Which Disney Private Island is Best? I’ve Been to Both!

Disney Cruise Line's exclusive island, Castaway Cay, has been open since 1998 and has a well established history with Disney cruise guests. Disney just recently opened their second island, Lookout Cay, and we were among the first to see the new island!

Since Castaway Cay has been a Disney Cruise Line staple for over 25 years it's expected that many guests will end up comparing the two of them which is something I found myself doing during my first visit to Lookout Cay. If you are planning an upcoming Disney Cruise, especially with the newest itineraries just released, you might end up choosing which Disney island is the best fit for your cruise.

I have visited both Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay and have enjoyed the Disney Cruise Line experience on regular cruise and a themed Marvel Day at Sea. I also experienced both these islands with family to get multiple perspectives of the offerings of theses islands. Keep reading for the full comparison of Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay.

Disney Islands Offer Similar Locations Yet Different Themes

Just like Castaway Cay, Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point is located in The Bahamas. It is located on the island of Eleuthera and its within close proximity to Castaway Cay. This means it is reasonable to find a cruise itinerary that will visit both islands on the same voyage!

The architectural designs around Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point are very much inspired by the island of Eleuthera. You can see the resemblance of different plants and shells through the beautiful colors and shapes that were used for the different structures and buildings. Rather than a fictional storyline on Lookout Cay, the island instead honors Bahamian culture.

At Castaway Cay, the island is themed after the storyline of a shipwrecked castaway community. Most of the buildings are themed to look like they have been put together after a shipwreck. This theme carries throughout the island with snorkeling off the beach that allows guests to see the remains of this fictional shipwreck.

There are numerous other differences between the two islands, some good and some bad, let's breakdown all these different comparisons to see what island is the best choice for your cruise.

🌴Read our first initial thoughts reporting live from the new Disney Lookout Cay island!

Disney Cruise Line Islands Deliver on Great Disney Experience

Lookout Cay & Castaway Cay provide a similar Disney Cruise Line experience which means the islands are an extension of the inclusive offerings, Disney standard of customer service, and options for adult only secluded areas.

Both islands offer the same separation of family beaches and adult only beaches with different cabana spaces and eating locations. There are similar youth activities offered on the island that carry over form the youth groups on the cruise ship.

As for food options, both islands offer all-you-care-to-enjoy lunch buffets. There will be BBQ themed food items included, with Lighthouse Cay offering a few more unique Bahamian-inspired dishes, which are part of your all inclusive lunch. Both islands also have locations to purchase, at additional cost, themed beverages and alcoholic drinks.

Since both islands are in the Bahamas, you will have the same beautiful crystal clear waters and white sandy beaches. These islands are both stunningly unique and breathtaking in their own way. The waters at Castaway Cay feel a bit more calm, since the beaches are nestled within a cove, while the waters at Lookout Cay offer a bit more waves.

Lookout Cay is also the same to Castaway Cay in that the cast members working on the cruise ship debark the ship to provide services on the island. The processes and methods all continue to work the same way making it a seamless experience for your island visit. I always felt that Castaway Cay is simply an extension of the Disney Cruise Line ship and I had that similar comforting feeling on Lighthouse Cay. In some ways, that is the most important part of the success of Lighthouse Cay as a new port stop in the Disney Cruise Line itineraries.

Castaway Cay Is More Established

There are some key differences between Lookout Cay and Castaway Cay but none are significant enough to drastically change your enjoyment.

The biggest caveat that guests need to keep in mind is that Castaway Cay has been an established place within the Disney Cruise Line itineraries since 1998. That's over 25 years to grow to perfection and for the cast members that work on Disney Cruise Line to become accustomed to the island. Since Lookout Cay is so new, we will see some initial growing pains as the island continues to improve over time. Castaway Cay likely wasn't perfect from day one and Lookout Cay won't be either.

With that disclaimer in mind, let's get into the differences that I think are more impactful to the guest experience and not so much things that come across as nit picky!

🐠Read our full guide to Castaway Cay to see why we love it so much!

Lookout Cay Offers More Community Experiences

The main difference currently are the recreational opportunities and port adventures offered at both islands. Currently, Castaway Cay retains a more elaborate selection of water rentals that include kayaks, paddleboards, aqua bikes, and more. All of these recreational rentals take place in a separate space from the family beaches in still water right near the cruise ship making for a picture perfect experience. Guests can also rent snorkels to view the hidden underwater Disney items that further incorporate that storyline of a cruise wreck. There is also a devoted section for bike rentals to explore the island which is located right where the Castaway Cay 5K takes place. In short, there is plenty of recreation available on this island.

