Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point

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Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point
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Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point
Location in the Bahamas
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Red pog.svg
Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point
Location in the Caribbean
Geography
LocationBannerman Town, South Eleuthera, The Bahamas
Coordinates 24°37′36″N76°08′55″W / 24.6268°N 76.1487°W / 24.6268; -76.1487
Type Peninsula
Archipelago Lucayan Archipelago
Area700 acres (280 ha)
Administration
District South Eleuthera
Additional information
Time zone
  Summer (DST)

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.

Contents

History

Eleuthera

In 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

After 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

Related Research Articles

This article talks about transportation in the Bahamas, a North American archipelagic state in the Atlantic Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abaco Islands</span> Group of islands in the Bahamas

The Abaco Islands lie in the north of The Bahamas, about 193 miles east of Miami, Florida, US. The main islands are Great Abaco and Little Abaco, which is just west of Great Abaco's northern tip. There are several smaller barrier cays, of which the northernmost are Walker's Cay and its sister island Grand Cay. To the south, the next inhabited islands are Spanish Cay and Green Turtle Cay, with its settlement of New Plymouth, Great Guana Cay, private Scotland Cay, Man-O-War Cay and Elbow Cay, with its settlement of Hope Town. Southernmost are Tilloo Cay and Lubbers Quarters. Also of note off Abaco's western shore is Gorda Cay, now a Disney-owned island and cruise ship stop renamed Castaway Cay. Also in the vicinity is Moore's Island. On the Big Island of Abaco is Marsh Harbour, the Abacos' commercial hub and The Bahamas' third-largest city, plus the resort area of Treasure Cay. Both have airports. Mainland settlements include Coopers Town and Fox Town in the north and Cherokee and Sandy Point in the south. Administratively, the Abaco Islands constitute seven of the 31 Local Government Districts of The Bahamas: Grand Cay, North Abaco, Green Turtle Cay, Central Abaco, South Abaco, Moore's Island and Hope Town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Private island</span> Island owned by a single private citizen or corporation

A private island is a disconnected body of land wholly owned by a private citizen or corporation. Although this exclusivity gives the owner substantial control over the property, private islands remain under the jurisdiction of national and sometimes local governments. Their size can vary widely, from that of a typical suburban yard to several hundred square kilometers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disney Cruise Line</span> Cruise line operation, subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company

Disney Cruise Line is a cruise line operation that is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. The company was incorporated in 1996 as Magical Cruise Company Limited, through its first vessel Disney Magic, and is domiciled in London, England, with their operational headquarters located in Celebration, Florida. Disney Cruise Line operates five ships: Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, and Disney Wish. Three ships will join the fleet in 2024 and 2025: Disney Treasure, Disney Destiny, and Disney Adventure. Disney Cruise Line owns Castaway Cay, a private island in the Bahamas designed as an exclusive port of call for Disney's ships. A second private destination, Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, a 700-acre property on the southern end of Eleuthera, Bahamas opened on June 6, 2024. Disney Cruise Line operates two Disney Cruise Line Terminals in Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eleuthera</span> Island in the Bahamas

Eleuthera refers both to a single island in the archipelagic state of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas and to its associated group of smaller islands. Eleuthera forms a part of the Great Bahama Bank. The island of Eleuthera incorporates the smaller Harbour Island. "Eleuthera" derives from the feminine form of the Greek adjective ἐλεύθερος (eleútheros), meaning "free". Known in the 17th century as Cigateo, it lies 80 km east of Nassau. It is long and thin—180 km long and in places little more than 1.6 km wide. At its narrowest point, the Glass Window Bridge, which has been called the narrowest place on earth, Eleuthera stands 30 feet wide. Its eastern side faces the Atlantic Ocean and its western side faces the Great Bahama Bank. The topography of the island varies from wide rolling pink sand beaches to large outcrops of ancient coral reefs and the highest elevation point is 200 feet. The population is approximately 11,000 and the principal economy of the island is tourism.

<i>Disney Wonder</i> Cruise ship built in 1999

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Castaway Cay</span> Private island in the Bahamas

Disney's Castaway Cay, or simply Castaway Cay, is a private island in the Bahamas which serves as an exclusive port for the Disney Cruise Line ships. It is located near Great Abaco Island and was formerly known as Gorda Cay. In 1997, The Walt Disney Company purchased a 99-year land lease for the cay from the Bahamian government, giving the company substantial control over the island.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Rohde</span> Experience architect at Virgin Galactic

Joseph Rohde is an American themed entertainment designer and artist, serving as the Experience Architect for Virgin Galactic. Rohde was previously a veteran executive at Walt Disney Imagineering, the division of The Walt Disney Company that designs and builds Disney's theme parks and resort hotels. Rohde's formal title was Executive Designer and Vice President, Creative.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spanish Wells</span> Place in St. Georges Cay, Bahamas

Spanish Wells is a district of the Bahamas. The settlement consists of a medium-sized town on the island of St. George's Cay 610 m (2,000 ft) wide by 2,860 m (9,380 ft) long, located approximately 500 m (1,600 ft) off the northern tip of Eleuthera island. According to the 2022 census, it has a population of 1,608 residents.

Lighthouse Point may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of the Bahamas</span> Overview of and topical guide to The Bahamas

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to The Bahamas:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Index of the Bahamas–related articles</span>

The following is an alphabetical list of topics related to the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.

<i>Disney Dream</i> Cruise ship operated by Disney Cruise Line

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<i>Disney Wish</i> Cruise ship operated by Disney Cruise Line

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<i>Disney Treasure</i> Cruise ship operated by Disney Cruise Line

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Disney Destiny is an upcoming seventh cruise ship owned and operated by Disney Cruise Line, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, due to enter service on November 20, 2025. The first of Destiny's sister ships, the Disney Wish, was launched in June 2022, with the second ship, Disney Treasure, set to launch in December 2024. The other four ships in the entire fleet are the Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, and Disney Fantasy. The Disney Adventure will join the fleet on December 15, 2025.

References

  1. Staletovich, Jenny (July 22, 2016). "Disney backs off cruise port on pristine Bahamas island". Miami Herald. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  2. Tribou, Richard (March 11, 2019). "Disney Cruise Line completes land purchase, enters agreement for second Bahamas destination". Orlando Sentinel . Retrieved November 2, 2022.
  3. Staletovich, Jenny (July 22, 2016). "Disney backs off cruise port on pristine Bahamas island". Miami Herald . Retrieved November 2, 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Storey, Ken (February 11, 2020). "Disney Cruise Line gives new details on its upcoming, game-changing private Bahamian port of call". Orlando Weekly . Retrieved November 2, 2022.
  5. Bevil, Dewayne (November 23, 2020). "Disney: Joe Rohde, Imagineer who designed Animal Kingdom, is retiring". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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. Retrieved March 24, 2023.[ dead link ]
  10. 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.