Pool & Beach Chairs - how bad is it?

[crystal1313]

Uggghh just tried to book a cabana for July and all booked up except one in the adult area (which won't work for us with kids). Oh well still Aulani so can't be too bummed.
They were so nice checking all possible days I asked and pleasantly telling me to keep calling back and checking for cancellations.

Can I ask when in July? We are going 7/11-7/18 and were debating about Cabanas.........

 

[Regan117]

Uggghh just tried to book a cabana for July and all booked up except one in the adult area (which won't work for us with kids). Oh well still Aulani so can't be too bummed.
They were so nice checking all possible days I asked and pleasantly telling me to keep calling back and checking for cancellations.

I booked ours for April back in July and when I did, they said I got the last two! They go fast, but one might open up because they can be cancelled.

 

[Gorechick]

Right now there are some CM's going around folding towels and asking about chair occupancy. It's noon here at Aulani.

 

[DSLRuser]

I have no problem removing an abandoned chairs towel and claiming it as my own. If there are no signs of life, book, shoes, bag, something that shows me the person is there in the pool or close by, I take that chair as mine.

Going down early and grabbing a chair with a towel then coming back later is not something i deal with.

 

[happymamma]

Not sure if this is helpful since different time of year, but we were just there for 10 nights (got back yesterday) and on the several days we did not grab chairs early in the morning (between 8-9 a.m.) we had a pretty hard time finding a spot to put our things. We did get a cabana one day, and it was very worth it, just to have a place for the day. It seemed like between 9-10 a.m. you could still get chairs (though maybe not with an umbrella or near the front), but from maybe 11 a.m. until 2-3 p.m., they were almost all taken. And we would go look in several areas (all pool areas, not beach) - even in areas we didn't really want to be - and sometimes still not find even one chair. One day we did ask for help and a CM helped us eventually find two with an umbrella (they were taken at the time but a CM was about to clear them b/c it had been an hour since they folded the towels on top), so if you have trouble I would ask someone for help.

The adult pool area is definitely more shaded but it seemed easier to get a chair there for sure, at least the couple of times I was in that area. Hope that helps!

 

[nkereina]

I have no problem removing an abandoned chairs towel and claiming it as my own. If there are no signs of life, book, shoes, bag, something that shows me the person is there in the pool or close by, I take that chair as mine.

Going down early and grabbing a chair with a towel then coming back later is not something i deal with.

I agree, but I also don't want to take the chair and be looking over my shoulder, waiting for the inevitably angry prior occupant to come around. A catch 22.

 

[DSNYDREAMER]

Our last 2 trips we booked Cabanas last minute, the one time during our stay. I think because they don't take payment up front and allow a 24 hour cancellation, many people book for every day of their trip and then decide as it gets closer what they will keep. This next trip we booked the Executive Lanai as it was all we could get and will check for a cabana while we are there.

 

[OKW Lover]

This next trip we booked the Executive Lanai

We will be interested in what you think of the Executive Lanai Tracey. Although we are pretty happy just hanging around the adult pool, we might want something different one of the days.

 

[vikequeen]

Am I correct that there the beach chairs can only be booked same day and not ahead of time?

 

[kungaloosh22]

I think because they don't take payment up front and allow a 24 hour cancellation, many people book for every day of their trip and then decide as it gets closer what they will keep.

This really irritates me. I'm sure you're right, and I've read people say they do this here and other message boards. But there are so few cabanas available that I think it's very inconsiderate to book one every single day when you're not intending to use them all. I wish Disney would take payment up front to curb this as they do at their water parks.

 

[alohamom]

One day we did ask for help and a CM helped us eventually find two with an umbrella (they were taken at the time but a CM was about to clear them b/c it had been an hour since they folded the towels on top), so if you have trouble I would ask someone for help.

This is great advice and something I would have never thought of-thank you, good strategy!

 

[nkereina]

Am I correct that there the beach chairs can only be booked same day and not ahead of time?

The casabellas are the only chairs that can be booked on the beach. From everything I have seen, they can only be booked day of and usually don't sell out. They are yours until 5pm.

 

[Mom2disneygirls]

Can I ask when in July? We are going 7/11-7/18 and were debating about Cabanas.........

We are there July 1 - 8th... was hoping for July 4th figuring it would be a crazy pool day. Didn't even know these existed till this board.

 

[njmeisje]

We were there the week before July 4th and the week after --- chairs on the beach were plentiful almost all day long. Chairs by the pool were hard to get everyday, all day. Lots of "dads" sleeping in chairs at 6am -- saving family spots. Luckily, I wanted beach chairs.

 

[MPLsDad]

If no chairs are available, I will patiently wait for 30 minutes. Then I will remove stuff and use the chair. I will avoid all conflict by asking anyone who wants to challenge me to get a castmember to settle it. Could you imagine holding a table in a restaurant for more than that and expect people behind you to wait?!?

 

[Regan117]

This really irritates me. I'm sure you're right, and I've read people say they do this here and other message boards. But there are so few cabanas available that I think it's very inconsiderate to book one every single day when you're not intending to use them all. I wish Disney would take payment up front to curb this as they do at their water parks.

We booked two cabanas for each day of our entire stay. We are intending to use them every day, but never having been to Aulani, that may change if we get there and it seems like we don't need them. I like having that option...no malicious intent to hog all the cabanas.

 

[Pooh2]

We went late September and never had an issue getting a chair on the beach.
We went up to get some lunch and EVERY chair near the main pool had towels, very few had people in the chairs. After we got our food, we sat down in loungers that did not have personal affects, just towels. Sat for about an hour and enjoyed our lunch and watched the show at the pool, never saw any of the towel owners show up for any chairs around us.
When we used the infinity pool, we placed our towels and such on the little stone wall near the pool.
Cannot imagine getting up early on vacation and rushing to place a towel on a chair!
And the towels all look the same, how do you remember which chair you towel reserved??

 

[MPLsDad]

We booked two cabanas for each day of our entire stay. We are intending to use them every day, but never having been to Aulani, that may change if we get there and it seems like we don't need them. I like having that option...no malicious intent to hog all the cabanas.

So you're creating a cabana hostage situation based on your needs... Won't you be my neighbor?

 

[Regan117]

So you're creating a cabana hostage situation based on your needs... Won't you be my neighbor?

No. I'm 99% likely to be using two cabanas for each day of our stay. That's why I reserved them 10 months before our stay. But yes, plans do change and therefore the ability to cancel is nice. It's no different than making a dining reservation at WDW and then canceling it 24 hours prior because your plans changed.

 

[cgattis]

I think PP might argue that it's more like making a CRT ressie or A&E FP for every single day of your trip, so you can decide later which day you really want, while others get none. Personally, though, if I could swing $850 a day, I'd just use them every day. I couldn't possibly spend that, though, so I won't be booking any--so you're not keeping them from me! LOL