Did they think the water was enough?

[Mags2002]

Arguing with everyone who states an opinion that isn't pro-DCL isn't helpful. It's pushy and oppressive, actually. People have the right to have both positive and negative opinions, and this is a forum where both can be shared. You don't need to "correct" all of the negative opinions expressed here.

I said multiple times I agree that it isn’t perfect and should have been finished. I am not correcting people’s opinions, just adding what I’ve seen and been told is happening and changing

 

[ladyofthetramp]

My assumption is that it's more to do with not wanting them to float out into the ocean and not be easily retrievable like they are at Castaway.

I was not being rude and never said don’t comment. I hope people will give it a chance

Oh my! I think we need to be a bit more patient and not attack each other, especially those trying to be helpful. Mags2002 has help many people on these boards. For me, I am waiting this one out-just like I did with the Wish. Should the island have been at 100% for the preview cruise? Maybe, probably. People are paying a lot of money. But realistically this is an island-native plants will take some time to grow in etc. The flies? They will be addressed I am certain. The floats- it remains to be seen. If you notice all the retrieval of them them have to do at Castaway at the end of the day when they float away from people. They can not have that happen into the open ocean- that is just not right.
I am looking forward to my visit there someday-the beaches look amazing. Eleuthera is known to have some of the most beautiful beaches and places to snorkel in the world. Just going to bide my time and form my own opinion when I get my chance to go.

 

[OKW Lover]

@Mags2002 is good people she always is here to help

Agree - I've always found her contributions here on the boards to be interesting and helpful.

 

[sponica]

Our kids have outgrown now the kids clubs but even when they were younger, they never went to those hangouts while on CC. I know different families have different needs but if I took my kids to an island like this, that was just stunning and we only had a limited amount of time. Seriously in reality what’s the maximum amount that you’re on the island six hours?? and I’m spending thousands and thousands to bring us there. My kids are spending time with us and not hanging out in some kid out.

My daughter was very unimpressed by the kids club on CC, it just wasn't her thing.

 

[ironz]

Mags is trying to be helpful.
If some of y'all want to stay negative, that's on you, not on her.

 

[Trera]

Seeing all of the comments from the initial visit, I am definitely feeling better by not having have booked something early with the boat stopping there. I am sure it will get worked out sooner than later but I will hold off on taking our family there until the reports indicate that the issues have been resolved.

 

[MomOTwins]

Simple solution to this one. Require a $50 deposit. The waters aren’t so rough or if you fall off it somehow disappears within seconds.

On Castaway, we left our floats propped on the edge of our lounge chair to go to the bathroom for like 5 minutes and when we went back they were taken. We were disappointed but in the end of the day shrugged it off since it was only like $13 and we assumed it was a kid who didn't know better and thought it was like a water park where the floats are free. I feel like they would have a real problem if they charged $50--I certainly wouldn't want to gamble on that nor would l like to have to watch my float like a hawk and never leave it unattended all day. Not relaxing.

Seeing all of the comments from the initial visit, I am definitely feeling better by not having have booked something early with the boat stopping there. I am sure it will get worked out sooner than later but I will hold off on taking our family there until the reports indicate that the issues have been resolved.

Same. We still have a few weeks until our PIF date for our fall cruise to LP. I really do hope they resolve the flies--that's the one thing that I can't stomach. We'll make the long walk down the pier to the trams work even though it won't be fun, and I was pleased to see they've agreed to be flexible on allowing golf carts back if you have a kid who just is too tired. The beach does look truly beautiful and I don't mind rope dropping to get a chair on the beach--you kind of have to do that for a chair in the front row at Castaway to be able to watch your kid. Just please please please let them spray something to get rid of the flies because that is just unacceptable.

I do think that it's a little unfair to say Disney should have everything worked out before guests were allowed there. There will always be some kinks to work through on a first anything. That's why we always book a few months later.

 

[nancipants]

I do think that it's a little unfair to say Disney should have everything worked out before guests were allowed there. There will always be some kinks to work through on a first anything. That's why we always book a few months later.

