Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort Review: Rooms, Pools, Parking and Getting to the Parks

Location and distances

Cabana Bay sits next to the Universal Orlando parks, so most guests walk or take a short bus ride instead of driving. There is a private path to Universal Volcano Bay and a walking path to CityWalk, Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida.

No source gives a drive time to the nearest park, because the hotel is built around walking and the shuttle. If you are not driving, you do not need to think about it.

The hotel does not publish whether any rooms have a fireworks view, so do not book on that assumption.

Cabana Bay rooms and suites

There are 8 room types: the hotel has 1,280 standard rooms and 920 family suites, and counting accessible variants the listings run to 33. The choice mostly comes down to how many people you have and whether you want a kitchenette.

Standard rooms

The Standard, Volcano Bay View Standard and Poolside Standard rooms are 300 sq ft and sleep 4. Standard rooms have no kitchenette listed.

Family Suites and Poolside Family Suites

The Family Suite and the Poolside Family Suite are 430 sq ft and sleep 6, with 2 queen beds, a pull-out sofa and a sliding partition. Each comes with interior or exterior entry. The Poolside Family Suite is the one to pick if you want to be close to the water. These suites have a kitchenette: a mini refrigerator, microwave and sink. There are no full kitchens.

Volcano Bay View 2-Bedroom Suite

This is the largest room at 772 sq ft and sleeps 8. It has 1 queen bed, 2 full beds and a sleeper sofa, plus a kitchenette and separate bath and vanity areas. The Volcano Bay views may be altered during the park's seasonal closure.

Worth knowing

• Extra adults: $20 per extra adult when more than 2 adults share a room.
• In-room washer and dryer are not mentioned; guest laundry is credit- and coin-operated.
• Connecting rooms are not mentioned on the official or Loews pages, so ask before booking if you need them.
• Pets are not allowed, but service animals are welcome.

For a family of 5 or 6 the Family Suite is the sensible pick, since a standard room caps at 4.

Pools, lazy river and Volcano Bay next door

Cabana Bay has two pool areas and a lazy river, but no water park of its own. Both areas have zero-entry heated pools, according to Orlando Informer, and pool lifts are provided.

The Cabana Courtyard pool has a decorative dive tower, a splash pad, a hot tub, a sand pit and a 100-ft water slide. The Lazy River Courtyard has a smaller zero-entry pool, a splash pad and a fire pit. Tubes for the lazy river can be bought poolside but are not required.

Is there a water park at Cabana Bay?

No. Universal Volcano Bay is next door and reached by a private walking path. It closes for the season on Oct 26, 2026 and is expected to reopen on or before Apr 1, 2027; Universal's earlier announcement gave Mar 24, 2027. While it is closed the hotel's path is unavailable.

Cabanas, hours and day passes

Hotel guests can rent cabanas by the day by calling 407-503-4175; Orlando Informer cites $50-$400 a day depending on the season. Pool hours are not published. No day-pass listing was found, so plan this as a guest-only facility.

If you want a Poolside Family Suite, see the rooms section above.

Galaxy Bowl, the bowling alley, costs extra.

Dining and breakfast

Breakfast is not included. You buy it at the Bayliner Diner food court or grab a coffee at the Starbucks in the lobby.

According to Orlando Informer, the hotel has 7 places to eat and drink: Bayliner Diner (food court), Galaxy Bowl (table service, inside the bowling alley), Hideaway Bar & Grill, Atomic Tonic (pool bar), Swizzle Lounge, Shakes Malt Shoppe and Starbucks. Loews also lists Delizioso Pizza delivery. The resort does not publish its menu prices here, so check the current menus on the resort's dining page.

Room service and groceries

There is no full room service. Delizioso Pizza delivers to rooms by phone order, with limited hours. The Bayliner Diner has grab-and-go salads, snacks, beer and wine. No off-site grocery is listed, and the hotel cannot accept groceries or perishables mailed to the resort.

If you want to eat some meals in the room, a Family Suite or 2-Bedroom Suite is the way to go: the kitchenette has a mini fridge, microwave and sink, but no stove.

Fees, parking and what is included

There is no resort fee listed on the official page. The charges that do appear are parking and the extra-adult fee.

Parking at Cabana Bay Beach Resort

Self-parking is $26 + tax per night, per vehicle, for overnight guests. Day guests park free for under 30 minutes; after that it is $53 + tax per day. Rates may change without notice. Valet is not confirmed: the official and Loews pages list self-parking only.

