Volcano Bay cabanas?

[Minuet888]

Hi,
So we wil be going to Volcano Bay and we have never been. My son will be 20 at the time of the trip and is autistic (moderately functions)
I've seen videos of the virtual line bracelets that they use.
So how effective are they? Do they have a DAS system for autistic hard to wait in line people or does the bracelet virtual line do a pretty good job?
If we are waiting for a big water slide (I heard there is a big one that has quite a wait) are there smaller ones that don't have a big wait?
We are also thinking of getting a cabana (I don't like to fight for a chair or just "leave" our stuff.)
It is very difficult to find pricing for cabanas. I have no idea where a good place for a cabana is being unfamiliar with the park. Any ideas?

 

[Rory607]

I can’t speak to the DAS pass, but we have rented a cabana. I wish I remember the bracelet situation better, but my H mostly did the slides with our daughter, while I hung in the wave pool and lazy river with our youngest.

You have to call to get pricing and prices will typically increase the closer you get to your date, especially if it’s during a busy time. Pricing can really be all over the place. Our cabana was near the lazy river and wave pool.

We loved having one and I would absolutely do it if it’s in your budget. You have a waiter to take food and drink orders, which was so great! My husband loved that I wasn’t sending him to wait in long food lines There are curtains you can draw on the sides so you have a little privacy and a bit more peace and quiet.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Have only done it once, last spring. It was fantastic, highly recommend - but it makes Disney's cabana pricing look like kid money - I was shocked at the cost. But, it was a busy day and totally worth it for us since we didn't really know the park/what we were getting ourselves into.

If I remember correctly there's a Tapu Tapu scanner in the cabana, which was helpful. Someone please correct me if I'm off on that detail.

We were in the section that has lower and upper cabanas. We were on a lower one - decent central location, relaxing vibe.

 

[Minuet888]

Have only done it once, last spring. It was fantastic, highly recommend - but it makes Disney's cabana pricing look like kid money - I was shocked at the cost. But, it was a busy day and totally worth it for us since we didn't really know the park/what we were getting ourselves into.

If I remember correctly there's a Tapu Tapu scanner in the cabana, which was helpful. Someone please correct me if I'm off on that detail.

We were in the section that has lower and upper cabanas. We were on a lower one - decent central location, relaxing vibe.

If you don't want to say how much it cost I understand, can you give me a ballpark so I know if we are talking, thousands or hundreds? Like 500-800? 800-1,000? 1,000-1500? more than that?

 

[GADisneyDad14]

If you don't want to say how much it cost I understand, can you give me a ballpark so I know if we are talking, thousands or hundreds? Like 500-800? 800-1,000? 1,000-1500? more than that?

Don’t quote me on this as I’d need to go back and check to make sure my memory is correct, but I want to say in the $900 ballpark. Let me see if I can find it in my records somewhere.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

If you don't want to say how much it cost I understand, can you give me a ballpark so I know if we are talking, thousands or hundreds? Like 500-800? 800-1,000? 1,000-1500? more than that?

Found it, $899.99 plus $58.50 tax. This was a lower cabana in early June and it looks like I booked 5 days ahead of time. Not sure how they do their pricing, if it’s seasonal, variable, late booking premiums, etc. I’m used to big price tags on ‘premium experiences’ but that was a tough one to swallow for just four of us!

 

[Rory607]

Spring break 2022 we paid about $450. I booked several months in advance.

 

[Karnor00]

There is a certain amount of waiting in line even with the Tapu Tapu system. Generally you can expect to spend 5-15 minutes waiting in line even after your time slot comes up.

While you're waiting for your attraction time the lazy river, fearless river and wave pool are all available to use.

Sometimes you can also do other slides/rides while you wait - if they have no queue (generally meaning less than 10 minute wait) then they get flagged on the ride system as 'ride now' and you can just go and ride them. But this depends on luck and how busy the park is that day - but in my experience this happens reasonably often for the smaller rides.

 

[The Gatekeeper]

We have rented a cabana probably half a dozen times or more. It's one of our favorite things to do. The price is cheaper in less busy times and goes up as the crowds grow. We went in early May on a weekday and the cabana was close to $700 with tax.

They have changed the reservation system. You used to be able to book a cabana several months ahead. Now I believe they open bookings in batches, usually 30 days out or so. If you call they will be able to give you a ballpark idea of when reservations will be available for your date. They said they changed to close-in bookings because a lot of people would book months ahead only to cancel 3 days before their reservation and the cabanas would go unused. They believe close-in bookings will help mitigate that.