Caribbean

[MrPeetrie]

Hey gang. We're returning to Walt Disney World this year after a four-year hiatus. This time, we will be traveling with our son, who will be 19 months when we leave. (Naturally, it will be his first Disney trip.) We normally stay at a moderate resort because it seems to best fit into our budget. We were planning to stay at the Caribbean Resort, but, when I was on Disney's "Official" web site, the reviews for the Caribbean were terrible. We haven't stayed there since 2003, so my recollection is fuzzy. Many reviewers thought the rooms were dirty and the service was not up to Disney standards. Others complained of cramped bathroom arrangements versus other moderate resorts that leave you with little privacy. Have you encountered this? Thanks!

:confused:

[mickeyman42]

we just returned a month ago from a week at CBR. we were in the newer pirate rooms, so it was very clean, as its still very new. I found that the bathroom area (bathroom and sink) was just as cramped as ASMu when we stayed there, maybe its a few feet bigger (literally a few feet at the most) but just about the same. haven't stayed at another moderate so I can't compare that way, don't know if they are bigger or not. we found it small, but knew that it was going to be what it was, so no surprises. If cleanliness and cast member service was my only concern then I would not hesitate to stay there, as we found everyone to be very nice.

[Disney4us2]

We were there this past December. The room was nice. It was just my DD (11) and I so we were not cramped at all.

Mousekeeping was fine. Didn't get any towel animals except for our arrival. (That does not make or break it for me though). I did have to call housekeeping several times before I got my sharps container for my insulin needles. First time they brought me a can opener:confused: Finally got it...

We were in Martinique building 25 with a garden view. It was very quiet and nice. It was also close to the OPR food court and main pool.

We enjoyed our stay there and would return if we didn't buy into DVC.

[Patricia]

I did have to call housekeeping several times before I got my sharps container for my insulin needles. First time they brought me a can opener:confused: Finally got it...

Pass the monitor cleaner.. I've heard of some silly misunderstandings, but that one made me laugh. :rotfl:

I like CBR.

[mom2morgan]

Pass the monitor cleaner.. I've heard of some silly misunderstandings, but that one made me laugh. :rotfl:

I like CBR.

hmmmm "sharp" plus "container". Yep, definitely makes me think someone wants to break into a can. LOL!

[ShinynewJB]

We've stayed in CBR twice. The most recently stay being '08. On that journey we did have a problem with the first room we were in. The beds were creaky and the plumbing was making a racket. However, we asked to be moved and were put in a wonderful resonably newly rennovated (at the time) Finding Nemo themed room (maybe someone here can confirm for me whether or not all the rooms eventually got rennovated in this way?).

We were three adults sharing one room, and had no problems with it being "small" at all. We haven't stayed at other mods, so I can't compare I'm afraid. Staff all seemed fine to me.

If you have any other questions, fire away.

[mickeyman42]

I can also remember being able to hear toilets flush above and from the sides now that I think about it, don't remember hearing that anywhere else.

[ryca1dreams]

I didn't mind CBR when we went a few years ago. I just didn't think it was anything special. It was quiet (when we were there) and nice to run around the lake, but not much else.

The rooms were as clean as any other rooms I've been in and we were in un-renovated rooms.

[Mousemates]

It has been a few years since we were there, but we did have a problem with the plumbing that wound up creating a big wet spot in the floor and ruining a few of our "read by the pool" books. We were moved and our 2nd room was fine.

Not sure I would get too worked up over folks having a few of those kinds of issues or let them overly influence my decision (those things can happen most anywhere) I would be more inclined to let things like the peculiar amenities (say queen beds at CSR and POFQ) or theming be the real decision makers

[MarkC]

We've stayed there a couple of times and no issues, except for the first time when they didn't tell us the pool was closed.

Really like the grounds, the room, and especially the food court. I think you'll like it. However, if you want a good moderate you can't beat Port Orleans- Riverside.

