Cabanas at Castaway Cay

[lpizzuro123]

Thanks for the info. My DH and I are silver - so we probably will not get one but might not be bad if we can get a 10 people. Some just want to sit in the cabana (not my and my DH) and some want to snorkle and bike ride (me and my DH).

 

As far as food goes - if you are on the family beach - do you still need to get your own food and then bring it to your cabana - or can the servers bring you food. My DH and I would rather get our own food - but some in the group do not like buffets and I believe all the food on the island is buffet.

 

 

Linda

[alaska_planner]

Thanks for the info. My DH and I are silver - so we probably will not get one but might not be bad if we can get a 10 people. Some just want to sit in the cabana (not my and my DH) and some want to snorkle and bike ride (me and my DH).

 

As far as food goes - if you are on the family beach - do you still need to get your own food and then bring it to your cabana - or can the servers bring you food. My DH and I would rather get our own food - but some in the group do not like buffets and I believe all the food on the island is buffet.

 

 

Linda

 

just to clarify the earlier post, the maximum on both beaches is 10 (just you initially pay for only 4 at serenity bay)...

 

regarding food, you have to get your own food....

the food is served in a buffet....you go up and take your food..

if you want to, you can take it back to your cabana..

we just ate right at the barbecue and then used the restroom (which is near the barbecue) and then got a ride back to our cabana (we were in cabana #21 - the one that's furthest away on serenity bay)....

though we were on serenity bay, the food set up is basically the same at the family beach, as in, it's all buffet self serve...

 

we loved the cabana, however, if i were there on my own or with DH and my kids (who are in their 20's), i would not get a cabana...

let me clarify that...

i was there with my 85 year old mom and 62 year old sister, who is a sun worshipping beach lover...

so for her and for my mom, a cabana was perfect..

however for me and my family, it would be a waste of money...

 

my family's castaway cay day would be biking, pelican plunge and maybe lunch at serenity bay and then back on the ship for the afternoon...

we live 10 minutes from a gorgeous Mediterranean beach, and we never lie out in the sun here, so we're not about to do it on CC either..

[lpizzuro123]

Thanks for all the info.

 

So, when you rent a cabana, what does it include.

 

Are the bike rentals and snorkeling equipment included? And if so if you pay for 10 people - do you get 10 vouchers (or something) for 10 bike rentals and 10 snorkeling equipment? I think something was also said about floats and rafts - will you get 10 if you pay for 10 people? I am sure Pelican Plunge is not included - but maybe I'm wrong about that.

 

I know you get lounges and chairs up at the cabana -but what about lounge chairs or water chairs on the private beach. If we rent with 10 people, I am sure we will all not be in the cabana at the same time. I would love to also have a beach lounge chair down on the beach - but looking at photos, it looks like the beach there is empty.

 

If it includes the bikes, snorkeling equipment and floats and rafts, it might be worth it.

 

Thanks,

Linda

[alaska_planner]

Thanks for all the info.

 

So, when you rent a cabana, what does it include.

 

Are the bike rentals and snorkeling equipment included? And if so if you pay for 10 people - do you get 10 vouchers (or something) for 10 bike rentals and 10 snorkeling equipment? I think something was also said about floats and rafts - will you get 10 if you pay for 10 people? I am sure Pelican Plunge is not included - but maybe I'm wrong about that.

 

I know you get lounges and chairs up at the cabana -but what about lounge chairs or water chairs on the private beach. If we rent with 10 people, I am sure we will all not be in the cabana at the same time. I would love to also have a beach lounge chair down on the beach - but looking at photos, it looks like the beach there is empty.

 

If it includes the bikes, snorkeling equipment and floats and rafts, it might be worth it.

 

Thanks,

Linda

 

the family beach cabanas are on a private beach.

the private beach has lounge chairs, which as far as i know, aren't assigned to any cabana in particular but there are plenty for use by everyone.

