When one travels to Orlando, they know they’re entering the Theme Park Capital of the world. And, in my humble opinion, one of the ways Orlando continued to stay on theme is by extending the concept into its hotels and resorts.

Universal’s Cabana Bay Resort, is by far, one of the greatest commitments to theme I have ever seen.

Built in 2014 to look like a classic Florida beach resort from the 1950s and 60s, Cabana Bay is a giant leap back in time. From the Mid-Century Modern room décor with splashy beach details to the Zest soap and Alberto VO5 shampoo/conditioner in each hotel bathroom, Cabana Bay delivers an authentic time loop that can somewhat disorient a Gen-Xer like myself. Honestly, there were a few moments when I wondered if Wally and Beaver Cleaver might come busting through the front door, frantic they were late for dinner.

Don’t get me wrong; the resort is high-tech and high-trend, but you nearly forget those things for the little details, which are, thoroughly and unapologetically, retro. All the furniture in each room, as well as the casual seating at the pool bar, feels so authentic, you begin to wonder how they found a factory to create it! The resort is divided into four different hotel wings, and each is given classic identifiers such as Thunderbird, Starlight, Castaway and Continental. The pool umbrellas, the way the palm trees are trimmed, the color of the architecture and even the on-site bowling alley make you feel like a modern-day Marty McFly trying to figure out where he’s landed.

And while the lazy river, water slide, two large pools and trucked-in sand are popular places for guests to retreat and relax, I have to say the most impressive part of the hotel is Bayliner Diner. Resembling a scene from The Jetsons, Bayliner Diner is a food court of sorts, open for hungry families day and night. However, the resort goes above and beyond with its open-area seating, half-moon booths, red chairs, funky lighting and modern mural. On a hot day you can serve yourself a blue or red Icee and enjoy the old-school video loop of California’s surfing culture, Woody the Woodpecker and even the occasional Sanka commercial.

And to keep the theme on point, Cabana Bay keeps four vintage cars right on property. The soft yellow Imperial with white-wall tires remained in its parked position all week, as did its neighboring classics with “do not touch” signs in the windows. While admiring the cars outside, I also caught a more detailed glance at the resort marquee, advertising cold air and color TV.

Owned by Loews Hotels, Cabana Bay is the ideal family resort within walking distance of Universal Studios. As the host home for several attendees of the IPW Conference, Cabana Bay transported each of us into a way-back vacation experience with all the modern amenities a 21st-century traveler has come to know and love. Although I wasn’t brazen enough to lather my hair with Alberto VO5, I did open the bar of Zest and giggled. In this case, being slightly disoriented wasn’t such a bad thing, after all.

— Carrie Cox, account executive