Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort vs. Disney’s Art of Animation: Two Very Different Resorts
Hi everyone!
We spent one night at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort, the newest resort offering that will include both family suites and standard rooms when fully finished – plus a meandering lazy river!
Comparisons have naturally been linked to Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, which also features family suites and standard rooms. It took a long time for Walt Disney World to add family suites, the first ones were modified rooms at Disney’s All Star Music Resort while I was still an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner (I booked Universal at the time too). In the time I worked at the Disney Reservation Center (1 year) and as a travel agent (6 years), family suites were by far the biggest request from guests. It took until Walt Disney World revamped the dormant Pop Century Legendary Years buildings as Disney’s Art of Animation Resort for there to be a resort mostly consisting of family suites. The dormant guest buildings were kept and used for standard rooms.
We have stayed at all four sections of Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, and have visited many times in between. From the moment that we were onsite at Universal’s Cabana Bay Resort, I didn’t really feel like I was at a similar resort to Disney’s Art of Animation Resort at all. The attention to detail here is spectacular.
Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort
Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort Key Enclosure
Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort Lobby
Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort is an interesting mixture of value, moderate and deluxe property amenities at a rate that is moderate. For instance, there will be a lazy river – that is very much a deluxe property amenity. On the other hand, there isn’t even basic luggage service to the rooms. Every resort at Walt Disney World offers that in some form (value resorts receive luggage service, but not individual bellhops).
Here are some differences between Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort vs. Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. Most of the photos are from the last two days at Universal’s Cabana Bay Resort. We have upwards of 1000 photos from Disney’s Art of Animation Resort here.
Universal’s Cabana Bay Resort feels much more organic, very reminiscent of the Howard Johnson and Holiday Inn motels I stayed in during the 1970’s on our family trips to Walt Disney World. Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort is not an exact copy of any motel, but there are moments that I felt like I’d been there before. The dining booths inside the Galaxy Bowl were so eerily similar to my meals at Howard Johnson that I just wished the menu included a turkey dinner and peppermint ice cream. On the other hand, I don’t identify in that way with Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, and all of the characters that are part of the resort were introduced during my adulthood.
Galaxy Bowl
Galaxy Bowl
Disney’s Art of Animation does feel more remote, with a lake on one side. Walt Disney World has the blessing of size. Our room at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort was off a main road, and earplugs were needed. A pool view upgrade would have been $15 more for us.
Our View From Outside the Guest Room
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort features interior corridor family suites. At Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort, family suites are all motel style.
Thunderbird Building
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort suites include two bathrooms. Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort rooms offer one.
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort suites are 565 square feet vs. 430 for Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort.
Here is a tour of our family suite at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort:
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort does not include a jacuzzi or slide as per it being a value resort. Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort offers one jacuzzi so far (it’s not enough, but still one more than value resorts at Walt Disney World), along with a nice water slide and soon a lazy river.
Courtyard Pool and Slide
Jacuzzi at Courtyard Pool
Here is our video of the Courtyard Pool complex at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort:
Guests at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort cannot pool hop to other Walt Disney World Resort pools. We were told many times that guests at Universal’s Cabana Bay Resort can go to any of the other onsite Loews Hotels and enjoy the facilities, including the pools.
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort offers “cone cabanas” at the Cozy Cone Pool for free, first come first serve. At Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort, there are cabanas for rent with a TV, mini-fridge and some water. We were told that the cabanas were $100, less off-season. There are themed pavilions for use by guests when not rented out, convenient for enjoying a meal by the pool.
Cabanas at Courtyard Pool
Bay Pavilion
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort View From Cone Cabanas
Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort offers towel service at it’s pool. Disney’s Art of Animation Resort does not. The towels are by Hilden America, both at the pools and inside the rooms. Wouldn’t it have been fun to have Cabana Bay Beach Resort towels in the rooms, like at motels in the old days? Guests could leave the towels or take them home for a charge. The Cabana Bay Beach Resort gift shop does have themed towels, but not in the former vintage style.
Towels at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort Pool
The Bayliner Diner food court at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort closed, along with the Courtyard Pool complex and Starbucks, at 10:00 p.m. At Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Landscape of Flavors food court closes at midnight, and I have swum past midnight as well. 10:00 p.m. is early to have so much of the resort shut down, it leaves families with little to do when arriving back to the resort after visiting the parks all day. Hopefully these times will be extended. Guests were encouraged to visit CityWalk, but relaxing by the pool is more what families do – or they get a bite to eat in the food court – at the end of the day.
Bayliner Diner
Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort includes a 10 lane Galaxy Bowl bowling alley. It does cost money to bowl, but is a very nice feature. A few more lanes would be even better.
