Caribbean Beach FAQ Part IV

[mickeystoontown]

Hi,

My family and I are heading to CBR over the winter during the 4 for get 3 free promo and I was wondering if it is worth paying the extra $100 to get a preferred room over a standard. I know it is obviously a matter of opinion but I was wondering what some of your opinions were?

We are staying for the 7 nights and plan on eating at the food court probably 3 or 4 times total. We will have our own car but will probably use Disney transportation for the most part.

If you pay the extra $100.00, you are guaranteed a room in a building close to Old Port Royale. We've been given a free upgrade to a preferred room twice out of our four stays. During our other two stays, we were in non-preferred locations and our walk to Old Port Royale took less than 5 minutes at a leisurely pace. Walking isn't an issue to us and, since there is a bus stop at each village, we save the extra money and stay in a standard room.

 

[safetymom]

We like paying the extra money for the preferred location. No worries about where we will be located. I know there are close not preferred rooms but we like being close to the food court.

 

[MusicMouse]

Hi! I have a quick question for all of you experienced CBR folks. We have booked an 8:15 AM ADR for Donald's Safari Breakfast during the first week of February. How early do the buses run in CBR (AK opens at 9), and how early do I need to leave? Do I have to tell the concierge in order to get an early bus?

 

[catbertdave99]

We like paying the extra money for the preferred location. No worries about where we will be located. I know there are close not preferred rooms but we like being close to the food court.

Same here! The entire resort is beautiful, but we keep paying for the preferred location to guarantee we're close to the food court also!

 

[CleveRocks]

Hi! I have a quick question for all of you experienced CBR folks. We have booked an 8:15 AM ADR for Donald's Safari Breakfast during the first week of February. How early do the buses run in CBR (AK opens at 9), and how early do I need to leave? Do I have to tell the concierge in order to get an early bus?

Even though it's probably a little on the early side, be at your bus stop by 7 a.m. No need to request anything or tell anyone anything ... the buses just run.

 

[shmedly123]

thank you for your responses!

 

[webcreatrix]

I am so excited. I just booked CBR for June 2010!

For now, I've only requested a standard room. So, help me with a room request? We'll be driving so location in respect to bus stops isn't as important. I'd like to be as close as possible to the main pool, however, and would love to be near a beach/playground. Any suggestions for me?

 

[mel373]

Has anyone stayed inthis building and if so how is the location. I was looking at the map to make my request for a room and there were no preferred rooms left when I booked and I know the Aruba & jamaica buildings right over the bridge are good but they are heavily requested. It also looks like the bus is farther from Aruba & Jamaica then the Martinique bus stop is to that village.
Also how are the Trinindad north buildings? I read somewhere that this was one of the worst villages. Any thoughts or suggestions? I want to be close to main pool,food & bus stop.

 

[KimRaye]

Also how are the Trinindad north buildings? I read somewhere that this was one of the worst villages. Any thoughts or suggestions? I want to be close to main pool,food & bus stop.

Trinidad North is a preferred location, not at all worst!

 

[mjaure]

Has anyone stayed inthis building and if so how is the location. I was looking at the map to make my request for a room and there were no preferred rooms left when I booked and I know the Aruba & jamaica buildings right over the bridge are good but they are heavily requested. It also looks like the bus is farther from Aruba & Jamaica then the Martinique bus stop is to that village.
Also how are the Trinindad north buildings? I read somewhere that this was one of the worst villages. Any thoughts or suggestions? I want to be close to main pool,food & bus stop.

We stayed in Martinique 22 last week and I thought it was a great location. Quick walk to the bus stop, couple minutes walk to the main pool. It was my first time staying at CBR and I would not hesitate to stay there again. My son really enjoyed both waterslides.

--Mary

 

[woodleygrrl]

on my way to CBR on Friday with my folks for a couple nights. I have a conference I have to attend starting on Sunday, so we thought that we would extend the trip and enjoy the F&W festival for the weekend. we have a pirate room booked. We stayed at POP last May and was less than thrilled. Interested to see how much a difference there is between moderates and budgets.

