ORLANDO, Fla — Universal Orlando Resort may be looking to expand more than just its theme park footprint.
Newly released bid documents reveal the company is exploring a transit system connecting its properties that would reshape how guests move across the resort area.
The Bid Process Underway
Documents titled “Request for Qualifications” outline Universal’s vision for a multiphase transportation route stretching four to five miles. These materials, intended for companies seeking to bid on the project, include maps showing proposed stops along the way.
Officials with the Shingle Creek Transit and Utility Community Development District, which oversees the special district surrounding Universal, met this week to review responses from interested bidders.
“We did receive a couple of responses. I would recommend we postpone any decision until the next meeting,” one board member said during the brief meeting.
The session lasted only about five minutes before being adjourned.
The Proposed Phases
According to the documents:
- Phase 1: Stops would include Epic Universe and its nearby hotels.
- Phase 2: Service would expand to Universal Studios, CityWalk, and along International Drive.
- Phase 3: The route would extend toward the Hard Rock Hotel and surrounding retail areas.
Potential Partners and Concepts
There’s been speculation that Universal might collaborate with Elon Musk’s Boring Company, whose Las Vegas Loop tunnels Teslas underground between stops.
But sign-in sheets from Wednesday’s meeting also listed representatives from Beep and Glydways, both developers of autonomous vehicle systems, suggesting above-ground options are also being considered.
What’s Next?
So far, the board says they have a couple of proposals, though the specifics remain under wraps.
Questions remain about how the project will be funded including whether Tourist Development Tax (TDT) revenue could play a role and whether the system might one day connect to the Orange County Convention Center, SunRail or Brightline.
County officials told us no formal request has been submitted yet, though they are aware of the concept.
Universal has not yet commented on the current round of RFQ filings.
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