Caribbean Beach Resort FAQ's Part II

[LglBlonde]

Martinique, OPR, Trinidad North, Trindad South, Jamaica, Aruba and Barbados would be the route then when the bus takes the main entrance.

The other entrance or "alternate" as I called it is the Victory Way entrance, just past the main stoplight into CBR.

 

[cococat]

Hello! I just received Fodor's Walt Disney World® with Kids 2006 (Special-Interest Titles) and the author gave Caribbean Beach Resort the lowest rating of 1 star! Wiley states that it has small rooms, not the best transportation to the parks, and that the resort is always in different states of renovation since it is old. Her favorite of the moderates is Riverside and POFQ.
This is the resort that my family has picked for our very first trip to WDW. We will be going in peak season. Should we change resorts or stay put. We have paid for the preferred locations at CB and love the tropical theme.

 

[safetymom]

CBR has the largest rooms of all the moderates. It underwent an extensive renovation and reopened in 2003. The resort was closed for months. If you read through this thread you will see many people have stayed at CBR and had a great time.

The busses are dispatched on demand so there are plenty of busses.

 

[sm4987]

Stay put. The resort is really, really wonderful My family and I have stayed there 3 times. The rooms are not small and the atmosphere is wonderful. Sometimes I hate reading what other's have to say because some things you have to make up on your own. CB is a awesome resort. My kids say that it is their favorite Mod resort and never mind going back!

 

[cococat]

Stay put. The resort is really, really wonderful My family and I have stayed there 3 times. The rooms are not small and the atmosphere is wonderful. Sometimes I hate reading what other's have to say because some things you have to make up on your own. CB is a awesome resort. My kids say that it is their favorite Mod resort and never mind going back!

Thanks Sheree and Safetymom. This really helps.

 

[sm4987]

CocoCat, anytime. I really do believe that you and your family will LOVE it!

 

[MEK]

Hello! I just received Fodor's Walt Disney World® with Kids 2006 (Special-Interest Titles) and the author gave Caribbean Beach Resort the lowest rating of 1 star! Wiley states that it has small rooms, not the best transportation to the parks, and that the resort is always in different states of renovation since it is old. Her favorite of the moderates is Riverside and POFQ.
This is the resort that my family has picked for our very first trip to WDW. We will be going in peak season. Should we change resorts or stay put. We have paid for the preferred locations at CB and love the tropical theme.

Stay where you are. The biggest dissatisfier in this resort is the distance of some of the villages. You will be close to everything in a preferred location. I just stayed there last week and I really enjoyed it. It is bright, cheery, well landscaped, and has a truely relaxed feel. My room was exceptionally clean and large enough for my family of 4. Mousekeeping did a great jog. I encountered only friendly cast members. Each building is arranged differently. No 2 areas look the same.

I, like you, was skeptical before I went. I read too many bag reviews, but the place was great. In fact, I thought the coolest part of the resort was Trinidad South because it was so isolated. It was like a private resort. If you like a tropical feel, this place has it.

I stayed at POR 2 years ago. I liked CBR everybit as much as POR. In fact, it was better for me because it is a great resort if you like to run while on vacation.

The main thing is - if you think you will like the resort than go with your "gut". Don't let the negative reviews sway you. Despite its size, the place was great!

_________________________________________________
Max is my favorite cat!

 

[catbertdave99]

They're right -- you'll love CBR -- I don't know where the guide got its information, but it couldn't be more wrong. Plenty of space, great transportation.... my kids loved it!

 

[scoutsmom99]

Hello! I just received Fodor's Walt Disney World® with Kids 2006 (Special-Interest Titles) and the author gave Caribbean Beach Resort the lowest rating of 1 star! Wiley states that it has small rooms, not the best transportation to the parks, and that the resort is always in different states of renovation since it is old. Her favorite of the moderates is Riverside and POFQ.
This is the resort that my family has picked for our very first trip to WDW. We will be going in peak season. Should we change resorts or stay put. We have paid for the preferred locations at CB and love the tropical theme.

I just wanted to add that I think you will love CBR. CBR seems to get the worst wrap of all the moderates for one reason or another. Personally, it is my favorite...great themeing, fabulous cast members, large rooms (which include double sinks with plenty of storeage space), you can rent water boats, a fabulous walking path, a pool in each and every village, it is super close to DTD, Epcot and MGM (MGM is less than a 5 minute ride). I have only once had a long wait at CBR (one 20 minute wait for MGM this past January) most of my times have been under 10 minutes. Plus CBR does not share a bus with any other resort.

