The New Caribbean Beach FAQ Part VII

[smidgy]

What's the likelihood you get what you requested on the online check in?

and, in my opinion, what time you check in, physically. some disagree with me, but I think the earlier you check in,([physically) the better chance you have of getting what you want.

more times than I can count, when they tell us where our room is, we say, nicely, "do you have anything else? we really wanted....." then they try t find us something else. sometimes they can.. other times, they make that "phone call" to the room assigner. and sometimes you get something better. esp is you are willing to wait for the room...
I will take a room in a location I prefer, and wait 3 hours for it, rather than take a room I'd rather not have just becasue it is ready now. others (esp with little kids) would rather have the room that is ready.

let's face it.. we ALL request "close to the food court". if you want to be assured of that, book and pay for a preferred room. as the guests trickle in, they have to give the far away, parking lot view rooms to someone. so of course they will try to give it to you. I'd guess that a large percentage of guests won't even blink. they don't read the DIS. they don't even realize they can ask for another room.
just like at a restaurant. that table right outside the bathrooms? or right next to the noisy bus station? someone has to sit there. so they try to sit you there. most people will just sit there. and some will say "I'm sorry, I don't care for this table. have you another?" and sometimes the answer is "well, yes, but it won't be available just yet"

after 24 trips, with numerous split stays (more than one check in per trip) this has been my experience. we always try to check in as early as possible. fully expecting to be "roomless" for many hours. you'd be surprised how often a "suitable" room is ready!
but we don't mind hanging around the pool for hours . we don't normally go to a park on check in day, but many people do that also.

 

[lisafab]

and, in my opinion, what time you check in, physically. some disagree with me, but I think the earlier you check in,([physically) the better chance you have of getting what you want.

more times than I can count, when they tell us where our room is, we say, nicely, "do you have anything else? we really wanted....." then they try t find us something else. sometimes they can.. other times, they make that "phone call" to the room assigner. and sometimes you get something better. esp is you are willing to wait for the room...
I will take a room in a location I prefer, and wait 3 hours for it, rather than take a room I'd rather not have just becasue it is ready now. others (esp with little kids) would rather have the room that is ready.

let's face it.. we ALL request "close to the food court". if you want to be assured of that, book and pay for a preferred room. as the guests trickle in, they have to give the far away, parking lot view rooms to someone. so of course they will try to give it to you. I'd guess that a large percentage of guests won't even blink. they don't read the DIS. they don't even realize they can ask for another room.
just like at a restaurant. that table right outside the bathrooms? or right next to the noisy bus station? someone has to sit there. so they try to sit you there. most people will just sit there. and some will say "I'm sorry, I don't care for this table. have you another?" and sometimes the answer is "well, yes, but it won't be available just yet"

after 24 trips, with numerous split stays (more than one check in per trip) this has been my experience. we always try to check in as early as possible. fully expecting to be "roomless" for many hours. you'd be surprised how often a "suitable" room is ready!
but we don't mind hanging around the pool for hours . we don't normally go to a park on check in day, but many people do that also.

I think you're probably right. Although we've done online check in and requested Jamaica I don't hold out too much hope of getting it as our flight doesn't arrive at MCO until 4.40pm then we have immigration and customs to negotiate. Although I would prefer Jamaica both for it's location and for the refurbished room it won't be the end of the world if we don't get it. We have a car and to be honest, looking at the map nothing seems too far away from OPR. Our worst room would be a pirate room and since we haven't booked one I think we'll be ok!

 

[Toffeewoffy]

I really wouldn't stress about it. Just because some guests are savvy enough to know to ask, these are in the minority. If you've already requested a room in Jamaica, then odds on are that you will get one.

 

[mevelandry]

I might be the only one who never ask to be close to something... Probably because I'm taking public transportation every day and I am so used to walk 10-20 minutes to get from point A to point B that walking in a resort just sound normal/more fun to me!

I usually request refurbished sections and higher floors.

 

[Mikeyr71]

We are going to be at CBR September 10th-24th

Is the walk from standard rooms really that far? is it worth trying to upgrade to a prefered room?

