Debating between Avetura and Cabana Bay or maybe Endless Summer for Mid July

[Cogswel_Cogs]

Please help me decide.
Volcano Bay is not important to me.

 

[mamapenguin]

I almost wrote this exact post. I am currently booked at Aventura. I was at Dockside last month and it was great, but the AP rate is only $30 more per night for Aventura and Cabana Bay. I have stayed at Aventura, but not Cabana Bay. I probably need help too. Thank you for posting!!

 

[CAPSLOCK]

Short walk to room & quiet resort/lobby = Aventura. Also easiest walk to boats, parks, other resorts.

More fun vibe, more lively (this can be a pro or a con), best pools = Cabana Bay. May have long walk to room.

Cheapest, easiest access to off-site options = Endless Summer. If the room is just for sleeping and/or you aren't really a "pool" family, no real reason to upgrade. You will be on bus transport every time (we were at CB too), but not that big a deal. You can walk to off-site restaurants, saving money. No pool hopping.

I liked CB & Aventura, haven't stayed at ES yet. The pools at CB were more fun, and the dining was more our taste (& budget), but those hallways can be mega-long. I pool hopped from Aventura, very easy to do, and we rode the SF boats about half the time. Aventura had fewer kids around & fewer people meandering in general. I would stay at either again.

I would not be opposed to staying at ES either, depending on price. I'm the only swimmer and we spend most of our time at the parks or asleep. For $20-30/night more, I'd probably upgrade. For $50/night more, I would not. But then it's a slippery slope because once you upgrade, SF is just a little more... and SF is a really nice resort.

I think it really depends on your budget & what you actually expect to do at the resort.

 

[DL1WDW2]

Sorry I didn’t realize that had posted …
I think I was going to say they are all fun but my favorite would be
Hard Rock and Sapphire Falls because of the boat transportation .
Cabana Bay Preferred Pool view family suite …I’d be happy living there It has a great vibe !

 

[Jessem1133]

I have stayed at all the Universal Resorts many times

Coolio.

 

[Smugpugmug]

I stayed at both Aventura and Cabana Bay recently. Aventura is more "adult" feeling with very minimal, if any theming and way less kids. Rooms were standard amenities wise but very nice. Pool is lacking but you can pool hop to any resort except for Endless Summer so I personally did not see that as a big con. It was very easy to walk over to Sapphire Falls to eat at their restaurants (and you can use the boats if you wanted to). I didn't have the best experience with the busses as in the morning, the bus never showed up after waiting 40 minutes so I decided to walk to City Walk. It took around 15 minutes but I was walking at a faster pace. The line for Starbucks in the morning was way shorter than Cabana Bay's.

Cabana Bay has a more fun vibe but a lot more people around. LOTS of kids. The lobby was loud and kind of chaotic. Rooms felt smaller than Aventura (no idea if they actually are smaller. To me it felt like there was less space). Walls are paper thin as I could hear preteen boys in the room next to mine screaming at late night hours. The pools are significantly better than Aventura. The lazy river is super fun though the pool tubes cost $17 for adults and I think $10 for a kids size (you can bring your own and they have stations to fill them up). Busses came all the time due to how many people are staying at the resort, so I never waited more than 5 minutes for one. Sometimes a charter bus would be sent to pick us up due to how many people were at the bus stop. I did the walking path in the morning and it took me maybe 10 minutes at that same brisk pace. I thought the access to Volcano Bay was the biggest perk of staying here but I know that isn't important to you in your decision.

I would stay at both again but if I wasn't going to Volcano Bay I would choose Aventura as the vibe was more my speed.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

Thanks All
Think we are leaning toward aventura

 

[Skywalker3]

We enjoyed another nice stay at Aventura last weekend. I like the design of it. We like Endless Summer too, but we always like to have multiple options for getting to the parks when possible. CB has such a fun retro theme,loved that, but I also found it very noisy and busy.

 

[chad_1138]

We are at Aventura now, our 2nd time. Absolutely love this place. The minimal walking around the hotel is so worth it. Also, it’s a nice and quiet place to stay. If you don’t care about theming and just need a place to rest, definitely Aventura. Also, the walk to Citiwalk is only 15-20 minutes.

