Disney's Castaway Cay Excursions

Disney’s Castaway Cay 5K (Guide To Plan The Best Race)

Are you excited to run Disney’s Castaway Cay 5K?  I know exactly how you feel.  

When I booked my Disney Cruise with a stop at Castaway Cay, I was excited to learn that there was a Castaway Cay 5K.  I love running and knew I had to do it! 

In this post, I am going to share with you everything you need to do to run the Castaway Cay 5K.  I will give lots of details about where to meet, the race route, and where to pick up your medal! 

The 5K Castaway Cay race was one of my favorite things to do on Castaway Cay!

 Let’s learn all about the Disney Castaway Cay 5k.

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5K Castaway Cay Trail

A lot of you might be wondering if there is still a Castaway Cay 5K on Disney’s private island.  The answer is Yes!  A lot of things have changed over the years but the Castaway Cay 5K is still available. Let’s answer some of the questions you might have. 

Do You Have to Be on a Disney Cruise to Run the Castaway Cay 5k?

Yes, the only way to get to Disney’s private island is by booking a Disney Cruise.  We recently booked a cruise on the Disney Wish that had a planned stop on Castaway Cay. 

How Much is the Castaway Cay 5K?

The 5K Castaway Cay Disney race is FREE! Yes, no cost! Most of the RunDisney Races at Disneyworld and Disneyland do cost money, but on Castaway Cay it is included in the cost of your Disney Cruise.

Do You Have to Register for the Castaway Cay 5K?

No, In the past you had to register to participate in the 5K Castaway Cay race. Now you do not need to do anything.  

Is There a Set Time I Need to Run the Disney Castaway 5K?

No, You can get off the ship and start the Castaway Cay 5K anytime you want.  In the summer, it is probably better to get up early and run before the sun gets too hot. 

Do I Need a Running Bib for the 5K Castaway Cay Race?

No, In the past they did hand these out and had an official timer.  You would start with everyone who was participating and run the race as a group. It was more of a traditional race. 

Now, this is a go-at-your-own-pace race.  You will time yourself, pace yourself, and start and finish on your own terms.  This allows everyone who would like to participate the chance to.  

Every ship that has a stop at Castaway Cay has the ability to run the Castaway Cay 5K as long as the weather is agreeable. 

Can You Walk the Castaway Cay 5k?

Yes, you can run or walk the Castaway 5K, but you can not bike it! Because this is self-paced it is totally fine to walk! 

How Long is the Castaway Cay 5K?

A 5K is equal to 3.1 miles.  

 

Where Do I Go on Start the Castaway Cay 5K?

5K Castaway Cay Infomation

I was so confused about where to start this self-paced race.  I stopped by the information booth and was told to head to the bike rental location.  

This is where you will be shown the Castaway Cay 5K map and route.  You will also head back here to get your Castaway Cay 5K medal.  

Castaway Cay 5K Map

Castaway Cay 5K Map

I tried to draw on the Castaway Cay 5K map!  You will start at the bike rental location and follow the path until you get to the main road.  You will see the trams headed to Serenity Bay. (The Adult only area of the island.)  

There will be markers all along the 5K Castaway Cay path.  You will see an airplane, this is the first loop you will make. You then head to Serenity Bay, and back to make another loop.  You finish by running straight back to the bike rental booth.  

Disneys Castaway Cay 5k Route

Disney Castaway Cay 5k route

The Castaway Cay 5K map gives you an idea of where to go but we are going to show you a lot of images and landmarks so you can recognize them as you are running. 

Some people were confused about the Castaway Cay 5K route while we were running.  I didn’t think it was too difficult but just so you know for sure let’s lay it out!  

Start the Castaway Cay 5K

Disney 5k run on Castaway Cay

You will walk a short distance from the bike rental booth and see the Castaway Cay 5K start sign.   From here you take a short path to the main road.  

This is where you will want to start your smartwatch and begin your self-paced time. 

What to Look For As you Run the Castaway Cay 5K

Castaway Cay 5k run

It is always good to have a visual.  As you run along the main road to Serenity Bay you will see an airplane that says bike path.  There is also a red sign the says Castaway Cay 5K.  

This is a loop.  You will run the entire loop and exit this area.  

