Castaway Cay vs. Lookout Cay: Which Disney Island is Better?

Planning a Disney Cruise and trying to understand the differences between Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay? You’re definitely not alone. This is a super common question for Disney Cruisers!

I’ve been able to visit both destinations, including one cruise where I got to experience them back-to-back on the same itinerary! And while they are both beautiful island destinations, they definitely have different vibes.

Castaway Cay is more laid-back and easier to access, while Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point has even more beautiful beaches (I know, hard to imagine!) and more Bahamian cultural activities. However, I did find Lookout Cay a more confusing place, and newness of it doesn’t quite have the charm that Castaway Cay does.

If you’re weighing the pros and cons of each island destination or want a clear sense of what each island is *really* like, you’re in the right place. I’m going to take you through every aspect of each island, from location and access to food and entertainment, so you can pick the one that’s best for your cruising crew!

A note on the name: Technically, the second island is called Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, but lots of people use Lighthouse Point singularly, so you’ll find both used interchangeably here.

Disney Cruise Line ship docked near Castaway Cay, seen from behind a line of lush green coastal plants, with turquoise water, rock barriers, and a clear blue sky in the background. — Disney Cruise Ship seen from the Castaway Cay walking path

Location

Both of Disney’s private island destinations are located in the Bahamas.

Castaway Cay, Disney’s original private island that opened in 1998, is it’s own entire island near Great Abaco Island.

Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point on the other hand, is actually an island destination on the tip of the island of Eleuthera. Other cruise ships also have destinations nearby. From our ship, we could see a Carnival ship visiting Princess Cays.

To me, Castaway Cay feels a little more secluded and special because of this. But they are honestly both great locations!

Layout & Accessibility

Now let’s talk about the layout of each island, because this is where I start to have some strong opinions.

First Castaway Cay. You can basically see almost every part of the Castaway Cay from the ship. When you get off, you can either walk or take the trams to the beaches. It’s super compact and easy to get from one spot to the next.

Truly the only part that isn’t as accessible is the adults-only beach, Serenity Bay. Serenity Bay is a bit further away, but it’s still very easy to take a tram or even ride a bike out there.

Castaway Cay also has a very intuitive layout. Study the map when you get off the ship, but if you keep walking along the paths to the beaches, you’ll easily find everything you need.

Aerial view of Castaway Cay as seen from the Disney Dream cruise ship, featuring calm, turquoise waters, a white sand beach lined with umbrellas and palm trees, and scattered kayakers and swimmers enjoying the sunny tropical setting. — You can see pretty much all of Castaway Cay from your ship.

Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, however, is much more of a pain to get to.

First of all, when you get off the ship you have to take a 1/2-mile pier to get to the island.

Now, theoretically I love the idea of this pier because they built it specifically to have minimal impact to the sea life habitats. (And be sure to look down in the water as you’re walking because you might spot something!)

But also, the walk along this pier can feel LONG. Especially in the heat. With no shade.

Pro tip: Definitely wear some shorts if you ever have chafing issues. I usually don’t, but by the time I was walking back to the ship in just my swimsuit and coverup, I was really wishing I had my Megababe with me.

If you have mobility issues, there are golf carts you can take. And if you’re traveling with kids, there are first-come-first-serve wagons available to tow your kids across the pier.

View of a long, curved pier stretching across vibrant blue water toward the island of Lookout Cay, with a lush, green shoreline and scattered buildings in the distance under a bright blue sky. — View of the pier to Lookout Cay from our Disney Cruise ship

THEN once you get onto the island at Mabrika Cove, you have a to take a tram over to the OTHER side of the island to get to the beaches. The tram ride is fine, but the tram combined with the walk makes it feel like it takes forever to get to the beach.

This means that:

It’s not easy to pop back up to the ship for something you may have forgotten or if you have a kid who needs and nap and
You have to calculate all that travel time into when you need to leave the island to get back on the ship.

Then there is the layout of Lookout Cay. Personally, I found Lookout Cay extremely confusing. Most of the walkways are raised boardwalks, and they twist and turn in ways that make it hard to tell which way you need to turn to get to certain areas of the island.

