Trip log, day two. Lookout Cay.
3-Night Bahamian Cruise from Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Lighthouse Point Preview Cruise)
June 7, 2024

Guests Ashore: 10:30 am Guests Onboard: 4:45 pm
Personal Navigator – Day 2

Today’s trip log entry will include a good amount of information that was previously shared in overview articles highlighting different aspects of Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point. For the trip log, I will reference those articles rather than re-share the bulk of the information. Unlike the previous articles, I will including my thoughts and opinions. As a reminder, we paid full price for this cruise, but I was extended access to the media opportunities available both onboard and at Disney Lookout Cay.

NEW PORT DAY!!!!!!!!! Like a kid on Christmas morning, I was up, ready to unwrap… explore a new port. Considering, we were still making our way to the dock, I headed out of the stateroom early to walk around the Magic and take some photos of new and updated spaces since I was last onboard in February 2020. I still can’t believe it was over 4 years since I last sailed on my favorite ship.

Soul Cat Lounge

I started out at Soul Cat Lounge which was added during the Disney Magic’s last dry dock which ended in May 2023.

As much as I loved The Promenade Lounge, the revision works well in the space and most importantly opens up the walkway along the portholes, which at times became a traffic jam with the tables and chairs. Granted, those were great seats to enjoy the ocean views, but it is a huge guest flow improvement. The addition of bar seating along the walkway helps add capacity for events.

A couple week before sailing, we sat down and watched Soul for the first time. Lovely film, and while an IP based venue, it was done well with subtle references to the film such as Joe Gardner’s hat and jacket on a coat rack near the piano.

The walls are adorned with jazz related posters, pictures, and instruments. Even the television screens are themed for the venue when not being used for events and activities.

Above the bar you will find additional references to the film including pictures of Joe Gardner, Dorothea Williams, and model of 22.

Even though, I really wanted a Snuggly Duckling Lounge to pair with Rapunzel’s Royal Table, Soul Cat Lounge fits well in the space, and we enjoyed our time in the space during various actives and such throughout the sailing.

Continuing on, I made my way to the atrium and around After Hours before circling back. The only thing that stuck out on my walk was a piece of art in a case on the Port Adventures desk. A colorful cat.

I pulled up the MarineTraffic app to check our current location and realized we were beginning to make our approach and enter the Exuma Sound where the pier is located.

At this point, we were passing by the Atlantic Ocean portion of Disney Lookout Cay offering the first view of the venues along the shoreline.

The Magic soon made here way around the southern tip into the Exuma Sound leaving me with a of the rock features at Lighthouse Point with the Atlantic Ocean in the background.

As we continued our approach, it was becoming more and more evident we were going to dock starboard…

At this point, I had a time-lapse going from our Navigators verandah, which began well before sunrise. The idea was to capture the full day. Well, when life gives you lemons, don’t quit, make lemonade. I had a gut feeling this was not going to go as planned. Our friend Heather J was staying in a starboard verandah room on the same deck and graciously allowed me to move my setup to her verandah.

There was a bonus to all this, we both had the opportunity to enjoy the docking procedure from this vantage point since the upper decks were quite busy at this time.

Fun fact, the Disney Magic touched the dock at Lighthouse Point just after 8:20 AM on June 6, 2024.

The moment the Disney Magic touched the pier for the first time at Lookout Cay. pic.twitter.com/VqImMQQKEx

— Scott Sanders (@TheDCLBlog) June 7, 2024

It was fun to watch the team on the dock fetch the mooring lines and to see their excitement of welcoming a ship to the port and guest ashore for the first time.

We docked about 2 hours before our all ashore time to allow crew members from the to go ashore, familiarize themselves with the new venues, and get set up for guests. Disney Lookout Cay is just as new to the crew as it is to the guests waiting to go ashore. I think they all did a great job in the short lead time to assume their individual roles ashore.

Since we had a couple hours until we’d be allowed ashore, we headed to Soul Cat Lounge for Disney Cruise Line trivia. Can you answer Question #1: What is the name of the new, second private destination being developed for future sailings in the Bahamas? A. Castaway Cay, B. Castaway Point, C. Magical Island, D. Lighthouse Point.

After trivia, we decided to be ready for the gangway open announcement and proceeded to deck 4 to keep an eye on things. After last year in Santorini, I’ve learned it is important to keep an eye out for changes instead of just listening for changes.

The gangway was open for guests to go ashore!!!! We made our way down the three decks and arrived at the perfect time entering the line to disembark just off the stairs!

