately and serves enormous, over-the-top shakes that are immediately the most interesting thing any kid in the vicinity has ever seen. Arrive early or late to avoid the longest waits; weekend evenings can have 45+ minute waits for a table. Reserve in advance at 407-224-3663 if you want a full meal.
- Voodoo Doughnut — the famous Portland doughnut shop with more than 50 creative varieties daily including the Bacon Maple Bar, the Raspberry Jelly Voodoo Doll, and the Dirt Doughnut. A must-stop for kids who appreciate wild desserts. Inexpensive, no wait most of the time. Opens early — good for a pre-park breakfast treat.
- Universal Studios Store — Butterbeer counter — you can now buy cold and frozen Butterbeer at CityWalk without a park ticket. For Harry Potter fans, this is genuinely meaningful — same quality as in Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley, no park admission required. Wands and merchandise available alongside.
- The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar — a sushi-burger fusion concept with a massive colorful aquarium and an inventive menu of “burgushi” rolls. Consistently the most creative concept at CityWalk and genuinely good. Solid for families with varied tastes — burgers for kids, sushi for adults, and the burgushi for everyone adventurous. Reserve in advance on busy nights.
- Red Oven Pizza Bakery — hand-made artisan pizza baked in a visible oven, widely considered the best quick-service pizza at Universal Orlando. Fast, affordable, and genuinely good. A solid choice for a quick family lunch.
- Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. — Forrest Gump themed, extensive kids’ menu, family-friendly atmosphere. A reliable choice for picky eaters.
- Hard Rock Cafe — the largest in the world, with impressive rock memorabilia including pieces from Elvis and Buddy Holly. Standard American fare (burgers, ribs) with a kids’ menu. The atmosphere and the wall-to-wall memorabilia is the real reason to go.
For a quick, affordable family dinner before an evening of mini golf, Red Oven Pizza Bakery + Voodoo Doughnut for dessert is an unbeatable combination under $60 for a family of four. Reserve Toothsome or The Cowfish if you want a proper sit-down meal — walk-in waits on weekend evenings are real.
CityWalk has more free kid-friendly content than most people realize, which is part of what makes it such a low-pressure rest day. You don’t need to spend anything beyond parking to have a genuinely enjoyable couple of hours.
- Free splash ground — a small water play area in the center of CityWalk where younger kids can run through jets and fountains. Bring a change of clothes; it’s a proper soaking, not a misting. No charge, no wristband, no wait.
- Universal Studios Store — even if you’re not buying, this store is genuinely worth walking through. Harry Potter robes, wands, and accessories alongside Universal Monsters, Jurassic World, and Super Nintendo World merchandise. The new Super Nintendo World shop section inside is a visual experience for Nintendo-obsessed kids.
- Live music and street entertainment — CityWalk regularly features live musicians and performers throughout the district, particularly in the evenings. No schedule, no ticket — just part of the ambient atmosphere.
- Cinemark movie theater — a 20-screen theater with reclining seats and premium sound. A solid option for a hot afternoon or a rainy day. Matinee tickets qualify for a parking reimbursement from the theater — ask at the box office.
- Window shopping and exploring — CityWalk is genuinely attractive to walk through, with waterfront views of the Universal lagoon, two levels of activity, and enough visual interest to keep younger kids engaged just by exploring.
The splash ground is in the center of the district — easy to stumble past without noticing it. If you have kids under 8, find it first and let them play while you figure out the rest of the day. It’s genuinely the most effective energy-burner at CityWalk for young kids, and it costs nothing.
“We stumbled into CityWalk for dinner and didn’t leave for four hours.”
We were halfway through a Universal trip and needed a night that wasn’t a theme park. We walked over to CityWalk from our hotel with no real plan — just dinner somewhere. We ended up at The Cowfish, which took the kids about 45 minutes to decide if they liked the idea of sushi in a burger restaurant (they do). After dinner we walked the district, the kids found the splash ground, destroyed their clothes, and then we rounded the evening out with Voodoo Doughnut.
Nobody wanted to leave. That was the whole rest day — dinner, a splash, a doughnut. It cost almost nothing beyond the meal and the evening was completely free. The next day everyone was recharged and the park day was genuinely better for it. We’re now deliberate about building a CityWalk evening into every Universal trip.
What CityWalk is — and isn’t
CityWalk is an excellent half-day or evening option and a genuinely useful part of a Universal trip — but it’s worth being clear about what it is. It’s a dining and entertainment district, not an attraction in the traditional sense. Families who arrive expecting a full-day destination the way Kennedy Space Center or Wild Florida is a full-day destination will find it thin by the afternoon. The mini golf, the splash ground, a milkshake, and a meal covers about 3–4 hours comfortably. That’s the right frame for it.
The atmosphere also shifts meaningfully after 9:00–10:00 p.m. — CityWalk is designed for adult nightlife after that window, and while it’s not problematic for families to be there, the energy changes. Plan to wrap up with kids well before then. Parking before 6:00 p.m. also adds roughly $30, which meaningfully changes the math if you’re only coming for a couple of hours — in that case, arrival after 6:00 p.m. is the right move.
