Cabana Bay! New Universal Hotel in 2014!!!

[yankeepenny]

i know a lot of peeps are excited about a third hotel onsite.
I would have preferred a third park at UO.

I get what you are saying. I too would have preferred a third park, or a dual expansion at each existing park. With the numbers tallied and the outcome of the HP area so far above expectations, it does make sense that Universal would NOW want Joe the Plumber and his family to not just visit for a day or two, but be able to spend a week, and plunk down some serious vacation cash. An affordable, albeit an ugly designed hotel in my opinion will get the ordinary masses who crunch and scrutinize more to be willing to give on site a try. Just think of it, a few thousand every month who stay way offsite now onsite and Universal runs all the way to the bank.

Maybe more extensive renovations at the parks will happen. and maybe, just maybe by 2025 we will have that third park. I hope so.

 

[kdawg954]

If pricing is truly at a "value" standpoint, this is a brilliant idea by Universal. I like the idea of throwing in the "Limited" Express pass as a perk instead of the "Unlimited", but it is not a deal breaker if they don't throw it in.

Not everybody has the cash to drop the money to stay at one of the 3 current onsite hotels, and to sleep up to 6 would be a great perk. Orlando is full of lodging competition at reasonable rates and if I can stay onsite with a nice pool area at a good cost, why wouldn't I if the price difference is compareable to offsite locations?

Should be interesting.

 

[keishashadow]

Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

Let's just say it's very contemporary to point of being stark. BLT is a very small resort and there aren't very many people using the lobby so it's quiet and rather elegant. Not sure who's designing the lobby for the new hotel but if it's anything like the WDW values the noise just echos in the lobbies being so much hard space in the design. It's going to be such a big resort I hope they incorporate some soundproofing to muffle things or it's going to be a very lively environment.

If pricing is truly at a "value" standpoint, this is a brilliant idea by Universal. I like the idea of throwing in the "Limited" Express pass as a perk instead of the "Unlimited", but it is not a deal breaker if they don't throw it in.

Not everybody has the cash to drop the money to stay at one of the 3 current onsite hotels, and to sleep up to 6 would be a great perk. Orlando is full of lodging competition at reasonable rates and if I can stay onsite with a nice pool area at a good cost, why wouldn't I if the price difference is compareable to offsite locations?

Should be interesting.

indeed

If they follow WDW's pricing structure, any room that sleeps more than 4 people won't listed at what i consider to be reasonably priced.

 

[Planogirl]

I like the look myself but even if I didn't I wouldn't discount it based on a few drawings. Loew's is pretty good at designing nice looking hotels.

I like the idea of this myself. We usually stay offsite due to costs (I admit it) and this would be so much more convenient and fun for us. Plus it gives larger families somewhere to stay which can be difficult in many cases.

If you don't like, it's probably real easy to avoid...

 

[GeorgiaPeach74]

If you don't get the Express Pass with the new on-site hotel, definitely consider looking into the VIP Ticket. It offers the unlimited express pass.

 

[Karkor]

I have not had a chance to read all the post's.
I have seen a lot of people saying it is a mistake not including the express pass and that they will end up having too.
If that is the case do you think it will end up being a budget hotel? They obviously having it cheaper to appeal to more but without express pass.
I would think it would make the lines terrible with another hotel offering express pass.
they could maybe include that new pass that you are given a time to come back for the ride?
Then the more expensive hotels could have the pure express pass.

This new pass they have just seems like the one they had a few years ago that gave you a time.

 

[Maytrix]

I think the hotel looks nice - looks like a great pool area too!

Here's my take on some questions that were raised.

1. Pool hopping will probably happen because it will be a Loews hotel. If it wasn't, I'd say probably not, but seeing that all 4 are Loews, there's no reason or them to exclude this.

2. Pricing - If it is value, it needs to be in the $90-130 range. The can be a little higher than offsite since it is more convenient.

3. I had wondered about that land and it seems this could be a step towards a 3rd park in the future. Factor in all the recent changes, the new stuff coming (Amityville area redo, construction in Lost Continent..etc) - Seems like they are really gearing up and this gear up and hotel can help bring in more revenue which can push them closer to a 3rd park area.