Initially, Lookout Cay only has regular snorkeling (no hidden underwater treasures… yet!) along with kayak, bike rentals, and banana boats. I imagine we will see more offerings grow over time so it's hard to fault the island quite yet. But until that happens, Castaway Cay offers a more elaborate option of recreational sports options.

Lookout Cay does have an edge over Castaway Cay when it comes to the port adventures! Since Lookout Cay is located within a larger community, on the island of Eleuthera, there is far more selection for exploration. One of the port adventures includes a cultural tour around the island communities that culminates in a stop at the famous caves of the island, a visit to the nearby Junkanoo workshops, local shopping and dining, and other natural wonders. Nothing like that is offered on Castaway Cay since that island is largely underdeveloped outside of the area Disney occupies.

Lookout Cay Provides Unique Entertainment

Since Lookout Cay was so heavily inspired by Bahamian culture, not necessarily just a fictional storyline, the entertainment on the island itself was made to reflect that.

Junkanoo is one of the Caribbean's most celebrated carnivals featuring colorful costumes, dance routines, and street parades. Disney Imagineers worked closely with local Bahamian designers and locals to bring Junkanoo to life in an accurate and respectful way.

RUSH! A Junkanoo Celebration features dancing, elaborate costumes, and music all created to bring the celebration of Junkanoo to Lookout Cay. And of course, there's a bit of Disney mixed in as well as you will see Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy all in their Junkanoo inspired costumes taking part in this celebration.

This is one way that Lookout Cay stands out as unique as there is no specific entertainment option offered on Castaway Cay aside from character meet and greets.

Castaway Cay Feels Like an Easier Experience

Another difference between these two Disney islands is the way that Disney Castaway Cay just feels like an easier experience as compared to Lookout Cay.

The layout of Lookout Cay is spread out and this is noticeable immediately as guests debark the ship to find a massive pier to walk down to get to the island. I was a bit shocked to see how large it was and not necessarily thrilled about that long walk in the hot sun. This is something that hopefully can be remedied over time, perhaps with its own designated shuttle.

Unfortunately, the traveling to get to the main amenities doesn't end there as guests then have to hop on a noticeably longer tram ride than the one offered at Castaway Cay. The tram at Castaway Cay from the ship to the beaches is optional as the walk itself could easily be done. We did it at the end of the day and didn't have a problem with it. But at Lookout Cay, that long 15 minute tram ride from the main entrance to the island to the amenities is something that is not walkable nor are guests allowed to walk it.

As part of those initial growing pains I described, as I do not want to be nit picky here, there is far less shade offered on Lookout Cay. But there is ample evidence of tropical palms planted everywhere and a focus on growing the area. So in time, this space will be as lush and shaded as Castaway Cay feels today.

But between the walk from the ship, the long tram rides to and from the beaches, and navigating the heat with little shade, the experience on Lookout Cay felt like far more work. In comparison, our time at Castaway Cay felt like a breeze with minimal effort.

I could see this being a big deterrent to families with smaller children so this is something to keep in mind. Lookout Cay isn't as close and easy accessible to the ship as Castaway Cay is. I felt for the families with smaller kids navigating the pier and the long tram ride. Even with our group of adults and a teenager, we felt the exhaustion of that trek in the heat.

Which Disney Cruise Island Is Best?

This is a hard question to answer and honestly, an unfair one to ask right now. Lookout Cay is still new, we experienced it during a preview sailing hosted by Disney without all the amenities offered, so it's hard to judge it fairly. Some of the challenges we experienced will likely improve over time as the island finds its footing. Remember, Castaway Cay has been a staple in the Disney Cruise Line itinerary for 25 years. Those are some big shoes to fill.

Personally, I would pick a cruise to Castaway Cay at the moment over Lookout Cay primarily just for the ease of the experience. I found myself feeling more disgruntled in the heat navigating the travel to and from the beach. But my son would adamantly disagree with me and choose Lookout Cay! He particularly enjoyed the different style of Lookout Cay and waters that weren't so secluded in the coves allowing for more active swimming in the waves. So I offer our very two different reactions as an example of why some things are strictly personal preference!

Lookout Cay offers a nice alternative to Castaway Cay and I am happy that it is not an identical replica. You can easily enjoy two separate, yet similar, experiences on these islands that both shine in their own unique way. I recommend you experience both so you can truly judge for yourself.