Disney's CARIBBEAN BEACH RESORT Information & Questions

[dansdad]

I got in on the gift card offer for 2 reservations on the 17th with no email, but not too worried yet. We do want to increase the number of days on the tickets we added to the MYW package. Can this be done without the original reservation being issued a new confirmation number and changing the booking date?

Yes.

I wouldn't want a change like that to affect us getting the gift cards as the new date would be after the end of the promotion.

It won't.

 

[Rideengineer]

Yes.



It won't.

Thank you!

 

[nkereina]

I haven't been following the CBR refurb details because we have no plans to stay there. However, a friend of mine is taking her kids on their first trip in early September. She told me they booked CBR because she was able to get in on the gift card deal, and she said she's aware of the construction. But can anyone fill me in on exactly what will be closed come September? I've read the food court and store, with "alternative" food options being provided. Anyone know yet what that will entail? We've stayed at CBR before so I know what OPR being closed will look like, so I just want to prepare my friend for it so she has the right expectations. Thanks!

 

[AngiTN]

I haven't been following the CBR refurb details because we have no plans to stay there. However, a friend of mine is taking her kids on their first trip in early September. She told me they booked CBR because she was able to get in on the gift card deal, and she said she's aware of the construction. But can anyone fill me in on exactly what will be closed come September? I've read the food court and store, with "alternative" food options being provided. Anyone know yet what that will entail? We've stayed at CBR before so I know what OPR being closed will look like, so I just want to prepare my friend for it so she has the right expectations. Thanks!

This covers it pretty well
Beginning in May 2017, the following venues will be unavailable due to refurbishment: Old Port Royale Food Court, Shutters at Old Port Royale, Banana Cabana Pool Bar and Calypso Trading Post. There will be a variety of dining options available to you for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Centertown, a dining location, will serve an all-you-care-to-enjoy buffet for breakfast and dinner.

A selection of grab-and-go meals will be conveniently available for purchase throughout the day in three new island markets located in the Aruba, Jamaica and Martinique regions of the Resort.

Additional a la carte offerings will be available at mobile food vending locations.

In-room dining will remain available. The menu includes pizza, sandwiches and pasta.

 

[HHMcG]

Well we checked in super late on the 9th/10th. Requested ground floor Jamaica 45 or Aruba 51, we also followed up with a fax 6 days prior. We were given a courtyard room in Jamaica 45. NOT a big fan that they allow smoking in the courtyard sitting area, plenty of room on the other walk ways that would not affect so many rooms. Luckily it has not been to bad, but almost every morning someone is sitting by the table smoking. The resort is fantastically themed and they have done a great job giving that Caribbean feel. All the different plants and trees, the tall bamboo's are excellent. We totally enjoy crossing over the island to get to OPR. I walk every morning to get breakfast to bring back to the room and totally enjoy the scenery, but I do not think I would enjoy the walk much from the far ends of the resort. If they added 2 more bridges, end of Aruba and between Barbados and Jamaica, it would make a big difference for those areas. We think that the FC is definitely the best themed and looks great. We like all the options they have, although I was disappointed in the make your own pasta bar I should have did better researching it, so I would of known that it was not even close to the pasta bar at POR. Room is very nice and mousekeeping is, well, like mousekeeping has been over the last 5-6 years, just okay. Just like our last trip at GF, vacuuming is not their strong suit, nothing major, they just seem to miss corners and edges, and I am talking about out in the open not behind or under furniture. They have done a very good job emptying the trash and replacing our towels and shampoo's etc. As well as setting up our DDs stuffed toys on the bed DW and I think the beds are a bit more comfortable then the ones we had at GF, but we still would like them a bit more firmer. Buses have been good but I definitely like them better when they have 2 buses and split the pickups between the 2. I can see why people are not a fan when 1 bus has to drop off and pickup from all the stops. We drove here but much rather let the bus driver deal with the traffic and crazy tourist drivers. Since we have been here, seen 3 accidents, and not even going to go into the handfull of "almost" accidents, plus we also have to deal with traffic due to construction at night. We will be here until Sunday when we head home Tonight we surprise our DDs by going to see Beauty and the Beast at DS.

We just got back from a great trip to Disney and Caribbean Beach! We had some pixie dust and we luckily had all of our requests granted! Connecting rooms, Jamaica 45 and to add to it - one room was a corner room!! Being in Jamaica, buses were never an issue. And if there was a wait it was only ever 5-10 minutes and really - that's not a long time! Jamaica is a great request and I thank those of you who recommended it. Short walk over to the main pool and to the food court. Our quiet pool was rarely used so you could have a large pool all to yourself. The only downfall of the trip was that I felt mouse-keeping left much to be desired...even with daily tips....oh well, it can't all be perfect...but it was 99% perfect!! We will be back to CBR! Happy travels for all of your upcoming trips! I look forward to reading about your adventures.

Those of you "just back" - were there any signs of construction preparations? Someone earlier had mentioned that work was anticipated shortly in the parking lot to make way for the "bar trailer". I'm trying to get a feel for what (if any) work may be taking place prior to May 1.

