Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort

Universal Orlando Resort, Orlando

Star rating

The hotel

Enjoy vibrant, retro-style with rooms and suites brilliantly designed for family-sized fun and affordability. Relax and play, surrounded by amazing iconic architecture inspired by classic Florida beach resorts of the 1950s and 60s. Two towers offer the best views of Universal’s Volcano Bay water theme park. You’ll enjoy endless family fun with two massive pools including a water slide and a lazy river, 10-lane bowling alley*, and Early Park Admission† to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ and Universal’s Volcano Bay up to one hour before the theme parks open (select attractions, valid theme park admission required). The whole family can stay comfortably in family suites that sleep up to six, complete with a kitchenette, or relax in one of the hotel’s standard rooms that sleep up to four. You're just a short walk to Universal's Volcano Bay and a quick, free shuttle ride to Universal Studios Florida and Universal's Islands of Adventure, as well as Universal CityWalk entertainment complex.

Amenities

  • Wheelchair access
  • Families
  • Bar
  • Fitness Centre/Gym
  • Games Room
  • Restaurant
  • Safety Deposit Box
  • Swimming Pool
  • Close to Universal Orlando Resort

Where is it

Just a short walk to Universal's Volcano Bay water theme park, and Universal's Citywalk via a guided path, or a short hop on the shuttle to all Universal parks. Transfer time from airport: 20 minutes.

Hotel information

2,200 total rooms. All with air-conditioning, complimentary WiFi, HDTV, mini-fridge, hairdryer, coffee machine, safe, and iron and ironing board.

Standard Rooms are 300 sq ft and have views of the courtyard and pool, with 2 queen-size beds, sleeping maximum 4 people.

Housekeeping services are offered every other day between 8am and 5pm. 

Volcano Bay View Standard Rooms have amazing views of Universal's Volcano Bay, with 2 queen-size beds, sleeping maximum 4 people.

Poolside Standard Rooms have views of the courtyard and pool, with 2 queen-size beds, sleeping maximum 4 people.

Family Suite - Exterior Entry are 430 sq ft and have a living area separated by sliding partition, a kitchenette with mini-fridge, microwave and sink, outdoor access with your own exterior entry, and 2 queen-size beds plus sofa bed, sleeping maximum 6 people.

Family Suite - Interior Entry are as above, but with access from the interior hallway only.

Poolside Family Suite - Exterior Entry are 430 sq ft and have an exterior entrance, pool views, living area separated by sliding partition, a kitchenette with mini-fridge, microwave and sink, and 2 queen-size beds plus sofa bed, sleeping maximum 6 people.

Poolside Family Suite - Interior Entry are as above, but with an interior entrance only.

Volcano Bay View 2-Bedroom Suites are 772 sq ft and have amazing views of Universal's Volcano Bay, living area separated by sliding partition, a kitchenette with mini-fridge, microwave and sink, 2 bedrooms; one with 1 queen-size bed and one with 2 double beds, plus sofa bed, sleeping maximum 8 people. 

Complimentary transportation by shuttle buses or you can walk along guided paths to all 3 theme parks and Universal CityWalk. Self-parking $26 per night plus tax (payable locally, subject to change).

Bayliner Diner (food court with 4 unique food stations including grab ‘n go items). Galaxy Bowl Restaurant (casual table service in an old-school bowling alley). The Hideaway Bar & Grille and Atomic Tonic (poolside bars serving snacks and drinks^). Swizzle Lounge (lobby bar). Shakes Malt Shoppe (serving smoothies, sundaes and more). Starbucks®. Limited pizza delivery*.

2 swimming pools, including a fun, interactive water play area for the kids, lazy river. poolside cabanas*, and waterslide. 10-lane bowling alley*. Fitness centre. Game room*. Poolside games and activities.

Resort-wide charging privileges with your room key. Complimentary merchandise delivery to your hotel from shops across Universal. Universal Studios Store. Universal Vacation Planning Centre. Complimentary WiFi. Early Park Admission† to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ and Universal's Volcano Bay (select attractions, ticket required). Laundry service*. 

Wheelchair accessible rooms available on request. Please note that these rooms are subject to availability and may be restricted to specific room categories and bedding arrangements. Rooms and facilities vary between hotels so please check at the time of booking. To discover all the special assistance services we offer please see additional information below.

HARRY POTTER WIZARDING WORLD and all related trademarks, characters, names, and indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR. (s23).Special assistance 


* Denotes local charge. 