Yup, people pay to be the first, not remembering the term "shakedown cruise."

 

[sabrecmc]

Our cruise to both Castaway Cay and Lighthouse Point is next year. My wife told me to cancel it today. She told me that Disney can work out the problems on their dime, not ours. She does have a point though, I am a Disney fan and she puts up with it. Lately, Disney has relaxed their quality standards and charge more for it. With limited time off and increasing competition for our travel dollars, it surprises me that they really missed the mark. Even Carnival announced improvements to their private island. I am surprised they don't have a large pool on the beach. Its nice to have an oceanfront pool to relax in for a few hours with kids. I think I am going to see what itineraries happen in fall of next year. It may be waiting for the Destiny to see if it has some fun itineraries. The Treasure just doesn't have anything interesting, We like 7-night cruises but 5 nights on the dream is what I have on hold now. We haven't been on a DCL cruise in about 9 years, before that gap it was at least a 7 night cruise yearly. I was hoping to return but with the prices and offerings, I am not too sure about that. Lots of competition with ships nowadays.

Our cruise to Lighthouse and CC is also next year. May 2025. I'm not canceling yet, but definitely keeping an eye on how things develop. This isn't what I was hoping for from a DCL product. Beach looks nice, but everything else is a lot of meh. Even the Disney vloggers who are totally Disney cheerleaders are struggling a bit. I love Disney, DCL and Castaway. I booked this cruise specifically because of Lighthouse. If it is just a pretty beach, I have those here (live on the FL gulf coast).

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

I’m with the critical people on here. This is why the Star Wars hotel failed. Crappy execution. Overpriced. If Disney wants to charge top dollar, they can’t have flies in the food. I’m mean, come on, where is the management? I’ve never seen that many flies before. It was shocking to me that people were even eating it. And then, good grief, what is that dumbed down cultural stuff? Disney gets rid of splash mountain, but puts in this show? They are making those people in those costumes look ridiculous. I don’t know what that is, but it not Bahamian culture they are showcasing. They might want to do actual research if they want to do some kind of cultural experience— you know, maybe actually read something about the history of the place. I forgot, Disney no longer has actual management where people actually know what they are doing and didn’t just get slotted for the job.

 

[pinkxray]

We aren’t frequent cruisers but when picking a cruise, I do look mainly for safe, beautiful beaches/ water. After watching a few videos it looks like somewhere we will enjoy. We live in CT along Long Island sound. We don’t have beautiful blue water and soft sand. I like to have these things on a cruise without having pushy vendors and traveling through a whole island to get to a nice beach. We definitely aren’t canceling and look forward to seeing the water in person. Of course, we will try to be off the ship asap and I’ll have to drag my family down the pier in order to get a chair in front of the dune but my years of Disney rope drops has me ready

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

It might be enough for me too with a drink and a float but that float part? Not happening. DCL isn't renting them (plastic- environmentalism) and they are on the prohibited list of items to bring with you on the ship so you can't even bring your own.

It’s all optics for Disney. They want to be able to say no plastic in the ocean period. It’s for banks and financing. Banks require all of this ESG baloney for them to get financing. Some companies push back on the banks, but Disney is more than happy to comply because it fits their agenda. Are they selling sand toys? I didn’t see those in any video either but maybe I just missed it.

As for the lack of chairs near the beach, I can guarantee they had some environmental consultant come in and tell them only so many chairs near the water blahs blah blah (kind of like 6 feet is the magic number lol). Whenever management really doesn’t know what they are doing they bring in consultants who also don’t know what they are doing so that management can at least deflect when the project fails. If we get lucky, they will put in shadow management to run things while they have other people as the face of the position.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

Having the chairs above that dune is absolutely crazy people go to the beach to sit next to the water…

Are you guys telling me they couldn’t have made Moana hook out of rocks or something or give it some kind of Disney magic or touches what are all these arguments even about? You
want to travel to a desolate beach OK great. I wanna go on a Disney cruise and experience Disney magic on a Disney island.

