WL or CBR?

[luvpooh]

Hi there -

I am going with one of my friends for a quick trip over MLK weekend. We currently have the CBR booked, but I was considering changing to the WL. Neither of us have stayed at CBR before, but I have stayed at WL.

My main concern is the distance to everything at CBR. I know from research that if I request something in Martinique (25 or 26), I will be close to the food court and buses. But as we all know, it's just a request, not a guarantee. However, my friend hurt her ankle recently and is wearing an air cast, so I was thinking that being in a 1 building hotel such as the Wilderness Lodge would be more convenient and easier on her ankle.

Do you think if I contacted the resort (i.e. room request) prior to our departure and conveyed our problem, they could try to help us with getting a room close to everything at CBR? The $30/night savings from CBR to WL would help with paying for her park passes...but WL is so pretty at the same time...please help!!!!

One more thing, does anyone know what buildings are non-smoking at CBR?

 

[eeyore0062]

We liked CBR better!

 

[goofy4tink]

eeyore0062....why did you prefer CBR to WL?? We are booked at CBR but was thinking about moving over to WL. Could you share your reasons? Thanks.

 

[wdwphanatic]

... my family and I are considering spending a night there in May to try it out -- it sounds like the recent renovations have made a big difference!

Anyway, as far as I'm concerned, WL is a great place to stay. If it's only $30/night more, I guess I'd consider it. The one thing that worries me about CBR is the possibility of lengthy treks to get places. We'll be traveling with my mom (60) and my 3 kiddies (all under the age of 8), so lots of walking wouldn't be great for us either. Having said all that, WL is a pretty big place, too, so the walk to the bus stop or boat launch could be a bit of a hike depending upon where your room were located. The good thing about CBR is that they have all those internal CBR buses making the rounds pretty consistently, so you could take those in lieu of walking. All things considered, I guess I'd first see if CBR could guarantee a room close to transportation and OPR considering your friend's condition. If they could do that, I'd probably opt for saving the $30 a night and put it towards passes or other expenses!

Good luck with your decision... I'm sure you'll have a great time no matter which place you stay!

Take care,
Sarah

 

[Shelby5514]

We've stayed at CBR 3 times and are returning again on Jan 24 for 4 nights. We arrive before 12 noon and we have our pick of where we want to stay. There has always been an available room ready this early for us. We've stayed in Trinidad North, Jamaica and Aruba. Trinidad North is right next to the main pool/food court, while Jamaica and Aruba are across the lake. If your looking for something close to the main pool and food court try TN. All of the villiages have there own parking lots so your never too far away from your car. They will let you see a map of the buildings when you check in at the customs house, so just ask for one of the buildings close to a parking lot. Like I said, we've always arrived way earlier than check-in time and they've always been able to get us into a room of OUR choice, without waiting!!!
As for the walking from the other side. It's not bad at all. In 2001 we took my 69 yr old mom with us and she LOVED it. We stayed in Jamaica and walked to the food court every day. There were mornings when we'd wake up to find a note from her saying "Taking a walk. Love, Mom" As for the kids... We don't have kids (YET!) but I seem to remember that there is a playground on the island in the middle of the lake that you cross through. Also a bird refuge with lots of birds and ducks that you can feed.
Now for the bus stops... There is one at every village. The buildings are clustered in 3's and its right in the middle. So it's not a long trek from any of them.
Hope this helps!
Shelby 5514

 

[#1MMFan]

I haven't stayed at CBR, but I have stayed at WL and loved it. I would think that if you contacted the staff at CBR sooner rather than later they would endeavour to put you in a fairly central room if at all possible. Of course, you'd have to lay on about your friend's ankle and the likes!!

As for WL, if it's only $30 a night extra (?per person I presume) then I'd definitely consider it. As you say it is all the one building and it's walking distances are nothing compared to some of the moderate resorts.

My personal choice would be to go for WL, but then as you've been before you might like to try somewhere different...?

John

 

[SeaSpray]

Absolutely call CRO now (or whoever you booked this trip through) to let them know about your friend's ankle so they can note it on your reservation. Also, call CBR's Front Desk the DAY BEFORE you leave and tell them you are calling to make sure that it was properly noted on your reservation, again stressing how important it will be to have a close location. Be very nice but also very concerned, and I really feel you will have no problem, they will do their absolute best to accomodate medical requests like this.

 

[Madhatter266]

We are staying at CBR in April, and I would like to hear from someone who has stayed there after the renovations. How is the food court? What changes have taken place? It appears to be beautiful. We stayed at the WL the first week in November of 2002 and loved it. Our room was perfect and the CMs were kind, quick and generous. The only problem was (and this could have just been the week we were there) the buses. There were at least 3/4 times that we waited 45 minutes to get a bus from the Lodge. However, my DD and DSIL had no trouble from WL with buses last July. Maybe the luck of the draw.

 

[eeyore0062]

eeyore0062....why did you prefer CBR to WL?? We are booked at CBR but was thinking about moving over to WL. Could you share your reasons? Thanks.

Sure!

I liked the atmosphere of CBR better. It was a more joyful resort, light, cheerful colors, beautiful white sand beach, and even though the rooms are the same size, the ones at CBR weren't as crowded. WL had a very dark, masculine feel... almost clausterphobic to me. The furniture seemed too big to be in the space allotted.

As far as transportation, we found the bus service from CBR to be better than that at WL. We ended up driving everywhere, but the MK, when staying at WL.. and I guess I didn't like that the only real direct way to the MK was by boat, because when it rained, that was not very comfortable, at times.

Also, there was something about the smell of the lobby at WL that bothered me... I think it was the smokehouse smell, infused with pine... it irritated my allergies.

I did think that the lobby at WL was beautiful as was the pool and the geysur was really neat, but the difference in price between staying there and staying at CBR, I would choose CBR everytime.

I know there are many huge WL fans on this board, and I know my husband and parents really loved the WL too, but I really didn't, at least not as much as the other resorts in which I have stayed!

 

[goofy4tink]

Thanks eeyore0062! Those are exactly the issues I was having! The rooms seemed kind of dark and full to me from the photos. I figure that we should be a tropical resort if it's going to be in the 90's everyday we're there! Looks like CBR for us and happily so.