Let’s all go for a nice half mile walk. There are reports suggesting I was clean shaven when I set foot onto the open-trestle pier, but I am here today to denounce this rumor – it took me less than 10 minutes to get to dry land in moderate traffic.

MABRIKA! We made it to land. Yes, it is a bit of a walk, but for me it is worth it. I went into much more detail on design and placement of the pier here if you are interested in learning more. Personally, I see the walk as a small price to pay for access to a beautiful destination.

When you arrive on land, take a minute to pause and reflect on the journey. More importantly, this is a great opportunity to take a picture of your cruise ship. If you look closely, I skipped the photo on the way to the tram and had to settle with a more overcast picture below on my return later in the afternoon.

When you reach land, you will walk into an arrival plaza and pass thought the security checkpoint.

Once inside, we walked over to Mangroves & Go where Isabelle picked up a souvenir mug with the Bahama Brew cold coffee beverage. The middle picture is purely for reference to show you what the beverage would look like if served in a transparent cup. This a version of the Bahama Brew served during the Lookout Cay panel I attended a few months ago. Isabelle enjoyed the Bahama Brew and would absolutely order again in the future. I am essentially just a black coffee and espresso person, but this was quite refreshing and it offers a caffeine/sugar surge to start the day ashore. This is also a great spot to grab a beer to start the day.

Keep an eye out for island creatures as you make your way to the Mabrika Cove tram stop. These little figures represent some of the fauna found in the area.

This was a preview cruise and part of that meant filming by Disney Cruise Line and National Geographic. I can only imagine a bringing Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point to life documentary of sorts coming eventually to Disney+. The NatGeo team was out in force filming both onboard and ashore so I am hoping for something along the lines of the Disney Wish documentary released a few years back.

There is not much to do in Mabrika Cove if you are not meeting up at the Turbot Boat dock for an excursion, renting a bike, or booked in a Mabrika Cove Cabana. The next step is to board a tram over to the Atlantic Ocean side of the property. Initially, I was going to walk across, but in hindsight, it was a good thing the trails were not ready as we ended up walking just about 9 miles during our time ashore.

The trams filled and another pulled up moving guests to the other side of the property. During our visit, the tram ride was just shy of 10-minutes which has been condensed in the following video providing a look around Mabrika Cove and ending at the Goombay Cultural Center tram stop.

Maintaining a balance between cruise passenger and cruise blogger was not sustainable today – I knew this the day we booked the cruise and I was prepared to hit the sand running. My focus was to see as much as I could during our time ashore while still fitting in some of the marquee events and activities. I was provided a media itinerary with scheduled events which were all public aside from really the cabana tours. Between my agenda and the event schedule, there was no time for rest and relaxation. The point of sharing this is that my day ashore is not at all representative of how we’d typically spend the day ashore.

Admittedly, I was out of my comfort zone. I was in an all new place and I did NOT have printed map to find my way around because I left my printed map back on my desk in Florida. So, I would highly recommend take the time to familiarize yourself with the property map and maybe even print a copy out to use on your upcoming visit. Below is a copy of the map and two additional images of cropped for each side of Lookout Cay.

Looking back, it was not that difficult to find my way around once I got my bearings, but initially, I was struggling to find the Play-Play Pavilion upon arrival for the first event of the day.

Frankly, I spotted a group of folks with cameras and just blindly followed, hoping they were heading to see the beach bash. Sure enough, this plan worked and I found myself at the Play-Play Pavilion which is the spot for games, activities, as well as a meeting spot for Disney Lookout Cay Seek and Find, a scavenger hunt offered for tweens and teens.

The Fun in the Sun Beach Bash was cute and should be highlight for the younger demographic because who wouldn’t want to go back and be a kid and play beach games with Goofy, Pluto, Chip, and Dale!

I ended up leaving before the beach bash concluded because I saw something shiny. The Family BEACH! I have been fortunate to visit many amazing beaches in my life, and Lighthouse Beach did not disappoint. It is gorgeous and frankly, my pictures and video do not do it justice. While not a vibrant pink beach as one may see in photos, Lighthouse Beach sand is considered a pink sand which gets it’s pale pink color from microscopic coral insects, known as Foraminifera, which have a bright pink or red shell full of holes through which it extends pseudopodia, footings that it uses to attach itself and feed (Link and description is specific to Harbor Island Pink Sand Beach which is in North Eleuthera, about 90 miles north of Lighthouse Point.)

