The Magic of the Castaway Cay Cabanas!

If you have never cruised with the Disney Cruise Line, you are absolutely missing out on one of the most beautiful places on earth, Castaway Cay (pronounced "key"). I can honestly say that we have never felt so completely pampered than during our stay at the cabanas on Disney's private island. This is truly an oasis for the entire family.

For my money, the cabanas are worth every penny. I have mentioned before that we are a family that likes to be pampered. We know this about ourselves. Having the cabana all to ourselves made being on Castaway Cay an entire day's worth of fun and relaxation. It was definitely a highlight of our cruise!

You might be wondering what's included in your cabana. The rental for the cabana itself (on our March 2016 cruise) was $549. You can see almost all the amenities in these pictures below, but here is a comprehensive list of everything that was included. We truly wanted for nothing:

•   a sofa

•   3 chairs

•   1 chaise lounge

•   2 deck loungers

•   1 hammock

•   1 outdoor shower

•   2 outlets (to charge your devices!)

•   1 pack n' play

•   a small changing area with curtain

•   music with adjustable volume

•   2 beach chairs and 2 beach loungers

•   1 beach umbrella

•   sand toys

•   sunscreen

•   lots of extra beach towels

•   snacks, drinks and cool washclothes in the fridge

•   a basket of chips and granola bars

•   all your island rentals (snorkeling, floats, etc.)

•   a call button for concierge services

•   there is also a cabana taxi service - golf carts that will take you to the farther areas of the island

•   you can have your alcoholic drinks delivered to you in your cabana

Available sunscreen and a fully stocked refrigerator with fruit,
water, and sodas

This is what the inside looked like from the front door:

and here is what it looked like from the beach:

The concierge staff manages the cabanas area for the guests during the day, and we had some very nice interactions with them throughout the day. We were already on concierge level onboard the ship and this was a very nice dovetail for us. Our favorite bartender, Amit, delivered drinks until 1pm when he returned to the ship to prepare for the concierge area cocktail hours. The drink menu is pictured below. There was something for everyone. (P.S. they will make Shirley Temples for the kids!) Someone came to replenish towels and clean up our food around 2pm.

Fabulous drink menu!

Cookie's Too is very nearby which made getting lunch and bringing it back to the cabana a breeze. And of course, there were ice cream machines there, too, so the little ones were delighted! Lunch on the island is included in the cost of your cruise. but you should remember they are not open all day. Pay attention to your Navigator and go grab some lunch before they close up. Our family found lots of delicious choices. If you do pre-order food for food allergies, remember that you must pick it up at Cookies (not Cookie's Too). Have the cabana taxi squad come get you for a short ride over and back.

The cabanas also have their own restroom area with a family restroom as well. As always, the area was kept very clean. And it was easy to access for all cabanas.

We stayed on Castaway Cay until 4pm, as we had reservations to Remy for later that night and needed to get cleaned up. I'm not sure if we would have stayed all day without the shade and luxury of the cabana. It was so nice we didn't want to leave!

If you find yourself wondering if renting a cabana would be worth the expense, I would strongly urge you to try it! We could not have asked for a better day on Castaway Cay, and I attribute so much of that to having reserved a cabana! Until next time, may all your days be filled with fairy dust!

Amy Harrison is a Disney loving mom of three with a passion for all manner of DIY projects and a constant craving for Dole Whips.  You can contact Amy at amy@wishdrawals.com to book your next Disney vacation!