Hi Catherine!
I have fond memories of our daughter's first cruise, on the Disney Wonder. She'd just turned two, and I wondered how much she would actually get to participate in at that age. I didn't need to worry - I think she had more fun than anyone else in our sailing party!
We reserved childcare time in It's a Small World Nursery, which allowed us time for dinner at one of the adult dining venues - what a treat! One evening, when we went to pick her up, she was asleep and being rocked by Mulan, in full dress and makeup. Another night, she got to play ball with Chip and Dale (who to this day, remain her favorite characters)! The staff was attentive and sweet, and took wonderful care of our little princess.
It's true that many of the activities on Castaway Cay have a participation age limit of 3 years old. When we cruised with our little one, we enjoyed spending the day playing in the sand and wading in the ocean. We also rented bicycles, which you can request with a child seat on the back. My daughter loved our bike ride around the island, and the adults were able to work off some cruise calories as well! Another activity available for children under 3 is the
Glass Bottom Boat Scenic Voyage. This all-ages tour is a great way to get a close-up view at some of the beautiful tropical fish and coral reefs around Disney's private island.
I hope this helps with your planning! Have a magical day - Diane