Welcome back, Kevin! As I sit here at my home in Ohio, bundled up, preparing for the below freezing temperatures this week, I am certainly dreaming of the warm waters of Castaway Cay. As an Ohioan yourself, I bet you know exactly what I'm talking about! Fortunately, you only have a few more months until you'll find yourself relaxing on the sands of
Disney's private island paradise!
If you're sure you'll want to take
bikes out to explore the island when you arrive at Castaway Cay, go ahead and pre-book that during your online check-in. However, that is one
Port Adventure that is not super necessary to pre-book. My family and I have never had a problem simply walking up to the rental desk to take bikes out for an adventure when we're ready. There are plenty of bikes for adults and kids of all ages and sizes, so if you'd prefer to wait and see how your day plays out, you certainly can. The same goes with snorkel gear at Castaway Cay. Any other Port Adventure, though, you'll definitely want to book in advance.
If you do rent bikes, be sure to travel the whole bike loop off of the old airstrip. About halfway around the loop, hop off the bikes and climb to the top of the observation tower. It affords a really cool view of the entire island! Great photo opp! Another of my favorite spots to take bikes on Castaway Cay is to head all the way out the old airstrip and turn right at Serenity Bay. That's a gorgeous shady tree lined path that goes out to a beautiful side of the island that your kids won't see otherwise, since the rest of the beach access on that side is reserved for guests 18 and up. It's worth the ride!
Have fun planning this adventure at sea, Kevin!
Marcy