Disney Cruise Line to start work on new private island resort on the Bahamian island of Eleuthera


Revealed: Disney Cruise Line set to start work on new ‘authentic’ £308million private Caribbean island resort

  • The Florida-headquartered company purchased a 751-acre plot called Lighthouse Point in the Bahamas 
  • Renderings show how cruise-goers will have prime beach access with various activity options 
  • Highlights include a family beach, wellness spa, an arts and culture centre and wildlife conservation facility 

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In a bid to lure more Mickey and Minnie-loving customers on board, Disney Cruise Line is set to start work on its second private Caribbean island resort this year – a £308million ($400million) project. 

The Florida-headquartered company purchased a plot of land called Lighthouse Point on Lenny Kravitz’s Bahamian island home of Eleuthera last year and will develop it into a destination with strong Bahamian themes and plenty of activities on offer.

Renderings show how cruise-goers will have prime beach access with various dining and entertainment options available on the low-lying slice of paradise. 

Disney Cruise Line is set to start work on its second private island resort this year on the Bahamian island of Eleuthera (above)

Renderings show how the resort will offer cruise-goers prime beach access and various dining and entertainment options

Renderings show how the resort will offer cruise-goers prime beach access and various dining and entertainment options

Instead of a strong Disney-theme, the conceptual drawings show how the buildings will be more in line with Bahamian culture

Instead of a strong Disney-theme, the conceptual drawings show how the buildings will be more in line with Bahamian culture

Instead of a strong Disney theme, the conceptual drawings show how the buildings will be more in line with Bahamian culture. 

A concept plan for the private beach shows how ships will dock at a long access pier. 

Passengers will then pass through a security centre to a small marina where they will then be free to explore various areas. 

Highlights include a family beach, wellness spa, an arts and culture centre and wildlife conservation facility. 

This rendering shows a proposed Lighthouse Point dining area, with colourful seat backs and table umbrellas

This rendering shows a proposed Lighthouse Point dining area, with colourful seat backs and table umbrellas 

For the more intrepid holidaymaker, there is an ‘adventure camp’ complete with ‘trails and lookout towers’.

Giving a flavour of what cruise passengers can expect, Disney Imagineer Joe Rohde says in a promotional video:  ‘The project is based on two inspirations. One is the living nature of Lighthouse Point itself.

‘The second inspiration is cultural and we’re going to take a local idea and local people and local feelings and local stories and bring them to life at this place.

‘But to make this authentic we have to do this together with Bahamian artists and Bahamian thinkers and people from the Bahamian country.

‘There are storytelling experiences, they’ll be musical experiences, they’ll all come together to make this very unique vibrant, colourful art.’ 

Building is expected to start this year providing plans and permits are approved by the Bahamian government

Building is expected to start this year providing plans and permits are approved by the Bahamian government

Disney Cruise Line currently has four ships - the Magic, Wonder, Dream and Fantasy - and three more are currently being built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany

Disney Cruise Line currently has four ships – the Magic, Wonder, Dream and Fantasy – and three more are currently being built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany

Building is expected to start this year providing plans and permits are approved by the Bahamian government. 

A spokesperson for  Disney Cruise Line told MailOnline Travel that the firm ‘submitted a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment based on more than two years’ work by highly regarded scientists and conservationists and it is currently under review’. 

Disney says it will develop less than 20 per cent of the 751-acre site that it purchased with 190 acres of privately-owned land donated to the government. But it’s not yet clear how the government plans to use this.

The entire project – which is set to be completed in late 2022 or 2023 – has a projected cost between $250million and $400million.  

Castaway Cay, which is Disney Cruise Line’s other island, also in the Bahamas, opened in 1998. It was used for filming Pirates of the Caribbean scenes.

The firm has four ships – the Magic, Wonder, Dream and Fantasy. Three more vessels are now being built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany. 

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