Disney Cruise Line has introduced that its new personal island vacation spot at Lighthouse Point, situated on the island of Eleuthera within the Bahamas, will welcome friends for first time throughout its opening season in Summer 2024. This put up covers all the pieces we find out about DCL’s new counterpart to Castaway Cay.
Created in shut collaboration with native artists and advisors, Disney Cruise Line’s vibrant island retreat at Lighthouse Point will probably be a singular celebration of Bahamian tradition delivered to life with the standard and repair of a Disney trip.
Keep studying to find all the newest particulars about this stress-free seaside escape designed with households in thoughts, infused with the colour and power of Bahamian artistry, and developed with a dedication to conservation at its core.
When Disney Cruise Line friends arrive at Lighthouse Point, they’ll be greeted by distinctive, sweeping structure in vibrant, saturated hues. This type was impressed by nature and created in partnership between Walt Disney Imagineering and native artists.
The curvilinear buildings will at first seem as Bahamian shells scattered alongside the shoreline. Upon nearer inspection, friends will uncover creative expressions of the native wildlife of The Bahamas and the pageantry and historical past of Junkanoo parades. Throughout the vacation spot, references to playful folklore characters will evoke the heat and appeal of the native tradition.
Respect for the atmosphere is on the coronary heart of the design at Lighthouse Point. At least 90 % of the vacation spot’s electrical energy wants will probably be met by an onsite photo voltaic array, the pier was designed to keep away from the necessity for dredging and elevated walkways will assist restrict impression on the panorama.
Disney Cruise Line’s guests to Lighthouse Point could have the chance to be surrounded by the wonders of nature and get a glimpse into the efforts happening to preserve wildlife and their distinctive island habitats.
At Lighthouse Point, households will take pleasure in a day of enjoyable within the solar as they loosen up on pristine seashores, embark on energetic adventures and uncover genuine Bahamian storytelling alongside favourite Disney characters. As with DCL’s different personal island, Castaway Cay, Lighthouse Point will supply actions and areas for each age group.
Families can loosen up and play alongside white sandy seashores and turquoise waters on the expansive household seaside on the east facet of the Lighthouse Point, which will probably be centrally situated close to market-style eating, recreation and different facilities.
A Bahamian artwork and tradition pavilion that includes particular applications and native artists will present DCL guests to Lighthouse Point alternatives to study and have fun the traditions and pure fantastic thing about The Bahamas.
Lighthouse Point’s interactive household water play space will embody two slides, water drums, fountains and extra. This play space may also characteristic a devoted house for toddlers.
North of the household space will probably be Lighthouse Point’s grownup seaside. This stretch of sun-drenched serenity will supply Disney Cruise Line friends a devoted eating space for handy entry to meals and drinks all through the day, plus six personal cabanas accessible by reservation.
Children ages 3 to 12 will splash and play at a children’ membership underneath the care of Disney Cruise Line counselors. The children’ membership will supply a splash pad impressed by favourite undersea creatures from “The Little Mermaid,” loads of shade, in addition to a devoted eating space.
Set away from the exercise of the primary household space, a peaceable seaside alongside Lighthouse Point’s southwestern shore will probably be lined with 20 premium household cabanas accessible for DCL friends to hire, together with 4 double cabanas that accommodate bigger teams and supply therapeutic massage companies.
Additional leisure actions will probably be accessible for friends of all ages, together with a lined gaming pavilion, volleyball court docket, gaga ball pit, watercraft and bicycle leases, nature trails for climbing and biking, and extra. New Port Adventures developed in partnership with native tour operators will take friends past Lighthouse Point to discover the wealthy tradition and breathtaking fantastic thing about Eleuthera.
Lighthouse Point is being thoughtfully designed to offer a hassle-free expertise for households, together with complimentary seaside necessities (towels, chairs and umbrellas and lunch), and tram transportation.
