Cabana Bay Beach Resort

[Nick]

Stayed this past Thursday to today at the Bae for the second time. Had a blast, was in one of the tower family suites (Continental, fourth floor down close to VB). Friends first time, they were very impressed with the theme, decoration design, visual design, and amenities. The new tubes they have are probably the best souvenir you can buy, they look snazzy, have the logo on them with other designs, and are available at the same price or CHEAPER than other equivalent tubes found on Amazon. Also dig the Pool Cups, $13 with an alcoholic drink then $10 refills. Only cups allowed in the pool/lazy river. Made use of that a lot.

Wait a minute... the ONLY cup allowed in the pool area? Is this just for alcohol or in general?

 

[Brian G.]

Wait a minute... the ONLY cup allowed in the pool area? Is this just for alcohol or in general?

In general, because it's basically a closed glass with a straw. You'd have to try very hard to spill it in the pool.

 

[Nick]

In general, because it's basically a closed glass with a straw. You'd have to try very hard to spill it in the pool.

I don't want to call it nickel and diming, but it sure seems that way. I might buy one anyway if i'm staying there (and it makes for a nice souvenir), but $13 for a cup and $10 refills and it's the only thing allowed in the area? Seems like it's really forcing people's hands if they want to drink.

 

[Brian G.]

I don't want to call it nickel and diming, but it sure seems that way. I might buy one anyway if i'm staying there (and it makes for a nice souvenir), but $13 for a cup and $10 refills and it's the only thing allowed in the area? Seems like it's really forcing people's hands if they want to drink.

No. Only drink allowed in pool itself. You can have any drink around the pool, just not in the water.

Also, it's a pretty big cup. At least double an HHN cup.

 

[Nick]

No. Only drink allowed in pool itself. You can have any drink around the pool, just not in the water.

Also, it's a pretty big cup. At least double an HHN cup.

Ohhhhhhhhhhh. I got it now. Didn't realize we were talking about in the actual pool

 

[Frank Drackman]

I don't want to call it nickel and diming, but it sure seems that way. I might buy one anyway if i'm staying there (and it makes for a nice souvenir), but $13 for a cup and $10 refills and it's the only thing allowed in the area? Seems like it's really forcing people's hands if they want to drink.

Keep in mind that the $13 is for the drink. The other hotels also offer a souvenir cup option with refills coasting less, but the CBBR's cups are bigger and a lot more practical...as in we use this one back home more than any other option, but as @BriMan already claifified, you can have it in the water as the straw tucks under the dome cover when closed.

 

[Hockeyman55]

Keep in mind that the $13 is for the drink. The other hotels also offer a souvenir cup option with refills coasting less, but the CBBR's cups are bigger and a lot more practical...as in we use this one back home more than any other option, but as @BriMan already claifified, you can have it in the water as the straw tucks under the dome cover when closed.

I use mine at home and all over as well. Its perfect for travel also, had it with me at Legoland this weekend and used it for water the whole trip. For $13 its well worth it

 

[IzzyB]

The cup sounds like my daughter's straw sippy cup with the sliding part that hides the straw lol Now if only it had the 360 straw where you could tip it any direction and the straw would still work

 

[martymcflyy85]

So the rumor about the parking situation near the construction is not true? You are not forced to do valet parking and there are plenty of spaces to park and its easy to get from the parking lot to your room?

 

[Hockeyman55]

The cup sounds like my daughter's straw sippy cup with the sliding part that hides the straw lol Now if only it had the 360 straw where you could tip it any direction and the straw would still work

Its my adult sippy cup , but yea its a lot like the kids sippy cups.

 

[Hockeyman55]

So the rumor about the parking situation near the construction is not true? You are not forced to do valet parking and there are plenty of spaces to park and its easy to get from the parking lot to your room?

We were there late Feb and had no problem parking but stayed on the motel building side in a Thunderbird room. I specifically did that to avoid the mess by the towers. Worked out well also since we were really close to the gate to the walking path also. Wasn't forced to valet either

 

[martymcflyy85]

We were there late Feb and had no problem parking but stayed on the motel building side in a Thunderbird room. I specifically did that to avoid the mess by the towers. Worked out well also since we were really close to the gate to the walking path also. Wasn't forced to valet either

Yeah, that's the way I remember reading it. The people on the waterslide side were fine but the people on the other side in the towers are the ones experiencing the issues. I'm already booked with cheaptickets on the tower side, but contemplating a change. That's why I"m asking so many questions

Would like to try Sapphire falls, especially with the food discount but we are a family of 5 and I'm worried about being cramped. We can't afford the bigger pricier hotels. So its a tough decision.

