Disney's CARIBBEAN BEACH RESORT Information & Questions

[Kevin355]

I believe @dansdad has mentioned being at the bus stop about an hour before you want to be somewhere....is this true for rope drop at all the parks? I want to be at MK in time to see the welcome show for a 9am opening. If I'm at the bus stop by 7:30am is that sufficient?

And same question for the other parks. If I want to be there for RD, does it make sense to be at the bus stop by about 7:45am (for a 9am opening)? Thanks in advance

7:30AM will be plenty of time for rope drop @ MK. Not many people get up for rope drop and we have made it leaving about 30 minutes prior, but 1.5 hours will certainly guarantee your arrival for rope drop.

 

[Dis703]

I'm so excited to have just booked a family trip for December at CBR!!!! We stayed here for the first time about a year and half ago and I am completely in love with this resort. So happy to be going back.

Quick question about online check-in. Do they no longer have all of the villages listed? I only see Martinique as a request and then it's near elevator (which I didn't think they have?), near transportation, upper floor, water view, etc. We'd love to be in Jamaica again, but I'm thinking maybe I should just call and make the request and not do online check-in since it's not showing up as an option.

ETA: Never mind, I did some reading and see that Martinique is always the only option for online check in requests. I'll call it in and check in when we arrive.

 

[Dis703]

Same goes with a 5 person room right?

Yes, if all five are over the age of 3. If one is a Disney infant they might not get a murphy bed room.

 

[SJSloan]

You MAY be able to Bypass The Front Desk. If you are able to Bypass The Front Desk, you will get a text before arriving at CBR with your room number. If that happens, you can go directly to your room and your Magic Bands will open the door. This doesn't happen for everyone, but does happen.

You may also get a text stating your room is not ready yet, but has been assigned. Then you will get another text with your room number when it is ready. If this happens you will also be able to go directly to your room with stopping at the Front Desk.

Or you may not get any text and if so, just stop by the Online Check In desk to check in. If your room is ready, they will give you the room number. If it's not ready yet, they will text you the number when it is ready.

Is there any benefit to doing on-line check-in if we want the "experience" of going to the front desk? Does it make the check-in process faster? I believe it use to but that was before this go directly to your room stuff.

If we do on-line check-in and get our room number texted can we still go to the Custom House? We've never stayed at CBR and since the check-in building is separate from everything else, check-in will probably be our only time to see the Custom House. And I feel like checking in adds to our whole vacation experience.

 

[Dis703]

Is there any benefit to doing on-line check-in if we want the "experience" of going to the front desk? Does it make the check-in process faster? I believe it use to but that was before this go directly to your room stuff.

If we do on-line check-in and get our room number texted can we still go to the Custom House? We've never stayed at CBR and since the check-in building is separate from everything else, check-in will probably be our only time to see the Custom House. And I feel like checking in adds to our whole vacation experience.

I always go to the desk either way. And since we've had trouble with our magic bands a few times it's been a good thing that we did. I didn't find it faster either way really. Last time we did online check in none of our bands were working right and we spent at least 40 minutes at the desk getting it fixed. Other times we checked in upon arrival and were on our way to our room within 10 minutes. At least twice we've had magic band issues so I plan to always go to the desk and make sure they are squared away before hitting the parks.

 

[Dis703]

Can someone give me the current bus routes around the resort? When we stayed there last year they had buses coming in from two directions. We were in Jamaica and most often we were picked up first then we hit Aruba and Barbados and usually were off to the parks after that. Coming back occasionally they stopped at Martinique first so it was a longer route to be dropped off, but that wasn't very often.

I remember hearing they were splitting up the stops so one bus does about half of them, but a recent review indicated that from Jamaica they stopped at quite a few more stops.

Just considering if the current bus routes would make me want to request a different village.

Thanks!

 

[JenM628]

We just got back from our first stay at CBR and we loved it. This thread was so helpful before the trip, so THANKS for that. We are thinking about booking an early June trip and have a question about the only negative we experienced. Our buses were always standing room only. We would pass other resorts with lines that were a third of our size. This was our experience for every park, and Disney Springs everyday of our stay. Is that common? I am thinking if it was that crowded in October, June will only be worse. We are a family of 5 so for us it's either CBR or PO-Riverside.

 

[Dis703]

We just got back from our first stay at CBR and we loved it. This thread was so helpful before the trip, so THANKS for that. We are thinking about booking an early June trip and have a question about the only negative we experienced. Our buses were always standing room only. We would pass other resorts with lines that were a third of our size. This was our experience for every park, and Disney Springs everyday of our stay. Is that common? I am thinking if it was that crowded in October, June will only be worse. We are a family of 5 so for us it's either CBR or PO-Riverside.

We've stayed at BC, BWI, Pop, AS Sports, CBR, and POFQ (which shared most of the time with POR). From my experience at each of those resorts standing room is pretty common on the buses, Especially, in the morning and evening. Mid-day it's not as bad. I've not had a trip yet where it was every single time I was on the bus, but it was the majority of times at each resort. I wouldn't expect it to be any better at POR.

 

[mickeygirl78]

Can someone give me the current bus routes around the resort? When we stayed there last year they had buses coming in from two directions. We were in Jamaica and most often we were picked up first then we hit Aruba and Barbados and usually were off to the parks after that. Coming back occasionally they stopped at Martinique first so it was a longer route to be dropped off, but that wasn't very often.

