Cabana Rental - with Kids

[mrsswat]

would anyone care to share what the cost is? How easy to book 30 days out?

 

[sczarnecki]

The cost of renting a cabana varies depending upon the date. I'm not sure if it may also vary based on the resort? Anyway, our full day cabana rental at the Grand Floridian on Thursday, August 29, is $265.19. You must prepay to make the reservation; however, you can cancel with a full refund -- 24 hours cancellation policy.
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The CM I spoke with told me that the cabanas often get booked early. However, I don't know if that would be the case during a slower time of year such as late August. We booked ours 2 1/2 months out but knowing we could cancel closer to time.

 

[sczarnecki]

I will say that before my DD was a teenager, she always wanted us in the pool with her. Only one of us needed a spot in the shade because the other was always in the pool with DD. Once she was finished swimming after say 3-4 hours, she was ready to GO. She would not have enjoyed hanging out on a lounge chair in a cabana. But every family is different, I know.

 

[mrsswat]

Thank you! We are staying at Copper Creek and it's myself, DD, DGS 11 and DGD 2. Since we are only doing 1 day park, I was thinking might be nice to mix up pools and spend one day at GF. I would only do half day as we are going in Aug and know it rains nearly every afternoon, if not every day, so good to know about cancelling also.

 

[Mascara&MouseEars]

I've enjoyed your post and the comments. Reading other people's thoughts and experiences always helps me in deciding if a particular offering will work for my crew. We are planning to rent a cabana for a full day at the Grand Floridian at the end of August. It is a lot of $$$. But during our trip to SSR in May, we did spend most of the day at the pool and my DD was extremely happy. Our problem was finding shade and facing the dilemma of what to do if a family member leaves for any length of time. I really like the idea of renting a cabana with guaranteed shade where we can come and go as we please without worry for at least one day. And we have a table on which to play cards, eat, or use a laptop (for husband who never really leaves work ) and the extras seem great -- well I think it will feel very special for my daughter's 16th B'day trip. Anyway, it's an experiment!
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Has anyone here eaten at the GF's pool bar? What did you think of the food? Just thought we might do that so we could enjoy a meal in our cabana.

Loved the GF Beaches pool bar. We had lunch there a couple days of our last trip and everything was great!

 

[PlutoIsHerFav]

would anyone care to share what the cost is? How easy to book 30 days out?

The cost for us for a full day in early August at Stormalong Bay is $317 (or very close) including tax. Before tax it was $299 and a half day $199. We booked 180 days out so can't speak to availability! Because of the 24 hour cancellation rule, I would check within that window of the day you're wanting it if not currently available!

 

[Hopefully]

Thank you! We are staying at Copper Creek and it's myself, DD, DGS 11 and DGD 2. Since we are only doing 1 day park, I was thinking might be nice to mix up pools and spend one day at GF. I would only do half day as we are going in Aug and know it rains nearly every afternoon, if not every day, so good to know about cancelling also.

Pool hopping is never allowed by anyone, including DVC members, at the GF pools

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Pool hopping is never allowed by anyone, including DVC members, at the GF pools

Although, just FYI, perhaps oddly, non-CR and GF guests are allowed to book and use the cabanas at GF and CR. I've never quite understood it myself, but they are open to be booked/used by anyone. (This setup does not apply to Poly and YC/BC)

 

[Marionnette]

Although, just FYI, perhaps oddly, non-CR and GF guests are allowed to book and use the cabanas at GF and CR. I've never quite understood it myself, but they are open to be booked/used by anyone. (This setup does not apply to Poly and YC/BC)

True. But just to add to this...all guests using the cabanas at CR and GF must be staying at a Disney resort. I was told that they will scan MBs of each guest when they are admitted to the cabana area. Now, just how rigid they are about enforcement is another story. But just to be safe, we added my sister-in-law's brother and his wife to our Grand Villa reservation, even though they live locally and will never actually sleep in the villa.

 

[Hopefully]

Although, just FYI, perhaps oddly, non-CR and GF guests are allowed to book and use the cabanas at GF and CR. I've never quite understood it myself, but they are open to be booked/used by anyone. (This setup does not apply to Poly and YC/BC)

Thank You. I didn’t know that and I actually checked my DVC Member home page before responding to insure the accuracy of my reply.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Thank You. I didn’t know that and I actually checked my DVC Member home page before responding to insure the accuracy of my reply.

Yeah, to me it's one of those odd Disney resort things that doesn't sound like it should be the case as it goes against normal pool hopping rules, but is. Pay to play I guess.

