Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort opened in 2014 with 2,200 rooms and was the first of the two current Prime Value hotels on Universal Orlando Resort property. Universal Orlando Resort describes this hotel as retro with 1950s and 1960s architecture.
Amenities
Let's start with what Cabana Bay has! There are two pools on hotel property, both outdoors, with one featuring a lazy river. There is also an arcade, bowling alley, and gym within the hotel. Next to the main desk in the front lobby, there is a concierge and luggage storage that is available to hotel guests. The luggage storage can be used to store your items on days you arrive or leave and you want to explore the parks but do not currently have your room available for check in. Finally, there is a gift shop inside the main building.
Food options are abundant here. There is a main cafeteria, the Bayliner Diner, that has different food stations to choose from, with a huge dining area in the middle of the building. The Swizzle Lounge is a bar located within the hotel lobby for alcoholic drinks. There are two restaurants and bars located outdoors by the pools, The Hideaway Bar & Grill and Atomic Tonic. The Galaxy Bowl bowling alley has it's own restaurant, appropriately named the Galaxy Bowl Restaurant. You can get ice cream, milkshakes, and small desserts from Shakes Malt Shoppe, opposite from Bayliner Diner in the main building. There is a full-service Starbucks for my coffee lovers. Lastly, there is room service provided by Delizioso Pizza from noon to midnight every day of the week (you literally select the pizza button on the room phone to call).
There are two transportation options to get to the Universal Orlando Resort theme parks. The busses will take you to the main security hub at CityWalk. The walking path will take you to one of the smaller entrances to CityWalk, right next to Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville. While on the walking patch you will pass by Loews Royal Pacific Resort and Loews Sapphire Falls Resort. Both these hotels have access to water taxis! If you start your 20 minute walk to the parks and decide its too much, get in line for these hotels' water taxis (don't worry, they don't check your room key). For transportation to Volcano Bay, you're in luck! Cabana Bay is the only hotel on property with direct access to Volcano Bay through its own entrance. Guests can also take advantage of early park admission! Check the early park admission calendar for the dates this is offered before your stay.
Rooms
Cabana Bay features two different types of rooms: standard rooms and family suites. Standard rooms have a base price starting at $145/night and have regular view, poolside view, and Volcano Bay view options. These come in two-Queen or one-King bed options. Each room has a spacious bathroom area, closet, and TV.
Family suites have a base price of $186/night for 430-square feet of space. These sleep up to six guests with two Queen size beds and a sleeper sofa in the living room area. They also feature a small kitchenette with a mini fridge, microwave, and sink. These suites are offered with the same view options as the standard rooms (regular, poolside, and Volcano Bay view). Cabana Bay also offers two-bedroom suites with a Volcano Bay view. These are 772-square feet and sleep up to eight guests. The suite features the same amenities with a queen bed in the first bedroom, two full beds in the second bedroom, and a sleeper sofa in the living room area.
We stayed in the Standard Poolside View room with two queen beds. We were only staying for two nights to attend the Orlando Informer Meetup, so it was perfect for what we needed. We had enough space for ourselves when we needed to complete work or school work, and otherwise we really weren't in the rooms much except to sleep.
Pros
I love that Cabana Bay offers so many food options. You can really find something to eat for everyone of all ages. Options inside the Bayliner Diner can change, but at the time of this post include a sandwich station, a pizza and pasta station, an international station, and a burger and grill station. I've also had ice cream from Shakes Malt Shop, and I definitely recommend this for some relaxation time.
Walking isn't for everyone, but I always enjoy taking the walking path here. It's shaded most of the way, and it follows the same path as the water taxis. The flora is always so voluminous and beautiful. It's a peaceful and relaxing way to start and end your day. The walking path has never been crowded in my experience. You also have your own security entrance into CityWalk, which can be such a time saver during busier parts of the year or during special events.
With the hotel being so close to Volcano Bay, the views from the Volcano Bay View Room are such a nice thing to wake up to. You have your own Volcano Bay entrance and I'm sure kids would love this view too! There is so much here for kids to enjoy with the arcade, bowling alley, and ice cream shop. Because there is so much to do, you could also easily spend a day in the hotel on a rainy day, or if you're just exhausted.
Cons
As with all the Value and Prime Value hotels on property, there are lots of families here with kids. This doesn't bother me as much since we don't spend much time in the hotel, but this is something to keep in mind if you may be traveling with a partner and want more time to yourselves. The only other con I can think to mention is that the cafeteria, while it offers so many options, the options don't really change that much day to day. Hopefully you'll be exploring the parks and trying some food there, but it could be something to consider.
Cabana Bay Beach Resort is the on property hotel I have stayed at the most and for good reason! It is affordable with great amenities and good distance from the parks. Have you stayed at cabana Bay? What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments!
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