Caribbean Beach Resort FAQ's Part II

[lilsydney]

Last year we stayed at the WL and they delivered balloons and pictures to my DDs for their birthdays, so make sure it is on your ressie at the hotel. Also, ask for a birthday button/pin for your DH.

Also, pack your clothes for everything. Today, the temps are really cold, so you would need a coat as well as gloves, forget the pool. Another key is to dress in layers, that will help.

Have a magical trip.

Thank you so much- I decided jeans, sweatshirts, a pair or shorts/tank top as a JUST IN CASE! I never thought about it but someone suggested umbrella/poncho for rain. Guess it couldn't hurt Boy we are getting closer and closer and I am getting more and more excited.

 

[soontobewed07]

Can you rent microwaves? We are bringing our 10 mo and I was just wondering if I need to buy a bottle warmer.

 

[auroraarielella]

Can you rent microwaves? We are bringing our 10 mo and I was just wondering if I need to buy a bottle warmer.

I'm pretty sure you cannot due to some fire code, but Safterymom may know better.
Prior to my trip when my son was 8 months old, I bought an old-fashioned plug-in bottle warmer that you put a bit of water in the bottom for less than $10 and it worked fine in the room. In the parks and restaurants, they warmed bottles for me. And in a pinch - the hot water faucet was used to run over the bottle and warm it that way.
I also ordered pre-made bottles that you just screw the nipple and had a case delivered to the hotel. No mixing or refrigeration necessary - and throw them away when finished. I just washed nipples in the room.

 

[CleveRocks]

Can you rent microwaves? We are bringing our 10 mo and I was just wondering if I need to buy a bottle warmer.

Buy the small bottle warmer.

Microwaves aren't permitted in the rooms. In addition, most health care professionals (including my wife, a board-certified pediatrician) recommend AGAINST microwaving bottles due to uneven heating ... microwaves can produce undetected "hot spots" in the liquid that can injure the baby.

 

[lilsydney]

Its almost here- I am so excited- the weather does not look that promising for next weekend but I am holding out hope! I was able to book breakfast with Cinderella and dinner and Fantasmic show for hubby's birthday but left the rest open since we don't want to tie our selves up to much!! Figure we will chew on our own arms if we get hungry and can't find a place to eat!!

Seems like eating at the hotel should not be a problem so there is at least breakfast!!

 

[lourodrigis]

Hey all,

It's been a while since I posted on this thread. I'm headed to WDW tomorrow to run the marathon on Sunday. I'm staying at CBR and I just found out I will be staying in Jamaica. This is my first trip to CBR so I am wondering...

What's Jamaica like?
Is it close to the bus stops? My biggest concern is getting the bus on Sunday morning from CBR to the race start (Epcot).
Any thing else you could tell me...good or bad?

Thanks,

Lou

 

[mickeystoontown]

We've stayed in Jamaica and loved the location. We were in Jamaica Building 41 and we were very close to the bus stop. Maybe a two minute walk. The buses run very regularly, especially early morning. Another plus for Jamaica, is it is often the first bus stop to pick up and the first to drop off.

The walk to Old Port Royale took, maybe, five minutes. It's just a simple walk across the bridge. Safetymom has pictures posted of the construction around the main pool area. I believe she said it took no real additional time to walk around.

Have a safe trip and I hope you do well in the marathon.

 

[CleveRocks]

Hey all,

It's been a while since I posted on this thread. I'm headed to WDW tomorrow to run the marathon on Sunday. I'm staying at CBR and I just found out I will be staying in Jamaica. This is my first trip to CBR so I am wondering...

What's Jamaica like?
Is it close to the bus stops? My biggest concern is getting the bus on Sunday morning from CBR to the race start (Epcot).
Any thing else you could tell me...good or bad?

Thanks,

Lou

CBR has a bus stop at each village. Therefore, no room is very far from a bus stop.

Buses bound for Magic Kingdom and Downtown Disney start at Martinique. Buses bound for Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom start at Jamaica.

And as someone who's completed 2 half-marathons in the past 8 months, let me assure you that you won't be too far from a bus stop. My last half was in mid-November in Philadelphia. We booked a hotel room that was 0.6 miles from the finish line. In the morning, it was a nice warm-up ... but after the race it felt like it took forever to get back to the room. It was 38 degrees and raining ... I'm sure your weather will be much better.

I'm curious how you just found out your room will be in Jamaica??????

 

[lourodrigis]

CBR has a bus stop at each village. Therefore, no room is very far from a bus stop.

Buses bound for Magic Kingdom and Downtown Disney start at Martinique. Buses bound for Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom start at Jamaica.

And as someone who's completed 2 half-marathons in the past 8 months, let me assure you that you won't be too far from a bus stop. My last half was in mid-November in Philadelphia. We booked a hotel room that was 0.6 miles from the finish line. In the morning, it was a nice warm-up ... but after the race it felt like it took forever to get back to the room. It was 38 degrees and raining ... I'm sure your weather will be much better.

I'm curious how you just found out your room will be in Jamaica??????

Thanks for the advice.

My last full marathon was Philly in November as well. That was actually my first full marathon. WDW fill be #2. My first race ever was the Phila Distance Run (1/2 marathon) in September. I hope to see you in Philly in 2008.

I found out about the room because I have family that just checked in to CBR this morning. They were in Aruba and tried to get our room there as well but Aruba was booked. They moved us all to Jamaica because there were rooms available.

