Aulani Cabana policy change

[WDWmom08]

So here's the update...

All 4 of the main cabanas by the construction wall are closed with all of the furniture removed. The cabana people weren't sure if they'd ever open up again since they'll be moving them back into the area currently under construction until the end of summer. The 2 cabanas by the kid's play area are still open. They also added a couple of new VIP areas with a private deck area in front of AMA AMA by the path. They have an AMAZING view of the ocean, offer the same food services, but they don't have a fridge, TV, fan or tent. They don't have any power there yet so a fridge may be on it's way soon. You do get a couple of the lounge chairs with the pull over umbrellas and a couple of the nicer lounge chairs. One area has shade while the other is out in the sun. They're the same price as the cabanas. If you're a sun worshiper or like to watch people on the beach, it's great. If you're looking for privacy, a covered enclosure, a fridge to put your own drinks in, or a TV to pass the time, these new areas won't be for you. You'll have to try for the last 2 cabanas.

So are they contacting people who have reservations? I received an email confirmation for the cabana I reserved back in March for our trip in July.

 

[Fuhnuh]

So are they contacting people who have reservations? I received an email confirmation for the cabana I reserved back in March for our trip in July.

We have a cabana reservation for four days mid-June (17-20) that we made in January and have not been contacted. I figure I'll give it a couple weeks and then contact the concierge myself. I'll post any information as I get it and check this thread if anyone else has any info.

 

[Cottager]

Since they still have 2 Cabanas for rent and the new Casabellas (the new VIP deck areas), only days with more than 3 bookings are affected so do they have to contact people? Maybe some of the first bookings will choose a Casabella instead leaving a traditional Cabana for others.

I also noticed they have servers walking on the beach for drink and food orders as well. Not the same but great for the lazy ones like me!!!

 

[Anal Annie]

Since they still have 2 Cabanas for rent and the new Casabellas (the new VIP deck areas), only days with more than 3 bookings are affected so do they have to contact people? Maybe some of the first bookings will choose a Casabella instead leaving a traditional Cabana for others.

I also noticed they have servers walking on the beach for drink and food orders as well. Not the same but great for the lazy ones like me!!!

When I made our reservation several weeks ago for August they told me I was 3rd on the list. So if neither of the other 2 ahead of us cancel we're screwed. I really didn't want to be by the little kids area either since we don't have little kids. Since we don't know if / when they will re-open yet I haven't told DH or DS about this. Don't want to bum them out just yet. Still hoping they'll get their act together over the next 3 months before we go.

 

[abcangie87]

well you all seem to know a lot more about Aulani than I do and we are going in a month! I've been so busy that I haven't really gotten to sit down and look at a bunch of stuff.

So, please give me some direction here.... any links to great Aulani threads (I'm searching, just no luck yet!). Where is the best info on Aulani. I DID get character breakfast reservations made, so thats' a good start

 

[scroot]

The construction wall has been moved outward and swallowed up the area where the 4 cabañas were.

On the other hand we have been enjoying the casabellas (shaded double lounge chair). Great way to spend a beach day. I don't feel that our trip has been diminished in any way.

I would be very surprised if the current construction impacted the lazy river it is much closer to the main pool and rainbow reef than it is to the lazy river.

 

[DenLo]

I'll be there mid June, I hope everything is back to normal by than! It'll be disappointing if it isn't!

The Aulani website says construction will be completed in September. I would not expect it to be back to normal in June.

 

[aclov]

The Aulani website says construction will be completed in September. I would not expect it to be back to normal in June.

What a disappointment

 

[aclov]

So I just called and we are out for the cabanas! They only have two available so we would get a Casabella. It's below Ama Ama facing the ocean, same price, it's basically a deck with executive seating. I told her to keep my resv, it's 24 hr. cancellation. Maybe someone will post pics since I won't be there to check it out personally within that timeframe.

It's disappointing as we were looking forward to this but we won't let it ruin the trip!

 

[Anal Annie]

So I just called and we are out for the cabanas! They only have two available so we would get a Casabella. It's below Ama Ama facing the ocean, same price, it's basically a deck with executive seating. I told her to keep my resv, it's 24 hr. cancellation. Maybe someone will post pics since I won't be there to check it out personally within that timeframe.

It's disappointing as we were looking forward to this but we won't let it ruin the trip!

I'm sorry - I think we are in the same boat for our ressie in August as we were 3rd on the list too. From the snails pace way they seem to do things there I am not holding my breath that this wall will be moved again and the cabanas back in place by August. I would never pay the same rate for a casabella that has no TV or ceiling fan. Those are the 2 main reasons I wanted one. I can't believe they're charging the same price for that deal (with less amenities) as they do a full cabana. I had been planning to bring $100 / day in Disney gift cards but now maybe I don't need so many since we won't be spending so much on site and I should be concentrating on buying more cards to use at Roy's instead!!

 

[FantasyIsland]

I saw the deck spot below Ama Ama, completely not worth the price of a cabana. You get beach food service with a free beach chair and umbrella. Sorry, I did not take pics.

