Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort

Epic Stay at Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort

10.0

We visited Universal Studios Orlando and stayed at Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort from July 18 though 25. Every year for the past eight years, we've typically stayed on a Disney property. This year, we decided to change things up and try out staying at a Universal resort. We stayed at Universal's Cabana Bay Beach resort. Our party of four included myself, my wife, our 14 year old son and his friend of the same age. We booked a Volcano Bay 2 Bedroom Suite in the Bayside Tower. First, let's talk about the property itself. I found the property interiors and the grounds to be well-maintained. We found the retro-style theming to be whimsical and fun. We checked in around 1 pm and were informed that our room was not ready at that time. We were given a resort map and our room keys and informed that we were free to access all areas of the resort while waiting to receive the text message that our unit was ready. Shortly after checking in, half of the resort lost power (including the lobby/check-in area). We learned that this was likely the result of a nearby substation failure. Not to worry, however. We were able to pass the time and our room was ready by around 4:30 pm. Our room was terrific. It was clean, comfortable and spacious with plenty of room for us and the kids. We thoroughly enjoyed the views of the Volcano Bay volcano (Krakatau) courtesy of the floor-to-ceiling windows. Prior to our arrival, I'd read other reviews indicating that the walk from the towers to the main area (lobby, restaurants, shops, etc.) was quite lengthy. I have to say that we didn't find this to be the case at all for our party of four that included two teens. I would say the walk from our tower to the main area took about 5 to 10 minutes tops. The only real downside to the unit was that we were positioned directly behind the Kohola Reef Restaurant and Social Club at Volcano Bay and we could hear the nightly and early morning loading and stocking activities. Also, there were some issues with accessibility and access doors. We noticed that a couple of the wave-to-open accessibility door sensors did not work between buildings on the Americana side. And with one of two pool gate sensors not working, this caused a minor issue accessing the pool from the tower. Next, I'll address the level of service. Throughout our 7-day stay, we found the staff to be courteous and accommodating. I can honestly say that I never had a negative interaction with any of the staff at Cabana Bay. Remember, our bar is Disney so, we had high expectations. I especially want to shout out Jas, the young lady who initially checked us in. She made it a point to look out for us before, during and after the power outage. Thanks Jas! Now, let's talk food. Our first night on property, we made reservations to bowl and dine at Galaxy Bowl. We ordered appetizers and entrees and devoured everything. The food was delicious. We frequented the Bayliner Diner for breakfast and dinner and the food was of pretty good quality. The food court offers a wide variety including a grill station, an international station, pizza station, grab-and-go items, etc. During our stay we also ordered pizza to the room one night and ordered takeout from the nearby Hideaway Bar and Grill. We were never disappointed with any of our meals. We treated ourselves to Shakes Malt Shoppe after dinner one night and, it was absolutely delightful. Lastly, I'll discuss the amenities. Cabana Bay Beach Resort has two large pools. We never visited the lobby area pool, staying close to our room and frequenting the pool close to our tower. The pools and surrounding areas were surprisingly clean given the size of the resort and never felt over crowded. We did experience one pool closure when the pool near us closed for several hours due to broken glass in the pool from a nearby broken outdoor light. The maintenance crew and lifeguards did their due diligence, taking every precaution to ensure that the pool was safe for reentry. The lazy river was the perfect relaxing retreat after full days at the amusement parks. The gift shop was great and the boys (and adults) enjoyed the arcade. And, we had an awesome time bowling at Galaxy Bowl. Pros - Courteous and accommodating service staff - Property and unit clean and well-kept - Food was good - Excellent amenities - Complimentary transportation to and from Universal theme parks and City Walk Cons - Could hear noise from nightly and early morning loading and stocking in our room - A couple of the wave-to-open door accessibility scanners between the Americana buildings did not work - One of the key card scanners at the pool access gate near the towers did not work Overall, we all quite enjoyed our stay at Cabana Bay Beach Resort. I find this hotel to be a great value for the price range. The staff treated us kindly and we felt quite comfortable at the property. Any drawbacks I noticed were minor. I absolutely recommend this resort and would definitely return for another vacation.

This Resort is a Destination by itself!

8.0

This is my favorite resort in Orlando but I do want to have full disclosure of the most and least favorable elements. Pro: excellent proximity to Volcano Bay. There really is no better location for the water park. Con: There is no luggage assistance other than storage. This resort is HUGE. If you have a lot of luggage be prepared. Pro: The pools here are the best on Universal property (slide AND lazy river) Con: This family resort gets a lot of wear and tear. Be prepared for carpet stains and scratches on furniture and walls. Pro: Retro theming can’t be beat! Con: Not enough places to charge your phone. Everyone has usb outlets these days. Come on cabana bay! Do better :) Con: Room lacks storage Pro: Best hotel gift shop on property imo Pro: Best arcade on property Pro: Bowling! Pro: Starbucks! Pro: So many bars… Con: Dining is good but could be better I once stayed here for 4 nights with 3 kids and only went to volcano bay one day. This resort is a destination by itself!

Guest review

9.0

Les services les différentes possibilité de restauration Starbucks espaces aquatiques accueil et aide, shuttle pour les 3 parcs, proximité pour volcano bay, cest une expérience incroyable merveilleux souvenirs

− Rien

Guest review

9.0

me and family had a great time ... definitely coming back...

Cabana bay 🌟

10.0

Just back from a fantastic 2 week stay at cabana bay. Had an amazing time, our family suite had plenty of room for the 4 of us, and had a lovely pool view. The cleaners and housekeeping staff do a wonderful job, always busy keeping public areas tidy in a very busy hotel, our room was cleaned daily( towels changed, beds made, coffee replaced) The pools were a big bonus, 2 to chose from plus the lazy river! We ate at he Bayside diner a few times, portion sizes very good. Main attraction to this hotel for us was the direct access to volcano bay and the early access, we made use of the early access a few times. The bus transport to the parks and the boat from sapphire Falls were amazing! Quick easy and saved a fortune on having to get Ubers. I'd read a few reviews before we went about some areas of the hotel being a bit "worn" yes we saw some bits which could do with replacing( head board in room was peeling) and few scuffs on furniture but it did not detract from the amazing time we had here. Thoroughly enjoyed our time here, and would recommend cabana bay to friends and family. We hope to return one day.

Fantástico

10.0

Es muy lindo muy limpio cerca de todo tiene muchas atracciones dentro del complejo