Cabana Bay or Dockside Family Suite?

[Gizmo74]

We have stayed at Dockside but not in the two bedroom suite. I am interested in either Cabana Bay or Dockside family suite. From what I can tell:

Dockside
3 queen beds
bus only to parks

Cabana Bay
2 queens and 1 pull out couch
Bus or walk to parks

Are the bathrooms split? Like sink by itself and tub toilet in same room? Which hotel do you prefer? Thanks

 

[Travelgrrl]

It looks like Cabana Bay's bathrooms are set up as a separate shower room, a separate toilet stool room, and an area with two sinks between. We were originally booked at Dockside but were able to switch at one point to Cabana Bay for our December trip. So, I haven't stayed at Dockside but have stayed at Cabana Bay before in a single room. We loved the resort and it is closer to Universal than Dockside and Surfside, which are across an expressway. However, Dockside is very new and the family suite bedroom situation is better with a proper room with actual closing door with a real bed for third bed. Cabana Bay's has a sliding door which apparently doesn't block much sound, and a sofa bed that I'm praying is comfortable enough for my daughter and her beau.

I think you'd be happy with either. The theming at Cabana Bay was off the charts, in my view. Thoroughly "Mad Men"!

 

[lisam70]

Recently stayed at Cabana Bay exterior entry suite. Bathroom set-up is : toilet is in separate room, shower and a sink in another separate room and a sink/vanity area open to the bedroom. Have not stayed at Dockside but we really like Cabana Bay.

 

[Grumpy92]

I have stayed at both. Same Bathroom set up, sink outside and toilet and tub/shower in another room. CBBR has an extra sink. Amenities and food are better at CBBR.

 

[Travelgrrl]

Does anyone know how comfy the sofa bed is? When I booked it I thought it was more like a real bed in there. Some sofa beds ARE as thick and comfortable as a standard bed - but many are not. I'm a little worried about our December trip in that regard. I have two 30 year olds staying on it, not teenagers that can sleep on anything!

 

[larissawbb]

Does anyone know how comfy the sofa bed is? When I booked it I thought it was more like a real bed in there. Some sofa beds ARE as thick and comfortable as a standard bed - but many are not. I'm a little worried about our December trip in that regard. I have two 30 year olds staying on it, not teenagers that can sleep on anything!

I would honestly only put small children on the sofa pullout. It’s a thin layer but maybe you can get a foam topper or air mattress from Amazon. It’s a great resort! I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.

 

[nouvellefleur]

I haven't stayed at Dockside, but I have stayed in one of CBBR's one bedroom suites. We had four adults and it worked really well for us. I really liked the exterior-entry suites. We stayed in Thunderbird iirc and the soundproofing was really good, plus the bedroom was pleasantly dark since the windows are in the living space. The separated bathroom spaces worked pretty well. None of us slept on the sofa bed although we did threaten one of our party she'd get delegated to the couch that night if she didn't get up for EE. I don't know if I'd put two 30 year olds on it, tbh, unless they're pretty hardy.

 

[wdwrule]

I’ve stayed at both… 2bedroom at Dockside and exterior family suite at CBBR. For the room itself I liked Dockside much better. It was spacious, bright, massive windows and clean with a new fresh feeling. We lucked out apparently and didn’t have any noise issues. We were on one of the top floors with a great standard view.

CBBR’s room was dark and dated but nice amount of space. We didn’t utilize the sofa bed. Both resorts had beds on the softer side (which I love as I am a side-sleeper). CBBR seems a bit spread out, depending on the location of your room.

For transportation to the parks I prefer CBBR over Dockside. Our #1 choice of transportation is walking and this walk was very reasonable for us. Plus, we like the convenience of entering a small quiet security check point.

We liked both resorts’ food courts as they offered a good variety with plentiful seating.

 

[AJA]

The pull out couch at CBBR is not comfortable. Like another poster said, it's fine for a child or a young adult that can sleep anywhere. But if you plan on an adult sleeping on it, just be aware it's a not the best.

