Helios Grand Transportation: Buses, Walking, & Rideshares Explained

Whether you’re heading into Epic Universe, visiting Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, CityWalk, or Volcano Bay, Universal’s Helios Grand Hotel has clear and convenient transportation options.

From direct park access to complimentary resort transportation and rideshare services, getting around is simple.

Below, I’ll walk through each transportation option available from Helios Grand Hotel, along with tips to help you choose the fastest and most convenient way to get where you want to go.

Helios Grand to Epic Universe (WALK!)

Helios Grand Hotel just opened in 2025, alongside the opening of Epic Universe. In fact, it is located right next to Epic, featuring “epic” views of the new park.

A view of Epic Universe from the top of Helios Grand!

One of the biggest benefits of staying at Helios Grand is that you can easily walk into Epic Universe.

Just walk through the back of Helios Grand Hotel to find the PRIVATE entrance into Epic Universe. It’s located directly inside the hotel, past the lobby.

Below is a picture of the park entrance inside Helios Grand. You will first go through a security checkpoint, and then show your tickets. In my experience, this security line will be much shorter and quicker than the park’s main entrance.

Once you scan your tickets, you will walk down a short pathway and be ready to enjoy Epic Universe.

Check out the map below. When you enter Epic from Helios Grand, you are at the back of the park, between the lands Dark Universe and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic. Whereas the main entrance is at the front of the park.

And by staying at Helios Grand, you get Early Park Admission, which gets you into the park an hour before the general public. You can walk right in and get to your first ride incredibly quickly!

Helios Grand to Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios Florida, and CityWalk (2 ways)

I’ve grouped these three destinations because they all share the same main entrance complex. Whether you’re visiting Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, or CityWalk, transportation drops you off in the same central location.

It’s important to know that this complex is much farther from Helios Grand, roughly four miles away, which makes walking impossible.

You’ll want to plan on using a bus, rideshare, or your own vehicle to get there.

Option #1: Take the complimentary resort shuttle (ride is ~15 minutes)

The only transportation that Universal provides, and the one most guests use, is the resort shuttles that leave from Helios Grand Hotel.

These buses take you from the hotel to a drop-off area just outside of CityWalk, where you walk through security and enter CityWalk.

From there, you can easily get to the entrances of either Islands of Adventure or Universal Studios Florida.

The bus stop at Helios Grand is super easy to find. Walk outside of the main lobby towards the entrance and turn left. Follow the sidewalk until you find the sheltered benches and wait for the next bus!

The buses start running about an hour before park opening (including Early Park Admission) and continue until around an hour after CityWalk closes. You can expect buses to arrive approximately every 15 minutes.

#2. Use a rideshare service (such as Uber or Lyft)

Because the CityWalk area is a good distance away from Helios Grand, I’m a big fan of using Uber or Lyft to get me there faster!

Instead of waiting for a bus to arrive and then cramming inside with a bunch of other people, I love scheduling a ride. I can walk out of the lobby and have them waiting for our family.

Set your pick up location as the front entrance of Helios Grand!

The rideshare drivers can also maneuver and drive faster than the large buses that Universal uses.

The biggest disadvantage to using Uber or Lyft is the cost. Instead of a FREE bus ride, you will need to pay for the ride, which is typically between $10 to $15 (one-way).

Some of our clients also use traditional taxis, as they like that they are associated with an established local company.

Can you drive yourself?

Yes, it is definitely possible. While I don’t recommend it, there are probably instances where it makes sense to drive to the CityWalk area or Volcano Bay from Helios Grand Hotel.

If you do drive yourself, there is a large, centralized parking structure located next to CityWalk. From here, you would walk through security and then into CityWalk, which connects to both Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure.

The biggest negative to driving yourself is the cost (over $30 per day to park). That’s in addition to the daily cost for parking your car at Helios Grand!

Personally, I’d rather take an Uber instead of driving our car. It’s probably going to be less expensive, and I will get dropped off closer to the front entrance.

Helios Grand to Volcano Bay

Volcano Bay, Universal’s water park, is also located near the CityWalk area, approximately 4 miles away.

Universal provides bus transportation to Volcano Bay, with a separate waiting area at the bus stop.

In my experience, the frequency of buses going to Volcano Bay isn’t as consistent as that of buses going to CityWalk. It also changes based on the time of year, weather, and demand. I would check with the front desk when you arrive to see about the bus schedule to Volcano Bay.

I think a great option for going to Volcano Bay from Helios Grand is to use Uber or Lyft. It will get you there quickly! Just make sure to dry yourself off thoroughly before riding home!