Please note: One person must be 21 years or over in the room to check in.^ Must be 21+ with a valid photo ID to consume alcoholic beverages.†Requires theme park admission. Early Park Admission begins up to one (1) hour prior to regular scheduled park opening to either Universal Studios Florida or Universal’s Islands of Adventure as determined by Universal Orlando. Early Park Admission begins up to one (1) hour prior to regular scheduled park opening for Universal’s Volcano Bay. Valid at select attractions at each park. Attractions are subject to substitutions without notice. Additional restrictions may apply.©2023 Starbucks Coffee Company. All rights reserved. Cabana Bay Beach Resort TM & © 2023 UCF Hotel Venture II. All rights reserved.  Universal elements and all related indicia TM & © 2023 Universal Studios. All rights reserved. 


Please note: the hotel will be refreshing its Bayside and Beachside Tower guest rooms from January to June 2025. While some minor noise may occur occasionally, the hotel is dedicated to minimizing any disruptions.

Rating summary

  • Location Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Sleep Quality Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Rooms Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Service Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Value Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Cleanliness Image of the Tripadvisor rating

Traveller rating

  • Excellent (13802)
  • Very good (6202)
  • Average (2509)
  • Poor (1193)
  • Terrible (1125)
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Fun Place!

Aug 27, 2025 michelleY3438IL Nova Scotia, Canada

Cabana Bay Beach Resort is a fun atmosphere for families that are looking for affordability/convenience/things to do. Pros- bright colors, two large pools, hot tubs (small), waterslide, nice lazy river, bowling, poolside movies, fun music, family suites that sleep six and have a separate toilet, dining hall and Starbucks location in the lobby, on… Read more
Cabana Bay Beach Resort is a fun atmosphere for families that are looking for affordability/convenience/things to do. Pros- bright colors, two large pools, hot tubs (small), waterslide, nice lazy river, bowling, poolside movies, fun music, family suites that sleep six and have a separate toilet, dining hall and Starbucks location in the lobby, on universal property so you have bus shuttles and you can walk the trail directly into Citywalk. There is an entrance also into Volcano Bay which is amazing because you can go back and forth to your room easily if needed or to eat or something. If you book a tower room the view of Volcano Bay can not be beat….its beautiful. Staff were nice and some chatted when we were open to it. And you can pool hop to other resorts. Unlimited towels poolside. Cons - This resort is not luxury. We have stayed at Royal Pacific twice before and the premier resorts are no doubt superior. Cabana Bay is fun. Cabana Bay can be louder. Two nights we had awful neighbours and were woke up a lot. We stayed 10 nights. There are lots of children. For us…it was a larger resort than we normally like but the trade off is affordability. Some areas were showing wear. You don’t get cushioned pool loungers or chair side service but again that’s were affordability comes into play. Overall we had a super fun stay and would return when vacationing with our kids. Read less
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Beautiful, but decaying fast!!

Aug 26, 2025 Brian L

We booked a one night stay-cation at this property as it looks pretty fun. Staff: You have gold at the Front Desk, and her name is Camila. What a gem! Very friendly and authentic. We had issues with our keys as you were transitioning locks (understandable). She made everything very smooth and quick. Facilities: Yikes!! They’re allowing this… Read more
We booked a one night stay-cation at this property as it looks pretty fun. Staff: You have gold at the Front Desk, and her name is Camila. What a gem! Very friendly and authentic. We had issues with our keys as you were transitioning locks (understandable). She made everything very smooth and quick. Facilities: Yikes!! They’re allowing this hotel to age veeeeeeery quick! Where are the managers walking their areas? They see these things and feel they’re fine? No bueno. You can see the lack of follow up everywhere. A property like this can be in a better state. The pictures below show many areas needing attention. These areas are visible to guests. You have a gnar problem in your food court. Root cause is behind your soda machines, you have quite the leak back there. There’s a constant water puddle. Your soda, water and ice dispensers all have black mold hanging. There’s a lot of sugar residue over them as well (wood area). Everything is very dusty in the lobby, especially that giant screen you have there, all the lamps, A/C vents (mildew and dust), etc. The displays at the deli shop are also very dirty. Your pool area is nice, until you look closer! The splash pad is immensely neglected. Floor paint is almost non existent, the metal showers are all faded and full of hard water stains. Even the ramp has chunks of concrete ready to start falling on people’s heads!! Your pool lamps have green/white/black/turquoise mold growing inside them. It’s disgusting. The doors from your staff closets are always open and they’re all in veeeery bad shape. Our room did not have shampoo or conditioner. Again, department heads need a loooot of follow up here. Very sad, the property is absolutely amazing, it has everything you need. Food, entertainment, relaxation, all here! Again, very sad to see this property decaying like this. Read less
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Miguel Dalessandro was amazing