 

the floats (mats and inner tubes) are in bins on this beach for you to take and use for as long as you like...(i think - that's not where they're placed at serenity bay, but i think that's how it is on the family beach - at serenity bay, they put them next to each of the 4 cabanas)

 

the family beach cabanas include bike and snorkel rental for each person in the cabana. so yes, if you're going to use all of that, then the cost of the cabana isn't that high, since you're getting all of that included...

if you have 10 people in the cabana, the cost is $699.

so $699 divided by 10 means you're paying $69.90 per person.

i don't know how much it costs to rent a bike, snorkeling equipment and the floats, but if you're planning on all of you doing all of that, then the true cabana cost to you is reduced by that much..

 

plus in the cabana you get sunscreen, soft drinks, potato chips and a plate of fresh fruit (but you get the chips and fruit at the buffet too, so that's not really a big deal)...

 

on the deck of the cabana are two lounge chairs, plus another sort of chair, that's not exactly a lounge chair, but comfortable...

inside is a love seat and two little chairs..

 

in addition, each cabana has its own hammock (except for cabana #1, the handicapped accessible cabana).

 

pelican plunge is unrelated to the cabanas....it's a waterslide out in the water by the second family beach and is open for everyone to use (there's no additional cost to use it)..

 

the family cabanas also have sand toys for your use.

 

the adult cabanas don't have sand toys and don't include snorkeling equipment and there's no private beach by the adult cabanas....but if i were to rent one again, i would still rent one at serenity bay....very peaceful there..

[lpizzuro123]

Thanks everyone for the great info and great photos. For some reason I though you had to pay for Pelican Plunge - glad to hear you do not have to.

 

Hopefully we will be able to get a cabana - I think it would be a great meeting place for everyone and as long as it come with all those rental things I think I can talk my DH into it.

 

Linda

[Musclengrace]

You can look but chances are they were sold out over a month ago. Keep checking, sometime people cancel or the one they hold for weddings gets released.

 

Yeah! we were able to reserve a cabana (#12) for Dream on 2/24..got it a few days ago. probably because we are concierge. Maybe we'll ask another family to split w us as there is only 3 of us..if another family wants to use one & cant get one, i would def consider this.

 

ellen

[Musclengrace]

one final question, if we have a cabana on the family beach can we still go over to serenity bay for lunch? or is that only for the people who have the cabanas there?

thanks

[Shmoo here]

one final question, if we have a cabana on the family beach can we still go over to serenity bay for lunch? or is that only for the people who have the cabanas there?

thanks

 

Yes, you can go to Serenity Bay (well, the adults can). You aren't tied to the cabana, it just gives you a home base.

[alaska_planner]

Yeah! we were able to reserve a cabana (#12) for Dream on 2/24..got it a few days ago. probably because we are concierge. Maybe we'll ask another family to split w us as there is only 3 of us..if another family wants to use one & cant get one, i would def consider this.

 

ellen

 

i know there are lots of people who share, but i never would..

someone asked to share ours before the cruise and i said no, but that was without ever having seen one up close..

and after having one for a day i can say for sure that i would never share one...

there are only two lounge chairs and my mom was in one of them the entire day...

how are you supposed to share if there are only two lounge chairs?

[alaska_planner]

i know there are lots of people who share, but i never would..

someone asked to share ours before the cruise and i said no, but that was without ever having seen one up close..

and after having one for a day i can say for sure that i would never share one...

there are only two lounge chairs and my mom was in one of them the entire day...

how are you supposed to share if there are only two lounge chairs?

 

 

i couldn't edit my response so i'll add on this way:

 

i suppose on the family beach you could share if all you wanted was access to the private beach - since there are plenty of lounge chairs available on the private beach..

but i don't see any way to share the serenity bay cabanas...i certainly never would..

 

however, while it was great to have the cabana with my elderly mother and mobility challenged sister, i wouldn't rent one if they weren't with me...

i'd rather be out and about on the island....there's too much to do and i've never been one to do the lounge chair in the sun thing......

[jbird5150]

Just to add a ray of hope to those who think they missed out on a cabana...we're silver members heading out on our second Disney cruise in late May. Last time we never got to CC because of high winds, so we're all REALLY looking forward to visiting the island--and a cabana would be icing on the cake.

