*This post is brought to you by Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort and Universal Orlando. All thoughts and opinions are mine.
We all look forward for spring break here, that’s the longest off days we have from school and a great time to get out from the cold here in the Midwest. I’m glad we came home with an actual spring weather. I’ve heard it was cold while we were away.
Anyway, this year’s spring break was at (drum roll please…) Universal Orlando Resort ! I am so grateful for the opportunity to work with Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort for the 4 days accommodation and for the complimentary 3 days 3 park tickets plus express at Universal Studios Orlando, Universal’s Island of Adventure and Universal’s Volcano Bay.
I will try my best to walk you through with some tips from park to park and also what’s a great place to stay when you are planning your Universal Orlando vacation.
First off, let’s start with the accommodation.
Where we stayed
I highly suggest an onsite hotel when you are planning your Universal Orlando vacation like Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort and other Loews Hotels like Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Loews Royal Pacific Resort and Loews Sapphire Falls Resort.
There are many advantages when you choose to do an onsite hotel. In Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort for instance, these are your benefits:
- Early Park Admission to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Universal’s Volcano Bay. You can can come an hour early before the park opens
- Free shuttles so it’s always a quick hop between your room and the parks. This is very convenient and you don’t have to deal with parking.
- Resort-wide charging privileges with your room key.
- Complimentary merchandise delivery to your hotel from Universal shops.
- Priority seating at select Universal Orlando restaurants.
Location
- On-site at Universal Orlando Resort
- 15 miles from Orlando International Airport
- 12 miles from downtown Orlando
About the hotel
Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort was built in 2014, it’s design is inspired by the classic Florida beach resorts of the 1950’s and 60’s. It has a very relaxing, fun and laid back ambiance. For a family of four we got the family suite which is 430-square-foot rooms that sleep up to 6 with two queen beds and a pull-out sofa, and include a sliding privacy partition. Our most favorite feature of our room is the bathroom, it is compartmentalized where everybody can ready at once. That is really smart and it truly maximizes our time especially in the morning where everyone are rushing to get out the door and start the day. It also has a kitchenette with microwave, refrigerator , sink and a coffeemaker. It is very convenient and truly made for families or group of friends. Since it was spring break, there were quite teenagers around but mostly families.
The hotel is right next to Universal’s Volcano Bay, only a walking distance. They actually have their own entrance to Volcano Bay, that saves you time because the main entrance is quite long. Aside from that, Cabana Bay also have their own exciting recreation for everyone. Just like their two massive pools, one of them have a waterslide, interactive kids’ play area and a Lazy River. They also have a bowling alley, arcade games and a big gift shop area. It’s non-stop fun and there are so much to do just in the hotel itself.
We actually extended our stay for one day so we can enjoy the whole day with their fun amenities .
Accommodation and Amenities
They have 2,200 retro style guest rooms including family suites with kitchenettes. Also, complimentary WiFi in guestrooms and public areas, Universal Orlando Vacation Planning Center where you can purchase and plan your Universal Orlando Theme Park tickets. Self-parking ( daily fees apply) . If you need a rental car they have also have it available on-site. They pretty much thought of everything to make their guest experience as comfortable and convenient as possible.
You’ll also find a lot of recreation and dining on site. After our 3 days adventure at Universal Orlando Theme parks, we spent the next day just to enjoy their pool and outdoor amenities.
They have ….
- Lazy River Courtyard – features a zero-entry pool, a lazy river with waterfalls and cannons for interactive fun and The Hideaway Bar and Grill.
- Cabana Courtyard – features a zero-entry pool with dive tower waterslide, interactive kids’ play area, cabanas for rent and Atomic Tonic pool bar.
- Jack Lalanne Physical Fitness Studio – Complimentary for hotel guests
- Game-O-Rama – Enjoy old school classics and the latest high-tech games (fees apply)
We always come back to the hotel late from Universal Orlando Theme parks. So glad they have a lot of Dining options available. Most of the time we just order room service because we were so tired. Delizioso Pizza have a lot variety and they have a great service as well. We didn’t wait too long for our pizza to arrive.