Observation Tower

Castaway Cay 5K Observation Tower

My husband is so much faster than me.  I really concentrated on running the 5K.  He let me run ahead and decided to go up the observation tower which is located on the Castaway Cay 5K trail.  

It is a really great view of Castaway Cay.  He was able to look out and see the DisneyWish ship that we sailed on.  It also was surprising how undeveloped Castaway Cay is.  There are a lot of trees.  There are binoculars at the top of the observation area. 

He easily caught back up to me, even though I was running my heart out! 

Markers Along the 5K Castaway Route!

rundisney Castaway Cay 5K

Towards the end of the loop, you will see signs that help you know how far you have until you finish the loop.  This was so helpful for me.  

I love the encouragement that you only have a little more to go! 

Head to Castaway Cay Serenity Bay

RunDisney Castawawy Cay 5k Serenity Bay

After you exit the loop you will head towards Serenity Bay.  If you get tired and think you can’t run anymore there is a tram stop at the end of the road.  (But keep going, you need that medal!)

This might be the tricky part for some people.  You will run back to the loop and run it again. Yes, you read that right! You end up running the loop 2 times. 

Is There a Drink Station for the Castaway Cay 5K?

Castaway 5k water

Yes, there is a drink station located at the entrance of the loop.  This is a fantastic spot because you will pass by a few times as you enter the loop and exit the loop. 

I stopped and grabbed some cold water before heading back to the finish line. 

Castaway Cay Medal

5K Castaway Cay Disney Run

After your second loop, you can run right back to the bike rental booth and claim your medal.  

Castaway Cay 5K Medal

These medals are so cute! I love getting medals.  They say “Castaway Cay 5K” and “I run on Vacay”  They are fantastic souvenirs and absolutely free.  It is totally worth running to get the medal for me! 

What Do I Need to Bring to Run the Castaway Cay 5k?

RunDisney Castaway Cay 5K runner with watch

The most important thing is to bring yourself!!  I brought my husband along too. Kids 10 and up are welcome to run the Castaway Cay 5k.  When I run I have a few items that I always bring.

Things to Bring on the Castaway Cay 5K

The path is paved so you will want to wear good shoes like Brooks.  I actually wore my trail running shoes because I didn’t have enough room to pack multiple pairs.  It was all good. 

You will also want to bring a change of clothes.  You probably don’t want to have to go back to the ship after you run.  Just bring all of your beach gear and swimsuit and change in the bathrooms after you run the Castaway 5K race.

What Do I Do with my Kids While I Run the Disney Castaway Cay 5K?

Castaway Cay Kids Club

If you have young kids under the age of 10, you can check them in at Scuttles Cove while you run. 

This is the kids club that is located on Castaway Cay.  It is a lot of fun with activities that will keep them busy while you get some exercise. 

It is super nice that there is a kids’ club option.  You can also enjoy some time at Serenity Bay while your kids play at Scuttles Cove. 

Are You Ready to Run the Disney Castaway Cay 5K?

Castaway 5K run

Are you ready to run the Disney Castaway Cay 5k race?  I love running and 5K’s are my jam!  The Castaway Cay 5k is a great way to get a good workout and an awesome souvenir.  

I am a fan of exercising while on vacation. After I finished the Castaway Cay 5K I felt awesome and ready to jump into the ocean.  I highly recommend the 5k Castaway Cay race.  

Want a Free Packing List for a Disney Cruise?

Packing for a Disney Cruise - Checklist

I made a fun Disney Cruise packing list so you will not forget anything.  If you would like a copy I will send one to you! 

Facebook Group

If you have any questions when planning your trip come join me in my private Facebook Group 

This group is a place where you can ask any question about your upcoming trip and help others plan their trips.  It is also a place where I put travel deals.

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8 Comments

  1. How fun! The Disney’s Castaway Cay 5K is so perfect for you and others who enjoy running on vacation. And that 5k medal is super cute.

  2. Congrats on the 5k! Thank you for providing the tips on Disney’s Castaway Cay 5K. Your tips and encouragement help runners prepare and achieve the 5k race goal.

  3. I’ve nver done a Disney 5K, but they always look so fun! I like that this one is free and on your own. The medal is adorable!

  4. A Disney 5K sounds perfect for one of my good friends! She wants to do a 5K in tons of different places. I will share this with her!

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