Caribbean Beach Resort FAQ's Part II

[safetymom]

http://www.idhal.com/CBR/Image007.jpg

http://www.idhal.com/photogallery/photo2058/real_p.htm
If you scroll to the bottom of the page you can see a fridge at CBR with some items in it.

 

[CleveRocks]

When I had connecting rooms at CBR last year, one fridge had a small freezer compartment and one didn't. So much for us all planning ahead one way or the other ....

 

[sugarpie]

Thanks everybody!!!

The refrigerators look plenty big. I've stayed in some hotels where the refrigerator is the size of a microwave. I just want to be able to have a gallon of milk & some yogurt in it. A few adult beverages may sneak their way in, too. Last year we stayed at the cabins at FW & a full kitchen was way more than we needed.

I'm really excited to try CBR!

 

[bjcroberts]

How does Garden Grocer work? How far in advance can you place an order? We arrive on 11/3. Can you place an order 3-4 days in advance?

 

[KimRaye]

How does Garden Grocer work? How far in advance can you place an order? We arrive on 11/3. Can you place an order 3-4 days in advance?

Yes, I believe so. I think we submitted our orders about a week before we left. They're very efficient. In our case, after we were assigned our rooms, we called them and they brought everything over quite quickly.

It's like online catalog shopping, but for food. If you check their site, there's categories of food and then the individual items and pictures, you shop from that. BUT, if there's something you want that isn't there (alcohol, let's say ), add that in the comments section and, they pick it up for you and charge you cost only, no mark-up. Great service, imo!

 

[bjcroberts]

Sounds like a great service! Thanks!!

 

[magicmouse2]

cbr REVIEW ! I also have thousands of photos to trawl through and will post later. We had connecting rooms in Trinidad South 1st floor corner room and connecting room facing shrubs and laundry building. Across from car park - excellent and beautiful quiet pool and lake with beach and hammocks and playground a few feet away. I stepped into the room and was hit with the wow factor immediately. I loved the room style and decor and the tropical theming. The bedspreads looked new and there was no smoke smell. Beds were really comfortabke - pillow top I think. Plenty of storage space in room, great privacy curtain. After staying at Pop I was lad to have a coffee maker for some proper coffee. The refrigerator held a couple of trays of soda cans, milk, wine and snacks. There was no freezer compartment in ours. Room was quiet couldnt hear any neighbours and hopefully they couldnt hear our noisy bunch. The walk to the foodcourt was around 7 mins at quick pace but scenery was beautiful and the location was serene as there was no other building across the lake from us. We hired a boston whaler which was great fun, and had breakfast in the food court each day, which was good and nice and hot. All CMs were friendly and for the first time ever we got loads of towl animals. The main pool was great but too busy and a little cool so we used the quiet pool for midday swims. I loved CBR and we have voted it our new favorite resort. The location is great for MGM and EPCOT and there were Lots of lizards, turtles, birds and squirrels to entertain the kids. A lovely and quiet resort and we could have spent a lot of time here rather than at the paks. Try the hammocks on the beach ! watch the fish and turtles swim up to you in the lake front. Fantastic resort. Loved it would stay again without hesitation.

 

[PrincessKitty1]

We stayed at the Caribbean for a quick weekend trip to the Food and Wine Fest at Epcot (managed to fit in MK and AK too!). This was our first stay at a moderate--we always stay at a Value or at the Dolphin. The Caribbean Beach Resort definitely won us over!

The lush tropical landscaping, glistening lagoons, white sand beaches, rustic gazebos...the bridge from Jamaica over the water to Caribbean Cay and then on to the pool/foodcourt area....the hammocks, the fountains, the marina...it was all breathtaking. The only negative part of our experience was not being able to go to our room until 4 PM (check-in is 3 PM). We think Disney may need to pay their Mousekeepers more if they can't keep enough of them working to have rooms ready by check-in.

Here are a few photos....enjoy!

 

[PrincessKitty1]

Edited to add: A big THANK YOU to SafetyMom for organizing this thread! Thanks to this thread, I knew to ask for a room in Jamaica. We were absolutely thrilled with the location.
A few more photos:
This one is of a building in Jamaica as seen from the walkway in front of my door. I loved the colors and the gingerbread!

This is a fountain near the pool. I think the theme of the CBR is that the resort was built on the ruins of an old fort.

More of the "old fort" theme:

 

[Kim&Chris]

Just wanted to share my thoughts on this recent stay at CBR.

Check-in was slow - they should have more CM's manning the windows. Even though there were only a few guests checking in, there was still a line. Guests were getting a little angry at how slow things were moving.