Aug 26, 2025 Lisy N

During our stay at Cabana Bay Resort, Miguel truly went above and beyond to make our visit special. He was extremely helpful, kind, and friendly every time we saw him. One moment that stood out was when he brought us extra towels and items for the kids without hesitation—he did it with such warmth and genuine care that it made us feel so… Read more
During our stay at Cabana Bay Resort, Miguel truly went above and beyond to make our visit special. He was extremely helpful, kind, and friendly every time we saw him. One moment that stood out was when he brought us extra towels and items for the kids without hesitation—he did it with such warmth and genuine care that it made us feel so welcomed. It’s not every day you meet someone in hospitality who brings both efficiency and heart, but Miguel absolutely did. He made sure we were comfortable, and his positive attitude really enhanced our overall stay. We had been told at checkout that we’d receive an email to leave a review, but unfortunately we never got one. Still, I didn’t want to miss the chance to recognize him. Miguel is a wonderful asset to Cabana Bay, and thanks to him, our family’s stay was even more enjoyable. Read less
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Motel style external rooms are tired

Aug 25, 2025 rice80 Cribbs Causeway, United Kingdom

We stayed here as two family groups of four. Pros Location to volcano bay and early entry. A short walk. Two nice sized pools. Buses to the parks, many, frequent and quick. Even Epic was not a bad journey. Walking path was nice, if you go in summer, might be a bit too hot for an early or all day start to the day. Helpful staff in the main.… Read more
We stayed here as two family groups of four. Pros Location to volcano bay and early entry. A short walk. Two nice sized pools. Buses to the parks, many, frequent and quick. Even Epic was not a bad journey. Walking path was nice, if you go in summer, might be a bit too hot for an early or all day start to the day. Helpful staff in the main. Interconnecting doors between room. Lots of facilities, such as the gym canteen etc. Cons The place is so big and the wings and buildings nearer volcanic bay might not suffer from this. The external side (starlight) was run down. The lofts were dirty, the room doors didn’t function well, the bar stools faux leather was all chipped off and worn. The tables in the front room had elements chipped out. Lots of little things. The layout was not bad, having the kitchenette worked well to shop at a market and eat none fast food. Sofa bed is a waste of time unless you want a mattress akin to sleeping on the floor. No real drying space, no hooks to hand coats. Small safes. Smaller than the free park lockers. Housekeeping throwing out the plastic cutlery and bowls out when in soak in the sink and putting bare minimum back. The main issue was the waste, like all new soap each time they came. Pool closure in weather. The pools shut for ages. The parks re open the rides and volcano bay reopens but the pools stay closed.!it’s nuts. If the risk to safety has passed on 155ft metal coaster and waterparks have reopened, why not the hotel pool? Even the beach area closes. Location to alternative restaurants and shops. Leaves mainly the expensive on site options unless you have a car, uber or walk in the heat. Read less
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Awful customer service, avoid if you actually like to be able to get in your room.

Aug 23, 2025 Tracy L

Worst hotel experience I have had, avoid this hotel. We checked in at 7am and our room lock didn't work, told the hotel and were late for early park access on day 1 of 3. Got back from the park and door still didn't work, queued 25 minutes for reception, then had a 40 min wait to be let into our room. Were assured it would be fixed whilst we were… Read more
Worst hotel experience I have had, avoid this hotel. We checked in at 7am and our room lock didn't work, told the hotel and were late for early park access on day 1 of 3. Got back from the park and door still didn't work, queued 25 minutes for reception, then had a 40 min wait to be let into our room. Were assured it would be fixed whilst we were at the park. Came back, managed to get in (yay....) and went to use the pool. 11pm door wouldn't work again, another 25 minutes queue for reception but this time with the added fun of being cold, wet, and in my swimsuit in the lobby. On the morning back to queue for reception to be told we could either move rooms now and miss our 2nd early park access, or they couldn't guarantee we would be able to get into our room later. As this trip is about theme parks we have gone to the parks, and hoping they finally manage to work out how doors work, which I expected to be quite fundamental to a hotel. Wouldn't stay here again, the customer service is appalling, they didn't seem to care and made it feel like our problem. Read less