Stella Nova officially opened on January 21, 2025, and is Universal Orlando’s newest resort in preparation for the opening of its third park, Epic Universe! Even though Epic Universe doesn’t open until May 22nd, guests can now stay at this Prime Value Resort for around $150 per night.
All resort rooms sleep up to 4 in two queen beds with amenities that include bus transportation to Islands of Adventure/ Universal Studios Florida/ CityWalk, a large pool deck plus splash pad, one quick service restaurant, two bars, a grab-and-go market, and sleek décor mimicking a mid-century space station.
Our team had the opportunity to stay at Stella Nova during opening week and as a travel advisor, all I could think about was what features my guests would enjoy most and what are the reasons to stay at Stella Nova versus other Universal Orlando hotels.
Great for Epic Universe, Just for Okay Universal Orlando
Stella Nova is directly across the street from Epic Universe (opening on May 22nd) but is 5 miles away from Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios Florida, and City Walk. In reality, this only translates to a 10 – 15 minute bus ride but the drive is completely off Universal Orlando property.
This bus ride would be similar to going from Disney’s Animal Kingdom to the Magic Kingdom. It also means you are close to non-Universal shopping like Publix, Target, and the Florida Mall, also all within 5 miles of Stella Nova. The 2025 package reservations only include a 1-day visit to Epic Universe so it might be worth considering which park(s) you would like to be closest to.
Yes, You Can Walk to Epic Universe
Team Members at Stella Nova let us know that you will be able to walk to Epic Universe. The walk will take about 10 minutes and involves using a crosswalk across Epic Boulevard. Walking would likely be quicker than taking a bus, especially during opening-year crowds.
Affordable Price with Elevated Style and Amenities
Stella Nova is in Universal’s “Prime Value” category along with its sister resort Terra Luna (opening March 25th). The average cost per night is $150 and $220 per night during opening weekend for Epic Universe (also Memorial Day weekend). These rates are all before any discounts like Florida Resident and Annual Passholder; we’ve seen rates as low as just over $100 per night with a discount.
Only $150 per night to be within walking distance of Universal’s newest theme park is undoubtedly an incredible value. However, there is also value in the elevated amenities and brand-new resort rooms that make Stella Nova a winning choice. The rooms are spacious with smart design choices like plenty of storage, ample lighting, sleek furniture, and warm textiles. These touches make the rooms feel more luxurious than the average nightly rate.
Some of these amenities include:
- The Nova Bar – full-service lobby bar with unique craft cocktails
- Galaxy Bar and Grill – full-service pool bar with signature cocktails in collectible Stella Nova cups, with its own unique menu, and covered lounge seating
- Cosmos Market – Starbucks coffee, ice cream, pastries, plus grab-and-go breakfast sandwiches, pizzas, sandwiches, salads, and beverages including wine and beer
- Cosmos Café – offering a wide variety of breakfast, lunch, and dinner items with a centralized ordering and food pick-up process
- Large pool deck with splash pad and outdoor firepits
- Full-size gym with locker rooms and showers
- Universal Studios Store with exclusive Epic Universe merchandise
We Ate a LOT of FOOD and Think You Should Too
Cosmos Café is the featured restaurant of the three places you can grab food at Stella Nova. This quick service-style restaurant features huevos rancheros, eggs benedict, French toast, and pancakes for breakfast plus sandwiches, salads, pizza, desserts, and kids options for lunch and dinner.
We tried almost the entire menu during our stay and were pleasantly surprised by pretty much all of it! We would definitely recommend dining at Cosmos Café a few times during your Stella Nova stay. Here are some of our favorites!
Mexican Street Corn – roasted corn, aioli, chili, cilantro, and lime – $7.00.
This street corn is both creamy with the right amount of spice. The portion size is quite large for $7 and could be easily shared with 3 people.
Very Cheesy Mac-n-Cheese – corkscrew pasta, three-cheese blend, and toasted panko bread crumbs – $7.00.
The mac-n-cheese is a similar portion size as the street corn and might be the best theme park mac-n-cheese we’ve had. The three-cheese blend is so flavorful and the bread crumbs add the right texture.
Classic Turkey BLT – multigrain bread, roasted turkey, applewood smoked bacon, tomato, avocado, and dijonnaise served with fries, sweet potato fries, or small tossed salad – $14.00.
I often judge a restaurant on how good its basic turkey club is and this one was a winner. The sandwich is more of a pressed panini making it easy to eat. The bacon is crispy and the dijonnaise added the right amount of zest.
Hot Honey Chicken 10″ Pizza – chicken, grilled corn, caramelized onions, hot chili oil drizzle, and garlic cream – $15.50.
The pizzas are all on a traditional crust and could be shared with two people if you’re ordering other items. The hot honey chicken pizza was fantastic – the grilled corn and caramelized onion added the perfect texture and the chili oil plus garlic cream was incredibly flavorful.
You can also grab these pizzas from the Cosmos Market or get them delivered to your room between the hours of 5 pm and midnight.
Don’t Stay Before May 22nd Unless You’re Coming to the Convention Center
There is a LOT of construction around Stella Nova and Epic Universe making the roadways very confusing and the scenery pretty dismal. Personally, I would only stay at Stella Nova before the opening of Epic Universe if I was in town for the Orange County Convention Center (within walking distance) or looking for an affordable rate with good availability.
The views of Epic Universe are incredibly exciting and make me want to come back to stay at Stella Nova when the park opens! If you’re thinking about booking a package at Stella Nova, I would book soon before the word gets out about the value of this new resort!
