Frequently Asked Questions

Disney intends for Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point to be its second island destination in The Bahamas. Disney Cruise Line guests will be able to enjoy stunning beaches and explore nature, while also having the opportunity to explore the island of Eleuthera. Working with local artists, the design and experience will be rooted in Bahamian culture and inspired by the natural beauty of the site. The site will be open to Bahamian citizens and residents for non-commercial purposes.

Disney Cruise Line has completed its purchase of the Lighthouse Point property and signed a Heads of Agreement with the government of The Bahamas. Also, the Bahamas Department of Environmental Planning and Protection has issued a Certificate of Environmental Clearance for the project. Disney Cruise Line has long said it will only move forward with a project at Lighthouse Point if it can do so in an environmentally responsible way and the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environmental Management Plan (EMP) show this will be possible. Disney assembled a team of highly qualified and experienced scientists and professionals from The Bahamas and abroad who spent more than three years developing these comprehensive documents. For additional information on the final EIA click here.

Disney Cruise Line is committed to moving forward with the project in an environmentally responsible manner. The project will leave the overwhelming majority of the site undeveloped. Current design plans call for developing less than 16% of the site and employing sustainable building practices. Disney is also donating more than 190 acres, including the site’s southernmost point and a significant amount of beachfront property, to the government and people of The Bahamas. Key highlights include:

• The construction of an innovative, open-trestle pier that extends to deep water will prevent the dredging of a ship channel. The location of the proposed pier is based on a scientific assessment of the ocean floor to avoid areas where coral reefs are present. The viable individual corals within the pier’s footprint were expertly relocated to improve the health of struggling coral reefs in the area.
• A proposed elevated design for many walkways and structures will reduce impacts to the natural environment.
• 90% of the energy demand of the project will be from renewable sources.
• Zero waste to landfill with a commitment to explore waste to energy capture.
• The continuation of already established environmental and wildlife monitoring programs throughout construction and into operation.
• A commitment to developing a multi-faceted program to educate employees, vendors and guests about the role they play in protecting the site, something Disney has been able to effectively do with its projects around the world.
• Disney Cruise Line has hired two Bahamian wildlife conservation experts who lead the implementation of the project’s environmental management plan and local conservation strategies within The Bahamas, particularly at Lighthouse Point.

The design for Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point is influenced by both the natural environment of Lighthouse Point and the culture of Eleuthera and The Bahamas more broadly. Disney Cruise Line is working with the local creative community, including master artists Kevin Cooper and Antonius Roberts, to create an experience rooted in the history and nature of The Bahamas. The new destination will complement Castaway Cay, giving families the opportunity to enjoy the site’s beautiful beaches and explore nature, as well as enjoy the broader tourism offerings in Eleuthera.

Disney committed to creating at least 120 jobs during construction, with an overall ratio of 80% Bahamians over the life of construction. Disney has since nearly tripled the number of jobs DCL committed to in its Heads of Agreement. Once operational, the project will create at least 150 operations jobs, including management roles, with benefits in a range of disciplines and with opportunities for training and advancement. With guests expected to be in port 3-5 days per week year-round and the need to complete a variety of projects on non-port days, the roles will provide much-needed employment stability.

Disney is excited to work with Bahamian entrepreneurs and small business owners to take advantage of opportunities that will be available at Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point. Disney has entered into an agreement with the Access Accelerator Small Business Development Centre and the Eleuthera Chamber of Commerce, providing more than $1 million (over three years) to fund the new Eleuthera Business Hub and provide business development advisory services, business communication training, customer service training, business mentorship and other programming designed to prepare startups and small businesses for participation in development projects underway on Eleuthera. Through this initiative, the Access Accelerator Small Business Development Centre and Disney Cruise Line have so far awarded $175,000 in small business grants to more than 44 Central and South Eleuthera businesses in 2021. The Eleuthera Business Hub, in Rock Sound, gives business owners instant office space, fully equipped with essential tools and amenities for operating a successful business. In addition, Disney will provide space for Bahamian vendors at Lighthouse Point for the sale of authentic, high-quality Bahamian goods, services, souvenirs, arts and crafts; give priority to Bahamian owners and operators to provide port adventures for guests; give priority to Bahamian entertainers and purchase some Bahamian agricultural and seafood products, among other commitments.

