POLL: If you went Parasailing at Castaway Cay

[MPwifey]

Did you like it? I have heard different opinions about this, especially wanting to ride solo and having to ride tandem, with a stranger. My DH is debating whether or not he wants to go, and with the stories I've read and reviews, he is not sure.

So, now to the poll.

 

[Anal Annie]

While I would not say it was our best parasailing trip EVER it was OK. You often do not always have a choice in whether or not you ride solo. Sometimes it depends on the time they have to complete the excursion (from the time they leave the dock to getting everyone up / down and then returning). Most tour operators only have a given time frame and if the boat is full that's the only way to get it done and maintain a schedule. Sometimes it may also depend on the individuals sizes. There is always a minimum and maximum weight limit. I weigh in the 120's and DS weighs about 70 Lbs which is under the minimum. DH weighs about 165 or so. But it makes more sense to send DH up alone than it does to send me - it just mathmatically makes more sense to send me up with DS.

When you get on the boat they will assess their "load" for that particular trip and they will assign people alone or tandem based on what they have to work with. We booked our excursion along with some other peeps from our DIS cruise meet thread...so we weren't with total complete strangers so it was all good. Perhaps you could find some others from you meet thread that want to book & you could get on same time / boat?!

 

[catzle]

We were going to do it. I have two daughters who are both about 65 pounds and than me and my husband were going to go with them. Each of us 180 pounds. They wouldn't split us up and make my kids go with someone else would they? They would be crying and would never do it!

 

[Anal Annie]

We were going to do it. I have two daughters who are both about 65 pounds and than me and my husband were going to go with them. Each of us 180 pounds. They wouldn't split us up and make my kids go with someone else would they? They would be crying and would never do it!

I think in your particular case they would send you with one kid & your DH with the other. People run into "issues" when they have an odd lot of people in their party or when they have 1 person that is maybe too big to put another person with. Then the group may be split up. I don't know for sure what the weight limits are but let's just say the minimum is 90 Lbs and the maximum is 300 Lbs. (in round numbers). A person who is 250 or 260 Lbs would be too big to put with a 65 or 70 Lb kid and that same kid is too light to go alone. There is a minimum age to do it too so most likely you wouldn't be looking at a 30 Lb kid, they would most likely be at least 50 or 60 Lbs. They would have to put this 65 or 70 Lb kid with someone else if the parent was out of their safety weight limits. KWIM? They have to look at their individuals on that particular run and decide who goes solo & who goes tandem. That may mean mismatching families if there is just no other way to do it safely. They also simply do not have time to run each person up solo. They run on the hour or something & I think they take about 10 people per boat...with the time to get out there & back they just can't do (10) 7 min. individual rides.

 

[Billinaz]

We went twice (had to wait a year for the youngest to be old enough to go). I never saw them put strangers together to go tandem just to get everyone up.

They did require that young kids go tandem with a parent though. Our boat was full and there were others scheduled right when we got back.

Do it, You'll like it.

 

[Tony94]

The actual ride was fun, but i felt that it was too much time away from CC. I'd rather be sitting on the beach with a fruity drink.

 

[Topscot]

The actual ride was fun, but i felt that it was too much time away from CC. I'd rather be sitting on the beach with a fruity drink.

How long does it take to meet up with the excursion, do the parasailing, then get back to the beach?

 

[over50visits]

My DS went and really enjoyed himself. He was forced to ride with a stranger. Your DH should expect the same. It wasn't a big deal, but I don't trust the tour operator (they quoted "safety" as the reason during the prebrief but afterward told me that they did it so they could sell more rides during their time period). So, take what they say with a grain of salt, and if your DH is willing to be strapped to someone he doesn't know, The ride is a LOT of fun and the view is outstanding (so I'm told!).

 

[Anal Annie]

How long does it take to meet up with the excursion, do the parasailing, then get back to the beach?

I think they run them every hour on the hour. It is over quick.

 

[Jump4Joy8390]

I never saw them put strangers together to go tandem just to get everyone up.

When I went in 2008, I had to go tandem with a stranger, as we were both alone. The operators told us that it was too windy, so I could not go up by myself. I think they let a bigger guy go by himself, though. It's one way to meet your fellow cruisers!

This time, my DD, who is now 8, wants to try it, so we will go tandem together.

I would highly recommend it, too! It is SO peaceful up there, not scary at all, and you can't beat the view!!!! Take a disposable camera up with you.

 

[catzle]

So as long as we have one parent to one child they shouldn't split us up. I know for a fact my kids would not go up with strangers.

 

[DCLMan]

I'm glad I did it but I wouldn't bother doing it again.

When we got on the boat we were told it was too windy to ride solo, but when we got out past the Wonder the captain said the wind had dropped so solo flying was safe. It was fun going up into the air but there really isn't much to see. We went behind the Wonder so I saw the undeveloped side of CC.

 

[Tony94]

How long does it take to meet up with the excursion, do the parasailing, then get back to the beach?

It was delayed due to weather but It usually takes atleast 1:30 because you have to wait at the dock for a bit and wait for the others to go too. It takes 2:00 total to get settled at the beach again, and then before you know it, your back on the ship headed to PC.

 

[rashdecision]

I went in 2008 and it was the first excursion on any cruise that I have been on that I felt disappointed in. The operators were pleasant but it was very apparent that they were interested in finishing fast. The amount of time actually in the air was very very short, approx 6-8 mins, then you were back on the boat. They did tandem and I went with a stranger which was okay but our weights, he was a big guy, were off and the ride was uncomfortable and we did not reach a decent height. I would encourage people to think twice about parasailing at CC. I have parasailed many times and this one left me very disappointed. Hope this helps.

 

[disney minnie]

i took my son on his 10th birthday and they gave us 10 dunks! (They asked if it would be okay first) We had a great time.

 

[lakerz5]

On our 2008 cruise our two teenage sons went and had a great time!. In 2009, DH, DS9 and I went. The tour operators actually allowed DS9 to go up twice, once with my DH and again with me. We had a great time and would do it again

 

[disney 2010]

We got back last week. Awesome Experience
Paid for four rides. We are 2 Adults and 2 kids. DH didn't want to ride and my kids wanted us to ride with them. I went twice, tandem with each child and DH took great photos! One other father/daughter tandem in our group and the two other men went up alone.
Our whole boat was "newbies" and we all loved it.
Two boat loads debriefed together and there was no conversation at all about people being asked to tandem.

 

[catshaw]

Hello,
I have my 2 teenagers signed up. I was hoping they could ride together! They don't assign them to strangers, do they? My husband and I weren't planning to parasail.....