Half of America's Workers In ``Vacation Crisis''; Universal Orlando Releases Findings of First ``All Work & No Play'' Study

Business Wire, May 17, 2005

STUDY METHODOLOGY

Universal Orlando Resort and Bert Sperling, founder of Sperling's BestPlaces, compiled "vacation crisis" scores based on the amount of vacation days people in the 51 largest U.S. metro areas earned on average, and what percentage of those people reported taking vacation the week before being surveyed. Primary sources for the data included the National Compensation Survey and the Current Employment Statistics, published annually by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In addition, Universal Orlando conducted an online survey of over 5,000 people who earned vacation or personal days in 2004 while working at a full time job in 20 major markets. They answered questions ranging from how much of their vacation time they did not take to employer reaction to taking vacation.

About Universal Orlando

The Universal Orlando resort destination (www.universalorlando.com) includes two dramatically distinct and adjacent theme parks, the Universal Studios motion picture and television theme park and Islands of Adventure, Orlando's most thrilling and exhilarating theme park. Universal Orlando also includes CityWalk, a 30-acre dining, shopping, club and live-entertainment venue as well as premier on-site Loews hotels and world-class film and television production facilities.

About Sperling's BestPlaces

For nearly twenty years, Bert Sperling has been helping people find their own "Best Place." As the foremost creator of these studies, his work appears in national media nearly every month, and he recently appeared on the Today Show to introduce his new book, "Cities Ranked and Rated." His firm, "Sperling's BestPlaces" puts facts about cities and living in the hands of the public, so they can make better decisions about best places to live, work, retire, play, or relocate. More information is available at www.bestplaces.net.