Living the Disney Cruise Cabana Life!

Disney's private island, Castaway Cay, has a lot of things to enjoy.  We were fortunate on our first Disney cruise to grab a coveted cabana reservation and we get asked is the cabana worth the added cost...

It depends on what your looking for in your experience.  If you want to relax by the beach all day without a care in the world, the cabana is a worthwhile splurge.  If you plan on exploring the island or partaking in other adventures while at Castaway Cay, it may not be for you.  To Cabana or not to Cabana, that is the question?

The answer depends on your vacation goals and budget, here is what we think...

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Prime Beach Real Estate

When Castaway is in full swing, the regular beach can get crowded.  People will be claiming beach chairs as quick as they arrive.  The cabana gets you your own quiet little patch of beach with no one else to share it with but other cabana renters.  You can watch your kids play in the water without the obstruction of other beach goers getting in the way.

Amenities a plenty!

The cabana comes with a lot of perks.  It comes with sand toys, a safe, and a refrigerator.  The fridge comes loaded with fresh fruit, bottles of water, a selection of sodas.  There are also some cool moist towels in the fridge in case you are feeling over-heated.  The cabana also has a few snacks like chips and granola bars available.

You won't need to worry about towels or sunscreen, they are included in your cabana.  Equipment rentals are included with the cost of your cabana.  So snorkeling equipment, bike rentals, and floats are normally an additional cost at Castaway.

Comforts!!!

Rather than just plastic beach chairs with umbrellas, here you have a full hammock and cushioned lounge chairs.    The spacious cabana interior has cushioned seating, coffee tables, and end tables under a ceiling fan for you to get out of the sun.  This is the tropics so sometimes it'll be to get out of the rain.

The cabana has wooden doors that you can close in case you need some privacy.  Sometimes the little ones just need a cool place to take a nap.

The Cabana also has its own radio with 3 different stations to choose from to help set the mood.  Full volume control too!  So it can be a loud theme or turned down for quiet time.

Lastly, and my favorite, is the "I need something Button."  Your cabana has a waiter ready to help you out.  He'll take your drink orders and get you more towels.  He can't bring you food, but he will get you most other things you might require.

Conveniences...

While the drinks are not included, you'll still have access to the full bars of Castaway.  Your waiter will gladly take that drink order and bring it back to your cabana.

The Family Cabanas are located a short distance from Cookie's BBQ.  When we were hit with sudden showers it was great to go grab some food and bring it back to eat in our cabana.  By the time we had finished eating the rain had passed us by and we got to continue enjoying the beach.

The cabanas are also built for 6 people, so if your traveling with another couple you can split the cost and share the space.  You can add up to 4 additional guests, but at an addtional per guest rate.

The cabana can be a worthwhile splurge!  We were booked on a cruise that stopped at Castaway Cay twice, so we had two opportunities to experience the island.  It was nice to spend one whole day just enjoying the beach without issues.

Now if you have plans to split up and have the kids enjoy the kids club while the adults enjoy Serenity Bay, a cabana may not be for you.  There are a lot of things that you can enjoy on Castaway Cay, so a lot depends on your plans and budget.

The cabanas are expensive and yet they still usually get all reserved quickly.  So you really have to want one to try and make it happen.  We enjoyed the many perks and feel it's a splurge worth making some of the time.  I wouldn't try and get one for every tip...

Mouse O'Clock Travel tries to bring you the very best and up to date info when it comes to Disney Travel from our first hand experiences.  We can't wait to get back to cruising, especially once the Disney Wish starts setting sail.

Ask us how we can make your vacation dreams come true.
When it's time to plan for Disney:  It's Mouse O'Clock!