Is this really a thing or is it April 1ST? Cabanas in the parks.

NYwdwfan

NYwdwfan

Well-Known Member
I called.

"Kingdom Cabanas" has it's own number to press and I waited on hold under 5 minutes. This is what the agent told me:
  • They are currently accepting reservations up to 180 days in advance (that is far beyond my idea of "temporary").
  • Amenities are: locked trunk, charging stations, personalized mickey ears, lanyard, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, insect repellent, refrigerator, water, soft drinks, bagged snacks, a one time delivery of ice cream and the availability to order QS food for delivery.
  • There is NO air conditioning and there are NO fans. The agent stressed that they are in the shaded area. :rolleyes:
  • The cabana is exclusive to your booking party. It can hold up to 8 but you can have less guests. They will not book another party of 4 if you only have 4.
  • My agent has not booked any parties. She said she has spoken to some other agents that have booked a few, but not many. She is not sure how many total cabanas there are (I'm guessing as many as can be crammed into the space and discount party supply had available for purchase). She said there are currently at least 4.
 
G

GrammieBee

Well-Known Member
Certainly, if you have the money, the constant stream of up charges won't affect you in the least. You want to park closer, stay in the park longer, have a prime reserved viewing spot for a parade or fireworks, rest in the shade of a cabana, you spend the necessary amount. Wealth has always had its privileges.

But what is happening is that there is now a constant erosion of the value of the ordinary price of admission. The ordinary guest is being affected by having less time to be in a park or, now, at an attraction, because of an extra fee party. The best spots for viewing a parade or fireworks are becoming fewer and fewer.unless they pay for a dessert party. A guest wants to sit and rest? Where are the benches? Pay extra for some chairs in a tent.

The possibilities for up charges, extra fee events and cut backs are mind boggling, so It seems extremely likely that this chipping away at that which was once included in the price of admission will continue and spread until everyone will have no choice but to realize they are, indeed, affected..
 
Last edited:
D

Disorbust

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Goofyernmost said:
I didn't mean to put you down, but, those of us that have been Disney geeks for years and years see the difference and feel the difference deep inside. We have been around long enough to know what they original offered us as opposed to what it does now. That doesn't mean that they don't still offer good things, it's just that the attitude has become more and more one sided and it has indeed lessened that magic if not completely crushed it for very many of us.

I never went as a child, I started out as a 35 year old adult with two children visiting 34 years ago and it hooked me in solidly. That feeling is no longer there no matter how much new technology is introduced. I no longer feel like I'm wanted there after spending, literally 10's of thousands of dollars there over the years. That apparently was not good enough. I have been relegated to second class citizen in the very place where I went to escape that feeling.
Click to expand...


So this is really a problem only for us, the longstanding repeat customer. First timers will never know that they shouldn't be here or will assume they always were. From a business perseptive they are probably right. They all ready have capacity issues at MK so who cares if this turns some away and parts the rich with their money.

If Len is right and they already have real estate marked for this I only see it getting worse. At MGM, If they have spot planned in SWL, that they can theme like whatever the yurts are called in SW, think what they can charge. Epcot? Think how the could spin it with all the festivals. Animal Kingdom? Well why do think its taking so long to finish Pandora,lol.
The point is TDC is creating two parks now, one for the regular guest and one for the "whales." Somehow I think Walt would be rotating. Club 33 was designed to have a place to wooh corporate sponsors which was huge at DL, not just a way to split guests from their cash.

So now you can take your private water taxi, ($20 is that each person and each way?) Go through your seperate private entrance for a mere $$$ (I'm callin it! This is next, think the TSA fastpass at the airport) to drop your things off at the cabana. I'm sure they will be eventually adding consierge services and catered meals and even alcohol. (There has been a hard push for alcohol at MK because of revenue).

IMHO they should have "sucker" embroidered on their complientary Micker ears. But, maybe thats because I will be watching from "my" side of the park.
 
