Universal Orlando Resort does not offer a kennel for pets. Its own accessibility page says plainly that "Kennel services are not available at Universal Orlando Resort, however select hotels are pet friendly." The old pet kennel in the parking garage, which many guides still mention, has not been part of Universal's published services for years. Pets are not allowed in Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, Epic Universe, Volcano Bay or CityWalk. Universal Studios Hollywood is stricter again: its code of conduct bans all animals from the property except service animals.
That leaves three real options if your dog is on the trip: stay at one of the four pet-friendly Universal hotels and leave your dog in the room while you are in the parks, book a local boarding kennel or day care, or hire a pet sitter. This guide covers each one, plus the rules for service animals, which are welcome in both resorts with some ride limits.
Everything below comes from Universal's own pages and documents, read in October 2026: the Universal Orlando accessibility information page, the Universal Orlando Guide for Safety and Accessibility, the Hard Rock Hotel pet agreement, and the Universal Studios Hollywood code of conduct.
Does Universal Studios have a dog kennel?
No, not at either resort. For years Universal Orlando ran a small pet kennel on the ground floor of the main parking garage, where you could leave a dog for the day and come back to walk it. That service closed and has not come back. Universal's current accessibility page answers the question in one line: kennel services are not available, but select hotels are pet friendly.
You will still find old blog posts, review listings and map pins for "Kennels at Universal Studios." Treat them as history. If you drive to the parks with a dog in the car, there is nowhere on property to leave it, and Florida heat makes a parked car dangerous within minutes. Our guide on how hot is too hot for a dog in a car explains why even a shaded garage is not safe.
Universal Studios Hollywood never had a public pet kennel in the same way, and its rules leave no room for one. Item 13 of the Hollywood code of conduct tells guests not to bring any animals onto Universal's property, with the exception of service animals helping guests with disabilities and people training service animals.
Where pets can and cannot go at Universal
The table below sums up the rules by area, based on Universal's own documents.
| Area | Pets | Service animals |
|---|---|---|
| Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, Epic Universe | Not allowed | Allowed, some rides need a portable kennel or Rider Switch |
| Volcano Bay water theme park | Not allowed | Allowed in the park, not in any pool or attraction |
| Universal CityWalk Orlando | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Portofino Bay, Hard Rock, Royal Pacific, Sapphire Falls hotels | Allowed, up to 2 pets per room, fee per stay | Allowed, no pet fee |
| Other Universal Orlando hotels, including Cabana Bay and the Epic Universe hotels | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Universal Studios Hollywood and CityWalk Hollywood | Not allowed on property | Allowed, some rides need a kennel |
| Pet kennel or day boarding on property | Not offered at either resort | Portable kennels only at certain rides |
The four Universal Orlando hotels that take dogs
Universal Orlando has a long list of on-site hotels, but only four of them accept pets, and all four are run by Loews: Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Royal Pacific Resort and Loews Sapphire Falls Resort. These are the premier and preferred tier hotels, so they come with Universal Express perks at some of them and a higher nightly rate.
The value hotels and the newer hotels do not take pets. That includes Cabana Bay Beach Resort, Aventura, the Endless Summer resorts at Dockside and Surfside, and the Epic Universe hotels Stella Nova, Terra Luna and Helios Grand. If you book one of those with a dog, you will be turned away at the desk or asked to make other arrangements.
Loews lists a fee of USD 150 per stay at the four Universal hotels, with a maximum of two pets per room. The Hard Rock Hotel pet agreement, which you sign at check-in, still shows a one-time USD 100 fee, so the paperwork lags behind the current rate. Ask for the exact fee when you call to add the pet to your reservation. Our full Loews Hotels pet policy guide lists the fee at every Loews hotel in the country.
Hotel pet rules at Universal Orlando
The Hard Rock Hotel pet agreement is the clearest written version of the rules, and the other three Loews hotels at Universal use the same format. The main points:
- Vaccinations must be current, and the hotel can ask for records from a licensed vet at any time.
- Maximum of two pets per room.
- Pets must be supervised, leashed or restrained in all public spaces of the hotel and grounds.
- You clean up after your pet. Hard Rock's pet relief area is near the water taxi pickup by Woodstock Lawn, with waste bags at both walking areas.
- Pets are not allowed in the Club Level, the pool area, hotel restaurants, the fitness center, CityWalk, or any of the theme parks.
- Hang the pet sign on your door so housekeeping knows a pet is inside, and call housekeeping to book a time for your room to be serviced. Staff will not enter while your pet is there, though the hotel will enter at least every 24 hours for safety checks.
- If a pet is left alone and has to be removed from the room, the hotel charges a "time out" fee of USD 10 per hour.
- Guests whose pets are noisy or disruptive can be asked to leave.
- You are responsible for any injury or damage your pet causes.
The agreement also says the concierge can give you pet sitting options, but those services are not run by the hotel and the hotel takes no responsibility for them.
Can you leave your dog in the room while you are in the parks?