 

[aclov]

I saw the deck spot below Ama Ama, completely not worth the price of a cabana. You get beach food service with a free beach chair and umbrella. Sorry, I did not take pics.

That was going to be my question if anyone that
had rented one or seen it thought it was worth it. It's nice having a designated area but should be less expensive especially for the reduced amenities and inconvenience!

 

[Cottager]

If you're looking for a private area with an amazing view of the ocean and activity on the beach, the Casabellas are well worth it. The attention provided by the cabana and food staff are fantastic! It's not for everyone, and that's why there's only a few of them. We've been hanging out there a few times over the week. Here's a picture to give you an idea.

 

[Anal Annie]

If you're looking for a private area with an amazing view of the ocean and activity on the beach, the Casabellas are well worth it. The attention provided by the cabana and food staff are fantastic! It's not for everyone, and that's why there's only a few of them. We've been hanging out there a few times over the week. Here's a picture to give you an idea.

Thanks for posting this. OK, so this is a much bigger area than I was picturing in my mind...so for the price of a cabana you get 2 casabellas, 2 arm chairs, 2 umbrellas and 2 lounge chairs on a private deck? Still not sure it's worth the same cost since there is no fan or TV (I really wanted that stoopid TV to occupy my DS so he wouldn't be chomping at the bit to go back to the room 2 minutes after we get there. I was hoping to keep us together as a family without him hounding me that he was bored...) Don't suppose there are any electric outlets there so he could plug in his iPad?! How many of these private casabella areas are there? Do they all face the beach? Are they automatically moving cabana reservations to these things in lieu of the cabanas? Just wondering if I need to call about our reservation to see what they're doing. Since it looks bigger than the cabanas I wouldn't mind this setup if it had the TV or was just a little less per day since it doesn't have the TV / fan. Wonder why they didn't just move a couple of the cabanas to a couple of these areas instead of just getting rid of them?! Two more questions...#1 any problems with too much shade on any of these areas like that cabana #1 had before they took them down? AND #2 do the lounge chairs adjust (ie lay down)?

I will have to show this pic to DH to get his thoughts on it...

 

[Cottager]

They don't have any power near the area yet. That's why they don't have a fridge right now and have to use a bucket of ice to keep your supplied water cold. I'm used to having the TV as well. We used the cabanas at the Grand Floridian and Grand Californian where I was accustom to using the fan and TV so I was a little reluctant as well. I even brought down my laptop with movies on it to keep me company. In the end, I didn't bother pulling the laptop out. There was enough activity on the beach with the weddings by the hour next door and the funny people trying to stand on surfboards and boats to keep me amused. The umbrellas and lounge chair covers supplied enough shade to keep me safe from the sun.

There are 2 more Casabellas located at the far end of the property (next to the Japanese Wedding Chapel) that don't have the same amount of chairs and umbrellas. They also are in front of one another with one step higher than the other. They are more private than the one in the picture. I haven't seen anyone rent one of them yet and wouldn't anticipate anyone doing so unless the other areas were booked.

We actually met the Imagineers who designed the VIP platform in the picture. These new casabellas were not a quick fix for the loss of the original cabanas. They are additions to the new design for the area. The Imagineers mentioned the amount of testing they did on the platform in California before bringing it here to Aulani. The only concern we mentioned was the intense heat on our feet during mid-day on the plastic boards. They're working on a solution but in the mean time, we just laid down a few towels to walk on.

The only other thing to mention is the amount of looks people give you as they walk by on the path in front of you. We had to mention to a few people that it was a private area and not part of the general seating area. We just moved the sign to the front so people understood.

Oh, I forgot to comment on the shade. Well, there was NO SHADE except for the umbrellas which made the wife happy. Also, the fancy lounge chairs do adjust from full sitting position to flat down. The wife had lot's of fun figuring them out and I enjoyed watching her struggle...lol.

 

[Anal Annie]

They don't have any power near the area yet. That's why they don't have a fridge right now and have to use a bucket of ice to keep your supplied water cold. I'm used to having the TV as well. We used the cabanas at the Grand Floridian and Grand Californian where I was accustom to using the fan and TV so I was a little reluctant as well. I even brought down my laptop with movies on it to keep me company. In the end, I didn't bother pulling the laptop out. There was enough activity on the beach with the weddings by the hour next door and the funny people trying to stand on surfboards and boats to keep me amused. The umbrellas and lounge chair covers supplied enough shade to keep me safe from the sun.

There are 2 more Casabellas located at the far end of the property (next to the Japanese Wedding Chapel) that don't have the same amount of chairs and umbrellas. They also are in front of one another with one step higher than the other. They are more private than the one in the picture. I haven't seen anyone rent one of them yet and wouldn't anticipate anyone doing so unless the other areas were booked.

We actually met the Imagineers who designed the VIP platform in the picture. These new casabellas were not a quick fix for the loss of the original cabanas. They are additions to the new design for the area. The Imagineers mentioned the amount of testing they did on the platform in California before bringing it here to Aulani. The only concern we mentioned was the intense heat on our feet during mid-day on the plastic boards. They're working on a solution but in the mean time, we just laid down a few towels to walk on.

