My Wonderful Stay at Cabana Bay

[nerdboyrockstar]

So I was able to stay at Cabana Bay for a few days of it's very first week and wow. This hotel absolutely exceeded all my expectations and I was already incredibly excited for it.

Driving up to the resort, one of the staff was there to greet you and direct you to the check-in parking and then tells you where to park after. Really friendly service right off the bat. Then, stepping into the lobby, it's just on a grander scale than I envisioned. Maybe I didn't know Universal had this much land back there. I'd seen it built but only across from Royal Pacific so I guess it just looked smaller from there. But this is a nice big resort! I envisioned more of a Pop Century feel thanks to the theme but I was way off. Sorry Universal & Loews. I'll take the slap on the hand for that one.

The rooms are fantastic! I was in Castaway in a Courtyard Family Suite. These weren't facing the pool but actually faced the parking lot and a future construction site. If you look to your left, you can see Islands of Adventure. It is so close to the park. I wish they would build a new access point. The living room area is perfect. We loved having two TV's so we didn't have to agree on watching anything! Btw, these are the nicest TV's I've ever had in any hotel anywhere. The room comes with 2 brand new Samsung LED's. Can't imagine how much those cost.

There are electrical outlets everywhere and even USB slots in the kitchen area which is really helpful. Between iPhones, iPads, speakers, etc. we were all plugged up! The bathroom situation is the biggest change and it'll take some getting used to. They separated the shower, sink and toilet. Not a big deal for me as I'm a cruiser and it reminded me of some setups like that on board.

We spent a lot of our time at the pool which is fantastic. They had music playing all day and night. In the morning, they started with some of the music themed to the era but then would interchange it with current music like Adele, Bruno Mars, etc. They also had a DJ play during the day from about 12-5pm. Also, don't be fooled by the slide. It looks small but it's actually a nice little thrill.

The service at the Atomic Tonic bar was great and the drinks were really good. The Atomic Tonic came in a cool souvenir cup for about $12.50. I also tried the Cabana Bay Colada, which is a Pina Colada + mango & spiced rum for $9.00. Really good! I also noticed they had $4 PBR's among other drinks. Not bad at all.

We went to the Bayliner Diner for breakfast. It was really good! I had the Bacon-Egg-Cheese Croissant with breakfast potatoes. It was good and filling for $6.99. I also got the $8.99 refillable souvenir cup which I thought was a great deal. They have Freestyle Coke machines in different places that you could use them for and have unlimited refills for the day. They even have a machine in the bowling alley so if you go bowling, make sure to bring your cup. You could refill while you're there.

Speaking of bowling, we did that too! My friends thought it was pricey for an hour of bowling (I think it came out to $20 per person for the hour with the shoe rental) but I think it's worth it. It's a really nice place and service is good too. We ordered food from here but keep in mind that save for a couple of the appetizers, it's the same food available for Lunch and Dinner at the Bayliner Diner. Luckily, it's the same price too (just plus what you tip for having them get it for you).

I'll be back with more and later with pictures if you'd like. Gotta get back to work now.

 

[damo]

Thanks!!! Maybe you could copy and paste this in the Cabana Bay thread so we have some good first hand reports in there.

 

[schumigirl]

Glad you had such a fantastic time..........I like the sound of the Cabana Bay Colada

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

Thanks!!! Maybe you could copy and paste this in the Cabana Bay thread so we have some good first hand reports in there.

Is that the New Universal Hotel thread? We need to update the title on that!

Glad you had such a fantastic time..........I like the sound of the Cabana Bay Colada

It's so good! There's also another specialty drink.. Starlight Express.. with Dragon Berry Rum, strawberries, oranges.. It was pretty good too.

 

[JessicaR]

Glad you liked it so much! I value your opinion and can't wait to see some of your pics! Thinking of splitting a stay there next month with PBH just to check it out.

 

[Grace&Carolinesmom]

Great review! Question--Do they have self serve laundry facilities? If so, where are they located at the resort? We will have to do laundry while staying at PBH this summer and thought it would be interesting to do our laundry at the new resort and spend time exploring. Maybe have a meal or a few drinks or maybe bowl a few games

 

[sonofanarchy]

Great review! Question--Do they have self serve laundry facilities? If so, where are they located at the resort? We will have to do laundry while staying at PBH this summer and thought it would be interesting to do our laundry at the new resort and spend time exploring. Maybe have a meal or a few drinks or maybe bowl a few games

I hope you have a car, because that would be one heck of a long walk. Literally, the 2 furthest points at Universal.

 

[Grace&Carolinesmom]

I hope you have a car, because that would be one heck of a long walk. Literally, the 2 furthest points at Universal.

HAHAHA I think we would just grab a cab or see if they offer any type of shuttle? since it is not easily accessible like RPR and HRH.

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

Great review! Question--Do they have self serve laundry facilities? If so, where are they located at the resort? We will have to do laundry while staying at PBH this summer and thought it would be interesting to do our laundry at the new resort and spend time exploring. Maybe have a meal or a few drinks or maybe bowl a few games

I'm not sure if there's multiple ones around the resort but I did see one in Castaway and it was on the first floor near the elevators.

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

Glad you liked it so much! I value your opinion and can't wait to see some of your pics! Thinking of splitting a stay there next month with PBH just to check it out.

Thanks Jessica! I'll be splitting a stay there with RPR in June so let us know how that goes.

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

I also bought a few things at the Universal Gift Shop on-site. They've got everything from Harry Potter merch to Transformers stuff to hotel-exclusive merch, including t-shirts, hats, towels, cups, etc. If you're a passholder, keep in mind that you do get a discount at this store and also at the Bayliner Diner food court. I was really glad to see that.

