Jaws, King Kong and Jurassic Park are coming off the parking garage walls at Universal Orlando.
The Universal Orlando parking garage sections are being renamed, replacing decades-old attraction themes with a new system built around the resort’s theme parks. Work is underway in the North Parking Garage right now, and the logic behind the change is better than it sounds.
The old system had each level split into three sections, with a single theme spanning multiple levels. If you have ever stood in that garage trying to remember whether you parked in Jaws on 3 or Jaws on 4, you already know the problem.
The new layout gives each level one theme and numbers the rows. Here is the full lineup, why it is easier to remember, and what it signals about the South garage.
Quick Summary
- Universal Orlando is renaming the parking sections in its garages.
- Jaws, King Kong and Jurassic Park section names are being replaced.
- Work is currently underway in the North Parking Garage.
- Each level now gets one dedicated theme instead of themes spanning levels.
- Rows within each level are numbered to help you find your car.
- All five North garage themes are Universal Studios Florida properties.
- The South Parking Garage has not been confirmed for a similar update.
- An Islands of Adventure theme for the South garage looks likely.
Every One of the New Universal Orlando Parking Garage Sections
Here is the complete North Parking Garage lineup as Universal has laid it out.
- Level 1: Trolls — primarily used for Team Members, valet, RV parking, and overflow
- Level 2: E.T.
- Level 3: Shrek — prime parking, and the entrance to CityWalk and the theme parks
- Level 4: Minions
- Level 5: Transformers — rideshare pick-up and drop-off
Two of those levels carry practical information beyond the theme. Level 3 is the one you want if you are walking to CityWalk or the parks, because it is the entrance level. Level 5 is where rideshare operates, so that is where your Uber meets you.
Why One Theme Per Level Actually Helps
This is a small change that solves a real problem, and it is worth explaining why.
Under the old system, each level was divided into three sections and a theme could span multiple levels. That broke the one thing a parking reminder needs to do: map a name to a single, unambiguous place. Remembering Jurassic Park narrowed you to a section, not a floor.
One theme per level fixes that. Minions means level 4. There is no second Minions.
Adding numbered rows handles the rest. You end up with something like Minions, row 12, which is two pieces of information that are easy to hold and impossible to confuse with another floor.
Practical tip for your next visit: photograph the nearest sign anyway. A themed name plus a row number is far better than what came before, but a photo still beats memory after a twelve-hour park day.
Why the Themes Are All Universal Studios Florida
Here is the detail that makes this more than a cosmetic refresh.
Trolls, E.T., Shrek, Minions and Transformers all represent properties featured at Universal Studios Florida. Every single one. That is not a coincidence, and it is the strongest clue about where this is heading.
It suggests Universal is giving each parking garage an identity tied to a specific park. The North garage becomes the Universal Studios Florida garage.
Universal has not confirmed any change to the South Parking Garage. But if the North garage is the Studios garage, an Islands of Adventure theme for the South garage is the obvious next step. Treat that as a well-reasoned expectation rather than news.
What This Means on Arrival Day
Honest assessment of how much this changes your trip: not much, but the parts it touches are the annoying parts.
Arrival is unaffected. Parking operations, pricing and the route in do not change. You will just see different names on the walls.
Note that this covers the Universal Orlando garages serving Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure and CityWalk. Epic Universe sits on its own site with separate parking and is unaffected.
Returning to your car gets easier. That is the entire payoff, and it lands at the worst moment of a park day, when everyone is tired and the garage looks identical in every direction.
Rideshare users should note level 5. Transformers is the pick-up and drop-off level. Worth knowing before you order a car rather than after.
Expect signage to be mixed during the changeover. Work is in progress, so you may encounter a garage with both old and new naming in place. If the level sign and the section sign disagree during your visit, trust the level.
The Bottom Line
The Universal Orlando parking garage sections are being rebuilt around one theme per level, replacing the old Jaws, King Kong and Jurassic Park sections that spanned multiple floors. North Parking Garage now runs Trolls on level 1, E.T. on 2, Shrek on 3, Minions on 4 and Transformers on 5, with numbered rows throughout.
Level 3 is the entrance to CityWalk and the parks. Level 5 handles rideshare. Level 1 is mostly Team Members, valet, RV and overflow.
Every theme is a Universal Studios Florida property, which points at each garage taking on a park identity. The South garage has not been confirmed, but Islands of Adventure is the logical fit. Photograph your sign anyway.
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Meet the Author: Nate Bishop
I’m a die-hard Disney fan with 38 years of visits under my belt, having stepped into Disney World 120+ times. Proud to be a Disney Annual Passholder, a Vacation Club member since ’92, a Castaway Club Member, and a runDisney enthusiast. Oh, and I’ve graduated from the Disney College of Knowledge. Need Disney insights or planning tips? I’m your guy!
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