Cabana Bay! New Universal Hotel in 2014!!!

[damo]

Here's a chart for you comparing the perks:

https://www.universalorlando.com/Hotels/Hotel-Guest-Benefits.aspx

 

[Metro West]

First I moved this thread to the Resorts board and then merged with the sticky we already had on the Cabana Bay Beach Resort.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I think this hotel is going to do very well. I know I've read that Loews didn't want to cannibalize their current deluxe hotels by offering Unlimited express. At their price point, especially with anticipated APH discounts they've positioned themselves nicely against the offsite accommodations. Looking at my trip from January 2012, I paid

$50 a night Wyndham Orlando Resort Via Priceline (bid 3* and was barely clean and OK but several years past a refresh)
$33 a day for rental car
$15 parking
$98 total.

For around $90 Cheap season with APH discount what's not to love for the former offsite guest. After check-in, drop off rental car, no parking fee, reduced rental car fee, Early Admission to HP. I'm seriously considering it for this trip next January.

i booked Cabana Bay for first week of June and was told there is a $10 per night per car charge. For me that adds $20 since my daughter and her family will have their own car plus they like Disney are charging extra for the 3rd adult. $128.34 ( + 20 = $148.34) and that is the $94 room rate adding extra person tax and cars. So I'm $40 per night above what you figured out. Traveling with an infant makes it worth it due to extra space alone. My only gripe is parking fee as they aren't a deluxe resort. Staying offsite I would not be paying to park in the theme park lot as I'm an annual pass holder

 

[damo]

i booked Cabana Bay for first week of June and was told there is a $10 per night per car charge. For me that adds $20 since my daughter and her family will have their own car plus they like Disney are charging extra for the 3rd adult. $128.34 ( + 20 = $148.34) and that is the $94 room rate adding extra person tax and cars. So I'm $40 per night above what you figured out. Traveling with an infant makes it worth it due to extra space alone. My only gripe is parking fee as they aren't a deluxe resort. Staying offsite I would not be paying to park in the theme park lot as I'm an annual pass holder

That's a lower parking fee than at the deluxes.

I'd rather they keep their parking fees like that instead of hiding them in everyone's charges. You'll appreciate it when you arrive without a car, believe me!

Many of the offsite partner hotels charge for parking too. The Doubletree is $14/night.

 

[jessrose18]

i know we don't know yet....
but do you think they will let guests in 1 hour early to the new diagon alley universal park side as well as islands? Just planning if I should stay at Universal hotel for the perk!

 

[damo]

i know we don't know yet....
but do you think they will let guests in 1 hour early to the new diagon alley universal park side as well as islands? Just planning if I should stay at Universal hotel for the perk!

I would bet good money on it!

 

[staley98]

We will be staying at RPH 7/4-7/8. We're thinking of adding 3 more nights at Cabana Bay. There are three different categories of family suites, but I can't find the difference between staying in a tower or courtyard. Can someone explain this to me?
TIA!
Anne

 

[disneyjr77]

We'll be there the third week of august and are sooooo excited!

Does anyone know yet if the rooms in the towers have inside hallways or outside? I would imagine inside since it's 7 floors, but wanted to ask.

Thanks!

 

[damo]

We'll be there the third week of august and are sooooo excited!

Does anyone know yet if the rooms in the towers have inside hallways or outside? I would imagine inside since it's 7 floors, but wanted to ask.

Thanks!

From the images, it certainly looks like inside hallways.

We will be staying at RPH 7/4-7/8. We're thinking of adding 3 more nights at Cabana Bay. There are three different categories of family suites, but I can't find the difference between staying in a tower or courtyard. Can someone explain this to me?
TIA!
Anne

Looks like the tower has indoor corridors and surrounds the lazy river. The courtyard has outdoor corridors and surrounds the big pool with the water slide.

 

[StrawberryTink]

I wasn't taking it particularly personally, like i'm sure all the haters of this resort aren't taking it so personally that its being built despite their hatred. I just found it incredibly infuriating reading so many hostile and negative comments about this resort. Everyone is well entitled to their own opinion however posting so many negative things seems counter productive. This resort isn't for everyone. I want to be close to Universal, i don't care about the fast pass stuff, i just care about being in a nice and close hotel while i spend a few days in Universal and a few days going back and forth to Tampa. I want to relax, i've worked all year to afford 24 days in America. I'm splurging on Disney, car rental, flights, ice hockey and Universal, and i think this will be perfect for what i need. As i'm sure it will for many....

