Castaway Cay: Family Beach vs Serenity Bay

[JanetRose]

Besides the crowd, any big differences?

I've read that the food is better at the Family Beach and the water is deeper.

We are seniors and wanting to try the family beach on our next visit.

 

[TRTRguy]

Serenity Bay does not have a break water so the waves can get strong.
The food is relatively the same, Serenity Bay has additional offerings.

 

[JM_97]

The beach also appears to be wider. I know a few years back there was very little beach left after a hurricane came through at the adult area. I think because of where Serenity is and how it is naturally positioned, it usually gets more noticeable impacts from storms.

 

[randumb0]

On my April cruise every chair at Serenity bay was taken. At the family beach you had your pick

 

[Cheburashka]

Serenity Bay looks more like a real beach because it isn't protected. The family beach offers easier & safer swimming because it is protected. I've found the food to the better on Serenity Bay. The family beach area is where all the beach activities are.

 

[Kwami]

I've read that the food is better at the Family Beach and the water is deeper.

You'll have more options for food at Serenity Bay. I guess I don't know if the food is better at one location or another, though. They're all kind of just mediocre. The desserts are good, though!

As for water depth, it's very variable. I was at Serenity Bay in February and I was able to walk out to the far buoy without the water going above my waist. Other times, I've had to swim out there because my feet couldn't touch the bottom without my head going under.

 

[Tinkershelly]

If you are interested in swimming Serenity Bay beach nearly as good as the family beach, at least near the bar end of the Serenity Bay beach. The water is shallow, never got deeper than my chest and there are rocks and seaweed. The family beach was much nicer on the feet, and the water was deep enough to swim and float. Neither was very crowded when I was there on May 20, lots of space and choice of loungers at both beaches

 

[anjuan]

The last time I was there in March I noticed that the family beach side seemed to have quite a bit more wind than Serenity Bay.

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

You'll have more options for food at Serenity Bay. I guess I don't know if the food is better at one location or another, though.

They have steaks at serenity bay although they aren't very good ones though and aren't cooked well as far as I remember from when I was last there. The podcast team also talked about it on a DCL show and said the same.

 

[Mitura]

My opinion

The family beaches are bigger and have more to do. In my opinion they will be more crowed at lunch.

Serenity Beach you need to take 2 trams or walk a lot to get there. Also the overall area is smaller than the family beach. But there are no kids. If you wish to do yoga as part of the gym this is where it is done. Also every time I have gone it has had a lot of seaweed.

My recommendation is to try them both out.

 

[JPTexan82]

I went topless on Serenity. So that is a difference.

 

[JPTexan82]

But I am a guy.

 

[Akck]

My opinion

The family beaches are bigger and have more to do. In my opinion they will be more crowed at lunch.

Serenity Beach you need to take 2 trams or walk a lot to get there. Also the overall area is smaller than the family beach. But there are no kids. If you wish to do yoga as part of the gym this is where it is done. Also every time I have gone it has had a lot of seaweed.

My recommendation is to try them both out.

We were there the week of 5/16-20. We initially went to the family beach and it wasn’t crowded. The lunch lines were very short and there was plenty of spaces to eat. After a bit, we decided to checkout Serenity Beach. There were no free chairs that we could see and the line for lunch stretched to the bar. We got back on the tram and spent the rest of our time on the family beach.

 

[dvcjoe]

We were on the 5/14 sailing of the Fantasy and Darren the cruise director suggested the family beach over Serenity Bay because of more adults than families. We should have listened to him. We went to Serenity and we were way past the lifeguard in the middle. It ended up being the worst location in 12 visits there. Our suggestion would be to listen to the cruise director and guide accordingly.
Surprising the availability of tables at Cookies 2 was fine.