Family Suites or the savanna. Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort, from about $180, for a Family Suite for six, at extra cost, and a lazy river; Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, from about $525, for giraffes and antelope below a Savanna View balcony, at extra cost, and the Starlight Safari.
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.
A thatched game lodge on the edge of Walt Disney World, with giraffes and antelope outside the Savanna View balconies and zebras on some of its savannas.
$$$From about $525 a night
Choose Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge if
Children who love animals
Animal Kingdom days
Couples who want a themed base
Walt Disney World trips with a car
The catch
Disney sells the savanna only with the Savanna View rooms. The entry Resort View faces what Disney describes as rooftops or the car park, and on an early-February Tuesday the Savanna View costs $740 a night before tax against $527, $213 more.
Universal Cabana Bay Beach ResortDisney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
CouplesFamilies
Beach & pool optionalBeach & pool central
Smart spendSplurge
IntimateLarge resort
QuietLively
Central & walkableRemote escape
FunctionalDesign-led
Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort
Area
Universal Orlando, United States
From the centre
12.5 km
Airport
28 min from MCO
Price band
$
Typical rate
From about $180 a night
Rooms
2,200
Opened
2014
Pool
Outdoor
Beach
None
Spa
No
Adults only
No
Restaurants
2
Parking
Yes
Selected by
Independent research
Last checked
October 2026
Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
Area
Walt Disney World, Animal Kingdom area, United States
From the centre
5.9 km
Airport
39 min from MCO
Price band
$$$
Typical rate
From about $525 a night
Rooms
Not confirmed
Last renovated
2019 (opened 2001)
Pool
Outdoor
Beach
None
Spa
No
Adults only
No
Restaurants
4
Parking
Yes
Selected by
Independent research
Last checked
October 2026
The verdict
Family Suites or the savanna. Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort, from about $180, for a Family Suite for six, at extra cost, and a lazy river; Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, from about $525, for giraffes and antelope below a Savanna View balcony, at extra cost, and the Starlight Safari.
Good questions about Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort vs Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort or Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge?
Family Suites or the savanna. Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort, from about $180, for a Family Suite for six, at extra cost, and a lazy river; Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, from about $525, for giraffes and antelope below a Savanna View balcony, at extra cost, and the Starlight Safari.
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.
Is Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge worth it?
Book Animal Kingdom Lodge for the savanna, and pay for a Savanna View room so that it is outside your balcony. Plan on Disney's buses or a car for the parks, and give Magic Kingdom days an early start. A large, heavily themed Disney resort where the savanna outside the window is the point and the parks are a bus or car ride away. Expect families, a relaxed pace and African cooking, and pay for the Savanna View to get what you came for.
Does Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge have a pool or a beach?
It has an outdoor pool. There is no beach; the nearest is a drive away.
The family one