Disney Cruise Line is expanding one of its most meaningful community initiatives, bringing new opportunities for kids across The Bahamas through the continued growth of “The Play Project.”
Now entering its second year, the program is scaling up efforts across Eleuthera, Nassau, and Abaco, focusing on improving youth sports facilities and creating safe, accessible places for kids to play, learn, and connect.
Building Spaces That Actually Matter
At its core, The Play Project is about something simple but powerful. Give kids a place to play.
The expansion includes refurbished baseball fields, basketball courts, and track and field areas, all designed in collaboration with local communities. These aren’t one-size-fits-all builds. Each space reflects the needs of the schools and neighborhoods it serves.
And the impact is already real. In just its first year, the initiative created more than 32,000 hours of annual playtime for children in Eleuthera alone.
Expanding Beyond One Island
What started in South and Central Eleuthera has now become a blueprint for growth.
The program is now extending into Nassau and Abaco, bringing the same model of community-led development to more areas. Upcoming projects include full revitalizations of school sports spaces, including courts, equipment, and multi-sport facilities.
One of the standout upcoming moments will be in Nassau, where a newly upgraded court at Woodcock Primary School will open with a community basketball tournament led by Bahamian NBA player Buddy Hield.
New Partners, Bigger Reach
This next phase also brings in new collaboration.
Through ESPN’s “Take Back Sports” initiative, the program is tackling one of the biggest barriers to youth sports. Access.
By helping reduce costs and provide resources to families, coaches, and young athletes, the initiative aims to keep sports fun, inclusive, and within reach.
It’s a natural extension of what The Play Project is trying to do. Not just build fields, but make sure kids can actually use them.
A Long-Term Commitment
The timing of this expansion ties closely to Disney Cruise Line’s presence in the region, particularly with destinations like Lookout Cay.
But what stands out is that this isn’t a one-time effort tied to a launch. It’s a year-round, ongoing investment in the communities Disney operates in.
With additional community “build days” planned throughout summer 2026, the program will continue to grow, bringing volunteers, local leaders, and families together to create these spaces side by side.
More Than Just a Program
There’s something different about this compared to typical corporate initiatives.
It’s not just about branding or visibility. It’s about creating something that sticks. A basketball court that gets used every day. A field where kids show up after school. A place that becomes part of a community.
And honestly, that’s the kind of impact that lasts a lot longer than anything you can build on a ship.
Janine is a theme park and pop culture nerd from an early age. Since 1994, she’s been traversing the theme park world and has enjoyed all things from Halloween events to new ride releases and beyond. When she’s not at a theme park, she’s probably at a concert or doing something fun with her kiddo.