We were assigned a King room in building 46 (Jamaica). I have to say that the room was in PERFECT condition. It was spotless (believe me when I say this 'cause I am a clean freak ). The bathroom was in perfect condition. We were VERY impressed with the renovations (we had not stayed at CBR since before it was rehabbed several years ago), and the room was beautiful. The curtains appeared to be brand new because they still had creases in them. Even though the room was close to the parking lot, we did not hear one car go by. The landscaping is first rate, and the buildings are just so beautiful .
I loved CBR the first time I stayed there (the first year it opened!), and I still love it just as much. It made me sad to leave CBR & go to OKW, because OKW was not nearly as well-maintained & clean .

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

PrincessKitty1, thanks for the pics! We are staying at CBR for the first tiem in two weeks and I love to see pics

 

[kelleigh1]

PrincessKitty: Thanks for those photos. Hubby and I will be staying at CBR late next year and we're requesting Jamaica. I hadn't seen many pictures of Jamaica, so your pics are great. Can't wait to show them to hubby.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

Will a full size air mattress fit on the floor of a CBR room or should we plan to bring a twiin sized mattress? TIA

 

[deejohn]

Does anyone remember is there is a common toaster and/or microwave at the food court at CBR?

 

[safetymom]

Yes there is both a toaster and microwave you can use in the food court.

 

[Missy Bruin]

Hey all my family and i are heading to wdw for x-mas staying at CBR on dec.24th-dec.29th.Well i must say i have heard alot of great things about CBR.I just have one question.Which is the best building to stay in without the least about of walking i had knee surgery last year.It looks like the Martinique buildings are the closet to the old port royale centertown and bus stop am i correct.any suggestions would be so helpful.thanks everyone MISSY AND FAMILY

 

[CleveRocks]

Hey all my family and i are heading to wdw for x-mas staying at CBR on dec.24th-dec.29th.Well i must say i have heard alot of great things about CBR.I just have one question.Which is the best building to stay in without the least about of walking i had knee surgery last year.It looks like the Martinique buildings are the closet to the old port royale centertown and bus stop am i correct.any suggestions would be so helpful.thanks everyone MISSY AND FAMILY

Bus stop info first:

There's a bus stop at each village, plus one at Old Port Royale, so there's no such thing as one village being closer to a bus stop than another.


Buildings closest to OPR:

At CBR, you pay $15-$20 extra per night to stay in what's called "preferred location." This means the 6 buildings closest to OPR, three on each side. On one side Martinique buildings 24, 25 and 26 (Martinique buildings 21, 22 and 23 are NOT preferred location). On the other side are Trinidad North buildings 31, 32 and 33.

When you pay for preferred location, it is GUARANTEED. If you simply request it, keep in mind that everyone who pays is in line before you, and it's not uncommon for people trying to pay for preferred location to be told they're already sold out. So if it's worth the money to you, make the reservation as early as is practical for you, to make sure you don't get locked out of preferred location.

If you don't want to pay the money, your next best bets are Aruba, Jamaica, and the remainder of Martinique. Aruba and Jamaica are across the lake from OPR, but there is a bridge that goes across the lake. Trinidad South is by far the farthest from OPR, and Barbados is the next farthest.


And just a hint on lingo:

I know all the CBR maps use the word "Centertown" in describing the location of OPR, but it's just not a term that I've EVER heard used, wither at CBR itself or on any message board. Ask about Old Port Royale, OPR, and leave Centertown alone. Just one of those quirky things, I guess.

 

[KimRaye]

Will a full size air mattress fit on the floor of a CBR room or should we plan to bring a twiin sized mattress? TIA

In a standard, double room, I'd say a twin at most. Unless you remove furniture.

 

[Hoosier Mom]

PrincessKitty: Thanks for those photos. Hubby and I will be staying at CBR late next year and we're requesting Jamaica. I hadn't seen many pictures of Jamaica, so your pics are great. Can't wait to show them to hubby.

I had my request in for Jamaica a full 386 days in advance when we booked. When we got there we were given Barbados. I complained that we'd had our booking far in advance and was hoping to get our request for Jamaica. Her reply was we're full. However, we were in building 12 and it was close to the busstop, laundry room, and pool. The walk to Old Port Royal each morning was a bit further than from Jamaica I think, but it wasn't bad.

 

[LglBlonde]

Hey all my family and i are heading to wdw for x-mas staying at CBR on dec.24th-dec.29th.Well i must say i have heard alot of great things about CBR.I just have one question.Which is the best building to stay in without the least about of walking i had knee surgery last year.It looks like the Martinique buildings are the closet to the old port royale centertown and bus stop am i correct.any suggestions would be so helpful.thanks everyone MISSY AND FAMILY

Unless you think you'll be eating at the food court a lot, my first priority would be to be near a BUS STOP over OPR. THere are also internal buses you can take to OPR from any where at CBR.