The only other thing to mention is the amount of looks people give you as they walk by on the path in front of you. We had to mention to a few people that it was a private area and not part of the general seating area. We just moved the sign to the front so people understood.

Oh, I forgot to comment on the shade. Well, there was NO SHADE except for the umbrellas which made the wife happy. Also, the fancy lounge chairs do adjust from full sitting position to flat down. The wife had lot's of fun figuring them out and I enjoyed watching her struggle...lol.

Thanks again! So does 'yet' mean they're planning to eventually run electricity to the areas? And since these areas are 'in addition to' I guess I should call to ask about our cabana reservation to see if they will transfer it or what. And smaller areas for the same price?! We're only 3 people so fewer chairs might be OK as long as the cost is adjusted to go with that.

Thanks for the heads up on the lounge chair adjustment if we rent one of these areas. I can see my DH finding some amusement to that too. We have a small composite deck and steps leading out of our house down to our patio so I know how hot those "boards" can get...but then the pavers on the patio get just about as hot too. I never saw anything so hot tho EVER as the stone pathways at the Atlantis Aquaventure park in August!! OMG. Our feet were literally pink on the bottoms from walking on those. At Aulani we would probably just keep our flip flops under the chairs (upside down) to use when we want to walk somewhere.
Thanks again for your help!

 

[aclov]

I'm sorry - I think we are in the same boat for our ressie in August as we were 3rd on the list too. From the snails pace way they seem to do things there I am not holding my breath that this wall will be moved again and the cabanas back in place by August. I would never pay the same rate for a casabella that has no TV or ceiling fan. Those are the 2 main reasons I wanted one. I can't believe they're charging the same price for that deal (with less amenities) as they do a full cabana. I had been planning to bring $100 / day in Disney gift cards but now maybe I don't need so many since we won't be spending so much on site and I should be concentrating on buying more cards to use at Roy's instead!!

When I called yesterday I was told they do face the ocean....I broke the news to DH last nite and he doesn't understand about the construction, he kept saying "But I thought you reserved it and we had one" I showed him the pic Cottager was nice enough to post so he seemed okay with it, we were going to rent it only for one day but we never had rented a cabana before so we were looking forward to it. They should definately lower the price for fewer amenities, that would make our decision easier. DH said we can just go to the beach and use that money for eating and drinks instead!

 

[Cottager]

Thanks again! So does 'yet' mean they're planning to eventually run electricity to the areas? And since these areas are 'in addition to' I guess I should call to ask about our cabana reservation to see if they will transfer it or what. And smaller areas for the same price?! We're only 3 people so fewer chairs might be OK as long as the cost is adjusted to go with that.

Thanks for the heads up on the lounge chair adjustment if we rent one of these areas. I can see my DH finding some amusement to that too. We have a small composite deck and steps leading out of our house down to our patio so I know how hot those "boards" can get...but then the pavers on the patio get just about as hot too. I never saw anything so hot tho EVER as the stone pathways at the Atlantis Aquaventure park in August!! OMG. Our feet were literally pink on the bottoms from walking on those. At Aulani we would probably just keep our flip flops under the chairs (upside down) to use when we want to walk somewhere.
Thanks again for your help!

It's funny you mention the Atlantis. We had the exact same experience there as well in July. I think I still have a burnt imprint of their stone on the bottom of my feet..lol. In the morning, we thought it was strange for people to be wearing swim shoes thinking it would affect their ride down the slides. By lunch time, we figured out why as we tried to maneuver from puddle to puddle for relief.

The area is built with composite deck boards along with the stairs leading down to the beach. During the mid-day, people were running up and down the stairs or pouring water down to step in before running down them due to the intense heat on their feet. We ended up laying a towel down at the mid-point so the older folks had a stopping point for relief. We tried to remember to pull out the sandals before we got up but it's crazy how you forget in the moment so the towels on the ground worked the best for us. Strangely, the cement pathway below and the pool deck above were not as hot.

As for power in the area, it was mentioned that it "may" come in the future. We noticed that the electric gate entrance right next to the VIP area isn't functioning yet which we wondered if it had something to do with the lack of power as well...who knows?

The other 2 smaller areas didn't have the table with the "safe" drawer that's shown in the picture or the lounge chairs with the pullover covers. Now that the cabanas are closed, maybe they'll consider moving some of the furniture over temporarily to enhance these areas?

There are only 3 of us as well but it was nice to have a separate table to sit down at to eat our food along with different types of lounge chairs to fit our changing need for shade through the day.

If you're calling to try and book a specific cabana/casabella, the problem is that there is only the one VIP Casabella area that looks like the picture. They've changed the actual reference number a couple of times but they seem to use the "VIP" area as a reference when talking amongst themselves about the deck in the picture.

 

[aclov]

Can anyone comment if there is a bar area outside? Is there a full wrap around bar by the pool/beach area?

 

[abcangie87]

I'm late to this cabana party.... how muchare the cabanas, or these new casabella thingys? How do you reserve one?