Caribbean Beach FAQ Part IV

[safetymom]

I stopped to take pictures when I was timing the walk from Triniadad South and it took me 7 mins.

If you want to be close to the food court and main pool then I would stick with your preferred room.

 

[fairy43]

what build would you request if you stayed in one of the pirate theme rooms

 

[WithDisneySpirit]

I just made a ressie for CBR this fall to stay there for the first time since our honeymoon in July 1998!!! We stay at OKW usually but we wanted to pay cash and be there for the TOT run Oct 24

Anyway, what is the best building to request if you only have a standard room?

And...can anyone settle a bet between me and darling hubby? He thinks Shutters was open on our honeymoon and I said absolutely not! We went and ate there on our seventh wedding anniversary trip and now he's all confused... I can't remember the year though

 

[Libbyt]

Just wanted to mention the cutest thing that happened to us last week at CBR! We were checking in early Monday morning to head on to the parks, and when we parked our car at the Customs House, two big spotted ducks came bustin out of the shrubs and waddled, honking all the way, right over to us! It was like our own personal welcoming committee!

Throughout the week we kept seeing a mama duck and her babies in a small pond right next to Martinique. One evening, we drove around there hoping to get some pictures of her. We got out of the car and my dd sat down on a concrete block......all those little babies, there were probably 15 of them, came waddling right over to her, just checking her out and chirping! Mama was walking along making little noises, like she was telling them to be careful, but they just surrounded us. Mama walked on and kept wagging her tail feathers to get them to follow her. It was just so adorable!!!! The babies were all a little different - some were mostly brown, some were more yellow with brown spots, they were so fluffy and sweet.

Also saw tons of lizards around on the sidewalks and we saw small bunnies several times outside our building.

We enjoyed CBR and would not hesitate to stay there again!!

 

[sherabby]

We saw the baby ducks too! My son counted 62 lizards during our stay. His favorite thing to do is count them! We just got back a few hours ago and are very exhausted! Had a great time as usual. Crowds are not too bad now and the Halloween decorations are starting to go up. It was really neat to see them since we usually go in the summer months.

 

[PistonsFan]

We just got back tonight. My only real complaint was the bus service, which I know has been discussed before. Especially on the way back from the parks. Because we planned our trip late, we didn't get great dining times so we ended up late at Epcot almost every night and going home with the fireworks crowd. CBR buses seemed to be the worst, but that could be perception when you are hot and tired. The bus stops were always the farthest away and seemed to have the longest lines. We are used to staying offsite at Windsor Hills and we expected staying onsite to get us back to our room faster, but we could have been to our car and Windsor Hills in half the time it took waiting on the CBR buses -- very frustrating. It was a beautiful place though.

The big pool was nice but really crowded. My 4 yo actually had a better time at the quiet pool because he could play with just a few kids. Also that was much more relaxing for me to not have him running around the big area and worrying about losing track of him.

We liked the food court and ate there a couple of times. It was really crowded yesterday at breakfast and hard to find a table - I think everyone was trying to use up their counter service credits.

Also, I had an issue yesterday morning. I tried to check my big suitcase in early for airlines checkin. The flyer said checkin was no less than three hours before your flight, but it didn't say that you couldn't do it earlier than that and I wanted to get the check-in taken care of so we wouldn't have to get up so early. Anyway, I ended up walking the whole way to the Custom House with my big suitcase and then being turned away and walking the whole way back (and up the steps to the second floor). Probably my fault for not checking into it more, but still very frustrating.

All in all, while CBR was a beautiful place, I still liked staying offsite better. We really missed all of the room that we had in the Windsor Hills condos. The dining plan was fun for awhile, but I actually got tired of waiting around to eat at my designated times and all of the food started tasting the same to me. Another reason why I missed being in a condo in the "real world" and just being able to get pizza or chinese delivered.

 

[mom2aPrincess&Pirate]

Could someone please answer a few questions for me? We'll be checking in at the CBR in 13 days!!

First, when the magical express drops you off at the Customs House and you check in, is there a bus or some type of transportation that will take you to your room? We'll be in one of the pirate rooms in Trinidad South and it looks like a really far walk from the Customs House to that island on the map. Is it really that far or does it look worse than it is?

Secondly, we'll be getting to the resort around noon so I expect that our room won't be ready yet. If we leave our carry-on bags with bell services and visit a park, will they deliver them to our room along with our checked bags from Magical Express when our room is ready or will we need to stop by and pick them up at some point that day?

We usually have our car or a rental and decided against it on this trip to save money, so I'm not sure how all of this works. Thanks in advance for any help and advice!!

 

[CleveRocks]

And...can anyone settle a bet between me and darling hubby? He thinks Shutters was open on our honeymoon and I said absolutely not! We went and ate there on our seventh wedding anniversary trip and now he's all confused... I can't remember the year though

From the day it opened, CBR always had a table-service restaurant in that location. But it started out with a different name. I'm thinking it was maybe called "The Captain's Table" but I could be way off. But I'm positive that "Shutters" only became Shutters maybe somewhere between 2000-2004.

 

[mom2taylorandemily]

Could someone please answer a few questions for me? We'll be checking in at the CBR in 13 days!!

First, when the magical express drops you off at the Customs House and you check in, is there a bus or some type of transportation that will take you to your room? We'll be in one of the pirate rooms in Trinidad South and it looks like a really far walk from the Customs House to that island on the map. Is it really that far or does it look worse than it is?

Secondly, we'll be getting to the resort around noon so I expect that our room won't be ready yet. If we leave our carry-on bags with bell services and visit a park, will they deliver them to our room along with our checked bags from Magical Express when our room is ready or will we need to stop by and pick them up at some point that day?

We usually have our car or a rental and decided against it on this trip to save money, so I'm not sure how all of this works. Thanks in advance for any help and advice!!

There is an internal shuttle that will take you to your room. If you have checked your bags with ME then they will deliver your bags to your room while you are out, but if you have it with you; you aren't allowed to take luggage on the buses, but people do it anyway. So, they offer to store your bags and then you take the internal bus to your room and call to have bell svc. bring them to you or if they aren't too busy, Bell svc. will take you and your bags directly over to your room in a van.

 

[MFLetou]

From the day it opened, CBR always had a table-service restaurant in that location. But it started out with a different name. I'm thinking it was maybe called "The Captain's Table" but I could be way off. But I'm positive that "Shutters" only became Shutters maybe somewhere between 2000-2004.

I've read the opposite--I simply don't remember, but some of the guide books specifically mention that when the resort opened in 1989, it didn't have a table service restaurant.

Its impossible to know the answer to that question without knowing what year the poster stayed at CBR though!

 

[MFLetou]

Here is a "trip report" from 1989 that confirms what I read...there was no onsite restaurant.

http://insightsandsounds.blogspot.com/2009/05/disneys-caribbean-beach-resort-1989.html

No on site restaurant existed then, only a decent sized food court.

 

[CleveRocks]

First, when the magical express drops you off at the Customs House and you check in, is there a bus or some type of transportation that will take you to your room? We'll be in one of the pirate rooms in Trinidad South and it looks like a really far walk from the Customs House to that island on the map. Is it really that far or does it look worse than it is?

It's pretty far.

If you arrive at the Custom House and had Disney's Magical Express take care of your luggage, then you'll be instructed to catch the Internal Shuttle bus ... it stops at each of the 6 villages, plus the Custom House, plus Old Port Royale. It runs every 15-20 minutes or so.

Secondly, we'll be getting to the resort around noon so I expect that our room won't be ready yet. If we leave our carry-on bags with bell services and visit a park, will they deliver them to our room along with our checked bags from Magical Express when our room is ready or will we need to stop by and pick them up at some point that day?

We usually have our car or a rental and decided against it on this trip to save money, so I'm not sure how all of this works. Thanks in advance for any help and advice!!

You can leave the carry-ons with Bell Services, and they'll deliver ALL of your bags together if you ask them to do it that way. And even if they mess up and don't deliver your carry-ons, you won't need to go get them, you'd just call Bell Services and tell them of their oversight and ask that your carry-ons be delivered to your room immediately. Bell Services uses vans to get around the resort.

 

[mickeystoontown]

Just had to share with all of my fellow CBR lovers......it's been officially decided, we're going back to the CBR in 2010. It'll be our 5th stay there. We love it so much that we just can't seem to want to stay anywhere else.

 

[CleveRocks]

Here is a "trip report" from 1989 that confirms what I read...there was no onsite restaurant.

http://insightsandsounds.blogspot.com/2009/05/disneys-caribbean-beach-resort-1989.html

No on site restaurant existed then, only a decent sized food court.

It seems that I stand corrected. I ate at The Captain's Table (or whatever it was called) during my August 1990 stay at CBR ... I incorrectly assumed it was in existence when the resort opened almost 2 years earlier.

 

[MadilynnsMomma]

Just had to share with all of my fellow CBR lovers......it's been officially decided, we're going back to the CBR in 2010. It'll be our 5th stay there. We love it so much that we just can't seem to want to stay anywhere else.

Lisa - this doesn't surprise me one bit!!!

 

[mickeystoontown]

Lisa - this doesn't surprise me one bit!!!

It didn't surprise us either. Port Orleans didn't appeal too much to us because we are from Louisiana and we felt like it would look too much like home. The Coronado food court worried us a lot. We just love the CBR's whole vibe and the beaches. I can't afford the Poly's beaches so, CBR...here we come. Again!

 

[Minnie&Nana]

Here is a "trip report" from 1989 that confirms what I read...there was no onsite restaurant.

http://insightsandsounds.blogspot.com/2009/05/disneys-caribbean-beach-resort-1989.html

No on site restaurant existed then, only a decent sized food court.

I read the blog, but they must not have realized that indeed, there was a full service restaurant.We stayed at CBR the year it opened, 1988, again 1989, 1990 & 1991 (we needed a change from Poly & CR ). There absolutely was a TS restaurant and we ate there several times.

It was lovely! White tablecloths, real china...much nicer than Shutters. It was an elevated open area - if you are familiar with the CBR food court, there is an area to the left - up those stairs used to be a TS. We remember it very well and had many nice meals there. It was closed/roped off when not open, so it could not be used for food court seating.

We were shocked when we returned in 2004 to find the area turned into food court seating - and when Shutters is not open, that seating can be used as food court over flow (felt tacky to us, not like a real restaurant since guests could use the tables anytime Shutters is not open). Shutters is not nearly as nice - we think of it as barely better than the food court, not a real TS as previously. The original was very nice and not inexpensive.

Eric, I think it was The Captain's Table, but will need to go through an old WDW box and find the CBR newsletter from the '80's to be sure. Back in those days there were also rocking chairs outside along the porch, Bob Marley music playing throughout the resort - these days it sounds like Caribbean elevator muzak to us.

Ah, those were the good 'ole days. CBR was a beautiful tropical resort when it opened. No bland Nemo theme, rather lovely tropically themed rooms, each Village with it's own color scheme outside as well as inside - the comforters etc, all unique to each Village. Rooms are larger than other mods -we may be biased because we stayed there when it was new, but it was outstanding.
Ahhh....sweet memories.

 

[CleveRocks]

IEric, I think it was The Captain's Table, but will need to go through an old WDW box and find the CBR newsletter from the '80's to be sure. Back in those days there was also rocking chairs outside along the porch, Bob Marley music playing throughout the resort - these days it sounds like Caribbean elevator muzak to us.

Well thanks ... it's always good to hear confirmation that I'm not crazy.

Funny story about the music at the resort ...

CBR was the first place I ever flew in my life. I certainly enjoyed the Bob Marley and other reggae music at the resort. Less than one year later, I went on my honeymoon at a REAL Caribbean beach resort in the REAL Caribbean. So imagine my surprise that I'm at the pool or lounging on a hammock on the beach and through the resort's speakers I'm hearing The Hooters and The Police and stuff like that. I was thinking that it didn't feel like the authentic Caribbean because it wasn't like my Disney World experience!

 

[MadilynnsMomma]

It didn't surprise us either. Port Orleans didn't appeal too much to us because we are from Louisiana and we felt like it would look too much like home. The Coronado food court worried us a lot. We just love the CBR's whole vibe and the beaches. I can't afford the Poly's beaches so, CBR...here we come. Again!

I can not wait to fall in love with CBR like you have ! Only 98 more days!!!

 

[Minnie&Nana]

CleveRocks:Well thanks ... it's always good to hear confirmation that I'm not crazy.

Funny story about the music at the resort ...

CBR was the first place I ever flew in my life. I certainly enjoyed the Bob Marley and other reggae music at the resort. Less than one year later, I went on my honeymoon at a REAL Caribbean beach resort in the REAL Caribbean. So imagine my surprise that I'm at the pool or lounging on a hammock on the beach and through the resort's speakers I'm hearing The Hooters and The Police and stuff like that. I was thinking that it didn't feel like the authentic Caribbean because it wasn't like my Disney World experience!

Wish I could say I don't get it...but I do...(and I still prefer hearing reggae around the resort).
BTW, sorry about the typo with your name...was deleted something else and one letter was left behind, so your name got a temporary new spelling.