Learning More About Walt Disney World Water Parks

As a Certified Disney Travel Planner, I have been learning quite a bit about the WDW waterparks this summer. I thought I would use an entry here to share a little of what I learned with all of you.

My family has never really been much into swimming until the two little ones came along. This summer we have spent well over 50% of our days at the pool. That has definitely changed my thoughts about whether or not to visit a water park durning our next Walt Disney World trip! I have always been on the opinion that the pool at our resort was plenty enough fun for us. Now I am starting to see how we could really enjoy a full day at one of the two waterparks on property.

First, lets talk about the new Water Parks and More ticket add on. With this upgrade you get the same number of visits to 6 resort destinations (Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf Course, Winter Summerland Miniature Golf Course, and Oak Trail Golf Course) as you do park days.

So if you have a 3-day Water Parks and More ticket, you get to visit 3 Disney Theme Parks, AND  you get 3 visits to any of the Water Parks and More Options You can visit these other options on ANY of the days your are at Disney. It DOES NOT have to be on the same day you visit a theme park. So for instance, if you are going to be at the Walt Disney World Resort for 7 days, you could purchase a 3-day Water Parks and More ticket, spend days 1-3 at various theme parks, days 4-5 at the water parks, and days 6-7 playing golf. It's a great way to enjoy all that the WDW Resort has to offer!

Secondly, there are some ways to guarantee that you get some seats in the shade! I grew up in the days of River Country, watching my dad race to the shelter at rope drop to be sure our group had a place to recover from the sun! Those days are long gone. If you want a cabana-style accommodation at either Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach there are there for the renting! For as little as $60 you can rent an Umbrella area that will accommodate up to 4 guest. You have great seating, loungers and shade. But if you are looking for something a little more like what you might find at Castaway Cay, there are cabana-type areas at both waterparks in the $350 range. These can accommodate up to 6 guests and have a larger set of amenities that come included. For my high maintenance family, this sounds like a dream come true!

If you are a frequent visitor to either of the Disney Water Parks, I would love to hear your feedback! I am sure my family will be trying out one or both on our next Walt Disney World vacation. Until next time, may all your days be filled with fairy dust!

The Magic of the Cabanas at Castaway Cay!

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 $500. 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

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 on board 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.

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 preorder 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!