And it doesn’t help that because so many of the buildings look the same, it can be hard to find wayfinding markers to understand where you are!

Once I spend more time here, I’m sure I would get the hang of it. But it was not intuitive for first time Lighthouse Point visitors.

One other gripe: There is an entire section of cabanas on the side of the island where you get off the ship. Which means if you rent a cabana over here, you are far removed from everything else Lookout Cay has to offer!

Both islands have areas to explore beyond the main beaches too.

On Castaway Cay you can rent bikes (or walk or run the 5k) to a lookout tower on the island, which gives you a pretty cool view of your ship in the distance. Riding bikes out to this tower is honestly one of my favorite things to do on Castaway Cay! It’s a super easy bike ride and really lovely.

On Lookout Cay, you can hike the Nature Trail to the lighthouse (hence the name, Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point) and to the less crowded beaches at the end of the island.

We did this and while I enjoyed it, it was also super hot. But I AM glad we explored more of the island and I especially loved the beaches down at this end.

Theming

The theming of each of these islands is very different, and honestly? I love them both!

Castaway Cay is much more laid back with more subtle theming. The backstory here is that this island was a haven for castaways who had either shipwrecked or crash landed on the island.

And this ties in with the TRUE history of the island, because this was once a stop for drug runners and smugglers. (The airstrip on the island that you can bike down was actually used for this!)

Decorative buoy-style marker surrounded by tropical greenery at Castaway Cay, Bahamas, with text reading “CASTAWAY CAY BAHAMAS” on the base and coordinates “LAT: 26.1 LONG: 77.5” displayed on the tower under a partly cloudy sky. — Some of the more rustic theming of Castaway Cay

Lookout Cay is completely different! When building Lookout Cay, Disney really wanted to focus on Bahamian culture and locals artists and artisans. Which means Lookout Cay has a more celebratory feel, with colorful and vibrant decor and painted buildings.

One building you’ll find here is the Goombay Cultural Center, which has handmade headpieces from Junkanoo. And you’ll find murals and sculptures from local artisans all over the island.

I loved all these local touches, and I think it’s so great that Disney has embraced their location in this instance instead of just slapping their Disney label on a generic tropical location. It makes it a much more unique and rich destination.

So who wins theming overall? Honestly, they are both fantastic! And I think it really just matters what kind of spot you want to hit: more relaxed beach vibes at Castaway or more tropical festivity vibes at Lookout.

The Goombay Cultural Center at Lookout Cay, featuring a curved roof with swirling tan and orange patterns and a brightly painted mural above the entrance, surrounded by palm trees and a wooden walkway under a clear blue sky. — The more vibrant theming on Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point

Beaches

The beaches on both islands are absolutely FANTASTIC!

Castaway Cay has three beaches you can enjoy: two family beaches, and the adult’s only beach at Serenity Bay.

The family beach is where you can find Pelican Plunge, the floating dock with water slides, as well as a fun climbing/playground type structure. You’ll also find a snorkeling area at the first family beach area.

And the water here is a beautiful blue and calm because of the breakers a little further out from shore.

Lighthouse Point has 3 beaches: the Family Beach, the adult’s only beach at Serenity Bay, and the beaches at the Mabrika Cove Cabanas.

To be honest, while Castaway Cay beaches are beautiful, somehow Lookout Cay beaches are even MORE gorgeous. Truly it has some of the most beautiful blue water I’ve ever seen.

Peaceful stretch of white sand beach at Lookout Cay with calm turquoise waters, gentle waves, and a line of green pines and palm trees under a bright blue sky. — The beautiful beaches on Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point!

However, do know that the beach setup here is two-tiered. There is a top tier with beach chairs where you can’t really see the water, and then there is a section down closer to the water with more chair.

Of course more people are going to go for the section closer to the beach, but it gets crowded enough that if you get there late you might be stuck on the upper tier.

And there’s also my favorite part of the island: the less crowded beach closer to the lighthouse at the end of the island. If you walk down here you’ll find less crowds, beautiful limestone cliffs, and that still gorgeous blue water. Just note there aren’t any lifeguards down here, so you’re on your own.

If I had my day at Lighthouse Point to do over again, I would have headed down here first thing in the morning to enjoy some quiet and then walk back to the main area for lunch and activities.

