Close on entry price, so choose the parks first. Disney's Pop Century Resort, from about $195, if you want the cheapest Disney hotel with a Skyliner station, on Disney's standard rates, with gondolas to Epcot and Hollywood Studios; Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort, from about $180, if you would rather have Universal's parks, a Family Suite for six with a kitchenette, at extra cost, a lazy river and a bowling alley.
Disney's cheapest Skyliner hotel on standard rates: gondolas to Epcot and Hollywood Studios, early park entry and a food court for dinner.
$From about $195 a night
Choose Disney's Pop Century Resort if
Epcot and Hollywood Studios days
First Disney trips on a budget
Families of four
Early starts at the parks
The catch
There is no table-service restaurant. The Everything POP food court, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and crowded at peak meal times, Petals Pool Bar and pizza delivered to the room are the choices on site, so order ahead in the My Disney Experience app or plan dinners in the parks.
Universal's retro beach-motel resort for families: suites for six with a kitchenette, a lazy river, bowling and early park entry.
$From about $180 a night
Choose Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort if
Universal trips with children
Families of five or six
Epic Universe on a budget
Pool afternoons between park days
The catch
Extras add up: self-parking is $26 plus tax a night, tubes for the lazy river are sold rather than lent, and Galaxy Bowl charges for its lanes, which must be booked.
Disney's Pop Century ResortUniversal Cabana Bay Beach Resort
Smart spendSplurge
CouplesFamilies
Explore outsideStay at the hotel
Food secondaryDestination dining
IntimateLarge resort
QuietLively
Beach & pool optionalBeach & pool central
Disney's Pop Century Resort
Area
Walt Disney World, Skyliner area, United States
From the centre
2.8 km
Airport
34 min from MCO
Price band
$
Typical rate
From about $195 a night
Rooms
2,880
Last renovated
2026 (opened 2003)
Pool
Outdoor
Beach
None
Spa
No
Adults only
No
Restaurants
1
Parking
Yes
Selected by
Independent research
Last checked
October 2026
Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort
Area
Universal Orlando, United States
From the centre
12.5 km
Airport
28 min from MCO
Price band
$
Typical rate
From about $180 a night
Rooms
2,200
Opened
2014
Pool
Outdoor
Beach
None
Spa
No
Adults only
No
Restaurants
2
Parking
Yes
Selected by
Independent research
Last checked
October 2026
The verdict
Close on entry price, so choose the parks first. Disney's Pop Century Resort, from about $195, if you want the cheapest Disney hotel with a Skyliner station, on Disney's standard rates, with gondolas to Epcot and Hollywood Studios; Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort, from about $180, if you would rather have Universal's parks, a Family Suite for six with a kitchenette, at extra cost, a lazy river and a bowling alley.
Good questions about Disney's Pop Century Resort vs Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort
Disney's Pop Century Resort or Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort?
Close on entry price, so choose the parks first. Disney's Pop Century Resort, from about $195, if you want the cheapest Disney hotel with a Skyliner station, on Disney's standard rates, with gondolas to Epcot and Hollywood Studios; Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort, from about $180, if you would rather have Universal's parks, a Family Suite for six with a kitchenette, at extra cost, a lazy river and a bowling alley.
Is Disney's Pop Century Resort worth it?
Book Pop Century for the cheapest room on the Skyliner at Disney's standard rates, early park entry and free parking, and pay $32 more for a Preferred Room near the lobby. Plan dinners in the parks, and keep a late-January trip clear of the Skyliner's closure from 24 to 30 January 2027. A 2,880-room Disney value resort themed on 20th-century pop culture, where the point is the gondola to two parks and the early entry, not the hotel itself. Expect a busy, family-filled base with three pools, a food court and rooms built for sleeping between park days.
Does Disney's Pop Century Resort have a pool or a beach?
It has an outdoor pool. There is no beach; the nearest is a drive away.
Is Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort worth it?
Book Cabana Bay for a Universal week with children: a Family Suite for six with a kitchenette, a lazy river, a bowling alley and early park entry. Budget $26 a night for parking and plan on the bus to the gates. A huge, cheerful retro resort built for families doing Universal, where the suites, the lazy river and the bowling alley earn their keep between park days. Expect crowds and long walks, and a suite for six at a moderate price.
Does Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort have a pool or a beach?
It has an outdoor pool. There is no beach; the nearest is a drive away.
The smart money