Disney's CARIBBEAN BEACH RESORT Information & Questions

[TammyLynn33]

Mears $15 range no stressors on the way to the parks Disney transportation back is our plan

 

[Mkhrun]

Staying here early March as only discounted room available on short notice. After reading this thread ( never stayed here before) I am getting nervous, lol.
I don’t want cheer squads, tons of blocked pathways, or no bus cause it’s overfilled.
Prob why a standard room popped up.
Eek.. may need to re think this.
My only request was, near food ..thinking
It’d be closer to main area.
Hmmmm

I feel like there will be cheerleaders or dancers no matter what resort your at if you are at a budget or moderate resort. Looks like a dance competition the first weekend and another cheerleading the 2nd weekend of March.
We didn't have a single issue with the bus being overfilled during our stay. There was one bus that was packed, otherwise every bus was pretty easy to hop on and off.

 

[Randomsoulshine]

Have there been any recent updates to the weird and unsightly fences that popped up around the resort? We go in June and I’m wondering if I need to ask for an area where the sidewalks aren’t lined by fencing. I’m hoping whatever they are doing is finished by then but I did get that construction email.

 

[aalvis]

Have there been any recent updates to the weird and unsightly fences that popped up around the resort? We go in June and I’m wondering if I need to ask for an area where the sidewalks aren’t lined by fencing. I’m hoping whatever they are doing is finished by then but I did get that construction email.

It is so weird...we are going in early April and never got a construction email.

 

[mjb347]

Here now. In Aruba 51 they are along almost every path and cut off a lot of pathways. Bad timing I guess.

 

[Randomsoulshine]

Here now. In Aruba 51 they are along almost every path and cut off a lot of pathways. Bad timing I guess.

Thank you. I’m trying to determine if they will be moving around the resort with whatever they are doing. I might ask for Barbados. I’m so sorry you are having to look at them.

 

[BebopBaloo]

How are the buses mjb347? Hope you have a great time and the fences aren't too much of a problem. It is a bummer to have to navigate them.

 

[Dis703]

Just wanted to share my experience with our most recent stay as it was our first since the renovations. It was a romantic couples weekend the end of January for 4 nights. I didn't make any requests and we ended up in building 44 in Jamaica which was perfect. The room was nice, but had a slightly musty smell to it when we checked in. Pretty sure it was the AC. We went grocery shopping that night so I picked up an air freshener and it was fine the rest of the trip.

We had a brand new college program CM when we checked in and she was great. We were offered the housekeeping opt-out which we took to offset the cost of parking. We found our batteries were dead in the remote control and picked up the phone to call the front desk to find someone tore the cord out of the wall so there was no phone either, lol. On our way out we stopped at the front desk though and they took care of both before we returned that evening. Those were the only issues with the room.

I didn't notice the music piping through over the bridge this time around so I'm not sure if they stopped that or if it was just temporary. But otherwise the resort maintains it's relaxing vibe that make it once of my absolute favorites.

We did a mix of bus and driving. Had one awful wait for our MK bus though at at least 40 minutes in the rain. Aside from that, they were pretty quick and driving to and from was easy and fast as well.

I love the look of the new OPR. Beautiful colors and fabrics and makes me want to chill out and hang out there in the reservation area. The only big downside for me were the menu changes in the food court. While I like some of the Caribbean influenced options, sometimes I want some of the simple basics I would normally find at any food court. The fancy oatmeal wasn't appealing at all. Just a plain old bowl of oatmeal with raisins would have sufficed. They did say they had it at the other location in Trinidad South but I didn't want to have to get one meal at one location and then travel to the other before we could eat. The bakery and ice cream options were disappointing as well. I loved the self serve soft serve ice cream they used to have and the variety of baked goods was lacking. Not a deal-breaker for staying there again just disappointing. We drove to Pop to use their food court one evening instead but I don't always have a car.

DB was very impressed for his first stay on property. And when we visited Pop he felt the same way about how much more relaxing CBR is in comparison. I'm sure we'll be back again someday.

 

[dreynolds1982]

So, this may sound weird, and not sure I can fully explain it, but just curious if anyone else has noticed the same thing. I was just as CBR with my gf on pres day, the first time I've been there since the new lobby opened, and the lobby had a DISTINCT smell that reminded me of....a Vegas hotel. If you've been to Vegas, you might notice that many of the hotels have a distinct smell. Almost a sweet smell to the air. I think it's to do with the extra oxygen they pump in there, but I'm not sure. I've not smelled this anywhere else until my trip to CBR. And only in the lobby. SOO weird. It's not a bad smell, just very distinct. Who knows.

Anyways, trip was great. Stayed in Jamaica 43. Lots of construction going on of course but didn't notice any noise. Didn't spend a ton of time at the resort tho. Was just a one nighter. Did notice that the quick service breakfast area was a MESS in the morning. Seems somewhat small, esp when compared to, say, the Pepper Market at CS. Thankfully we just grabbed something from the grab and go which was easy.