Luxe

Luxe

Well-Known Member
Matt in the Hatt said:
but hasnt there always been some of this. Club 33 at disneyland, i will be staying at pop century and others at the grand floridian, i might be eating at cosmic rays while others are at victoria and alberts (admittedly i would rather be at cosmic rays but thats a whole different argument).i get this is different because its in whats been a common area. And now that i think about it i might be a total hypocrite because if you ask me about the dvc lounge in the old imaginationworks and i can give you an earfull but thats less that there is a dvc lounge and that its an area where i had alot of fun as a child and i hold out hope for the original imaginations return, again thats another topic though
Click to expand...
No, it hasn't. Club 33, for example, does not effect the average guest in any way whatsoever. Nothing in the park is being taken away to offer the same service for an upcharge. In fact, it is hidden away and 90% of guests have no idea that it even exists. Same goes for the two restaurants you mentioned. They are two completely different locations, with two different price points offering two very different meal experiences. One is not replacing the other at an increased price.
 
DisneyPrincess5

DisneyPrincess5

Well-Known Member
NYwdwfan said:
I called.

"Kingdom Cabanas" has it's own number to press and I waited on hold under 5 minutes. This is what the agent told me:
  • They are currently accepting reservations up to 180 days in advance (that is far beyond my idea of "temporary").
  • Amenities are: locked trunk, charging stations, personalized mickey ears, lanyard, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, insect repellent, refrigerator, water, soft drinks, bagged snacks, a one time delivery of ice cream and the availability to order QS food for delivery.
  • There is NO air conditioning and there are NO fans. The agent stressed that they are in the shaded area. :rolleyes:
  • The cabana is exclusive to your booking party. It can hold up to 8 but you can have less guests. They will not book another party of 4 if you only have 4.
  • My agent has not booked any parties. She said she has spoken to some other agents that have booked a few, but not many. She is not sure how many total cabanas there are (I'm guessing as many as can be crammed into the space and discount party supply had available for purchase). She said there are currently at least 4.
Click to expand...
Great info, thanks for sharing this.
Uhh yes because shade is the only perfect remedy of course when it's 100 degrees and 100% humidity. What in the actual frig is wrong with them? $650 is hysterical in the first place, but that price doesn't even get ya air conditioning? WOW.
 
Bairstow

Bairstow

Well-Known Member
Luxe said:
No, it hasn't. Club 33, for example, does not effect the average guest in any way whatsoever. Nothing in the park is being taken away to offer the same service for an upcharge. In fact, it is hidden away and 90% of guests have no idea that it even exists. Same goes for the two restaurants you mentioned. They are two completely different locations, with two different price points offering two very different meal experiences. One is not replacing the other at an increased price.
Click to expand...

If there is an encroachment on non-upcharge guest experience, it has so far been minimal.
I guess people are sore about no longer being able to see that one little courtyard near the club 33 entrance.
 
Seabasealpha1

Seabasealpha1

Well-Known Member
lentesta said:
I looked up Grand Flo rates just for giggles. The low is $640 w/tax next year for outer building, garden view, no discounts.

I see the appeal of in-park cabanas, especially on days of higher attendance where getting back and forth to your hotel, even the GF, can be an hour or so (wait for the boat, walk to room, the reverse trip back to the park, security, etc.). With 8 people, it's $80/person. Two or three families with very small children can rationalize that (I'm assuming 1 or 2 parents and 1 small child per group). It's the placement and theming that irks me.

Don't give them any ideas on the golf carts, eh?
Click to expand...
I'm sure it's been thought of... ;)
 
rkleinlein

rkleinlein

Well-Known Member
NYwdwfan said:
I called.

