Chairs on Castaway Cay before 5k

[girlsmom]

We are hoping to do Castaway 5K, but I am worried all the chairs would be taken by the time we finish 5K...DD12 found a video on youtube where a family picked up towels on Castaway Cay and set them down on a couple beach chairs before starting the 5K --is that allowed/acceptable/common practice?!?

 

[mab2012]

We are hoping to do Castaway 5K, but I am worried all the chairs would be taken by the time we finish 5K...DD12 found a video on youtube where a family picked up towels on Castaway Cay and set them down on a couple beach chairs before starting the 5K --is that allowed/acceptable/common practice?!?

It's not allowed on the ships. I don't know if the policy is the same at Castaway, but IMO it shouldn't be allowed. If people would just sit in the chairs when they are using them and leave them for others when they're not, there would almost always be enough to go around.

That said, it is very definitely common practice, whether actually allowed or not, but even so I've never had much trouble finding empty lounge chairs at Castaway. If you want a spot in the shade, that's a different matter.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I really think if some of this keeps up ('pretend to do the 5k to get off early!' 'stake out chairs in advance!') Disney will have everyone off at the same time, 5k or not.

 

[WishUponAStarryNight]

We are hoping to do Castaway 5K, but I am worried all the chairs would be taken by the time we finish 5K...DD12 found a video on youtube where a family picked up towels on Castaway Cay and set them down on a couple beach chairs before starting the 5K --is that allowed/acceptable/common practice?!?

I've been to CC 4 times. I've never had an issue finding a chair after the 5K or otherwise. We don't need a lounger and a chair per person (we're happy to share amongst our group), so maybe that's part of it.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

It's not allowed on the ships. I don't know if the policy is the same at Castaway, but IMO it shouldn't be allowed. If people would just sit in the chairs when they are using them and leave them for others when they're not, there would almost always be enough to go around.

That said, it is very definitely common practice, whether actually allowed or not, but even so I've never had much trouble finding empty lounge chairs at Castaway. If you want a spot in the shade, that's a different matter.

I've never gotten off the ship to do the CC5K so I don't know how common practice it is, but I see a big difference between saving lounge chairs on the ship where the number is very limited and saving lounge chairs on CC. Most people claim lounge chairs on CC and use them as a "base of operations" for the entire day. It would be a pain to gather up all your stuff from the lounge chairs and find a place to store it while riding bikes or getting something to eat on CC. Whereas on the ship, with so few chairs available and your stateroom onboard to store your stuff, it makes sense to only claim a chair when you are actually in the pool area.

That said, since there are so many chairs available on CC, there's no reason to stake out chairs prior to the 5K if all you have are towels. There will be plenty of loungers available once you are done running.

 

[apathetic]

The CC 5K doesn't get off the ship any earlier. Once the ship is cleared, everyone can get off. They start down from the 5K meeting point soon after clearance, but they don't get off first or have any priority at the key scanning stations. It's one reason it can take a long time for the race to start.

As for chairs, I've been to CC on the big ships and there is no problem getting chairs any time of day. You may not be next to the water and may have to spend a little time finding an umbrella, but you will find a recliner. It is considered rude to put your stuff down then leave for a few hours for the 5K but people do it. It's best if 1 person in your party stays on the beach with the stuff, but that's not always practical. If you do leave your stuff there, do know that people (guests or DCL employees) could possibly remove it after a certain amount of time.

 

[girlsmom]

Fellow Dissers: I am not trying to break rules or upset anyone! Perhaps I am mis-perceiving some hostility about this issue, but please rest assured, I am not out to get any of you or other cruisers! I am simply trying to understand what Standard Operating Procedure is, because I was surprised to see the only video that my DD12 found of a family doing Castaway 5k showed them staking out chairs before the race.

1. We would NOT be "pretending" to do the 5k, we would actually be run/walking the 5k (confused by auroraborealis comment above?)

2. I agree that "saving chairs" while not in use should NOT be allowed, however if it is something that is allowed and that others will be taking advantage of then my family would be the only ones "odd man out" without a chair...

3. We are sailing on the Dream, which I have heard/read that chairs could be hard to come by since that ship has so many occupants....but if there won't be a problem finding a chair after completing 5k (at very slow pace), then I would rather not have to get a towel and go find a chair before the race...and I am certainly not trying to break rules. It never occurred to me to try to do that until DD12 told me that she watched a youtube video of a family doing just that, so then I wondered if that was SOP.