We will be there Sept. 13th-21st.

 

[MOdisneymom]

Does anyone know if I bring breakfast food..Will they let me warm it up in the microwave in the food court?

 

[fripouns]

I am wondering if anyone has had any recent experiences with taking the bus from CBR to DTD. I have heard the traffic and parking situation over there is a nightmare right now. We have an adr at Raglan Road on a Tuesday night in a couple weeks. But, we were considering going over there our arrival night which happens to be a Saturday. Just worried we will spend more time on the bus trying to get in and out of DTD than actually waking around down there. Thanks in advance!

 

[dansdad]

Does anyone know if I bring breakfast food..Will they let me warm it up in the microwave in the food court?

Yup.

 

[LoveMy3DisneyKids]

When will they start booking rooms for 5?

 

[Divaofdisney]

When will they start booking rooms for 5?

No one really knows this for sure yet, perhaps when the majority of the revovations are done that will include the new murphy beds. Best thing to do is to call disney and ask directly.

 

[MOdisneymom]

Yup.

Thanks Dansdad

 

[Toffeewoffy]

I am wondering if anyone has had any recent experiences with taking the bus from CBR to DTD. I have heard the traffic and parking situation over there is a nightmare right now. We have an adr at Raglan Road on a Tuesday night in a couple weeks. But, we were considering going over there our arrival night which happens to be a Saturday. Just worried we will spend more time on the bus trying to get in and out of DTD than actually waking around down there. Thanks in advance!

I can tell you what our experience was in February. First of all we had to wait nearly 40 minutes for a DTD bus to come along: every other bus asked us where we were going and said they'd ring to get a bus over for us.

All went well until we turned onto the road leading to DTD. The first stop is Marketplace and we spent so long waiting at the lights in traffic. Then you literally zigzag your way through the huge bus station until you get to the stop, where some people got off. Raglan Road is up at Pleasure Island so we were told to stay on the bus. I do wish we'd got off and walked, because we had to zigzag our way back out of the bus station and then get caught at a further 4 or 5 set of traffic lights before finally pulling into the Pleasure Island Stop. And yes, we had to wait and zigzag our way in there as well.

By this time we were over 30 minutes late for our 7pm ADR at Raglan Road, even though we'd been at the bus stop at CBR over an hour before our meal time and DTD is normally about 10 minutes' drive from CBR.

By the time the driver released my ECV and DD had thrown a full blown tantrum (Asbergers) and I'd got her off the bus as well, and we'd then made our way back round to Raglan Road, we were a stonking 40 minutes late.

Trouble is, I didn't think we'd be able to park or I'd have driven over!

After our meal we walked back over to Market Place so I could pick up my Disney Gift Card and it only took about 5 minutes. Trouble is, DD's feet were pergatory by this time and she was almost crying. The words I heard more than any others that trip were "It's alright for you, you're sitting down" - but she was the one who'd packed her 2-year-old Skechers instead of her 1-year-old ones so it was no wonder she was in pain!

When a bus finally came along we got back to CBR quite quickly (well, it was about 10pm by that time). But it's put us right off going to DTD totally in the evening. The alternative would be to drive to one of the resorts on the river network and go there by boat!

So, if you want to go to DTD for dinner, allow an hour just for the journey. It wasn't even a Friday or Saturday night when we went, either.

 

[mikat]

I am wondering if anyone has had any recent experiences with taking the bus from CBR to DTD. I have heard the traffic and parking situation over there is a nightmare right now. We have an adr at Raglan Road on a Tuesday night in a couple weeks. But, we were considering going over there our arrival night which happens to be a Saturday. Just worried we will spend more time on the bus trying to get in and out of DTD than actually waking around down there. Thanks in advance!

We just came back from CBR yesterday, and went to DTD on Thursday. I have several friends who are CMs, and they all told me that driving around and parking at DTD is nearly impossible in the afternoon / evening, so if you do go, take a bus. There is only one bus stop at DTD, and it is at Marketplace, so you'll have a bit of a walk to Raglan.

