Stayed in a regular room last year for Halloween Horror Nights, and will be going back again this year. No micro or toaster, just a standard hotel room. The lazy river, is not so lazy, a little faster than what I am used to but still wonderful. We did not want to purchase a float, yes purchase not rent, you pay for em you bought em. You can bring your own floats and don't have to purchase, you don't need a float to enjoy the lazy river either, we didn't and still had a great relaxing time. I can't remember how much they were but not very expensive. I want to say under $10.00.
Suggestions: take pictures of the vintage cars outside they are very cool. If you like to bowl, there is a bowling alley.
Check in any time, if your room is not available they will text you when the room is ready. If the main pool is too crowded and noisy the pool over by the lazy river is quieter and less crowded. If you here any large boom noises at the pool area, it is the construction for the new water park directly behind the small pool and lazy river.
There was a single serve coffee/tea maker in the room or there is also a Starbucks in the hotel.
There are buses that run to the parks. The bus takes you to the walk way to City Walk just before the bag check area. Walking will take longer, it is quite a trek. You can walk to Royal Pacific and take their water taxi, but I don't recommend it, since the pick up point is at the other end of the hotel by the pool. We had no trouble with the buses and they ran all the time.
For the price Cabana Bay was so worth it; awesome 50s beach vibe for the price of an offsite hotel.
They even have an old school style cafeteria food court which looked really cool. We passed by it on the way to the Starbucks every day, but did not eat there.
The drawback is not getting the Express Pass, that you get for staying at the other hotels on property. Although you do still get the early access to Wizarding World of Harry Potter which is worth it's weight in gold. If I could put in my budget I would stay at the Hard Rock or Portofino before Cabana Bay. However I would stay at the Cabana Bay rather than an offsite hotel in a heartbeat.
