Parks Magic
Re(d)tro Coconut Club Opens Tonight at Universal CityWalk: 80s and 90s Throwback Overlay at the Red Coconut Club, Select Nights Through July 18
News

Re(d)tro Coconut Club Opens Tonight at Universal CityWalk: 80s and 90s Throwback Overlay at the Red Coconut Club, Select Nights Through July 18

Michael Travels
·
Published

If you spent any of your formative going-out years to a Janet Jackson cassette and a Backstreet Boys CD, the Red Coconut Club has a venue night for you. Universal Orlando is rolling out Re(d)tro Nights, an 80s and 90s themed seasonal overlay of CityWalk's Red Coconut Club, starting tonight (Friday May 8) at 6 p.m. and running on select nights through Saturday, July 18. Free to enter (CityWalk does not require a park ticket).

It is the same recipe Universal has been running on the Red Coconut Club for a couple of years: take the existing Cuban flair and tiki chic lounge and put a seasonal-overlay layer on top. Mardi Gras was Cursed Coconut Club (Feb 7 to April 4 this year). Halloween Horror Nights gets Dead Coconut Club (Aug 28 to Nov 1). Summer is now Re(d)tro.

The Red Coconut Club exterior at Universal CityWalk Orlando, with its retro-tiki neon signage.
The Red Coconut Club at Universal CityWalk. Photo: Orlando Informer.

The basics

  • Opens: Friday, May 8, 2026, doors at 6 p.m.
  • Cadence: select nights, with Universal's prior Coconut Club overlays operating Wednesday through Sunday.
  • Closes: Saturday, July 18, 2026.
  • Cost: Free to enter. Pay only for what you order at the bar.
  • Age: Adult bar venue; check Universal's programming calendar for current age requirements.
  • Location: Red Coconut Club at Universal CityWalk, no park ticket needed.
  • Programming: 80s and 90s themed DJ sets, arcade games, photo ops, plus the venue's standard specialty drinks, music, and live entertainment.

Where it slots in the Coconut Club seasonal cycle

Universal has been running themed overlays on the Red Coconut Club for several seasons. The series:

  • Mardi Gras (Feb to early April): Cursed Coconut Club. The most recent run was February 7 to April 4, 2026.
  • Summer (now): Re(d)tro Nights. May 8 to July 18, 2026.
  • Halloween Horror Nights (late August to early November): Dead Coconut Club has historically run alongside HHN. HHN 35 runs Aug 28 to Nov 1, 2026; expect the overlay to align with those dates pending Universal's announcement.

That puts a seasonal overlay on the venue most of the year, with the standard Red Coconut Club programming filling the gaps.

The Red Coconut Club during a previous seasonal overlay, showing themed decor and a busy dance floor.
The Red Coconut Club during a previous seasonal overlay. Photo: Orlando Informer.

How it pairs with the rest of the Universal calendar

The summer slate is starting to layer up. Re(d)tro Nights gives the resort a rare adult-evening venue option that does not require a park ticket. Stack it with everything else happening:

  • Tonight: Re(d)tro Coconut Club opens at 6 p.m.
  • Volcano Bay Nights picks back up Sunday May 10 for its second 2026 night, with select nights continuing through August 21.
  • Universal's Horror Make-Up Show plays its final performances next weekend. AP reserved seating runs through Sunday May 10. Last show Tuesday May 12.
  • Passholder Bonus Benefits continue through May 21 (Transformers magnet, $5 merch credit, plus other discounts).
  • Blockbuster Summer 2026 launches May 23 with Mega Movie Parade and JAWS-themed experiences across Universal Studios Florida.
  • Hogwarts Always projection show returns May 30 at Islands of Adventure.

Quick planner notes

  • No park ticket needed. CityWalk is open to all, so a Re(d)tro evening can be a standalone CityWalk visit.
  • Select nights only. Universal's prior Coconut Club overlays ran Wednesdays through Sundays; check the CityWalk programming calendar for the current Re(d)tro schedule.
  • Adult venue. Red Coconut Club is a bar venue; check Universal's programming calendar for current age requirements during the Re(d)tro run.
  • Parking: CityWalk parking has historically been free after 6 p.m. on most non-event nights, but rates vary. Check Universal's parking page for current pricing on your visit date.
  • Don't expect Re(d)tro-specific photos to flood the internet on opening night. Universal hasn't issued an official press release for the series. Most coverage is via Inside Universal's social channels and CityWalk programming calendar.

Sources

Image credits: Orlando Informer.