 

[AJA]

CBBR's Exterior Family Suites have the toilet in a separate room (alone) a sink in the middle and the shower in it's own room.

 

[Travelgrrl]

I'm really sad that the fold out is terrible. We had a Family Suite at Dockside and were planning to have SIX young and older adults in it - and I was planning on having the early 30's couple in the private bedroom. When two of the group dropped out and I had to rebook, we were offered (steered?) to Cabana Bay Exterior Family Suite and I was actually thrilled because we stayed at CBBR before and loved it. But again, I was planning on giving the couple their privacy and having them in the living room area with the fold out, and I'm frankly disappointed that rooms that are billed as for up to 6 people really don't have a comfortable bed for six! Or even four, if their setup is like ours - some singles and a couple.

I guess I'll just let them try it the first night, and if they're not happy, I'll put them in one of the other beds, and take the torture couch. But then they're sleeping alongside my childhood friend which may be odd. We wouldn't have had this problem at Dockside because that family suite had an actual separate room with a real bed for them.

 

[AJA]

I'm really sad that the fold out is terrible. We had a Family Suite at Dockside and were planning to have SIX young and older adults in it - and I was planning on having the early 30's couple in the private bedroom. When two of the group dropped out and I had to rebook, we were offered (steered?) to Cabana Bay Exterior Family Suite and I was actually thrilled because we stayed at CBBR before and loved it. But again, I was planning on giving the couple their privacy and having them in the living room area with the fold out, and I'm frankly disappointed that rooms that are billed as for up to 6 people really don't have a comfortable bed for six! Or even four, if their setup is like ours - some singles and a couple.

I guess I'll just let them try it the first night, and if they're not happy, I'll put them in one of the other beds, and take the torture couch. But then they're sleeping alongside my childhood friend which may be odd. We wouldn't have had this problem at Dockside because that family suite had an actual separate room with a real bed for them.

This is a good highlight for people trying to choose between the value family suites at CBBR and Endless Summer in the future.

The pullout at CBBR is really not suited for most adults for more than a couple of nights (if it’s 1-2 nights I think most would consider it a minor negative) but if you are staying 3+ nights someone not resting well becomes a bigger problem.
Also it’s a sliding barn door set up as a divider between the couch and bedrooms, not a door.

As great as CBBR is, an amazing value for the cost, the family suits are really set up for a single family with kids/teens more so than for adult couples.

 

[Travelgrrl]

This is a good highlight for people trying to choose between the value family suites at CBBR and Endless Summer in the future.

The pullout at CBBR is really not suited for most adults for more than a couple of nights (if it’s 1-2 nights I think most would consider it a minor negative) but if you are staying 3+ nights someone not resting well becomes a bigger problem.
Also it’s a sliding barn door set up as a divider between the couch and bedrooms, not a door.

As great as CBBR is, an amazing value for the cost, the family suits are really set up for a single family with kids/teens more so than for adult couples.

You are so right. I did look up the configuration of the rooms as I was switching (in order to cancel two people from our tickets and room reservation, I had to cancel then rebook) and I knew it wasn't as private as a separate bedroom, but I naively thought the third bed would be a comfortable bed suitable for two adults. Live and learn!

 

[AJA]

You are so right. I did look up the configuration of the rooms as I was switching (in order to cancel two people from our tickets and room reservation, I had to cancel then rebook) and I knew it wasn't as private as a separate bedroom, but I naively thought the third bed would be a comfortable bed suitable for two adults. Live and learn!

We ask for extra blankets and our 17 year old uses those as extra padding on the pullout.

 

[Travelgrrl]

We ask for extra blankets and our 17 year old uses those as extra padding on the pullout.

Great idea - Thanks!

 

[heidijanesmith]

Our exterior suite at CB, had a very uncomfortable couch. Must more uncomfortable than the couches at Disney we have stayed at.

The furniture was looking warn, the sliding door really provided no sound barrier.

The buses at CB were amazing, the walk is way too long for us. So I would not use the location as a deciding factor between these two resorts.