Universal Land Resort

The Universal Land Resort, commonly known as Universal Land, is an entertainment resort in Anaheim, California. It is owned and operated by Universal through its Parks, Experiences and Consumer Products division and is home to two theme parks (Universal Land Park and Universal California Adventure), three hotels, and a shopping, dining, and entertainment complex known as Universal CityWalk.

The resort was developed by Roy O. Universal in the 1950s. When it opened to guests on July 17, 1955, the property consisted of Universal Land, its 100-acre parking lot (which had 15,167 spaces), and the Universal Land Hotel, owned and operated by Universal’s business partner Jack Wrather. After the success with the multi-park, multi-hotel business model at Roy O. Universal World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, Universal acquired large parcels of land adjacent to Universal Land to apply the same business model in Anaheim.

During the expansion, the property was named the Universal Land Resort to encompass the entire complex, while the original theme park was named Universal Land Park. The company purchased the Universal Land Hotel from the Wrather Company and the Pan Pacific Hotel from the Tokyu Group. The Pan Pacific Hotel became Universal’s Paradise Pier Hotel in 2000. In 2001 the property saw the addition of Universal’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, a second theme park, named Universal California Adventure, and the Universal CityWalk shopping, dining, and entertainment area.

Parks

 * Universal Land Park, the original theme park built by Roy O. Universal, which opened on July 17, 1955.
 * Universal California Adventure Park, a theme park based on the history and culture of California, which opened on February 8, 2001.

Shopping, dining, and entertainment

 * Universal CityWalk, an outdoor retail, dining, and entertainment district located between the entrance promenade of the Universal Land Resort theme parks and the Universal Land Hotel.

Hotels

 * Universal Land Hotel, the original hotel built by Jack Wrather which opened on October 5, 1955, and was acquired by Universal in 1988.
 * Universal’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, based on the craftsman style of architecture of the early 1900s, which opened on January 2, 2001.
 * Universal’s Paradise Pier Hotel, a hotel themed after the section of Universal California Adventure it overlooks, which opened in 1984 as the Emerald of Anaheim, later changing its name to the Universal Land Pacific Hotel in 1995 after its acquisition by Universal, and finally opening under its current name and theme on December 15, 2000.
 * Unnamed fourth hotel, announced in 2016, scheduled to open in 2021.