Comparing Disney's Hotels to UNI's latest

[BryceM]

Could be wrong but aren't the Universal resorts walking distance to the parks? From what I remember its a similar set up to Epcot and its surrounding resorts. From Citywalk there are even boats that pick people up and stop at each resort along the river.

Yes, they are! Boat transportation is also provided.

 

[wdisney9000]

Great looking hotel. Excellent price point. We used to scoff at the idea of going to Universal instead of WDW. Not so much anymore. We like that Universal hasnt gone overboard with their prices and the amenities seem excellent. Uni may understand more that these are rough economic times and people really appreciate an affordable price for their hard earned money. As Genie of the Lamp said on page 1, "Incentives matter and can change consumer behavior." I Couldnt agree more with that statement and it feels like Disney feels the opposite way with all their price hikes and dropping of incentives.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Honestly, I hope it comes across that I'm not anti-Uni even though I've never been there. And I want to say that the amenities seem like they are worlds ahead of what Disney is offering at the same price point. But... I do not get the love for this hotel. It looks nice. Just nice. I say that as someone who will probably be staying there in 3-4 years. It looks like an alternate universe version of Pop Century. Is it just because it doesn't have the big icons that everyone loves it? The entrance concept art looks like it could be Pop concept art! I don't get it.

To say that you're not settling at Cabana Bay is...? Again, I will be "settling" there myself someday of my own free will. I just don't see this wonderful "theme".


The lobby is themed? Marvel themed? Because they put those trees in Loki's prison cell from The Avengers? I like the scale, but a hospital lobby is grand in scale, too. The lines are clean and nice, but it doesn't look special, warm, inviting. It could be anywhere. All I see is a bunch of sturdy budget furniture with wavy lines and tacky colors to be retro-hip... you know, the kind that you're sure must be made of foam but hardly indents when you sit on it?

The amenities sound amazing. The location sounds amazing. The look is adequate. I look forward to staying there. It is not a masterpiece of architecture and interior design to me.

The Cabana is not trying to be retro, it is aiming for full historical immersion. And what a fantastic historical theme they've picked too! The early sixties are soooo stylish! And so very hip too at the moment (Pan Am!). All those 'wavy lines and tacky colours' are period design. I can't wait to check it out, I'm a complete sucker for this sort of thing. All the best themed areas in Orlando are historically themed - from Main Street to Liberty Square to Hollywood and Sunset Boulevard.


See, Disney, this is how to make guests play they are in the sixties. You immerse them in it. Instead of decorating your motel with oversized sixties artifacts. The Cabana looks to be to Pop Century what Harry Potter is to Chester and Hester.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

It looks and feels like a beachside resort straight from the 1950s/60s, and has all the fun and retro theming to enforce that. It creates a genuine sense of time, place, and atmosphere, which recalls another time in history. That's why it succeeds where Disney's value resorts fail.

I'm still not seeing it. It just looks like modern "IKEA chic" to me. The room concept I can actually see, but the lobby and the exterior are just so meh. It could be any hotel anywhere. Just Pop with giant colored squares instead of slang from the 50's. And I like Pop, so I'm not knocking Cabana Bay; I'm just not on the same page with everyone slamming the values while going gaga for Cabana Bay. Yes, I said I like Pop.

And the amenities look amazing. I'm not even attempting to begin to contemplate forming a thought to compare the amenities here with the values. I just think the theming is more of the same.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

The thing that simultaneously impresses/saddens me the most about Universal's new hotel is how classy and well-themed it manages to be, while still being the "value" option. At Disney's value resorts, you detect a very dramatic difference in the quality of "theming" (if you can call it that) and immersiveness between the value and moderate options. You can quite visibly sense the monetary difference in what you saved by opting for the cheaper option, and frustratingly, can also sense that Disney is talking down to its more budget-eering guests with a louder, dare I say tackier theme.

Meanwhile, Universal provides several excellent amenities that would make them desirable hotels regardless of price point, and all wrapped up in a true and genuine theme that is all at once stylish, fun, and even lightly lightly sophisticated. There is nothing at all tacky about Universal's value hotel; I would go as far to say it reinforces Universal's presence as a leader in thematic design. I wish Disney's value resorts were equally capable of both maintaining a sense of classiness and fun, while being (necessarily) more gently themed than their more deluxe counterparts.

