Ahoy there Michelle and welcome aboard planDisney!
As your destination for first-hand knowledge ashore and on board, I'm glad to be able to answer this question for you - my father recently began using mobility aids and I recently went on a voyage to
Castaway Cay where I spent a chunk of my cruise being keenly aware of
accessible resources and offerings on board. The Castaway Cay 5k activity used to require advance registration, a designated meet-up and start time and
various participation restrictions more akin to a runDisney Challenge; on our most recent cruise, we found that this has changed significantly and you may find the following tidbits from our experience useful:
- The pre-registration that previously included tickets, race bibs and meeting locations is not currently required. The Cruise Staff who were in charge of the Bike Rentals let participants know that there was no need to check in, but showed them a map of the route and indicated that they could begin at a nearby sign indicating the Start and Finish line.
- We observed all kinds of families completing the Castaway Cay 5k with varying levels of abilities from babies in strollers, toddlers, families on bicycles and folks using mobility aids and wheelchairs. All were welcomed on the route and happily participated alongside a few folks who were in full running gear and tracking their own progress seriously.
- The course is paved and completed at your own leisure with no designated start nor end time and the Cruise Staff let us know that they would not be actively tracking each participant to verify completion.
- In order to receive the completion medal, all you needed to do was return to the Bike Rental and let them know that you had finished the Castaway Cay 5k. In some cases, you may need to inquire at the Guest Services Desk upon your return to the ship.
As you can imagine, this is vastly different from what some cruisers had experienced if their previous Disney Cruise Line vacation was even just a few years ago; it's good to remember that offerings and policies are indeed always subject to availability and may change without prior notice. (I recommend checking directly with the Cruise Staff at the Bike Rental booth on your cruise to see whether you're still able to participate or whether anything has changed.)
As an added
Princely Pro-Tip, I definitely recommend being prepared with sun protection as there are significantly long stretches without shade along the course! I hope you have a wonderful cruise this week Michelle, and please don't hesitate to
come back to planDisney again for any more tips and tricks - and be sure to connect with our Disney Cruise Line specialists
Tracie and
Adrianna for their wealth of nautical knowledge!
Whatever you choose to do, wishing you all the best on your upcoming Castaway Cay adventure!
Prince