During breakfast, lunch or snacks, we usually go to Bayliner Diner. It is food court style diner. It is so laid back and a lot of your comfort food to choose from. We enjoyed our big breakfast there before we start our fun-filled busy day. Also, one of my favorite feature in this diner is their grab and go items from a variety of themed stations. You just grab an item of choice and go to check out counter yourself. It is so convenient especially if you only need a thing or two. It’s like a mini convenient store in a food court style diner.
They have Starbucks ! So coffee lovers, you know where to go. Actually it’s right next to Bayliner Diner.
If you want some indoor activities, they have a bowling alley and an arcade. It has a restaurant inside as well. We were planning to go bowling but we didn’t have the time anymore. We were worn out from the pool ! So little time so many things to do. But at least you have a lot of options to choose from. Everybody will have tons of fun !
For happy hour feel free to stop by at Swizzle Lounge for cocktails and made-to-order specialties.
Universal Studios Gift Shop to shop for souvenirs and basic necessities. It is quite big for a gift shop and pretty much almost have everything. From t-shirts, swimsuits, towels, sunblock, mugs, candies, toys and many more.
Day 1 : Universal Studios Orlando
Things you need to know before visiting:
- Download the Universal Studios Orlando app. This is really important and I recommend to install the app before the trip. That way you get familiarize with the 3 parks and how to navigate your way through. This will guide you on how to plan your visit accordingly. It will also say the queue times of the rides, very user friendly. I highly recommend it.
2. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is one of the greatest attraction in Universal Orlando. It has two lands, the Diagon Alley in Universal Studios and Hogsmeade in Island of Adventures. They are both connected by the Hogwarts Express. For you to experience both you need to get Park-to-Park ticket. It’s also the most packed area in both parks but it’s the coolest thing ever. They did a great job in recreating the world of Harry Potter. The rides are awesome. Our favorite is the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride at Island of Adventures. Truly magical !
3. How to strategically avoid the long lines. No matter what in all times of the year, Universal Orlando is always crowded. So I highly recommend to get the Universal Express or Universal Express Unlimited . We got the Universal Express Unlimited and totally saves us so much time. We get to ride our favorite rides twice and beat the long lines. Another strategy is to ride the rides from the back to the front. Most people ride the rides from the front to the back. You can also start with the big rides because most people ride the rides as they go. So it’s pretty much going against what most people would do. Also, check your app from time to time to check on queue times.
4. The “Child Swap” System. If your child is too small to ride or doesn’t feel like going on a ride that you would like to go, take advantage of the “child swap” system. One member of your party can wait with the little ones while the rest of your party rides. Once they are finished, switch places so whoever rode can stay with the kids, and the adult(s) who sat out can enjoy the ride.
5. Children under 3 get in for free and the first aid station located at the front of each theme park features a nursing station, so you can feed your baby in comfort and with privacy.
6. Food and Drinks . They are everywhere in the park from fast food to upscale restaurants. A lot of great restaurants and dining options for everyone at City Walk. City Walk has free self parking after 6 pm for all guest. We love to stroll around City Walk at night, it’s so lively. I suggest to pack some dressy clothes for some upscale restaurants or if you want to hit the club scene.
7. What to wear ? Dress for the weather, Florida weather always changes. It was spring time when we were there, so we experienced an afternoon shower. Around fall and winter, it’s usually chilly at night. So bring a light jacket with you. Don’t forget to pack some sunscreen, hat, sunglasses and first aid kit. If you are carrying bags, the security in the front will check your bags before you get in and most trill rides will require you to rent a locker. The small ones are free, the bigger ones have a fee.
8. Buy tickets ahead of time. You’ll save money by purchasing ahead and also avoiding the lines to purchase the tickets.
Now my greatest tip for you is to have fun ! There are so many things to do and so many choices. It can get overwhelming and it’s okay if you can’t do it all. The whole point here is to enjoy that bonding time with your family. Create those memories. Smile, laugh and just enjoy everything around you. It’s the people you love is what matters most.
Stay tune for part 2 . I’m going to share you our experience at Universal’s Island of Adventure and Volcano Bay.
Thank you so much for reading and have a good day !