 

[damo]

I wasn't taking it particularly personally, like i'm sure all the haters of this resort aren't taking it so personally that its being built despite their hatred. I just found it incredibly infuriating reading so many hostile and negative comments about this resort. Everyone is well entitled to their own opinion however posting so many negative things seems counter productive. This resort isn't for everyone. I want to be close to Universal, i don't care about the fast pass stuff, i just care about being in a nice and close hotel while i spend a few days in Universal and a few days going back and forth to Tampa. I want to relax, i've worked all year to afford 24 days in America. I'm splurging on Disney, car rental, flights, ice hockey and Universal, and i think this will be perfect for what i need. As i'm sure it will for many....

I agree. I think we may be underestimating the popularity of this hotel.

What ice hockey are you splurging on? Going to see some Lightning games?

 

[staley98]

Well, I ended up adding two additional nights to my trip to stay at Cabana Bay. We will have the days we stay at RP to use the express pass, but I love the family suite for my family of five and am excited to stay at a brand new resort!

 

[damo]

New photos here: http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/construction-expansion-thread.868474/page-3

You have to be a member to see full size.

The hotel looks absolutely stunning.

 

[johde]

I had seen those photos yesterday. I'm not normally into the "modern" theme but you're right Damo. This hotels done it right. The only thing that could hurt this hotel once the newness wears off is no Express Passes especially for the standard rooms. The extra size, amenities, and ability to sleep 6 comfortably of the family suites will make them a hot room. For the standard rooms though, unless you're traveling solo, or planning several non park days, if you're planning on getting express passes, it's cheaper to stay at the Deluxe hotels. As time goes on, I wonder if they may offer a discount on express passes. Since the Q-bot Ride reservation system hasn't seemed to have taken off, they could offer 1/2 off a Q-bot or everyone in the room for a fixed price.

That being said, as a solo traveler, this hotel has the ability to move me onsite at Universal for the first time.

 

[damo]

New videos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRZ...o-Q0V6hhe6EGXyio85hj52K&feature=share&index=1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5PynuSNPC4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv5Zcyf5GGg

 

[MidnightParade]

Awesome! Can't wait to see more! So excited to start seeing people's pics and trip reports!

 

[atricks]

I stopped by the hotel on the way home from work to walk around (I live just west of the park) They really did the theming well.

The suite rooms are split up really well, the bathroom is 3 spot, so it will work well for families. The lobby and drop off area is pretty nice, with 4 period cars parked along it. The cafe food court Bayliner Diner is huge.

I'm sure when the second half opens up later it may very well get busy there. The pool area was really nice, there's a sandy beach volleyball area and pool tables out in the sand too. The bowling alley is 10 lanes, Bowling is $15 per person + $4 for shoes (No AP discounts) for an hour of time, although if the party is 4-8 people, they give you an extra 30 minutes. The fitness center was pretty nice too.

The gift shop is pretty big also, and themed to 1960's Universal. The hotel looks and feels nicer than the pop century resorts overall.

The buses drop you off and pick you up at the CityWalk Parking Hub.

Just by walking around and checking it out, I think this place is going to be a huge hit. Very fun vibe to the whole place.

I think the only negative is more traffic on my interstate exit (I get on/off I-4 at the Universal Exit to get home).

The new garden walkway to the park isn't completed yet, but there is still the old sidewalk along the road you can use if you'd rather walk. They are building a garden pedestrian bridge over Adventure way, that will have a garden walk past Royal Pacific, and eventually hook up with the Royal Pacific walkway path, just shy of the main entrance bridge to Royal Pacific.

 

[erinsmom03]

I am getting so excited! We will be there April 17th! I will be sure to post lots of pics when we return!

 

[andyman8]

To be honest, I've heard a lot of mixed reviews. The hotel itself apparently is very nice and the amenities and theming are wonderful, but it seems that there is still a significant amount of "logistics and backend" problems that need work. A number of AC units in guest rooms don't work, several water pipes apparently blew and aren't providing fresh water to one or two rooms, etc..., but keep in mind, it's their first day and half of the hotel is still under construction. The good news is that, beyond all the Disney media junkies who aren't actually paying for their rooms, there aren't that many people there, so they have some leeway to work these small kinks out. Online, it looks really nice though. Very impressive!

 

[erinsmom03]

They've got 18 days, hope they get all the kinks worked out by then!