The SATURDAY SIX Plays 18 Holes at HOLLYWOOD DRIVE-IN Golf at Universal Citywalk

This week’s SATURDAY SIX heads over to Universal Orlando for HOLLYWOOD DRIVE-IN GOLF. We here at SAT SIX HQ consider mini-golf to be one of the greatest sports ever invented, and Orlando just so happens to be home to some of the most fun courses we have ever played on. From Disney’s WinterSummerland and Fantasia Gardens to Pirate’s Cove Adventure and Congo River Golf off I-Drive along with everything in between, a game of mini-golf is just about synonymous with a family vacation to Central Florida.

# 6 – What Is Hollywood Drive-in Golf?

While mini-golf courses are ubiquitous in Orlando, Hollywood Drive-In Golf is the only one you don’t have to travel to after a day in the parks as it’s part of Universal CityWalk. In fact, the mini golf course is the first thing you will see when entering Universal through the parking garages as it’s impossible to miss the huge themed elements from The Haunting of Ghostly Greens or Invaders from Planet Putt (such as the haunted house, the monstrous worm, or the giant robot) on your way to Islands of Adventure or Universal Studios Florida.

The hours of operation are 9:00 a.m. to midnight, 7 days a week, so it’s the perfect place to go if you need a break from the theme parks during the middle of the day, or are looking for something to do once the parks close. This location is especially convenient if you are staying onsite at one of the Loews premier hotels at Universal, as it’s just a short walk back to your room (or on the way to bus area for those staying at resorts such as Cabana Bay or Endless Summer.)

Outside Hollywood Drive-In you’ll notice it is one of the venues that has a fun photo-op for guests outside. A red golf cart, decked out to resemble a classic car from the 1950s/1960s, which is the same era of movies and television that the golf course themes are tied to.

One of the “best kept secrets” at Universal Citywalk are these fun photo-ops that you and your family can partake in, whether or not you visit the establishment they are in front of. Keep an eye out for the titular Cowfish in front of The Cowfish Sushi & Burger bar, old timey delivery vehicles at Red Oven Pizza Bakery, and the larger than life Adirondack chairs near Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville.

# 5 – Time for some mini-golf!

As mentioned earlier, Hollywood Drive-In is home to two seperate courses. One side is “haunted” (the Haunted of Ghostly Greens) while the other is based on “Sci-Fi” (Invaders from the Planet Putt.) The single feature package includes one round on either course. The double feature add-on allows you to play the other side for a reduced price that you can come back and play at any time (whether the same day or the following year, there is no time limit.) There are several discounts available and you can also save 10% by purchasing in advance online.

While at the main kiosk you will also see a solid variety of merchandise for sale, including a pretty sharp looking t-shirt.

I’m guessing golf chips are what you would use to mark your ball’s location on the green while other people in your party are playing. My family? We consider golf balls being hit during the course of the game as part of the fun.

If I were to get one, you better believe I’d get the Hollywood Drive-In logo one.

As a kid, I always begged my parents to buy me a customized golf ball, and of course they never did. However, I could have made a much more compelling case if the golf balls back then were as cool as the ones you can purchase at Hollywood Drive-In, I mean c’mon, a Minion golf ball? That’s awesome.

Pokémon, Marvel and Hello Kitty are some of the brands in these golf balls.

Jurassic Park? Are you kidding me?! Couldn’t buy them as a kid, but I can buy them now!

Hollywood Drive-In has 10 different colored balls that are included with your purchase of a round. No charge.

There is also a large variety of club sizes for people of all heights. The green clubs are for right handed players while the purple clubs are for those who putt left handed.

The paper scorecards offer trivia for both of the two courses.

Here’s a closer look at The Haunting of Ghostly Greens trivia.

Always a good sign of quality when the mini-golf course you’re playing on offers branded pencils.

Need to note that Hollywood Drive-In also offers a free app in the iPhone and Android stores that allows you to use a digital scorecard.

Here’s some screenshots from when I downloaded and used the app years ago to try it out. There’s some fun surprises when loading your scores into the app, and it also displays the day’s best scores, as well as all-time best scores on each course.

However, I will ALWAYS be a tried and true user of paper scorecards. What better way to lord over the defeated than holding physical proof of your mini-golf dominance. What, is that just me? Time to hit the course!

# 4 – Invaders from Planet Putt

The gimmick of Hollywood Drive-In is that you are going to “play into the movies,” so each course begins with you heading into the films. The Sci-Fi themed side, Invaders From Planet Putt is loaded with cute aliens.

Each hole is identified with a sign along with some lore for the overall story of the course.

Another great touch, each hole is also identifiable with these markers of Planet Putt.

One of the things I love about Hollywood Drive-In is the attention to all the “little things” throughout the course, such as a faux newspaper box that is pretty much exactly what you’ll find inside the theme parks at Marvel Superhero Island in IOA.

The various holes are all themed to various sci-fi tropes, and one of my favorites is a nod to a classic Twilight Zone episode, “To Serve Man.”

So many cool design elements throughout the course.

There is a lot of fun wordplay on the signage in both courses.

I’m a huge fan of when Disney and Universal put footprints into the cement, whether it’s animal tracks at Wilderness Lodge or werewolf paws at Dark Universe. At Hollywood Drive-In, you’ll see alien footprints on the ground!

