Image courtesy of Matt Stroshane/Disney

Welcome to the eleventh edition of my Where in Walt Disney World Can I Find? series!  This series began back in April 2015 with the Where in Walt Disney World Can I Find? The Drinks & Snacks: Park Edition and, since then, I’ve covered several topics. The food theme carried on in The Counter Service Parks Edition and The Table Service Parks Edition. I also honored three national food holidays:  National Ice Cream Day, National Margarita Day and then International Waffle Day. I posted The Cool Treats Edition, The Margaritas Edition, and The Waffle Edition.

Tips on where Guests could store their things while in the theme parks and water parks were shared in the Where in Walt Disney World Can I Find? A Place to Put My Stuff? edition.  Where in Walt Disney World Can I Find? Everything at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort! focused on our home away from home. I followed up with the Where in Walt Disney World Can I Find: Everything at Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter article.

As you can tell from the title of this particular article, it is different in that it doesn’t talk about Walt Disney World but Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay. Guests sailing to specific destinations with Disney Cruise Line  will get to enjoy this private port-of-call paradise! Castaway Cay has so many amenities to offer and activities abound for Guests of all ages! Today, I’ll give you a heads up on where to find some of them so that when you visit, you’ll know right where to go in order to enjoy your time on this pristine island.

General Information

As I always do before going further into these articles, I’ll stop here and give you some basic information.  The intent of my series is to help you plan a trip of a lifetime or, if you are a return visitor, possibly reveal something “new to you” to discover. The team here at Magical DIStractions is dedicated to providing our readers with the most accurate and up-to-date information that we can.

 As with all things Disney, Disney Cruise Line likes to keep things fresh and new so, like Walt Disney World, it is a work in progress and things can and do change ever so often. This means that Disney may mix things up a bit and some of which I write about in this article could be different when you visit. Having said that, Castaway Cay isn’t going anywhere anytime soon so be prepared to enjoy every minute of your time there!

You may notice that some of the wording in this article is highlighted in pink. My fellow team members and I write about the attractions, upcoming events and things that we see and do during our travels. By clicking on the pink highlighted wording, you’ll be taken to articles that refer to certain topics. When you use the handy dandy links, you’ll have access to a plethora of valuable information. The Magical DIStractions site is chock full of information so feel free to explore the site to your heart’s content. You’ll also want to take note of the links in the closing paragraph as they will take you to all of our social media accounts.

Let’s Talk about Disney’s Castaway Cay!

Now that I’ve filled you in on all of the standard information, I can move on! The amenities and activities listed below are just a small part of what Castaway Cay has to offer its Guests and will get you even more excited about your Disney Cruise Line  port-of-call, Castaway Cay.

 

Map of Disney’s Castaway Cay

Adults Only Beach:

Serenity Bay, located almost a mile from the main family beach, is a pristine stretch of beach exclusively for adults. Guests must be 18 or older to enjoy this section of the island. At Serenity Bay, where sparkling azure waters meet the pristine white sand, and palm trees sway in the breeze, special amenities and activities offer the ultimate in relaxation for adults only:

• Guests can soak up the sun or relax in the shade of an umbrella on comfortable lounge chairs or two-person hammocks that dot the beach
• Premium private cabanas spoil guests with the luxury of a deluxe beach resort
•  Adults can enjoy a therapeutic massage at a massage cabana overlooking the ocean or participate in a yoga class on the beach, just steps away from the crystal clear water
• There is no need to head back to the main beach for refreshment – a delectable lunch buffet, Bahamian specialty drinks, beer and mixed drinks are served at the nearby Castaway Air Bar

Image by Disney

Magical DIStractions team member, Kristi R., and her husband spent a day on Serenity Bay and she shared her experiences in her article: Relax the Day Away at Serenity Bay!

