Disney's Treasure Island?

[andyman8]

I just read this interesting article online about some sort of cruise island Disney had built for DCL called Treasure Island. Here's the article.

http://www.i-mockery.com/minimocks/disney-blunder/

I did some research on it and there seems to be little info on it. Is it even true as the site name seems to imply that it's a "joke" site. That said, I've come across multiple references to it on the internet.

Regardless, does anyone have any info on this? Thanks!

 

[owensjro]

Found a few sites with references to this. Most indicate it was the northern tip of Guana Cay that Disney have purchased for use with the Big Red Boat. From the information out there it sounds like they used it a few times but the channels through the Cays kept filling back up so they couldn't bring the ship in.

It also appears that the Cay is now under considerable development (with all the usual controversy development brings) for golf communities, etc.

I found one reference from someone who remembers the Big Red Boat stopping at this island but there wasn't much more.

Also, this is not the first time this has come up on the disboards. In a previous thread someone contacted Disney and Dave the archives guy and all denied this Treasure Island story.

Jim

 

[Cruisefan2]

Found a few sites with references to this. Most indicate it was the northern tip of Guana Cay that Disney have purchased for use with the Big Red Boat. From the information out there it sounds like they used it a few times but the channels through the Cays kept filling back up so they couldn't bring the ship in.

It also appears that the Cay is now under considerable development (with all the usual controversy development brings) for golf communities, etc.

I found one reference from someone who remembers the Big Red Boat stopping at this island but there wasn't much more.

Also, this is not the first time this has come up on the disboards. In a previous thread someone contacted Disney and Dave the archives guy and all denied this Treasure Island story.

Jim

Yes I saw that thread the other day as well and he said explicitly that Disney's only island was Castaway Cay. Honestly I just think there are enough people that don't like Disney and want to make them look bad or just like spreading rumors. He did say that princess and premier cruises did try to develop Guana Cay which would make sense as to what was being said. Here is the quote from Dave...


" No, our only island there has always been Castaway Cay. Premier Cruise Lines had "Disney cruises" on their "Big Red Boat" before we had our own cruise line, but that was simply putting our characters on their ships and combining a cruise with a stay at Walt Disney World. Princess Cruises had tried to develop an island, Guana Cay, but Disney was not involved in that endeavor.

Dave Smith"

That pretty much sums it up I think. The only other thing that I can think of is I you look at the "map" they have of the resort it's almost identical to that of the old Discovery Island (also known as treasure island for the first couple years of operation before it was changed to a wildlife place) on Bay Lake at WDW. It could be that they used some photos from the abandoned princess/ premier resort and added the Disney's discovery island map to it so it looks like disney. I'm not 100% sure obviously but that's what evidence points to one of the reasons I pointed out.

 

[andyman8]

Hmmm...

Sorry, I guess I didn't see the other thread, can some link because it's not coming up in my search? Thanks!

So, is this a hoax or was this island owned by Premier Cruise Lines but maybe just for Disney Cruises. While I really, really trust Dave Smith, I don't know if I entirely believe him on this because it's kinda hard to tell people that you left an island absolutely abandoned and locals ravaged through all of the stuff there. Considering it's in the middle of the ocean, it's fairly easy to lie about.

 

[Cruisefan2]

It does seem fishy I agree. While the evidence does point toward Dave being right, it does sound like something Disney would do to keep up their rep by sweeping it under the rug. And the photos do show an abandoned tropical island so it really is an interesting topic. One day I hope we find out about the truth about this

 

[outahere]

Yesterday afternoon I was talking to a friend about Disney cruises and she swears she went on the Big Red Boat many years ago and that they did stop at an island for a day. She was thinking that Castaway Cay was that same island, but I convinced her it was a different one. I think Premier Cruise Line developed an island as a day stop and then abandoned it once they stopped doing Disney cruises. I don't think Disney had anything to do with it, so Dave Smith would be correct.

 

[Cruisefan2]

Yesterday afternoon I was talking to a friend about Disney cruises and she swears she went on the Big Red Boat many years ago and that they did stop at an island for a day. She was thinking that Castaway Cay was that same island, but I convinced her it was a different one. I think Premier Cruise Line developed an island as a day stop and then abandoned it once they stopped doing Disney cruises. I don't think Disney had anything to do with it, so Dave Smith would be correct.

When did your friend cruise?

 

[outahere]

When did your friend cruise?

Not exactly sure, but given the age of her daughter (who also went on the cruise) I'm guessing sometime in the mid to late '80s.

 

[owensjro]

It wasn't an entire island. They had the northern tip of Guana Cay apparently. Do a google search for guana cay disney and you will find some hits.

In addition to the site linked in this thread I found a blog from a sailing couple that had these tidbits:

"There was a large barge full of heavy equipment beached by Disney’s old Treasure Island project. It was sad to see “the beginning of the end” of the wild north end of Guana Cay."

"The next morning, Jim and Mendy walked with us around the Atlantic beach at the northern tip of Guana. We cut through the island (right past and ignoring the new “no trespassing” signs) and toured what was left of the old Disney facilities, now in transition. Although the place was full of equipment and looked like it should be full of activity, there was no one there. We found out that an injunction issued and that the work was suspended until the Supreme Court reviews Guana Cay residents’ right to a hearing regarding their objections to the development."

I believe the second quote is referring to a project to build a golf/beach community where the old "Disney" property was.

Still nothing that says Disney actually owned this and that it wasn't the cruise line which owned Big Red Boat. But some good references to indicate that something is there.

Looking at the google maps you can't really see much at the northern end of the island. The central and southern parts certainly look partially developed.

Jim