Nope. I really don't mind waiting at all. And I rarely go during the busy season so it's not a big deal.
Cabana Bay Beach Resort
- Thread starter Clive
- Start date
-
Signing up for a Premium Membership is a donation to help Inside Universal maintain costs and offers an ad-free experience on the forum. Learn more about it here.
Nope. I really don't mind waiting at all. And I rarely go during the busy season so it's not a big deal.
- Jul 13, 2012
- 294
- 79
I haven't bought an express pass in about a year or so?.. maybe longer. I used to pretty much always get one because I would go during busy times, but after I moved to Orlando I started working there and got free admission any day of the year. Now when I go there is literally no one in the parks.
Having no express passes at Cabana means that they just aren't included with your stay, right? You'd have to pay the full price for express?
Having no express passes at Cabana means that they just aren't included with your stay, right? You'd have to pay the full price for express?
Last edited:
We would come up 3-4 times a year and soend the weekend up there. We used to cram about 7-8 people into those rooms and we would all split it and share the express lol. The crazy things we did in our ealry 20sThe parking fee sucked the first time I stayed but visits after we knew it was coming and just felt with. Tons of hotels are charging stupid resorts fees and things like that parking free so not really much we can do about it
Well not to preach unethics but at the point of cramming more people into the room than you are supposed to and sharing the express if you tell them you were dropped off from Taxi or other form you could ;-)
- Oct 14, 2012
- 1,466
- 75
That's interesting...maybe there will be a discounted rate on Express passes for guests or something because that is a huge deal-breaker and I'd be surprised if they overlooked that.
Only use Express when it comes with our room (Which reminds me, next trip in May! Hope some of Simpsons is open along with Transformers!)
The whole point of Cabanna Bay is that its going to be a value resort. So the express passes wont be included. If you want to stay on property and use express passes for free you will have to stay at the more expensive hotels. But I'm sure they have thought of some way to upcharge for the people who want them.
Yes, the Unlimited Express perk is a big aspect to consider when deciding whether to stay on-site, but I think we need to remind ourselves that this is a whole other category of on-site hotel, and we cannot hold the standards and perks of the "Deluxe" on-site hotels against it.
CBBR isn't trying to compete with the existing three on-site hotels; it's competing with all the other hotels in the area that have this same $100-$200 price range. Universal is going after the business of those who typically wouldn't stay on-site, but would stay around the area for $100-$200 a night. And they're gonna beat the competition by having a much nicer and fuller resort, and being closer to the parks than the competition (those other hotels around the area in their price range).
Take me, for example. I live about 45-65 minutes away (depending on traffic) and sometimes my family or friends want to stay in Orlando to avoid the early-morning and late-night drives, or to spend the whole weekend in Orlando, or even for a special occasion. I've stayed on-site before during special occasions, but I've also stayed in near-by hotels when my family or a group of family/friends is planning a weekend in the parks or Orlando in general. Sometimes we can't or it's not justified to drop $200 to $250+ per night, per room... So we've stayed near-by for $100 to $150 (or less thanks to AAA discounts). Well, once CBBR opens, you bet that if we were planning to stay in Orlando, and the Deluxe hotels are out of the question due to price, this would be where we'd stay. It's the same price as other decent hotels around, but the pool and amenities will totally beat the other options. Not to mention free transportation running consistently throughout the day, or a short, safe and direct walk away from UOR :thumbs:
CBBR isn't trying to compete with the existing three on-site hotels; it's competing with all the other hotels in the area that have this same $100-$200 price range. Universal is going after the business of those who typically wouldn't stay on-site, but would stay around the area for $100-$200 a night. And they're gonna beat the competition by having a much nicer and fuller resort, and being closer to the parks than the competition (those other hotels around the area in their price range).
Take me, for example. I live about 45-65 minutes away (depending on traffic) and sometimes my family or friends want to stay in Orlando to avoid the early-morning and late-night drives, or to spend the whole weekend in Orlando, or even for a special occasion. I've stayed on-site before during special occasions, but I've also stayed in near-by hotels when my family or a group of family/friends is planning a weekend in the parks or Orlando in general. Sometimes we can't or it's not justified to drop $200 to $250+ per night, per room... So we've stayed near-by for $100 to $150 (or less thanks to AAA discounts). Well, once CBBR opens, you bet that if we were planning to stay in Orlando, and the Deluxe hotels are out of the question due to price, this would be where we'd stay. It's the same price as other decent hotels around, but the pool and amenities will totally beat the other options. Not to mention free transportation running consistently throughout the day, or a short, safe and direct walk away from UOR :thumbs:
Uhhh...so the pedestrian bridge is crossng over towards IoA? Did we know this and I missed it?
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news...ersal-studios-bridge-20130407,0,2666335.story
Does this mean we may be getting a back IoA entrance here?
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news...ersal-studios-bridge-20130407,0,2666335.story
Does this mean we may be getting a back IoA entrance here?
Could this be the reason behind those surveyors spotted in JP not too long ago?
I don't get why they chose to put emphasis on IoA :shrug: The bridge goes towards the direction of IoA, but not directly into in. It's been specified before that the bridge would go from one public pedestrian area to another, so it would be open to everyone, not just UOR guests.