Disney Cruise Line plans to invest between $250 million and $400 million in its project at Lighthouse Point and has committed to:

• Create at least 120 construction jobs with an overall ratio of 80% Bahamians over the life of construction.
• Create at least 150 operational jobs with benefits in a range of disciplines, including management roles, and with opportunities for training and advancement.
• Develop training and professional development programs to maximize opportunities for Bahamians.
• Provide space for Bahamian vendors for the sale of authentic, high-quality Bahamian retail goods, services, souvenirs, arts and crafts and more.
• Provide priority to Bahamian-owned and -operated tour operators for Disney guests.
• Provide priority to Bahamian entertainers.
• Purchase some Bahamian agricultural and seafood products.
• Donate more than 190 acres of privately-owned land to the government and the people of The Bahamas.
• Develop the site in an environmentally responsible manner.
• Provide full access to the site for citizens and residents of The Bahamas for non-commercial purposes.
• Help strengthen the community, with a focus on schools and entrepreneurship, among other initiatives.

Disney Cruise Line (DCL) has already hosted information sessions in Eleuthera for potential employees and will continue to do so. DCL has already begun to develop relationships with organizations such as the Ministry of Labour, University of The Bahamas, Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute, Bahamas National Training Agency, non-governmental organizations and others to gain insights regarding best practices in The Bahamas related to recruitment, onboarding, training, employee engagement and leadership development. The bulk of hiring for operational roles at Lighthouse Point is expected to occur 18-24 months prior to the start of operations. Those interested in roles currently available with Disney Cruise Line can click here.

Contracting for goods and services related to the operation of the site will generally begin 18-24 months prior to the start of operations. Lighthouse Point is currently slated to begin operations in the first half of 2024.

General qualifications include safety being integrated into core processes and procedures; demonstrated ability to perform the work requested; all necessary permits, certificates and licenses to operate; cost, quality and timeliness; appropriate staffing, equipment and resources; proactive mitigation of unforeseen issues; demonstrated financial health; and insurance. Disney Cruise Line will continue to host information sessions and work with local businesses to help them maximize their opportunity to be part of the project.

Disney Cruise Line’s new island destination in The Bahamas, Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, will welcome families for the first time in June 2024, headlining a season full of new and popular itineraries around the world. Learn more.

Disney Cruise Line is donating more than 190 acres of privately-owned land to the people of The Bahamas. Additionally, full access to the Property for non-commercial purposes will be provided to citizens and residents of The Bahamas. During construction, certain areas of the property may be unavailable for safety reasons.

For the latest information about Lighthouse Point, continue to visit our website and read our newsletter here. You may also contact DCL.Bahamas@disney.com for questions.

Since its maiden voyage in 1998, Disney Cruise Line has introduced countless families to the beauty and spirit of The Bahamas. At the same time, the company has provided significant economic impact while demonstrating a strong commitment to the environment and the community. For additional information about Disney Cruise Line’s community initiatives, please click here.

Disney Cruise Line’s (DCL) project at Lighthouse Point is compatible with the establishment of a multi-use Marine Protected Area (MPA). A Disney Conservation Fund grant helped support components of the work that led to the creation of The Bahamas Marine Protection Plan, which recommended priority MPAs across The Bahamas. Over the past three years, DCL has vastly enhanced the scientific knowledge of Lighthouse Point and its marine facility plans have continued to evolve to intentionally avoid coral reefs. The report that proposed the MPAs points out that the reef near Lighthouse Point has suffered from a reduction in live coral cover. DCL believes it has an opportunity to improve the marine environment through restoration efforts. In addition, coral recovery efforts will be expanded through the establishment of a long-term coral nursery and other initiatives. Additionally, the MPA recommendation did not identify the proposed management of the area and this is something DCL will work closely with Government and others to establish.

Based on EIA findings, DCL has continued to evolve the project’s design. For example, surveys identified a number of protected trees and some cultural ruins in the northwest area of the property. As a result, the structures originally planned for that area have been relocated to the eastern side of the property. Additionally, when bird surveys identified a small wintering population of endangered piping plovers at a location along the southern shore of the property, the design was adjusted to avoid that area. Likewise, it was determined that the pier could be narrowed, reducing the potential impact on the marine environment by approximately 25 percent.

Based on surveys using the globally recognized Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment, coral reefs do not appear within the footprint of the open-trestle pier or marina. Including 75-foot buffers on both sides of the pier, just over 1/10 of an acre (0.145 acres) of individual corals could be potentially impacted and will be mitigated. Nearby patch reefs – considered to be in “Fair” condition based on AGRRA surveys – are outside of the project area by more than 500 feet and will not be directly impacted. Disney Cruise Line has developed a coral relocation plan to move protected corals and adult reef-building coral colonies nearby. This expands on Disney’s existing coral relocation work already in place in Abaco, which has had 90% success rate over the past ten years.

No dredging will occur. Disney is developing an innovative, open-trestle pier that will not require dredging, nor will the small marina.

The project is not expected to have a material impact on climate change. DCL is employing sustainable building practices and there is not expected to be a loss of marine or terrestrial biodiversity at the species level as a result of the project. DCL plans to protect its significant investment in the project by using design and building techniques that will enable it to withstand impacts due to climate change.