Disney's Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point is a privately owned port in The Bahamas that serves as an exclusive destination for Disney Cruise Line ships. It is located on Lighthouse Point, located southeast of Bannerman Town on the island of Eleuthera. Unlike Disney's first exclusive Bahamian destination, Castaway Cay which is located on a private island, Lookout Cay occupies a privately controlled peninsula that remains part of the larger, inhabited island of Eleuthera.
Entrance to Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point | |
Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point Location in the Bahamas Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point Location in the Caribbean | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Bannerman Town, South Eleuthera, The Bahamas |
| Coordinates | 24°37′23″N 76°08′46″W / 24.623122128715305°N 76.146020869852527°W |
| Type | Peninsula |
| Archipelago | Lucayan |
| Adjacent to | Atlantic Ocean |
| Area | 700 acres (280 ha) |
| Administration | |
Bahamas | |
| District | South Eleuthera |
| Additional information | |
| Time zone |
|
| • Summer (DST) |
|
In March 2019, The Walt Disney Company purchased the Lighthouse Point property from the Bahamian government, giving the company long-term control over the site while it continues to fall under Bahamian laws and governance. This area opened June 6, 2024 with the Disney Magic being the first ship to dock there.
History
Following the expansion of its cruise fleet announced in 2016, Disney sought another exclusive destination in The Bahamas to support additional cruise capacity. The company initially considered acquiring Egg Island, however, local opposition and environmental concerns, particularly regarding nearby reefs, led Disney to abandon those plans.
In March 2019, the company announced an agreement to purchase the Lighthouse Point property on Eleuthera from the Bahamian government. Disney invested an estimated US$250–400 million to develop the roughly 700-acre (280 ha) site with facilities themed around Bahamian culture, while donating about 190 acres (77 ha) including the southernmost tip, to the government for use as a national park.
Disney committed to hiring and training Bahamians for construction, vendor opportunities, and ongoing operations, and also committed to increasing calls to other Bahamian ports such as Nassau and Freeport by 30–40 percent compared with 2018 levels.
Disney Imagineer Joe Rohde, known for projects including Disney's Animal Kingdom and Aulani, initially oversaw the project prior to his retirement on January 4, 2021.
Construction workers were hired in March 2022, and site work began the following month. The destination was officially named Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point during Destination D23 in September 2023, and opened to guests on June 6, 2024.
Features
Transportation
At Lookout Cay, Disney Cruise Line ships dock alongside an open-trestle pier known as Turbot Berth, which connects to the shore and Mabrika Cove via an approximately 1⁄2-mile-long (800 m) walkway. The pier’s design was intended to address environmental concerns related to water flow, marine life, coral reefs, and sediment disruption. It was routed to avoid existing coral reefs, and any viable individual corals within the pier’s footprint were relocated. Extending the open-trestle pier from shore to deep water eliminated the need to dredge a ship channel. A tram operates between Mabrika Cove, near the pier walkway, and the Goombay Cultural Center, which is located near most of Lighthouse Point's guest amenities. Some guests have criticized the length of the pier walk and tram wait times, particularly in comparison to Disney’s Castaway Cay, where the pier walk is approximately 1⁄5-mile (320 m) and tram use is optional.
Amenities
Island amenities include multiple food and beverage venues, such as the True-True BBQ, True-True Too BBQ, and Serenity Bay BBQ, as well as several bars including Blue Ribbon, Watering Hole, Reef & Wreck, and Sandsational Smoothies. The island features multiple beaches, attractions, Disney character meet-and-greet experiences, and retail merchandise locations. Additional recreational offerings include a designated nature trail, bicycle rentals, and private cabana rentals located in Mabrika Cove and Serenity Bay.
Access
Disney Cruise Line's agreement with the Bahamian government allows for citizens and residents of the Bahamas to access Lighthouse Point for non-commercial purposes.
This is in addition to the access provided for by Bahamian law, which states that all land in the country up to the high water mark is public property and must be available for any Bahamian to access.
See also
- List of islands of The Bahamas
- Castaway Cay, Disney's first private island
- Private island
wikipedia, wiki, encyclopedia, book, library, article, read, free download, Information about Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, What is Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point? What does Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point mean?