Trip Planning Update and Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort

Sorry, it's been far too long since I last made a blog post! And I promised an overview and review of the Chase Disney Visa options, but so much has happened in the past couple of months that I think a trip planning update is in order.

First, I joined several Facebook planning groups and browsed disboards.com for ideas and reviews on my dining reservations. I was able to make ADRs (advance dining reservations) at 180 days and I shared those with you a couple of posts ago. As with most trips, my plans have changed a few times and I have an updated itinerary that is still composed of mostly the same restaurants I mentioned previously. Notable additions include Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen at Magic Kingdom (because they recently changed this new restaurant to allow for reservations) and Kona Cafe at the Polynesian Resort (because I've never had Tonga Toast and all of my new virtual friends recommended it!) After the 180-day mark, not much happens until we reach the 60-day countdown so I've been taking it easy on the trip planning stuff.

But something big has happened.

And when I say big, I mean BIG.

My annual Orlando trip is almost always 10 days in duration and usually includes two hotel stays - one for Disney World and another for Universal. This trip is no different. I had originally planned to stay at the Best Western Orlando Gateway hotel near Universal because I got a great deal at hotels.com but I was presented with a special travel agent offer directly from Universal to get a Cabana Bay Beach Resort family courtyard poolside suite at a discounted rate. Normally I would pass on a deal like this because the family suite is way too big for just two adults but then I thought about the opportunity to walk out of my room and directly to the lazy river. Yes, that's right, the LAZY RIVER! One of my most favorite memories from my stay at Cabana Bay last year was getting my raft in the water and letting the lazy river wash my cares away. It was truly an amazing experience and that's why I'm going to dedicate the rest of this blog post to giving an overview of my last stay at Universal's Cabana Beach Resort and the things to come.

Universal Orlando has five on-site resort hotels, all of which are owned by Loews. The prices range from about $125/night on the low end (Cabana Beach) to $400+/night on the high end (Hard Rock Hotel and Portofino Bay Hotel). The top three most expensive options also include an express pass to skip the lines on certain attraction at Universal Studios and Universal's Islands of Adventure. While I may someday decide to take the plunge and stay at one of the more expensive properties, I found Cabana Bay quite delightful and it suited my needs just fine. The newest hotel addition is Sapphire Falls and it will open this month. The only hotel I haven't mentioned here is Royal Pacific and it's one of those more expensive options.

Cabana Bay Beach Resort opened in 2014 and is the largest hotel on Universal Orlando property:

The notable details of this resort hotel include two pools areas, a bowling alley, retro theme, a rec center, and a better-than-average arcade. The two pool areas are a huge plus because they each cater to a different audience. On the left side of the map you'll notice the Lazy River Courtyard, which is home to a fairly large pool with sand beach and, of course, the lazy river! On the right side of the map is the Cabana Courtyard which houses a zero-entry pool, water slide, and kids' play area. As previously mentioned, the arcade is definitely better than most you'll find inside hotels and I enjoyed spending some time here on my last visit. They even have small prizes to trade for the tickets you earn!

We didn't have the pleasure of experiencing the bowling alley last year but I've heard great reviews and I look forward to finding some time to visit that part of the resort on the next trip.

My last reservation was for a standard room, which was booked for us in the Americana building. I'm not certain that Cabana Bay is as accommodating on room requests as Disney, but it's certainly worth a try if you have a specific pool you would prefer to visit. Also, keep in mind (see map above) that the shuttle to the parks stops in front of the Americana building and could be a bit of a trek if your room is located in Starlight or Thunderbird. The rooms are all themed similarly to the overall resort and provide ample space for families of all sizes. 

Two queen beds in a standard room

Vanity area is separate from bathroom

The option I booked for the next trip is a Courtyard Family Suite Poolside, as opposed to a Tower Family Suite Poolside. In this case, if you're booking a family suite then you have the option to choose and pay for a room closer to your pool preference. The Courtyard Family Suites are near the Cabana Courtyard (the kid-friendly pool) and have outward facing doors like a motel. The Tower Family Suites are near the Lazy River Courtyard and are hotel-style with inward facing doors and hallways to the main lobby area. There are perks to each option; the Courtyard Family Suites offer immediate access to your room from the pool (i.e., no cold a/c on your wet skin as you're walking down the hall to your room) whereas the Tower Family Suites will offer protection from the elements if it should rain while your trying to get from one place to another (your room to the bowling alley, etc.). I think the overall decision here should be based on your preference but we value the ability to reach our room quickly after hanging at the pool over the hallway access to the main building.

Cabana Bay Beach Resort has several dining options, including a food court-style area called Bayliner Diner, the Galaxy Bowl Restaurant inside the bowling alley, two poolside bars, a lounge bar, and a Starbucks. I enjoyed a burger from Bayliner Diner on my last trip and it was pretty standard. I ordered a few drinks at the Hideaway Bar & Grill near the lazy river and I highly recommend it if you enjoy sipping a cocktail while soaking in the sun. The drinks are expensive (no surprise) but well-made and the bartenders are incredibly fun. You can also get your drink poured into a souvenir glass for an extra charge:

Souvenir glass on the left, standard cup on the right

Overall, I highly recommend Cabana Bay Beach Resort and hope you'll give it a look when planning your next trip to Orlando. Some cheaper options may catch your eye on International Drive but trust me, those I've used before now haven't been worth the money that was saved. If you happen to have any recommendations then feel free to share them in the comments!

Next, I'll look to make Fastpass+ reservations in about two weeks (my 60-day mark!) and keep watching for upcoming posts on the Chase Disney Visa cards, as well as Fastpass+ updates and Universal's Halloween Horror Nights!