Why is Caribbean Beach ALWAYS available?

[camdensmom]

I'm just curious why it is that we always have a hard time getting reservations at PO and Coronado, but CB is always available? I've stayed there before and found it to be nice enough. It doesn't seem like it is a size thing since POR and CSR are both HUGE.

We are thinking about staying there in April. I know the main pool is closed, but otherwise is there something I'm not aware of? I last stayed there is 1999.

 

[Atchley]

We stayed in 06 and thought it was great. We will be going back after the new pool opens. I'm glad not a lot of people know how wonderful CBR is. It can be our secret.

 

[fall08CP]

We've noticed this too. We usually book our vacations three months in advance and we only stay at mods. The last two times CSR, our favorate, has been booked out, but CBR has been open. I would guess that CSR closes quickly because of all of the conventions. We didn't want to stay at CBR because we heard the cheerleaders are allowed to stay there during competitions, but most people wouldn't know about that.
During our Feb stay (two weeks ago), we tried to book a bounceback 30% off offer for Sept and CBR was the only one open. We didn't end up booking, but were surprised as it looks really gorgeous.

 

[G8r4evr]

We stayed in 06 and thought it was great. We will be going back after the new pool opens. I'm glad not a lot of people know how wonderful CBR is. It can be our secret.

Same here. It was so quiet and peaceful when we were there. Cant wait to return!

 

[mom2taylorandemily]

We stayed there in Dec. and found it to be wonderful as well. We chose to go to POFQ this year, as DH wants a different resort each time we go, he wants to stay in them all.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Well it is the largest so that means more rooms to be sold and therefore available. Also, since the main pool is down right now, a lot of people won't stay there. My experience is that CSR is often sold out with conventions and POFQ is smaller, has a loyal fan base of people who like it because it is small and POR gets the overflow of guests who want to stay at POFQ but can't when it sells out. Last but not least, CBR used to have some issues I think that are worked out now but its always hard to shake a bad rep. Right now, when I see bad reviews on Tripadvisor or the dis on a moderate, POR seems to be feeling the pressure of rooms that need to be refurbbed etc. They all go through their ups and downs I guess.

So that is my best guess! I love CBR too and hope to go back one of these days. We had nine perfect nights there in December of 2006 and its now become our favorite moderate resort.

Oh and I think the size thing puts people off. Although it didn't feel that much bigger than CSR or POR and I found their internal bus system to be really reliable and frequent.

 

[stellablue]

I'm pretty sure that CBR is the largest of the moderate resorts. It's got 2,112 guest rooms in 33 two-story buildings along a 1.4-mile promenade. My guess is that might be why they seem to have more availability.

I also agree that CSR must get booked quicker with convention guests.

 

[snomofinn]

I guess it depends on the time of year your going. We stay at the CBR every year, and this year it was not open during the days we wanted so we ended up going a week later. It's booked now for the time were there in March. I check every day because I want to get a preferred room which we always have but this year couldnt get one. So far, no luck.

 

[carmiedog]

I'm pretty sure that CBR is the largest of the moderate resorts. It's got 2,112 guest rooms in 33 two-story buildings along a 1.4-mile promenade. My guess is that might be why they seem to have more availability.

I also agree that CSR must get booked quicker with convention guests.

where'd you pull those stats from? I'd love to see stats for all the resorts for comparison.

 

[misslissa]

CBR is my favourite moderate... but I find that it is coming up as available a lot right now. One of the main reasons could be that the main pool is under refurbishment until September. It has been going on for quite a while, and personally, while I love this hotel, I wouldn't want to stay there while we couldn't use the main pool!

 

[Lilolvr]

It has the most rooms, its the oldest mod, and it is very, very large. That's probably part of the reason they are adding a new themed pool to help fill up the rooms. No elevators either.

CSR also has a loyal following. CSR has 1921 rooms along a .97-mile promenade. CSR only has 13 buildings, 2, 3 and 4 stories. Elevators in every building.

 

[safetymom]

CBR doesn't have a problem filling the rooms. They had the smallest pool of all the moderates so the new pool is long overdue.

I am sure once the new pool opens people will be complaining they can't get a room at CBR. Personally I am glad that everyone doesn't know how great CBR is.

 

[mickey&minniealways]

As far as staying durring a cheerleading competition they are not alway held at Disney. The one for the Junior High age group is usually in early December. This past year it was held December 9 -12. So think after football season. Or call your local rec department and High School. Also this past year it was held at the University of Orlando not Disney and teams usually want to stay as close to the competition as possible. School bands tend to go durring school vacations so either March, The last two weeks in February and April . Staying in a hotel that is hosting a high school band might be fun as you get to hear them practice, but it is normally only one band that week. Our local school band usually goes every 3 years. Cheerleading is a national competition so it is a lot more kids at one time, but it is pretty easy to find out exactly where it is being held each year.

 

[LuvsTinker]

Not recently, but in the past I've had to change dates 2x because CBR was booked. Personally, I'm glad it's not always booked at max.

 

[huge mickey fan]

where'd you pull those stats from? I'd love to see stats for all the resorts for comparison.

allearsnet has stats on all the resorts, number of rooms, square footage of rooms etc.

 

[Allison]

I think a couple of factors are:

1) CSR is a convention resort and therefore large numbers of rooms can be filled with attendees.

2) POR is the only resort in the value or moderate category that accomodates families of 5. I think it gets a lot of business from this family group.

 

[shmedly123]

allearsnet has stats on all the resorts, number of rooms, square footage of rooms etc.

the unofficial guide has them as well

 

[Amy&Dan]

I think a couple of factors are:



2) POR is the only resort in the value or moderate category that accomodates families of 5. I think it gets a lot of business from this family group.

Thats a really good point about POR. I have a friend who stays there strictly because she has three kids and its her only option. She doesn't really like it that much but there you go. I loved our stays at POR, POFQ and CSR. But in the end, CBR really was the best based on our stay(s). And fwiw, I have had times when CBR was full. Which was how I ended up at CSR before our cruise. Worked out great, we had a wonderful stay but in the end, it may have availablity at times when other don't but the opposite holds true as well.

 

[scmouse]

We stayed there last May and like it very much, not our favorite overall, but it was one of the most quiet and peaceful we've been to. Very nice grounds and great food court.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

where'd you pull those stats from? I'd love to see stats for all the resorts for comparison.

CBR 2,112 rooms
Coronado 1,967 rooms
POR 2,048 rooms
POFQ 1,008 rooms