Let's Talk Towels

Yesterday morning about 9:30, my cell phone rang.  A friend was calling from Des Moines asking about whether or not they needed to take towels into Adventureland for use at Adventure Bay.  My response: Yes.  I could tell by the audible sigh that “yes” was not the answer that was hoped for and the tone became even more prevalent when the message was shared with other traveling companions.

A short exchange followed with references to reading something on the blog about taking old towels and leaving them at the water park so you didn’t have to carry them around, but wasn’t sure it that was Adventure Bay or not.  Again, yes.  Another sigh and a wish for a great day before pressing “end.”  It wasn’t the first time I have been asked about needing towels. . . for Adventure Bay and other destinations.

It can be a bummer to have to lug wet towels around after use, especially for an extended period of time.  And, it can also be a difficult decision as to whether or not to take towels out of the bathroom of a resort or hotel for use in a pool—the towels are usually small and might be needed after a shower or bath.  And with checked luggage fees, who wants to take up valuable luggage space with beach towels?  The whole “to towel or not to towel” question can be quite a dilemma.

Clean towels on the far left with towel return nearby
at Port Orleans French Quarter.

So, do you need to bring a towel?

If you are staying in a Walt Disney World Resort and are planning on using any of the resort’s pools the answer is NO.  Towel cases are available near the pools and dirty/wet/used towels can be deposited in a “return towels here” container before leaving the pool area.  The pool towels are also a bit larger than the towels found in resort room’s bathrooms.

The crates behind Captain Henry and the boy
contain clean towels for guest use on Castaway Cay.

If you are taking a Disney Cruise and are planning on any shore excursions that involve water, playing at Castway Cay, swimming in an on-board pool, or just getting wet riding the Aqua Duck, the towel answer is again NO.  Disney Cruise Line provides clean towels for guests to take with on excursions.  We have also found clean towels in the wooden cupboards near the pools marked with a sign “Clean Towels.”  Just open, take, use, and return in a “return towels here” receptacle. 

We have also found return towel containers located throughout Castaway Cay—no need to lug the towels all the way back to the ship—and just outside the ship when returning from port excursions.  While this is a great convenience to guest, it also helps the ship’s cleaning crew keep sand/salt out of guest rooms and other areas of the ship.  

The husband with clean towels ready for a day on the beach.

If you are going to a Disney water park such as Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach, the towel answer is MAYBE.  Towels are available at the water parks for a rental fee.  To avoid the rental fee, we swing by our Disney resort pool and borrow pool towels to take with us to the water park.  Conveniently, there are towel disposal receptacles located at the exit of the water park so we don’t have to tote the towels back to the resort.  Click here to read about our experiences at Typhoon Lagoon.

What about needing a towel at the Disney Parks?  That all depends.  Guests can certainly find ways to get wet at a park—wet rides, rain, cooling misters, and splash zones can dampen or soak.  So, whether or not a towel is needed depends on personal preference and how much one can tolerate being damp for a bit, as you will eventually dry. 

We have seen guests bring towels to the park to use to dry off after a wet ride, brief rain, or another water experience.  We have seen towels used to shade strollers, denote seating areas for parades, and used as a cape during chilly evenings.  We have not seen towel return receptacles at Disney parks, so towels brought to the parks will need to be carried throughout the day.  I cannot recall a time when we brought a towel with us to the parks.  We have been wet for sure, soaked even, but eventually dried. 

Alas, if you don’t want to bring towels from home, there’s always the opportunity to purchase a Disney beach towel and use it during your trip.  It also makes for a great souvenir!