If you’re seeking a romantic, adventurous, and delicious date night to cap off your day at Universal Orlando Resort, look no further than the Wantilan Luau at Loews Royal Pacific Resort.
The luau is held on Saturday evenings at the resort, with registration starting at 5:30 p.m. and shows beginning at 6 p.m. Anyone can purchase a ticket to the luau; you don’t have to be a guest at Royal Pacific to attend.
Tickets are priced depending on your seat location: the “regular section” seats are $99 for adults and $45 for children ages 3-9. Tickets for the “premium section,” located closer to the stage, come with a souvenir tiki mug to take home for $119 for adults and $65 for children. Gratuity is included in the ticket price, and parking validation is provided at check-in.
Arrival and Check-In
Upon entering the hotel, you can find the luau area by going toward Tower 2 and heading down the elevators to Level 1. Once outside, you’ll follow the sidewalk over to the check-in kiosk just outside the luau pavilion.
After checking in, you’ll be welcomed by members of the luau cast, who present you with leis and, occasionally, a conch horn greeting! Pre-show activities are available in the open grass area, such as learning to use swing poi balls and juggle flower sticks.
Tracker Tip: While the dinner and show are held in a covered pavilion, the waiting area is outdoors, so be sure to dress and prepare accordingly. You never know when it might rain or be super hot outside!
The Buffet
The luau dinner is buffet-style and all-you-care-to-enjoy. Among the options are a main dinner buffet with Hawaiian-style dishes, a pit-roasted suckling pig counter, a dessert buffet, and a buffet for kids with more standard fare like chicken tenders and macaroni and cheese (though anyone can eat from this buffet).
For adults ages 21 and over, mai tais, beer, and wine are included with your dinner. Other beverages available include soft drinks, lemonade, mocktails, coffee, hot and iced tea, and water.
The buffet lines open at 6 p.m., once guests are admitted into the pavilion, and remain open until 7:30 p.m. The bar is available until 7:45 p.m., and dessert is offered until 8 p.m.
Overall, we thought the food was delicious! There are a variety of options available to suit everyone, even the pickiest of eaters. We appreciate the option to go back and get a second helping from the buffet if we wanted to, and we did!
The Show
The show officially begins at 7 p.m. with a hula demonstration for those brave enough to volunteer! After that, the story unfolds: Captain Jake (presumably of Jake’s American Bar, also located at the resort) is a seaboat pilot, setting out with us to the islands of the South Seas, including Hawai’i, Samoa, Tahiti, Aotearoa (New Zealand), and Tonga.
Seeing these performers share dances and stories from these islands was incredible to witness. From the Nafa drum section celebrating Tonga (which included some audience participation) to the fire-knife dance from Samoa, each section of the show was entertaining, spectacular, and full of passion from the performers.
The Nafa drum segment especially got lots of laughs from the crowd as participants learned how to drum (or tried their best) alongside Chief Launi.
At the show’s end, the performers will set up near the fire pit to take photos with guests to commemorate the evening.
We think this makes for not just a fantastic night out with great food and exciting performances, but also a fun-filled evening for families with kids, too.
To learn more about the Wantilan Luau and book your tickets, visit UniversalOrlando.com. Thank you to Loews Hotels for having us out!
