Universal’s Cabana Bay StayCay Family Video Review 2023

Universal’s Cabana Bay StayCay Family Video Review 2023

Universal’s Cabana Bay StayCay Family Video Review 2023 – My mother opened the Magic Kingdom in 1971 as a cast member in the marketing department. This year, for the first time, we decided to spend 3 days, 2 nights at the Magic Kingdom to celebrate Mother’s Day. This is our Family Video Review.

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Universal's Cabana Bay StayCay Family Video Review 2023
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Our Family Review:

Looking for a staycay experience in Central Florida, and since we just did Walt Disney World for a Mother’s Day staycay, we opted for Universal Studios area. Our choice in hotel was the Cabana Bay Beach Resort. This was the first time we’ve stayed at the resort and I loved the 50s vibe right down to the smallest details.

Why did we pick this resort? Well, we wanted to spend a day at Volcano Bay and this hotel was the closest option with just a 5 minute walk to the water park. Now, full disclosure, we had a stomach bug get our family and we never made it to Volcano Bay or the theme parks. However, I have to say, the view from our Volcano View Room was perfection. I would go as far to say as it is the best view of any hotel in Central Florida!

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The hotel was a nice surprise for us. we took advantage of the Florida Resident Rates and the prices were very reasonable, given it’s a theme park hotel. Now, while there were some blemishes here and there (and some grape juice stains on my sheets from another guest), I have to say the service and cleanliness was acceptable for someone rather picky like myself. It wasn’t the Four Seasons, but it was better than any value Disney hotel I’ve stayed at.

It’s a large resort, which is to say there are a lot of people. The pools were always crowded. The small lazy river was too. I would have liked to experience larger and more fun pool areas. Make a note that rafts for the lazy river are to be rented or purchased, but you can bring your own and we did.

The dining area (Bayliner Diner) was super large and an enjoyable place to sit and enjoy ice cream, treats and more. My son got the all you can enjoy mug for $16 and enjoyed sodas and Icees for the stay, which was perfect for his treat. The food was good and not too overpriced, which is always nice. There were refrigerators in the room and we utilized those for leftovers.

On site, there is a bowling alley (which we didn’t get to), a game room, and plenty of dining options. There is a Starbucks as well. There are shuttles that run to CityWalk and the parks, or you can take a 20-minute walk to get there. Due to the dreaded stomach bug, we didn’t do either.

For me, the best parts of the resort were the close proximity to Volcano Bay, the fantastic view of the volcano (which is an additional rate), the vibe of the 50s, and the one-hour early entry to the parks (which, again, we didn’t get to use). We would definitely stay at Cabana Bay Beach Resort again for these reasons.

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While we were supposed to hit the parks on the Tuesday and Wednesday after Memorial Day (to try and avoid weekend crowds), we opted to enjoy the resort and do some touristy things on Memorial Day. So, we had breakfast off site at a restaurant called The Diner (Dr. Phillips). It was delicious and had a menu with something to treat everyone in the family. The portions are huge and you can definitely share them! It was a nice treat for something new and different for breakfast.

Then, it was on to Dave & Buster’s. We enjoyed a few hours playing video games and racking up tickets to spend in the shop, which we definitely did. Dave & Buster’s is always a great indoor family treat and conveniently located on International Drive.

us to relax, take it slow, and earn at least five new magical moments that we have never done before. We have decided it should be a bi-annual experience going forward and I can not wait for the next adventure!

Again, the second half of the staycay was to be the most exciting with a cabana at Volcano Bay and tickets to enjoy the theme parks, but when the stomach bug hit, we had to take a rain check on our time away from home. We look forward to returning to complete the trip, but for now, this was the experience we were able to walk away with.

Our Top 5 Takeaways:

  1. If you know you’re going to spend the full day at Universal theme parks, stay in an onsite property and enjoy the additional hour with less crowds. Stay at one of the premier properties and get skip the line passes for the day too! At Cabana Bay, spend the extra money and get the volcano view room!
  2. If you know you’re going to Volcano Bay, choose Cabana Bay for the ease and close proximity to the park.
  3. Bring your own rafts and noodles for the lazy river. It’s a smaller river, but you definitely don’t want to rent or buy floats on site. Also, bring “stuff” for s’mores! They have open fire pits, and while they sell the items in their restaurant, you can save and bring your own!
  4. The Universal area has a ton of dining options, while the food at the hotel was good, there are a lot of options off property to enjoy too.
  5. Don’t get a stomach bug in time for your staycation!

Our Video Review:

It’s best with the sound on!

@mycentralfloridafamily

We opted for a StaCay for Memorial Day Weekend and enjoyed being a tourist for our start of summer. While the trip was plagued by a stomach bug, and we didnt do eveything we had planned, it was a great time and a fun kickoff to summer. Check out the full Family Video Review on our website soon. #universalstudios #universalorlandoresort #mycentralfloridafamily #orlandostaycation #thediner #daveandbusters #cabanabayresort #cabanabaybeachresort #orlandofamilyfun #orlandofamily #orlandofamilyvacation #orlandofamilystaycation

♬ Happy Summer – Vin Music

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