Disney's CARIBBEAN BEACH RESORT Information & Questions

[canyoncam]

I moved to POFQ last Thursday because I had initially paid rack rate for CBR based on amenities, food court being a big factor for my party. I sort of regret the fact that I could've missed an essential $150 off per night at CBR, but since I never received the first email that they assured me was sent, I doubt I would have "proof" the gift card was due me at check in as they could've seen I was credited on my reservation had I stayed. I would not have argued it either. Happy with the rate they offered my at POFQ. I have never been involved in a situation like this from the beginning but it seem like this is the worst they have ever handled a construction. I am happy for those who will benefit greatly from the error.

 

[WEDWDW]

I believe it's $75 instead of $25, not both

That's what my email received yesterday said-the $25.00 GC is being REPLACED with the $75,00 GC.

 

[amytaylor2]

Staying end of Sept. Called and they moved us from 2 rooms in CBR to a 2 bedroom villa at SS. I also asked about free dining because that was a major consideration for us and the first CM said yes but the second I spoke to said no and that regardless of where we moved to, we'd have to pay the difference and our price adjustment for the move would be void. Though seeing as there are inconsistencies, I am not sure how this will play out. I appreciate the move, however I payed full rack for what I thought I was getting at CBR and was banking on free dining. Even though we're technically paying less for what we are getting at SS, I still didn't anticipate paying that much, so we'll see.

I agree completely. I understand that I'm paying less for SS but the only reason I was moved there was because of the construction. I haven't called back to ask anyone else....maybe I should. But I guess I will only know for sure IF and when Free dining is released.

 

[Mitzicat]

Does anyone know how long the construction will take? Has Disney given an end date?

 

[Suzanne74]

Does anyone know how long the construction will take? Has Disney given an end date?

No one knows how long the whole main area/restaurants will be closed. The whole project itself is to take 2 years.

 

[Mitzicat]

No one knows how long the whole main area/restaurants will be closed. The whole project itself is to take 2 years.

Thanks - I knew there were adding a bunch of stuff - which will be cool in the end. I guess this will hit us in December 2017! lol

 

[Rivergirl2005]

Question...my travel agent called and got us the 75 credit last week...will we get a gift card too or is the credit just taken???

 

[Moocabn2258]

I agree completely. I understand that I'm paying less for SS but the only reason I was moved there was because of the construction. I haven't called back to ask anyone else....maybe I should. But I guess I will only know for sure IF and when Free dining is released.

Definitely! Let me know if you do call and what they say. I know that you can't combine "offers" with free dining, but to me my move to SS for the price I paid for CBR wasn't an "offer", it was a customer service make good on the construction issue, therefore I feel like they should honor it for us. Keep me posted!

 

[IrishNYC]

Definitely! Let me know if you do call and what they say. I know that you can't combine "offers" with free dining, but to me my move to SS for the price I paid for CBR wasn't an "offer", it was a customer service make good on the construction issue, therefore I feel like they should honor it for us. Keep me posted!

A reservation is NOT a guarantee of free dining (or any other offer) if one comes out. Any offers are for new reservations only. When you have a reservation, and an offer comes out, and you call, you are actually making a brand new reservation. I would absolutely not be counting on getting free dining along with the construction concessions they've made.

 

[Moocabn2258]

A reservation is NOT a guarantee of free dining (or any other offer) if one comes out. Any offers are for new reservations only. When you have a reservation, and an offer comes out, and you call, you are actually making a brand new reservation. I would absolutely not be counting on getting free dining along with the construction concessions they've made.

Oh I totally understand that, but my point was that if free dining became available for my dates and resort at CBR, I would have jumped on it and hopefully been able to utilize the free dining. I was paying full rack as it was so it would have been a bonus discount and I would have been well prepared to pay the full room rate but would have saved almost $3000 due to there being 6 in my family. However now due to construction they were wonderful to assist me and moved me to SS however if free dining comes out, I can't afford full rack at SS.

