Everything You Need to Know About Disney Cruise Line’s Castaway Cay

One of the highlights of a Disney Cruise vacation is spending time on Castaway Cay. White sands and crystal clear waters make the tropical experience in the Bahamas breathtakingly beautiful while mixing in the magic of Disney. Truly, it’s the best of both worlds.

Castaway Cay is reserved for the Disney Cruise Line guests only. So while you are visiting the island you will only be sharing the sand and ocean with the other guests aboard your cruise. Only one Disney Cruise ship disembarks at any given time. This prevents the private island from overcrowding.

The island consists of two main beaches, Castaway Family Beach for all ages and Serenity Bay Beach for adults only. Castaway Family Beach has two swimming areas, Pelican Plunge and Spring-a-Leak. Within the Castaway Family Beach area there is also a secluded beach for teens only – The Hide Out, and a youth area on the island that is run by Disney counselors for kids 12 and under – Scuttle’s Cove.

Along the island are several walking and biking trails that cover over a mile path. You will find many souvenir shops and even a post office to send your loved ones back home a postcard. Since Castaway Cay is privately owned by Disney and only available to the guests onboard the cruise, you pay with your room key which also serves as your key to get off and on the boat from the island. No cash or credit cards are accepted. Anything you purchase will be charged to your stateroom. This includes rentals of bikes, floats or cost of excursions. Just like on the boat all of your drinks, snacks and meals are complimentary but there is a bar that sales alcoholic beverages for an additional cost.

Port Adventures

Castaway Cay offers a variety of excursions. From swimming with stingrays, snorkeling and fishing to parasailing, boating and waver runner rentals – the possibilities are endless. You can browse all the port adventures on the Disney Cruise Line website to see which option appeals to your family. They list the age restrictions, details about the excursion, cost for adults and children, and the level of physical severity for each adventure.

Disney Activities

Besides the excursions that come at an additional cost, Disney offers many activities for the family free of charge. You can spend the entire day at the beach playing in the sand and swimming in the blue waters. There is a fun slide and climbing area for kids right in the ocean. Some of the Disney characters dressed in their beach attire will walk around taking photos with the guests. Lilo and Stitch host a beach dance party that little ones love. Family-friendly activities include crab races and a recreation area with beach volleyball, shuffleboard, ping-pong and more

The only downside of Castaway Cay is you never have enough time during your visit. You will be dreaming of going back before you even make it home. Everyone embarks the cruise ship by 4:30pm and prepares for dinner and Disney’s famous Pirates in the Caribbean party!