Woman wearing a white cover-up, orange baseball cap, and sunglasses smiles while walking barefoot on the soft white sand of Lookout Cay beach, with dramatic limestone cliffs and palm trees in the background under a clear blue sky. — My favorite part of Lookout Cay was the quieter beach down at the end of the island by the limestone cliffs!

Activities & Amenities

Both islands have lots to offer in the way of activities. However, I think right now Castaway Cay has more, mostly because it is a more established destination. So it will be interesting to see if Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point adds more selections in the future.

(For instance, there is supposedly a bike trail at Lookout Cay, but when we visited in March 2025, almost a year after the island opened, it still didn’t look like it had been paved yet.)

Two people ride bicycles down a shaded, tree-lined path on Castaway Cay, with tropical greenery on both sides and a glimpse of a red-roofed tower peeking through the trees under a bright blue sky. — Riding bikes is one of my favorite activities on Castaway Cay!

Here are the activities and amenities you can find on Castaway Cay:

Snorkeling — Rent gear and snorkel in a designated area to spot sunken ships and other Disney treasures
Bike Trail — Rent bikes and take the trail to the Observation Tower
In-Da-Shade Games — An area with basketball and other games
Beach Sports — Area with volleyball, soccer, etc.
Pelican Plunge — Water slides on the second family beach
Spring-A-Leak — Small splash pad area for the littlest cruisers
Scuttles Cove — Kid’s Club area
Hideout — Teen club area

And here’s what’s available on Lookout Cay:

Snorkeling — Rent gear here and snorkel anywhere along the beach. There is no designated area.
Goombay Cultural Center — Here’s where you’ll find the Sights and Sounds of Junkanoo Workshop and the Rush! a Junkanoo Celebration show. Both of these are must-do activities in my opinion!
Rush Out Gush Out — A splash pad and water slide area for kids.
Play-Play Pavilion — Here’s where they host games and things like the Disney Fun in the Sun Beach Bash with favorite Disney characters.
Sebastian’s Cove — Kids Club area (there is no teen club on Lookout Cay).
Nature Trail — With a hike to the lighthouse and a quieter beach.

Performers in elaborate Junkanoo costumes dance and celebrate at Lookout Cay, wearing bright feathered outfits in vivid colors like pink, blue, yellow, and green. They are gathered on a wooden stage beneath a festively decorated canopy with palm trees and a clear blue sky in the background. — To me, RUSH! A Junkanoo Celebration is a can’t miss show on the island! And don’t miss the workshop beforehand where you get to make your own headpieces!

Each island also has special excursions you can pay for.

On Castaway Cay you can book Banana Boat Rides, Parasailing, Snorkeling, a Kayaking Nature Tour, a Stingray Adventure, and more. There are TONS to choose from.

I’ll be honest though: We’ve never done a separate excursion on Castaway Cay and we have never felt like we have missed any fun!

On Lookout Cay they have many of the same types of excursions like a Banana Boat, Kayaking, and Snorkeling. But they also have several cultural offerings like the South Eleuthera Eco and Cultural Tour or the South Eleuthera Eco and Historical Tour.

But again, we didn’t do an excursion on our Lookout Cay day and we still have PLENTY of fun activities to fill our day with!

Side-by-side comparison of two Disney Cruise Line water play areas—Pelican Plunge on the left, a floating platform with twisting yellow slides in the ocean at Castaway Cay, and Rush Out Gush Out on the right, a colorful, splash-filled water playground with vibrant slides and water features at Lookout Cay. — Pelican Plunge on Castaway Cay vs. Rush Out Gush Out on Lookout Cay. Rush Out Gush Out is better from smaller kids, while Pelican Plunge works better for older kids and even adults.

Food

Let’s talk food! Because both islands are known for their BBQ lunches.

And for me, there are pros and cons to each island.

On Castaway Cay you can eat at Cookies BBQ (there are 2 locations on the island, plus Serenity Bay BBQ). It is a super easy to navigate buffet and their lunch includes options like burgers, salmon, ribs, and chicken with sides like potato salad, cous cous, chips, and cornbead.

