Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort

Felisha Scott

We stayed at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort for four nights in the Americana building, and overall we had a fun and memorable stay. The resort has a great retro vibe and lots to do right on-site. We went to Universal for two days and loved how convenient the shuttle service was — quick, easy, and much better than driving and parking ourselves. Our room was located right beside the main dining hall, which made grabbing food super convenient but did mean the lights outside stayed bright all night, so it wasn’t the quietest or darkest spot for sleeping. The room itself was clean, comfortable, and had everything we needed for our stay. We tried several of the dining options around the resort. The food was good with plenty of variety, though a bit on the pricey side — pretty typical for a resort of this kind. Still, we enjoyed having multiple options without having to leave the property. The overall vibe of Cabana Bay is upbeat and family-friendly, and there’s a lot of energy everywhere you go. For us, it was a bit more expensive than what we’d normally spend on a hotel, but the combination of convenience, theming, and amenities made it worth it for a Universal vacation. Cabana Bay is a colorful, lively resort with great access to the parks and plenty to keep you entertained. If you’re looking for an affordable on-site Universal experience with fun retro style (and don’t mind a little noise or higher food prices), it’s a solid choice.

Dan Day

Great fun location with free shuttle bus to city walk (Hollywood Studios is a 15 minute Uber ride away. Went for Star Wars Rise of the Resistance, The Cantina), colorful retro look, multiple pools, bowling and arcade room, a cool Malt Shoppe (PB&J shake was delicious, but the adult peanut butter whiskey shake was next level) and Starbucks with super friendly staff. There's also a shop for souvenirs and a nice lobby lounge and diner with good breakfast and lunch options. Get there by 11am the latest for some really good Belgian Waffles, eggs and bacon. No feedback on dinner, as we ate at the restaurants on City Walk, but it looked busy. My issues are really with the service. We arrived really early. There were 40 other guests already there. Check in is not until 4:00 pm (Check out is at 10:00 am) so I understand the room not being available early. We pre-checked in with a cold and unfriendly front desk agent, who provided no information other than check-in time. She did not tell us where to store luggage or mention any of the amenities we can make use of while we waited. This was our first time there. A little hospitality is all we ask for. We stored our bags and went on with our day exploring the place. We checked again around 2:00 pm and were told the room would be ready between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm and that someone would call or text us. 4:00 pm comes around and we're now back on a line with another 50 plus people. It was way after 4:00 pm, our room was not ready and no one had called or texted to inform us. I expressed this to a different front desk agent who made us feel welcomed, apologized and upgraded us to a family suite. The room was really nice and clean. The Bayside Diner has good food options, but the bad attitude of some of the cashiers needs to be addressed, specifically in the mornings. The tables need to be cleaned more often. 3 out of the 4 times we ate there, the tables we chose were dirty, with staff walking around. Other than that, the place is wonderful. We were there for 5 nights, and would definitely return.

J Walker

Cabana Bay is a beautiful, lively property, but could use some updates. I did online check-in beforehand, so the process at arrival was quick and easy using the dedicated line. We requested early check-in and were placed on the “priority list” but our room still wasn’t ready until after 3 pm, so manage expectations. Luggage storage was super convenient and took less than a minute. While waiting, I picked up my tickets from the Vacation Planning desk and headed over to the parks, and my family was able to enjoy the pools. We stayed in an exterior-entry ADA family suite in the Starlight building. The room was clean, comfortable and had everything we needed, but the wear and tear is showing. As far as dining, the food at Bayside Diner exceeded my expectations, but it is pricey and limited in options. Delizioso pizza was convenient to order online but not very good or worth the price. On the plus side, the service and amenities were great: 2 pools, lazy river, poolside movies, bowling, arcade, malt shoppe, food court, Starbucks, merch store, and frequent shuttles to the parks. We never waited more than 10 min for a shuttle. It was a 5-7 min ride to a City Walk and 15-20 min to Epic, so very conveniently located. Overall, Cabana Bay offers amazing value for the price, but it’s starting to feel a little dated. Last year, I stayed at Dockside Inn for less and Cabana Bay felt like a downgrade in comparison.

Maxwell Taylor

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Amazing Family Stay at Cabana Bay Beach Resort! We’ve just come back from an incredible family holiday in Orlando, and staying at Cabana Bay Beach Resort made it even better. From the moment we arrived, the retro theme and friendly atmosphere made us feel right at home. The staff were brilliant — always cheerful, helpful, and genuinely cared about making sure everything went smoothly. The whole resort was spotless and really well-run. We loved spending time at the pools and lazy river, and the kids absolutely loved the arcade. We didn’t manage to try the bowling this time, but it looked great and is on the list for next visit! There was always plenty to do around the resort, and we really appreciated how easy everything was — from grabbing breakfast in the food court to relaxing by the pool in the evenings. It felt fun and lively without ever being stressful or overcrowded. One of the best perks was having direct access to Volcano Bay — being able to walk straight in and enjoy early entry was fantastic. The location overall was perfect, with all the Universal parks just minutes away, making it so easy to come and go throughout the day. The rooms were comfortable, the food options were great, and the whole place had such a positive, family-friendly vibe. It was the perfect mix of fun, relaxation, and convenience — a brilliant base for exploring everything Universal has to offer. We honestly couldn’t have asked for more. A big thank-you to the whole Cabana Bay team for helping make our holiday unforgettable. We’ll definitely be back!

Kriscinda Morgan

Takes a very long time to tend to guests at lobby for check in, check out, general services. You pay greatly for a late check out request and then they give you one room key for 2 rooms and 6 people. Not convenient at all. Cleaning not done as told for one of our suites. Location and theme is spot on. The food choices are all great. Everything is pricey, though. The pool areas are lovely. The bus services to the parks right from the resort is great and convenient.