In phrases of commentary, I don’t have loads so as to add. The idea artwork makes this look very nice, like a cross between Castaway Cay and Aulani. We love each Castaway Cay and Aulani, and I’m certain this will probably be superior. Having the personal island lean extra in the direction of authenticity is nice, even when I do benefit from the Imagineered vibe of Castaway Cay. (That jogs my memory a little bit of Typhoon Lagoon, whereas I think this won’t.)
All in all, we count on Lighthouse Point to be an amazing vacation spot for Disney Cruise Line friends. Based on the outline, it feels like DCL and Imagineering have realized classes from what labored and didn’t with Castaway Cay, and that is basically the following technology of that. It seems that sensible enhancements have been made, giving Lighthouse Point a better sense of enjoyable and luxuriousness, together with the elevated emphasis on authenticity. That’s simply my impression based mostly on the idea artwork and press launch, although.
I ended paying shut consideration to the Lighthouse Point saga some time in the past, however have nonetheless been anticipating an replace on this for the final couple of years. You may recall that ex-Imagineer Joe Rohde was the face of the Lighthouse Point undertaking when it was first introduced nearly 4 years in the past.
Renowned for his culturally-respectful work on Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Aulani Resort & Spa in Hawaii, Villages Natures in Paris, and quite a lot of different unbiased tasks, Joe Rohde was unquestionably Disney’s greatest ambassador in the case of conservation and tasks that spotlight cultures.
When Lighthouse Point was introduced, Joe Rohde shared how he was embarking on an in-depth cultural tour of the Bahamas assembly with native artists and cultural specialists. He explored cultural websites throughout New Providence and Eleuthera, from Junkanoo shacks to famous artwork galleries, gathering samples, listening to from locals, and figuring out the very best strategy for telling their tales.
If anybody may “sell” a undertaking like this to conservation teams or these in any other case opposed or on the fence, Joe Rohde is that particular person. He has a simple manner of passionately talking about just about something, doing so in an earnest and interesting manner. He comes throughout as real and simple to belief. Unlike some stuffed shirt, if he says Disney will concentrate on tradition and conservation, you imagine him. Or not less than, you need to imagine him.
At that point, Lighthouse Point was a controversial undertaking that was nonetheless awaiting an Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Management Plan, together with approval by the Government of The Bahamas and public session. There was a number of backlash pre-pandemic, however the plan was to open Lighthouse Point by final yr or this yr. Obviously, development delays have been an inevitability with the border closures and cruise business basically pausing for over a yr.
There was additionally Joe Rohde’s “retirement” in late 2020. At that time, all the design work and assessments would’ve been accomplished, but it surely appeared like Rohde was nonetheless essential because the face of the undertaking–simply as he had been with Aulani till (and even after) its opening. That together with all the pieces else led us to wonder if Disney Cruise Line had deserted Lighthouse Point.
Disney Cruise Line aggressively continuing with its fleet growth (to not point out the shock acquisition of one other partially-completed ship) made it doubtless that Lighthouse Point was going ahead. Still, we hadn’t heard something about it and have been stunned when no updates have been supplied at the newest D23 Expo.
Ultimately, Lighthouse Point appears prefer it’ll be a improbable vacation spot for Disney Cruise Line friends. The environmental points it poses do give me pause, and I hope Disney wasn’t simply paying face to those points to be able to safe approval. While the corporate’s observe file with Aulani is sweet, it is a bit totally different in nature. Hopefully Disney is honest in its statements that Lighthouse Point will probably be minimally disruptive to the pure atmosphere and that the island vacation spot will probably be utilized in an environmentally-responsible manner.
Again, Lighthouse Point will open for Disney Cruise Line friends on choose sailings in summer season 2024. Stay tuned for extra particulars about inaugural itineraries, signature leisure, eating, retail and excursions, and extra info.
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Your Thoughts
What do you consider the Lighthouse Point? Does this new personal island vacation spot look higher or worse than Castaway Cay? Did Joe Rohde’s involvement make this extra fascinating to you? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions? Hearing suggestions about your experiences is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!