Which Disney Private Island Is Better?

When you book a Disney cruise, you’ll enjoy your choice of dozens of unique itineraries.

Most of them include stops at one of Disney’s two private islands.

In July 1998, Disney introduced Castaway Cay.

This island has remained synonymous with Disney Cruise Line since the beginning.

In June 2024, Disney added a second private island getaway, Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.

I recently experienced both for the first time.

So, which Disney private island is better? I have thoughts.

Island Convenience

In comparing the two private islands, one of the considerations is how easily accessible they are.

If you’ve heard anything about Lighthouse Point, you probably understand why this discussion matters.

Since Castaway Cay has hosted guests for more than a quarter-century now, it’s a bit more lived in.

Conversely, Lookout Cay is still less than a year old and thereby evolving.

Disney will perfect it over time, as the company always does with the themed experiences.

Still, you can’t help but notice a difference when you visit the two islands on consecutive days as we did.

We exited our cruise ship, enjoyed a brief, scenic walk to the shuttles, and were well on our way at Castaway Cay.

At Lookout Cay, the walk is MUCH longer.

Thankfully, the view of the ocean is pristine, and shuttles will take you everywhere once you reach the island. Until then, it’s a bit of a slog.

So, Castaway Cay unquestionably wins the category of convenience.

The Food

During your island excursion, you’ll likely eat lunch, so each location features twin restaurants serving All You Care to Enjoy dining options.

At Castaway Cay, Cookies BBQ and Cookies Too are the main options.

However, the adult-exclusive area also offers Serenity Bay BBQ.

To a larger point, generally speaking, I strongly recommend the adult-only options at both islands when possible.

Parents can leave their kids at children’s activities and enjoy some me time at these places.

In case the name doesn’t give it away, BBQ is on the menu everywhere at Castaway Cay.

Grilled options include hamburgers, hot dogs, and roasted chicken.

You’ll find more upscale options as well, such as ribeye steaks, Cajun Mahimahi, and BBQ pork ribs.

I actually aggravated a server who desperately wanted me to have a steak for lunch.

He took it personally that I went with the ribs instead. Disney Cast Members care.

To a larger point, the food is easily accessible, and Disney has thought of everything.

The staff asks you to use cleaning wipes before touching your plates, a smart thing to do at a beach.

You’ll also find condiments, napkins, and refillable beverages.

There are even bags of name-brand chips, something i hadn’t expected.

More About the Food

As for the seating areas, most of them are covered, ensuring a relaxed setting while you eat.

Note that seating can be an issue on both islands, especially when you eat at the same time as most other people.

That brings me to a confession. I may have reversed my position if I’d flipped the order of where I ate first.

As a Lighthouse Point first-timer, I made several mistakes.

The island hosts True-True BBQ and True-True Too BBQ, along with Serenity Bay BBQ, the 18+ location.

Based on advice from our waiter, we walked past the uncrowded Serenity Bay BBQ to dine at the much more crowded True-True Too.

While we enjoyed our meals, this mistake wreaked havoc with our plans for an hour.

The following day, we learned and dined at Castaway Cay’s Serenity Bay BBQ, which was a superior experience in every way.

So, we favor the food at Castaway Cay based on our experience.

If we’d visited this island first, it may have been the opposite. We’ll need to go back before we decide for certain.

The Activities

Toward the end of our cruise, a strenuous debate occurred regarding the activities at the private islands.

Someone asserted that since Lookout Cay is newer, Disney has seeded it with more activities.

Presumably, the RUSH! A Junkanoo Celebration factored heavily into these comments, as did the Goombay Cultural Center.

There’s an unmistakable vibrance at Lookout Cay that makes a port visit feel kinetic and electric.

The live show, plus Mickey and Minnie dancing around in their colorful island garb, creates an unforgettable vibe.

That’s in addition to activities like the nature trail, Sebastian’s Cove, and the padded splash pad area.

Disney clearly placed a lot of thought into what families and single adults want to do during a beach visit and set up Lookout Cay accordingly.

Perhaps I’m being contrarian by favoring Castaway Cay, but I do.

At Castaway Cay, you can snorkel, rent a bike, feed stingrays, or nap in a hammock.

The Pelican’s Plunge water slide proved exceptionally popular due to the location and magical splashdown.

There’s a vibrance at Castaway Cay that comes from tourists having visited so often and having formed habits over the years.

Guests move with a sense of purpose here that they lack at the still-new Lookout Cay.

That’ll gradually change over time, but for now, I prefer the activities at Castaway Cay.

I’ll note that parents sounded more excited about the children’s options at Lookout Cay, though.

The Beaches

Lookout Cay has the better beach. Full stop.

That’s nothing against Castaway Cay, which we adored.

In fact, I found myself daydreaming about our spot on Castaway Cay on many occasions since our trip.

The ocean there is gentler, with more seaweed and sea creatures.

The tranquil waters switch from turquoise to blue to deep blue, and the structure of the lounge areas is better considered.

Still, the waters at Lookout Cay are the most pristine I’ve ever seen.

I always joke that it would take a lot to drag me away from Hilton Head Island, but the waters at Lookout Cay are vastly superior.

I’m not factoring in side considerations such as cabana rentals or the like, as we didn’t do that on this trip, nor would I expect most of our readers to splurge like that.

So, we’re just talking about your basic day at the beach.

Activities aside, Lookout Cay wins because Disney has chosen the most idyllic island.

Final Thoughts

When we tabulate the scores, it’s 2-2, with some of the results being close.

Based on what I’ve said, you may think that Lookout Cay wins, as it claims the most important category, the beach itself.

That’s just not the case, though.

My wife and I have discussed this on multiple occasions since we returned home, and we also debated the matter with other media members during our visits.

It has become clear that the comfort level of Castaway Cay differentiates it right now.

Again, over time, Lookout Cay will catch up in this regard and likely become the superior space.

In the interim, the most important point is that you’ll love either option.

In speaking with other tourists on the cruise, many of them felt a rush to see the new island as soon as possible.

Should your itinerary include visits to both private islands, you’re getting the best of both worlds.

Conversely, if you must pick one or the other, please understand that you’ll feel perfectly at home at Castaway Cay.

There’s something homey about this space that Lookout Cay hasn’t fully developed yet.

On the other hand, if a serene beach experience matters most to you, Lookout Cay is perfect.

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