Cabana on Family Beach or Serenity Bay?

[chimo2u]

Thanks for your input Savage YES, after seeing the prices, if I do decide to go for a Cabana, it will definitely be on Serenity Bay!!! As lovely as the location of the family beach is, and the view, it's not worth an extra $200 over the price of a Serenity Bay Cabana..... and renting a cabana is going to be costly no matter which way I go, but it would be a big stretch to try to come up with $600 for a few hours of shade, some cool drinks and privacy!!! The Canadian $$ is so bad right now, this will end up costing me an extra 30% on top of current pricing with our exchange rate! So Serenity Bay it will have to be for me, and even that is pricey! but I will just not do any excursions in Falmouth, and consider the Cabana as part of my excursion budget

 

[RHSTigerMom]

HI DH and I are celebrating our 25 anniversary with a cruise on the Fantasy Oct 31-Nov 7, 2015.
Being that we are staying Concierge, I am hoping we can book a cabana. I'm wondering what beach you'd recommend for the Cabana rental?? The family beach cabana is quite a bit pricier, but if the beach is more fun, I'd consider it, I really like the views from Cabana 4 area, would love to look out to the ship and I think the Cabana would offer some privacy that DH would be craving..... Serenity Bay looks more like what hubby might like/ quiet/ serene/ private. As well, the adult lunch sounds a bit more pleasing to me..... however the Family beach looks like more fun to me. Any recommendations? and any personal Cabana # that you particularly think might be a good fit? If I choose Serenity Bay, I'm leaning towards Cabana 25. If I choose Family beach, i'm leaning towards Cabana 4, 5 or 6 for the views.
OR...another thought, might be the last cabana on the family beach (which would be close to Serenity Bay??) then we could do the adult buffet lunch, but still be on the family beach.
Thoughts??

We're going on the Dream in May for our 25th anniversary and we have Serenity Bay cabana #24 (I think). No way would I even consider a cabana on family beach w/out kids!

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

That looks lovely, Disney Fantasy bottom line, which beach do you think is nicer?? Is the Family Beach worth the extra money?
looks like we can erase the adult lunch as a deciding factor, as we could just take the tram to the adult bbq.

Family beach is far far better.

Cookies Two is very good for food no need to go anywhere else.

 

[artnerds]

Family beach is far far better.

Please explain.

 

[artnerds]

Thanks Princess Schmoo! That answers that question so the question now remains, will I be happier on the more secluded beach or nearer to the action.... I still appreciate everyone's recommendations. Art nerds, 25 is a top contender, trying to decide between 4, 5 on family side or 25 would be the choice for Serenity bay. Is 25 still accessible to decent swimming?

Cabana 25 is, at most, a 30 second walk to the water.

 

[artnerds]

I'm going to disagree with the assertion that the Family Beach is "far far better," because I think it depends entirely on what one wants.

Family Beach is better if:
- you have children (in which case it is not "better" so much as "necessary")
- you want to use the water play areas
- you want to be close to shopping

Serenity Bay Beach is better if:
- you want peace and quiet (i.e., "serenity")
- you need nothing more than sand, water, and drinks to make a perfect day at the beach
- you want to spend $200 less on a cabana

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Please explain.

Has been posted by me on this thread a few times already.

1. Closer to the activities.
2. Closer to ship if you need to go back.
3. More things based around the family beach.
4. Cookies BBQ and Cookies2 the best places to eat, imho.
5. Cycle hire starts there.
6. Two longer tram journeys not required.
7. Characters.
8. Longer and wider beach.
9. Snorkel area.
10. Longer breakwater controls the sea.

 

[artnerds]

Has been posted by me on this thread a few times already.

1. Closer to the activities.
2. Closer to ship if you need to go back.
3. More things based around the family beach.
4. Cookies BBQ and Cookies2 the best places to eat, imho.
5. Cycle hire starts there.
6. Two longer tram journeys not required.
7. Characters.
8. Longer and wider beach.
9. Snorkel area.
10. Longer breakwater controls the sea.