Bicycle Rental: 

Want to get some easy exercise while enjoying unique views of Disney’s Castaway Cay? Renting a bicycle is the way to go and it’s easy on the wallet! At just $10.75 per Guest for an hour, this is one heck of a deal! *Prices are subject to change. The bicycle rental location on the family beach is easy to spot. Just look for the whimsical red and white stripped tower with bicycle wheels hanging from it.

We rented bicycles during our visit to Castaway Cay and I am so glad that we did. The path allowed us to pedal our way around the island, along an airstrip and then off the road to a nature trail leading to an observation tower that gave us a fabulous view of the island. We followed the pathway that led to the picture-perfect vantage point on Serenity Bay and I have to say that was our favorite part of the ride.  The view was breathtaking!

Know Before You Go:

The following Know Before You Go notations are listed on the Disney Cruise Line site.

• Guests must be ambulatory.
• Children must be able to ride a bicycle and are required to wear helmets. Child seats are available.
• Bicycles are available to rent on an hourly basis and can be picked up at Bike Rentals, by the far end of Family Beach.
• To complete both nature trails, Guests will ride a distance of approximately 1.5 miles across flat terrain.
• This rental is operated by Disney Cruise Line.

DIStracted Tip: The bike route is about 1.5 miles and, even with my family stopping to enjoy the views and climb the observation tower, we were well under the 1 hour mark. So, unless you want to make the route more than once, a one-hour rental should be enough time to see everything along the route.

Characters:

Throughout the day, Guests can meet some of their favorite Disney Characters at the Post Office, Gazebo, gangway and elsewhere on Castaway Cay. Have your cameras ready as you never know who you’ll see strolling around!

Child Care:

Complimentary childcare for ages 3 through 12 is available at Scuttle’s Cove, an expansive child’s area supervised by Disney counselors.

Drinks:

Scattered around Castaway Cay are several refreshment stations that serve non-alcoholic drinks including sodas, water and juice. You can also find non-alcoholic drinks at the bars. These non-alcoholic drinks are covered in the price of your cruise. As you can see from the map at the top of the article, there are many bars scattered around the island including Heads Up Bar, Conched Out Bar and, for those visiting Serenity Bay, Castaway Air Bar. Guests will find both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks served at these bars.

Equipment Rentals:

Snorkel gear for all ages is available for rent at Gil’s Fins and Boats. Gil’s Fins and Boats is also the place to rent kayaks, paddleboats, aqua trikes, and other water equipment.  Stop by Flippers & Floats for inner tube, snorkel mask and fin rentals.

Family Beach:

The main beach on the island, Castaway Cay Family Beach, is where everyone in your family can hang out and have a great time together. The family beach is the area closest to the ship and where many of the beach activities are located.  You’ll find rows and rows of comfy loungers, beach chairs and large umbrellas along the expansive beach. Some of the activities located on or near the family beach are the Pelican Plunge and Spring-a-Leak both of which will be covered a little later on in this article.

DIStracted Tip: If you plan on spending the majority of your time on the family beach, get there early and you’ll be able to claim a prime location overlooking the beautiful blue waters. We left the Disney Dream as soon as the Guests were given the go-ahead, hopped on a tram and got off on the second stop. This was our view for quite some time that morning. 

Castaway Cay view from the second area of the family beach-Photo Credit Lisa McBride

Food:

Disney knows that their Guests are sure to work up a fierce hunger with all of the activities available to them on Castaway Cay. Cookie’s BBQ and Cookie’s Too BBQ, both open-air buffet style restaurants, serve an assortment of items including hamburgers, hot dogs, bbq ribs, potato salad, slaws and corn on the cob. Fresh fruit, cookies and ice cream are available too! Guests on Serenity Bay have access to Serenity Bay BBQ which has a similar menu.

DIStracted Tip: The cost of your lunch at any of these three restaurants is included in your cruise fare.

Fun & Games:

Guests wanting to partake in complimentary foosball, pool, shuffleboard, pin-pong and even monster chess and checkerboards, should head over to the Grouper Game Pavilion. Games such as table tennis, foosball, billards and basketball can all be played in the shade at In Da Shade Game Pavilion.

