Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort – Orlando, Florida, USA
Review by Krystal | Stayed: October 2025 (Fall Break)
Overview / First Impressions
This was our second stay at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort, and after trying different room styles during our first trip, we knew exactly what we wanted this time around: a tower room with a Volcano Bay view.
We originally chose Cabana Bay because it was one of Universal Orlando’s highest-rated properties in the lowest price category, officially labeled as a “Value Inn and Suites” resort by Universal Orlando Resort. After staying here twice now, it’s easy to see why so many guests recommend it.
The resort has a fun retro theme, a ton of amenities, and enough perks to make it feel like more than just a “value” stay. While the property is massive and can require a lot of walking, the atmosphere, convenience, and Volcano Bay access keep bringing us back.
Location
Cabana Bay is located directly on Universal Orlando property, making it a great option for guests planning multiple park days. One of the biggest perks is the complimentary bus transportation to CityWalk and the theme parks, along with access to early park admission for select attractions.
One of our favorite features is the private walking entrance into Volcano Bay, which is exclusive to resort guests. It makes visiting the water park incredibly convenient and honestly feels like a luxury perk at a value resort price point.
The resort itself is very large, though, and depending on your room location, expect a decent amount of walking just to get from your tower to the lobby, bus depot, or valet area. After a full park day, those extra steps can definitely be felt.
Room & Accommodations
During our first stay, we split our trip between a Family Suite and a tower room overlooking Volcano Bay. While the Family Suite offered more space and a shorter walk to amenities, it felt a bit older and more dated overall. We ultimately realized we preferred the tower rooms much more, so for this trip, we booked only the tower room with the Volcano Bay view.
The tower rooms feel more updated and comfortable, and for our family of three, the space worked perfectly fine. The room still included a mini refrigerator, which was especially helpful for storing drinks, snacks, and breakfast items during our stay.
The Volcano Bay view was absolutely worth it. Waking up and seeing the water park from the room added a really fun atmosphere to the trip and made the resort itself feel like part of the vacation experience.
Dining
One thing Cabana Bay does extremely well is food variety. The resort has a massive food court with a ton of options, which makes it easy to grab something quick before heading to the parks or after a long day.
For this trip, we also did a Walmart grocery delivery, something we’ve done before. We try not to over-order anymore, but having bottled water, electrolytes, breakfast foods, and snacks in the room is a huge help, especially during long Universal days. It’s also nice to have fresh food available as everyone winds down for the night.
Amenities & Common Spaces
For a value resort, Cabana Bay honestly packs in an impressive amount of amenities. The pool areas are massive, with multiple pools, a lazy river, fire pits, and even S’mores kits available for purchase in the evenings.
The resort also features a bowling alley, arcade, large souvenir shop, and plenty of lounge areas throughout the property. Even though we usually spend most of our time in the parks, Cabana Bay feels like a resort where you could easily plan a rest day and still have plenty to do.
One unexpected highlight during this trip was finding character photo opportunities in the lobby. Our teenager usually has zero interest in waiting in character lines at parks, so being able to grab a quick, fun family photo at the resort was a really nice surprise.
Service & Staff
The staff at Cabana Bay have been consistently excellent during both of our stays. Everyone has always been friendly and helpful, and our check-in experiences have gone smoothly.
On this trip, we actually ran into a small room assignment issue. Even though we had paid specifically for a tower room with a Volcano Bay view, we were initially placed elsewhere. Thankfully, the front desk representative handled the adjustment quickly and without any hassle at all. It was a simple conversation, and they made the correction immediately, which we really appreciated.
One helpful thing to know: Universal provides your physical park tickets at the resort rather than mailing them in advance. You’ll need to pick them up from the Guest Services or Vacation Planning desk after arrival. These desks are not open 24 hours, so be sure to plan enough time to pick up your passes before heading to the parks.
Price & Value
Cabana Bay continues to feel like one of the best values on Universal Orlando property. While it’s categorized as a value resort, it still offers a ton of amenities, transportation benefits, early park admission perks, and direct Volcano Bay access.
We also personally prefer staying at an official Universal hotel rather than off-site options because of the included transportation and convenience. For airport transportation, we typically use Uber or Lyft instead of using official transportation services. For our family, it’s usually more cost-effective and allows us to go directly to the resort instead of making multiple hotel stops.
One tip: if you plan to use the buses for early park admission, get to the bus stop early. Lines build quickly, and you may need to wait through multiple bus runs before boarding.
Final Thoughts
Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort has become our go-to Universal Orlando hotel for a reason. It strikes a great balance between affordability, fun theming, convenience, and resort-style amenities. While it may not be the newest or most luxurious property on Universal’s lineup, it offers a ton of value for families and park-focused travelers.
We would absolutely stay here again—especially in the tower rooms overlooking Volcano Bay. Cabana Bay is a great fit for families, groups, and anyone wanting to stay on Universal property without paying premium resort prices. Just be prepared for some extra walking, and definitely take advantage of the included perks and Volcano Bay access.
Check out the Vlog for a room tour and more from our trip!