Phenomenally well put!

I would say I couldn't have put it better myself, but I'm a narcistic maniac, so I won't go that far.


I must confess that I too sometimes wonder whether Disney deliberatly opted for the design of its values for your two reasons: one, because it believes people who stay in value resorts lack taste and Disney tries to cater to that, building a product the designers themselves don't believe in. And secondly, because Disney is trying to reserve 'themed environment' for its moderate and luxury class. Well, a waterslide and a few more busses alone aren't going to justify the difference. So, for want of coming up with ways to increase the value of the moderates, Disney deliberately devalues the value of its values.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

The Cabana is not trying to be retro, it is aiming for full historical immersion. And what a fantastic historical theme they've picked too! The early sixties are soooo stylish! And so very hip too at the moment (Pan Am!). All those 'wavy lines and tacky colours' are period design. I can't wait to check it out, I'm a complete sucker for this sort of thing. All the best themed areas in Orlando are historically themed - from Main Street to Liberty Square to Hollywood and Sunset Boulevard.


See, Disney, this is how to make guests play they are in the sixties. You immerse them in it. Instead of decorating your motel with oversized sixties artifacts. The Cabana looks to be to Pop Century what Harry Potter is to Chester and Hester.

lol actually I was going to bring up our buddies Chester and Hester in my post above. Maybe part of my problem is that by the time I experienced any of these places like this, they were run down and usually places to be avoided... like the tacky roadside carnivals that Dino-Rama emulated.

The details just aren't coming together for me to buy this as "immersion".

 

[The Empress Lilly]

lol actually I was going to bring up our buddies Chester and Hester in my post above. Maybe part of my problem is that by the time I experienced any of these places like this, they were run down and usually places to be avoided... like the tacky roadside carnivals that Dino-Rama emulated.

The details just aren't coming together for me to buy this as "immersion".

I think these places were tacky and best avoided to begin with! It is only by the passage of time that we now think of them as stylish and quaint. But still...we do. We do now.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Great looking hotel. Excellent price point. We used to scoff at the idea of going to Universal instead of WDW. Not so much anymore. We like that Universal hasnt gone overboard with their prices and the amenities seem excellent. Uni may understand more that these are rough economic times and people really appreciate an affordable price for their hard earned money. As Genie of the Lamp said on page 1, "Incentives matter and can change consumer behavior." I Couldnt agree more with that statement and it feels like Disney feels the opposite way with all their price hikes and dropping of incentives.

I have to work for a living. I get up in the morning and venture out in the cold.

So yes, budget is important to me. If you offer me a product that is just as good but half the price, then there is a breaking point to my loyalty. Never mind when the product is not just half the price, but twice as good at that.
I must say I sometimes feel slightly used. (And I don't mean the twins who fed me drunk last Saturday night and...) The way TWDC treats its guests has changed from calculated to cynical, which changes my connection with Disney from an emotional bond to a guarded consumer.

 

[MarkTwain]

I'm still not seeing it. It just looks like modern "IKEA chic" to me. The room concept I can actually see, but the lobby and the exterior are just so meh. It could be any hotel anywhere. Just Pop with giant colored squares instead of slang from the 50's. And I like Pop, so I'm not knocking Cabana Bay; I'm just not on the same page with everyone slamming the values while going gaga for Cabana Bay. Yes, I said I like Pop.

And the amenities look amazing. I'm not even attempting to begin to contemplate forming a thought to compare the amenities here with the values. I just think the theming is more of the same.

Hehehe well that well may be. Going back to my architecture training, back in architecture school we actually used to watch slideshows of Ikea furniture as examples of successful design, so maybe it's ingrained in me.

And nothing wrong with liking Pop. That's why there's 31 flavors at Baskin Robbins...

 

[Genie of the Lamp]

As Genie of the Lamp said on page 1, "Incentives matter and can change consumer behavior." I Couldnt agree more with that statement and it feels like Disney feels the opposite way with all their price hikes and dropping of incentives.

