Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach: A Groovy Resort with a Swell Family Suite

By: Allison FlynnDecember 12, 2017I think having parents raised in the 50s and 60s may have contributed to my love of retro things and beach music. So when we decided to drive down to Orlando a day early for our vacation, I knew I wanted to spend at least one night at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort.Do you remember staying in hotels with over-the-top fixtures and filled with kitsch? If you miss that, then you will absolutely enjoy this retro resort. Theming from the 50s and 60s are everywhere - and I do mean EVERYWHERE! As soon as you pull up to the gate, you are greeted by a line of old cars - I half expected to see Dean Martin or Sammy Davis, Jr. hop out of one of them. Inside, the lobby continued the throwback theming, with bright pops of color throughout.Because we wanted a little room to spread out, my family of four opted for a Courtyard Family Suite. Family suites sleep up to six guests, and have a master bedroom with two queen beds, living room with a double sleeper sofa, kitchenette, and large full bath. A sliding door separates the area with the queen beds from the living room, so if you are looking for privacy or have a little who needs a nap separate from older siblings, this is a great room.The theming in the family suite truly reminded me of going into my grandparents house as a child. Funky geometric artwork was on the walls, and the light in the kitchenette had a huge, white globe. The bar in the kitchenette had two bar stools. Use caution with these. They have very heavy bases and we found that they tipped over a little too easily.The bathroom is a split design with toilet in a separate area from the shower and sink combo. There’s a second sink in the common area between the two, meaning three people could be using the bathroom area at the same time. Again with my word of caution - the tile floor was very, very slick. You do not want to go across it with wet feet. Did you forget your toiletries? There’s Zest soap and V05 shampoo for your use. (I bet you just sang the jingle, didn’t you?)There isn’t an inch of wasted space in this family suite. On the back side of the bathroom is a large closet with space to hang clothes and store luggage. Noticeably absent was a dresser for folded clothes - but there are drawers in the wall that are built into the TV stand of the living room. Genius!Because we arrived early, we decided to have lunch at the resort. I was actually very impressed with the Bayliner Diner, which is Cabana Bay’s food court. I don’t always like to eat in a food court because they tend to be busy and loud. The design of Bayliner Diner had the areas where you order and pay for your food far enough away from the dining room that it wasn’t as loud. We also sat in a high-backed booth to eat lunch, so it felt a little more removed from the hustle and bustle.And the food! There were options from burgers and fries, to pizza, to pasta and more. My oldest son got spaghetti and meatballs, and the portion was too big to finish. My youngest son ordered his standard favorite - chicken tenders and fries - and they were much bigger than I expected.With only one night, we didn’t have nearly enough time to enjoy all that is available for entertainment right at the resort. Hot and need to cool down? There’s a lazy river!! Want to try your hand at a strike? There’s a bowling alley!! Pump iron? There’s a physical fitness center!! You could very easily spend a few days just at this resort and never even visit a theme park (except I totally would.)If you’d like more information on a vacation to Universal Orlando, complete with a stay at Cabana Bay Beach Resort, please email me or contact me through my Facebook page!