Kids’ Play Area:

Scuttle’s Cove is a fantastic area for young cruisers! The “hub’ for youth activities, this sandy play area is the place to be if you are a kid. All youth activities are surprised by Disney counselors . Scuttle’s Cove features a whimsical water play area complete with  a 1,200-square-foot soft wet deck area with an array of pop jets, geysers and bubblers. “With organized activities and Monstro’s Point—a giant whale-bone excavation site—kids will be delighted all day long.” (Excerpt from the Disney Cruise Line site.)

Pelican Plunge: 

Pelican Plunge, which celebrates the island’s native pelicans, is located within swimming distance from the family beach shore.  This 2,400 square foot floating platform has two fun water slides and a giant bucket dump of water. Water cannons allow Guests spray hundreds of gallons of water on those beneath. You’re sure to want to ride on one of the 2 twisting water slides over and over again.

DIStracted Tip: Minimum height for the Pelican Plunge water slides is 38″.  Anyone under 48″ must wear one of the provided life vests. Note that the floating platform is out in the ocean, and requires being able to swim to access.  Look closely for the hidden Mickey on top of Pelican Plunge.

Port Adventures:

DIStracted Tip: Port Adventures fill up quickly so you’ll want to book them as soon as you possibly can!

Postcards & A Post Office: 

Located not far from where the ships dock is a real working Post Office. The Post Office is pretty small and easy to miss if you aren’t paying attention. As Magical DIStractions writer, Vanessa wrote in her article,  there are postcards and stamps available for purchase. They accept cash only. Stop by and  send family and friends a greeting from paradise.

Castaway Cay-Photo Credit Lisa McBride

DIStracted Tip: Mail a postcard to yourself! Finding that postcard in your mailbox weeks later will bring back great memories of your time spent on Castaway Cay!

Private Cabanas:

Private cabanas are available for Guests to rent while on Castaway Cay.  You’ll feel like royalty as you sit back and soak in the luxury of a premium 325-square-foot private, furnished private cabana. These gorgeous cabanas are available for families to rent on the Castaway Family Beach and for adults only on the Serenity Bay Beach. Below are just a few of the pictures from our own Mary S.  You’re Gonna Wanna Cabana! was written by  Mary S. and provides lots of details, pictures and tips!

DIStracted Tip: There are only a limited number of cabanas, so book as early as possible if you have your heart set on one of the cabanas!

Shopping:

Bahamian Retail, Buy the Seashore and She Sells Sea Shells…and Everything Else sell an assortment of exclusive beachwear, hats, souvenirs and collectible pins with the Castaway Cay logo. Want to build sandcastles in the sand or toss a ball? You’ll find them for sale in one of the three stores on the island.

Distracted Tip: Forgot to pack your glasses, sunscreen or hat? Don’t worry, you can find all of those items in one of the shopping venues.

Showers & Changing Rooms:

Spring -a-Leak:

As I mentioned before, Spring-a-Leak is located on the family beach area of the island. Spring-a-Leak is the perfect place to cool off and immerse yourself in the “remnants of a washed-away beach dwelling”.  The fun starts when you enter the large, 2,400-square-foot water play area, and are greeted by dripping pipes, misters and broken plumbing.

Teen Beach & Activities:

I’ve given you the scoop on where the families, children and adults can spend their time but what about the teens in your group? Disney has something just for them too! The Hideout is where teens, ages 14-17,  can kick back, listen to music and participate in activities in their own secluded area close to the beach.

Image Courtesy of About.com/TravelwithKids

I’ve only scratched the surface of everything that Castaway Cay has to offer the Disney Cruise Line Guests. I hope that I’ve helped you plan your day on the gorgeous private island  which is completely outfitted for premium family leisure. As I said before, you can use all of the handy links that I’ve provided you with to explore the articles covering Castaway Cay. If you want even more information, you can find it on the Disney Cruise Line site. The following You Tube video posted by Disney Parks gives a wonderful view of Castaway Cay too!

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