18 Tips & Tricks for the Best Day Ever at Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point – Part One

Disney Cruise Line’s newest destination, Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, on the island of Eleuthera, The Bahamas, is now welcoming guests on select itineraries on the Disney Magic, Disney Dream, and Disney Fantasy. The new island retreat immerses guests in the spirit and culture of The Bahamas, along with signature Disney entertainment, port adventures, nature trails, a water play area, and beautiful beaches for families and adults. We had a chance to visit the island during its Preview Cruise and learned a trick or two about navigating the island, as well as how guests can have the best experience when they visit. Keep reading for part one of our eighteen tips and tricks for the best day ever at Lookout Cay!

Editor’s Note: Disney Cruise Line provided us with a complimentary Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point Preview cruise with special media-specific events and tours during the cruise. However, as always, the thoughts and opinions about Disney Cruise Line contained in this article are entirely our own.

1 – Plan Port Adventures Well Before Your Cruise

Several excursions, or “Port Adventures,” have been developed in partnership with local tour operators that offer a chance to explore Eleuthera and the breathtaking beauty of The Bahamas, including private historical and cultural tours, buggy excursions, scuba tours, and catamaran sailings. Take the time ahead of your cruise and see what options are available and what might interest you. While you can book on the ship once you arrive, you’ll have the best availability if you book ahead of time. Click here to see the Port Adventure offerings for Disney Lookout Cay.

2 – Pack Beach Gear to Avoid Expensive Last-Minute Purchases

When packing for your cruise, consider what items you’d like to have with you during your beach day on Lookout Cay. Space is always at a premium, and you don’t want to have an extra suitcase full of extra gear you won’t touch, but there are a few items that we suggest you bring with you. You might also save money by bringing a few items with you and avoid having to purchase them on the ship or on the island. Here are some of the items we suggest bringing:

• Sunscreen
• Tote bag or beach bag(s) to easily carry items with you (we suggest multiple smaller bags so one person doesn’t carry a heavy bag around all day)
• Diapers: swim and regular, if needed.
• Portable phone charger—If you use your phone to take photos, listen to an audiobook, use the Navigator app, or do anything else, you might be grateful for a portable phone charger. There is WIFI available on the island.
• Goggles or swim masks for kids
• Water bottle—While they offer cups for water, it’s nice to have your own more portable option. We also use these on the ships.
• Hats for sun protection and shade
• Handheld sun umbrella–I use a small sun umbrella at the beach (and at the parks), and it’s amazing how much it helps. The intense Caribbean sun can wear you down, but a sun umbrella provides some portable shade while walking around. It really saved me during your visit! I found mine on Amazon for a reasonable price.

Here are a few things you don’t need to bring with you because they are available on the island:

• Swim vests
• Snorkel gear (available to rent)
• Beach towels

3 – Review the Day’s Schedule in the Navigator App Before You Step onto the Island

As soon as you step onto the ship and connect to the ship’s WIFI, you’ll be able to see the itinerary for the entire cruise. If you go to the “Explore” section, you can choose your Lookout Cay day to see the schedule for when the gangway opens, lunch, entertainment offerings, and when you need to be back on the ship. Knowing the schedule will help you sketch out a plan for the day.

4 – Discuss What the Family Wants to Do Ahead of Time

Discuss options with your family and find out what everyone wants to do. While you can’t do everything, we often try to ensure everyone gets to do at least one thing they want. For instance, Chad wanted to sit in a chair and read his book. I really wanted to catch the entertainment. My daughter wanted to snorkel. Depending on the ages of your children, you can do some things together as a family and then separate at other times so everyone can enjoy what they are hoping to do. The biggest reason to do this before you step onto the island is to save precious island time because you’ll already have a game plan on what the day will look like.

5 – Take Travel Time into Account When Planning

We’ll get into this later in points #7, #8, and #10, but keep in mind that getting over to the main guest area where the family beach and Goombay Cultural Center are located may take around 45 minutes. I know that seems crazy, but depending on when you arrive at the gangway, you may have a 5-15 minute wait to get off the ship (see #7), then you have a 10-15 walk to the tram stop (see #8), then a wait at the tram stop, and then a 12-15 minute tram ride (see #10) over to the main area. I say all of this now so that if you really want to catch the 11:15 am “RUSH! A Junkanoo Celebration” show, you’ll want to make sure you leave the ship at least an hour before the show so you have time to get to the Cultural Center, put your stuff down, and enjoy the show.

6 – Be Sure to Grab Breakfast on the Ship Before Heading to the Island

On most days, lunch is offered on the island between 11:00 am – 2:00 pm. While ice cream and drinks are available all day long, there are no other food options available for guests outside of lunch hours. So, be sure you get a good breakfast at Cabanas before heading to the island to avoid a “hangry” family!

7 – Expect a Large Crowd When the Gangway Drops

You’ll want to discuss with your family how early to get to the island. Most people are eager to get out as soon as possible, but when hundreds of guests are trying to disembark at the same time, backups are bound to happen. If you arrive right when the gangway opens, it can take an extra 15-20 minutes to get off the ship. You may prefer to wait 20-30 minutes before heading down to the gangway to let it clear so you won’t have delays when leaving the ship.

8 – Plan on a Long Walk Along the New Pier

Unlike Castaway Cay, the walk from the ship to the first tram stop is quite long. Expect the walk to be anywhere from 10-15 minutes, depending on how quickly you walk. It will be quite hot most of the year, so this walk will not be the best way to start the beach day. Proper expectations will go a long way in making the walk more pleasant. This is where wearing comfortable walking shoes and hats and using a sun umbrella and a stroller for young children will go a long way to help make the trek a bit easier. We also suggest having multiple bags instead of one large heavy tote so that one person doesn’t have to carry a heavy load.

9 – If you Need Assistance on the Pier, Talk to Guest Relations

If you’re concerned and need assistance for the walk on the pier, be sure to talk to Guest Relations. Our cruise was the preview cruise, so we were the first ship to stop at the island. The morning was a bit hectic, with many guests surprised and unprepared for the walk over to the tram stop. There were limited golf carts to assist guests with mobility issues. However, we fully expect Disney Cruise Line to learn, adapt, and offer more assistance with future visits. Again, if you have any concerns about walking over to the tram stop, be sure to speak with Guest Relations.

10 – Take the Tram Over to Goombay Cultural Center and Family Beach

Another difference between Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay is that on Castaway Cay, you can walk from the first tram stop to the family beach if you choose to. At Lookout Cay, there is no walkway from one area to the other (and it would be way too far to walk even if there was one), so you’ll need to take the tram. The drive over on the tram will be about twelve minutes.

Part Two with Tips #11-#18 is Coming Soon!

So far, in part one, we’ve covered tips for things you’ll want to do before the cruise, then tips for getting off the ship, what to bring with you, and tips for getting to the main beach areas for your day of fun. In part two, we’ll give tips on choosing where to sit, dining tips, tips for meeting characters, tips for adults and families, tricks for merchandise on the island, and tips for getting back to the ship at the end of the day. Again, we want you to have the best day ever on Lookout Cay, so we’re presenting two separate in-depth articles. Stay tuned! Part Two with Tips 11-18 is coming soon!

Click here for our Instagram Story of our visit to Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point!