Castaway Cay review

There isn't many reviews on Castaway Cay so I figured on posting my review in hopes that it may help someone.

Disney does it right, yet again. Castaway Cay is one of the most amazing ports of call, beaches etc we’ve ever seen. Nestled in a large but yet quiet cove this beach spot is perfect for adults and kids. Away from the beach you’ll find shops, restaurants, bike rentals, splash zones, kids clubs and everything you love about the ship but on land. I started my day with a little jog called the Castaway Cay 5k which is a great way to see the island just prior to everyone getting off the ship. It starts and finishes near the second tram stop (Pelican Point) and the bike rental shop. You run up to the runway and around the loop that takes you past the observation tower then down toward Serenity Bay (adults only) and then back. The observation tower is worth checking out but will take you roughly 45 minutes to walk to and from if you’re beaching near Pelican Point. If you’d rather not spend that amount of time away from the beach it would be worth renting bikes. We never did, so I can’t comment on the cost but they have a ton. Adult bikes, kids bikes, infant seats and most importantly…helmets. Which to my surprise were cleaned after every use. The beach is large enough for the crowds that come with the Dream/Fantasy so you have lots of space if on the Magic/Wonder. The water is calm and shallow so you can walk a long ways out but don’t walk past the roped off areas. Lifeguards on duty do not like it when you cross the rope, which we didn’t but you could hear them hollering at many that did. Your Key to the World card works everywhere on Castaway Cay except the post office which isn’t always open. We wish we had more time there because there is so much we wanted to do but didn’t. If we see a cruise that offers two days at Castaway Cay we’d highly consider booking it for that reason alone. One of the best beach days you’ll ever have even if you don’t get one of their amazing cabanas. We had a cabana in Labadee when cruising with Celebrity so I wanted one bad at Castaway Cay but the price is significantly more and they are extremely hard to get. I don’t feel like we missed anything not having one but I sure would like to try one on a future cruise.

Cheers,

thank you for this review… we're going in late July for a 5 day on the Dream (double dip at Castaway Cay - that's why we booked it).

I want to rent a cabana, but am wondering if we won't use it much. That's what happened on our Labadee stop - had a beautiful cabana, but because we did the zip line and roller coaster they have, we were in it about 1/2 hour total time.

I'm just beginning to research Castaway Cay, so I don't know much about it. We're really looking for beach days, but if they had something really cool like the zip line or roller coaster, we'd do those things. But if it's 'active' activities (bike riding), I don't see us doing that.

bellebud - thanks for reading and your reply. I tried to get a cabana but the are terribly difficult to obtain both on the Family Beach and at Serenity Bay. This is especially true if this is your first Disney Cruise. That said; we had a ton of fun without one and didn't feel like we missed out at all. We're beach people too and this was one of the best beach days we've ever experienced.

As you'll discover in your research there is no shortage of activities on CC if that's what you're interested in doing. CC is very much an extension of the ship so all the amenities you enjoy on the ship are essentially on the island as well. Here are some other fun things you can do during your visit to CC when you need a beach break.

- rent bikes and ride around the island

- walk around the island (you can walk down the old runway and be sure to do the loop which takes you to the look out tower OR Minnie's Castle as my daughter calls it)

- snorkel (Disney has hidden treasures in the water that make this very enjoyable)

- rent one of the water toys (hobie's, jet skies...)

- stingray experience

- run the CC 5k (this was a great way to start the day and see the island before settling on the beach)

There are many many more activities and these are just a few you can enjoy. I highly recommend either walking or biking around the island and checking out the lookout tower. If you don't want to be away from the beach for too long go with the bikes. They have a ton of bikes for all ages plus they offer helmets as well.

Disney does it right.

Thanks for the review are there umbrella's available on the island?

If there are no umbrellas, simply pull your lounger into the shade of a tree! They are moveable!