Cabana Bay! New Universal Hotel in 2014!!!

[thebigkahuna]

in 2014, WOOT!!


http://ultimateorlando.blogspot.com/

 

[LUVIOA]

Looks very cool! I could never give up Express Pass so probably won't stay here but a great option for families. I hope the pool is fun so we have one more to hop to!

 

[JessicaR]

in 2014, WOOT!!


http://ultimateorlando.blogspot.com/

Wow! I was getting sick with the thought of 1800 rooms! Then I saw this:

but will not offer complimentary Universal Express Unlimited Access.

Whew!

So smart they are - the most famous question on this board is "do they have any rooms that sleep 6?" They do now!

Thanks so much for sharing that.

 

[disneywithfive]

The whole reason we stay onsite is express but the place looks pretty cool. Can't wait to see all the details unfold.

 

[disneywithfive]

Wow! I was getting sick with the thought of 1800 rooms! Then I saw this:

but will not offer complimentary Universal Express Unlimited Access.

Whew!

No, but they are going to offer early entry so more people will pack into Harry Potter.

 

[thebigkahuna]

peak times really aren't my fav times, so I may be willing to give up express depending on price...and now I wonder if there will be a discount for annual passholders?? can't wait to watch this new resort unfold!!

 

[thebigkahuna]

Thanks so much for sharing that.

no problem! I can't believe it wasn't already posted!!

 

[JessicaR]

No, but they are going to offer early entry so more people will pack into Harry Potter.

They already offer that with other off site properties. Maybe once this is open they wont affiliate with the off sites and it will be a wash with the early entry.

 

[JessicaR]

no problem! I can't believe it wasn't already posted!!

Pretty exciting! Universal sure is growing up...and out!

 

[AlexandNessa]

I think it looks very Pop Century/All Star-ish ala Disney. Just my initial reaction. Add me to the list of folks though that are glad there will not be unlimited express. I just hope they make that abundantly clear to guests who book there so there is no confusion.

 

[ElizabethB]

Universal's answer to Disney value resort family suites. The theming looks incredibly boring -- family vacations spent on the road staying in motor court motels? What can they possibly be thinking? No thank you.

Plus, there is no point to staying on site at Universal if you don't get unlimited express pass. Sounds like Universal needs to re-think this one.

Why not build this with a Harry Potter theme? Who cares what J.K. Rowling would charge for the rights. It would be worth it.

 

[Badge]

Today Universal Olrando announced a brand new onsite hotel set to open in 2014. It is going to feature 1800 rooms and have two different price options:

900 Value rooms--These rooms sound like they will be your standard 1 King/2 Queen style rooms. However, they will be value priced and WILL NOT feature Universal Express. Since the other current hotels can get as low as $150 (or lower) these rooms need to be at the $70-80 range to make it worth not getting express.

900 Family Suites--These will sleep six, and from the way I take the press release, these rooms will be just like the current hotels and offer the Express passes.

The hotel is going to be built on a 37-acre site within Universal Orlando Resort and adjacent to Universal's Islands of Adventure - just off Hollywood Way and Turkey Lake Road with site work starting soon!

Here is the full press release with a few pictures:

http://media.universalorlando.com/PressRelease/detail.aspx?id=1351

What do you guys think of this new resort?!?! I am shocked that they are using this little space for a 4th hotel, but I guess they are preparing for the next huge crowd to arrive when the 2nd phase of HP is finished.

 

[Metro West]

I think it looks very Pop Century/All Star-ish ala Disney. Just my initial reaction. Add me to the list of folks though that are glad there will not be unlimited express. I just hope they make that abundantly clear to guests who book there so there is no confusion.

Stay in the expensive hotels to get the unlimited EP but not at the value level...nothing wrong with that. I like the retro look of the hotel...nothing wrong with that either.

 

[Metro West]

We already have a thread on this subject on the Universal Resorts board...so we're moving there.

I have a better idea...I'm going to sticky this thread since we are going to be talking about this new hotel for a long time.

 

[JessicaR]

Universal's answer to Disney value resort family suites. The theming looks incredibly boring -- family vacations spent on the road staying in motor court motels? What can they possibly be thinking? No thank you.

Plus, there is no point to staying on site at Universal if you don't get unlimited express pass. Sounds like Universal needs to re-think this one.

Why not build this with a Harry Potter theme? Who cares what J.K. Rowling would charge for the rights. It would be worth it.

People have to stay somewhere. If the new resort is priced right like an off-site this is a smart move for Universal.

I would love to see a HP themed resort too but that would likely cost big bucks and the resort would end up with deluxe pricing.

I won't be staying at this resort either but I'm not their target guest.

I just hope they have some cool pools and we can hop to them!

 

[Bluer101]

Count me on not staying there either. I just hope this does not drive up the price of the other 3 hotels.

 

[AlexandNessa]

Stay in the expensive hotels to get the unlimited EP but not at the value level...nothing wrong with that. I like the retro look of the hotel...nothing wrong with that either.

There is nothing wrong with either (did my post indicate that? I didn't mean to.)

I just think it's a bit reductive of Disney's value resorts, theming-wise. A bit unoriginal. Thats all.

I can also foresee some confusion, if Loews doesn't make it clear that unlimited express isn't included. The press release didn't indicate that (as far as I saw), but it was listed in the blog. I would just hate to see any uproar from a family who books a suite there and then arrives onsite to find out they dont have unlimited express. All I'm saying is that Loews needs to be very clear on this.

 

[macraven]

no luxury
no express unlimited usage

no thanks.




I'll stay at RPH and enjoy the perks.

 

[Bluer101]

no luxury
no express unlimited usage

no thanks.

I'll stay at RPH and enjoy the perks.

Us too.

I bet no pool hoping either.

 

[2girlsmom]

The press release I saw does say no express, just early entry. I didn't see anything indicating the family suites would get the express, so I guess we'll wait and see on that. I sent back about the pool hopping to the Uni employee who forwarded me the press release, so far haven't seen a response, so I guess we'll have to wait to find out on that too. We don't generally go during the peak times, either, and usually stay with my sister who currently lives in Kissimmee, and will be on the east side of Orlando by the time this hotel opens, too, but I can see if the price is right we might stay here occasionally, in slow season the express isn't really needed anyway.