Will report back next week and let you know what I think!

 

[niasmom]

Stayed in Aruba 56 last week. It was the closest building to the bus stop. It was 5-7 minute walk over to Port Royale. We found the walk to be quicker than the bus. It was very quiet and loved being close to the bus stop. Nice rooms, clean, no problems. It is a HUGE resort though so be prepared.

 

[masonjar]

Just wondering if anyone knew how the new enclosed pool slide at the CBR was in comparison to the slide at the POLY as far as length, etc.

 

[CleveRocks]

I want to be close to main pool,food & bus stop.

There's no such thing as an entire village being farther from its bus stop than another village is from its own bus stop. The villages are rather large ... 6 numbered buildings each, and each of those is made up of 4 smaller buildings ... within each village, some rooms are right near the bus stop and others could be a 2 minute walk.

Trinidad North is entirely preferred location. Since you said preferred location is sold out for your stay, then you have no chance of getting a room in Trinidad North.

 

[KimRaye]

Interested to see how much a difference there is between moderates and budgets.

Have fun!

And, while I haven't stayed at a value yet, I have stayed at CBR a few times - even when IT was a value, so ....... IMHO it's a value that was upgraded - for whatever reason.

 

[woodleygrrl]

Have fun!

And, while I haven't stayed at a value yet, I have stayed at CBR a few times - even when IT was a value, so ....... IMHO it's a value that was upgraded - for whatever reason.

I hear ya. Well since work is paying for my room the rest of my stay, we are moving over to the Dolphin for the last 4 nights. I really really really hated POP. The only reason that we stayed there in the first place was that we were there for 10 nights and the deal last May was incredible. But I have high hopes for CBR.

 

[CleveRocks]

Have fun!

And, while I haven't stayed at a value yet, I have stayed at CBR a few times - even when IT was a value, so ....... IMHO it's a value that was upgraded - for whatever reason.

Respectfully, I want to clarify this, so that people don't get the wrong idea about CBR.

When CBR opened in 1988, the only other WDW resorts in existence were the three monorail resorts, Fort Wilderness, and what was known as Disney Village. CBR was the first WDW resort that offered moderately priced (or value priced, if you prefer) rates, as opposed to what we would now call the Deluxe resorts.

My main point is that for people who are now familiar with Disney's tiered system of resorts (Deluxe, Moderate, Value), I don't want them to get the incorrect impression that CBR was designed and built as a Value resort and then later got retro-fitted as a Moderate.

In fact, the now-existing Moderates were built in CBR's image ... the only substantial changes incorporated into the design of the other 3 Moderates were slightly smaller rooms and the inclusion of guest elevators. There were no "upgrades" to change CBR from a Value to a Moderate. CBR always had the larger rooms, the pool slide, the multiple bus stops, the table-service restaurant (the same ones I first used in 1989) ... many of the things that distinguish a what is now called a Moderate from what is now called a Value.

 

[sherabby]

In June we were in Martinique 26 and in August we were in Martinique 24...both preferred and we never booked a preferred room. We Loved the location. In 24 we had a waterview room and at night the view was just awesome!

 

[tazdev3225]

I know this has probably been asked and answered but here it goes again. I booked a standard room with only one request - a 1st floor room. When I paid off my trip the very "knowledgeable" CM told me they can't guarentee that. My request was noted for medical reasons as I need to rent a scooter. The CM told me that it would not be a problem as CBR has elevators. In all of my research I thought they do NOT have elevators there. I just want to clarify that once again a CM was giving out wrong information and that CBR does not in fact have elevators.

 

[mickeystoontown]

I know this has probably been asked and answered but here it goes again. I booked a standard room with only one request - a 1st floor room. When I paid off my trip the very "knowledgeable" CM told me they can't guarentee that. My request was noted for medical reasons as I need to rent a scooter. The CM told me that it would not be a problem as CBR has elevators. In all of my research I thought they do NOT have elevators there. I just want to clarify that once again a CM was giving out wrong information and that CBR does not in fact have elevators.

The CM was wrong. There are no elevators in any of the CBR buildings.