Disney Castaway Cay Island Guide

If you’re lucky enough to be going on a Disney Cruise to the Caribbean, then you may be lucky enough to port at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay. With white sand, beach areas, and bike rentals on the island, there is plenty to appreciate and enjoy. The day we visit this island is usually one of our favorite days at port. We love nature and exploring and always find plenty to do. All among the drop-dead gorgeous scenery of the island. Check out all our best tips for exploring the island on your Disney Cruise Castaway Cay Day. 

Disney Castaway Cay is Disney Cruise Line’s private Island. For guests sailing in the Caribbean Sea, there is usually a stop at the Castaway Cay Port. By far the BEST reason to take a cruise to these crystal clear waters. Also, it’s important to remember, that it’s pronounced Key, not Kay. When you get to the island, all you’ll really need is a few things. Think of it as your home away from your cruise ship home. 

• A Day Bag
• Your ID
• Key to the World Card

No need to lug around those beach towels, as cruise staff actually provides each guest with a towel or two as you disembark your Disney Cruise ship. If you want to get an early start, why not run the Castaway Cay 5k (for guests 10 and older) or try out yoga on the island’s adult-only beach, Serenity Bay? Both are a great way to get going and see the island and they’re free! FREE. Just be sure to sign up at the spa so they know you’ll be attending. 

Castaway Key Details

Did you know that Castaway Cay Island Bahamas is for Disney Cruise Line guests only? Unlike Lookout Cay, that is technically just the tip of the larger Eleuthera Island in the Bahamas, DCL guests, have Castaway Cay all to themselves.

Castaway Cay Trams

Luckily, a short walk or tram drive from the ship gets you to the Castaway Cay beaches in no time. This mini journey is about 5-7 minutes by tram, and about a 10- 15 minute walk. There are 4 Tram stations on Castaway Cay; Scuttles Cove, Pelican Point, Serenity Bay and the main stop at Kargo Handling.

Castaway Cay Weather

Generally sunny and warm, be sure to check the weather for the island before your trip. While the tropical climate is generally in the 70s and 80s degree Fahrenheit range, the summer months bring a different kind of weather.

Remembering that Disney Cruise Hurricane Season is between June and November, if you’re sailing during these months weather may be hot, humid and rainy. This could also affect activities and booked excursions so be aware of cancelation policies for any on-shore excursions. Our favorite time to take a Disney Cruise is in January and February, which is also luckily the cheapest time to take a Disney Cruise. But April- May brings some of the best beach weather you’ll see.

Castaway Cay Costs

It costs nothing to step foot on Castaway Cay and browse the island. While the beaches, lounge chairs, lunch, character meet and greets and kids clubs are free, and included with your cruise, everything else costs extra. Things like snorkel rentals, bike rentals, alcoholic drinks, excursions, cabanas, specialty drinks, souvenirs and special activities all have an extra charge. As such, take a look at the activities and DCL excursions we share below to get a handle on extra costs.

Castaway Cay Map

The Castaway Cay Disney Cruise Line Map covers everything from where to find the beach, to where to pick up your boat rental. You can zoom in on the pic, or open in a new window to zoom in on the details.

Castaway Cay Beaches

Disney’s Castaway Cay Island in the Bahamas, features two separate beaches, that are not connected. After leaving the cruise ship, you will have two options to get to these beaches. You can take the tram or you can walk. The walk will take you about 6-7 minutes, and the tram will actually also take you about that much time.

Family Beach

The Castaway Cay Family Beach is the first beach you’ll come to and has a great view of the cruise ship. This is also where you’ll find the snorkeling lagoon. The second beach has Pelican Plunge, which is a water slide that goes right into the water, super awesome. Many families simply enjoy the island and take advantage of the all-day beach time here. What a great way to spend the day. 

Castaway Cay Serenity Bay – Adult Only Beach

If you’re looking to get away from the kiddos and want a more relaxing beach experience, Serenity Bay is the place to go for adults. While there’s not much to do, that’s kind of the point. There’s a bar, some lounge chairs, hammocks, and open-air cabanas for the ultimate relaxation experience! You can also just sign up for yoga at the senses spa and the following morning voila! you’re on the beach with your fellow travelers.

Castaway Cay Food Restaurants and Bars

So what is there to eat on Castaway Cay?! A lot! Just like the Disney Cruise ship, drink stations are available during your day and there are soft-serve ice cream stations too. Lunch is served at either Cookies or Cookies Too and they both serve BBQ buffet-style lunches. We found the food was very good, so no need to head back to the cruise ship for meals. Lunch is Served from 11:30 AM-2 PM. And yes, all the food at these restaurants is included with your Cruise. You can also grab specialty drinks at Cookies BBQ, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.

