Disney Charges a Massive Markup for This Hotel Perk — 68% of Fans Would NEVER Pay for It Again

By Robin Burks
Posted on Posted on May 27, 2024

For many, choosing a Disney World hotel comes down to more than just budget and theming. For some, choosing a Disney World hotel also comes down to the hotel’s pool.

That’s because many of us like to have some pool time while we’re on vacation, and not just as a midday break. Sometimes, we just want a whole day to relax by the pool and be out of the parks. There is one Disney World hotel perk you have to pay extra for, so we had to ask…is that perk worth it?

We’re talking about Cabana Rentals at Disney World’s pools, which are available at pools located at Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, as well as the pool shared by Disney’s Beach Club Resort and Disney’s Yacht Club Resort. You can also rent something similar, poolside patios, at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.

So how much do these rentals generally cost? The price for a full-day cabana at the Contemporary, Grand Floridian, Yacht, and Beach Club Resorts runs around $265. For that, you get a cabana for up to six guests from 10AM to 7PM. Amenities include padded furniture, a TV, a fruit tray, a snack basket, and a dessert tray, along with a mini fridge stocked with free water and sodas.

By comparison, the poolside patios at the Polynesian Village Resort run around $106 per day. That includes two padded lounge chairs, a sectional couch, a table, and an umbrella.

But here’s the thing: are the cabanas or poolside patios worth it? We asked our Instagram followers and a whopping 68% said “Nope.”

We also asked our Facebook readers, and many of our followers there agreed. Chaka merely answered, “I wouldn’t pay, no.” Gia agreed, “Absolutely not. Now at the private island on the cruise? Maaaaayyyybeee.” Eric told us, “Nope, only for people with money to burn.”

So people feel pretty strongly about this, right? Well, maybe not. Our Facebook followers had far more positive things to say about renting cabanas and their experiences.

Trixi explained why her group loves renting a cabana: “We’ve done it for a mid-trip pool day on our last 3 stays. It forced us to relax a bit and it was great to have the space to kind of hide-out. Otherwise we feel compelled to just go-go-go, which can make for an exhausting vacation.”

Melana agreed, “I’ve rented Cabanas three times. Twice at the Contemporary and once at Storm Along Bay for just me. I found them well worth the price and I enjoyed having a comfortable place to enjoy the day while enjoying the pool.”

For some of our readers, it depends on the hotel. Gary wrote, “For us it depends on the resort: we loved the Contemporary Cabana as it was quiet and relaxing. Beach/Yacht was good but so far away from the actual pool, if you have small children it would be ideal location. We didn’t do it at Poly-the covered patio has zero privacy and is literally right against the pool with everyone walking around it. Also you get a small cooler as opposed to a fridge. The others had a tv and a fan where Poly didn’t.”

We think it seems like if you have planned a pool day at your hotel, renting a cabana might be worth it, especially if you have a group of people with you. Ultimately, though, it’s your vacation, so it’s up to you what you feel is worth it to you.

Check back with AllEars again soon for more.

4 Disney World Hotel Pools I’ll Never Use Again

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What do you think? Is renting a cabana at a Disney World pool worth it? Let us know in the comments!