If you’re dreaming of taking a vacation to the Universal Orlando Resort, Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort is one of our favorite hotels on property. It’s a great value for families and offers fun for all ages. Why do we love Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort? Here are our top 7 favorite things about staying at Cabana Bay!
Shakes Malt Shoppe
Allow us to introduce the newest addition to Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort – Shakes Malt Shoppe! it doesn’t get much better than having an ice cream shop right in your hotel. Conveniently located just steps away from Bayliner Diner, this popular spot serves up banana splits, regular and alcoholic shakes, ice cream sundaes, smoothies, and even grab and go breakfast sandwiches in the morning. The ice cream is delicious and is the perfect way to cool down after spending some time around one of the pools! Read our review of the menu here.
Galaxy Bowl
Did you know Cabana Bay has a bowling alley? This is such a fun spot to hang out, even if you’re just stopping in for a drink at the bar or a bite to eat. Bowling here is fun for the whole family, but we’re also big fans of just grabbing a delicious burger or meatloaf and mac sandwich. The arcade is right next door, too, should you feel even more competitive after hitting the lanes. Galaxy Bowl offers some of our favorite meals in a chill setting, making it one of our go-to spots after a day in the parks.
Pools, Hot Tubs, A Water Slide, and a Lazy River
There’s so much room for activities! Honestly, Cabana Bay is huge, and offers a lot of outdoor space and has a ton of amenities. so if you’re taking a break from the parks, there’s plenty to do. There are two pools, a water slide, splash pad, 2 hot tubs, and a lazy river. If you like to make a splash, there’s plenty of options here!
If you’re planning to spend a long day at the pool, you can even rent a cabana with a TV, a fan, and table and chairs. There are bars and quick service food spots by both of the pools, so you won’t need to go all the way inside to grab a quick snack or drink.
S’mores Kits and Fire Pits
Sometimes, the best part of vacation is roasting a marshmallow over the fire to make the perfect s’mores. Inside Bayliner Diner, you can purchase pre-made s’mores kits or build your own s’mores kit with a variety of different candy bars, graham crackers, and marshmallows (or bring your own). They even sell s’mores sticks to cook your marshmallows with over the outdoor fire pits. This is a really sweet way to enjoy your stay at Cabana Bay.
Swizzle Lounge and Starbucks
Whether you’re caffeinating for the start of the day or winding down at the end of the day, the lobby offers a few places for you to rest and recharge. The Starbucks location in the hotel is often a lot quicker than the ones in the parks in the morning, so this is always a first stop for me before heading out to the bus stop. There are USB charging ports in some of the tables, so this is also a good time to get a last minute charge while you wait for your drink.
At the end of the day, Swizzle Lounge is a fun spot to grab a drink on the go or sit back and take in the surroundings. This bar is conveniently located in the lobby of the hotel. On some nights, you will even find live music and characers in the lobby, too. The relaxed atmosphere, and comfortable seats, may keep you here for a couple rounds.
Walkway to Volcano Bay
As much as we love spending a day in the pool at Cabana Bay, nothing beats hitting up Waturi Beach at Volcano Bay. The water park is very close to the hotel, and another one of the perks of staying at Cabana Bay is the convenient walkway for resort guests directly to the water park. You can always grab a bus to or from Volcano Bay, but the walkway is also a nice perk for hotel guests.
Jack LaLanne
if the parks aren’t enough of a work out for you, Cabana Bay has an amazing fitness center. Located on the second floor, right next to Galaxy Bowl, the Jack LaLanne physical fitness studio has a fun theme and offers a lot of different workout equipment to choose from. If you weren’t planning to work out on your vacation, you might be inspired after a visit to the Jack LaLanne fitness studios.
We love Cabana Bay so much, that we even like to stop by and visit when we’re staying at one of the other Universal Orlando hotels. Did you know that you can take your hotel room key from another Universal hotel (excluding Dockside and Surfside) and visit the front desk of Cabana Bay for an amenities key to use their pool and fitness center? It’s one of the best kept secrets, but we’re sharing with you!
Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort has a great location, tons of amenities, and a fun, retro vibe that’s perfect for families.
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Looking to book a trip to Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort? When you plan your next trip with Be Our Guest Vacations, you can expect an elevated level of 100% free service with a Universal Resort Preferred Gold Travel Agency. Their team not only has an expert level of knowledge of the vacations that they offer, but they’ve also experienced the destinations firsthand. They also monitor promotions and discounts even after your lowest price guarantee trip has been booked. If a new promotion becomes available, they will automatically modify your reservation.