Here is our video of Galaxy Bowl:
Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort offers the nicest fitness center (the Jack LaLanne Fitness Studio) that I can recall in any resort I’ve visited, anywhere. At Walt Disney World, moderate and value resort properties do not include fitness centers, except for Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort (as a convention property, it has upgraded amenities for all resort guests). The Jack LaLanne Fitness Studio also includes showers and lockers. Bring your own shampoo.
Jack LaLanne Physical Fitness Studio
Jack LaLanne Physical Fitness Studio
Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort features a very nice Starbucks in the main building, the first in Orlando with the La Boulange offerings (we love the Weeki Watchi mermaid murals too!). Starbucks has a retro feel to it, with wood paneling. Both resorts include a food court, I personally prefer the food court offerings at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort also includes a food truck each day until about 3p.m. (I hope that continues) and table service dining at Galaxy Bowl, though the food seemed to be similar to Bayliner Diner.
Starbucks
Starbucks Seating
La Boulange Bagel at Starbucks
Tamale Co. Food Truck
Look at this tamale!
Bayliner Diner Food Court
From the Grill
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort and Universal’s Cabana Bay Resort feature nearly identical refillable mug programs. Universal’s is called Sonic Fill, and Disney’s Art of Animation Resort (as at other Walt Disney World resorts) is Rapid Fill. One major difference is that the mugs at Universal’s Cabana Bay Resort can fill up at Coke Freestyle machines.
Sonic Fill
Refillable Cabana Bay Beach Resort Mug
Jeff at the Coke Freestyle Machine
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort – as with all Walt Disney World resorts – offers Magical Express transportation and luggage service to the rooms. I’m not often at a resort where there are no bellmen or any sort of luggage service, and I think that is something that Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort needs. Guests with cars can park in front of their rooms and bring up luggage, but guests being dropped off in front will have a harder time.
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort does not include a parking fee. At Universal’s Cabana Bay Resort, overnight guests pay $10.00 per night (day guests pay more).
Guests at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort utilize bus service to the parks. Soon, guests at Universal’s Cabana Bay Resort will have not only a bus option, but will also be able to walk to Universal’s parks and CityWalk (and to the other Loews Hotels).
Universal’s Cabana Bay Resort includes a lot of attention to detail on napkins, swizzle sticks, paper coasters and other items that feature not only the resort name, but bar and Galaxy Bowl names. It has been a long time since Walt Disney World did this on any level, and it’s missed.
Cabana Bay Beach Resort Coaster
Galaxy Bowl Napkin
The Pabst Pals
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort features pool showers stocked with shampoo. We didn’t find any showers in the pool area of Universal’s Cabana Bay Resort.
We found the beds more comfortable at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort than at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, but the pillows way too big (20×36). My neck felt it all day.
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort features H20 shampoo, conditioner and soap. At Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort, it’s V05 and Zest (in retro-look packaging). I was disappointed at first with the choice of shampoo and conditioner, but the V05 was surprisingly better than many resort amenities I’ve used over the years.
V05 and Zest, Retro
H20 at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
At Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, you can have photos taken with a variety of Disney characters in the form of cars from the film “Cars”, Rafiki from “The Lion King” in statue form, and more. They are all inanimate, but fun to discover. At Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort, there aren’t many similar photo opportunities, though there are some stylish vintage cars out front.
Wagon Outside Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort
Jeff With Lightning McQueen, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
Overall landscaping is currently better at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. Pathways can lead to nowhere at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort, making it sometimes hard to figure out how to get to guest rooms.
The rack rate for Universal’s Cabana Bay Resort is $119 – $149 plus tax for standard rooms, and $174-$209 plus tax for family suites. At Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, the rack rates are $118 – $209 plus tax for standard, and $298 – $501 plus tax. Discounts can often be found, especially for Florida Residents and Annual Passholders – so I’d compare the final rate instead of rack rates. And add in the parking fee at Universal’s Cabana Bay Resort, along with transportation costs. Both resorts offer free Wi-Fi, and Universal’s Cabana Bay Resort also is work-friendly, with upwards of 30 outlets in the room!
Cabana Bay Beach Resort Exterior at Sunset
Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort Entrance Sign at Sunset
Right This Way to Cabana Bay Beach Resort
While comparisons were drawn frequently to Disney’s Art of Animation Resort prior to Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort opening, I expect it will be much less now that it has opened – even less once the lazy river debuts this summer. The resorts are quite different. Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort is a nice option for families who plan to spend time at Universal Orlando or in the Central Florida area in general. The resort overall is on par with a moderate Walt Disney World resort in price, and some amenities are deluxe – but the price is not. We are looking forward to trying out the lazy river when it opens!
The Minions and Gru showed up for opening day! Here is our video of them:
Disclosure: We paid our own way from the room to dining, we received nothing from Universal Orlando or Loews for our coverage.