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Universal Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites: An Honest Family Review 2025

Universal Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites: An Honest Family Review 2025
Why Universal Endless Summer Resort Surfside Inn & Suites Is Your Perfect Orlando Escape
If you’re planning a trip to Universal Orlando Resort, the Universal Endless Summer Resort Surfside Inn & Suites might just be the perfect place to stay. Offering a laid-back beachy atmosphere, a variety of room options, and tons of family-friendly amenities, this resort blends affordability with all the perks you need for a fun-filled vacation.
Whether you’re visiting the famous theme parks or looking for a spot to relax between adventures, Surfside Inn has it all, without breaking the bank.

Universal Endless Summer Resort Surfside Check-In & First Impressions
First things first-check-in. Universal’s Endless Summer Resort Surfside Inn & Suites makes the arrival process a breeze. You’re welcomed by the vibrant, sun-soaked colours of the resort that instantly put you in a vacation mood into a huge, airy reception area. We were blown away on first impressions.
Upon arrival, you’ll find the front desk ready to assist with a smile, check you in and you’re all set to start your holiday. You’ll also get some useful information about the resort’s amenities, shuttle services, and park access, ensuring you’re all prepared to dive into the excitement. You can check-in at any time but may have to wait for your room to be ready. There is free luggage storage that you can use at check-in and also on your check-out day. The lady that checked us in was really helpful and answered all my questions and gave us a map. She also connected our tickets onto the app and to our room. We were also given a fantastic upgrade, more on that later.
Universal Endless Summer Resort Surfside – Room Types
Universal’s Endless Summer Resort Surfside Inn offers a variety of room types designed for families and groups of all sizes. Here’s a quick rundown of what you can expect:
Standard Rooms
These rooms are perfect for couples or families of 4, featuring two queen beds, a flat-screen TV, and all the amenities you’ll need for a comfortable stay. With a contemporary beach-themed design, you’ll feel relaxed as soon as you step inside.
2-Bedroom Suites
For larger families or groups, the 2-bedroom suites offer even more space, with a king bed in one room and two queen beds in the other. The kitchenette area with a picnic style table, fridge, microwave, and coffee maker ensures that you can keep everything you need close at hand.
All rooms come with modern amenities, including USB charging ports, Wi-Fi, and a bathroom with a tub shower and a separate vanity area.



Universal Endless Summer Resort Surfside – Relax & Play
When it’s time to unwind, Universal Endless Summer Resort Surfside Inn & Suites offers multiple ways to relax and have fun. Whether you’re looking to take a dip, hit the gym, or let the kids run wild, the resort has you covered.
The Surfboard Pool
This resort’s main pool, shaped like a giant surfboard, is the center piece of the property and a splash area for kids. It’s perfect for lounging, swimming, or enjoying a fun poolside cocktail. After a hot, busy day at the parks, we loved a swim to cool down and relax.
The Sandbar Pool Bar
Adjacent to the pool, this lively bar offers refreshing cocktails, ice-cold beers, and a variety of light snacks. It’s a perfect place to chill out after a day at the parks or just soak in the sun. There is a refillable cup station here. Get the cup because it is worth it!
Fitness Center
The resort also offers a fitness center with everything you need for a quick workout before you head out for the day. It’s the perfect way to stay active during your stay without having to leave the property. There are showers here that you can still access on your last day, if you need to freshen up before you leave for the airport.
Universal Studios Store
There is a fantastic Universal Studios store that has a great selection of Universal merchandise, as well as exclusive Universal Endless Summer Resort Surfside merchandise. We obviously had to buy a magnet to add to our collection.
Where to Eat & Drink at Surfside Inn & Suites
You won’t go hungry during your stay at Universal’s Endless Summer Surfside Inn & Suites. The resort features a number of dining options that are both convenient and affordable.
Beach Break Café
For quick, casual dining, head to Beach Break Café. This food court-style restaurant serves up breakfast, lunch, and dinner with options like pizza, burgers, salads, and sandwiches. There is so much choice! We enjoyed a pizza-$13-15, freshly cooked pasta (you choose your toppings)-$13-14.50, chicken tenders and chips-$13, cheeseburger and chips- $14, chicken quesadillas-$13 and chicken caesar salad-$13. All the food was freshly cooked, so the wait times were a little high but everything we ate was delicious. The portions were big, so great value.There is a refillable mug station here. You can get fizzy drinks, still drinks, hydrating waters, flavoured waters and hot drinks. I recommend getting the refillable cup.
Starbucks
For those who can’t live without their morning caffeine fix, you’ll be happy to find a Starbucks right on-site. Perfect for grabbing a coffee before heading out to the parks or lounging by the pool. Both my children enjoyed a Starbucks each morning on the way to the shuttle.
The Sandbar Pool Bar
As mentioned earlier, The Sandbar offers drinks and snacks poolside. It’s the perfect spot for a cocktail after a long day in the parks or for a midday refreshment.