 

We were able to begin reserving excursions starting a week ago, and of course all the cabanas were gone. But I kept checking every day, several times a day, seeing if something would pop back up.

 

And BOOYAH! This morning Cabana #3 was suddenly available. I snatched that thing up faster than you can say "SPF 50". :)

 

So there IS hope for those who think they've missed out. Just keep checking and checking and checking. You never know when one is going to pop up!

[hardingk]

We just got off the Disney Wonder last Monday and had Cabana #9 at CC. We LOVED it! Definitely worth the money!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[awaywego0000]

For anyone who wants to see what the inside of a cabana, there are some good You Tube videos of them.

[Jimmanknows]

Great info, definitely convinced me to try and get one. DW & I are in our early 50's and we're taking my sister (Disney Fanatic) who will be 59 by the time we sail. Also taking our youngest dd 26 who will be just finishing her 2nd stint in the Navy. Getting a cabana on the Serenity would be awesome.

[e2011]

We have been to Castaway Cay 3 times and had a family cabana each time. I love them and would be very disappointed if I could not get one in the future. Well worth the money for us.

[Jimmanknows]

Do they allow smoking on the beach or are there special smoking area's, does that include cigars?

[alaska_planner]

Do they allow smoking on the beach or are there special smoking area's, does that include cigars?

 

smoking is permitted on the beach and i believe also on the deck of the cabana

 

i assume that also means cigars..

 

that was one of the things that worried me when i reserved a cabana (since both my sister and mother had lung cancer - though neither of them ever smoked, they were the victims of second hand smoke - over the course of many years in the office where they worked)..

 

due to the proximity of the cabana next door, i was worried this might be a problem, since both of them are very seriously bothered by smoke.

 

,

[svbundy]

Will the wait staff bring you drinks on the beach? Is it a hassle?

 

Just thinking about how easy it will be to get refreshments served to the family while hanging out on the beach, and not leaving them.

 

I guess it really depends on if the cruise is full or not, if they have enough staff to easily accomodate everyone's drinks / food, to serve them on the beach.

 

Thanks

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Will the wait staff bring you drinks on the beach? Is it a hassle?

 

Just thinking about how easy it will be to get refreshments served to the family while hanging out on the beach, and not leaving them.

 

I guess it really depends on if the cruise is full or not, if they have enough staff to easily accomodate everyone's drinks / food, to serve them on the beach.

 

Thanks

 

There is a bell in each cabana to request nearly anything inc bar..

 

Also drinks in the fridge like cans of soda.

 

You can also pre buy a castaway cay drink package various packages available.

[petlover]

chances are probably slim that we can get one since this will be our first Disney cruise (Magic) on 11/24/13 but I don't quite understand the pricing?

Do you have to pay for a baby that doesn't even walk yet, a toddler who can't swim so sure won't be using the snorkle?

I am very fair and would love to have one if possible. We are a 3 generation family traveling together (10 total counting the baby).

Thanks!

[ededmd]

chances are probably slim that we can get one since this will be our first Disney cruise (Magic) on 11/24/13 but I don't quite understand the pricing?

Do you have to pay for a baby that doesn't even walk yet, a toddler who can't swim so sure won't be using the snorkle?

I am very fair and would love to have one if possible. We are a 3 generation family traveling together (10 total counting the baby).

Thanks!

 

Family Beach cabanas:

The cost of the cabana is $499 for up to the first 6 people.

 

Maximum number of people is 10 and includes everyone – even infants and toddlers.

 

Anybody over the included 6 people and over the age of 2 is charged an additional $50 per person (for persons 7, 8, 9, 10).

 

To better your chances at booking, be up at midnight at the 75 day mark.

Go to the Castaway Cay day, then to port adventures, then click on Family Cabana if any are available to put in your cart.

*Immediately* check out that cart to complete the transaction.

 

Then go back in and do your Palo reservations.

 

If you are lucky enough to get a cabana in your cart, if you delay *at all* checking out your cart, you will lose it. Been there...

[bear3412]

Will the wait staff bring you drinks on the beach? Is it a hassle?

 

Just thinking about how easy it will be to get refreshments served to the family while hanging out on the beach, and not leaving them....

