If you’re planning a Universal Orlando vacation and trying to make the most of your budget, you must weigh the pros and cons of the Universal value hotels. These budget-friendly hotels are the most affordable way to stay on Universal property, offering Early Park Admission and convenient, free transportation to all four parks. 

Of course, staying in a cheaper hotel always comes with its trade-offs. You may, for example, have fewer transportation options or fewer amenities than at the Signature resorts. At Universal Studios Orlando, there are two bottom-tier categories for on-site hotels: Prime Value Hotels and Value Inn and Suites.

I recently stayed at the retro Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort to check out everything it has to offer park guests — from the lazy river to the bowling alley and grab-and-go food court. With just one night at the resort, I didn’t experience all the amenities, but I got a solid feel for what it’s really like to stay at this Value Inn and Suites resort. 

In this article, I’ll break down all the highlights (and drawbacks) of staying at the Universal Cabana Bay Resort in Orlando, Florida. 

About Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort

The Cabana Bay Resort at Universal Orlando is one of three hotels in the Value Inn and Suites tier, alongside the Universal Endless Summer Resort — Dockside Inn and Suites and the Universal Endless Summer Resort — Surfside Inn and Suites.

As a Value Inn and Suites hotel, Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort offers some of the lowest on-site rates. However, it still includes a handful of valuable perks and amenities that make it a popular option. 

Overview

• Hotel Category: Value Inn and Suites
• Price: $150-$367 per night on average
• Resort Area: Universal’s Islands of Adventure

Atmosphere & Theming

Cabana Bay’s whole shtick is its retro 1950’s and ‘60s theme. As such, you can expect colorful buildings and a nostalgic, vintage atmosphere from the lobby to the sprawling pool area and even the bowling alley. 

Because of its affordability, it tends to be a popular pick for large groups, which can make it feel noticeably busier than some of Universal’s other on-site resorts. For example, during our one-night stay, the hotel was hosting multiple different high school groups and cheer squads. 

Dining Options

The Cabana Bay Hotel primarily offers quick-service dining options. Still, that doesn’t mean you won’t find a solid variety of foods, ranging from pizzas to burgers, frozen yogurt bar, wraps, specialty coffees, and more. 

• Shakes Malt Shoppe
• Bayliner Diner
• The Hideaway Bar & Grill
• Atomic Tonic
• Galaxy Bowl Restaurant
• Swizzle Lounge
• Starbucks®
• Delizioso Pizza

Amenities & Recreation

In addition to its low cost, what makes the Cabana Bay Beach Resort an attractive on-site option is its wide range of recreational activities.

• Cabana courtyard and pool with dive tower-themed water slide
• Lazy river courtyard and pool
• Poolside activities 
• Game-O-Rama arcade
• Galaxy Bowl
• Universal Studios Store
• Free Wi-Fi
• Jack LaLanne Physical Fitness Studio
• Early park admission
• Complimentary shuttle bus to all four Universal theme parks
• Self-parking ($26/night)
• Laundry services — credit and coin-operated washer and dryers ($)
• Mail services ($)

Transportation Options

Like all Universal Orlando hotels, the Cabana Bay Resort includes complimentary transportation to CityWalk (for Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios), Volcano Bay, and Epic Universe. 

What makes this hotel extra special is its proximity to Volcano Bay, with hotel guests staying steps from a dedicated entrance. 

• Bus (Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios, Volcano Bay, Epic Universe)
• Walking path (Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios, Volcano Bay)

Our Cabana Bay Beach Resort Review

I spent one night at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort in April 2026. It was my first time staying at a Value Inn and Suites, having previously stayed at the Terra Luna (Prime Value) and Sapphire Falls (Signature Collection) hotels. 

As out-of-state passholders, we took full advantage of the Universal passholder hotel rates, which made it more affordable than off-site options with fewer amenities. Our one-night stay cost $144.29, including taxes and resort fees. Without the discount, the same room would have cost at least $200. 

Overall, I thought that the Universal Cabana Bay Resort offered a ton of amenities for the price point. However, it also felt like a value hotel in a few noticeable ways. 

The Room

Since we were only staying at Universal for one night after a cruise, the accommodations didn’t matter as much. We didn’t want anything too expensive, but we also wanted a hotel that was convenient to the parks with a decent pool. 

Additionally, we weren’t concerned about the view, so we opted for the most affordable choice available through Universal’s website, a standard room with two queen beds. When mobile check-in opened, I requested a room closer to the elevators, knowing that the resort’s layout was fairly spread out — which is where things took a turn for the worse. 

Although our room (5201) was conveniently located near the elevators and main lobby in the Americana wing, it turned out to be an accessible room and was in desperate need of some TLC.

The shower, for example, did not feel as clean as we would have liked. The grout looked discolored in places, and the shower curtain still had soap on it from the previous guests. 

Additionally, the room itself was dated and worn, with tears in the curtains and chipped headboards. The carpet was also stained and distressed in areas, and the queen beds felt smaller and more like double beds. 

We did go to Guest Services to see if another room was available. Unfortunately, the hotel was fully booked for the night, so we made the most of our situation. 