If you read these boards long enough you will see bad reviews on almost every resort from time to time. Take each of those with a grain of salt and remember your vacation is what you make of it

 

[LglBlonde]

I just wanted to add that I think you will love CBR. CBR seems to get the worst wrap of all the moderates for one reason or another. Personally, it is my favorite...great themeing, fabulous cast members, large rooms (which include double sinks with plenty of storeage space), you can rent water boats, a fabulous walking path, a pool in each and every village, it is super close to DTD, Epcot and MGM (MGM is less than a 5 minute ride). I have only once had a long wait at CBR (one 20 minute wait for MGM this past January) most of my times have been under 10 minutes. Plus CBR does not share a bus with any other resort.

If you read these boards long enough you will see bad reviews on almost every resort from time to time. Take each of those with a grain of salt and remember your vacation is what you make of it

Ditto!!! WE just stayed last week and loved it! We paid for a King Room and got a preferred location & water view too! IT was great! Trinidad North is a great location - very close to OPR. In fact, we stayed at POFQ last year just a few months after it had been renovated. IMO, I don't think POFQ seemed any more "newer" than CBR. Disney does a good job 90% of the time keeping properties in good repair, fresh paint, etc. Mousekeeping was great. DH and I agreed we preferred CBR over POFQ. WE were actually closer to a bus stop at CBR than at POFQ and to me that is most important.

As for waits for buses, the longest we waited was 15-20 minutes and that is during the 'slow' season. Buses are more frequent when the parks are busier. POFQ and POR share buses, so I can't say they are any more efficient. And CBR is a VERY close bus ride for both Epcot and MGM. The only advantage of POR/POFQ over CBR in my opinion is that you can take a boat to DTD. We did miss that.

 

[liquid]

Can anyone give me an idea of how early we should be at the bus stop in the mornings if we want to get to the parks before they open? I don't know how to get a realistic picture of how long the various bus rides actually are!

Or, should I be posting this over on the transportation board??

 

[scoutsmom99]

liquid,

Here are the times I would suggest to be at the bus stop:

MK: 45 minutes before MK opens
Epcot: 30 minutes before opening (2nd fastest ride)
MGM: 20-25 minutes before opening (your fastest ride)
AK: 40 minutes before opening

In my experience this allows for time to wait for a bus, get off the bus, head to the turnstyles, get through the turnstyles and wait for rope drop. (Epcot is the furthest walk to the turnstyles, followed by Epcot, MK, and MGM(of course it depends where you are dropped off, but that has been my experience)).

 

[tam012864]

If I were trying to make a Character Breakfast at 8--I would start at least at 7a.m. (no later) I always tried to allow at least an hour prior to whichever park I was going to. This always seemed to work out fine. Have a great time--We love the Caribbean Beach--especially Jamaica!!!!!

 

[liquid]

Thanks so much! I'm planning to do a few *practice* mornings this week as we are a very leisurely family and hardly ever have to leave the house before 9AM.

Next friday!!!

 

[HayGan]

My mom just booked CBR for 3 nights in early Dec. It will be her and my step-father. Neither one of them get around very quickly or easily on their own. My mom will have a moterized scooter delivered because she will be coming to the parks with us 2 days but my stepdad will be staying in the room. We have requested a room with handicapped access (I think they said they are giving her a room with a rolling shower - whatever that is )

Does anyone know where the special access rooms are located? Do they at all provide any sort of transportation for guests with special needs to their rooms?

TIA

 

[safetymom]

The rooms are scattered around the resort. They do have little golf carts that they may be able to get them to the room. I also think they have vans if you ask them I am sure they will take care of them.

 

[HayGan]

The rooms are scattered around the resort. They do have little golf carts that they may be able to get them to the room. I also think they have vans if you ask them I am sure they will take care of them.

Thanks so much for the SUPER quick response

I'll let her know to ask for assisstance when they get there!

 

[safetymom]

You are welcome. You will have a great time at CBR.

 

[LglBlonde]

My mom just booked CBR for 3 nights in early Dec. It will be her and my step-father. Neither one of them get around very quickly or easily on their own. My mom will have a moterized scooter delivered because she will be coming to the parks with us 2 days but my stepdad will be staying in the room. We have requested a room with handicapped access (I think they said they are giving her a room with a rolling shower - whatever that is )

Does anyone know where the special access rooms are located? Do they at all provide any sort of transportation for guests with special needs to their rooms?

TIA

I think maybe they said "Roll-In" shower. It's a shower where the bathroom is all open. In other words, when you shower, most of the bathroom floor is designed to get wet, with a drain. There is no bathtub, and there is just a curtain sectioning off the shower from the rest of the bathroom. (I stayed at a hotel on business a while back and they gave me a handicap room b/c it was the last one that they had.)

 

[scoutsmom99]

Thanks so much! I'm planning to do a few *practice* mornings this week as we are a very leisurely family and hardly ever have to leave the house before 9AM.

Next friday!!!

your welcome. Maybe I will see you there! I arrive on Sept 24