A Look Inside Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort

by Janis on October 8, 2014

We are delighted to share this look inside a new Florida resort hotel by teen blogger Katelyn Darrow.

Last week I traveled to Orlando, Florida for a little work and a little play, and throughout my trip I stayed in Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort. I had such a wonderful time at this retro-themed hotel that I wanted to share!

The entire hotel is themed 1950’s and 60’s Americana. I have a deep love for all things vintage, so as soon as I stepped through the door of my hotel room I was swooning. It was a blast from the past!

I was eagerly accompanied by my mom and two sisters, and the family suite was perfect for us during our stay. The four of us were very comfortable in the family suite, which usually sleeps six people with two queen-size beds and a sofa that pulls out into a full-size bed.

The 1,800 room hotel also offers standard rooms that typically sleeps four. The hotel room was very spacious, and included a bedroom, living room, kitchenette, and a three compartment bathroom. There was free in-room wireless internet access too, so that was a big plus!

The bedroom was very nice with two queen-size beds that were vibrantly colored. There was a flat-screen television as well, but we didn’t use it once during our stay because we were so busy! There was also a partition that could be moved between the bedroom and the living room, making two separate quarters.

The living room was very funky, and I loved the furniture! The orange colored seats and bright pillows gave off a fun vibe. There was a television in this room too.

The kitchenette had a mini-fridge, microwave, small sink, and bar counter with two stools.

I really liked having the kitchenette, because there were a couple nights that we had dinner at the great restaurants on Universal’s Citywalk and if we had leftover food we were able to bring it back to our hotel room and heat up later, rather than throw it out. The mini-fridge and microwave really came in handy.

The bathroom was one of the best parts of the whole hotel room (and I know that sounds really odd). It was set up with three separate compartments, which was a design I had never seen before. Several people were able to use the bathroom area at once, and overall we were able to save time. I thought the set-up was brilliant, and I wish other hotels would take a cue when designing suites for families. It’s super efficient – especially when you’re in a family with all girls! (hey, we spend a lot of time getting ready in the morning).

In addition, the bathroom featured toiletries from throwback brands like VO5 and Zest. The small details of our hotel room did not go unnoticed.

The hotel is only a few minutes from Universal Orlando’s theme parks and Universal Citywalk, and at the resort there is a free shuttle that can conveniently transport you there. A big benefit of being a Cabana Bay Beach Resort guest was the early access to the Universal parks, including the all-new Diagon Alley at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Although we were visiting the Universal theme parks, we spent an additional day just at the resort because there was so much to do. The Cabana Courtyard, right outside of the main lobby and near the Castaway building where we stayed, had a pool with an awesome waterslide. There was also an interactive water play-area for kids, cabanas that could be rented out, and a beach area complete with volleyball, ping pong, and more.

There was another pool area called the Lazy River Courtyard, which included the titular lazy river. Throughout my lazy river float, there were small waterfalls, mist, interactive water cannons, and more. A simple part that I really enjoyed was the towel bin supplied in the pool areas. It was convenient to have the towels right there, and not have to bring a beach towel with you to the pool.

Overall, I think the coolest aspect of the courtyards was the poolside movie screenings. Movies played on a huge screen in both swimming areas at dusk.

At Cabana Bay Beach Resort there are character visits every Friday; I met some friendly Despicable Me minions while in the lobby for check-in! There is also a food court, and a Starbucks on property. (“I’ll have a double chocolaty chip crí¨me frappuccino, please!”)

There is a gym on-site called the Jack LaLanne Physical Fitness Studio (named after the famous exercise guru, of course). Although I didn’t have a chance to work-out, as my schedule was jam packed, I passed by several times and it looked like there was a lot of equipment and exercise options.
Also located at the resort is Galaxy Bowl, a 10-lane bowling alley. Right next door to the bowling alley is Game-O-Rama arcade.

We had a wonderful stay at the Cabana Bay Beach Resort, and we’re already planning our next trip back.

Have you stayed at the Cabana Bay Beach Resort in Orlando, Florida? What was your impression of the new retro-themed resort? Please share in comments below.

This post was written by Katelyn Darrow, a teen blogger who enjoys writing about a variety of topics.

She has a serious case of wanderlust and loves traveling!

She is also passionate about foreign language, as she is currently learning Spanish and French.

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