 

[Hockeyman55]

Im in the same boat with my wife and I and 3 little ones. Cabana makes it really hard to say no to with the value you get for the family rooms. I have a room booked at Sapphire for HHN but think my wife and kids may stay home for that trip. If not, they are young so it's not too bad for us to share the room for a night or two

 

[JoeCamel]

Checked in this morning and desk said valet while valet gave me option. Parked in old garage (shade). Lots of self parking at 10. Desk said another level on back garage asap once the new one opens

 

[Mad Dog]

Marty: When you arrive to check in you have to pull into one of the valet spots by the lobby entrance door and you leave your keys with the attendant. Once you go into the lobby, check in & get your room card with the parking option, then you just get back into your car &self park wherever you can, closest to your room. The hotel is almost always 100% booked on weekends, so try not to arrive too late in the day, which makes it hard to find a close parking spot. If you're doing a suite I would suggest you get one in the main hotel area. It's nicer, the pool area is larger and more kid oriented, plus closer to the walking path.

 

[UniversalManiac]

Staying here in August for the first time. What's the best strategy in terms of getting to the parks? Is the walkway a viable option in terms of distance, and how are the shuttles? I know I could just google this stuff, but I trust the judgement of the folks here.

 

[UK-Trigg]

Staying here in August for the first time. What's the best strategy in terms of getting to the parks? Is the walkway a viable option in terms of distance, and how are the shuttles? I know I could just google this stuff, but I trust the judgement of the folks here.

The walk isn't bad at all, allow maybe 20-30 mins. I've stayed at CBBR for a total of 30 days over various stays and never had more than a ten minute wait from CBBR to the parks, the other way round can be a produce lines and long waits depending on time of day.

My strategy...
Hit Starbucks
Grab the shuttle to the parks
Enjoy the parks
Take a leisurely walk back

I know @Mad Dog had a stey their recently so he may well have a different spin on it, but the above works for me.

 

[Mad Dog]

Pretty close to the same as Trigg said. Take the bus or walk over. Seems like there's always one waiting. We usually walked back, especially during the cooler evening. Walk is 15-20 minutes depending if you walk fast or leisurely. Beuatiful landscaping on the walkway. Basically, it's about the same as walking from Hogsmeade to the Port of Entry entrance in IOA. (Note: Too bad they didn't put an auxiliary entrance (like the one near the Blue Man Group in the Studios) Because, if they did an entrance from the Jurassic Park area, it would take you right to your hotel door at Cabana)

 

[Frank Drackman]

Staying here in August for the first time. What's the best strategy in terms of getting to the parks? Is the walkway a viable option in terms of distance, and how are the shuttles? I know I could just google this stuff, but I trust the judgement of the folks here.

For whatever reason, my family won't do the walk. The times we have stayed at CBBR, we have never had a real wait for the bus to the parks (City Walk). Last time we stayed there, there was always a bus waiting behind the bus that was loading. This was sort of neat to see for if someone was in a wheel chair/scooter, they would be loaded into the 2nd bus while the front bus was loading from the regular queue.

The one time I thought I convinced my family to walk...turns out we ended up taking one of those rickshaws to RP and then walking from there.

 

[Mad Dog]

For whatever reason, my family won't do the walk. The times we have stayed at CBBR, we have never had a real wait for the bus to the parks (City Walk). Last time we stayed there, there was always a bus waiting behind the bus that was loading. This was sort of neat to see for if someone was in a wheel chair/scooter, they would be loaded into the 2nd bus while the front bus was loading from the regular queue.

The one time I thought I convinced my family to walk...turns out we ended up taking one of those rickshaws to RP and then walking from there.

Yeah, we've had the same situation on the buses. It's not like Disney where you have to wait 20-30 minutes for one to show if you just missed the previous one. There's always one or two at CBBR waiting with the air turned on.