Let's talk about Caribbean Beach buses

[prmatz]

Planning a trip April 24-May 5 next year. Currently booked CBR, but reading too many horror stories about the transportation. I know the resort is big, but that's OK. As a rope drop family though, transportation is big for us, especially in the early morning. Thoughts for that time of year? Similar busing situation at POR, or considerably better there? Thanks!

 

[Gorechick]

You might want to post this directly on the CBR thread for relevant responses.

 

[loves to dive]

We were there mid-March for 2 nights during a split stay. We arrived around 2 or 3 in the afternoon and were in Jamaica building 42, there is a bus stop in each village so one across the parking lot in front of Jamaica. It was the last stop coming back from the parks. We hopped on a bus to Epcot around 3:30 at the Jamaica stop, I don't remember which stop that was but it didn't take longer than about 6 min. to get out of the resort and on the way to the park. Leaving Epcot it was while Illuminations was still going on but there were enough people that we did have to stand but no problem since like I said Jamaica was the first stop. Next morning we went to the food court for breakfast and decided to just hop on the bus there, turns out that was the first stop so we had to make the rounds again. We must have gone to MK that day, left the park around 4:30 so no problems with bus crowding. We left the next morning and since we were driving decided to just drive to AK before checking into our next resort. All and all we were satisfied with our experience, they do have the arrival times board at the bus stops and they are covered. I wouldn't make my decision based on the bus service. I've stayed at Pop, ASsp, POR, CBR, GF, Poly, CR, OKW, AKV, BC, YC, BW and Swan and can tell you I've had good and bad at all of them.

 

[dansdad]

Planning a trip April 24-May 5 next year. Currently booked CBR, but reading too many horror stories about the transportation. I know the resort is big, but that's OK. As a rope drop family though, transportation is big for us, especially in the early morning. Thoughts for that time of year? Similar busing situation at POR, or considerably better there? Thanks!

All of our stays at CBR have been during Free Dining when the resort is at capacity and the buses have never been an issue. The buses are no better or worse than any other WDW resort. We actually like the CBR bus situation more than other resorts because every village has its own bus stop so you'll never be far from one.

 

[henry72]

We have stayed at CBR every time we have stayed at WDW (7 times). Buses have never been a problem. We have never seen more than about 20 people at the village resort stop (one of 7). In the mornings there are numerous buses for each park so definitely very little wait time. I think the most we waited was 15 minutes for a bus.

 

[Lavitz]

Going to CBR the first time this year, transportation is something I always look up before I book. Vast majority of people say the buses are great.

 

[MDarling]

When we went in July 2 years ago and stayed at CBR, we did rope drop every morning to all the parks, and the buses were running on time and NEVER crowded for that. We never had to wait long for the bus to arrive for any park, and we ended up being about 30-45 minutes early for each rope drop.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

We are at CBR now We have never waited more than 5 minutes for a bus! We are in Martinique and have always had a seat. To tell you the truth we have stayed in many deluxe resorts where the bus service wasn't as good

 

[goofy4tink]

The buses are pretty much the same everywhere. You can wait just 2 mins, or you can wait 20 mins. It's the luck of the draw. Buses run about every 15-20 mins...at every resort. The moderates, with the exception of POFQ, have multiple stops within the resort. That means you spend more time on a bus. But in all reality, bus transportation is pretty much the same everywhere. You just have to get used to the idea that it's basically public transit..not a personal service! Many people get nudgy and come here to tell us that the bus system is awful and they have to wait a long time for buses to get to the resort, then they have to stand, and then the bus makes addtl stops!
If those things aren't okay with you, it may be beneficial to think about renting a car.

 

[maxiesmom]

The bus service is fine. My only issue with it was the number of stops you had to deal with. For my family's stay we got on at the first stop, by Jamaica. We then had to go thru 6 more stops before heading out to the parks. Depending on how busy it was, if there were a lot of strollers or scooters, it was easily 15-20 minutes of making stops before going to the parks.

I have read that they sometimes divide up the resort now, and that buses sometimes only do half of the stops. Not sure how often that is, but it would be a huge improvement.

 

[Dismom820]

I have a question. The buses in the resort, at each village, do they take you straight to the parks from your village or will they take you to a "hub" to get on the appropriate park bus? We're staying here next week for the first time & I dont know much about the bus system here. We've always stayed at pop & there's just one bus stop & not internal buses.

 

[dansdad]

I have a question. The buses in the resort, at each village, do they take you straight to the parks from your village or will they take you to a "hub" to get on the appropriate park bus? We're staying here next week for the first time & I dont know much about the bus system here. We've always stayed at pop & there's just one bus stop & not internal buses.

Straight to the parks, no hub.

 

[Dismom820]

Straight to the parks, no hub.

Oh wow, that's nice! Thank you!

 

[ChasingLeslie]

The bus service is fine. My only issue with it was the number of stops you had to deal with. Depending on how busy it was, if there were a lot of strollers or scooters, it was easily 15-20 minutes of making stops before going to the parks.

This was my experience at CBR, too. It's not that the bus service is poor, it's just that it feels like an eternity on the bus with so many stops.

 

[Linda T.]

We have stayed at CBR numerous time and the bus service has been good. We just got back from Pop and was told how great the bus service was and to be honest, it was awful. We won't go back. CBR is by far our favorite resort in terms of food court, pools, rooms, and bus service.

 

[Deb & Bill]

The only time we had really full buses were late at night at park closing. Then you get on and stand or wait for the next one to arrive. Otherwise, never had a problem. We were there in early June.

 

[Kevin355]

The only time we had really full buses were late at night at park closing. Then you get on and stand or wait for the next one to arrive. Otherwise, never had a problem. We were there in early June.

In all of my stays at CBR, only once, Christmas Day a few years back, did we ever have any issue with a bus. And to quote @Deb & Bill park closing, the buses for every resort is an issue. I am a pretty patient person and have no problem with CBR buses whatsoever.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

All of our stays at CBR have been during Free Dining when the resort is at capacity and the buses have never been an issue. The buses are no better or worse than any other WDW resort. We actually like the CBR bus situation more than other resorts because every village has its own bus stop so you'll never be far from one.

Since we are staying during FD this September, and since you are quite the expert on CBR, I also have a bus question.

We will have a car so we have the option of driving to the parks. One morning we have an 8 am pre-park opening breakfast at BOG. That means we need to be at MK by 7:30. Would you take the bus from CBR, or would you drive? If you would take the bus, what time would you be at the bus stop to guarantee arrival at MK by 7:40?

 

[dansdad]

Since we are staying during FD this September, and since you are quite the expert on CBR, I also have a bus question.

We will have a car so we have the option of driving to the parks. One morning we have an 8 am pre-park opening breakfast at BOG. That means we need to be at MK by 7:30. Would you take the bus from CBR, or would you drive? If you would take the bus, what time would you be at the bus stop to guarantee arrival at MK by 7:40?

Whenever we have had an 8:00AM ADR, we are at the bus stop by 6:40. The first bus usually pulls pulls into CBR by 6:45. With the last seven 8:00AM ADRs, the latest we've ever gotten to MK security is 7:25.

 

[cruisingtwins]

This was my experience at CBR, too. It's not that the bus service is poor, it's just that it feels like an eternity on the bus with so many stops.

This it took us 45 mnutes once just to do all the stops. There were multiple ECVs getting off/on at every single stop.