Getting to the Parks: Shuttles, Early Park Access & Perks
One of the best things about staying at Universal’s Endless Summer Resort Surfside is the quick and easy access to the parks.
Shuttle Service
Universal provides free shuttle service from Surfside Inn & Suites to both Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Islands of Adventure and Universal’s Epic Universe. These shuttles run frequently, so you don’t have to worry about waiting around. It’s just a quick, hassle-free ride straight to the action with air-con. We never waited more than a few minutes for a shuttle both at the hotel or the bus station on return.
Early Park Admission
Staying at Surfside Inn & Suites also grants you Early Park Admission to all the parks including Volcano Bay. That means you get to enter the parks an hour before the general public, giving you a head start on the crowds. It’s amazing how much you can do in this time!
Local Attractions Near Universal Orlando
While Universal Orlando is the star of the show, there are a ton of other nearby attractions that you’ll want to check out during your stay.
- CityWalk: Universal’s dining and entertainment complex, filled with restaurants, shops, and live shows.
- International Drive
- Icon Park
- Orlando International Premium Outlets:a MUST visit for some bargains. We really loved it!
- SeaWorld: We enjoyed our day here.
- Discover Cove: Want to swim with dolphins This is the place to visit. We loved it!
- Walt Disney World: We loved it here!!
- Walmart: think a huge supermarket with everything under 1 roof. We spent 2 hours here.
- Publix
- IHop restaurant: This is on our to do list next time.



Universal Endless Summer Resort Surfside – Final Thoughts
In conclusion, Universal’s Endless Summer Resort Surfside Inn & Suites is an excellent option for travellers looking for a family-friendly, budget-conscious resort with plenty of perks. With easy access to Universal’s theme parks, comfortable accommodations, fun pools, and on-site dining, it checks all the boxes for a memorable Orlando vacation.
We absolutely loved our stay here in August 2024 and would stay again in a heartbeat. We were very lucky to be upgraded. It was a complete surprise and we were very excited when we got to our room. I booked a standard room and was upgraded to a 2 bedroom suite. The room was amazing and so much bigger than we could’ve imagined. It was perfect for 2 adults and 2 teenagers. It was very clean, modern and bright. The fridge was great for keeping our water cold ready for the parks the next morning. The toiletries smelt amazing and next time we would bring our own and just use these. We purchased a refillable cup, which you can use in the parks and the resort. I would say this is a must purchase! All the food we ate from the resort was delicious and reasonably priced. The whole place was extremely clean and well looked after. Even though there are 750 rooms, it never felt busy or crowded despite a lot of people being around. All the staff we spoke with were friendly and extremely helpful.
So if you’re looking for an affordable yet high-quality resort near Universal Orlando, Surfside Inn & Suites should definitely be at the top of your list. It offers everything you need for a fun and relaxing vacation while being jus minutes away from the magic of Universal Orlando Resort.
Travel Mum rating: 5/5



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