 

[HopperFan]

Oh I totally understand that, but my point was that if free dining became available for my dates and resort at CBR, I would have jumped on it and hopefully been able to utilize the free dining. I was paying full rack as it was so it would have been a bonus discount and I would have been well prepared to pay the full room rate but would have saved almost $3000 due to there being 6 in my family. However now due to construction they were wonderful to assist me and moved me to SS however if free dining comes out, I can't afford full rack at SS.

Of course we don't know until it comes in to play .... and there are so many possibilities ....

- No Free Dining at all this year since they are short rooms and maybe needs no discount to fill
- Such a limited number of FD rooms and resorts that getting a room will be difficult
- Free Dining will not be offered for CBR due to all the discount etc issues
- CBR discounted rooms are so low plus there is no TS so maybe QSDP only there
- Free Dining will not be offered for resorts being used to move guests to avoid this issue
- Free Dining will be offered but no matter why you are booked, for whatever reason, rack rate applies
- If you choose to stay at CBR at rack rate with FD you would still get the $75 credit for your trouble
- Note that guests did not have to move, they chose to move so assume Disney feels they have done enough already

PERSONAL OPINION:
I think folks will have to choose between Free Dining at Rack Rate or moving to a resort with construction to get lower rate.

But of course, no one knows ..... Disney will likely look at all variables to find out what works best for THEM.

 

[Moocabn2258]

Of course we don't know until it comes in to play .... and there are so many possibilities ....

- No Free Dining at all this year since they are short rooms and maybe needs no discount to fill
- Such a limited number of FD rooms and resorts that getting a room will be difficult
- Free Dining will not be offered for CBR due to all the discount etc issues
- CBR discounted rooms are so low plus there is no TS so maybe QSDP only there
- Free Dining will not be offered for resorts being used to move guests to avoid this issue
- Free Dining will be offered but no matter why you are booked, for whatever reason, rack rate applies
- If you choose to stay at CBR at rack rate with FD you would still get the $75 credit for your trouble
- Note that guests did not have to move, they chose to move so assume Disney feels they have done enough already

PERSONAL OPINION:
I think folks will have to choose between Free Dining at Rack Rate or moving to a resort with construction to get lower rate.

But of course, no one knows ..... Disney will likely look at all variables to find out what works best for THEM.

I know! The anticipation is killing me. Can't wait until it is all sorted and finalized so we can start getting excited for the trip.

 

[HopperFan]

I know! The anticipation is killing me. Can't wait until it is all sorted and finalized so we can start getting excited for the trip.

Honestly after this whole fiasco with them not having a good plan in place prior to announcement ... my guess is Disney doesn't even know what they want to do. I mean factor in Pandora opening, EMH are now more important and ......... Disney bookings may be way up. I think they are going to be sitting around a table crunching numbers and figuring out the least they can offer this year, still maintaining their targeted occupancy level.

 

[IrishNYC]

Honestly after this whole fiasco with them not having a good plan in place prior to announcement ... my guess is Disney doesn't even know what they want to do. I mean factor in Pandora opening, EMH are now more important and ......... Disney bookings may be way up. I think they are going to be sitting around a table crunching numbers and figuring out the least they can offer this year, still maintaining their targeted occupancy level.

I do wonder if the number crunchers figure in the number of people that make reservations in anticipation of discount offers that will just not go if there is no offer.

 

[HopperFan]

I do wonder if the number crunchers figure in the number of people that make reservations in anticipation of discount offers that will just not go if there is no offer.

Am sure they have a percentage of cancellations they take in to account but honestly, DIS is such a small percentage of their overall guests and I imagine the average guest is not as fine tuned into it as we are.

I think the average guest wants to go to Disney, finds the best price they can and books. If they become aware of Free Dining then they try to get that but otherwise they had already decided to go and likely won't change their plans.

They have made it harder each year with Disney Visa no longer getting advance and the rooms selling out so fast, an indication they have reduced the number of rooms available. They can still keep opening rooms if they are worried about occupancy but this may be the first year in awhile they actually have something new to offer (Pandora and ROL) and keep bookings.