^ It appears that all links are bolded. Perhaps they don't have such a link for US in their topics of discussion, but do have one for IOA. I don't believe it means anything relative to the bridge.
From the Orlando Sentinel
Universal wants bridge — and lower taxes
At the same time Universal Orlando is asking taxpayers to pay for a pedestrian bridge that would serve one of its new hotels, the theme park giant wants Orange County to cut its property tax bill.
On Monday, the Orlando City Council gave its final approval for $9 million in improvements around Universal, including $4.5 million for a pedestrian overpass that mostly will be used by guests at the new Cabana Bay Beach Resort. The plan also must be approved by Orange County commissioners, who will take it up Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Universal has challenged its property assessment, arguing that its 110 acres of theme park land aren't as valuable as county appraisers say. On Tuesday afternoon, the county's Value Adjustment Board is expected to rule in Universal's favor, cutting the assessed value of Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure by $13.5 million. That will shave about $261,000 off Universal's property tax bill, records show.
Universal was hoping to pay less. The company also challenged the property appraiser's valuation of its hotels — Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Hard Rock Hotel and Loews Portofino Bay Hotel — as well as its nearby Wet 'n Wild water park. A special magistrate sided with the company on the value of Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, but not the other properties.
"When we received our annual assessment from the previous property appraiser, we were faced with sudden, significant increases in our tax bill. We didn't believe the increases were fair and we questioned them, just like any taxpayer would do," Universal spokesman Tom Schroder said in a written statement. "It now looks like we will be paying roughly the same in taxes as when all this started last summer. And we will still be one of the area's largest taxpayers."
Orlando commissioners took a series of votes Monday that will allow the use of property taxes collected within a special taxing district surrounding Universal to pay for the pedestrian bridge. All were unanimous. City officials and Universal executives say it will prevent accidents by keeping pedestrians out of traffic as they cross busy Hollywood Way on their way to the theme parks.
mschlueb@tribune.com, 407-420-5417 or Twitter @MarkSchlueb
Universal wants bridge — and lower taxes
At the same time Universal Orlando is asking taxpayers to pay for a pedestrian bridge that would serve one of its new hotels, the theme park giant wants Orange County to cut its property tax bill.
On Monday, the Orlando City Council gave its final approval for $9 million in improvements around Universal, including $4.5 million for a pedestrian overpass that mostly will be used by guests at the new Cabana Bay Beach Resort. The plan also must be approved by Orange County commissioners, who will take it up Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Universal has challenged its property assessment, arguing that its 110 acres of theme park land aren't as valuable as county appraisers say. On Tuesday afternoon, the county's Value Adjustment Board is expected to rule in Universal's favor, cutting the assessed value of Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure by $13.5 million. That will shave about $261,000 off Universal's property tax bill, records show.
Universal was hoping to pay less. The company also challenged the property appraiser's valuation of its hotels — Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Hard Rock Hotel and Loews Portofino Bay Hotel — as well as its nearby Wet 'n Wild water park. A special magistrate sided with the company on the value of Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, but not the other properties.
"When we received our annual assessment from the previous property appraiser, we were faced with sudden, significant increases in our tax bill. We didn't believe the increases were fair and we questioned them, just like any taxpayer would do," Universal spokesman Tom Schroder said in a written statement. "It now looks like we will be paying roughly the same in taxes as when all this started last summer. And we will still be one of the area's largest taxpayers."
Orlando commissioners took a series of votes Monday that will allow the use of property taxes collected within a special taxing district surrounding Universal to pay for the pedestrian bridge. All were unanimous. City officials and Universal executives say it will prevent accidents by keeping pedestrians out of traffic as they cross busy Hollywood Way on their way to the theme parks.
mschlueb@tribune.com, 407-420-5417 or Twitter @MarkSchlueb
So, they got the final approval for the bridge and the other stuff :thumbs:
I don't take issue with them questioning the property value and the amount of taxes they're paying in relationship to it. I know from personal experience that my family's home value went down to almost a third of its value when we bought it, so I know first hand how much property values have gone down in CFL, and their inquiry seems fair to me. Hopefully, what they're saving in taxes they'll invest back into the resort and not be bonuses for the bigwigs...
I don't take issue with them questioning the property value and the amount of taxes they're paying in relationship to it. I know from personal experience that my family's home value went down to almost a third of its value when we bought it, so I know first hand how much property values have gone down in CFL, and their inquiry seems fair to me. Hopefully, what they're saving in taxes they'll invest back into the resort and not be bonuses for the bigwigs...
Last edited:
- Jan 28, 2013
- 510
- 513
Um, the walk from the bridge all the way to to CityWalk (by Margaritaville) is really long (Imagine walking from Jurassic Park all the way out to City Walk). And boring. Way longer than the windy, pretty path from the RPR. I guess that's what you gotta do when you say at the cheapest hotel.
I don't think it is really that much of a longer walking from Portofino to IOA. Its really not that bad of a walk though. I will admit it is a lot easier walk in the AM on the way to the park than it is after being there all day
