Resort Thread Disney's CARIBBEAN BEACH Resort

[Stephen Burch]

Is Disney offering a discount due to construction?

Not an express "construction discount", no. But, it is cheaper than it would normally be as a result of the construction. If you compare prices, the Caribbean Beach resort is cheaper.

 

[cyndiella]

1. Though you asked @phil1914, let me try. When we've used the Bell Services can we have them help bring our luggage up to the room so section them. Maybe that's what splurge meant here. Luggage is not allowed on the Internal Shuttle.

2. Usually, yes.

Thanks! So splurge here is in time spent... not $$...

We plan to check in from ME bus as early as possible for us... about 7 am. (flying in the night before and staying at hotel by the airport) Drop our luggage at CH because I really doubt our room will be ready that early and have it delivered later when room is ready and head to MK for RD!!! I will need the internal shuttle to get us to the nearest Park bus stop. Is this plan do-able?

 

[DavidHobart]

Not an express "construction discount", no. But, it is cheaper than it would normally be as a result of the construction. If you compare prices, the Caribbean Beach resort is cheaper.

"Compare prices" to what? 2017 prices were announced a year ago and have not changed. 2018 prices did not go down.

 

[phil1914]

Loved your report! but I have a few questions. 1) what do you mean "splurge"? Did it cost to use a van? Isn't that the same as the internal shuttle???
2) There are bus stop CM attendants????
3) Pin trading board at concierge?? I thought earlier in this thread it was at the food tent.. was it moved? or in addition to now?
4) Totally agree! This thread is amazingly informative. We will enjoy our first stay at CBR in 62 days!! FP day coming this week!! yay..

TIA

1) By splurge I mean the wonderful Bell Man brings over a van for your party. Loads your luggage up. Drives you over to your village then unloads luggage to your room. This is separate from the internal shuttle bus. It's free, but tips appreciated. However, my experience was luggage is allowed on the internal shuttle. On our 1st day, we saw a family on the internal shuttle with their luggage as we went to CH. On our last day, a bell man directed an arriving family with their luggage to the CH bus stop to their room. Maybe it's allowed when it's less crowded (i.e. mornings)?
2) There are bus stop CM attendants until roughly 11am.
3) I noticed the pin trading board at 3109. I didn't look/notice one in the food tent.

 

[TJDisneymama]

i looked through the first few posts but couldn't find what I was looking for....has there been any official estimated dates given for completion of any of the construction?

 

[dansdad]

i looked through the first few posts but couldn't find what I was looking for....has there been any official estimated dates given for completion of any of the construction?

Nothing official, but rumors are:

Waterfront dining, Old Port Royal, etc - June 2018
Riviera Resort and Gondola system - Summer 2019

 

[TJDisneymama]

Nothing official, but rumors are:

Waterfront dining, Old Port Royal, etc - June 2018
Riviera Resort and Gondola system - Summer 2019

Perfect, thanks!

 

[Giraffe Girl]

Does anyone know which buildings have the freestyle coke machines (especially in Jamaica)? Also, where are the Island markets? And lastly, can I get coffee/hot chocolate near the coke machines or only at the dining options/island markets? Thanks in advance you guys and sorry if these was answered before.

 

[SimonSez]

Perusing You Tube and seeing videos with screaming headlines "Worst Disney Resort Ever!" I looked into it and it was about CBR. Now everything is subjective, and what I like and what someone else likes could be polar opposites, but really? Okay, we had no problem with the resort and I've said this before. We missed OPR, but that was the extent of it. Now I haven't stayed at every resort on property, so don't know which is "worst" or "best," I just know what we experience. Now this person may have had a bad time there, apparently had issues with the lifeguard at the pool. He proclaims it a dump, the people horrible, "so we're getting out of here." I'm just putting this out here so those of you heading down there soon should know, we didn't find it a dump, nor was the staff horrible. If you see a video like this, don't let it scare you. Not saying you'll have the same experience as us, but sometimes I think these videos are a little over the top. Theme Park Brothers has done several videos that walk you through the resort, and update you on construction Happy trails...

