POP vs. CBR? HELP!! please

[disneybell11]

Hey howdy hey!,
So I've been planning a trip to disney for the past 6 months now, looking at every resort, every package, every meal plan, park etc. and I STILL CAN'T DECIDE!!! Pop or Carribean Beach? My mom is looking to book this week so i need someone to sway me closer towards one. Lol I'm the disney fiend in our family and I've done all the research so i get to pick haha.
here are some details about the trip:

~Mom, me (16), and my best friend Adri (17)
~7 nights in late August
~Hitting all the parks at LEAST once
~we all love the pool though so we will probably be spending a bit of time by the pool
~although my best friend and i are 16 and 17 we look at disney with the wonder of 5 year olds

Opinions?

TIA

 

[Cin]

Why not do a split stay and then you get both?

 

[Tyme4wdw]

My teenager's favorite resort out of the two mentioned is CBR. They love the main pool with the slides and I love the hot tub and cool spa. We also love the fact that each island has their own quiet pool to dip into especially after coming back from the parks late at night. We love the food court at CBR much more than Pop's. The food court has a lot more to offer in selections, made fresh and has more space for seating inside as well as outside. I personally like the gift shop at CBR more so than Pop's. Much larger and more of a selection with quite a few unique items to purchase that you won't find at other gift shops...like a coconut postcard. ha! The rooms at CBR are larger than all other Moderate Resorts as well as the Value Resorts. CBR has their own set of buses and does not share with other resorts and the bus stops are covered so you're not standing in the hot sun like at Pop. We love the sandy beaches with hammocks and you can view the higher up fireworks of Illuminations. CBR also has a sit down restaurant as well as the food court. There is a ping pong table near the pool bar, a marina that you can rent boats and bicycles from, caribbean music playing on the island that connects Jamaica and Aruba sections to OPR. If you want to feel like you're on a vacation within a vacation than CBR is the resort for you!

 

[Linda T.]

Yes, I agree with everything Tyme4wdw said. We have been going to CBR since 1995 and my daughters still want to only stay at CBR. We love the beautiful tropical foliage, the bright colors, the music, the hammocks with friendly ducks, the sandy beaches, the main pool, the gift shop, the food court, and the nice quiet pools in each village. We also love the room size with the extra storage under the bathroom sinks. We are going again this year and again staying at CBR! Have a great vacation.

 

[carly chloe]

Me, my husband and 2 16 year olds LOVE CBR!!!! It's the only resort we want after staying there. (and we've done values and Contemporary). The pool is great and the hottub is nice and there are not a hundred little kids running around you.

 

[Belle83]

CBR - I went at 14 and again at 20 and loved it. Worth the extra $ in my opinion, if anything for the extra sink and larger room. With 3 people, you'll want a bigger room. CBR's pool is nicer, plus there's more shade around the pool. Also, all the hammocks and beaches are fun.

 

[minnie mum]

I most enthusiastically agree with everything the pp's have said in praise of CBR. ALSO, If you're going in Aug. you would be eligible for the free dining offer. Makes staying at a mod that much more affordable when you would have free regular DDP (vs the QSDP at a value)

 

[LadyLuck24]

Sounds like everyone is voting for CBR---I agree!

While Pop was great value for the money, I never felt really relaxed there. I realized part way through the trip that the reason I never felt relaxed was that there aren't many places TO relax...the pool (no matter which one) is always a zoo with kids running everywhere, no shade, few trees...there's no sit-down restaurant so meals always felt fast-paced....Overall Pop seemed like just a big bunch of hotel rooms that people slept in and then ran away from as quickly as possible so they could get to the parks. That's totally fine, if that's what you want to do (in fact, that's what WE did when we stayed there), but it sounds like you guys want to have a little down time at the hotel, and Pop is not the best for that. I think the extra cost is worth it for CBR!

 

[CruznLexi]

We have stayed at both before buying DVC. We prefer Pop. The main reason is the bus and the closeness of the resort to Classic Hall. I do miss the hot tub and slide though. We love the selections Pop has for food. CBR you really need a car unless getting a room close to the main pool area. The bus system takes too long and often missed if they are full. Only 1 stop at PoP.
LEXI

 

[Sue M]

I'd pick CBR any day!!! It's a beautiful resort. Hammocks on the beach Lush landscapping. My daughters were teenagers when we stayed there, and they loved it. 15 & 18 yrs.

We stayed in Jamaica next to the quiet pool. Great location, quick walk to bridge over to food court and main pool, and just across parking lot from bus stop.

http://allears.net/acc/g_cbr.htm have fun planning!

 

[Disneyhenry]

This is a great question, I am torn between the two because POP has so many people who love it, but the reviews of CBR, the pirate rooms, their pool and the fact that you can rent boats there really is making me stay with my choice of CBR, but still POP???

 

[Tyme4wdw]

We have stayed at both before buying DVC. We prefer Pop. The main reason is the bus and the closeness of the resort to Classic Hall. I do miss the hot tub and slide though. We love the selections Pop has for food. CBR you really need a car unless getting a room close to the main pool area. The bus system takes too long and often missed if they are full. Only 1 stop at PoP.
LEXI

I would have to disagree about needing a car at CBR. CBR has more buses dedicated to their resort and in 6 stays at CBR we have never had issues with wait times for the bus. There is an internal bus should you be placed in Trinidad South or Barbados (the furthest buildings to OPR), but again, you really do not need a bus. The furthest buildings are at tops a 15 minute walk (I had this at Pop), but that is if you're in the very last building, furthest away. Make a request for Aruba 51 or 52 or Jamaica 45, 44, 46 and you'll be within a 5-8 minute walk to OPR.

 

[MickeyNicki]

A mod is always better than a value for us. I like having quiet pools, prefer the food courts over the value ones and the buses do not seem as chaotic

 

[dmband]

this is a no brainer for you
CBR

saying you love to be at the pool is enough not to pick a value resort
bikes/boat rentals
you don't need a car, even if you are "far" away, part of the enjoyment for you guys will be walking and talking
also being that you are old enough that you can do some stuff alone, your mom isn't going to enjoy pop compared to cbr

 

[Mom2SamandCass]

My vote is for CBR. We stayed there at the end of August last year and just booked the same week for this year. The pool is awesome and my kids had a blast. The resort is tropical and very relaxing. We absolutely LOVED CBR.