All About the Coveted Disney Cruise Line Cabana!
Ever wanted your own private slice of paradise on vacation? Read on to learn about Disney Cruise Line’s cabanas and whether or not they are something you should consider for your next visit to Castaway Cay or Lookout Cay.
A look at Castaway Sandcastle Cabana 17
What are cabanas?
Disney Cruise Line offers private cabanas for rental at each of its private islands: Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point and Castaway Cay. There are two different types of cabanas at each location: family cabanas and adults only cabanas located in the adults-only section of each of the respective beaches.
Some of the seating options available within the cabana
Cabanas are private shelters that hold up to 10 guests. They are located on a more secluded section of the beach, providing guests with a much quieter and private beach feel in comparison to the regular family beach spaces.
Cabanas include seating both inside the covered structure (lounge seating, chairs, etc), outdoor hammocks, and chairs and loungers with umbrella located on the beach. Additionally, cabanas come stocked with snacks, drinks, and fresh fruit as well as the ability to order alcoholic and non-alcoholic specialty drinks for delivery. A mini fridge is available for your use during the duration of your visit as well as a sound system capable of playing loaded music or your own tunes.
Drinks, fruit, and cool towels are some of the offerings included in your cabana rental
Lunch is not directly delivered to your cabana, but it is located closeby! Additionally, the bathrooms happened to be just down from our cabana location, adding additional convenience.
Cabanas include sand toys for kids to use, floats and inner tubes to enjoy in the ocean, snorkeling gear rental, and full bottles of sunscreen!
How do you book a cabana?
Booking a cabana can be tricky! There are a limited number of cabanas available on any given day and most often these will be initially booked by concierge guests and guests with the highest Castaway Club statuses who have sailed on multiple Disney cruises. They are available to book the day your window opens up for excursions, which varies based off of your loyalty status with the cruise line.
Check out the private beach and ocean space we had!
If one is not available when your booking window opens at midnight on your given date, do not fret! Many people drop selections or edit their plans in the few weeks leading up to sailing.
Our Cabana Experience- Castaway Cay
I lucked into a cabana reservation just a few days prior to our sailing! A member of my cruise’s Facebook group shared she was dropping her Sandcastle Cabana for Castaway and I just happened to be in the right place at the right time and quickly snagged it up!
Cabanas are definitely pricey (running closer to $1000 for up to 6 guests with additional charges for additional guests), but can definitely be more affordable if you are splitting the cost with other guests traveling with you. Because I snagged such a great last minute rate on our cruise fare, I decided that I could shell out the cash for the cabana (girl math!) We were booked into Sandcastle Cabana 17.
The night before our Castaway Cay day, we received wristbands delivered to our stateroom to wear to denote our cabana access. When we docked at Castaway, we headed to the cabana check in location and received private golf cart transport to our home for the day.
The water area in front of the cabanas is relatively shallow and has a life guard on duty. Additionally, Castaway is blocked from open ocean, making it a very calm and tranquil beach experience.
Upon arrival, we quickly understood why the cabanas are so highly coveted. Our stretch of beach was so quiet and had only a few other families. We had our own spaces to relax and for the boys to play in the sand and enjoy the ocean. I have been to the beach several times since becoming a parent, but I can truly remark that this day was the most relaxed I have ever been on the beach with children. From the comfy seating to the drink delivery and space to spread out on the beach, the cabana made for a literally picture perfect day.
My oldest spent most of the day relaxing in the hammock while my youngest alternated between building sandcastles with the provided beach toys and floating in the ocean on provided inner tubes. I even had a chance to relax with a book (!!) during the day’s stay.
We visited the food (included with your cruise fare!) and ice cream station for a BBQ lunch and the iconic strawberry banana twist soft serve.
My family swears by this soft serve flavor combo! I personally prefer strawberry on its own, but all 3 boys say that strawberry banana can’t be beat!
After lunch, we broke out the included snorkel gear! Though we didn’t snorkel in the marked section with buried Disney artifacts, we enjoyed snorkeling in the shallow waters in front of our cabana and even got to see a few fish!
Is a cabana right for you?
Ultimately, it is up to you to determine if the value add is worth the cost of adding a cabana to your day at one of Disney’s private islands. We truly had an amazing time and loved having the cabana, though I am sure we would have had a great time at Castaway regardless! On our upcoming sailing we booked a cabana for Lookout, so I am excited to compare and see what the differences are between the experiences.
I think cabanas are best for larger groups, families with children looking for an easy place on the island for naps, snacks, and home base, and anyone who wants to “splurge” a little to make an island day extra special.
When booking a Disney Cruise Line vacation with me, you get access to my services and assistance in booking excursions! If a cabana seems like something you’d like to snag, we can discuss this during our planning conversations and come up with a game plan to try to get a reservation.
Be sure to fill out a quote request form to talk about your next Disney Cruise Line vacation!