The buses to DTD were plentiful (and regular, since it's the summertime) and we lucked out and didn't wait more than 15 minutes for a bus in either direction. Buses are all very random - you can walk onto a bus for one location, and wait 30 minutes for another, but I wouldn't say that people were waiting around in droves specifically for DTD while we were at CBR. But, your mileage may vary. It was great to check out the new Co-op, fantastic new Disneyana merchandise!

 

[Princess_Nikki]

I am wondering if anyone has had any recent experiences with taking the bus from CBR to DTD. I have heard the traffic and parking situation over there is a nightmare right now. We have an adr at Raglan Road on a Tuesday night in a couple weeks. But, we were considering going over there our arrival night which happens to be a Saturday. Just worried we will spend more time on the bus trying to get in and out of DTD than actually waking around down there. Thanks in advance!

I would love to know the epic strategic plan for a bus from CBR to DTD too. We were there in May (crowd level usually around a 3). We stayed in Jamaica. Once or twice to DTD was a breeze. Our bus went right from CBR to DTD. The third time not so much!! Our bus driver then went from CBR to both water parks, then to DTD. Took FOREVER. When we left that night we had to wait almost 35 minutes for the bus to pick us up. I don't know. We currently go 3 times a year; May, September, & January. I'm hoping the routes won't be so terrible then.

 

[mikat]

Hi all! My youngest and I just returned from a Mommy-son trip to WDW and stayed at CBR. I have never been that interested in this resort due to its size, but DS wanted a great pool and I wanted to stay at moderate prices, so CBR seemed to fit the bill. I have to say, we had a wonderful time, and I was so impressed with the resort.

https://flic.kr/p/oikdv3

Since we wanted to be near the pool and Centertown, I chose Preferred, and I'm so glad I did. CBR is huge, and while we never got stuck in a thunderstorm, it threatened a few times, and I would have hated the run to a nearby village in a storm. We were in Martinique 25, which had a gorgeous view of the 24-25-26 courtyard. My son and I used the big purple bush as a landmark to find out room (2535, which was right behind this bush on the second floor). The room was not refurbed, as they haven't started on Martinique, but I really liked the bright decor.

The walk around the building put us right on the water, looking out over Centertown.

https://flic.kr/p/oiktSY

We enjoyed the marshmallow roast (every night 6:30-7:30) on two occasions, and the CMs were wonderful.

https://flic.kr/p/oik4y6

I have to say, CBR is the most relaxing Disney resort I have been at, even more than the Poly. The beach and the hammocks were fabulous after a long day at the parks.

https://flic.kr/p/ozBzrj

We felt a bit limited by the food offerings at the food court, and feel that the selection is far greater at Pop and of better quality at AoA, but overall, it was fine. Our room was in great shape, but even my son picked up on a few maintenance issues. Here are the rainspouts right by our room - the rust holes were pretty glaring.

https://flic.kr/p/ozPVmB

But, the real winner for us was the pool. Every evening after dinner we would head out to Fuentes del Morro Pool, ride the slide for awhile, then head into one of the shallow coves to swim.

https://flic.kr/p/ozxNGc

https://flic.kr/p/oik1nX

https://flic.kr/p/ozBEio

DS became accustomed to watching Illuminations as we walked back to our room for the night.

https://flic.kr/p/oijRe7

You could also see the Frozen fireworks over at DHS, but they were later in the evening (9:30?) and we were never out that late.

One note about the pool - my son had a surprising growth spurt and somehow topped 48" right before our trip. I must admit to not noticing it (we're not roller coaster riders), and he was excited about the water play area. Within 45 seconds of being in there on the first night, the lifeguard told him that he couldn't play. He had an incredibly keen eye, as we walked over to measure him, and sure enough, he was over. This was a disappointment for DS, but I explained safety issues to him, and once he tried out the slide in the main pool, all was fine. But if you are planning on using the play area, double-check your child's height!

