Pool closed, should i switch to pop century

sroels

Earning My Ears
Joined
Jun 6, 2023
We just booked for the first week in March and realized the main pool will be closed. Is Caribbean Beach still worth it or should we switch to pop century. It will be my family of 5 (kids ages 7, 5, and 2) and my parents. We are doing 4 Park days no full pool days. But this our first Disney trip and want to make the most of it.
 
I would stick with CB. Pop is great, but you can’t beat the theming at CB. Plus, the bigger rooms are nice with more people. You really can’t go wrong with either, but I’d choose CB over Pop.
 
We just booked for the first week in March and realized the main pool will be closed. Is Caribbean Beach still worth it or should we switch to pop century. It will be my family of 5 (kids ages 7, 5, and 2) and my parents. We are doing 4 Park days no full pool days. But this our first Disney trip and want to make the most of it.
Yes...I would never pay to stay at a Disney resort without all of their amenities being available.
 


I wouldn't stay at CBR with young kids because I dont want to schlep my stuff and kids up stairs and deal with full busses by the time they reach my bus stop.
Are pop's busses better? We have never stayed at either but booked based on our disney guides recommendation.
 
Pop has always had the best bus system of any resort I have stayed at...my history includes fort wilderness, beach club, contemporary, POR, POFQ, Coronado and Carribean. I just had this debate and we decided to stay at Pop over POFQ (our fave of all the resorts) or CB due to pool closures...it is a value so rooms are small, you hear noises from other rooms (bring a white noise machine or ap) but I agree with above. I am not paying moderate prices to not have moderate amenities. Plus you have access to skyliner! Ultimately, it depends on what works for your group...do you need 2 sinks, Slightly more space and a table service restaurant on site? Then go for a moderate...but if not...I’d go for Pop...
 
Move. Who wants construction on vacation?

Also if you move you won’t have to worry about your parents and the CBR stair situation. Can you imagine starting out vacay with grandma or grandpa tripping or falling on the stairs of the hotel you picked? 😬
 
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Are pop's busses better? We have never stayed at either but booked based on our disney guides recommendation.
It isn't better or worse but it's a single stop. You get in the line and you know in advance how far you are from getting on the bus. CBR is several stops throughout the resort. If you aren't the first stop you could see bus after bus arrive at your location already full.
Did this Disney guide tell you CBR has no elevators? Everyone at WDW has young kids. They can't all be on the first floor.
 
I agree with the PP, if the main pool is closed, switch to Pop, the kids will enjoy it more. If they're happy you're happy ☺️
 
I've stayed at both and POP, even years and years later, is one of our faves. It's the top value resort of all the values and even though CBR is a mod/higher tier, it's really only BIG benefit is the skyliner, which POP has. The pool being closed would be a negative, even if we didn't use it, it's nice to know it's available. CBR has several other smaller/quiet area pools but they have zero theming/slides. Think of a holiday inn pool.

CBR has 7 or 8 bus stops which can get old and exhausting after a long day. Depending on where your bus stop is at the resort, you could be the first stop and hop on an uncrowded bus or the last stop and always be left standing or wait for the next bus. The no elevators didn't bother us but our kids are older and out of strollers. That could be a negative. Also, if you do stick with CBR and didn't pay for a preferred room, request a room in Jamaica. This building is close to the skyliner station, the bridge to the lobby and the first bus stop. Just need to be aware that CBR is a really big resort and your room may be far from amenities. Pop, while it's not tiny, is easier to navigate as CBR is one of the largest resorts on property.

The only other positive for us of CBR is dining. The proximity to Riviera to eat, stroll and enjoy the property but you can do that too on the skyliner from POP. And dining options, since CBR has more on property options. The rooms at POP are a bit smaller than CBR so you will need to consider that too with three kids.

Overall, if I were in your shoes, I'd choose Pop over CBR. Our kids always preferred the theming at the values when they were your kids ages. I don't love the food courts at the values but if you don't plan to be hanging around your resort all day and don't even have a resort day planned, I'd save my money and choose POP.
 
I agree with the posters above, with young kids Pop is great, and kids love pools. A closed pool would be a deal breaker for me.
 
100% agree to switch to Pop for the pools. Money saved too! 🤩 Also check out All Star Music has family rooms and AOA as mentioned below...
 
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You have 7 people- 5 with 3 kids and then your parents? Were you planning 2 rooms at Caribbean Beach? If so Art of Animation family suite could work or 2 rooms at Pop. CBR is super spread out and the Skyliner is on the edge of it. The secondary pools are pretty basic.

Pop/AoA has great Disney theming w big character. They are also more condense than CBR. They are next to CBR so it’s a short Skyliner flight over a lake to the main Skyliner hub at CBR.

Main pool is Nemo themed at AoA and Hippie Dippy at Pop with a bowling pin and computer shaped secondary pools. The secondary pools at AoA are cars and little mermaid themed.

Both have a big food court for dining.
 
Personally, I don't think it's worth the higher price tag even WITH the pool. The internal buses can be frustrating plus I'm assuming you're going to have at least a double stroller. I wouldn't risk having to carry that up and down stairs every day. That sounds miserable. Pop would be much better, especially if you get a preferred location.
 
I've stayed at both and POP, even years and years later, is one of our faves. It's the top value resort of all the values and even though CBR is a mod/higher tier, it's really only BIG benefit is the skyliner, which POP has. The pool being closed would be a negative, even if we didn't use it, it's nice to know it's available. CBR has several other smaller/quiet area pools but they have zero theming/slides. Think of a holiday inn pool.

CBR has 7 or 8 bus stops which can get old and exhausting after a long day. Depending on where your bus stop is at the resort, you could be the first stop and hop on an uncrowded bus or the last stop and always be left standing or wait for the next bus. The no elevators didn't bother us but our kids are older and out of strollers. That could be a negative. Also, if you do stick with CBR and didn't pay for a preferred room, request a room in Jamaica. This building is close to the skyliner station, the bridge to the lobby and the first bus stop. Just need to be aware that CBR is a really big resort and your room may be far from amenities. Pop, while it's not tiny, is easier to navigate as CBR is one of the largest resorts on property.

The only other positive for us of CBR is dining. The proximity to Riviera to eat, stroll and enjoy the property but you can do that too on the skyliner from POP. And dining options, since CBR has more on property options. The rooms at POP are a bit smaller than CBR so you will need to consider that too with three kids.

Overall, if I were in your shoes, I'd choose Pop over CBR. Our kids always preferred the theming at the values when they were your kids ages. I don't love the food courts at the values but if you don't plan to be hanging around your resort all day and don't even have a resort day planned, I'd save my money and choose POP.
Thank you, your response was very helpful!
 
I would not do Pop with 5 people in a room, the rooms are really tiny imo. The pools were also meh and the resort overall loud when we went. What about the 2 moderates with open pools? PO Riverside is similar to Caribbean beach.
 
Are pop's busses better? We have never stayed at either but booked based on our disney guides recommendation.
Compared to CBR yea, Pop buses are better, but honestly basically all other resorts (other than maybe CS) buses are better than CBR. - It's just very spread out and there are MANY bus stops.
 

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