Castaway Cay Private Cabanas

[thomprod]

Before there were any cabanas, people managed to rough it on the beach and still enjoy themselves. If you wish to pay extra for luxury accommodations not available to the average passenger, I think you should be happy with what you get.

 

[BooToYou7]

Before there were any cabanas, people managed to rough it on the beach and still enjoy themselves. If you wish to pay extra for luxury accommodations not available to the average passenger, I think you should be happy with what you get.

But, you know, things have evolved, as things do, and now we can enjoy the beach on a higher level!

I don't think there's anything wrong with people "who wish to pay extra for luxury accommodations" to be sad that such accommodations are limited and currently unavailable to them.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

The cabanas are in such demand and must be an amazing cash cow for DCL. I wish they'd figure out a way to build more.

 

[mordecai]

The cabanas are in such demand and must be an amazing cash cow for DCL. I wish they'd figure out a way to build more.

From what I understand they're only allowed to build so much on the island which is why (it was explained to me) they haven't built more of them.

It may be simpler than that tho in that the fewer of them they are the more they can charge. Supply/demand?

 

[posey74]

Got one!!!! :



We got cabana #3 - is this a good one?

We had #3 on our cruise last year and I loved it! For some reason not many of the cabanas on that cruise were reserved and we really felt like we had our own private beach...after being on a crowded ship for a few days it was a welcome respite. You will be closer to the bathrooms and food which for us was really nice. We have an upcoming cruise in October and I'm hoping to get one of the first few cabanas again.

 

[JoiseyMom]

The cabanas are sold out for my cruise, so I've been obsessively checking the DCL multiple times a day. Does anyone know if the cabanas are always listed at the bottom of the page or are they just down there because they're sold out? If one opens up will it show up alphabetically with the rest of them? Thanks much!

Ok - not to get flamed here - but as someone with a child who is desperate to find a Family Cabana, I do find it a little disappointing to know there are "adults only" parties who book the Family Cabanas. Isn't that kind of like booking an "accessible" room because you like the extra space when you don't actually have any kind of handicap? I understand if all the Serenity Bay ones are booked and that's all you can get, but my understanding is those are easier to come by. Again, I don't want to get flamed... I didn't know people did this and am a little disappointed by it... makes me very sad about any hope I might have to get a cabana

You do realize that your shot at getting one it being your first cruise is almost impossible?? You are the last group to book. If you are platinum or concierge you can book at 120 days, gold 105 days, silver 90 days. So yes, you are in competition for the entire ship. If you wanted a Cabana so badly, the best shot you had was to book concierge. We did that for our next cruise since we are Gold.

Why don't you post on the boards for your meet or FB page and ask if someone has a Cabana wants to share one? That was how we got one last year. We shared with a family that was concierge. They also do hold one back, and it is offered to concierge first, so you can keep checking several times a day for someone to cancel, which has happened, or you can put yourself in a wait list on the cruise for someone to cancel. Good Luck!

 

[jenf22]

Why don't you post on the boards for your meet or FB page and ask if someone has a Cabana wants to share one? That was how we got one last year. We shared with a family that was concierge. They also do hold one back, and it is offered to concierge first, so you can keep checking several times a day for someone to cancel, which has happened, or you can put yourself in a wait list on the cruise for someone to cancel. Good Luck!

I posted on our meet board a while ago asking for help. I think there was only a handful of Gold folks and I don't think anyone from Concierge. We're silver so we could book at 90 days, but one of the Gold folks said the cabanas were gone immediately. There's actually 3-4 groups on our meet board looking for a cabana too!

We're traveling with my folks who are getting married the day before we sail (to each other!). They can't afford Concierge, so that was never really an option since we wanted adjoining rooms.

I'm starting to plan out the day on Castaway so we won't notice we don't have a cabana I'll keep obsessively checking though

 

[Callymum]

Just to Correct the Booking Days from a little mistake on an above post Joiseymom!

Concierge/Platinum 120 Days
Gold 105 Days
Silver 90 Days (correction)
First Timers 75 Days.

 

[Bear3412]

I did not read all the posts.

As tragic as it sounds, Disney is performing recon to build more Cabanas.
You can either embrace it, or stress about it, lol. I choose to deal with it, and roll with the modifications.
Hey for those that book, it's more folks out of the way. lol.

 

[VowRenewal13]

We have been fortunate to be concierge for our July cruise. I was lucky enough to snag cabana #5 for our family. We will probably never, ever, get a cabana again, and it is worth it to me. If it was just DH and myself, we would go to the adults only beach. It is not as crowded.

 

[frugalwitch]

I hope if Disney is adding cabanas they will put a HA one on Serenity Bay.

 

[gometros]

I hope if Disney is adding cabanas they will put a HA one on Serenity Bay.

I believe there is a HA cabana at Serenity Bay and it's cabin #18?

 

[JoiseyMom]

Just to Correct the Booking Days from a little mistake on an above post Joiseymom!