In terms of amenities, the room was stocked with the basics: a small television, a mini-fridge, a built-in safe, closet space, and a coffee maker. 

Overall, the room left a bit of a sour taste in our mouths and stood out as the weakest part of our stay at Universal’s Cabana Bay. As a value resort, we didn’t expect a room anywhere near what you may find at Sapphire Falls or the Royal Pacific Resort. 

However, when you consider that newer Prime Value hotels — like Universal Stella Nova Resort and Universal Terra Luna Resort — often cost around the same per night and offer more modern rooms and finishes, Cabana Bay’s wear and tear is difficult to overlook and justify. 

Food and Drinks

We took advantage of the resort’s dining options a few times during our short stay. 

Starbucks® Review

The Cabana Bay Beach Resort has an on-site Starbucks®. We stopped by for what we thought would be a quick coffee during check-in. However, the line moved pretty slowly. The next morning, it ended up taking too long, and we decided just to mobile order from the Starbucks® location in CityWalk instead. 

The Hideaway Bar & Grill Review

Located at the lazy river courtyard and pool, the Hideaway Bar & Grill is a quick-service spot that makes it easy to fuel up without leaving one of the main pool areas. 

My partner got a quick snack of BBQ chips and rainbow Mini Melts while I got a fountain soda, paying $18.51 for three items. What was nice about the fountain soda was that it had unlimited refills for two hours! Not a bad deal at a theme park resort if you ask me. 

Other options include the Classic All-Beef Hot Dog ($12), Pickle Fries ($11.25), Turkey Club Wrap ($16.50), Chicken Tenders ($14), and Cheese Fries ($7). 

We didn’t order any alcoholic beverages, but there was a bar that seemed to be popular. 

Amenities & Recreation

One of the best amenities Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort offers is its large pool area, which was a deciding factor in our choice of hotel. 

That said, there’s also a complimentary fitness center, massive arcade, and bowling alley for more late-night fun. 

Pool and Lazy River

I love the Universal theme parks for the thrilling roller coasters and immersive experiences (yes, Harry Potter wands are for adults, too!). However, what I’ve learned is that if I don’t give myself time to relax, I get burnt out quickly, especially when it feels like it’s one million degrees outside. 

As such, a nice hotel pool area is always on my must-have list, even when I’m planning a short weekend stay. Cabana Bay definitely delivers with its two pool areas. Designed to be family-friendly spaces, you’ll find everything from a water slide to a winding lazy river, kids’ splash pad, two large swimming pools, sand beaches, and multiple fire pits. 

Cabana Bay had been on my list for a while because of the lazy river — I mean, who doesn’t love mindlessly floating after racking up thousands of steps in the Florida heat? 

What I failed to research or think about, however, was that the tubes might not be free — and they weren’t. Prices for adult-sized inflatables ranged from $17 up to $26, which we just couldn’t justify, so we just floated on our backs. That said, complimentary life vests (for adults and children) are available if you still want to bob along the river without shelling out money for a tube. 

The pool area is also well-equipped with complimentary towels and private cabanas available for rent. These come with an HDTV, Wi-Fi, a phone, a mini refrigerator with bottled water, a safe, a fan, and lounge chairs. 

Galaxy Bowl and Game-O-Rama Arcade

Up a small winding staircase on the second floor of the Cabana Bay hotel is the Galaxy Bowl restaurant and bowling alley.

This is one of the most unique amenities on the property. As such, it is popular among guests, so if you want to reserve a lane, you’ll want to do so ahead of time. This can easily be done on the Resy website.

In addition to bowling, the venue also doubles as a full-service restaurant with made-to-order chicken wings, cheeseburgers, salads, and more. 

There’s a large arcade beside the bowling alley, too. 

Transportation

The Cabana Bay Beach Resort offers bus transportation to all four theme parks. The ride to CityWalk was short, taking less than fifteen minutes, including an extra stop at the Aventura Hotel. 

However, it is easy to cross the street and catch the water taxi from the Sapphire Falls Resort if you’d rather avoid the longer walk through Universal CityWalk and instead go through security before boarding the water taxi. Note that the water shuttle does not depart directly from Cabana Bay.

We relied on this as our primary form of transportation since it makes rope dropping Islands of Adventure less hectic without having to pass through CityWalk security. 

Overall Cabana Bay Beach Resort Review

The Cabana Bay Beach Resort is one of eleven on-site Universal hotels, offering early park admission and free transportation to the theme parks and CityWalk. 

Although Cabana Bay isn’t the most luxurious option, it stands out for its retro theming, solid lineup of amenities, quick-service dining, and proximity to the Volcano Bay water park. 

That said, it is definitely more dated than some of the other on-site options. The wear and tear in our standard room, for example, was impossible to ignore. 

Stay at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort if…

• You like having a variety of amenities and activities available at your hotel
• You want easy access to Volcano Bay 
• Quick-service dining is more your style

Skip the Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort if…

• You want to stay closer to Epic Universe
• You prefer a quieter, more relaxed resort atmosphere
• You want a more modern hotel experience

Comments

Have you stayed at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort before? Let us know in the comments what your favorite Universal hotel is!