 

[MommyPoppins]

I just changed our reservations back to CBR, from Pop. We check in on April 23rd. I can't remember what areas they are ripping out starting in May....are they doing any refurbs right now?

Using touring plans fax room request....when is the best time to send that?

 

[AngiTN]

Using touring plans fax room request....when is the best time to send that?

You don't have to worry about that. Touring Plans sends the fax, not you. They send it when it needs to be sent

 

[sdsatl]

I'm considering a night here before? after? our Caribbean cruise... is $140 a good deal, given the construction? Please help. My husband's sick of my "Disney problems".

 

[AngiTN]

I'm considering a night here before? after? our Caribbean cruise... is $140 a good deal, given the construction? Please help. My husband's sick of my "Disney problems".

I think so. Mostly, it's a matter of looking at what is going to be missing and determining if it is an issue to you or not. We don't eat at the resort and there is more than enough shopping choices in the parks.

 

[Rivergirl2005]

You don't have to worry about that. Touring Plans sends the fax, not you. They send it when it needs to be sent

Question for others...last year I used this and requested Martinique. We didn't get our request and ended up at Jamaica which was better in my opinoin. We have never gotten our requests in the past either...how do I make sure we are at Jamaica for this June?

 

[mevelandry]

Question for others...last year I used this and requested Martinique. We didn't get our request and ended up at Jamaica which was better in my opinoin. We have never gotten our requests in the past either...how do I make sure we are at Jamaica for this June?

I have requested Jamaica before and they granted my request.

 

[lovingeire]

Question for others...last year I used this and requested Martinique. We didn't get our request and ended up at Jamaica which was better in my opinoin. We have never gotten our requests in the past either...how do I make sure we are at Jamaica for this June?

Call the reservation center and have the cast member add the request to your reservation. It's also important to know that these are requests. And while Disney does their best to meet them, at busy times of year (June being one of them) they may not always be able to accomodate your request.

 

[AngiTN]

Question for others...last year I used this and requested Martinique. We didn't get our request and ended up at Jamaica which was better in my opinoin. We have never gotten our requests in the past either...how do I make sure we are at Jamaica for this June?

You can't.
They are requests.
Nothing you can do to be sure
Unfortunately.

 

[Rivergirl2005]

For those who get their requests....do you call or email?

 

[Calee]

For those who get their requests....do you call or email?

We did the touring plans fax and called and did not get our request.
When we arrived we asked the cm checking us in very very nicely, with understanding that it may not happen, if there was any way we could be moved to Jamaica (2nd floor would be a bonus)(we had been put in Barbados first floor) and he was able to accommodate that request then.

 

[Rivergirl2005]

We did the touring plans fax and called and did not get our request.
When we arrived we asked the cm checking us in very very nicely, with understanding that it may not happen, if there was any way we could be moved to Jamaica (2nd floor would be a bonus)(we had been put in Barbados first floor) and he was able to accommodate that request then.

Thank you!

 

[AngiTN]

For those who get their requests....do you call or email?

I've always used the Touring Plan fax service.
Really, there is no way that works more often for requests being met
The important thing is getting the request to them, you can call, fax, write a snail mail letter, none carry more weight or have a higher rate of success than another.
You can also include a few options during online check in though in most cases they are much more vague.
The biggest key is to not be very specific, request areas or room types, not specific rooms.
Otherwise, it's just a matter of luck, is the type of room available for your stay and does your stay fit in their giant tetris puzzle they have to complete for each arrival/departure.
They try to fill requests if they can.

As PP said, you can always ask about a different location if you don't care for what they give you. They may or may not be able to move you but you can always ask.

And never, ever get your heart set on a specific location. No since starting off your trip with a disappointment. Always remember, they are requests.

 

[pktbMouse]

Im all my 20 odd years of requesting I have never EVER gotten a request yet...for a laugh we were thinking of requesting what we dont want to see what happens..I tried all methods...fax, calling, everything, even up to the day of..nope. Its not like they were anything complicated...any villages we requested we always got Barbados...last year we requested anywhere but not Barbados...where did we get...yup Barbados...corner rooms..nope...ground floor..nope. Last year I requested a murphy bed and nope. Ive given up...this year its a Pirate room so I really dont care where they put us..one thing for sure..it wont be Barbados LOL !

 

[AngiTN]

Im all my 20 odd years of requesting I have never EVER gotten a request yet...for a laugh we were thinking of requesting what we dont want to see what happens..I tried all methods...fax, calling, everything, even up to the day of..nope. Its not like they were anything complicated...any villages we requested we always got Barbados...last year we requested anywhere but not Barbados...where did we get...yup Barbados...corner rooms..nope...ground floor..nope. Last year I requested a murphy bed and nope. Ive given up...this year its a Pirate room so I really dont care where they put us..one thing for sure..it wont be Barbados LOL !

Curious, have you ever stayed anywhere other than CBR? Maybe their track record of requests is not as good? It's all on the assigners and how much effort they want to give to fill requests. I can see where some could be better at that than others

 

[Sharongal74]

Only stayed at CBR once. Requested Martinique second floor and got it. Did ask for Murphy bed but didn't get that.