Carribean Beach Resort vs All Star Music

[coinkc]

I am still torn between staying at All Star Music or CBR. My dad has issues with walking long distances and there are no preferred rooms available at CBR, but there are at ASM. However, the CM on the phone said I could still request a close room due to his disability at CBR.

Has anyone ever had any experience with this kind of thing? Were you able to get a close room even if it wasn't booked as preferred?

I need to decide this week...I really want to stay at CBR, but don't want him to have to walk a long distance before we even make it into the parks.

 

[aubriee]

Last Dec I was booked at POP, but about a 6 weeks out decided to try to upgrade to a CBR preferred room. I never was able to get all my nights in a preferred room. The CMs kept telling me that due to the great size of the CBR, preferred rooms get booked up really fast. Anyway, finally I decided to do a split stay and was able to get a standard room at POP for my first two nights and a preferred room at CBR for my last 6 nights. I kept calling all the way up until the day before I left trying to get all my nights in a preferred room at CBR, without success. I requested and received a room in Martinique and was very disappointed. I was on the back side and as far away from Port Royal as I could get and still be in the preferred section of Martinique. My standard room at POP was much closer to the food court than my preferred room at CBR was.

It seems that if people who are willing to pay for a preferred room beforehand are being told they are booked, that there would not be any preferred rooms available to upgrade people to at check in. Oops! That didn't come out quite right. I know you are willing to pay for a preferred room, but my point is if they are not available to people beforehand I can't see them suddenly being available as an upgrade later (unless someone cancelled at the last minute). I'd go with AS Music. In fact that's where I'll be next week (Sept 29th-Oct 7th in a preferred room in the Calypso building. Can't wait! )

If you want really want to stay at CBR, another option would be for your dad to rent an ECV from offsite. That's what my mom does. No way can she do the walking that WDW requires. She doesn't use a ECV at home, but must at WDW. I'm exhausted at the end of the day, but she feels great. Plus the buses at CBR are really crowded. With an ECV you would both be guaranteed a seat, but without it there is a very good chance he may be standing on the buses. Could he handle that? FYI-Walker Mobility is an excellent company that my mom has used everal times.

 

[streudel423]

I am still torn between staying at All Star Music or CBR. My dad has issues with walking long distances and there are no preferred rooms available at CBR, but there are at ASM. However, the CM on the phone said I could still request a close room due to his disability at CBR.

Has anyone ever had any experience with this kind of thing? Were you able to get a close room even if it wasn't booked as preferred?

I need to decide this week...I really want to stay at CBR, but don't want him to have to walk a long distance before we even make it into the parks.

when will you be going?

 

[minnie61650]

I have limited mobility.
The fact that I can book I can book a perferred and that the bus serice has at All Star Music are two of the main reasons I enjoy staying at All Star Music.
I just returned from a stay at All Star Music September 12-19.

During our last stay All Star Music only shared a bus when returning from AK and DTD.
All of the buses going to the parks went directly to parks after pick up even when the bus was less than half full.
My friend and I decided in the early afternoon of one of our Disney MGM Studio days to head back to ASMu for a dip in the pool. We were the only ones on the bus that trip!

All Star Music is my favorite Disney owned hotel.

Please see my info thread for more reasons why I enjoy All Star Music so much.

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?p=18641909#post18641909

Have fun at Disney!

------------------------------------------------------

I would also suggest that because of mobility issues he should rent an ECV
(Electric scooter) from an offsite company.
I have limited mobility and have rented mine from Care Medical (800-741-2282) and Walker Mobility (888-726-6837) in the past. I would recommend either one. The cost is about $30 a day. The ones at the parks cost $35 a day and are bigger and have 4 wheels kinda like a golf cart. They are much harder to steer and to control. If he rents from an offsite rental they will deliver the EVC to bell services at the resort. He can use it to go to the pool, and to get around the resort as well as the bus stop.

Almost all the Disney buses are accessible. I love using my EVC it gives me more independence and helps keep my pain to a minimum. If he decides to rent an EVC (which I highly recommend) he can practice using one at a local store such as Wal Mart or Target. Those are a little bigger than the rental ones but the practice will help.