 

[MomOTwins]

I do somewhat question what the point of a cabana is when you have small kids. We have kids aged 7 and 3 and it is not as though you can just let them splash in the pool while you lounge in the cabana: you have to be in the water keeping an eye on them 24/7 especially given that Stormalong bay is such an enormous maze of pools and they can easily float of sight. Plus they are going to want to use the slides (big one for older, small slide for little) which are going to be out of sight of any cabana. I don't see you using the cabana at any point other than mealtime. If the idea is for the kids to sit and relax at the cabana, that seems highly unlikely: it would be like trying to get them to eat vegetables when there is a giant mountain of ice cream 10 feet away.

Caveat: I am extra nervous about this because I was at SAB last summer and my DS (6 at the time) nearly drowned and had to be rescued by a life guard when my DH and I lost sight of him for just a couple of minutes while watching his younger two brothers. We were right there in the pool with all three kids and it made no difference: it was just too crowded and we lost him and he managed to get his life vest off by himself.

 

[mrsswat]

I thought the non-pool hopping pools were only AK and BCV

 

[Marionnette]

I thought the non-pool hopping pools were only AK and BCV

From the DVC Members’ website:

• Pool hopping is not available at the following pools at any time—with no exceptions to this policy:
  • Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort – Bay Cove Pool
  • Disney's Art of Animation Resort – pools
  • Disney’s Beach Club Villas – leisure pool
  • Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa – pools
  • Disney's Polynesian Village Resort – The Lava Pool and leisure pool
  • Disney’s Wilderness Lodge – Boulder Ridge Cove Pool and The Copper Creek Springs Pool
  • Disney's Yacht Club Resort and Disney’s Beach Club Resort – Stormalong Bay
• Pool hopping is not available at these pools from June 25 through August 18, 2019:
  • Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House – Uzima Pool
  • Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village – Samawati Springs Pool

Plus the following blackout ruled apply:
Resort hotel pools may become unavailable from time to time due to capacity limitations. Due to the high occupancy that is expected, you and your overnight guests may not pool hop during the following dates:

• Friday, May 24, 2019 through Monday, May 27, 2019
• Sunday, June 30, 2019 through Saturday, July 6, 2019
• Friday, August 30, 2019 through Monday, September 2, 2019
• Monday, November 25, 2019 through Saturday, November 30, 2019
• Friday, December 20, 2019 through Thursday, January 2, 2020

In addition, it should be emphasized that pool hopping is a benefit extended only to DVC members and those staying with them on their reservation. Pool hopping is not extended to renters or friends/family members staying on DVC points.

 

[PlutoIsHerFav]

I do somewhat question what the point of a cabana is when you have small kids. We have kids aged 7 and 3 and it is not as though you can just let them splash in the pool while you lounge in the cabana: you have to be in the water keeping an eye on them 24/7 especially given that Stormalong bay is such an enormous maze of pools and they can easily float of sight. Plus they are going to want to use the slides (big one for older, small slide for little) which are going to be out of sight of any cabana. I don't see you using the cabana at any point other than mealtime. If the idea is for the kids to sit and relax at the cabana, that seems highly unlikely: it would be like trying to get them to eat vegetables when there is a giant mountain of ice cream 10 feet away.

Caveat: I am extra nervous about this because I was at SAB last summer and my DS (6 at the time) nearly drowned and had to be rescued by a life guard when my DH and I lost sight of him for just a couple of minutes while watching his younger two brothers. We were right there in the pool with all three kids and it made no difference: it was just too crowded and we lost him and he managed to get his life vest off by himself.

This is honestly why we have initially booked a full day. It will be at the end of our exhausting vacation. We will all need to take swimming breaks, forced or not. We are extremely fair skinned and shade is crucial. Our thought is this will allow us to come and go as we please without that awful search around the pool for enough loungers together under shade. The TV will be good for "rest periods". I could be completely wrong, though, and we may feel like it's a waste. It's honestly though why I am thinking of a full day over a half day. The half day, especially in the morning, would definitely be spent more in the water than not.

I'm sorry for your experience with your son at SAB - so scary and certainly mine (and every parent's) worst nightmare. I'm so glad he is okay! You're exactly right - anything can happen in a matter of seconds. Last time we were at SAB the girls were 1 and 5, so we were still 1:1, but the 1 year old wasn't overly mobile. She is definitely now a crazy 3 year old! Both can swim, but I know that means nothing, especially in a loud, crowded pool.

 

[AngiTN]

Yeah, to me it's one of those odd Disney resort things that doesn't sound like it should be the case as it goes against normal pool hopping rules, but is. Pay to play I guess.

Bingo!
I believe they view it also, that only some pools have Cabana's and the GF and CR pools are rather bland and not attractions themselves so why not let someone who wants to pay, come on and join in. Poly and SAB are too popular on their own to have additional guests. Just my theory on why they allow it