 

[MonaMN]

Perusing You Tube and seeing videos with screaming headlines "Worst Disney Resort Ever!" I looked into it and it was about CBR. Now everything is subjective, and what I like and what someone else likes could be polar opposites, but really? Okay, we had no problem with the resort and I've said this before. We missed OPR, but that was the extent of it. Now I haven't stayed at every resort on property, so don't know which is "worst" or "best," I just know what we experience. Now this person may have had a bad time there, apparently had issues with the lifeguard at the pool. He proclaims it a dump, the people horrible, "so we're getting out of here." I'm just putting this out here so those of you heading down there soon should know, we didn't find it a dump, nor was the staff horrible. If you see a video like this, don't let it scare you. Not saying you'll have the same experience as us, but sometimes I think these videos are a little over the top. Theme Park Brothers has done several videos that walk you through the resort, and update you on construction Happy trails...

That popped up on my YouTube today too. It seems like the issues that were the problem were really about not reading and safety. The CBR splash pad is for little kids - not adults - to use the slides. The height restriction is posted. And riding with your kid down a slide is a safety hazard - if their little leg gets lodged/twisted with the adult, it's a big injury.

In short, that video was crap. IMO.

 

[oj01]

Is there a Preferred King category?

Or are they independent, in that if you book King you might get Trinidad North King or if you book Preferred (and there's only two of you) you might also get a Trinidad North King?

 

[dansdad]

Is there a Preferred King category?

Or are they independent, in that if you book King you might get Trinidad North King or if you book Preferred (and there's only two of you) you might also get a Trinidad North King?

There is no such category as a Preferred King. A room is either going to be a King or Preferred. Having said that, if you book a King room you could be in Trinidad North. But if you book preferred you will not get a King.

Same thing with Water View rooms. If you book a Water View you could be in Trinidad North, or any building.

If you want a King book a King knowing that your room could be in any building except Trinidad South, where the Pirate Themed Rooms are.

 

[TJDisneymama]

I stayed at POR on most recent trip. Before that, CSR. Staying at both, I just realized how much more I loved CBR. I have/will not stayed at any resort twice b/c Im trying to make my way through all the resorts, but I would break this rule to go back to CBR! As soon as all the construction is over, I will for sure book a stay there again! I dont get the CBR hate. Its my favorite Mod for sure. Once I make it through all the resorts, theres a good chance CBR will become my "home" resort......wait, arent they building DVC there?!?!?

 

[cyndiella]

Perusing You Tube and seeing videos with screaming headlines "Worst Disney Resort Ever!" I looked into it and it was about CBR. Now everything is subjective, and what I like and what someone else likes could be polar opposites, but really? Okay, we had no problem with the resort and I've said this before. We missed OPR, but that was the extent of it. Now I haven't stayed at every resort on property, so don't know which is "worst" or "best," I just know what we experience. Now this person may have had a bad time there, apparently had issues with the lifeguard at the pool. He proclaims it a dump, the people horrible, "so we're getting out of here." I'm just putting this out here so those of you heading down there soon should know, we didn't find it a dump, nor was the staff horrible. If you see a video like this, don't let it scare you. Not saying you'll have the same experience as us, but sometimes I think these videos are a little over the top. Theme Park Brothers has done several videos that walk you through the resort, and update you on construction Happy trails...

Agreed... some people love to make their own "h--l"... I have always believed that if you go in with a bad attitude - you won't be disappointed. Same as when you go in with a great attitude...

 

[Kmygrl73]

Just came back from a week long stay at CBR and we loved it! We were in Aruba and close to a Freestyle Coke machine and the Island Market. We loved both of those... we had a rental car so would drive to the parking closest to Centertown and used the pool there and the kids area and the Cabana bar and the buffet and could fill up our mugs there as well! They had texted us earlier in the day that our room was ready but we stopped at the Custom House for our construction $75 per night gift card and it was waiting for us and we also had a pin set waiting in the room for us... the construction didn't bother us at all and really did not affect our vacation there at all..