This is the question that decides most trips. The pet agreement does not ban leaving a pet in the room, but it does set up the time out fee for a pet that is left alone and has to be removed, which tells you the hotel expects you to keep things calm. In practice, a quiet dog that is used to being alone in a crate can stay in the room for a few hours. A dog that barks, howls or chews when left in a strange room is a problem for you, the neighbors and housekeeping.
A sensible plan is to keep each park block short, come back to walk your dog every three to four hours, and use the water taxis or walking paths between the Loews hotels and the parks to make that practical. All four pet-friendly hotels are within walking or boat distance of the two original parks, which is one real advantage of staying there with a dog. Epic Universe is a separate drive or bus ride, so a full day there means a longer stretch away from the room.
If your dog does not settle well, do not count on the room. Book day care or a sitter instead.
Boarding your dog near Universal Orlando
With no kennel on property, local boarding is the main alternative for guests staying off site or at one of the non-pet hotels. The International Drive and Dr. Phillips areas around Universal have a mix of boarding kennels, dog day cares and pet resorts, and some will pick up from nearby hotels. Day care is often the best fit for a park day: you drop the dog off in the morning and collect it after the evening.
Whichever place you choose, expect to show vaccination records. Most Orlando boarding facilities ask for rabies, DHPP and Bordetella, and some want the Bordetella shot given at least a few days before check-in. Our guide to what vaccines a dog needs for boarding covers the usual list, and our dog boarding packing list helps you avoid forgetting food, medication or a familiar blanket.
Book early for school holidays, summer and Halloween Horror Nights season, when local kennels fill with both tourists and residents.
Hiring a pet sitter instead
If you are staying at a vacation rental or one of the pet-friendly hotels, an in-room or in-home sitter can visit midday to walk and feed your dog. That keeps your dog in one familiar place for the whole trip instead of moving it between a hotel and a kennel. Check that the sitter is insured, ask for references, and do a short meet-and-greet before your first park day. Our guide on finding a trustworthy dog sitter walks through the questions to ask.
Remember that the hotel will want to know who is entering your room. Tell the front desk the sitter's name and the times they will visit.
Universal Studios Hollywood pet rules
Hollywood is simpler. Pets cannot come onto the property at all, including the parking structures, CityWalk Hollywood and the park. There is no on-site kennel and no on-site pet-friendly hotel run by Universal. Several hotels in Universal City and nearby Studio City accept dogs, but they are independent hotels with their own fees and weight limits, so check each one directly.
If you are driving into Los Angeles with a dog, plan for day care or a sitter on your park day. Southern California summers make leaving a dog in a car just as dangerous as in Florida.
Service animals at Universal Orlando
Trained service animals are welcome throughout Universal Orlando Resort. Animals that do not meet the legal definition of a service animal, including emotional support animals, are not allowed in the parks. Service animals must be harnessed, leashed or tethered unless that interferes with their work or the handler's disability, in which case the handler must control the animal by voice or signal.
Each attraction has its own rules for service animals. Many of the big coasters and thrill rides cannot take them, and the Guide for Safety and Accessibility marks those rides with the note that a portable kennel is available on request. That list includes the Harry Potter and Jurassic Park rides at Islands of Adventure, the Incredible Hulk Coaster and other thrill rides. Team members cannot hold or handle your service animal, so you will need either the portable kennel or another member of your party to stay with it.
At Volcano Bay, service animals are not allowed in any pool or attraction. Relief areas are spread through the parks, and the Universal Orlando app shows where they are. For more on your rights, read our guide to service dog public access rights.
Service animals at Universal Studios Hollywood
Hollywood also welcomes service animals in its restaurants, shows and shops. The guide lists six rides that cannot accommodate service animals: Flight of the Hippogriff, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Jurassic World The Ride, Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge, Revenge of the Mummy, and The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash. Service animal kennels are available at the rides on request. Relief stations are in the Upper Lot by the Studio Tour entrance, in the Lower Lot next to the Starway across from the Jurassic World lagoon, and outside the park by the accessible parking next to security.
Universal compared with Disney
Walt Disney World also bans pets from its parks, but it is easier for dog owners because it has a large on-site boarding facility, Best Friends Pet Care, and four resort hotels with dog rooms. Universal has no boarding but does have four pet hotels. Disneyland in California has neither. See our guides to the Disney World pet policy and the Disneyland pet policy if you are splitting a trip between resorts.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Driving to the parks with a dog and planning to use the old garage kennel. It is not there.
- Booking Cabana Bay or an Epic Universe hotel because it is cheaper, then trying to bring a dog. Only the four Loews hotels accept pets.
- Forgetting to add the pet to the reservation. Call the hotel so the fee and room are set up before you arrive.
- Leaving an anxious dog alone all day. Noise complaints can end your stay.
- Assuming an emotional support animal can go into the parks. Only trained service animals can.
The bottom line on Universal and dogs
There is no dog kennel at Universal Orlando or Universal Studios Hollywood. In Orlando, the four Loews hotels on property are the only way to keep your dog close, at about USD 150 per stay for up to two pets. Otherwise, book local day care or a pet sitter before you go, and never leave a dog in the car.