Is a CityWalk rest day right for your family?
Great fit if…
- You want a low-effort evening out that doesn’t require driving anywhere
- You’re staying at a Universal hotel — it’s walkable and parking is free
- You want a genuinely good dinner without fighting in-park crowds
- You have kids who would lose their minds over a 3-foot milkshake
- Mini golf sounds like a perfect couple of hours to your family
- You want to buy Butterbeer without paying for a park ticket
Less ideal if…
- You need a full-day destination — CityWalk is a half day at most
- You’re staying far from Universal and the $30 daytime parking adds up
- Your family needs a real break from the Universal bubble entirely
- You’re visiting on a weekend evening and haven’t booked dinner — waits can be long
- Older teens who want more than mini golf and milkshakes may find it thin
Two ways to do a CityWalk rest day
- Morning version — Arrive at 9:00 a.m., grab Voodoo Doughnut for breakfast, play one or both Hollywood Drive-In Golf courses before the heat builds, walk through the Universal Studios Store, grab lunch at Red Oven Pizza Bakery, then head back to the hotel for a pool afternoon. Total: 3–4 hours, one round of golf per person is the main cost.
- Evening version (recommended) — Arrive after 6:00 p.m. for free parking. Walk the district, find the splash ground if kids are with you, grab Butterbeer at the Universal Store, eat dinner at The Cowfish or Toothsome (book in advance), play a round of evening mini golf when the lighting effects are best. Voodoo Doughnut for dessert. Back to the hotel by 9:00 p.m. No parking cost, no rushed morning. The ideal CityWalk formula.
CityWalk with kids: common questions
Do you need a Universal ticket to visit CityWalk?
No. CityWalk is free to enter. No theme park ticket is required for any of the restaurants, shops, mini golf, the splash ground, or the movie theater. Some nightlife venues require tickets or have age restrictions after 10:00 p.m., but none of those are relevant for family visits.
Is parking free at CityWalk?
Free after 6:00 p.m. for all guests. Before 6:00 p.m., self-parking is approximately $30 per vehicle. Universal on-site hotel guests park free at all times. If you’re visiting purely for dinner or an evening out, arriving after 6:00 p.m. is almost always the right move — it saves the parking cost and the atmosphere is better in the evening anyway.
Is CityWalk good for young kids?
Yes, with the right timing. The free splash ground is excellent for toddlers and elementary-age kids. Hollywood Drive-In Golf works for ages 3 and up. Voodoo Doughnut and Toothsome milkshakes are immediate hits with kids of any age. The key is being done before 9:00–10:00 p.m. when the atmosphere shifts. A morning or early evening visit is the sweet spot for families.
Can you get Butterbeer at CityWalk without a park ticket?
Yes. The Universal Studios Store in CityWalk now has a dedicated Butterbeer counter serving cold and frozen Butterbeer, plus the souvenir mug and associated merchandise. For Harry Potter fans in your group, this is a genuinely useful piece of information — same Butterbeer experience as inside the Wizarding World, no admission required.
Should I make dinner reservations at CityWalk?
For Toothsome and The Cowfish on weekend evenings, yes — walk-in waits can easily exceed 45 minutes. Call 407-224-3663 to reserve. For weekday visits or earlier dinners (5:00–6:00 p.m.), walk-ins are generally fine. Red Oven Pizza Bakery, Voodoo Doughnut, and Bubba Gump are all walk-up friendly at almost any time.
How long should we spend at CityWalk?
Three to four hours covers everything comfortably for most families: mini golf, a meal, dessert, and a walk through the district. It’s not a full-day destination — plan it as a half-day or evening activity, ideally paired with a hotel pool morning or as a dinner-and-activity evening at the end of a lighter day.
Is CityWalk walkable from Universal’s on-site hotels?
Yes. All Universal on-site hotels — Royal Pacific, Sapphire Falls, Loews Portofino Bay, Hard Rock Hotel, Cabana Bay, Aventura, and Endless Summer — have walking or water taxi paths to CityWalk. Some are a 10-minute walk, some slightly longer. It’s one of the genuine advantages of staying on-site: CityWalk becomes an easy evening option with no car or parking needed.
Is CityWalk worth it if we’re staying near Disney, not Universal?
It depends on your trip. CityWalk is 20–25 minutes from the Disney resort area — not prohibitive, but not next door. The evening parking is free, which helps the math. If your trip is primarily Disney and you want one Universal-side excursion, CityWalk combined with a park day or just as a dinner-and-mini-golf evening can work well. But it’s less convenient than it is for Universal-based families, and for a pure rest day, closer options like a Disney Springs evening or your resort pool involve less driving.
CityWalk isn’t a destination the way Kennedy Space Center or Wild Florida is a destination — it’s better described as the best evening Universal has to offer outside the parks themselves. For families staying on-site, it’s a genuine no-brainer: walk over after dinner, let the kids splash around, play a round of themed mini golf, grab a Voodoo Doughnut, and call it a night. For Disney-based families, it’s worth making the drive for if you want something different — especially for the mini golf and the Toothsome milkshake experience. Free after 6:00 p.m., easy to manage, and consistently better than people expect.
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