I remember hearing they were splitting up the stops so one bus does about half of them, but a recent review indicated that from Jamaica they stopped at quite a few more stops.

Just considering if the current bus routes would make me want to request a different village.

Thanks!

When I was there last month, all theme park busses came in the Jamaica entrance and Disney springs came in the front entrance. However, early in the morning they did split the resort. I stayed in Jamaica and every bus I got on, except Disney springs was the first stop. If it was early am we left after Barbados, if not early, then it went to all islands. Of course that is all subject to change. I loved staying in Jamaica and would recommend that island. I hope that info is helpful.

 

[DebnPaul]

I love the Gulf of Mexico this time of year.

We do too. We try to get down in November every year to spend half the week in Venice, FL and half the week in Disney.

 

[Mitzicat]

Long time fan of POR and CSR, stayed at POP once....just switched our Dec 2017 bounceback offer to CBR so I will be using this thread a lot! I read the first two pages, but didn't go beyond that. We are 2 adults, early 40s, I've been going to WDW since I was 18 months old back in 76'. I booked a King room at CBR, when the time comes should I request a specific building? Anything I should know that would be different at CBR than at POR or CSR? Read about the buses, that's no problem for us if we have to stand.

 

[SJSloan]

Long time fan of POR and CSR, stayed at POP once....just switched our Dec 2017 bounceback offer to CBR so I will be using this thread a lot! I read the first two pages, but didn't go beyond that. We are 2 adults, early 40s, I've been going to WDW since I was 18 months old back in 76'. I booked a King room at CBR, when the time comes should I request a specific building? Anything I should know that would be different at CBR than at POR or CSR? Read about the buses, that's no problem for us if we have to stand.

Unlike POR that has preferred buildings, (I'm not sure about CSR) CBR has preferred rooms. King rooms are in every village in CBR except for Trinidad South that has the pirate rooms. So you could request a room in any village, but I would go with Trinidad North (all buildings) or Martinique 24, 25 or 26. They are closest to Old Port Royale, and also house the preferred rooms. But Jamaica 45 and Aruba 51 are highly regarded locations around here as well.

 

[Kevin355]

Long time fan of POR and CSR, stayed at POP once....just switched our Dec 2017 bounceback offer to CBR so I will be using this thread a lot! I read the first two pages, but didn't go beyond that. We are 2 adults, early 40s, I've been going to WDW since I was 18 months old back in 76'. I booked a King room at CBR, when the time comes should I request a specific building? Anything I should know that would be different at CBR than at POR or CSR? Read about the buses, that's no problem for us if we have to stand.

We just ask for King Room and bottom floor, and have ended up in Martinique and Trinidad North. Anything else is a bonus. Don't mind the walk and have ended up lucky each time.

 

[dansdad]

I believe @dansdad has mentioned being at the bus stop about an hour before you want to be somewhere....is this true for rope drop at all the parks? I want to be at MK in time to see the welcome show for a 9am opening. If I'm at the bus stop by 7:30am is that sufficient?

You will be good if you're there at 7:45.

And same question for the other parks. If I want to be there for RD, does it make sense to be at the bus stop by about 7:45am (for a 9am opening)? Thanks in advance

Yup, you'll be good.

 

[dansdad]

Is there any benefit to doing on-line check-in if we want the "experience" of going to the front desk? Does it make the check-in process faster? I believe it use to but that was before this go directly to your room stuff.

If you do Online Check In there will be less administrative type stuff to do at the desk so you'll be able to have more 1 on 1 time with the CM talking about fun stuff and getting any questions answered that you might have. We have done Online Check In ever since it was offered and still stop by the Desk for that CM interaction.

If we do on-line check-in and get our room number texted can we still go to the Custom House? We've never stayed at CBR and since the check-in building is separate from everything else, check-in will probably be our only time to see the Custom House. And I feel like checking in adds to our whole vacation experience.

Yes you can. When we have gotten our room ready text before arriving at CBR we still stop by the desk once we get off the Magical Express just for the experience.

 

[LinaNate]

Yes, if all five are over the age of 3. If one is a Disney infant they might not get a murphy bed room.

One is booked as an infant :/

 

[benniecooper]

Just checked out this morning, room 3157 in Trinadad North has a Murphy bed. This was a preferred room, nice view, great room.

 

[twoolle]

One is booked as an infant :/

Last year we had 6 in our room at POR (they have the murphy bed rooms too). 2 kids were under 3, so they booked us originally in a NON murphy bed room. I kindly requested a room with a murphy bed because DD2 did not sleep in a pack n play anymore and they fulfilled my request.

 

[dansdad]

Last year we had 6 in our room at POR (they have the murphy bed rooms too). 2 kids were under 3, so they booked us originally in a NON murphy bed room. I kindly requested a room with a murphy bed because DD2 did not sleep in a pack n play anymore and they fulfilled my request.

Glad they were able to correct their mistake. You should not have been assigned a room without a Murphy Bed. When counting occupancy only 1 child under the age of 3 is not counted. So according to WDW procedures you were a party of 5.

 

[Kevin355]

Just got a pin code...am going back in April. Wife told me to bring the golf clubs. Life is good.