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

[Baloo62]

How about this Diz? For $1200 a day you are given a circular shower curtain to wear around your neck (think Ralph Macchio in Karate Kid). This entitles you to squat over one of 200 5-gallon Home Depot buckets scattered throughout the park whenever nature calls. You pathetic blood-sucking leeches make me sick. Meanwhile there was a one hour wait to get through MK security this morning. Put your homeless tents out in that area instead...I'm sure you'd find hundreds of people who need to get off their feet.

 

[danlb_2000]

I bet it's appeal to management is re-salability. Someone mentioned about that the $650 is not for the entire day (like you can't just sit there for the entire day) and that drinks/snacks aren't included. Much like how they sell the MK several times a day now (pre-opening breakfast and a few rides, the tried-and-failed $150 After Hours event), this is just another one of those. If they have 6 tents and the idea is that you can come and rest for a while but not all day then they can sell those 6 tents 4-6 times each day, every day. From an operational point of view it's just a little straightening up and wipe-downs.
)

Every site that has posted about this says it $659 per day, not sure how they could double book that.

 

[durangojim]

First thought I had is "this has to be an April Fools joke", then after realizing it's November and this is no joke, my second thought was, "people who really love Disney will finally have the chance to conceive a child within one of its theme parks". Unless Disney doesn't let you close the doors on these things.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

First thought I had is "this has to be an April Fools joke", then after realizing it's November and this is no joke, my second thought was, "people who really love Disney will finally have the chance to conceive a child within one of its theme parks". Unless Disney doesn't let you close the doors on these things.

If you think that would be a first, clearly you and I don't look at a doombuggy in the same way.

 

[durangojim]

If you think that would be a first, clearly you and I don't look at a doombuggy in the same way.

Let's say pseudo-legally.

 

[Brad Bishop]

Every site that has posted about this says it $659 per day, not sure how they could double book that.

Someone earlier in the thread who posted pictures, I think, said that she asked a cast member about them and it was $659/day to book one but you weren't allowed to hang out in it all day. If that's the case then they're double/triple selling them and putting them on rotation (like you don't have one reserved but when someone leaves and you walk up, that becomes yours). If they do it right then they can sell them multiple times a day.

Realistically, from their point of view, it makes complete sense. People don't go to the MK to hang out in a cabana all day. Based on that, they can multiplex them in such a way as to rent 6 cabanas out to 10-12 people (or more) figuring that people hang out for 30min to an hour before heading out so as long as you have somewhere for them to stay then they're getting a cabana for $659/day.

Otherwise, WDW is looking at empty cabanas most of the day which is money that they could be making.

 

[RSoxNo1]

The problem here is that it looks awful. In general though there's precedence for this as well as ways to do it where it's not as public. They've been doing it for years with the DVC and Chase lounges.

 

[Bairstow]

They exist already, only they're called 'lounges' in the second floor of Epcot buildings. There's one for DVC owners and one for Chase card holders.

Yep. This concept is nothing new to Disney parks, though it's usually kept more out of the public eye.

As long as the finished cabanas don't get in my way I don't see why I'd care.

 

[senor_jorge]

I find it hard to believe that Disney would create a situation where someone has paid $650/day for access to a cabana, only to have to take a number to wait for one to become available. I've been wrong before...

 

[Sonconato]

Here is my question. How many tents are there, 5 or 6? Lets say they rent out all 6 at $650 for the day. Thats $3,900. Could they not find a better way to make $3,900 extra for the day at MK? Even if they have 10 of them and rent them all out, its only $6,500 for the day. Is that really going to make a dent in any bottom line after you adjust for whatever the cost is to have the tents and employees catering to the people in them?

Based on what the CMs we spoke to said, when you pay that $650, you don't get the cabana for the whole day for yourself. You get to "use" a cabana when available throughout the day. They didn't mention how it would be divvied up, but it sounds like if there were 6, for instance, then maybe there might be 8 or 10 people that have paid that get to use those throughout the day. Therefore it would be more like $5,200 to $6,500 per tent per day which means the bottom line would be $31,200 to $39,000 per day. Bottom line is, it is not "your" cabana for the day.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

Someone earlier in the thread who posted pictures, I think, said that she asked a cast member about them and it was $659/day to book one but you weren't allowed to hang out in it all day. If that's the case then they're double/triple selling them and putting them on rotation (like you don't have one reserved but when someone leaves and you walk up, that becomes yours). If they do it right then they can sell them multiple times a day.