We don't need a chair for every person in the family, but are hoping to have at least one that is either in shade or that we can move to the shade for resting after the race before we hit the ocean (would rather not be laying in sand while sweaty from 5K)

 

[mab2012]

Fellow Dissers: I am not trying to break rules or upset anyone! Perhaps I am mis-perceiving some hostility about this issue, but please rest assured, I am not out to get any of you or other cruisers! I am simply trying to understand what Standard Operating Procedure is, because I was surprised to see the only video that my DD12 found of a family doing Castaway 5k showed them staking out chairs before the race.

Sorry if you felt I was jumping on you personally for asking the question; I really didn't mean it that way. I dislike inefficiency in general, so the practice of "reserving" chairs is a bit of a pet peeve for me. It's the same in open-seating restaurants when people put their stuff down to hold on to a table before getting their food. Ski lodges are the absolute worst. I love what they've done at Satu'li Canteen in Animal Kingdom, where you're not allowed in the dining area until you have food in hand. I've never had to struggle to find a table there, even at a busy time. It would be nice if we could just do that as a society, rather than needing someone to police it.

2. I agree that "saving chairs" while not in use should NOT be allowed, however if it is something that is allowed and that others will be taking advantage of then my family would be the only ones "odd man out" without a chair...

And this is exactly what bugs me most. Again, not that you would consider reserving a chair, but that the general practice forces you (and me, and everyone else) into a position where you feel like you have no choice but to contribute to the problem or risk not having a chair at all. And around and around we go!

I've only ever been to Castaway on Fantasy, so the passenger levels would be similar to Dream. I really don't think you'll have issues finding empty chairs. I can't promise shade, but then shade moves anyway, so even if you found a shady spot first thing in the morning it might not be there when you get back.

Good luck!

 

[LittleMissMagic]

Don't worry - I've done the 5K twice. Both times, I've gone back to the ship to change and eat breakfast before going back out to Castaway Cay. Had to walk a little farther for chairs, maybe, but didn't have any problem securing them. I try for "good chair karma." If I'm not using a chair, I don't claim it so that other people can use it... and hopefully the good karma comes back and I get a chair later when I need it!

 

[Dug720]

I really think if some of this keeps up ('pretend to do the 5k to get off early!' 'stake out chairs in advance!') Disney will have everyone off at the same time, 5k or not.

They already do. There is no such thing as “5K gets off first”.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

We would NOT be "pretending" to do the 5k, we would actually be run/walking the 5k (confused by auroraborealis comment above?)

In more than one place, I have seen people told how 5k gets off "earlier" and how you can go say you're doing the 5k and "get a jump on" staking out chairs and just not do the 5k, etc. etc. I wasn't intending to suggest that was your plan.

They already do. There is no such thing as “5K gets off first”.

On some sailings, they herd the 5k out of the WDT before letting everyone else out the gangplank, probably for traffic routing purposes. Certainly, it's what the people who give the advice about "go with the 5k and you'll get first crack at chairs!" are counting on.

 

[oakleycat]

We grab chairs on our way to the 5K, mostly to have a place to store our stuff. We leave our bags with suits, towels, hats and sunscreen on chairs on the family beach and have never had anything taken (4x now). By the time we get back all of the chairs around are taken, but we have never gotten off for the 5K more than 10 minutes before others on the ship, and a couple times after they had started general debarkation.

 

[pixiedustedme]

In more than one place, I have seen people told how 5k gets off "earlier" and how you can go say you're doing the 5k and "get a jump on" staking out chairs and just not do the 5k, etc. etc.

I did the 5K on the Magic a few years ago and we left the ship on the late side, not early. So no one would have gained anything by pretending to do the 5K.

We are sailing on the Dream, which I have heard/read that chairs could be hard to come by since that ship has so many occupants...

OP, Castaway Cay isn't Disney World. Nowhere near as crowded or as dog-eat-dog. I've visited there 4 times in the past 3 years, during cruises on the Magic, Fantasy & Dream, and I can tell you that you really don't have to stress so much. There are always loungers with umbrellas available, even midday at CC when you're sailing Dream class. They won't be right at the rim of the water, but they're there within several meters of the water. I know this because we don't typically get off the ship promptly, but rather sleep in and go out a few hours after the early birds.

