Rock the Universe Music Festival 2023

Each year, Universal Studios Florida host the “Rock the Universe” Christian Music Festival billed as Florida’s largest Christian festival.

2023 marks the 25th year and it takes place on January 27 through 29 from 4:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.

It is an “after hours” hard-ticketed event so you need to purchase a specific Rock the Universe ticket, even if you are an annual pass holder.

As well as the main concert activity at the Universal Music Plaza stage, there is also music on the Hollywood stage as well as a live DJ, autograph sessions, candle lighting ceremony and a Sunday morning prayer service.

Youth group leaders also have the benefit of two Youth Leader Lounges.

Rock the Universe Acts for 2023

There are normally around a dozen acts performing at Rock the Universe. Note that some artists perform on the Music Plaza Stage and some on the Hollywood Stage.

So far the following artists for Friday on the Music Plaza Stage are:

• Skillet
• Rend Collective
• Tauren Wells

And on the Hollywood Stage:

• Bethel Music
• Evan Craft
• Katy Nichole

On Saturday on the Music Plaza Stage you can see:

• Zach Williams
• Matthew West
• Anne Wilson

And on the Hollywood Stage:

• Dante Bowe
• We Are Messengers
• Cain

In the Fan Zone presented by Coca-Cola located in the New York section of the park, there is more live music and dancing with DJ Promote, music by up-and-coming acts like Ben Fuller, Gable Price & Friends, Jordan St. Cyr, Ryan Ellis and Stephen Stanley plus the chance to get autographs.

On Saturday night there is a special candle lighting ceremony and live music by one of the bands at the Music Plaza Stage at 11:45 p.m.

The entire event ends on the Sunday morning when there is a non-denominational Sunday Morning Worship Service at 9:30 a.m. and again at 10:45 a.m. at the former Blue Man Group Theater. Seat reservations are required.

Finally on both nights guests have access to select attractions including Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon and Revenge of the Mummy.

Rock the Universe 2023 Ticket Prices

Rock the Universe is a separately ticketed special event.

If you have just bought a nighttime Rock the Universe ticket, you can enter Universal Studios Florida from 4 p.m. on the day of the event. All guests without Rock the Universe tickets must exit the park by 6 p.m. when the event officially starts.

There are several ticket options including night only tickets, multi-park tickets and Universal Express (only valid during the event).

There are also special “Rock Your Weekend” tickets and vacation packages at the Universal Orlando Resort hotels.

The Rock Your Weekend tickets give you access to the Rock the Universe event itself plus admission to two or three parks for the duration of the event with or without the park-to-park option.

For 2023, Universal are effectively giving you free admission to Volcano Bay as the two park and three park Rock Your Weekend tickets are the same price.

Rock the Universe is not included as part of the Annual pass holder admission but pass holders can save a few dollars off the on-the-day gate price.

For groups of 10 or more there are special discount ticket price deals plus other benefits:

• one free ticket and one free Universal Express pass for every ten tickets purchased
• group leaders have access to two Youth Leader Lounges with complimentary refreshments

Groups can also take advantage of Early Park Admission and complimentary shuttle transportation to all the parks if they stay at one of the Resort hotels.

History of Universal Orlando Rock the Universe

It started in 1998 in competition with the rival “Night of Joy” at Walt Disney World and was typically held in September over the same weekend as Disney, just before Halloween Horror Nights.

Disney permanently cancelled [Night of Joy]((useful-resources/night-of-joy-line-up) in 2018 (2017 was the last year) and from 2019 the two night Rock the Universe Music Festival moved to earlier in the year, just before the Mardi Gras celebrations.