Just look at what they plan to do with EMH. They essentially eliminate/severly restrict this perk by only having it at most 2 days a week in the morning. Now, one can argue that Disney is counter offering here by throwing in Fastpass+ so you can reserve wait times for attractions and by staying on property you have the opportunity to book for possibly 1-2 more attractions than what the day guest would be able to do. But I don't like that way of thinking or that model. BTW, since we're talking about hotels here, someone in another thread mentioned/inquired about a stay in BLT. So I tried to help them out in terms of accomodating there needs. When I went on the WDW site, it listed a 2 bedroom villa (for a family of 7 they had and it sleeps up to 9) it costed $1038 a night. So yeah you can see where they're going with this here.

 

[GoofGoof]

It has been said already, but IMHO this will allow the "budget" guest to now split hotel time between WDW and UNI. I could see people deciding to do 5 nights at a WDW value and 2 here now. The number of rooms is a huge step up for Universal. If this succeeds and is duplicated it could start eating into WDW's hotel profits. Of course this could be a negative for Uni too. If they start making more profits from hotels and restaurants the place could end up like current state WDW

 

[captainkidd]

Wow- Disney better get a move on!

Disney needs to offer better discounts on the expensive resorts. GF is now over $500 per night. Portofino Bay you can get at some times during the year for under $200.

 

[bhg469]

Disney needs to offer better discounts on the expensive resorts. GF is now over $500 per night. Portofino Bay you can get at some times during the year for under $200.

They need better discounts across the board.

 

[luv]

I have always been a fan of Uni's hotels. The first time I went to check in - before I even entered the room! - I knew they were better than Disney. They have service. The hotels are nicer. More pleasant. More relaxing.

The rooms are bigger. They had a real hair dryer, not those dumb ones that hang on the wall. The bathroom was big enough to put a cot in and let someone sleep in there if you wanted to do that.

And you don't need a car! I know Disney has busses, but to me - I need a car to avoid riding busses. Not at Uni! The transportation is quick and efficient. And it is an oh-so-pretty (and short) ride to the parks.

Plus, the FOTL thing. Yay.

I immediately went from staying at Disney and making trips to Uni to doing split stays. After a while, I had had it with switching hotels and just stayed at Uni.

Although I don't care for the theme at HRH, I do love PBH and RPH.

I have the feeling that they'll do we'll with their new hotel, too.

I wouldn't hold Uni to a comparison with Disney. It's too easy for them to beat. I hold them to their own hotels. They are the ones setting the standard in Orlando, not Disney.

I realize that with a lower price tag will come less amenities. But if they can offer decent rooms for a decent price with decent service, they'll do very well.

They're Uni. They'll do this right, just like they do Deluxe amazingly well.

 

[stlphil]

Just look at what they plan to do with EMH. They essentially eliminate/severly restrict this perk by only having it at most 2 days a week in the morning. Now, one can argue that Disney is counter offering here by throwing in Fastpass+ so you can reserve wait times for attractions and by staying on property you have the opportunity to book for possibly 1-2 more attractions than what the day guest would be able to do. But I don't like that way of thinking or that model. BTW, since we're talking about hotels here, someone in another thread mentioned/inquired about a stay in BLT. So I tried to help them out in terms of accomodating there needs. When I went on the WDW site, it listed a 2 bedroom villa (for a family of 7 they had and it sleeps up to 9) it costed $1038 a night. So yeah you can see where they're going with this here.

Good point. Once more, FP, FP+, or any future FP++ or FP+++ does nothing to help with ride capacity, especially for the popular rides, and on a typical day there are more people in the park than the theoretical maximum number of riders. The only thing that can get more people through the rides on any given day is longer hours, such as with EMH, but oh yeah they're cutting back on that. It is only with slight of hand that Disney can convince us that this is a good trade off (for us).

But back on the topic of the thread, my impression from the concept art is that this reminds me a lot of the original (late 50s) Disneyland Hotel. Not in the architectural details but in the overall vibe of the styling, and as Empress Lilly said, not retro but full immersion. As a kid I always wanted to stay there but never got the chance. However, that was then, and now that style really has no draw for me, the word that keeps popping into my mind is "primitive". (Full disclosure- I have stayed in the much more modern Disneyland Hotel with towers, and quite enjoyed it.)

 

[DisneyGuyNYC]

I have always been a fan of Uni's hotels. The first time I went to check in - before I even entered the room! - I knew they were better than Disney. They have service. The hotels are nicer. More pleasant. More relaxing.