I just think I’m so vocal about this as I am a huge Disney Cruise fan and was really really really really excited for this island as I love castaway cay and Coco cay.

Aulani has the perfect marriage of Disney culture, Disney Magic, and Disney touches through the island that are not in your face Mickey Mouse.

 

[Husker Mike]

On other itineraries, families spend hundreds of dollars to ride a bus to a beach destination for an afternoon. Lighthouse may not be up to Castaway level yet, and may never be able to get there. But the idea of a second mostly-inclusive beach destination to pair with Castaway on shorter itineraries still seems like a great addition for DCL.

 

[DisneyAuntie12]

Having the chairs above that dune is absolutely crazy people go to the beach to sit next to the water…

Are you guys telling me they couldn’t have made Moana hook out of rocks or something or give it some kind of Disney magic or touches what are all these arguments even about? You
want to travel to a desolate beach OK great. I wanna go on a Disney cruise and experience Disney magic on a Disney island.

I just think I’m so vocal about this as I am a huge Disney Cruise fan and was really really really really excited for this island as I love castaway cay and Coco cay.

Aulani has the perfect marriage of Disney culture, Disney Magic, and Disney touches through the island that are not in your face Mickey Mouse.

What I would love to see is a third cay that goes all out on the Disney theming, as a sort of counter balance. I feel like Lookout Cay would be a great contrast to that on a cruise.

 

[Lucien Franciosa]

I wanna go on a Disney cruise and experience Disney magic on a Disney island.

Lucky for you, it already exists! It's called Castaway Cay. Talk to your travel agent and they can hook you right up...

Point being choice is good. Lookout Cay may not be what you wanted to see, but you do have a choice

 

[Lucien Franciosa]

What I would love to see is a third cay that goes all out on the Disney theming, as a sort of counter balance. I feel like Lookout Cay would be a great contrast to that on a cruise.

okay, have to admit, I wouldn't mind a third island that really went all out including some theme rides. is it too much to ask for an island sized pirates of the carribean ? LOL.

But for now, we have Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay, two different experiences.

 

[Lucien Franciosa]

As for the lack of chairs near the beach, I can guarantee they had some environmental consultant come in and tell them only so many chairs near the water blahs blah blah (kind of like 6 feet is the magic number lol). Whenever management really doesn’t know what they are doing they bring in consultants who also don’t know what they are doing so that management can at least deflect when the project fails. If we get lucky, they will put in shadow management to run things while they have other people as the face of the position.

My guess is it has more to do with the tide, angle of the beach, and not wanting to bull doze down the dunes that protect the interior of the island. I think the part most are missing is that many countries have very strict shore policies on what can be done and not done to modify and build on coastal land. Heck, even in Maine I can't cut down a tree blocking my view if it's within 60 feet of the high tide mark.

 

[lilmc]

but my years of Disney rope drops has me ready

We affectionately call that “Disney Trained” in our family. Impossible to get dining or beach reservations anywhere else in the world? No problem, we’re Disney Trained!

 

[Lucien Franciosa]

Arguing with everyone who states an opinion that isn't pro-DCL isn't helpful. It's pushy and oppressive, actually. People have the right to have both positive and negative opinions, and this is a forum where both can be shared. You don't need to "correct" all of the negative opinions expressed here.

A lot has been said about the 'right to an opinion,' and sure one has the 'right' to voice almost anything they think, but that's not the same as having to respect drivel. I tend to respect people's opinions more if they have actually experienced something, or at least gathered as many facts as they can, rather than opining on something they heard somewhere on the internet. We have people here that have been to the island and taking the time to offer their direct observations, but their opinions are largely being drowned out because they tend to actually be positive and it seems there are those that need to be negative because it doesn't match their preconceived notions. Sure LC has some problems that need to be addressed, everyone acknowledges that, but give it time and keep an open mind. I think that's what some people are also saying.