 

The button in the cabana will summon one, that will summon the bar waiter, and he will be happy to supply you with drinks at the current retail $ value.

 

There are no waiters running about the beach serving drinks. Now that doesn't mean you can't slip a twenty to the bar waiter, and maybe you will have your desire, delivered every thirty minutes. :)

 

OK this commentary above is assuming you have a cabana.

 

Are you asking in general. will staff serve drinks on beach? No.

But it is only a short walk to the bar. Again perhaps if you $$ , maybe they will tender ??

 

:)

[petlover]

Family Beach cabanas:

The cost of the cabana is $499 for up to the first 6 people.

 

Maximum number of people is 10 and includes everyone – even infants and toddlers.

 

Anybody over the included 6 people and over the age of 2 is charged an additional $50 per person (for persons 7, 8, 9, 10).

 

To better your chances at booking, be up at midnight at the 75 day mark.

Go to the Castaway Cay day, then to port adventures, then click on Family Cabana if any are available to put in your cart.

*Immediately* check out that cart to complete the transaction.

 

Then go back in and do your Palo reservations.

 

If you are lucky enough to get a cabana in your cart, if you delay *at all* checking out your cart, you will lose it. Been there...

 

Thanks so much for the good info. (as you know) I'm so not use to all this. It reminds me of Black Friday sales just trying to rent a cabana, make dinner reservations, reserving hours in the nursery. This is a different experience and I'm trying to learn the ropes. I hope once on board it doesn't seem so pushy. I have gone through this getting f.f. airline tickets before, but never on a cruise!

Thanks for all the help.:)

[ededmd]

Thanks so much for the good info. (as you know) I'm so not use to all this. It reminds me of Black Friday sales just trying to rent a cabana, make dinner reservations, reserving hours in the nursery. This is a different experience and I'm trying to learn the ropes. I hope once on board it doesn't seem so pushy. I have gone through this getting f.f. airline tickets before, but never on a cruise!

Thanks for all the help.:)

 

You're welcome.

Your comparison to Black Friday and the pre-cruise reservation process is apt.

Unfortunately for me, my most recent reservation day actually fell on Black Friday so more people than typical were awake and "competing".

 

The on board experience is much, much less of a scrum. The only strategy required onboard really is if the children want to do character visits / pictures / autographs. Line up for those can start 30+ minutes before the published start time. Usually best to send an adult (without the kids) as a placeholder in the queue and have the children come 0-5 mins before the start.

 

The one other thing I might suggest for your consideration is packing for and scheduling a reservation once onboard for a family / group portrait. Disney's contracted photographers do a really nice job with group pictures. Some are very creative if you want them to be. The white background is a favorite for really featuring the people.

 

I would reserve the maximum allowed nursery time in advance but know that often you can get extra time / make changes on board.

 

Also if/when you do your Palo reservation - it is very individual but I prefer Palo brunch - if for no other reason than it allows the family as a whole to dine together for all the dinners. I do prefer the brunch food as well but the dinner has the advantage of the chocolate souffle so there's that.

 

A few other random thoughts. Alcohol tastings e.g. Martini tasting (quite popular), beer tasting, wine tastings can be popular and book up so if you are interested in them talk to guest services when you board to reserve these nominal extra cost bartender sessions.

 

One other thing to consider with guest services is requesting tickets for the Tea with (Alice, typically). They are free but limited and is a cute character children's tea once during the cruise. If tickets are received but then you change your mind, make sure to turn them in to GS as they hold a waiting list (demand always > supply for this).

 

I'm so excited to hear about your impressions after you cruise. The family time will certainly be special regardless of anything else.

Cabana or not, I'm sure you will make great memories.

[ededmd]

Are you asking in general. will staff serve drinks on beach? No.

But it is only a short walk to the bar. Again perhaps if you $$ , maybe they will tender ??

 

:)

 

Admittedly I haven't been on the family beach in a couple of years.

But I remember waiters circulating about and getting drink orders.

I know I drank a frosty blended something in a souvenir plastic glass that I didn't get up to acquire.

Perhaps this has changed?