Concierge/Platinum 120 Days
Gold 105 Days
Silver 90 Days (correction)
First Timers 75 Days.

Thanks..all fixed... now if I can only fix my brain that easily!! LOL

 

[MrsMork]

My understanding is that the hosts are the concierge from the ship and most of the cabana guests are concierge so i think many people just add it to their end of trip tip.

That is what we planned to do, but for the second time we had weather issues. This time we did get to dock for a couple of hours, but they did not open the cabanas. The good news is we ended up with a credit at the end of the trip!

The hosts are concierge. We had a FB cabana on PC cruise in May with 6 adults. We are platinum, not concierge. The host left before we were able to give him a tip, which we wanted to do because the service was beyond excellent! Later on the ship we tried to tip him for the day, but he refused saying, "it was my pleasure to take care of you for the day."

My husband & I will be going to Castaway Cay for the first time in March and are hoping to get a Cabana. We even upgraded to concierge to increase our chances. We are hoping for Serenity Beach, but I am wondering if people would have a problem with 2 adults in a Cabana on the family beach. If that was where we ended up, would that be okay? Thank you!!

With concierge assistance, you will have no trouble. People should not have a problem with adults in the FB cabanas.

The cabanas are sold out for my cruise, so I've been obsessively checking the DCL multiple times a day. Does anyone know if the cabanas are always listed at the bottom of the page or are they just down there because they're sold out? If one opens up will it show up alphabetically with the rest of them? Thanks much!

Ok - not to get flamed here - but as someone with a child who is desperate to find a Family Cabana, I do find it a little disappointing to know there are "adults only" parties who book the Family Cabanas. Isn't that kind of like booking an "accessible" room because you like the extra space when you don't actually have any kind of handicap? I understand if all the Serenity Bay ones are booked and that's all you can get, but my understanding is those are easier to come by. Again, I don't want to get flamed... I didn't know people did this and am a little disappointed by it... makes me very sad about any hope I might have to get a cabana

Adult only parties are not able to get SB cabanas sometimes. We could not, but a FB one was available. This was a cruise with only 200 kids onboard though, so SB was way more crowded than the FB. We are platinum and that was the first thing I booked at midnight booking day.

Thanks. I agree ... it's not the moral equivalent of parking in a handicapped spot or booking an accessible room. The cabanas on FB are nicer (private beach perk) and therefore more expensive. The reason we book them was at the suggestion of one of the Disney concierges. Disney allows it and (in our case at least) encourages it. If anyone has an issue with me booking a FB Cabana, the beef is with Disney and not with me or other adults who do this.

 

[MouseGrandma]

Gold and can book at midnight on July 6 for Fantasy Eastern of Oct 19-26. We are not concierge - are in a 5A. Don't plan to upgrade unless there is an amazing deal at the port, so won't have that booking benefit. I assume concierge and platinum will have reserved all the SB cabanas (just two of us - hubby and me). But - I hope to be right on the spot to check that out at midnight before I even go for the Palo brunch reservation!
So - - - - - - two questions:

Where/what page are the cabanas on when you are able add activities?

Can it be midnight EST (I'm in NY) or PST or what? Do I log in at midnight or 3am??? I have forgotten.

 

[MrsMork]

Gold and can book at midnight on July 6 for Fantasy Eastern of Oct 19-26. We are not concierge - are in a 5A. Don't plan to upgrade unless there is an amazing deal at the port, so won't have that booking benefit. I assume concierge and platinum will have reserved all the SB cabanas (just two of us - hubby and me). But - I hope to be right on the spot to check that out at midnight before I even go for Palo brunch! So - - - - - - two questions:

Where/what page are the cabanas on when you are able add activities?

Can it be midnight EST (I'm in NY) or PST or what? Do I log in at midnight or 3am???

Midnight eastern time

 

[Heyriddle]

Gold and can book at midnight on July 6 for Fantasy Eastern of Oct 19-26. We are not concierge - are in a 5A. Don't plan to upgrade unless there is an amazing deal at the port, so won't have that booking benefit. I assume concierge and platinum will have reserved all the SB cabanas (just two of us - hubby and me). But - I hope to be right on the spot to check that out at midnight before I even go for the Palo brunch reservation!
So - - - - - - two questions:

Where/what page are the cabanas on when you are able add activities?

Can it be midnight EST (I'm in NY) or PST or what? Do I log in at midnight or 3am??? I have forgotten.

Adding a cabana is the same as adding a port excursion. Just select castaway cay as your port. It was easier than I thought, but alas, we didn't strike gold and get a cabana.

 

[gometros]

Does anybody know what happens to the two HA cabanas if they are not taken by the day of Castaway Cay? Can anyone then rent them?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Does anybody know what happens to the two HA cabanas if they are not taken by the day of Castaway Cay? Can anyone then rent them?

They probably go to the first 2 names on the wait list.

 

[gometros]

They probably go to the first 2 names on the wait list.

Wait, there's a wait list???