I'd also stay there. If I could stay at RPR for $300 a night with express and stay at this other hotel for $120 a night I'd swap rooms between hotels.

 

[DCTooTall]

No, I wouldn't mind at all. There are several reasons to stay onsite at Universal, And based off the level of accomodations and the cost, Universal (and Lowes) has always been pretty good about pricing the rooms at a level that is appropriate for the room and experience you get AT THE RESORT. The Free Express, early Entry, and transportation to the parks are just extra bonuses on top of what you are paying for IMHO.

This is in Direct contrast with Disney's onsite hotel philosophy where you appear to pay way above what a comparable room would be offsite, with the understanding that you are paying for the extra onsite perks like EMH and access to transportation to the parks.

 

[SanFranciscan]

Ugh, I was excited at first, but once I saw the drawings... not so much anymore. It looks like a tacky Motel 6 from the early 1970s. Like a wood-paneled, shag-carpeted basement that hasn't been updated in decades.

I just don't know that this really has enough appeal to be successful. Plus, the main entrance does look like too much of a rip-off of Disney's values.[/QUO

I doubt that I would be bothered by a budget motel at Universal looking like a budget motel. The one thing that I would be bothered by is if Universal put up some of those big, ugly neon statues that one person on this site said cast so much light in her room that she put black tape on the windows so that her family could sleep in the Disney value resorts. I guess some people must like them, but I think that Disney should take those down and that Universal should avoid putting any of them up.

 

[Karkor]

I do agree that this is a strange looking hotel. However in the flesh it may look far better.
Not wanting to sound mean or selfish here, but hoping they don't allow pool hopping.
You pay a LOT to stay in the 3 Uni hotels and I think only the delux hotels should be allowed to pool hop. I mean you are paying a premium for premium pools etc. Well that is how I see it but I could be looking at this wrong.
That said with the amount of rooms they are offering they probably will say go and enjoy our lovely delux hotels pools lol.

I have always wondered. As the hotels are run by Loews. Does that mean that Universals have nothing to do with the hotels at all? Is it like Disney Swan that is nothing directly to do with Disney. Never understood why Disney don't run the swan etc like the others.
I don't see why universal don't run these hotels themselves really.

 

[glocon]

For us the #1 reason for staying on-site is the unlimited EP.
#2 reason is early entry
#3 proximity to parks

So if our #1 reason is not available at the new resort, we probably won't stay there.

That being said, our #1 reason for not staying on-site is usually $$$. So if $$ was our issue that year, we would still pick the new on-site resort because you would still get #2 and #3.

And you would get a slide in a value priced pool. Plenty of perks for staying on-site in the value resort in my opinion. And if the theming in the other Lowes resorts is any indication of what this one will end up like, it should be beautiful.

Guess we'll see in the not too distant future!

 

[AlexandNessa]

I do agree that this is a strange looking hotel. However in the flesh it may look far better.
Not wanting to sound mean or selfish here, but hoping they don't allow pool hopping.
You pay a LOT to stay in the 3 Uni hotels and I think only the delux hotels should be allowed to pool hop. I mean you are paying a premium for premium pools etc. Well that is how I see it but I could be looking at this wrong.
That said with the amount of rooms they are offering they probably will say go and enjoy our lovely delux hotels pools lol.

I have always wondered. As the hotels are run by Loews. Does that mean that Universals have nothing to do with the hotels at all? Is it like Disney Swan that is nothing directly to do with Disney. Never understood why Disney don't run the swan etc like the others.
I don't see why universal don't run these hotels themselves really.

I don't see it as selfish at all. I see it purely as a numbers game.

This new goliath of a hotel increases the number of rooms onsite by a whopping 75%. (RPR = 1000 rooms, PBH = 750 rooms, HRH = 650 rooms. New behemoth = 1800 rooms). The new hotel will now account for a total of 40+% of rooms available to book onsite. I'd be ticked if I couldn't get a spot at the HRH or RPR pool because pool hopping at the value resort was allowed. Not like I would go around asking for room keys or anything, but still. That's a huge increase in the number of onsite guests, and increases the number of potential pool hoppers significantly.

I believe Universal and Loews have a cooperative partnership. I actually think it's a good thing. Loews can let Universal concentrate on their theme parks, and Universal doesn't need to trouble itself with the ins and outs of the hospitality industry.