 

[SimonSez]

That popped up on my YouTube today too. It seems like the issues that were the problem were really about not reading and safety. The CBR splash pad is for little kids - not adults - to use the slides. The height restriction is posted. And riding with your kid down a slide is a safety hazard - if their little leg gets lodged/twisted with the adult, it's a big injury.

In short, that video was crap. IMO.

Yes! If the lifeguard had to keep calling them out, they were not obeying rules. They weren't called out once, but several times. They got miffed, declared the CBR a dump, the staff horrible, and got out of Dodge. Probably much to the relief of the resort lol.

 

[FrankieWinthrop]

17 Days...17 Days...17 Days! We'll see CBR in 17 Days! Looking forward to posting our own review for you all in just over two weeks. We've only stayed on property once before (AKL), so we are CBR newbies. I must say that I was not impressed with AKL. It's a regular hotel room other than you can walk down the hall and maybe, possibly, see a giraffe in the distance. We are rarely in the resort other than to sleep, so I don't think the construction will impact us much. I'm excited that the drink machines will be more available. We rarely used the one at AKL because you'd just settle for water from the bathroom sink after walking all day in the parks instead of walking the mile to The Mara. We specifically requested buildings with the drink machines, so we'll see what we get. Hoping for Jamaica.

 

[The Sunrise Student]

17 Days...17 Days...17 Days! We'll see CBR in 17 Days! Looking forward to posting our own review for you all in just over two weeks. We've only stayed on property once before (AKL), so we are CBR newbies. I must say that I was not impressed with AKL. It's a regular hotel room other than you can walk down the hall and maybe, possibly, see a giraffe in the distance. We are rarely in the resort other than to sleep, so I don't think the construction will impact us much. I'm excited that the drink machines will be more available. We rarely used the one at AKL because you'd just settle for water from the bathroom sink after walking all day in the parks instead of walking the mile to The Mara. We specifically requested buildings with the drink machines, so we'll see what we get. Hoping for Jamaica.

You sound like us, we are 11 days from arrival and will be there for 7. We rarely relax at the resort except to sleep, when we stayed at AKL we even tried CL and we felt we wasted our money because we were not at the resort long enough to enjoy the extras... This will be our first time buying the refillable mugs too and it's because of the new free style machines and how close they are to the rooms that makes it ideal! We have King room reservations and hoping for Jamacia by the building with the markets and free style. For us it's the room, hoping for not too thin walls for quiet night sleep, the ease of getting to our rental car without having to be right on top of the parking lot and whatever fun stuff is close to our room. We are park commandos and live at the parks when we are there.

 

[oj01]

There is no such category as a Preferred King. A room is either going to be a King or Preferred. Having said that, if you book a King room you could be in Trinidad North. But if you book preferred you will not get a King.

Same thing with Water View rooms. If you book a Water View you could be in Trinidad North, or any building.

If you want a King book a King knowing that your room could be in any building except Trinidad South, where the Pirate Themed Rooms are.

So I just about convinced my dad that my parents would benefit more from a Preferred Room rather than the King they had booked, being closer to food/pool in Trinidad North.

Now, he either got a very well informed cast member or a very badly informed cast member when he called to discuss changing.

She told him that Preferred didn't guarantee being in Trinidad North close to the food/pool as Preferred Rooms were to be in three different villages.

I can't see this being correct? Maybe they will reinstate Martinique as Preferred once construction is finished, but three?

 

[dansdad]

So I just about convinced my dad that my parents would benefit more from a Preferred Room rather than the King they had booked, being closer to food/pool in Trinidad North.

Now, he either got a very well informed cast member or a very badly informed cast member when he called to discuss changing.

She told him that Preferred didn't guarantee being in Trinidad North close to the food/pool as Preferred Rooms were to be in three different villages.

I can't see this being correct? Maybe they will reinstate Martinique as Preferred once construction is finished, but three?

That CM is wrong. There's are Preferred rooms only in 2 Villages. Trinidad North and what's left of Martinique.