Plate of lunch from Castaway Cay featuring grilled chicken, grilled sausage, seasoned rice, and colorful sides including cucumber salad, sweet potato medley, and black bean quinoa salad, served on a blue-rimmed plate atop a beige tray. — Lunch plate on Castaway Cay

And while the food is good, I actually liked my lunch on Lookout Cay better!

Lookout Cay has two True-True BBQ locations as well as Serenity Bay BBQ. Their lunch options include red snapper, chicken & rice bowls, BBQ ribs, rotisserie chicken, and sides like fried okra (a favorite of mine!), different kinds of vegetable salads, and fries.

However, navigating the buffet on Lookout Cay is much more confusing.

There are windows offering different items, and it was hard to know what line to get in. Especially because there was a line specifically for burgers, which is what my kiddo wanted, but then apparently every line had burgers? So we ended up waiting in a very long line for a burger when we could have chosen a shorter one.

Guests line up at the True True BBQ counter at Lookout Cay, a casual open-air dining spot with curved coral-orange canopies, tropical décor, and palm trees in the background under a sunny blue sky. — The lines at True True BBQ were LONG for us!

The lines at Lookout Cay were also SUPER long. I waited at least 30 minutes to get to the front of the buffet line. And in my four times at Castaway Cay I don’t think I’ve ever waited longer than 5 minutes.

This may not happen with every cruise and it could be just the day we happened to be there. But it definitely added stress to lunch. And by the time I got my food I was so hungry I didn’t even remember to take a picture of it. Good thing the food was delicious!

Both islands also have soft-serve ice cream available at the lunch locations.

Another important thing to know: Both Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay have plenty of shaded seating for you to enjoy during lunch.

And both have bars where you can get drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. There are bars and drink shops located throughout each island, so you’re never far from one.

Shopping

Both islands have shopping opportunities. If you’re interested in buying island-exclusive merch, one pro cruise tip is to earlier in the day for more selection.

Display inside a gift shop at Castaway Cay featuring Disney Cruise Line merchandise, including a light blue T-shirt with Mickey Mouse in tropical attire, a cream-colored “Sea Me Chillin’” shirt, and baskets of magnets and keychains, with a sunny beach and palm trees visible through the open window. — Shopping on Castaway Cay. I love this window looking out to the island!

Castaway Cay has She Sells Sea Shells and Everything Else by the first family beach and Buy the Seashore by the second family beach. Plus there are some Bahamian Retail shops along the walkway between the two different family beaches.

Lookout Cay shopping is concentrated at the entrance to the island after you get off the tram. You’ll find both Disney T’ings and Treasures of Eleuthera there. Then, at the entrance to the island in Mabrika Cove you’ll find a First & Last Chance Stand which is really just a small kiosk selling beach essentials and a few small merch items.

Which Island is Better?

Peaceful ocean view near Castaway Cay at sunset, with soft pastel hues of pink, orange, and blue reflecting off calm turquoise waters and a small rocky shoreline in the foreground beneath glowing, illuminated clouds. — The views on Castaway Cay are so gorgeous!

SO which Disney island destination is better?

Honestly, everyone is going to have their own preference. But for me personally, I still prefer Castaway Cay despite the shiny newness of Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.

Castaway Cay has a more relaxed feel, is easier to navigate, and is just so beautiful. I also like their water slide situation better (it’s more family friendly so adults can go on the slides), their lunch line was less stressful, and I love being able to ride bikes here.

But I did like a lot about Lookout Cay, especially the cultural activities and the beautiful beaches down near the limestone cliffs.

Going to the Junkanoo Workshop and RUSH A Junkanoo Celebration was such a fun activity! Seriously, don’t sleep on this!

And the beaches were beautiful with the bluest water. However, the navigation of the island just wasn’t my favorite. And they still need to add more activities (and let the shade grow in) for it to really compete with Castaway Cay in my opinion.

However, both islands are truly great. And since it’s Disney, you know you’re going to get a great experience either way! Would I *seek out* a cruise specifically to go to Lookout Cay over Castaway Cay? Probably not. But would I complain about a return trip to either island? Absolutely not!

Either way, you’re in paradise.

What’s Next?

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