One of my fondest memories from my childhood was going on a Disney cruise with my parents. I fondly remember spending the day in Castaway Cay – which is located in the Bahamas in the South Abaco district, near Great Abaco Island.
While my parents explored the private island, I spent much of my time in the Scuttle Cove kid’s club – where I vividly remember going on an exciting expedition to hunt for dinosaur bones with the other children.
Although we were just kids playing with toys in the sand, the cast members – which is the name for all Disney employees – truly brought the story to life in a way that made it feel real and exciting.
When I took my first Disney Cruise as an adult with my husband in 2022 – which was a 4-night sailing onboard Disney Dream to Nassau, Bahamas, and Castaway Cay – I was curious how the exclusive DCL destination would live up to the expectations I had built in my head from my childhood experience.
While there were perhaps a few things that could have been improved upon, I was actually pleasantly surprised by how fun a day in Castaway Cay could be for two childless adults.
What I Loved About Castaway Cay
First, it’s easy to navigate the pier. Castaway Cay is not a tender port – so you can simply walk on and off the ship. The port is also exclusively used by Disney Cruise Line, so you’re not struggling through crowds of people from other cruise ships.
Disney also has cast members stationed within the cruise port to offer directions and to capture unique photo ops with the cruise ship from the shores of Castaway Cay – which we definitely took advantage of.
There are also unique character photo ops around the island, but we did not look for those – although it would have been fun to see their special beach-day costumes in person.
The highlight of our day was completing the Castaway Cay 5K. This completely free activity is a great source of exercise – which was needed after everything we had been eating onboard – and a great way to see the island.
It was also a moment of victory for me to complete the course – not just because we got cool medals for it and the sense of accomplishment, but also because it marked my comeback after having major ankle surgery almost exactly one year prior.
It was also a very low-key experience that allowed us to get out of the crowd and go at our own pace.
Despite how it sounds, the 5K is not operated as a race. You simply follow the signs that mark the course and then check in at the bike rental stand to retrieve your medal once you’re done.
Speaking of free activities, we absolutely loved Serenity Bay – which was the perfect way to cool off after running (ok, mostly power walking) three miles.
With medals in hand, we headed to the adults-only area. I’m not sure if we were just extra hot and tired, but the water felt beyond amazing.
The ocean was calm, warm, and practically see-through – and we enjoyed watching little fish swim around our feet. We also appreciated the calmer, and less busy atmosphere from being surrounded by only cruisers who were 18-years-old or older.
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But while we could have floated in Serenity Bay forever, we did try out Boat Beach and the family beaches – taking advantage of the float rentals (about $15 per tube at the time) and the AquaTrike ($30 for 30 minutes at the time).
While you can pre-reserve the floats and excursions if you know for a fact you want them, we were able to take advantage of the rental and activity as a spur of the moment decision on the day of our visit.
At the end of it all, we were also quite happy about how little our day in Castaway Cay actually cost us. Considering the BBQ lunch is also free (and delicious), and accounting for the light shopping we did, we spent less than $150 on the Bahamian island.
But while we made it through the port call without breaking the bank, you can certainly spend a pretty penny on the island if you’re travelling with a bigger family, book several of the shore excursions, or opt for more expensive tours or experiences – not to mention the cost of a Disney Cruise in general can be pretty steep.
Our biggest expense from the day was shopping – and it’s certainly hard to resist temptation as the shops and stands sell souvenirs and handicrafts you won’t find onboard or at other ports of call. However, these magical finds do not come at a discount.
Potential Drawbacks to Castaway Cay
While my husband and I absolutely loved our experience in Castaway Cay, there are a few not-so-great things to think about now that I’m looking back.
First, keep in mind that there may be long lines for the buffet lunch – which is served at several locations around the island.
We got lucky and didn’t have to wait because we happened to be next to the buffet in Serenity Bay when lunch service began. However, by the time we made it through our short line, there were people behind us who said they ended up waiting for 10-15 minutes before they made it to the front.
Similarly, the lines at the tram stops can get pretty long – especially at the beginning and end of the day when there is a rush of guests entering and exiting the island.
The trams may be worth waiting for if a guest has a disability or injury that makes walking difficult, but we had no trouble walking around the entire island – in addition to completing the Castaway Cay 5k!
Castaway Cay is only 3.1 miles long and 2.2 miles wide – and we found we could get almost anywhere in about 10 minutes or less. Speaking of lines, some parts of the island do get quite crowded – most notably the family beaches.
Unsurprisingly, we found the family beaches to be a lot less peaceful – with kids screaming, splashing, and occasionally crashing into us and knocking us off our rented inner tubes. We didn’t hate being in the water there, but we certainly didn’t stay as long as we did in Serenity Bay.
Read Also: What Are the Best Cruise Lines for Families?
It’s also worth noting that as magical as Disney is, they cannot guarantee perfect weather.
Even during our port call, the morning started out rather windy – but thankfully, Disney Dream was still able to dock without much issue and the wind subsided by mid-morning.
Eventually, we didn’t notice the wind at all – aside from when a bigger gust occasionally tried to blow our floats away, which we found funny.
That said, we met some avid Disney cruisers who said they had visits to Castaway Cay cancelled at the last minute due to weather in the past.
How You Can Visit Castaway Cay
If you want to see what Castaway Cay is like for yourself, all you have to do is book a Disney Cruise that includes the private island on the itinerary – which can be done online, by calling the cruise line, or through a travel agent.
Aside from Disney Wonder, all in-service Disney ships offer sailings to Castaway Cay at various points during the year – as will Disney Treasure and Disney Destiny when they officially enter service at the end of 2024 and the end of 2025, respectively.
The private island is even included as part of Disney Treasure’s maiden voyage – which is a 7-night Eastern Caribbean sailing embarking from Port Canaveral, Florida, on December 21, 2024.
Select sailings in 2025 and 2026 onboard Disney Dream also call on both Castaway Cay and Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point – which is the cruise line’s new private island destination in the Bahamas that recently opened in summer 2024.