Decided not to mess with the buses this trip. Just took Lyfts around and I HIGHLY recommend it. Very reasonable rates and WAY faster than the buses. Took one from CBR to DHS for $7 (was really $2 b/c I had a $5 credit). Took bus from CBR to MK. Monorail from MK to Epcot. After Illuminations, walked to BW and took Lyft back to CBR ($10). Worth every penny.

 

[TammyLynn33]

Me neither

It is so weird...we are going in early April and never got a construction email.

 

[dansdad]

It is so weird...we are going in early April and never got a construction email.

Me neither

It's not weird when it comes to WDW. Historically, some guests get them, some don't and some get multiples.

 

[Jcon]

First time staying at CBR coming up May 5-16. Have been stayed at POR a few times and WDL. For the price difference, CBR was a no brainer this year.

On to my situation and questions...

Good news - Flights changed around, so we were able to add a day at the front end of our vacation without having to pay a flight change fee.
Bad news - had to book a night in a Pirate Room and couldn't add onto our package. It's not really bad news, just a mild inconvenience.

Anyhow, we're staying one night in a Pirate Room, then moving to a Standard, Garden View room for the remaining 11 nights. Never had a split stay.

It was explained that we would need to check out of the Pirate Room and then check in later to the Standard room.

My understanding:

• Bell services will collect and hold our luggage until our Standard room is ready, correct?
• We'll be able to check into our Standard room via the app/website and won't have to go back to the Check-In counter before going to our room, correct?
• Bell services will deliver our luggage to the new room when it's available and when we advise bell services?

My hope is that we can just get up in the morning, have breakfast, call bell services to collect our bags, then head to the buses to get to a park, like any normal park day for us.

I'm trying to make park plans but don't want to select FP too early in the day if there will be several things to do before leaving the hotel.

Is there anything else I should know?

 

[dansdad]

It was explained that we would need to check out of the Pirate Room

We do split stays often and haven't checked out of the first room in about 8 years. We just let housekeeping know when we leave room #1.

and then check in later to the Standard room.

At some point, yes. Doesn't have to be first thing that morning.

My understanding:

• Bell services will collect and hold our luggage until our Standard room is ready, correct?

Correct.

• We'll be able to check into our Standard room via the app/website and won't have to go back to the Check-In counter before going to our room, correct?

Maybe, maybe not. Not everyone that does Online Check In are able to Bypass The Front Desk. Nobody knows how they decide who can and who can't.

• Bell services will deliver our luggage to the new room when it's available and when we advise bell services?

If you're in the room, yes.

My hope is that we can just get up in the morning, have breakfast, call bell services to collect our bags, then head to the buses to get to a park, like any normal park day for us.

That's how we do it. Then after coming back from the parks, if we get the room ready text we head straight to the room and call Bell Services and ask them to bring us our luggage. If we don't get it, we hit the Front Desk.

 

[Jcon]

@dansdad Thank-you!

 

[MrVargas]

Barbados 32 vs Barbados 33? Is one better?

 

[dansdad]

Barbados 32 vs Barbados 33? Is one better?

They're both great. 32 is closer to the path to Old Porte Royal. 33 is closer to the Barbados bus stop

 

[TammyLynn33]

What are the running paths like with the construction? Thanks

 

[ksromack]

We do split stays often and haven't checked out of the first room in about 8 years. We just let housekeeping know when we leave room #1.

That's how we do it. Then after coming back from the parks, if we get the room ready text we head straight to the room and call Bell Services and ask them to bring us our luggage. If we don't get it, we hit the Front Desk.

We have done many split stays and I NEVER knew you could just call Bell Services and have them collect your luggage from your room! We've always delivered them to the Bell Service's counter in the lobbies of our original resorts then leave for the park for the day. In our cases it may just have been faster to do so since we wouldn't have to wait for them to collect our bags but depending on where your room is located it sure does seem easier to have them do it for you! Thanks to the OP for asking the question! I learned something new!

 

[MamaJessie]

So, this may sound weird, and not sure I can fully explain it, but just curious if anyone else has noticed the same thing. I was just as CBR with my gf on pres day, the first time I've been there since the new lobby opened, and the lobby had a DISTINCT smell that reminded me of....a Vegas hotel. If you've been to Vegas, you might notice that many of the hotels have a distinct smell. Almost a sweet smell to the air. I think it's to do with the extra oxygen they pump in there, but I'm not sure. I've not smelled this anywhere else until my trip to CBR. And only in the lobby. SOO weird. It's not a bad smell, just very distinct. Who knows.

Not weird at all. I don't know the Vegas smell, but Disney does have different scents in different resorts and in one of the CBR reviews I watched on youtube he specifically mentions the smell in the new lobby at CBR. Sniffing the lobby is on the list of odd things I am looking forward to , first time back since the renovation.

 

[Mkhrun]

What are the running paths like with the construction? Thanks

It's not great at this point. Where you previously could make a loop around the lake/pond/water feature, you are pretty cut off from making loops. So you basically have to run up and down the paths. So total mileage going up and down all the way with a little added loop around a parking lot back to where I started was about 2.00 miles. The paths themselves are clear of construction and if you are out before say 6 they are pretty clear of people (they start to get busy around 6:30-7.

I'd post a link but I'm not cool enough yet.