With a beautiful beach, great entertainment, and food included in the price of your cruise, it’s a wonderful addition to any cruise. And it’s not just great for adults, Castaway Cay has plenty of fun for kids or all ages, even as young as preschoolers and toddlers! I recently went on two different Disney cruises (Disney Dream and Disney Wonder) with my husband and 4-year-old son, both that stopped in Castaway Cay. I’ve shared tips for Disney Cruises with kids before and now I wanted to talk specifically about Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island in the Bahamas! I’ve been on over 10 other non-Disney cruises before and can say without any doubts that Castaway Cay is one of our favorite cruise line owned private islands ever. It’s fun for both kids and adults and easy on your budget!
7 Reasons Disney Castaway Cay is Great For Families
What is Castaway Cay?
First off, let me get one thing straight – while it looks like you would say it Castaway Cay (kay), it’s actually pronounced Castaway Key. It took me a long time to figure out that it wasn’t just people with accents pronouncing it wrong, they really do pronounce it key. Get that straight first so you don’t sound like you have no idea what you’re talking about. Castaway Cay is a private island in the Bahamas that is privately owned by Disney and used solely for Disney Cruise Line guests. Many of the Disney Cruises out of Florida stop at Castaway Cay at least once and some itineraries stop twice. It’s basically a great big tropical area on the beach that’s been themed and designed Disney Cruise style to be a place for families to have fun, relax, and enjoy good food! You can learn more about Castaway Cay and find cruise itineraries that stop there here.
The Castaway Cay Kids Club – Scuttle’s Cove
I wrote an entire post about Disney Cruise Line kids clubs and how awesome they are. The Castaway Cay kids club, Scuttle Cove, is pretty much an extension of the onboard kids club. You can drop kids off, check them in using their kids club bracelets, and leave them for the entire day. There’s an entire area dedicated specifically to to the Castaway Cay kids club that includes access to water activities, outdoor fun, and more. We never actually left my preschooler at the kids club on Castaway Cay because we love hanging out with him at the beach, but I love that the option exists. Others we talked to did leave their kids, and they had a blast, so it’s definitely a great option. And while your kids are at the kids club, take advantage of the adults only area, Serenity Bay, on the far side of Castaway Cay. We’ve never been over there but hope to on our upcoming Merry Time cruise in December! We’ll have my husband’s parents with us to play with my son, so I’m hoping to enjoy a little peace and quiet at the adults only beach.
Things to Do on Castaway Cay with Kids
If your kids don’t go to the kids club, there are still plenty of other fun things to do on Castaway Cay. Disney has built a handful of play areas just for kids Castaway Cay including the Pelican Plunge, a 2400 square foot floating platform with water slides and another play area that’s out in the middle of the ocean! There is also a splash area for younger kids, a lagoon for snorkeling, and the beach of course! You can also just walk around and enjoy all of the other amenities that are on the island or book one of these Castaway Cay excursions. If your kids are older and you want to do something active, Disney also offers a Castaway Cay 5k first thing in the morning. You can’t sign up until you’re on the ship but I’ve heard it’s super fun and you get a medal that’s exclusive to people who finished the race! You can see how much fun the Castaway Cay 5k is in my friend Jana’s post!
The Castaway Cay Beach
Speaking of the beach, it’s gorgeous. It’s a typical Bahamas white sand beach with beautiful turquoise water and best of all, it’s shallow enough for kids to play in even for a few hundred feet. I took one of the complimentary chairs, plopped it in the sand at the edge of the water, and watched my son play for hours! If you’re sans kids or want to leave your kids at Scuttle’s Cove, there’s also an adults only beach – Serenity Bay – that can be reached by the free trams provided on the island. We never went, but I’ve heard it’s as relaxing as can be, and I love that Disney offers that option!
Disney Castaway Cay Food
In true Disney Cruise fashion, the majority of the food provided on Castaway Cay is complimentary and available all day long. Not only did they provide delicious BBQ food with tons of sides and family-friendly options, they had a huge fresh fruit bar open the entire time we were on the island. And free juices, sodas, water, and ice cream! Yes, I said ice cream! The only food I found that was an additional cost were frozen drinks. If you’re going to splurge on a frozen drink, might as well get it in a collectible coconut shell! Just like on the ship, you can use your cruise card to purchase anything on Castaway Cay as well – drinks, souvenirs, and excursions – so there’s no need to bring your actual wallet off the ship.
Castaway Cay Only Entertainment
Since the majority of the guests get off the ship in Castaway Cay, Disney has an entire lineup of entertainment available throughout the day. During our day in Castaway Cay, they had a dance party with Minnie and friends, character meet and greets, and even fun photo opps. It’s definitely worth checking out your daily agenda to see what’s happening that day. It’s Disney, so it’s sure to be something magically fun.
Disney Theming on Castaway Cay
Do yourself a favor and take a few minutes to walk around the island and explore. Disney has really outdone themselves in the details, shops, and theming throughout the island. I loved the FROZEN inspired trading post, nautical Mickey decorations and more. And you know there are plenty of hidden Mickeys to be found!
Other Things to Know About Disney Castaway Cay
There’s a free tram that takes you all over the island. Strollers and life jackets are provided if you don’t want to bring your own. There are plenty of chairs, shade, hammocks, and areas to relax. There are shops with souvenirs to purchase. The cruise docks right on the island, so it’s quick to get on and off!
If you have the chance to book a Disney Cruise that stops in Castaway Cay, do it. It was easily one of our favorite things about Disney and proves once again why Disney is so magical!