  • Amenities are: locked trunk, charging stations, personalized mickey ears, lanyard, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, insect repellent, refrigerator, water, soft drinks, bagged snacks, a one time delivery of ice cream and the availability to order QS food for delivery.
  • There is NO air conditioning and there are NO fans. The agent stressed that they are in the shaded area. :rolleyes:
  • The cabana is exclusive to your booking party. It can hold up to 8 but you can have less guests. They will not book another party of 4 if you only have 4.
Click to expand...
Can somebody help me understand this? Why would anyone pay ANYTHING for this, let alone $650? Why would anyone want to walk to the edge of Tomorrowland for water, snacks, and ice cream? Why would anybody want to sit in a cheap, ugly, un-airconditioned plastic tent to eat cold food when you could enjoy it in a nice air-conditioned restaurant? How much time are people going to want spend in these things? Who would want to spend a single minute in them when you're at the Magic Kingdom? Aren't all the amenities (lockers, sunscreen, mickey ears, etc.) available elsewhere for a fraction of the price? Aren't there any nice, out-of-the-way places in the Magic Kingdom to get a break from crowds of the unwashed masses? A cabana at a water park is one thing. A cabana in a theme park is beyond useless. Am I missing something here?
 
rob0519

rob0519

Well-Known Member
rkleinlein said:
Hideous. Tacky. Laughable. Embarrassing. Shocking. Shameful. Sad. Ridiculous. Egregious. Pathetic. Rip-off.
Click to expand...

  • Hideous- Yes
  • Tacky - Yes
  • Laughable - Maybe
  • Embarrassing - To Whom? Disney is making money and those who can afford it get what they want.
  • Shocking - Not at all. Disney has been adding upcharges to their products across the parks and DCL for years.
  • Shameful - No. Disney is a public company and is chartered to make as much money for their shareholders as possible.
  • Sad - No. (see Shameful)
  • Ridiculous - No. It makes perfect sense for people staying off property (think Four Seasons) so they can stay in the park from rope drop to closing
  • Egregious - Possibly, as it continues the flood of extras that is turning WDW into a two tier resort of the have's and have not's and diminishing the value of the general admission experience.
  • Pathetic - Possibly. It's sad that the Disney long time visitors have known in long gone.
  • Rip-off - Definitely. Even if you can or choose to afford this, no A/C in the summer heat for $650 a day is a rip off.
 
rob0519

rob0519

Well-Known Member
rkleinlein said:
Can somebody help me understand this? Why would anyone pay ANYTHING for this, let alone $650? Why would anyone want to walk to the edge of Tomorrowland for water, snacks, and ice cream? Why would anybody want to sit in a cheap, ugly, un-airconditioned plastic tent to eat cold food when you could enjoy it in a nice air-conditioned restaurant? How much time are people going to want spend in these things? Who would want to spend a single minute in them when you're at the Magic Kingdom? Aren't all the amenities (lockers, sunscreen, mickey ears, etc.) available elsewhere for a fraction of the price? Aren't there any nice, out-of-the-way places in the Magic Kingdom to get a break from crowds of the unwashed masses? A cabana at a water park is one thing. A cabana in a theme park is beyond useless. Am I missing something here?
Click to expand...

Why would people pay for something like this? It's simple. Because they can. Why would people pay $3,200 a night to stay in a Polynesian Bungalow when they could stay in the GF for $650-$1,000 a night? Because they can. Just because you don't understand it, doesn't mean others for whom money is no object feel the same way. Knowing you can get lunch and dinner brought to you in quiet environment without having to stand in the lines at Cosmic Ray's and then then fight to find a table for 5 to eight people appears to be worth the price.

I must be missing something if you think the are nice, out of the way places to in the MK to get a break from the "crowds of the unwashed masses" as you called them. If you know where these places are, please tell.
 
njDizFan

njDizFan

Well-Known Member
I'm trying to rationalize this. So maybe 2 families of 4 agree to split the cost. $325 per family. They decided they were all getting mickey hats anyway so that would have cost $100. You are getting what appears to be equivalent to a QS lunch(fruit, snacks, beverage, ice cream), that's like $75. So you are out $150. Do the amenities of having front row seats for the parade and fireworks, along with maybe a place to rest tired children worth it? I can see it justified, I mean how much are people spending for a family for the fireworks dessert party?

Having said all that I am extremely opposed to this eyesore/cash grab, bourgeois insanity.

I guess we found out how the Tomorrowland VP was getting funds to spiffy up the joint.
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom