Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, Disney’s brand new Private Beach is a highlight of Disney Cruise Line Caribbean and Bahama cruises. There are activities for everyone, many of them included free of charge along with multiple choices for lunch and drinks. Here are some tips to make the most of your day at Lookout Cay.
Disney’s private beach features a beautiful beach including family and adult areas, has crystal clear waters and soft sand extending into the ocean. There is ample seating with loungers and umbrella shade. With a choice of 3 barbecue restaurants with soft drinks and ice cream, all complimentary, you can have a wonderful time with no additional cost or planning. If you are looking for other unique activities, there are plenty of those to choose from as well.
Tips for Getting to Shore
To preserve the coral reefs, there is a fairly long ~1/2 mile pier going between the ship and the tram station. Disney offers cold water and wet towels at a station in the middle of the pier.
It can be very hot on the walk as there is no shade, so bringing an umbrella can help keep you cool. Also, apply sunscreen before leaving the ship and keep your hat and sunglasses handy.
If you need assistance in navigating the walk, visit Guest Services the day before you arrive at Lookout Cay. They will reserve you a time to go ashore via a ride on a golf cart down the pier.
Little red wagons with benches for children are available at either end of the pier on a first come first served basis.
Wheelchairs and strollers are not available until you get off the tram at the main beach area.
The pier is a great place to take a photo with the ship in the background.
Family Cabanas are located right off the pier. A tram ride is not required.
Tips for getting to Goombay Cultural Area (main beach area)
It is about a 15 minute tram ride to the main beach area and a new tram arrives around every 10 minutes (trams usually travel in pairs)
The two tram stops are Mabrika Cove Tram stop near the pier and Goombay Cultural Center Tram Stop at the main beach area.
Handicap access is on the first car of the tram
Wheelchairs and beach strollers are available at the Goombay tram stop
Tips for finding a spot on the beach
Chairs on the beach in front of the sand dunes are limited. Get ashore early to snag one of these.
There is ample seating on the other side of sand dunes with easy access to the beach across short, elevated walkways.
Once you take the tram to Goombay Cultural Center, the family beach is directly in front of the tram stop and to the right . To the left, as you face the ocean, is the adult area Serenity Bay.
The beach area directly in front of the tram stop and shops tends to be the most crowded.
As you face the ocean, the beach area to the right past the Rush Out Gush Out waterslides, tends to have lots of open seating.
Seating does open up later in the day by around 2:00 PM
All the seating is in small clusters with loungers, chairs and an umbrella.
Tips for dining at Lookout Cay
There are 3 main dining areas: True True BBQ, True True Too BBQ, and Serenity Bay BBQ all offering the same complimentary food.
The eating areas are the most crowded just after opening (usually about noon). It is easier to find seating if you wait an hour or so after opening.
There are separate stations for Beach BBQ Burgers, BBQ Ribs and Rotisserie Chicken, Chicken and Seafood Rice Bowls and Flavorful Fish. The Burger line tends to be the longest. You can split your party to hit the different stations.
The dishes unique to Lookout Cay are the Chicken or Seafood Bahamian flavored rice bowls, and Mahi-mahi or salmon fish dishes.
All dining areas offercomplimentary soft-serve ice cream and soft drinks
Seating consists of round tables seating up to 8 people. There are no long picnic style table like Castaway Cay. You might want to grab your table before getting food.
If there are a lot of flies around the food area, you might want to get an extra napkin to cover your food. This was a big problem on the early cruises but there are reports that it may have been remedied on later cruises.
The family cabanas have their own eating area offering the same foods.
Tips for Beach Activities
One of the best things at Lookout Cay are the crystal clear waters and soft sand. Since the beach is open to the ocean, the water is much clearer than Castaway Cay. Although it is protected some by an offshore reef there can be some mild wave action.
The fine sand packs down pretty firmly and is easy to walk on and is great for building sand castles.
A line of buoys demark the swimming area. It is a beautiful sandy bottom with a few spots where the reef extends into the swimming area.
There are some fish you can see in the sandy areas and a few more in the reef but don’t expect too many colorful fish. Keep an eye out for the occasional string ray swimming by.
You can rent snorkel gear at the Flippers and Fins kiosk but a mask may suffice to check out the reef within the swimming area. If using a snorkel you must wear a safety vest available at the lifeguard stations.
Floaters were not available in the early visits and probably will not be added since there is no way to keep them from blowing out to sea.
Currently the only watercraft available for rent are kayaks, probably due to the lack of a protected lagoon.
Tips for Lookout Cay Port Adventures
Several port adventures focus on the history and culture of the area. These adventures include walking, biking, kayak, buggy and driving tours that depart from the Gathering Tree near the Goombay Cultural Center Tram Stop. Several of these explore parts of the island away from the private Disney area.
Snorkeling and banana boat tours depart from Turbot Berth, a small marina just off the end of the pier. If you are interested in snorkeling you might want to take one of these tours as the snorkeling off the beach is somewhat limited.
Bikes are available for rent at either Rocky Point Bicycle Rental, near the True-True BBQ or Mabrika Cove Bicycle Rentals, near the Family Cabanas. You can bike along the tram route or the nature trails going to the lighthouse. It is a fairly long walk to the lighthouse so a bicycle is a good option to explore the nature trails.