The beach is amazing and this will be one of my most controversial statements made on this website – Disney Lookout Cay family beach is exponentially better than the family beach at Castaway Cay. 

Near the Play-Play Pavilion is Triton’s Trumpet Stage, which will be used for various activities.

One interesting activity I spotted on the schedule was an interactive sand sculpting experience where guest can learn to build sand sculptures. The activity was staged and ready go to, but I must press on.

But hurry please, So much time and so little to do. Wait a minute. Strike that. Reverse it. Thank you.

Willy Wonka

We stopped in at the Reef & Wreck Bar, but they were still getting things set up. Of all the bar locations, I think this one might be my favorite. It is at the southern end of the family beach and frankly, I like snorkeling reefs and looking underwater wrecks. It calls to me on a few levels. In reality, the bars are pretty much similar with one exception. More on that when we get to Serenity Bay.

The open house time at Sebastian’s Cove was running out, I made it over with about 10 minutes to spare before the venue switched to secured programing.

I can see this being a fun place to hang out and keep cool with all the water features. You can see more in this overview article.

We’ve barely scratched the surface, but it was time to take a break and head over to True True BBQ for lunch. The full overview of the offerings at True True BBQ, True True BBQ Too, and Serenity Bay BBQ can be found the Lookout Cay food and beverage tour article.

We sampled the majority of the food aside from the standard American fare, and overall we were happy with the new flavors. Considering this was the first day, and really the first few minutes of opening, the food was great. There are few items that missed in terms of preparation, such as the oven baked plantains which were more like thick beef jerky or the fried okra that was cold, but the foundation for a great Bahamian beach BBQ lunch is there and I look forward to returning. Emily & Isabelle loved the seafood & chicken bowls.

There has been a lot of talk about diptera when it comes to lunch offerings on property. Well, this isn’t made up, there are indeed flys and they seem to love the food just as much as we did. I’m not ignoring the issue or passing it off because I was extended a media credential. It just wasn’t an ‘all stop’ issue for the three of us. I grew up with flies at cookouts and get togethers where we ate outside – fly covers were always out on the picnic table in my grandparents back yard.

Disney Cruise Line is aware of the issue and has been working on solutions. On day one, they had table top fly fans to help mitigate the issue and when the Disney Fantasy arrived a few days later, there were larger fans positioned near the openings of the food service windows and food was covered and being served to guests to further mitigate the issue. Reports near the end of June and July from friends sailing, including one person who was also with me and did not want to eat due to the flies, reported they were not an issue during their return trip.

While this is initially a hot topic, I expect a combination of time and mitigation efforts will bring the issue under control. Keep in mind, this area of Eleuthera was un-inhabited and this is really the first time this many people have been on site at once and also the first time this amount of food has been prepared at once. A perfect storm of sorts with development impacting the natural habitat and new fauna years away from maturity.

After fueling up, we set off towards the Watering Hole and Sansational Smoothies. We had vouchers for complimentary non-alcoholic beverages, but this was the second bar that did not have them available. Another case of, when life gives you lemons, order a Moet & Chandon ICE.

We then walked around the family water play area called Rush Out Gush Out. This interactive water play area is for guests of all ages and includes two slides, plenty of splashy water features, and a creative outlet where you can make your own island sounds with water drums and make waves in the fountains. From the looks and sounds emanating from the area, it seems like this was a hit with guests.

I bet you are not going to guess which part of Lookout Cay I was the most exited to experience. The lighthouse and the cliffs on the southern tip of the property. Years ago when I first started reporting on this property I’ve been somewhat infatuated with the geography in South Eleuthera.

We set out on the Nature Trail which if you haven’t read, I put together an article covering our walk to the beach, limestone cliffs, and lighthouse with a ton of photos and a walking tour video. Although there were portions of the nature trail that were still not ready for guest to explore, the two areas I was most interested in were accessible.

The cliffs were stunning and I was truly fulfilled to see the Lighthouse (which is technically a light station) with my own eyes. This is also a great spot to take a family picture.

The walk from the lighthouse back to the area near Reef & Wreck Bar was about 15 minutes. There are water stations, and I highly recommend taking a bottle to keep filled with water anytime you are out exploring the nature trail. This was really the highlight of the day for me as it was really the only time I had to just soak it all in. Plus, those little friends we saw on the rock in Mabrika Cove were featured at various points on the Nature Trail.

From one extreme to the other, it was time to check off some more venues and head north. We stopped at the Bow & Ribbon Bar confirming it was offering the same menu as Reef & Wreck. That statement is not meant as a negative, it is nice to have the offerings spaced out across the property for easy access instead of needing to go on a hike for a cold beverage.