 

[irene_dsc]

We were at CBR, Barbados, 1/2-1/8 (left first thing in the morning). On the 7th, they had installed the slide at the pool in Barbados - we actually ended up spending most of the day at the resort, as it happens. A couple of CM's led pool games for the kids there from 2:00-2:45, and my ds had a blast. Stuff like how long can you bounce around a beach ball (as a group), or Marco Polo but using Finding Nemo. I don't have any pics, since a) I didn't want to get my digicam wet or sandy, and b) I haven't downloaded my 327 pics yet, anyhow! (Plus, I figured Safetymom would keep everyone up to date.)

Anyhow, we loved CBR. Our room (1111) was bright and cheerful. The location worked well for us - close to the bus stop, and while it overlooked the parking lot, there were some big bushes that hid the view. Mousekeeping did a good job - no complaints there. I'd ordered groceries from WeGoShop.com, and included white vinegar to clean the coffeemaker, but it was pretty clean already, so I didn't bother. I did have to call Bell Services to get my groceries delivered to my room, even tho the CM at registration said they'd get delivered without my doing anything.

Food court - so-so. They did give dd a Mickey straw, after she said she didn't want any of her side dishes with her pita pizza, and she used that straw for almost the entire stay! (I'd gotten a 1/2 gal of milk, and we kept pouring it into the same little milk container, lol) I did find out that the full size pizzas count as 2 CS on the DDP if you get them at the food court instead of getting them delivered, which counts as 2 adult TS. Oh, and you can get fruit for your dessert. I really liked the big oatmeal raisin cookies, too.

As it turned out, ds hated the Poly and AKL when we went over there for dinners, so I'm just as glad I didn't spring for the Poly. I was also very happy for the sand, since dd spent a lot of time playing there.

Oh, and I didn't have any issues with the size, except maybe the fact that it seemed like we had bad bus karma. Almost every time, we waited about 15 minutes for our bus. One day I did walk the entire loop (hoping to get dd down for a nap in the stroller) and enjoyed it a lot.

 

[safetymom]

Thanks for the update. The slide wasn't installed in Jamaica so I didn't walk over to Barbados. I was going over again tomorrow to see if they put up the walls yet.

 

[safetymom]

I went back over to CBR today. They have fencing up around the pool. It looks at this time like Banana Cabana will be open in the same spot. The construction walls are next to it. Part of the new sidewalk is open to the bridge now.

There was noise today but you can't hear it from the preferred sections of the resort. I purposely walked over to both so I could listen. You also couldn't hear it until you were very close on the island. They were tearing out the trees and shrubs around the pool. It also sounded like they were doing something with the concrete.

They have installed the slide in Barbados but not Jamaica. There is a lifeguard chair at both but no lifeguards. The slide at Barbados was closed off because there wasn't a lifeguard. I did see some CM's headed that way so maybe they were the lifeguards.

 

[911x2]

Hello.. We are staying at CBR from the 16th thru the 20th. I was just wondering, is it possible to see Illuminations from anywhere in the resort?

 

[safetymom]

Yes you can see them from several places around the resort. The beach at Martinique was our favorite.

 

[michygoomy]

Hello.. We are staying at CBR from the 16th thru the 20th. I was just wondering, is it possible to see Illuminations from anywhere in the resort?

One night we got a late dinner from the food court then grabbed a table outside just in time to see the fireworks.

 

[catbertdave99]

Safetymom, thanks for continuing to keep all of us CBR-lovers posted with photos!!!!

 

[missmissy]

Hi
I have 2 questions, we are going to get there at midnight and are using ME. After we check in will they still have the resort transportaion still going so we don't have to walk to our rooms. We have always rented a car before so I didn't know how that works.
Also is there taxis sitting at the main check in building during the day? We are going to rent a car on 3rd day there and need a ride to rental place.
Many thanks!

 

[CleveRocks]

Hi
I have 2 questions, we are going to get there at midnight and are using ME. After we check in will they still have the resort transportaion still going so we don't have to walk to our rooms. We have always rented a car before so I didn't know how that works.
Also is there taxis sitting at the main check in building during the day? We are going to rent a car on 3rd day there and need a ride to rental place.
Many thanks!

I really don't know if the internal shuttle runs 24 hours a day. I doubt it.

Prior to DME, if you arrived by any method other than car, you had your luggage with you. The standard procedure was for Bell Services to drive you and your luggage to your room in a van.

They still do this if you arrive by car service or taxi, OR if you use only part of the DME service (that is, if you rode the bus but brought your own checked luggage with you rather than using the GREAT luggage delivery feature).

If you arrive by DME without luggage, you're typically on your own to get to your room. However, at midnight I can't imagine that the Bell Services staff will be very busy, so you might be able to request a ride.

As for taxis, there should be some waiting there. The CM at the Bell Services stand at the porte cochere will wave one over for you. If not, that CM or a CM inside at the Lobby Concierge desk can call a taxi for you.

 

[boysmom5150]

Staying at CBR for the 1st time for a quickie trip Jan 26-29th
Was wondering was is the closest building to the main one. Also is there 1 main parking lot or does each building have its own lot.

Is the construction limited to the pools or all around the resort?
TIA

 

[safetymom]

If you follow the link in my signature you can get to a map of the resort. Each village has its own parking lot. Are you referring to the main building where you check in or Old Port Royale where the food court is.

The construction is just around the pool area.