Spot These 5 Amazing Creatures on Your Disney Cruise to Lookout Cay!
Set sail for paradise! Disney Cruise Line’s brand-new Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point opens this June.This island getaway celebrates the Bahamas’ rich culture and stunning natural beauty.
Immerse yourself in the magic:
- Signature Disney entertainment: Prepare for unforgettable shows and character interactions.
- Exciting port adventures: Embark on thrilling excursions tailored for all ages.
- Nature trails and water play: Explore the island’s beauty and cool off in splashy fun.
- Beach bliss: Relax on pristine shores, with a dedicated area for adults to unwind.
Beyond the fun, Disney prioritizes conservation. A team of experts has worked tirelessly to create this magical haven where nature flourishes. Encounter unique native plants and animals, making your visit unforgettable.
Related – New Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point Merchandise Coming This Summer!
1. Over 100 Dazzling Bird Species
Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point is home to more than 100 dazzling bird species, including the Kirtland’s warbler you see in the photo on the left and the thick-billed vireo on the right, both perched on the hands of Disney’s Bahamian conservation managers Bradley and Pachancia. You’ll also want to keep an eye out for the gray and white piping plovers dotting the shoreline – you might recognize relatives of these birds from the Disney Pixar animated short, “Piper.”
Disney started a bird monitoring program to help identify where the island’s resident flyers call home, and they purposefully designed the destination to avoid these sensitive areas. Disney continues to monitor the island’s bird species to this day through a tagging and tracking program so they can help protect these feathered friends.
2. Barrel Sponges Towering from the Ocean Floor
Disney found nearly 50 giant barrel sponges off the coast of Disney Lookout Cay. These important invertebrates are the largest species of water-filtering sponge and are sometimes called “Redwoods of the Reef” due to their size and long lifespans.
To preserve these sponges along with corals and other marine habitats, Disney designed an innovative open-trestle pier that extends into deep waters. Designing the pier with its long, slender stilts helped avoid dredging the ocean floor to build a dock for the ships. For the few giant barrel sponges that fell within the pier’s footprint, Disney expertly relocated them using a groundbreaking method with the help of friends in EPCOT’s costuming team, who designed the innovative mesh carrier you see above. Initial results show the relocated sponges have taken root and are expected to thrive.
3. Fish and Other Marine Life Swimming Offshore
It’s no surprise the waters off Disney Lookout Cay are teeming with marine life, including 74 species of fish and more than 60 other species identified so far. While enjoying the ocean, keep an eye out for silversides like the ones pictured above as well as Nassau grouper, parrot fish and blue tangs seen swimming just offshore.
To help these fish and other sea creatures, just keep swimming around Lighthouse Point, Disney added some special features under the open-trestle pier. By repurposing 30 limestone boulders already on the site, Disney built artificial reefs to establish an underwater “fish highway.” These structures provide fish and other marine species a natural shelter so they can move safely through the pier’s support legs.
4. Land Crabs Scurrying Across the Sand
Land crabs are important to the Bahamian way-of-life, and you’ll see plenty of them when you visit Disney Lookout Cay. Don’t be surprised if you see the ghost crab, black crab or the black-backed crab like the ones pictured above scurrying across the sand or on walkways. Just give them some space and they’ll walk right by you.
Since these crabs are abundant and important residents of the island, Disney has been tagging them and tracking their natural behaviors so we can learn more about them. This is one of the first studies of this kind in The Bahamas!
5. Diversity of Native Plants Growing Across the Island
From the moment you arrive at Disney Lookout Cay, you are sure to notice the destination’s rich and diverse plant life. Home to nearly 200 species of plants, the island features dense evergreen forests, open-water ponds, mangroves and more. The shrub-filled sand dunes like you see in the photo act as an important animal habitat and help maintain the island’s natural shoreline.
To preserve the native vegetation, Disney intentionally only developed about 16% of the land – much of it for low-density uses like beach chairs, umbrellas and small support structures. For the areas developed, Disney Imagineers relied on elevated walkways and structures that all help reduce impacts to the natural environment. Disney also partnered with a local Bahamian plant nursery to conserve a variety of native plants.
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