I missed the first Rush Out, and made it over to the Goombay Cultural Center with some time to spare before the start of RUSH! A Junkanoo Celebration featuring a local Junkanoo Group.

In collaboration with the National Junkanoo Committee, Disney develop a unique entertainment offering featuring an authentic and energetic rush-out that incorporates Disney characters, not the other way around. It is not often the Disney characters are second billing, but in my opinion, the local Junkanoo group is the headliner with Mickey, Minnie, Daisy, and Donald supporting characters.

Our time at Lookout Cay is ticking and we still had a few things to see. Wasting no time, we headed towards Serenity Bay. First, we passed through True-True BBQ Too which is a copy of True-True BBQ before reaching Serenity Bay. By this time, both True-True BBQ and Serenity Bay BBQ they were both closed down for the day and so were most of the drink stations. Thankfully, there was one still active with ice and water. Again, I highly recommend a water bottle if you plan to hike all over like me.

We spent time walking around Serenity Bay. It does share the same coastline as the family beach, but there was clear separation especially on the northern end which is where I would imagine most Serenity Bay guests will congregate due to the proximity of the BBQ and bar with the beach area in front of the Serenity Bay cabanas offering a buffer zone of sorts between the family and adult beach zones.

At the northern edge of Serenity Bay, you will find the Blue Hole Bar which does offer the same menu as the others we visited, but also features an expanded menu for guests in the adult only area of Lookout Cay.

I briefly walked out to the Serenity Bay beach area, and confirmed the water still looked incredible.

On our way back to the central part of the Atlantic Ocean side of Lookout Cay, we stopped for a tour of a Serenity Bay Cabana which you can read more about here.

Not sure what there is to say about the cabanas; they are in a unique spot and offer easy access to Serenity Bay BBQ while still keeping you on the Atlantic side for easy access to other events and activities such as exploring the nature trail.

We did it, I think. We reached the other end and now just have a few places left before our time runs out.

Exit through the gift shop was the way to go today as the line at the primary shopping venue, Disney T’ings was long upon arrival. I’d love to see DCL’s internet usage logs, I bet eBay was one of the most visited sites on June 6th. Even in the afternoon the shops were busy, but at least there was no wait to enter. Crew Members were feverishly restocking and at the same time cleaning up tossed merchandise in an unending battle of consumerism. Across the walkway you will find Treasure of Eleuthera with locally made gifts and artisan crafts.

Around the shopping venues, there is a Mickey Mouse Junkanoo photo background.

From what I understand, additional photo backgrounds will eventually appear in the area themed to other characters similar to the following pin set. I did see at least one other concrete base like the one pictured above.

Just before 4PM, I made it into the water. No, that is not me in the photo, I took the photo as I was walking into the water, but only for a few moments because it would have been a shame to come all this way and not get into the beautiful water that had been calling out to me all day like a devil on my shoulder.

In the above photo, you can see a white buoy, this defines the edge of the swimming and snorkeling area on the beach. I hear a lifeguard calling out to some snorkelers during the few minutes I was in the water, I couldn’t make it out, but whatever they were doing went against the rules.

One of the last places to check out on this side of Lookout Cay was Flippers and Fins, the snorkeling rental shop. It didn’t take me too long to figure out why the lifeguard was calling out to the snorkelers. It’s all there, black and white, clear as crystal! Diving down is not permitted. Since I didn’t get to explore the underwater world at Lookout Cay, I am not sure how impactful this rule will be as I frequently dive below the surface when snorkeling to get a closer look at the underwater features. Who knows, maybe this is their way of protecting the coral by keeping hands far away.

We began walking towards the tram stop when we passed by Rocky Point Bicycle Rentals which did not have any bikes and at the time of publication in early July, still does not have bikes available for rent. I’ve learned the bike will arrive and be rented once the trails have cured and are safe for bicycle traffic. An estimated time was not provided. If you look in the second picture, you can spot another concrete base for a Junkanoo Character photo background.

Last point of interest before boarding the tram was the Guest Services building. This photo also shows the proximity of the Goombay Cultural Center Tram Stop to the Disney T’ings retail location when looking at the map at the top of this article.

As we were on the tram ride, we spotted sings for the bike and walking paths.

Our last area to checkout were the Mabrika Cove Cabanas which are the family cabanas overlooking the Exuma Sound and the Disney Cruise ship. There is also a spot to eventually rent bikes which will actually be a fun way to explore Lookout Cay.