Eventually there will be a 5K course set up for those wanting some exercise and to see more of the island. It is not available yet, but if it is similar to the Castaway Cay 5K there is no sign up and you can do it on your own time. You would get a medal commemorating completing the run when you get back to the ship.
Tips for Lookout Cay Kid Activties
True to the spirit of Disney, there are plenty of activities for kids of all ages.
The Rush Out Gush Out family water play area features waterslides and a variety of water features. Located just off the family beach, it has plenty of seating nearby.
Sebatian’s Cove is the Little Mermaid themed kids club. Kids can be dropped off and entertained by the cruise kids club staff. It features a dedicated splash pad and dining area.
The Play-Play pavilion offers family entertainment with games and activities for the older kids. This a nice shady retreat, staffed by cast members for a safe environment for children. The Play-Play Pavilion also hosts the Disney Fun in the Sun Beach Bash. This 30 minute party features Goofy and friends with great character interactions. Check your Navigator for showtimes.
Hair braiding is offered at Plaits and Pleats.
Tips for Cultural Activities
Celebrating Bahamian Culture is a major theme of Lookout Cay. The Goombay Cultural Center, just off the tram stop, is a great place to learn about Bahamian traditions, history and music and to do some crafts with the help of local artisans. This area hosts the Rush! A Junkanoo celebration. This traditional Bahamian celebration features a parade with dancing and elaborate local costumes. Mickey and friends join in the celebration and invite all the guests to also join in on the fun. The nearby Treasures of Eleuthera offers the opportunity to purchase locally crafted gifts and art.
The Nature Trail is a great way to see the local fauna and wildlife. It is about a 15 minute walk out to the lighthouse and 15 minutes back so it is a good idea to take some water with you along with a hat and sunglasses. There are some water stations on the path. You can also rent a bike to make the journey.
As mentioned earlier there are a variety of Port Activities that highlight Bahamian history, culture and nature.
Tips for Shopping
The main spot for Lookout Cay Disney merchandise is at Disney T’ings just off the Goombay Tram Stop. Here you find a large variety of clothing and souvenirs unique to Lookout Cay. Shirts, coverups, rash guards, hats, pins, beach towels, sun products, beach toys and other typical souvenirs are available. Restocking occurs during the day, so if something is out of stock when you get there, check back later in the day to see if additional merchandise has been put out.
Just across from Disney T’ings, Treasures of Eleuthera offers locally made Bahamian crafts and souvenirs.
A small selection of Lighthouse Point Disney merchandise can be found at the First & Last Chance kiosk near the Mabrika Cove Tram stop. The merchandise is fairly limited but if you forgot something or aren’t planning to go to the Goombay Cultural Center area, you can pick it up here.
Tips for Cabanas
Like at Castaway Cay the number of cabanas are very limited and in very high demand. They are usually all taken by Concierge guests with a possibility of some leaking into Pearl guests. Concierge guests need to get their cabana request in precisely at midnight when requests open. All Conceierge requests are allocated based on when the requests are received. Sometimes cancellations prior to the cruise may pop up if you keep checking. You can also get on a wait list once you board at guest services for any cancellations during the cruise.
Family Cabanas
Family cabanas at Lookout Cay are located at Mabrika Cove just off the pier to the ship. They have their own private beach and BBQ area for lunch. The Family cabana beach is a little more rocky than the main beach but there is still a sandy access point and sand in the water. It may be a little more exposed to wave action on a rough day. The beach is very private and is exclusively for cabana guests. You need to take the shuttle to access the shopping and entertainment and at the Goombay Cultural Area near the main beach. There is no bar nearby but you can order drinks from the cabana steward.
Serenity Bay Cabanas
The Serenity Bay adult only cabanas are located at the far end of the main beach at the Goombay Cultural Area. The cabanas share the beach and Serenity Bay BBQ with other adults taking advantage of Serenity Bay. The walkway providing access to the cabanas is a common area with a low to moderate amount of traffic. On the beach side there is a private area with chairs and hammock for each cabana. Note, the first cabana (F) is not well isolated from the general access area. The Adult beach is actually the same gorgeous beach as the Family beach without a clear demarcation. The lifeguards will ask families with children to move to the Family beach. The Blue Hole Bar is nearby in the adult only area or you order drinks from the cabana steward.
Lookout Cay General Tips and Info
You can use your Disneyband+ or Key To The World card along with and ID to debark or reboard the ship.
Everything within Lookout Cay can be charged to your room with your key card or Disneyband+.
Many people head back to the ship in the early afternoon so later in the day is a great time to have a less crowded experience.
Ships have docked in either direction so there is no guarantee which side will be facing shore.
There is a good cell phone coverage on the island, so depending on your phone plan, you can use your cell phone with applicable roaming charges.
Photographers and Disney characters are onshore during the earlier and middle part of the day. So don’t wait until you go back to the ship to get those photos. Characters show up near True-True BBQ early in the day. There is also a photo spot between the shops with a photographer in the Goombay Cultural area.
Keep an eye out for double dip cruises that make stops at Lighthouse Cay and Castaway Cay on a single cruise.
Disney Cruise Line information can be found here: Disney Cruise Line
See a first look at Lookout Cay video here: First Look at Lookout Cay
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