Realistically, from their point of view, it makes complete sense. People don't go to the MK to hang out in a cabana all day. Based on that, they can multiplex them in such a way as to rent 6 cabanas out to 10-12 people (or more) figuring that people hang out for 30min to an hour before heading out so as long as you have somewhere for them to stay then they're getting a cabana for $659/day.

Otherwise, WDW is looking at empty cabanas most of the day which is money that they could be making.

The flaw with that idea is the first time someone pays $650 for cabana space and walks up to find all of them already occupied, you'd have some seriously ticked off elites.

 

[prfctlyximprct]

I just don't get what you'd do inside?

 

[Prince Thomas]

Those tents in the park are seriously tacky AF

 

[danlb_2000]

Someone earlier in the thread who posted pictures, I think, said that she asked a cast member about them and it was $659/day to book one but you weren't allowed to hang out in it all day. If that's the case then they're double/triple selling them and putting them on rotation (like you don't have one reserved but when someone leaves and you walk up, that becomes yours). If they do it right then they can sell them multiple times a day.

Realistically, from their point of view, it makes complete sense. People don't go to the MK to hang out in a cabana all day. Based on that, they can multiplex them in such a way as to rent 6 cabanas out to 10-12 people (or more) figuring that people hang out for 30min to an hour before heading out so as long as you have somewhere for them to stay then they're getting a cabana for $659/day.

Otherwise, WDW is looking at empty cabanas most of the day which is money that they could be making.

Yes, I understand people won't stay in it all day but when you have paid for a day you are going to expect to be able to come back at any time and your cabana will still be available.

 

[Brad Bishop]

I find it hard to believe that Disney would create a situation where someone has paid $650/day for access to a cabana, only to have to take a number to wait for one to become available. I've been wrong before...

It's no different than other services. When you pay (paid, most likely) for a landline phone you didn't get a dedicated line from the phone company to your home but it was multiplexed (you shared the line with others). It worked the vast majority of the time and only really fell through on Mother's Day. The same deal with your cellphone. You don't have a dedicated "line" on your cellphone to the tower but it's shared with others.

So the idea is to juggle it in such a way that the vast majority of the time no one is being turned away but all tents almost always full, maximizing profit. If they don't do this then they're leaving money on the table.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I'd pay for it.

If it included a bunch of shirtless guys who carried it around with me and my guests in it from ride to ride.

 

[Brad Bishop]

Yes, I understand people won't stay in it all day but when you have paid for a day you are going to expect to be able to come back at any time and your cabana will still be available.

Probably better to think of it as "a cabana will be available."

 

[cindy_k]

From what I have read elsewhere, these are the amenities included:
"private and shaded seating, cold beverages, snacks, a lockable storage trunk, electronic device charging stations, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, insect repellent, a small refrigerator, one fruit basket, a one-time delivery of ice cream novelties and desserts, personalized Mickey ears, and reserved viewing space for parades and fireworks."

With a locked storage trunk and refridgerator, I would assume this is your personal cabana to use all day and any time you wish. I doubt they are shared.

 

[danlb_2000]

Probably better to think of it as "a cabana will be available."

The simpler explanation is that the person who posted this was given bad information. From the Orlando Sentinal...

" Rental includes lockable storage, charging stations, sunscreen and insect repellent, water and soft drinks, and food"

So snacks are included and if there is lockable storage then the cabana is clearly yours all day.

 

[MrHappy]

My potential conversation with Wife, while at MK walking from hub to Space Mountain:

Me: Hey, see those things in the corner there? They are...
Wife: Shut it you fool. Park the stroller. The FP+ is expiring. My parents have the kids so hurry up!
Me: Right.
[upon exiting the ride]
Me: So as I was saying, you see those....
Wife: Shut it you fool. Get the stroller, my parents are waiting with kids a Tea Cups, and we have Be Our Guest ADRs in 5 minutes!