Disney’s Castaway Cay

I recently had the opportunity to take a cruise on the Disney Dream and stop at Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island.  With this being my first cruise with Disney I was not sure what to expect when we left the ship and headed toward the beach.

First, let me say, that even the island had the service and the quality that you would expect from Disney.  The cast members were friendly, the roadways and beaches were extremely clean, and the water was clear.

Once off the ship you have the choice to walk to the beaches or to take a trolley.  Since we were going to the adults only beach we chose to take the trolley.  To get to the adults only beach you had to get off one trolley and get on another one.  There were lots of beach chairs and umbrellas once we got to the beach.

After just a few minutes on the beach a cast member met with us and asked if we needed anything.  They will bring you free drinks (water, tea, soda) or you can use your ship key to pay for other types of drinks.

We laid out on the beach for quite a while and then heard a familiar voice from the shore.  Jack Sparrow had come to visit the guests on the beach!  It was really neat and he was definitely playing the part.  He posed for pictures and spoke with all the guests who were interested.  I saw pictures from the family beach and there were lots of characters there as well!  This is just one of the many fun things about Disney’s Castaway Cay!

After being beach bums for a while we headed to lunch.  Each beach, the family beach and the adults only beach, has a restaurant.  The food was awesome and there was a good variety including hot dogs, hamburgers, fruit, chips, and ice cream.  It was all you could eat or as little as you could eat.

After eating we decided to head back to the ship, but decided first to take a stroll to take in the sites.  We did a little shopping along the way.  You can use your ship key to purchase your items at all but one store.  This particular store has items that you might find in Nassau.

I was extremely pleased with our time on Disney’s Castaway Cay.  It was laid back and peaceful.  I am definitely looking forward to a return trip!

Contact me to learn more about Disney’s Castaway Cay and how I can help with all your Disney Vacation Planning for FREE.  Yes, that’s right, my services are 100% FREE!

Kristi Letsinger
Authorized Disney Vacation Planner
MickeyTravels, LLC
1-865-548-0586
kristi@mickeytravels.com
www.mickeytravels.com

Making Magic One Vacation at a Time…

Packing for a Disney Cruise

Packing for Disney is a lesson in itself, but packing for a Disney cruise?  A whole different matter!  Here are some tips for things not on the standard packing list.

CRUISE SPECIFIC ADD-ONS List when packing for a Disney Cruise

Currency Conversion Chart, in the event you’re travelling to a destination that doesn’t handle U.S. dollars.

If you’ve booked shore excursions of any kind, be sure to pack hard copies of the receipts

A watch with dual time zones will make it easier to keep track of the time difference if you’re headed far enough away from home.

A nightlight: inside state rooms in particular are pitch dark, and the soft glow of a nightlight is just enough to help you navigate to the bathroom – or to soothe a small child who doesn’t care for the dark.

Binoculars

A lightweight, foldable tote bag is always helpful when you want to head to the pool and don’t necessarily want to haul your carry-on bag. And in the event you buy too many souvenirs, you’ve got a last minute solution to getting it all home.

Ear plugs if you’re a light sleeper: ships are notorious for almost constant low-level noise, and if you think it may keep you up, an inexpensive set of earplugs may be the way to go. Another solution? Headphones to plug into your I-Pod or mp-3 player will block noise just as well.

An alarm clock: whether you’re in the inside stateroom or have your blackout blinds closed on the verandah window, it’s always nice to know what time it is without fumbling for a watch or cell phone.

Sun protection is a must: a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses; all of these are things you can buy at the onboard gift shop but probably at inflated prices. Do yourself a favor and pack them at home.

An over the door shoe caddy. For all of your shoes? No, actually to organize all of your toiletries and smaller items that don’t all fit on the countertop in the bathrooms. They’re available at almost any dollar store.

Extension cord or power strip. Plugs aren’t exactly plentiful in some staterooms – you may find your laptop’s charger cord won’t reach to the bed or the table. And with cameras, cell phones and more to charge, an extra outlet isn’t a bad idea.

Remember, when you are packing for a Disney Cruise it is vital to make sure you don’t leave those important essentials at home.  Use this list as a guide and you’ll be in great shape!

Contact me for more of my FREE Disney vacation planning tips!

Nicole Courson
Authorized Disney Vacation Planner
MickeyTravels, LLC
ncourson@mickeytravels.com
www.mickeytravels.com
(412)735-6131

Making Magic One Vacation at a Time…