Water Sports at Castaway Cay (Photo Credit: Kent Phillips / Disney Cruise Line)

There is very little tidal movement in the Bahamas. The warm air means that the surrounding seas are always warm, ranging from 73☏ in January to 82☏ in midsummer. The wettest months are August and September with short afternoon showers but the sun quickly reappears. The rest of the year is a pleasant 77 to 88☏. Winter is the peak season for cruising in the Caribbean and Bahamas, and daytime highs are generally between 74 and 76☏. The Bahamas has year-round warm sunny weather with some cooling sea breezes to ease the hot summer temperatures. Tips for Getting the Most from your Day at Castaway CayĬastaway Cay is 73 miles north of Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, and 167 miles east of Miami.Tours, Excursions and Add-on Experiences at Castaway Cay.(Make Believe!) History about Castaway Cay.We’ll let you know when there’s more news! Lighthouse Point will be on the island of Eleuthera. It has around 140 Disney staff who live permanently on the cay keeping everything running smoothly for each new cruise ship arrival.Ĭruisers might get the feeling of déjà vu as the cay has been used as a film set in several films including Splash and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.Ĭastaway Cay has proved so popular with Disney cruisers that we hear there is a second private island in the pipeline. Just disembark, stroll along the pier and feel the soft white sand between your toes!ĭisney has developed just over 55 acres of the 3-mile long island, leaving the majority of the cay in its natural state with indigenous trees for birds and wildlife. This meant that Castaway Cay became the first private port island that did not need to tender cruisers ashore. The first task was to dredge 50,000 truckloads of sand to create a deep-water dock and pier. In 1997, Disney purchased a 99-year lease of the cay from the Bahamian government and began turning it into an exciting dream destination for cruisers. Some time later, a 2,400 foot airstrip was built, making it very attractive for bootleggers during Prohibition, and later to drug runners.

Records show that it was first settled in 1783. Originally named Gorda Cay, this 1000-acre island is in the South Abaco district of the Bahamas, near Great Abaco Island. Who doesn’t dream of being a castaway on an idyllic white sandy beach surrounded by sunshine and beautiful Caribbean Seas? If you’re cruising with Disney, they really do make dreams come true on their private island named Castaway Cay.

Castaway paradise pear