I also got to check out the Jack LaLanne fitness center. They are playing vintage Jack LaLanne fitness videos on the TV and are also playing 50's and 60's era music on the speakers. But the workout equipment is ultra-modern. It's open late to, from 5am to midnight I believe which is really convenient. I'll definitely be stopping here again on my next visit.

Now for the buses. I do admit I was a little nervous about how well they would do on a bus system for this hotel. I admittedly have zero patience so even when I stay on Disney property, I'd rather drive my own car to the parks than sit around and wait for buses to pick me up to and from. But at Cabana Bay, I literally never waited more than 3 minutes for a bus. There was also always someone at the bus stop both at the hotel and at the CityWalk stop letting you know when the next one was coming.

The only con I could think of is the parking situation. It was hard to find parking near the Castaway building at night so sometimes it was a bit of a hike, but nothing I'm not used to from similar setups at Disney Moderate/Value resorts. Also, the hotel will really benefit from that walkway. I didn't want to try the walk now since I wasn't sure how long it would actually take but I did forego a last morning park visit since I didn't want to go thru the trouble of taking the bus and going thru CityWalk. I do miss my short walk from RPR.

But all in all, Cabana Bay is a great addition to the lineup of Loews Hotels at Universal. Universal has hit it out of the park with the theming everywhere and I love having the option of vintage Americana to go with the themes of South Pacific, an Italian seaside village, etc. for on-site hotel options. Definitely don't hesitate to stay here for the lack of Express. Make it a part of a split stay, purchase the Express separately, or go during slow times. It's worth it.

 

[startingtopanic]

Great review! Question--Do they have self serve laundry facilities? If so, where are they located at the resort? We will have to do laundry while staying at PBH this summer and thought it would be interesting to do our laundry at the new resort and spend time exploring. Maybe have a meal or a few drinks or maybe bowl a few games

Each of the three buildings that are currently open to stay in DO have self-serve laundry. $3.00 per load for washers & dryers.

We stayed in the Castaway building and their washers were having issues. Hopefully a plumbing issue that they have worked out by now! But when I went to the front desk to let them know about my ~very frustrating~ situation with the washers / error messages / out of order / it was a mess -- the manager came out and immediately gave me coupons for (5) free breakfasts for our family. An entree & drink, up to $15 value each, so $75 worth of breakfast on the spot. He also refunded my $6 worth of quarters so that I could take my wet laundry over and put it in at another building. I had ZERO issues at the Thunderbird building.

Just wanted to point out that at Cabana Bay, you need a key for pretty much everything. Every gate to get in the buildings, every gate at the pool, every laundry room door, fitness center, etc. So I am not sure how well it would work out to bring your laundry over from another hotel.

 

[RAPstar]

Two things:
1) Yay, your title rhymes, lol
2) You ate breakfast food....at breakfast time?!! Or do they serve breakfast all day?

(Yes, I know that last question sounds stalker-ish, but I have a crazy memory for random details, so shush)

 

[becpee]

We're staying at Cabana Bay in Sept and your review has made me even more excited!

Hope to see some pics??

 

[Grace&Carolinesmom]

Each of the three buildings that are currently open to stay in DO have self-serve laundry. $3.00 per load for washers & dryers.

We stayed in the Castaway building and their washers were having issues. Hopefully a plumbing issue that they have worked out by now! But when I went to the front desk to let them know about my ~very frustrating~ situation with the washers / error messages / out of order / it was a mess -- the manager came out and immediately gave me coupons for (5) free breakfasts for our family. An entree & drink, up to $15 value each, so $75 worth of breakfast on the spot. He also refunded my $6 worth of quarters so that I could take my wet laundry over and put it in at another building. I had ZERO issues at the Thunderbird building.

Just wanted to point out that at Cabana Bay, you need a key for pretty much everything. Every gate to get in the buildings, every gate at the pool, every laundry room door, fitness center, etc. So I am not sure how well it would work out to bring your laundry over from another hotel.

Thanks for the info. I guess I will have to ask at the PBH front desk about the key issue. Otherwise, we will probably just go to RPR to do a few laundry loads. I have always wanted to tour that resort as well

 

[damo]

How were the beds and bedding?

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

Two things:
1) Yay, your title rhymes, lol
2) You ate breakfast food....at breakfast time?!! Or do they serve breakfast all day?

(Yes, I know that last question sounds stalker-ish, but I have a crazy memory for random details, so shush)

I did! You're right. I usually don't have the stomach for breakfast but it's served here til 11 so I woke up early and waited until 10:30am. For sure they were serving lunch already by the time I was leaving.

How were the beds and bedding?

I thought they were really comfy. I'm not a fan of ultra-plush beds. This one was right in the middle. Not too firm. Not too soft. The pillows were nice and soft. There was 6 of them in the room so two each since there was 3 of us. I would have had to call down for more if there was more of us.

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

We're staying at Cabana Bay in Sept and your review has made me even more excited!

Hope to see some pics??

Yes, I'll post a few pics. They uploaded from my phone so much larger than I would've wished though! Here they are:

 

[Tashinwdw]

Thanks for posting these, am so excited about our upcoming stay there in August.

 

[startingtopanic]

Great pics, nerdboy! What floor did you stay on in Castaway? I wonder if we were there at the same time.

I requested first floor when we got there, then realized we were behind the cabanas with NO view whatsoever. So we switched to top floor, right in the middle. Great view!

We would not have enjoyed it as much if we hadn't paid the little bit extra for poolside. We all enjoyed the music & looking out there and seeing what was going on. Love the atmosphere!