You can read and see more about these cabanas in this overview article. As for the actual cabana they are practically the same as those over at Serenity Bay, just on a different side of the property and family friendly.

Due to the location, there is a dedicated dining area building with picnic tables between cabanas 10 and 11 allowing guests to enjoy the same BBQ lunch found at True-True BBQ (Too) & Serenity Bay BBQ along with made to order steak.

If you ask me, the location of the Mabrika Cove Cabanas is not ideal for those who wish to enjoy the offerings on the other side of the property, especially those with little ones who may want to spend time at Sebastian’s Cove, or at the Rush Out Gush Out water play area. However, there is a trade off – Mabrika Cove is one of the only spots at Disney Lookout Cay where you can sit back, relax, and look at your Disney cruise ship.

Last but not least (because it could have been the first), but alas it was last. We exited Lookout Cay through the gift shop with a stop at the First & Last Chance Stand. The retail kiosk offers some of the basics you might need at the beach like a hat or beach tote along with some last minute gift items like trading pins.

Ok folks, pack your patience. It has been a long day ashore and before you can head back to the ship, you must pass through the security checkpoint. During our visit, security on land was not the typical check your KTTW card and ID. Actually, they told us we could use DisneyBand+ instead of the KTTW cards. That is besides the point, as there was also a manual bag check and metal detector screening of all guests before we were permitted back on the pier. Keep this in mind as you pack up and head back. If this process remains as is, prepare and set the exception for your travel party that this will be another stopping point.

I had a lovey chat with a gentleman from WDI overlooking the checkpoint and learned this had something to do with the port certification process and while not ideal for the overall guest experience and it is an added expense, it is out of their hands due to the process of getting the port certificate. Does this mean the added check is temporary; I am not sure. If anyone knows more, please share in the comments or drop me an email. Until then, prepare and don’t shove everything you have in your bag like I did only to have to take it all out in the bag check.

But wait, there’s more! Once you complete the walk back to the ship you get to go through the onboard security check. At least this time they have x-ray machines to speed up the process.

Ok, here it is… My subjective opinion. If I had to choose one of Disney’s destinations between Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay to visit exclusively and could never switch…. I would pick Lookout Cay without hesitation. I loved the natural beauty of the property and can see myself relaxing at the beach and snorkeling in the crystal clear water. The destination is far from complete and needs time to mature, literally with respect to the landscaping as well as operations. In a period where Disney IP is forced into every nook and cranny of the parks and cruise ships, I really appreciate the willingness to go with an original design motif with a primary focus on nature and Bahamian culture. I love to travel. I love to see and explore real life places and Lookout Cay while built up, still feels genuinely authentic. This is not a knock at Castaway Cay in any way, the island is great and I love the theming. However, if forced to pick, I’d rather spend a day in South Eleuthera than at Gorda Cay. My family whole-heartedly agrees with this take as well & we cannot wait to return and take an excursion into Eleuthera and enjoy some snorkeling and relaxing on the beach.

After a busy day ashore, I was re-energized when I checked on the GoPro and it was still recording! If you look close in the pictures above, you can see the camera’s placement.

Below is the video running just over 10 minutes of the Disney Magic’s first call to Lookout Cay on June 7th.

Tonight’s dinner rotation brought us to Rapunzel’s Royal Table, where we were served the Lantern Menu. Overall, the restaurant was a bit louder than I remembered, making it difficult to converse at dinner at our table which was opposite the stage in the far back. I appreciate the show, but in an already loud dining room, it makes it really difficult to hold a conversation.

Our server, who continued to be amazing, brought Isabelle the fry bread dessert with a scoop of birthday cake ice cream instead of vanilla (pictured below). She ordered the fry bread, and asked for just a scoop of the ice cream from the sundae, and he made the perfect combination for her!

After dinner, we headed over to O’Gills for trivia, but seats were limited. Knowing I am no help during music trivia, I bounced and headed up to our friend’s room to compare notes and look at the photos that we captured during our time ashore.

Tonight was pirate night according to the bandanas in our stateroom. I fought the urge to go swimming during the day, I gave in and went to bed instead of heading up the upper decks for the pirate festivities. Isabelle reports she had a great time there with other teens that she met at Vibe.

Tomorrow is our final day and we have something fun planned ashore.

Complete Trip Log Index

• Day 1 – Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• Day 2 – Lookout Cay
• Day 3 – Nassau, Bahamas