Related News

Aerial Photos Show Universal Upgrading the Ultrasaur and Baby Stegosaurus Animatronics in the Jurassic Park River Adventure Refurb

Aerial Photos Show Universal Upgrading the Ultrasaur and Baby Stegosaurus Animatronics in the Jurassic Park River Adventure Refurb

Aerial photos by bioreconstruct, published by Orlando ParkStop on June 29, show Universal upgrading the original Ultrasaur and baby Stegosaurus animatronics inside Jurassic Park River Adventure at Islands of Adventure during the ride's 10-month refurb. A clean white armature has been installed for the Ultrasaur's neck and the baby Stego has had its face skin removed to upgrade the head's moving elements. Inside The Magic separately confirmed the entrance roof shingles (in place since 1999) and sections of the ride track are being replaced. The ride closed January 5, 2026 and is scheduled to reopen November 20, 2026.

June 29, 2026 News
Level99 Opens at Disney Springs Today with 63 Challenge Rooms in the Old NBA Experience and DisneyQuest Space

Level99 Opens at Disney Springs Today with 63 Challenge Rooms in the Old NBA Experience and DisneyQuest Space

Level99, the Massachusetts-born "Players Club" of physical-and-mental challenge rooms, opens its fourth and biggest location at Disney Springs West Side today, Monday, June 29, 2026. The 46,800-square-foot, two-story venue carries 63 mini-game challenge rooms, 40 plus original art installations, a two-story bar, Detroit-style pizza and wagyu burgers. Tickets start at $29.99 for 1.5 hours or $39.99 for 2.5 hours per player, with a $19.99 Premium Pass upgrade. The first 500 Players through the door today get a commemorative pin.

June 29, 2026 News
Universal Reveals Cybergoria, an Original Cryo-Future Haunted House for Halloween Horror Nights 35

Universal Reveals Cybergoria, an Original Cryo-Future Haunted House for Halloween Horror Nights 35

Universal Orlando announced Cybergoria, an original Halloween Horror Nights 35 haunted house with a cryo-future premise: a corporation called Bio Immortal Bionic Intelligent Systems once sold cryo-freezing as immortality, and thousands of years later the machines that took over are still pursuing the goal, even if it kills you. Announced Thursday, June 25, 2026, the house is the sixth of a reported ten HHN 35 houses to be revealed. Senior Show Director Matthew Flood (Universal Orlando Resort) leads the project. HHN 35 runs select nights August 28 through November 1, 2026.

June 29, 2026 News
Legoland Florida Unveils Its Biggest-Ever Red, White & BOOM! for July 4 with a 12-Minute Fireworks Finale Over Lake Eloise

Legoland Florida Unveils Its Biggest-Ever Red, White & BOOM! for July 4 with a 12-Minute Fireworks Finale Over Lake Eloise

Legoland Florida's 4th of July event, Red, White & BOOM!, returns Saturday, July 4, 2026 in its biggest form yet, tied to America's 250th birthday. Extended park hours (10 a.m. to 9 p.m.), a 12-minute lakefront fireworks finale over Lake Eloise, free LEGO-brick holographic viewing glasses distributed starting 7:45 p.m. while supplies last, a 6 p.m. DJ dance party, collaborative giant American-flag LEGO build stations, and a $30 VIP Fireworks Seating Package capped at 120 guests in South Ski Stadium. Single-day tickets start at $69 for a limited time.

June 29, 2026 News
Disney's Wilderness Lodge Battles a Days-Long AC Outage During a Central Florida Heat Wave

Disney's Wilderness Lodge Battles a Days-Long AC Outage During a Central Florida Heat Wave

A stay at one of Walt Disney World's flagship Deluxe resorts is not supposed to come with a box fan, but that has been the reality for some guests at Disney's Wilderness Lodge this week. The main building's central air conditioning has been down since Thursday, June 18, just as Central Florida sweltered under back-to-back heat advisories with feels-like temperatures topping 105 degrees. By Monday, June 22, Disney had trucked in temporary chillers and portable spot coolers and many guest rooms had cooled back down, though the Grand Lobby and some interior spaces stayed warm, and the central system was not yet fully restored. Disney has not commented publicly.

June 23, 2026 News
Universal Files Permits for a 71,500-Square-Foot Building in Epic Universe's Dark Universe

Universal Files Permits for a 71,500-Square-Foot Building in Epic Universe's Dark Universe

Something big is taking shape in the spookiest corner of Epic Universe. A new permit filing points to a building of roughly 71,500 square feet planned for the heart of Darkmoor Village, the classic-monsters town inside the park's Dark Universe world, with Stantec Architecture listed on the paperwork. That footprint is on par with full attractions at Epic Universe, like the Mario Kart ride and the Untrainable Dragon show, so this is no gift shop. Universal will only say that permit filings are routine and that it has no further details to share, which leaves the fun question wide open: a new monster ride, a theater, or something else entirely?

June 23, 2026 News