I imagine by time TSL and SWL opens ... Free Dining might be a thing of the past. Of course, never say never but they clearly are not on an average guests mission anymore. DVC and now Convention guests seem to be their target.

 

[Sharongal74]

I have lots of friends that do Disney and none of them were aware that free dining exsists. Booking a room ahead of time doesn't always guarantee free dining. They also have to take into account people that book multiple dates for the purpose of FD. It is going to be interesting what they come up with. I cant imagine them letting people stay at resorts for great discounts and give them FD on top of that. Whatever they decide to do they need to have a clear plan in place when it releases. Maybe someone high up should be reading these boards lol.

 

[IrishNYC]

I guess part of me is just a little cynical that people are getting a very generous discount, and still worried about getting free dining. It's just not how I budget my vacations.

 

[lovingeire]

I guess part of me is just a little cynical that people are getting a very generous discount, and still worried about getting free dining. It's just not how I budget my vacations.

I always say to book the vacation you can afford (without the discount) and if free dining or whatever is announced and you want to move somewhere bigger or better you can based on availability. However, I would say that people rely too heavily on discounts being announced. The number one question I get asked is are there discounts at this time of year. And I'll be honest, this trip I'm taking in April is the expensive compared to other trips I take of the same length since the military discount is blocked out, but I knew it would be and booked accordingly.

I also think that as attendance is up and the economy has improved Disney is drastically reducing and limiting discounts. People are very used to them though and have come to rely on them as I mentioned so this complicated vacation planning!

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

I guess part of me is just a little cynical that people are getting a very generous discount, and still worried about getting free dining. It's just not how I budget my vacations.

I guess it depends on how you look at it. While I totally understand your point of view, I also get that for those who received a complimentary resort change it's hard to view that as a discount. While yes, the new resort might technically be an upgrade, any of the resorts Disney is offering for transfer is technically an upgrade since there are no other resorts priced the same as CBR (except for possibly CSR which also has construction and I don't think is typically being offered for the transfer.) People book expecting to pay $xxx for CBR and all of its amenities. Many people purposely book for stays at times when discounts are generally always available. When suddenly the amenities that were supposed to be there are not available, it makes sense that a lot of people may want to be at a resort that offers the amenities they are looking for. If there were no construction many people would would have not only the amenities, but also a discount (room price or free dining). It makes sense that you should be able to be provided with a comparable overall experience to CBR when Disney takes amenities away from CBR. To provide that comparable experience that would include an alternative resort and any discounts that would have been offered to them at CBR since they booked CBR and now it's not what was advertised at booking.

There should definitely be a difference in a concession for construction and a discount. Especially considering there have been numerous reports of people who booked CBR at a discounted rate or on a free dining bounce back and still qualify for the $75 gift card or received a complimentary transfer while retaining their previous discounts, even though those scenarios include receiving multiple discounts. It should be no different for applying a future discount. How exactly is it fair that people who already received a discount receive an additional concession for the construction (room rate/ free dining bb), but those who are staying during times when discounts have not yet been announced cannot apply similar discounts (when they do come out) with their room transfer?

 

[IrishNYC]

There should definitely be a difference in a concession for construction and a discount. Especially considering there have been numerous reports of people who booked CBR at a discounted rate or on a free dining bounce back and still qualify for the $75 gift card or received a complimentary transfer while retaining their previous discounts, even though those scenarios include receiving multiple discounts. It should be no different for applying a future discount. How exactly is it fair that people who already received a discount receive an additional concession for the construction (room rate/ free dining bb), but those who are staying during times when discounts have not yet been announced cannot apply similar discounts (when they do come out) with their room transfer?

I can completely understand being already booked at a discount and still receiving the discount. You're getting less than you booked for. But to book, get a discount for construction, and then want to book a discount that typically only applies to new reservations while retaining that construction concession I just can't get on board with.