Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort

A Universal holiday is not relaxing - it is fun! We loved the look, price and location of Cabana Bay Resort & also that it was ‘onsite’, which meant that we did not require a car. This saved us £££’s (or $$$’s) - we are from the UK. No car hire prices, no extra insurance, no fuel costs, no parking charges … as there are so many ways to get about: free bus transfers to the parks, river taxis and of course just walking! We also used Mears Taxis to get about when we went ‘off-site’ - very reasonably priced. You only had to walk next door for Volcano Bay & you also got early entry. We all loved the Movie nights, Fire pit, 2 pools, lazy river & slides and there was always something to do. (We never had time for Galaxy Bowling!) We bought the ‘unlimited’ cups for the duration of our trip @ $25 each. Great for coffee, then water or pop (soda) everyday. If you wanted to go to SEAWORLD, then you take the free bus to city walk and jump on the free SEAWORLD bus (goes and returns once a day), ask at the Attractions desk. We took some English goodies & Chocolate for the desk staff & they really appreciated it! You will love it here & the kids will not want to leave! Thank you Cabana Bay. Read less

Stayed in the 2 bedroom 2 bath suite in the Beachside Bldg. We had an amazing time! Loved our room - the bldg was next to Volcano Bay. Was a little far from the lobby, bayside restaurant, etc! but u could walk through the other buildings when raining or there was a path! The lazy river was so much fun! This was our 3rd time staying at this resort! Staff were warm and friendly, our room was clean, getting to Universal was a breeze on the bus! All the staff went out of their way to be helpful! Read less

I rated my experience a 5/5 because it was everything I needed in a hotel. It was clean. It was convenient. There was a lazy river. And it was reasonably priced. Already looking at booking our next vacation. Only thing I didn’t know before making my reservation was that the two pools were so far apart from each other and that the hallways are long. Also, there’s no microwave in the room so it changed out breakfast plans in the am. I was also unaware that you have to pay for your own float. ~ $14. Bring your own float for the lazy river. Read less

Recently stayed here as a family of 5 and it pretty much had everything you need for a break away. Firstly the reception area is huge it has a bar, luggage storage, information desk and gift shop, we didn’t need the staff much but the ones we did speak to were friendly and helpful. The restaurant has all kinds of food, drinks, grab and go area and also sells essentials. There is also a Starbucks, bowling alley/arcade. Pool area was very clean and spacious with free pool towels to use. The food at the pool bar was also very nice. I would definitely recommend purchasing a universal cup which you can refill for the duration of your stay with soft drinks and juice at the machines it’s just a shame this one is different to the parks and can only be used at the hotel. Rooms - we stayed in a family poolside room which was very accommodating, it had 2 double beds and a pull out double sofa bed, kitchenette, AC, 2 TV’s, hair dryer, iron, a safe. The downside of the rooms were storage, as a family of 5 travelling for 2 weeks there was only a couple of draws which weren’t very sterdy and a very small rail with a couple of hangers so most of our things stayed in our case which was frustrating. The towels were changed daily and beds main, bins emptied but I didn’t notice any “cleaning”, the room because quite dusty on surfaces towards the end. Free shuttle bus to Universal which takes around 5 minutes or you can walk which takes about 15 minutes. Approximately a 18 minute drive/taxi to Disney. It’s also right next to volcano bay, a minute or so walk. It also has a laundrette with washing machines and dryers, you can purchase washing powder from the vending machine in there. I would definitely recommend staying here as location is ideal and has everything you need onsite. Read less

I traveled with 3 teens and stayed 6 nights at Cabana Bay for a nearby volleyball tournament. Overall we had a good experience. Check-in was easy, and Holly was very kind and helpful. Being able to text the front desk was a definitive positive, and they were responsive every time we needed anything. 5 stars for them. Housekeeping was hit-or-miss. Our first full day the housekeeper came by, barely spoke a word to us, and left without cleaning. Maybe she was having an off day. I think it was the 3rd or 4th day that a different housekeeper came by, was very friendly, and did a thorough job restocking towels & coffee, sweeping the floors & making the bed. The pools and lazy river tended to be crowded, but it was 4th of July weekend. That being said, I enjoyed them very much. You have to bring your own tubes or pay $$ to buy one of theirs though. The hot tubs were nice and hot which we enjoyed on the 1 cooler night, but it was too hot & humid to use the rest of the nights (heat index was 105 most afternoons!) Food was okay. There aren't any real restaurants on site, but there is a big cafeteria where they sell just about everything. Prices were higher than I wanted to pay for the quality of food, although there was one dish we really enjoyed (chicken basil pasta for $15). I wish the had water stations/dispensors around the resort since it's hot as anything in July and the aren't free (my daughter got a mocktail at the pool bar which was close to $8). Rooms were pretty decent but not completely clean when we arrived. There was a piece of a donut or some sort of cookie on the floor next to the bed along with some other crumbs. There was no balcony and the window faced the parking garage, but I'm sure for a higher price you could get a room with a better view. AC worked well and was quiet. It was nice to have 2 sinks in the bathroom and the toilet separate from the shower. There was a sliding door between the "bedroom" and the kitchonette/couch area which we appreciated. We had a family suite so thankfully there was a mini fridge and microwave. Unfortunately the top shelf of the minifridge did not work the first night so I had to throw out the food I put there. The hotel has a very decent sized gym. I'm admittedly a gym rat, so I spent a lot of time in there and had just a couple of criticisms. Overall it is MUCH better than you'd find in many hotels and boasts a variety of equipment. A couple suggestions: -The gym was probably the warmest room in the hotel resort. I froze in most other areas, but the gym was humid and the AC could be cranked up more. -some of the equipment was broken (some marked & a couple treadmills with unresponsive screens weren't marked) -the oldies music was cheesy and maybe enjoyable to some but old enough that headphones didn't always block it out. Just a personal preference - I would have lowered the volume. -the rules of the gym aren't followed. There were kids in bathing suits & without shoes and a number of other people running on the treadmill in sandals or crocs. There are signs with rules but nobody enforces them. I'm all for accommodating but those are just injuries waiting to happen, and when kids are using the equipment incorrectly it's likely to break sooner. Regardless, I was pleasantly surprised by such a large gym with real weight machines, quality cardio equipment, plenty of dumbells & a Lifefitness Signature Serious apparatus with pulleys. The resort is conveniently located right by Universal Studio and has a shuttle that goes back and forth. The kids enjoyed a day at Universal & we didn't have to worry about transportation or parking. The 3-star hotel rating seems accurate. When we travel we generally go to all-inclusive Caribbean resorts that are 4+ stars, so my comparison might be a little unfair. Overall though, it was a nice stay and a fun place. Read less