 

[patster734]

My wife and I haven’t stayed at CB, but we stayed at Aventura the week after Thanksgiving. We enjoyed it and would stay there again.

Because the hotel is compact, it’s easy getting around. This trip was the first time we purchased the Freestyle cups at a Universal hotel, and it was worth it. We filled up our cups each morning and evening because of the short walk from room to elevator, elevator to Freestyle machine, and then back to the room.

It’s located next door to SF, so we walked over there a couple of times for Amatista and Strong Water Tavern. It’s a very short walk, and we strongly enjoy both of those places.

We also visited Bar 17 once during the trip. It was ok, but I wasn’t impressed. It has potential as a roof top bar with great views, but the drinks and food options were just ok.

 

[Lewisc]

I would stay at both again but if I wasn't going to Volcano Bay I would choose Aventura as the vibe was more my speed

It's 12 steps from the gate by the pool at Aventura to security at Volcano Bay. At least half the rooms at CB have a longer walk.

Aventura is a compact resort. The walk from Aventura to the pool at SF is less then the walk from some of the rooms at SF.

I'd pick Aventura for adults,.CB if I had young kids

 

[Smugpugmug]

It's 12 steps from the gate by the pool at Aventura to security at Volcano Bay. At least half the rooms at CB have a longer walk.

Aventura is a compact resort. The walk from Aventura to the pool at SF is less then the walk from some of the rooms at SF.

I'd pick Aventura for adults,.CB if I had young kids

Good point. I had a room in a building that was practically right next to the Volcano Bay entrance at Cabana Bay, so that made a difference to me at least. Especially since that room was the same price as a non water park view standard room.

 

[DLgal]

I'd go with either CB or Aventura. I'm turned off the by the distance/location of the Endless Summer resorts.

I'd probably actually go with Sapphire Falls if that was an option. But Aventura would probably be my #2 choice.

I used to love CB, but it feels overly busy to me now, similar the WDW value resorts, and that is not what I'm looking for in a resort anymore.

But if you have kids, CB is probably the best option due to the pools, bowling, and dining options.

 

[mamapenguin]

Thanks All
Think we are leaning toward aventura

Have you finalized your decision? I keep going back and forth between Aventura and Dockside…it’s going to be a very hot walk back and the buses have A/C. I currently have Aventura booked for mid July.

 

[wdwrule]

Have you finalized your decision? I keep going back and forth between Aventura and Dockside…it’s going to be a very hot walk back and the buses have A/C. I currently have Aventura booked for mid July.

Have you tried the cut-through in Royal Pacific and Sapphire Falls convention areas? It really cuts down the walk in the heat from Aventura.

 

[mamapenguin]

Have you tried the cut-through in Royal Pacific and Sapphire Falls convention areas? It really cuts down the walk in the heat from Aventura.

I do cut through Sapphire, I forgot about cutting through Royal. I usually check their dock for a boat if I miss Sapphire’s but then continue on the path if I can’t board one at Royal. Thank you for the reminder.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

How do I do this?

 

[wdwrule]

How do I do this?

If you mean the cut-through route, we walk out of Aventura and take a right (keep going past Aventura’s bus stop)… keep going then turn right. At the end of this path, the parking garage will be on your right. Go straight and in the double doors and you’ll continue through SF’s conference hallway. Then you’ll eventually go down 2 separate sets of escalators. It is a little twisty-turny but the air-conditioning is worth it. You’ll eventually exit the building (Royal Pacific) right near Royal Pacific’s boat dock. You could take the boat or continue on the walking path.

 

[Skywalker3]

Next stay at Aventura, I'm going exploring through that conference area. Anything to save some time in the sun!!, thanks for posting.

 

[wdwrule]

Next stay at Aventura, I'm going exploring through that conference area. Anything to save some time in the sun!!, thanks for posting.

It is truly glorious! Helps when it’s raining of course as well. We sometimes hit up Strong Water Tavern at SF on the way back