Universal Orlando Resort published a new guide on August 13, 2026, to the dining and entertainment experiences hosted within its collection of 11 hotels. The lineup includes the weekly Wantilan Luau and Acoustic Brunch, along with Harbor Nights and two Hard Rock Hotel concert formats.
The timing varies by event. Wantilan Luau is held Saturdays, Acoustic Brunch is held Sundays, and Harbor Nights happens only a few times each year. Several experiences aren’t solely meals: live musicians, dancers, opera singers and concert artists are part of the programming.
Wantilan Luau and Acoustic Brunch
Wantilan Luau at Loews Royal Pacific Resort begins every Saturday at 6 p.m., with check-in from 5:30 to 6 p.m. Guests receive an arrival lei at the outdoor pavilion before the live music, buffet and Polynesian performance begin.
The buffet includes fresh fish, fire-grilled beef and a locally sourced pit-roasted pig. That pit-roasted pig is the food detail that caught my attention. Guests 21 and older can have unlimited Mai Tais, beer and wine, while children have a separate buffet with familiar dishes. Dessert is also included.
The performers use dance, music and traditional attire to take the audience through major islands of Polynesia. Guests can take group photos with the performers before or after the show. It ends around 8 p.m.
Acoustic Brunch at The Kitchen inside Hard Rock Hotel runs every Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. A musician performs modern and classic songs from the center of the buffet while guests visit the omelet and griddle stations.
The brunch menu includes Monkey Bread, French Toast, Carved New York Strip and roasted vegetables. Guests 21 and older can order bottomless mimosas and Bloody Marys, and coffee is available for those who don’t want alcohol.
Harbor Nights and Hard Rock concerts
Harbor Nights at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel is held in the Harbor Piazza with food stations, unlimited wine samples and live entertainment. The menu changes for every event. Frequent offerings include fresh-made pasta, seafood, beef, antipasto, desserts and gelato.
A live band performs along the waterfront beside the dance floor, while roaming entertainers and opera singers appear throughout the piazza. The evening concludes with a grand opera finale. Harbor Nights is open only to guests 21 and older.
Velvet Sessions stages nationally recognized artists in the Hard Rock Hotel lobby, which is set up with a concert stage and access to a veranda overlooking the pool. Specialty cocktails and appetizers are available before the performance, and valet parking is included for guests visiting for the evening. Velvet Sessions is reserved for guests 21 and older.
Velvet Unplugged offers a smaller Hard Rock Hotel concert format. It’s an acoustic set presented to a limited audience.
Source: Universal Orlando Blog
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