Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, or simply Lookout Cay, is a private peninsula in The Bahamas which serves as an exclusive port for the Disney Cruise Line ships. It is located in the south-eastern region of Bannerman Town, South Eleuthera. In March 2019, The Walt Disney Company purchased the peninsula from the Bahamian government, giving the company control over the area.
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  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′36″N 76°08′55″W / 24.6268°N 76.1487°W |
| Type | Peninsula |
| Archipelago | Lucayan Archipelago |
| Area | 700 acres (280 ha) |
| Administration | |
| District | South Eleuthera |
| Additional information | |
| Time zone | |
| • Summer (DST) | |
History
editEleuthera
editIn 2016, Disney Cruise Line was looking to buy Egg Island, Eleuthera, the Bahamas, as another destination for additional cruise ships. However, opposition from nearby island residents and potential damage to the islands' reefs stopped plans.[1]
Lighthouse Point
editAfter Castaway Cay, Disney Cruise Line purchased another Bahamian destination in early March 2019, the Lighthouse Point property on the island of Eleuthera, from the Bahamas Government.[2] The cruise line was looking for another Bahamas location since the announcement of the third ship expansion in 2016.[3] Disney spent between $250 million and $400 million on developing the 700-acre property, incorporating Bahamian themes, and donated 190 acres, including the southernmost tip, to the government for a national park.[4]
Disney also hired and offered training for Bahamians for construction, vending, and other employee positions.[4] There were also increases in calls on Bahamian ports, Nassau and Freeport, of 30 to 40 percent over 2018 calls.[4] Imagineer Joe Rohde, whose previous projects being the development of Disney's Animal Kingdom and Aulani, was assigned to oversee the ports' development,[4] before his retirement on January 4, 2021.[5] Construction workers were hired in March 2022,[6] before work finally began at Lighthouse Point the following month.[7] Lighthouse Point opened exclusively to Disney Cruise Line guests on June 6, 2024.[8][9] In September 2023, Disney officially named the location "Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point" during Destination D23.[10]
See also
edit- List of islands of The Bahamas
- Castaway Cay, Disney's first private island
References
edit- ^ Staletovich, Jenny (July 22, 2016). "Disney backs off cruise port on pristine Bahamas island". Miami Herald. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
- ^ Tribou, Richard (March 11, 2019). "Disney Cruise Line completes land purchase, enters agreement for second Bahamas destination". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
- ^ Staletovich, Jenny (July 22, 2016). "Disney backs off cruise port on pristine Bahamas island". Miami Herald. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
- ^ a b c d Storey, Ken (February 11, 2020). "Disney Cruise Line gives new details on its upcoming, game-changing private Bahamian port of call". Orlando Weekly. Archived from the original on October 20, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
- ^ Bevil, Dewayne (November 23, 2020). "Disney: Joe Rohde, Imagineer who designed Animal Kingdom, is retiring". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
- ^ Mackey, Jade (February 27, 2022). "Construction for Disney Cruise Line's Lighthouse Point to Begin in the Bahamas Starting March 2". WDWNT. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
- ^ Mazloum, Thomas (April 20, 2022). "The Future Is Bright as Work Begins at Lighthouse Point - Disney Cruise Line | Lighthouse Point Bahamas". lighthousepointbahamas.com. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
- ^ McKenzie, Natario (April 11, 2024). "Disney Cruise Line to host final job fair for Lighthouse Point destination with employment to exceed HOA commitment". Eye Witness News. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
- ^ Peros, Evily Giannopoulos (March 9, 2023). "New Disney Cruise Line Island Destination at Lighthouse Point in The Bahamas to Welcome Guests in Summer 2024". disneyparks. Archived from the original on June 12, 2023. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
- ^ Libbey, Dirk (September 9, 2023). "Destination D23 2023 Disney Parks Panel: Ahsoka In Star Tours, What's Next For Animal Kingdom, And When Epcot's Transformation Will Finally Be Done". Cinema Blend. Retrieved September 9, 2023.