Other charges

• Extra adult: $20 per extra adult when more than 2 adults share a room.
• Smoking in a room: $250 cleaning fee; the hotel is smoke-free except designated outdoor areas.
• Late check-out: available for an extra charge, amount not published.
• Deposit: the first night's room rate plus tax, charged within 5 business days of booking, or at check-in if you arrive within 5 days. The incidental hold amount is not published.

What you get without paying extra

Wi-Fi in rooms and most common areas, shuttle buses to the parks, and Early Park Admission up to 1 hour before opening are free. Early Park Admission needs a valid park ticket and covers select attractions only.

Cancellation is a full refund 6 or more days before arrival; within 0-5 days you pay one night's room rate plus tax.

Getting to the parks and the airport

Free Universal buses are the main way to get around, and walking is a real option. The hotel has no Disney shuttle; the official page lists shuttles to Universal parks only.

Universal shuttle

Complimentary buses run to Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, CityWalk and Volcano Bay about every 15 minutes, and they also serve Epic Universe. Epic Universe takes about 15-25 minutes and the main parks about 5-8 minutes. Orlando Informer reports service from 1 hour before Early Park Admission until 2:00 am.

Walking

The Garden Walkway to CityWalk is just under 1 mile, roughly 15-20 minutes. Volcano Bay has its own private path, closed from Oct 26, 2026 until the park reopens.

Airport

Universal's SuperStar Shuttle runs between Orlando International Airport and the hotel. Fees apply, but the hotel page does not state the price, so check it when you book.

If you rent a car, add the $26 + tax per night parking to your budget; if you only visit Universal, the shuttle and walking paths may make a car unnecessary.

Cabana Bay prices and deals: what to know before you book

The resort does not publish nightly rates in a way that can be quoted here, so check the live price for your dates on Universal's site or Loews' page. What you can plan around is everything on top of the room: no resort fee, $26 + tax per night for self-parking, and $20 per extra adult when more than 2 adults share a room.

For a quick budget check, parking over a 4-night stay comes to $104 + tax per vehicle. Breakfast is bought separately, so add it to your estimate.

Deals and Florida resident rates

No specific deal, package or Florida resident rate is listed on the official page, so do not assume one exists. If you are searching for a Florida resident offer or a package, look on Universal's own booking page for current terms.

Booking and cancellation terms

The deposit is the first night's room rate plus tax, charged within 5 business days of booking, or at check-in if you arrive within 5 days. You get a full refund if you cancel 6 or more days before arrival; for 0-5 days you pay one night's room rate plus tax. Loews also says deposits are forfeited if you check out before the scheduled date.

Booking directly with Universal also lets you use mobile check-in through the Universal Orlando Resort App.

Volcano Bay closure and views from Volcano Bay View rooms

Universal Volcano Bay closes for the season on Oct 26, 2026 and is expected to reopen on or before Apr 1, 2027. Universal's earlier announcement gave Mar 24, 2027, so treat the date as approximate and confirm it before you book.

Two things change for you during the closure. The hotel's private walking path to Volcano Bay is unavailable, and views from Volcano Bay View rooms may be altered.

Should you still book a Volcano Bay View room?

If you stay between Oct 26, 2026 and the reopening, the view is the reason to think twice. The Volcano Bay View Standard room (300 sq ft, sleeps 4) and the Volcano Bay View 2-Bedroom Suite (772 sq ft, sleeps 8) are both affected. If the view matters to you, travel when the park is open; if not, a Family Suite or Poolside Family Suite avoids the question.

The free buses to the main parks, CityWalk and Epic Universe are not affected by this closure.

Events near the hotel in 2026

There are no on-site hotel events listed, but two park events fall in the second half of 2026, and both are a walk or shuttle ride away.

Halloween Horror Nights

Halloween Horror Nights 2026, the 35th anniversary, runs select nights from Aug 28 through Nov 1, 2026 at Universal Studios Florida. It needs a separate ticket. The shuttle runs until 2:00 am, according to Orlando Informer, which helps with late nights.

Holidays at Universal Orlando

Holidays at Universal Orlando runs Nov 14, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027 at Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. New Year's celebrations take place on Dec 31 in the parks and CityWalk.

Keep in mind that the Volcano Bay closure begins on Oct 26, 2026, so a holiday-season stay will not include the water park.