Disney started mainstreaming most of their lines in the late 1990's. Those in WC/EVC will usually enter in the regular line. He will be able to stay in EVC until just before boarding most of the time.
Sometimes the WC/EVC (along with up to 5 other members of your party) may be pulled from the mainstream line part way down so they can board the ride in an accessible area.(*Note you not going to the front of line but rather to an area where the EVC can be parked or where it easier to board). EVC's can't climb steps so sometimes they need to take an elevator. Or they may need to board a ride where the riders usually exit in case
they need an accessible vehicle or need the moving sidewalk slowed or stopped so they can board.

You can pickup a book for Guests with disabilities at Guest Services or you download a copy of the book which is posted on the disABILITIES board.
Have fun at Disney!

 

[coinkc]

Thank you both for your replies.


Unfortuntately an ECv is not a possibility as my dad is very stubborn in that respect. he won't even consider it.

we are going the second week of December. I am hoping for cool weather and low crowds (wishful thinking, I know )

 

[minnie61650]

Thank you both for your replies.


Unfortuntately an ECv is not a possibility as my dad is very stubborn in that respect. he won't even consider it.

we are going the second week of December. I am hoping for cool weather and low crowds (wishful thinking, I know )

In that case I would defiantly stay at All Star Music. The preferred location at All Star Music is very close to the main pool, food court and bus stop.
The bus system is also better at ASMu than CBR IMHO.
CBR has 7 bus stops and if you not at the1st or 2ed bus stop chances are you will need to stand.

I have stayed at both resorts and that was my experience.

Good Luck and have fun at Disney!

 

[streudel423]

Thank you both for your replies.


Unfortuntately an ECv is not a possibility as my dad is very stubborn in that respect. he won't even consider it.

we are going the second week of December. I am hoping for cool weather and low crowds (wishful thinking, I know )

We are going the FIRST week of December. So, for the second week of December, all the preferred rooms at CBR are booked ALREADY???

 

[dclfun]

I also vote for AS Music. Someone with a disability has to pay the preferred fee to get a preferred room just like everyone else and will not be comped to a preferred location. I use a power w/c so being close to the bus stop isn't an issue since I'm not pushing my self or struggling to walk but I always get what I pay for, either preferred or non preferred and I always reserve an accessible room so they are aware I am disabled. I wouldn't chance ruining your trip because your Dad has too far to walk. The Calypso building at ASMu is extremely close to the food court and bus stop and with it being newly renovated it will be clean and very attractive too.---Kathy

 

[ems_mom]

I've booked a standard room via bounceback at ASMu for Sept. '08. I'm not concerned about walking distances, but I am about noise.

Would booking preferred get me a quiet room or should I just request one on the reservation? (Definetly don't want a pool facing room.)

Thanks for your advice

 

[minnie61650]

I've booked a standard room via bounceback at ASMu for Sept. '08. I'm not concerned about walking distances, but I am about noise.

Would booking preferred get me a quiet room or should I just request one on the reservation? (Definetly don't want a pool facing room.)

Thanks for your advice

I always book a preferred location at All Star Music.
I request a room facing away from the pool in a "quiet area" and I have never had a problem with noise.

----------------------------------

Here are some tips:

Hope this will be of help.

I stay at the values quite often and have never had an issue with noise.

The noise issues come with :

1. The main pool is located very close to some of the value rooms.

The themed pools at the mods and deluxes are set away from the rooms.

Tip: Ask for a room facing away or located a ways from the main pool.

2. Turbo toilets

The Values are newer and have the turbo toilets.

Tip: Close your bathroom door at night because noise travels through the plumbing.

3. Connecting rooms

About 50% of the value rooms have connecting doors.

Noise will travel under the connecting doors in a room.

Tip: If you have noisy neighbors open your connecting door and place a rolled up bath towel on the floor between then close and lock your connecting door.

Some guests find that using a small fan or a white nise machine helps them sleep better.

These tips should help you get a restful sleep wherever you choose to stay.

Have fun at Disney!