 

[Weedy]

Ha it’s funny what people find rude (I can be the queen of that) I agree to not save chairs but I feel at Cabanas especially the first day with kids!! it makes more sense to get everyone seated and then go get food. Although we would leave a parent and the kids at the table.

 

[cvjw]

We were on the magic last week and our son did the 5k. We went to castaway cay early to watch. There were LOTS of regular families getting off the ship when the runners were. We thought the people doing the 5k got off the ship early, but not last Thursday.

We have been to castaway cay three times now - twice on the fantasy and once on the magic. We have never had an issue finding loungers in the shade and this was the only time we left the ship early

 

[Lilsia]

We have sailed 7 times on the Disney ships and there have always been plenty of chairs on the beach available. Most trips people leave a group of chairs empty in between each family. I don't think you will have an issue finding loungers.

 

[Dug720]

According to more than a few crew (Cruise Staff and otherwise) I talked with, the whole "5K gets off the ship first" thing is one of those urban legends spurred on by the internet. Does it happen on occasion? Sure. But is it a guarantee? Nope. Did Disney ever advertise it as a guarantee? Not that any of them were aware of. It has happened before by change and got reported on these or other forums online and all of a sudden it's a "Do the 5K to get off the ship first" thing that was never intended.

 

[bumbershoot]

I’ve only been on dream and have never had a problem finding lounge chairs. Hammocks, yes, but my skin marks up easily so I’m not going to laze in a hammock in a swimsuit anyway.

I’m certain that there have been many groups of runners that got to get off first. I do NOT think it’s been the norm for years. I’ve never experienced it, and I’ve done the free 5k 4 times, I think, since early 2013.

I’ve never had to put down a towel early. But I’m not trying to find a spot right near the ship. I go down further along the beach. Quieter there.

 

[justafigment27]

I have no problem with chair saving on Castaway Cay. It’s completely different than on the ship. There are so many chairs. If your whole party is doing the 5K, go ahead and save chairs before the run. If the whole party isn’t running, just have the other people save your chairs so you don’t have to worry about it ... they can get off the ship at essentially the same time.

If you’re going to spend the entire day on the island, it makes no sense to me to NOT claim a spot right when you get off the ship. We always get off the ship and claim a spot as soon as we can and we are never in the spot ALL DAY. Isn’t that how most people do a beach day?? Seriously. We explore the island, ride bikes, eat at Cookies, snorkel, get character photos, try the slides, float on rafts ... are folks actually suggesting that we should pack up all of our stuff and store it (where???) every time we leave our chairs to do something? Do people really do this at the beach?

In my experience, the 5K people don’t really get off any earlier and have no great advantage. On our last cruise, DH and one of my DD’s ran the 5K ... while the other DD and I got off without the runners. We were off the ship at almost the same time.

 

[Wdw1015]

I

I have no problem with chair saving on Castaway Cay. It’s completely different than on the ship. There are so many chairs. If your whole party is doing the 5K, go ahead and save chairs before the run. If the whole party isn’t running, just have the other people save your chairs so you don’t have to worry about it ... they can get off the ship at essentially the same time.

If you’re going to spend the entire day on the island, it makes no sense to me to NOT claim a spot right when you get off the ship. We always get off the ship and claim a spot as soon as we can and we are never in the spot ALL DAY. Isn’t that how most people do a beach day?? Seriously. We explore the island, ride bikes, eat at Cookies, snorkel, get character photos, try the slides, float on rafts ... are folks actually suggesting that we should pack up all of our stuff and store it (where???) every time we leave our chairs to do something? Do people really do this at the beach?

In my experience, the 5K people don’t really get off any earlier and have no great advantage. On our last cruise, DH and one of my DD’s ran the 5K ... while the other DD and I got off without the runners. We were off the ship at almost the same time.

I agree, I’m Team Chair Saving in this aspect. It’s one thing to save chairs for hours while you are on the ship enjoying less people and want chairs 5 hours later. But if I get off the ship right away and throw my stuff down to enjoy everything the island has to offer, I see no problem with that. Haven’t you ever been to a water park? People always claim a home base and throw their stuff down to go enjoy the rides.