Ahoy there, Amy! Welcome back to planDisney! Looks like you've got a few nautical miles under your keel and a few circumnavigations of Walt Disney World Resort, to boot! Thanks for always having great questions for me and my fellow panelists! So let's get right down to it! I'm so excited you and your crew are making plans for a great day at
Disney Castaway Cay!
As a fellow "rope-dropper" - or "anchor-dropper" as I like to say when on a Disney Cruise Line vacation - the mornings are long and relaxation in the middle of the day is key...or should I say "Cay?" When you're up before the ship docks, there's so much to do even before you head ashore! My wife and I like to grab a coffee from the Beverage Station and watch from the stern while the Captain makes the final approach! This also puts us right above
Cabanas where we like to catch breakfast to watch us tie up while waiting for the all-clear to go ashore!
As Flynn Rider said, "Oh, the things we've seen and it's only eight in the morning...this is a very big day!" While some of your fellow castaways will just be waking up, you'll be caffeinated, fed, and ready to hit the sand! Now, Cookies BBQ (as well as Cookies Too and Serenity Bay BBQ) opens at 11:30, so there's plenty of time before then to experience everything there is to do on the island! From
Port Adventures like parasailing to snorkeling and watercraft rentals to picking the perfect spot at the beaches, running the Castaway Cay 5K, or even skipping the tram rides and taking a leisurely walk down the airstrip to Serenity Bay, there are plenty of ways for the entire family to work up an appetite!
When the heat of the day sends castaways flocking to the lounges and ice cream stations like the seagulls from "Finding Nemo," you can also beat the heat at Olaf's Summertime Freeze! Most days, by the time you get to its location right near the tram stop for Serenity Bay, the beverage crew members can usually be found setting up to concoct the greatest FROZEN treats this side of Arendelle. Now, this could vary based on a lot of factors on your particular sailing, so I always recommend checking your
Disney Cruise Line Navigator app to confirm when you can get your hands on those adorable souvenir cups! I'm partial to the Sven one - you know with the whole, "Reindeers are better than people" thing - but it is always hard to say no to another Olaf-shaped cup!
Hopefully, the remainder of your day is inspired by the Pirate Code, and the rest of your activities are "more what you'd call guidelines than actual rules!" But if your anchor-dropping exhaustion hits and you've powered through your chance to take an island nap, remember that's nothing a quick trip to
Cove Cafe couldn't fix once you're back on the ship! Card-carrying members of "Team No Sleep" know what I'm talking about.
Well, Amy, you've officially got me planning my own triumphant return to Disney Castaway Cay - we may need to sneak in a last-second getaway this summer. I hope my tips have helped you chart a course for an adventure through the crystal clear Bahamian waters, and that you and your crew have an absolutely incredible day ashore! Thank you so much for your questions as always! If you come up with any others, you know where to find us here at planDisney!
Until next time, may your anchor be tight, and your compass true!
Andrew