If you’re spending your day at Serenity Bay, you won’t need to leave the adults-only area as you can get the same kind of food at Serenity Bay BBQ. And if you need a drink, you can head to Castaway Air Bar on Serenity Beach. However, drinks from the bar will cost extra. Even though alcoholic drinks are not included in your Disney Cruise, they can still be charged to your Key to World card.

Castaway Cay Menus

The current menu for Cookies and Cookies Too, as well as Serenity Bay BBQ on Castaway Cay is basic barbecue. This menu sometimes changes depending on food availability.

Entrees

• Honey And Bourbon Glazed Seared Salmon Filet on BBQ Collard Greens
• Cajun Spiced Rotisserie Chicken rubbed with Paprika, Oregano, Chili, Garlic marinated for 24 hours
• St Louis Style Bbq Pork Spare Ribs with Sweet and Spicy BBQ Sauce and finished on the Char-grill
• Chargrilled Hot Dogs with Caraway and Riesling Wine Sauerkraut
• Flame Grilled Cheese Burgers/Hamburgers
• “Plant Based” BBQ Chicken Sandwich with Red Onion, Tomato and Escarole
• Slow Cooked Vegetarian Bean Chili: Black Bean, BBQ Baked Beans, Garbanzo Beans, Bell Peppers, Kidney Beans, Tomato, Celery, Onion, Garlic, Oregano and Basil simmered on the Chargrill

Sides

• Coleslaw: Shredded White Cabbage, Carrots and Onions tossed in Pineapple Syrup
• Red Skin Potato Salad with Dijon Mustard, Hard chopped Egg Wholegrain Mustard dressing and Green Onions
• Grilled Sweetcorn Salad with Avocado, White, Black and Fava Beans with a Lime Cilantro Dressing
• Steamed Corn On The Cobb
• Steamed Jasmine Rice
• Vegetable Chips

Deserts

• Rice Dream Ice Cream
• All Spiced Carrot Cake
• Gluten Free Cookies

Disney Pro Tip: If you want to make everyone jealous and enjoy a delicious sweet treat, grab two cookies from the buffet and make an ice cream sandwich! So good!

Castaway Cay Bars

You don’t have to be on the Adult Beach to get a drink on Castaway Cay, as there are a variety of bars across the island. Serving smoothies, frozen drinks, cocktails, beer, wine, and mocktails, typically you just need to look up to find some place to grab a drink.

In addition to Cookies, Cookies Too, and Serenity Bay BBQ, here are the other bars you can find on the island.

• Summertime Freeze: Serving specialty smoothie drinks.
• Conched Our Bar: Frozen specialty drinks, cocktails and beer.
• Head’s Up Bar: Frozen specialty drinks, cocktails and beer.
• Sand Bar: Frozen specialty drinks, cocktails and beer.
• Castaway Air Bar: Frozen specialty drinks, cocktails and beer.

Castaway Cay Attractions

While your Castaway Cay Day can be as simple as a beach day, on Disney’s Private Island in the Bahamas, you can also take part in the attractions and activities offered. So what attractions are on Castaway Cay?

Pelican Plunge

This dual waterslide on a floating barge is a water play area within swimming distance from the Family Beach. Offering the chance to zoom down the slide and into the water is fun for just about everyone.

Sunken 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Submarine

Grab your snorkel gear, or rent it, to head under the water towards a real life sunken ship! Just follow the buoys to find the remains of this underwater treasure.

Scuttles Cove

This Kid’s Club on Castaway Cay requires a registration and check-in, but offers up supervised fun for kids age 3-12 and is free! At Scuttles Cove, kid’s can dig up things at Monstro Point, the excavation site, and play in the sand. The club also offers soccer, sandcastle building, and more outdoor fun on the beach, for kids only.

Teen Hideout

If you’re bringing teens, than be sure to reserve a spot on the Wildside Teen Adventure. Just like with the Edge and Vibe teen clubs onboard they can get cast member led fun, and make new friends. Things like sand volleyball, group bike rides, and beach time are all on the schedule for kids 14-17.

Cabanas

Want to make your day something extra special? You can grab a Castaway Cay Cabana, for between $400- $600 for the day depending on availability. These is a limited number of these fancy cabanas available, so if you’re hoping to snag one, be sure to reserve it as soon as your Castaway Club Booking Window opens.