Overall it was a fantastic stay. The only bus we waited for more than 15 minutes was the bus from Custom House to our room on the first day. Bell services was great picking us up from our room to take us back to Custom House on the last day. We literally walked onto buses as they pulled up to the stop on a few occasions. However, I know that bus service is a bit of a random experience - on one morning, we walked onto a nearly empty DAK bus, but drove past dozens of people who were waiting on an MK bus. We were finally flagged over and asked to call for MK buses, as one group at Trinidad North had been waiting for 30 minutes, and had been passed by two full MK buses. So your mileage may vary.

Finally, I hadn't seen a photo of the in-room pizza dining meny before, so I thought I would take one, in case Dansdad wanted to add it to the intro pages:

https://flic.kr/p/ozPJH2

Thanks to all who have contributed to this thread over the months - we learned a lot about the resort in advance, and it really helped us to get the most out of our visit!

 

[mjohnson96]

One note about the pool - my son had a surprising growth spurt and somehow topped 48" right before our trip. I must admit to not noticing it (we're not roller coaster riders), and he was excited about the water play area. Within 45 seconds of being in there on the first night, the lifeguard told him that he couldn't play. He had an incredibly keen eye, as we walked over to measure him, and sure enough, he was over. This was a disappointment for DS, but I explained safety issues to him, and once he tried out the slide in the main pool, all was fine. But if you are planning on using the play area, double-check your child's height!

Interesting, how far is the play area from the main pool? I have a 4 year old and a 11 year old and would hate to not be able to keep an eye on both or make the 11 year old be bored while her sister played, and reverse

EDIT: Whoops...well maybe I will look at pictures first. Saw some pictures and from the slide you can see the play area so I should be good to go

 

[tinawv]

We are getting closer to our stay in September. Hoping for great weather.

 

[JenniferK]

We are going at pretty much the same time and also from the far suburbs of Chicago! South and southwest!

I'll be there September 8th and also from the Chicago suburbs! From the south/south west suburbs but living in the north suburbs now

We are far northwest - Huntley, though I am originally from northwest side of city (not burbs)

 

[dansdad]

We are going to be at CBR September 10th-24th

Is the walk from standard rooms really that far? is it worth trying to upgrade to a prefered room?

Welcome! I've added your dates. IMHO, it is not worth upgrading to preferred. The only rooms I feel are far from OPR and the main pool are the Pirate Rooms. And you have to book a Pirate Room to be put there.

We will be staying at CBR in Oct. 0215 for the first time. First time on Property also. What is your favorite thing to do at CBR? What is your favorite food there? Wanting to get ideas.
Thanks

Some of our favorite things:
Walk around the lake as the sun is coming up, just beautiful to see Disney waking up.
Grab a cup of coffee and find one of the out of the way benches or swings on Caribbean Cay and listen to the birds.
Rent a Surrey bike and ride the path around the lake stopping to take a dip in one of the quiet pools as we get hot.
The marshmallow roast and movie under the stars. The CMs working the marshmallow roast are always full of interesting Disney info/trivia.
Grab a drink and watch the higher fireworks of Illuminations from a hammock on the beach

 

[dansdad]

We are visiting CBR (Jan 9-14) after our 4 night Bahamian on the Dream. Great thread and information.

Welcome! I've added your dates.

69 sleeps getting there

We have a reservation at Chef Mickey's for breakfast on our first full day, I was thinking it would be safer to get a taxi there so we are not late! My question is - would I get the taxi from OPR or the custom house?

Call Bell Services and ask them to get you a taxi. One will pull up right in front of your building in the circular drive.

Does anyone know if the Martinique rooms will be getting murphy beds?

They are supposed to be scattered throughout the resort.

Correct, they are supposed to be scattered all over.

Please add us to the roster -- Nov 9-15

I had put in a request for Martinique, but now I'm thinking of requesting Jamaica in hopes of a refurbished room!

You've been added! Hope you get your request.

Hi all! My youngest and I just returned from a Mommy-son trip to WDW and stayed at CBR. I have never been that interested in this resort due to its size, but DS wanted a great pool and I wanted to stay at moderate prices, so CBR seemed to fit the bill. I have to say, we had a wonderful time, and I was so impressed with the resort.

Thanks for your thorough review! So glad you enjoyed CBR.