The fun and exciting options are plentiful at Disney’s Castaway Cay so, we have put together a helpful guide to help you navigate your way through Castaway Cay and make the most out of your time on the island.
Overview of Disney’s Castaway Cay
Castaway Cay is Disney’s Private island and spans over 1000 acres. The island consists of multiple beaches, shopping, dining, an observation tower, a nature trail, a complimentary kids club, adults only beach, and so much more! So, let’s get into it!
Dining on Disney’s Castaway Cay
Cookie’s BBQ: This is the main restaurant on the island and is an open-air buffet with plenty of great food options even for those with special dietary needs. This location serves lunch including BBQ, flatbreads, salads, and ice cream.
Cookie’s Too: This restaurant serves the same menu as Cookie’s BBQ but, is located on another part of the island.
Serenity’s BBQ: Located on the Adult-only section of the island, this restaurant serves similar food to Cookie’s BBQ. Food items consist of Hamburgers, Hotdogs, Ribeye steaks, salads, chicken and a couple of other light bites.
Olaf’s Summertime Freeze: This location serves child specialty frozen drinks in a special keepsake cup.
Conched Out, Heads Up, Sand Bar, and Castaway Air Bar: These are the four bars on Castaway Cay that serves cocktails, mocktails, and Domestic Beer
Our Top Tips for visiting Castaway Cay
- Bring your Key to the World Card and not cash or debit/credit cards. This card works on the island at every location.
- Bring a reusable water bottle. You will save money on bottled water. There are plenty of water stations on the island.
- Wear comfortable shoes. You may be walking around a bit on the island to get to your destination.
- Restaurants typically shut down mid-afternoon so, we suggest if you are eating on the island to do it earlier in your day once you arrive at Castaway Cay.
- Stroller rentals are free on Castaway Cay
Did you know you can run a 5K on Castaway Cay?! The Disney Castaway Cay 5K is a run or walk (whichever you prefer) with scenic views on the island that lead you to the Observation Tower which has incredible views. You are able to do this at your leisure. This is a “fun run” for all ages and includes a really cool medal upon completion. On Castaway Cay, the 5K begins at the bike rental information booth. Don’t forget to wear your sunscreen!
For the holiday season, Disney Cruise Line celebrates big with holiday parties on select sailings, special festive eats & treats, beautiful and fun decor and so much more!
Beaches at Castaway Cay
Family Beach: This is the largest of the beaches on Castaway Cay. It’s also closest to the ship. You can partake in several different activities here such as snorkeling, sailing, kayaking, or just floating the day away on a tube.
Serenity Bay: An adult only beach for guests 18 years or older. This beach is furthest from the ship and is very relaxing! There are cabanas available but, we suggest getting there early to be sure you get one. There is also an option to book an open air massage.
Sports Beach: You can rent water equipment here. You can also get your sports game on playing games such as volleyball, tetherball, and soccer.
Rentals and Activities: The list of rentals and activities here is plentiful. The following is available at this location
- Sand toys
- Aqua Trikes
- Hobie Cats
- Power Catamarans
- Glass-bottom boats
- Water skiing
- Fly Fishing
- Fishing
- Tubing
- Floating
- Biking
- Sailboating
- Kayaking
- Snorkeling
- Paddleboarding
- Water cycling
- Parasailing
Cabana Rentals: There are 3 types of Cabanas you can choose to rent on Castaway Cay. Family Beach Cabanas, Grand Family Beach Cabanas, and Serenity Bay Cabanas. The cabanas do tend to go quickly so, we recommend booking one as soon as your window opens – this will depend on your Castaway Club Status. They are not complimentary and prices vary per cabana type. Cabanas include indoor/outdoor comfortable seating, a mini fridge stocked with bottled water, soda, fruit, and cool wash cloths to stay cool, plush towels, granola bars and chips, and sunscreen.
Pelican Plunge: A great place to swim and slide on the water slide (water slide is for guests 38 inches or taller)
Spring-a-Leak: This is a fresh water splash and play area featuring misters, splash pads, and dripping pipes. Guests under 48 inches must wear a complimentary life vest.
Teen Hideout: Teen Hideout is a beach area on Castaway Cay for teens ages 14–17. It has activities created just for teens, and some say it’s a great place to make friends.
Character Greetings: Characters you can meet on Castaway Cay
- Mickey Mouse.
- Minnie Mouse.
- Donald Duck.
- Daisy Duck.
- Pluto.
- Goofy.
- Chip & Dale.
- Capt. Jack Sparrow.
Characters have also recently had a revamp in their outfits. The new outfits are bright and colorful – inspired by a tropical oasis that is Castaway Cay. The fab 5 (Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Donald, and Goofy) do roam the island so, be sure to bring your autograph books and have them handy! There is also a Pirate party at Cookie’s BBQ with appearances by Captain Jack Sparrow and Chip ‘n’ Dale dressed in their pirate best!
TIP: for photos around the island and with characters: Bring a waterproof phone pouch so that you can have it handy for taking photos and videos and protect it from any water.
Complimentary Kids Club – Scuttle’s Cove: This is for children ages 3-10 and is a hangout supervised by Disney counselors from the ship. There are so many fun things for the littles to enjoy such as a 1200 square foot soft wet deck with geysers, bubbles, pop jets, and a giant whale-bone excavation site.
Snorkeling Lagoon: This is a designated snorkeling area on Castaway Cay located off Family Beach and is one of the most popular activities on the island. If you’d like to partake in this experience, you can rent your snorkeling gear at Gil’s Fins and Boats or Flippers and Floats. This is such a fun activity where you can see an array of tropical fish, sunken treasures and don’t forget to look for a Hidden Mickey!
Shopping at Castaway Cay: There are 2 main spots to shop on the island. “She Sells Sea Shells…and Everything Else” and “Buy the Sea Shore”. You can purchase many things at these 2 locations including exclusive Castaway Cay merchandise, collectable pins, beach-ware, and beach necessities (sunscreen, beach toys, etc) we recommend packing your own beach essentials to save on spending more than what you would normally for these items.
Excursions on Castaway Cay: Excursions range from 30 minutes, to a few hours, all the way up to a full day (for getaway packages) There are plenty of options to choose from each with an additional cost. One of the most popular excursions for guests is Castaway Cay Stingray Adventure where you can feed and pet stingrays in shallow water as well as swim in deeper water to get a first close look at these beautiful creatures. This excursion is for ages 5 and up and lasts an hour. Snorkeling equipment is provided during this excursion for the hour. You will also get to learn fun facts about Stingrays from a Marine Specialist.
Wanting to escape to a beautiful oasis aka Castaway Cay, let us help book the Disney Cruise Line vacation of your dreams today!
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