Castaway Cay Activities

There are so many Things to do at Disney Castaway Cay. And of course, relaxing is also on the docket. Especially if you’ve had a few fun-filled and harried days on the ship already. Luckily, we found that there were plenty of beach chairs throughout the beaches so finding a place to lounge about was never an issue. We also loved that the island never seemed crowded to us. Fresh off our Nassau, Bahamas Cruise port day, everyone just wanted to relax, and there was plenty of room everywhere. 

Castaway Cay Getaway Package

By far the best choice for enjoying your day on the island, we chose the Getaway Package which included biking, snorkeling, and float rental. It allowed us to leisurely experience all the activities,  and it was much cheaper (about $18 less per person) than booking these individually. Check out the Getaway Package Cost and Booking Details.

Castaway Cay Bike Rentals

We aren’t too much the beach bumming types, so we loved the package we booked. We utilized the bicycle rental package. Having a bike to explore the island with was perfect. As the bike trail is clearly marked and will take you to Observation Tower where you can see some of the islands from above. You can also walk the paved trails throughout the island but we felt the bikes were the perfect way to get around. We definitely recommend exploring the whole island, it’s just beautiful! Check out the Bike Rental Cost and Booking Details. 

Castaway Cay Snorkeling

We also enjoyed the snorkeling portion of our day. When you add the snorkeling equipment to your day package, you can use them for as long as you like. While this is not the most amazing location for snorkeling as there aren’t any interesting reefs or anything like that, we did enjoy getting to see stingrays and sea turtles on our excursion. There is a snorkeling trail that will take you to see sunken treasures(placed there by Disney). But we actually weren’t told about the trail until after we returned our equipment.

You can see things like a sunken ship and loads of Hidden Mickeys underwater! In fact, you can even find a sunken submarine. The watery depths currently include two submarine-ride vehicles from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, the now-retired submarine voyage ride at the Magic Kingdom. If you’re snorkeling and need the tips to find these things just make sure you look for the buoys, that’s where you will find the hidden treasures. Also, note that all snorkelers are required to wear yellow life vests as a precaution. We did not do the Stingray Adventure but it is by far one of the more popular excursions you can take advantage of if you want even more activities. Check out the Snorkel Lagoon Equipment Rental Cost and Details. 

Castaway Cay 5 K

This self-paced 5K brings you through the trails on Castaway Cay and is perfect for both kids and adults. You can walk or run it, and simply have to sign in at the bike rental kiosk on the island to get started. Once you complete your 5K, you can collect your Castaway Cay 5K Medal to take home. We love this as a meaningful Free Disney Cruise Souvenir, and since it’s part of an experience, one that you should proudly display! While not an official runDisney marathon race, we still loved this activity as a way to see the island and give us a bit of a challenge. 

Sport Activities

If you’re looking for things to do in the shade, there are several places in covered areas, that offer free game play. Basketball, Ping Pong, Shuffleboard and even checkers are all up for grabs.

Castaway Cay Shore Excursions

There are quite a few shore excursions available while docked on the island. But mind you, your day is going to go faster than you think! So choose wisely. In addition to the snorkeling, bike rentals, water play areas, and Castaway Cay 5K, you can also add things like a boat rental, a sting ray adventure, parasailing, sand buggies and more to your day. Keep in mind you typically have a full day until about 4 p.m. on the island. Be sure to head to the Disney Port Adventures Castaway Cay Page for costs and booking details. 

Castaway Cay Disney Character Meet and Greets

If you are traveling with children, or are a child at heart, there are plenty of meet and greets with your favorite Disney characters. We loved seeing our favorite characters in island wear. You can also send a postcard from the post office here as a fun souvenir for yourself or someone else! You will need cash for this as they are one of the only places on the island that do not accept your Key to the World card.

Mickey, Minnie and friends sport new Castaway Cay Cay outfits, featuring colorful and bright suits, dresses and pirate gear.

Castaway Cay Photo Ops

In addition to the gorgeous beach scenery, you can also find cute photo ops everywhere! This cute buoy anchor collection is on the way in and you can catch an Olaf statue near the gift shop.

Castaway Cay Gift Shops

She Sells Seashells and Everything Else is the main gift shop located near the front of the island.  Here you can find Castaway Cay merchandise as well as sand toys, sunscreen, and more. Buy the Seashore is a smaller gift shop and has some of the same products. Know that you can’t grab this merchandise on the cruise ship, so if you want it, grab it while you’re on the island.