Courtesy Disney Cruise Line

One island isn’t enough. 

That’s the thinking behind Disney’s Lookout Cay, a new, three square mile private beach at the southern tip of Eleuthera, Bahamas. Made exclusively for Disney Cruise Line guests traveling on 3-15 night Atlantic itineraries, Lookout Cay is a $400 million dollar, picture-perfect property in the sun-soaked comforts of the colorful Caribbean. It opened this summer to positive reviews and lots of promise. 

After visiting the island myself this fall aboard Disney Magic, I gotta say: Lookout Cay is more than positive—it’s phenomenal. Not only is it the most stunning Caribbean beach I’ve ever vacationed on (having visited over a dozen), Lookout Cay is essentially Disney’s love letter to Bahamian culture and the endearing people that make the 3,000 island nation what it is today. 

Why should you care? Here are five good reasons. 

1. It’s twice as big as Castaway Cay, Disney’s first private island. 

Let’s get one thing straight: Lookout Cay is not an actual island. Rather, it’s a sprawling private beach at the southern tip of the larger Eleuthera island in the Bahamas. At three square miles, it’s actually twice as large as Castaway Cay, the other private island that Disney owns in The Bahamas. 

With double the space, Disney was able to double the fun. Beautiful beaches (including an adults-only one), hiking and biking trails, a children’s water park, port excursions, character encounters, private cabanas, and Bahamian-inspired Disney entertainment at every hour all top the list. In fact, Lookout Cay is way more than anyone could enjoy in a single day, which I suspect Disney planned to induce repeat visits. Sneaky imagineers! 

2. It perfects a “perfect” day at the beach. 

Bleach white sand against inviting teal surf under sunny blue skies? Check. Enough beach chairs, umbrellas, showers, towels, bathrooms, food options, and restaurant seating for everyone? Check. Impeccable cleaning standards, perfectly manicured landscaping, surprisingly good snorkeling, all-day children’s programming, and adults-only sanctuaries? Double check. Lookout Cay has all of that. 

As Disney’s truth in advertising, “Everything needed for a carefree day at the beach awaits—towels, lounge chairs, umbrellas, food, fun and a pinch of pixie dust, all included.” Before Lookout Cay, I didn’t know what a parade-filled day at a secluded beach with bottomless beverages, BBQ, and soft serve could be. Now I do. And it sorta spoils every other beach without those things. 

3. It captures the colorful Bahamas. 

Kids of all ages love Disney character encounters and parties, both of which you get on this pristine island. But you might not get the colorful mosaic designs, Caribbean rhythms, and Junkanoo (Isn’t that fun to say!) parades in a single day that The Bahamas are known—until you visit Lookout Cay. That was certainly the case for my family and the many others we partied with behind a line of Mardi Gras and Carnival-like dancers, drum beaters, cowbell players, and live musicians in full regalia  ensnaring us to join the fun. 

Even though I’ve visited The Bahamas before, I didn’t know much about the islands beyond, “This is a nice place to relax in the sun, surf, and sand.” But with Lookout Cay, Disney bottled “Bahamas 101” in a heartfelt package, as if Walt himself loved Bahamia as much as he did early Americana. You can’t help but smile upon seeing the “Disney T’ings” store for the first time. And the smiles never die. 

4. It embodies the Disney you know and love. 

Lookout Cay is a well-oiled fun and relaxation machine brought to you by the dream big, young at heart people at Disney. You don’t care that the walk from the pier to the tram is 10 minutes, because they pipe in festive music the entire way. You don’t care about the 10 minute tram ride to the actual beach, because you never wait in line for it, and there are three, lovable Bahamian accents telling you everything you’re in store for. 

Frankly, you don’t care about anything while at Lookout Cay, which is precisely the way Disney intended it. You don’t want for food or drink or shade or entertainment, because it’s all been provided in the same way Disney has delighted its guests for nearly 75 years. There are no faulters or missteps here. There’s two of everything so no one gets left out. I won’t go as far to call it magic. But it’s not outside the realm of possibility for those who believe. 

5. It underlines why Disney cruises are so beloved. 

Remarkable atmosphere, entertainment, and attention to detail are why Disney cruises rate so well. That much I know. 

My family had high expectations before sailing to Disney’s newest private getaway in the Caribbean. After spending a literal perfect day there, I’m happy to report that Lookout Cay was better than expected. It’s so much more than “Disney Island: Take Two.” It makes you feel like a VIP at a Bahamian beach that was made just for you. Plus a thousand others just like you. And yet, you never feel unspecial while there. 

Maybe it is magic. 

SEE ALSO: Critic turned fan: Just how happy is Disneyland?

Blake Snow contributes to fancy publications and Fortune 500 companies as a bodacious writer-for-hire and frequent travel journalist. He lives in Provo, Utah with his wife, five children, and one ferocious chihuahua.