This may seem like a minor point, unless you’ve played mini golf in Florida during the day. It can get hot in Orlando, real hot. Unlike most other mini golf courses in the area, because Hollywood Drive-In Golf is so close to the massive overhead walkway leading to the parking garages, there is some shade to combat the heat.

There are also some themed fans throughout the course that allow the players to press a button and have water shoot out from the fan. Instantly refreshing, this is a concept that should be immediately be used by both Universal and Disney within their theme parks for outdoor queue areas.

# 3 – The Haunting of Ghostly Green

As much as I love sci-fi, The Haunting of Ghostly Green is my favorite course to play at Hollywood Drive-In because there are so many amazing family friendly references to the world of horror movies.

There are identifying markers at each hole that include a bat design.

Each hole also has it’s own “story” that is loaded with puns and other wordplay.

How great is stuff like this? I’m a sucker for tombstones like at the Haunted Mansion and Hollywood Drive-In has them for our favorite monsters.

Simple design, but just awesome.

There’s even a Pet Cemetery hole.

This includes a straight up E-Ticket reference to Jaws!!

This is unbelievable!

Yes, that is a hamster skeleton.

When you play on this covered bridge,  you may get wet from a spitting “creature” in the water below…

It’s Flower & Garden Festival time over at EPCOT, and these three topiaries at Hollywood Drive-In fit right in with my favorites at Flower and Garden.

My absolute favorite hole on the Haunting of Ghostly Greens side is a hedged maze you must play through. This reminded me of the third Tri-Wizard task in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire or the end of The Shining with Jack Nicholson. It’s a hole that’s relatively simple but completely unique.

# 2 – Interactive Elements

Many of the better mini-golf courses will have something interactive for the last hole of the course, but throughout Hollywood Drive-In you’ll find some pretty neat stuff that really adds to the overall fun factor of the experience. Take, for example, the UFO that you play through on one hole.

Inside, you get to control the door opening and closing.

Here’s a video of the experience….

The standard mini-golf course has things like windmills offering a challenge to putt through, but Hollywood Drive-In takes it up a notch with aliens protecting the actual hole you need to get in!

The last  hole of the alien side uses a Rube Goldberg-esque contraption to move your ball along.

I absolutely love the last hole of the haunted side, because its a visual trip when you are playing on a moving surface.

 

# 1 – Mini Golf at NIGHT

As great as Hollywood Drive-In Golf is during the day it’s even better at night. Not only is the weather going to be cooler to play in, both courses are completely lit up with lighting elements.

I’d rate Hollywood Drive-In 10/10 during the day but goes up to a Spinal Tap 11 at night.

All the stairways are lit up.

Overall Thoughts: Hollywood Drive-In is – in my book – hands down the best mini-golf that Orlando has to offer and Orlando is LOADED with great mini-golf. It’s fun for the whole family but adds another level for those who get all the movie tropes that are used for comedy on both sides.

Honorable Mention – This, That and the Other Thing…

If you complete the “Trivia Challenge” for either course you’ll get a scratch off card. This ultimately will earn you a discount on your next game at Hollywood Drive-In. There is no expiration on this discount.

Here we have a water bubbler station and lockers for those who don’t want to carry anything while they play.

Lockers cost $4.25 to rent.

There are also bathrooms nearby for both “guys” and “gals.”

 

So there you have it: The SATURDAY SIX Plays 18 Holes at Hollywood Drive-In Golf! See you next weekend for the latest installment of the SATURDAY SIX, where we’ll look at something fun from the world of Disney and Universal. If you enjoyed yourself, be sure to check out the THEME PARK ENJOYMENT INDEX, giving a monthly recap of all the theme park news you need to know (and a lot more you don’t need to know, but we’re gonna tell you anyway). You can also follow Your Humble Author on BlueSky (@derekburgan).

If you enjoyed this article, you will surely like the following: 

Theme Park Turkeys of the Year Archives

The SATURDAY SIX Celebrates 10 Years of @bioreconstruct

SATURDAY SIX Tribute to Josh easyWDW

SATURDAY SIX Tribute to Ian Barritt

TPEI Tribute to Bret Taggart (AKA @Schmoofy)

Special Thanks to The Elite Brandon Glover, Digital Maestro Scott Walker, the bio-est of all reconstructs @bioreconstruct, Captain Cruiseline Scott Sanders of the world famous Disney Cruise Line Blog, my personal protege Hunter “Elvey” Underwood, artist @SonderQuest, the mighty maven of merchandise Hedgehog’s Corner, the SAT SIX Fun Squad of Parkscope Joe and “the Dadalorian” Nick, hot shot Michael Carelli, charter member of the Universal Four @Nitro230, the permit princess Alicia Stella, master cartographer Tommy Hawkins, and Hermione Granger’s tutor Megan Thickey for their invaluable assistance with this article. Absolutely no help was added by SeaWorld Influencer @SuperWeenieHtJr. The SAT SIX is inspired each week by goofballs Aengus Mackenzie and LitemAndHide and you Potterheads will enjoy Meg’s other blog work over at the Central Florida Slug Club.