On my last cruise, I had the opportunity to experience the “Grand Cabana” on Disney’s Castaway Cay, and, actually, this was my first time getting to utilize a cabana. In all of my past cruises, I’d never been able to find one available, so this was a great chance to see it firsthand so I could share it with our DCL Fan Family!
The Grand Cabana at Castaway Cay is cabana number 21 and is located at the end of the row of cabanas on the Family Beach side of the island. The Grand Cabana has the same general amenities as the others except it is roughly twice the size of a regular cabana. The current pricing for this particular cabana is around $1062.88 for the day for up to 10 guests. The cabana can accommodate up to 16 guests total. For each guest over the initial 10, there is an additional $50 per person charge. It’s important to remember that pricing can change so always check with your Dreams Unlimited Travel agent or Disney Cruise Line directly for current pricing.
Upon entering the cabana, you’re greeted with ample seating throughout the inside and outside spaces. We had a total of 8 people in our party, and we had plenty of room to spread out in this spacious cabana. The left indoor side featured lounge seating for 7 along with a small bench that could seat 1-2 additional guests. The right side of the indoor space featured a dining table that sat 8 comfortably. The indoor space could easily accommodate up to 16 people if you needed shelter for a passing rain shower.
The side areas of the cabana were almost a mirror image of each other with both sides featuring a refrigerator stocked with soft drinks, water, a fruit platter, and chilled washcloths. The chilled washcloths were one of my favorite parts and were so refreshing after being out in the sun. The soft drink selection included Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, and Sprite Zero. The left side of the cabana additionally had a snack basket with assorted chips and trail mix bars as well as plenty of sunscreen.
Both sides of the indoor area included a basket of beach towel, a closet with additional towels, and a safe (for a total of 2 safes in the Grand Cabana.)
There is a touch screen where you can select from 3 different music channels as well as adjust the volume of the speakers. Your music choices are: Castaway Cay Music, Sounds of Hawaii, and the music of Senses Spa. Overhead you’ll find ceiling fans to help provide airflow should there not be a breeze.
The view from the outside deck of the cabana was beautiful. This area of the beach was quite empty during our visit. Outside of our party, I only saw 4-6 other people in this area the entire day. Being the last cabana on the family beach, it was very peaceful since it’s further away from the main portion of the Family Beach. Obviously, this experience can be different from cruise to cruise but, we were thankful for such a peaceful and beautiful day. The water was quite shallow at this end of the beach and, as the tide went out, it was difficult to find places to cover yourself in water.
The outside deck has a total of 4 full loungers, 2 chaise style loungers, and (my personal favorite) a hammock. Between the inside and outdoor seating area, there was plenty of room for a large party to fully enjoy the cabana. I found the loungers comfortable but ultimately spent most of my day in the hammock. The loungers can be re-arranged if needed.
Taking a walk down the stairs towards the beach, you have your own shower and foot rinse area at the landing so you can rinse off the sand before coming back into your cabana as well as 2 sets of sand toys. Located to the side of the cabana you’ll find several rafts and tubes that you can utilize during your visit. If there aren’t enough rafts or tubes available beside your cabana, there is an area further down the beach where you can pick up additional tubes and rafts. Included in your cabana rental you also have access to the bicycles and snorkel equipment, but they must be picked up at the rental locations. Indoor, you’ll find a private curtained area if you’d like to change clothes during the day without having to visit the restroom.
My Overall Cabana Thoughts
With this being my first time using a cabana I thought I’d share my overall thoughts on renting a cabana on Castaway Cay. While I was an invited guest to this cabana, I can see why renting a cabana is the ultimate relaxation experience on Castaway Cay.
The fact I haven’t rented a cabana before has only been because they are incredibly difficult to find available. Cabanas are typically reserved quickly by those staying in concierge onboard. This makes sense as the cabana attendants are crew members that staff the concierge area onboard your ship. Even if you aren’t able to reserve a cabana before your trip departs, do check-in with guest services as they keep a waitlist in case someone cancels their reservation.
We were taken great care of, and assistance was just the push of a button away. A member of the bar staff was by often to see if anyone needed a beverage. When we were ready to go to lunch or return to the ship, a golf cart came to carry us to our destination. It was great to be dropped back off directly at the gangway to the ship after a long day without having to even get on a tram.
Prior to this experience, I’d also never visited the family beach. I found this portion of the beach just as serene and quiet as Serenity Bay and found the sand less rocky. Any of the cabanas along this area would be an ideal location. Having viewed the location of the Cabanas at Serenity Bay, I feel the ones on the Family Beach have a less obstructed view and more direct access to the beach than those on Serenity Bay.
How do you feel about the cabanas on Castaway Cay? Are they a “must do” for your trip or just a nice to have? Let us know your thoughts!
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