 

[SanFranciscan]

I don't see it as selfish at all. I see it purely as a numbers game.

This new goliath of a hotel increases the number of rooms onsite by a whopping 75%. (RPR = 1000 rooms, PBH = 750 rooms, HRH = 650 rooms. New behemoth = 1800 rooms). The new hotel will now account for a total of 40+% of rooms available to book onsite. I'd be ticked if I couldn't get a spot at the HRH or RPR pool because pool hopping at the value resort was allowed. Not like I would go around asking for room keys or anything, but still. That's a huge increase in the number of onsite guests, and increases the number of potential pool hoppers significantly.

I believe Universal and Loews have a cooperative partnership. I actually think it's a good thing. Loews can let Universal concentrate on their theme parks, and Universal doesn't need to trouble itself with the ins and outs of the hospitality industry.

I can't imagine that Universal, Lowes, or, in the case of the Hard Rock, the Seminole tribe risking the liability. I'm no lawyer, but I did hear and transcribe a number of liability cases during my court stenographer's training and suspect that the risk is just too great to permit pool hopping. In the event of personal injury or a drowning, the ratio of lifeguards to swimmers and the total number of people in the pool or pool area at the time would be a problem I think. Of course, I am not a hotel manager either, but it sure sounds like a problem to me. What do y'al think?

 

[2girlsmom]

I can't imagine that Universal, Lowes, or, in the case of the Hard Rock, the Seminole tribe risking the liability. I'm no lawyer, but I did hear and transcribe a number of liability cases during my court stenographer's training and suspect that the risk is just too great to permit pool hopping. In the event of personal injury or a drowning, the ratio of lifeguards to swimmers and the total number of people in the pool or pool area at the time would be a problem I think. Of course, I am not a hotel manager either, but it sure sounds like a problem to me. What do y'al think?

But by this argument, they wouldn't allow pool hopping currently, which they do.

 

[DCTooTall]

I have always wondered. As the hotels are run by Loews. Does that mean that Universals have nothing to do with the hotels at all? Is it like Disney Swan that is nothing directly to do with Disney. Never understood why Disney don't run the swan etc like the others.
I don't see why universal don't run these hotels themselves really.

Just to answer your curiousity about the Swan and Dolphin and Disney's arrangement....

The Swan and Dolphin are the result of an agreement Disney made at one time to a 3rd party developer which allowed them to build additional hotels on the Disney property. It was after work on these hotels were started however, That new Disney Management realized it would be stupid to give up all the potential revenue generated by the onsite hotels to 3rd parties (similar to Hotel Row at DTD), so they worked their way out of that deal with the Developer, and the major Disney hotel/Resort buildout of the late 80's and 90's began. Since the Swan/Dolphin were already committed and under contract, They exist as Non-Disney hotels on Disney Property.

 

[tricky1]

budget hotel and Loews should never be used in the same sentence.

If they did allow pool hopping that could be a crowd issue at the other hotels.

For instance, say the new hotel is 3/4 booked
thats 1350 rooms
4 people to a room-5,400
say only 1/2 them pool hop, thats 2,700 pool hoppers.

of course that is just a speculation. Maybe they can build
such a awesome pool area(s) at the new hotel that guests
from the other 3 will pool hop over there.

 

[Metro West]

Since the hotel appears to be quite a ways from the other hotels, I doubt many people will bother to pool hop.

 

[Azazel27]

A new hotel that does not offer EP?? Not worth it in my book! I do not even stay at the Hard Rock anymore since it does not allow Lowes First! It would stink if they stared EMH instead of the EP..we'll have to wait and see!

 

[Rip]

A new hotel that does not offer EP?? Not worth it in my book! I do not even stay at the Hard Rock anymore since it does not allow Lowes First! It would stink if they stared EMH instead of the EP..we'll have to wait and see!

Not gonna happen. They are simply responding to market demand for a "value" resort.

 

[dishm12/08]

Did I miss when the hotel will be complete? We're planning a 2014 trip and would like to get an idea when we can book and if this will be open.

We're also planning on doing a 3 or 4 day cruise afterwards and will mostly donut during the off season.

We considered staying off site anyway, so this is a great option for us.