The rooms are bigger. They had a real hair dryer, not those dumb ones that hang on the wall. The bathroom was big enough to put a cot in and let someone sleep in there if you wanted to do that.

And you don't need a car! I know Disney has busses, but to me - I need a car to avoid riding busses. Not at Uni! The transportation is quick and efficient. And it is an oh-so-pretty (and short) ride to the parks.

Plus, the FOTL thing. Yay.

I immediately went from staying at Disney and making trips to Uni to doing split stays. After a while, I had had it with switching hotels and just stayed at Uni.

Although I don't care for the theme at HRH, I do love PBH and RPH.

I have the feeling that they'll do we'll with their new hotel, too.

I wouldn't hold Uni to a comparison with Disney. It's too easy for them to beat. I hold them to their own hotels. They are the ones setting the standard in Orlando, not Disney.

I realize that with a lower price tag will come less amenities. But if they can offer decent rooms for a decent price with decent service, they'll do very well.

They're Uni. They'll do this right, just like they do Deluxe amazingly well.

I think my next trip will be to Universal property with a Disney visit or two.

 

[juniorthomas]

Insidethemagic reported on details for the up and coming hotel for Universal..

It's interesting to see how the property compares to Disney's offerings.

They report the hotel will have..



Room description..


The family suites puts it right in competition with Art of Animation.. but being notably cheaper and with more onsite perks. The rooms are smaller as they are a more traditional Hotel 'suite' format.. vs multple rooms like AoA.

As expected.. no mention of inclusion of Express pass for booking at the hotel. So what do you all think? Does this property put new pressure on Disney's hotel positioning?

What is Universal?

 

[George]

I agree with most of the sentiments expressed here. Disney has reached a point where the rack rates on teh rooms are ridiculous (even for resort/vacation destination standards). However, the values bother me the most. I looked up the rates for All-Star Movies at allears and the results of my quick scan - cheapest rate - $85. Most expensive rate - $192. Summer rates - 133/158 (weekday/weekend) and 149/174 (weekday/weekend). Besides, the typical Disney fashion of making this way too complicated (3 rates for slow, medium, and high season wouldn't be very magical would it?), you've got to give me nicer accommodations for those prices. I know they aren't themed very well (fine, they're "value priced"), but you've got to have more basic amenities. Hot tubs, coffee in the rooms, and a big slide at the pools (even if it is not an enlcosed tube covered with fancy rock work) would all go a long way to making me feel better about the values. The other option, cutting the prices by 30-40 bucks a night across the board won't ever happen (I suppose demand is high enough, people are going to get bilked), but I've heard a LOT of people at the values discuss various dissatisfactions. At some point, you should be concerned with your reputation.

(Full Admission: During a week at ASM a few years ago, I felt as though I was transported onto a movie set...I was Brigitte Bardot on set, sparkling in a nightgown that was the envy of all, then I was Clint Eastwood dishing out hard, unyielding justice in the old west. In retrospect, it may have had more to do with the complicated role playing the wife and I were participating in. Tough to do in a value room with two kids on the other bed. Wait....did I just think or type that?)

Look, I may rent some DVC points and stay at the Cabana. We stayed that the Royal Pacific and it was nice. I actually slightly prefer the Disney deluxes, but Uni has a chance to crush them at the other end of the spectrum.

Phenomenally well put!

I would say I couldn't have put it better myself, but I'm a narcistic maniac, so I won't go that far.


I must confess that I too sometimes wonder whether Disney deliberatly opted for the design of its values for your two reasons: one, because it believes people who stay in value resorts lack taste and Disney tries to cater to that, building a product the designers themselves don't believe in. And secondly, because Disney is trying to reserve 'themed environment' for its moderate and luxury class. Well, a waterslide and a few more busses alone aren't going to justify the difference. So, for want of coming up with ways to increase the value of the moderates, Disney deliberately devalues the value of its values.

Yep. Good post.

 

[MrG]

Are the universal hotels still run by Loews hotel group? I believe that was the case a few years ago when I had stayed there. If run by an outside group does universal creative have control over theme etc. or does the hotel company dictate that?
Thanks

 

[disney fan 13]

Big article with new details about the resort.

http://www.orlandoinformer.com/2013/cabana-bay-beach-resort-at-universal-orlando-details-revealed/