Secret Cabanas Entrance on Wonder?

[bigAWL]

I've seen a couple youtube videos about the Wonder that show an interior stairway at the back of Cabanas that seems to lead down to deck 8. Is that an entrance and exit that anyone can use? Is it only open at certain times? Does it include hand washing stations?

Is that feature also on the Magic? I've sailed on the Magic many times and never noticed it before.

 

[Jetsetter42]

Yes, it exists on the Magic and we used it all the time in the morning to grab food from Cabanas and bring it back to the room. Our staterooms were right by that staircase so it was very convenient.

 

[TestingH2O]

I wonder if that access will change once cruising resumes. There are no sinks there to wash hands, and I highly doubt hand washing and/or wipes will be optional when entering any eating establishment.

 

[DWillowBay]

Yes, we've used it on the Wonder. No hand washing though, so that may change. Very convenient from our room (Aft, deck 8), but not convenient or even that easy to find if your room is elsewhere.

 

[Soham KB]

Yes, it exists on the Magic and we used it all the time in the morning to grab food from Cabanas and bring it back to the room. Our staterooms were right by that staircase so it was very convenient.

Which deck was this on?

 

[bigAWL]

So I suppose it's this stairwell? Is there actually one on the port side as well? I don't see that in the videos of Cabanas.

 

[Deb T.]

So I suppose it's this stairwell? Is there actually one on the port side as well? I don't see that in the videos of Cabanas.

Yes, that's where it is: Deck 8 aft starboard, and it goes up one flight to inside Cabanas. I don't believe the portside stairs are open to guests.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Is there actually one on the port side as well?

As noted, there is one, but it's in a CM only access area.

 

[daedelus]

During the ill-fated WBPC of '20, they closed that stairwell off and you could only enter Cabana's by the main entrances. Most days they had the traffic flowing one way - in one main entrance and out the other. You weren't even allowed to use the starboard "secret exit" near Daisy's.

 

[Cheburashka]

During the ill-fated WBPC of '20, they closed that stairwell off and you could only enter Cabana's by the main entrances. Most days they had the traffic flowing one way - in one main entrance and out the other.

I would not be surprised if buffets become one way upon reopening.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I would not be surprised if buffets become one way upon reopening.

Unless they change the whole layout of the place, that could be a problem. There are tables in the same area as the buffet itself. Routing people in the front door and through the lines works. Once people are in the table area (roughly a "U" around the buffet) they're going to be, basically in the same space as the food service area. Plus, sitting in the rear of the dining area means that you have to travel through the other tables to get out of the place.

 

[DisneyConvert]

We tend to stay Aft on Deck 6 or 7 and I love the "secret stairs". Besides connecting to Deck 9 Cabana's, there are connecting stairs between Deck 8 down & aft all the way to Deck 5. The steps even have the same optical illusion as the Odessa Steps*(
{One only sees landings looking down from Deck 8 and one only sees the stairs when looking up from Deck 5 - truly!}

At Deck 5 there is a side stair on the starboard side down to Deck 4 (Animator's Palate) that is used during the Mustard Drill.

I am sure they will close them off now.

 

[bigAWL]

We tend to stay Aft on Deck 6 or 7 and I love the "secret stairs". Besides connecting to Deck 9 Cabana's, there are connecting stairs between Deck 8 down & aft all the way to Deck 5. The steps even have the same optical illusion as the Odessa Steps*(
{One only sees landings looking down from Deck 8 and one only sees the stairs when looking up from Deck 5 - truly!}

At Deck 5 there is a side stair on the starboard side down to Deck 4 (Animator's Palate) that is used during the Mustard Drill.

I am sure they will close them off now.

Thanks so much for the photos. I knew someone here would have them. I just discovered the stairs existed because we reserved an aft cabin on 8 for Alaska in 2022, and I've been studying youtube videos about the Wonder. I suppose there's not much hope that this entrance will be open for us, but I'll be stoked if it is.

 

[Disneyloverliz]

But the question is...is there a secret stairway on the Fantasy I should know about?!?!?!

 

[MickeySwirl]

We miss the secret aft deck on the Wonder. It was an amazing place to hang out in Alaska.

 

[bigAWL]

But the question is...is there a secret stairway on the Fantasy I should know about?!?!?!

I don't think a "secret" stairway, no. There are very public aft stairs entering the back of Cabanas.

We miss the secret aft deck on the Wonder. It was an amazing place to hang out in Alaska.

Definitely! That was also on the Magic, I think. The same remodeling that did away with the aft overlook decks on 7, also enclosed those stairs on 9 creating the secret entrance to Cabanas.