None of these things offset the quiet and isolation of Serenity Bay for me. Far, far better for you? Sounds like it. For me, not at all. Just means we want different things out of Castaway Cay.

 

[Dug720]

Thanks for your input Savage YES, after seeing the prices, if I do decide to go for a Cabana, it will definitely be on Serenity Bay!!! As lovely as the location of the family beach is, and the view, it's not worth an extra $200 over the price of a Serenity Bay Cabana..... and renting a cabana is going to be costly no matter which way I go, but it would be a big stretch to try to come up with $600 for a few hours of shade, some cool drinks and privacy!!! The Canadian $$ is so bad right now, this will end up costing me an extra 30% on top of current pricing with our exchange rate! So Serenity Bay it will have to be for me, and even that is pricey! but I will just not do any excursions in Falmouth, and consider the Cabana as part of my excursion budget

Do keep in mind that the SB cabanas are directly behind the chairs and loungers for the non-cabana people - not at their own section of the beach like the Family Beach cabanas are. And that while yes, you have a private place to hang out, it's not THAT private if you get what I mean. TWICE I have ended up moving the chairs I'd picked out because some people in the cabana behind where I had sat didn't get that. Sound carries.

(Please note I'm not advocating using the family beach cabanas for that either. Especially if you can't be quiet. )

 

[artnerds]

Do keep in mind that the SB cabanas are directly behind the chairs and loungers for the non-cabana people - not at their own section of the beach like the Family Beach cabanas are. And that while yes, you have a private place to hang out, it's not THAT private if you get what I mean. TWICE I have ended up moving the chairs I'd picked out because some people in the cabana behind where I had sat didn't get that. Sound carries.

(Please note I'm not advocating using the family beach cabanas for that either. Especially if you can't be quiet. )

The doors on the cabana can be closed for those purposes. Not that I've done that.

 

[Dug720]

The doors on the cabana can be closed for those purposes. Not that I've done that.

Sound still carries - and some people can't be quiet.

 

[LoveMickey]

Regarding the Cabanas at SB, where do you check in? There's a check in area for Cabanas in the family beach area, do you check in there?

thanks, We rented one for our May cruise. First time in forever

 

[artnerds]

Regarding the Cabanas at SB, where do you check in? There's a check in area for Cabanas in the family beach area, do you check in there?

thanks, We rented one for our May cruise. First time in forever

No, there's a separate check-in for the SB cabanas. You'll see it as soon as you get off the tram at Serenity Bay.

 

[lorimay]

I love cabana #25 on SB when its just me and hubby, the very last cabana a perfect day.

We had #8 on family beach in Feb. It was also a perfect day, we were traveling with our 2 small grandchildren. The beach was so quiet and the water so calm. I am a nervous wreck with the kids in the water but it was really like a lake. They had a blast.

 

[NC State]

I can't wait. My husband and I have #23 in three weeks and can't wait to get there!

 

[phinz]

None of these things offset the quiet and isolation of Serenity Bay for me. Far, far better for you? Sounds like it. For me, not at all. Just means we want different things out of Castaway Cay.

+1. I've spent a total of about an hour and a half on the Family Beach, and that's to shop and walk back to the ship. The relative chaos there while visiting compared to my time at Serenity Bay is just not for me. My signature says it all.

 

[cashe]

Sound still carries - and some people can't be quiet.

omg i can TOTALLY understand this in VEGAS but DISNEY???? wow.

 

[GoofyTraci]

where do you find the pricing for the cabanas?

 

[cashe]

where do you find the pricing for the cabanas?

http://www.disboards.com/threads/pricing-for-cabanas-on-castaway.3396977/

 

[chimo2u]

I personally would love a family beach cabana as it's in its own private beach, but think I will most likely need to stick to Serenity Bay unless money becomes less of an issue,( as it's $200 more for a family beach cabana )-- also it's just hubby and I, no kids this trip! I know he'd appreciate the calm place to relax, and the quietness of Serenity Bay. I'll have to do more thinking about this before my booking window, but $200 more hurts especially with how low the CDN$ is right now! I'm very torn!