[E-OR]

We stayed at CBR twice. One of our first trips, maybe 10 years ago, and then again last year. Our first stay we were in Martinique building 25. Close to food court, pool, etc.. We really loved the grounds but the room was very dark and worn out. We decided that since it was newly renovated we would stay again this last year. This time we were not in a preferred room. We sure wish that we had paid the extra and got the preferred. It was a long walk to the pool and food court from where we were. We do a lot of walking at home but did not like the long walks for food or somthing to drink. The room was fine and housekeeping was great, the grounds are beautiful but we are small resort people. We love POFQ and will be back there for our 6th stay in September.

[MrPeetrie]

This time we were not in a preferred room. We sure wish that we had paid the extra and got the preferred.

Excuse me, but what is a "preferred" room? How much extra is that?

[E-OR]

CBR is a huge resort so for $25 (I think) more per night you can get a room in a building closer to the food court and pool. These are the preferred rooms. Some of the other resorts have the same thing. When we have stayed at a value we always get the preferred room, but it's only $10 more per night. POFQ has water view rooms but no preferred since it is so small. I don't think that POR has the preferred rooms either even though it is a large resort. If you don't mind walking you can request a building close to the bridge across to the main building. We did get one of these rooms last fall but it was still quite a long walk. I know that many people like the lovely walk to eat or get somthing to drink, we are just not one of those families. We hardly used our mugs because we did not feel like taking the hike across the bridge, instead we went to Wallmart and bought pop and water.

[MrPeetrie]

I stayed at Caribbean once and stayed at Martinique. I didn't realize at the time, but I must have paid extra to be closer to Port Royale. Martinique was nice area.

My main concern is buses. I remember early morning waiting for buses to Magic Kingdom on busy days. By the time the buses got to our stop, they were mostly full. (I think the whole resort has five or six stops. Maybe more.) There were stops that got passed by COMPLETELY because the bus was filled to capacity. I don't want to be in that section. Does anyone have any information on that?

[Crow]

got back last wk from a split stay at CBR/WL.
arrived late..around 9. did online checkin & had to wait a bit as people ahead of us had a problem. got a Barbados building...11 which was close to check in but a little walk to food court building. got pizza from food court that night which was ok.
its a big resort with several pools besides the main one. the food court has diff stations with a decent amount of choices. actually more choices than WL quick service.
I have stayed here before, although its been a few yrs. my mod favorties are POFQ &CSR but it wasnt bad. crowded this trip though. bus service wasnt bad

[ShinynewJB]

There were stops that got passed by COMPLETELY because the bus was filled to capacity. I don't want to be in that section. Does anyone have any information on that?

Sorry, I can't remember specifically which "villages" they are, but I think the busses enter and exit from two different places. This means that sometimes certain villages could be first to be picked up for some journeys, but other times that same village is last to be picked up. It depends where the bus has come from and where it is going to. Advantage of first pick-up is definitley getting a seat, whilst the advantage of final pick-up is a reduced ride time as the bus doesn't have to go to all the other villages.

Hopefully someone else can give specific details on which villages the buses go to first. I will say though, that on both our trips there we didn't have an issue with the transport. One of them was during August and one of them was during September.

[SnowWSue]

Hi-I just got back last night. If going to Epcot, the busses would start picking up at Jamaica, then Aruba, and so on. It seemed like all the other resort busses started at Martinique then started the loop. We were in Aruba and never came across a full bus.

[Jodi]

We stayed in Aruba last August. I thought the rooms were very clean and a little more spacious than the value resorts. The only thing I did not like was the multitude of spiders, especially on the bridge near the food court. Mind you, I do have a phobia of them,so they creep me out no matter what. We are staying at Carribbean this August as well, so, guess that means we liked it.:thumbsup:

[CleveRocks]

Buses going to both Magic Kingdom and Downtown Disney (these are separate buses) start at Martinique and then go clockwise to Old Port Royale, Trinidad North, Trinidad South, Jamaica, Aruba and finally Barbados before going to the destination.

All other buses (Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom ... also separate buses for each) start at Jamaica and go clockwise to Aruba, Barbados, Martinique, Old Port Royale, Trinidad North and finally Trinidad South before going to the destination.

[CleveRocks]

CBR has 33 guest room buildings, arranged in 6 villages. Each village has 6 numbered guest buildings, except for Trinidad North which has only 3.

Of the 33 guest buildings, 6 of them are called "preferred location" because they are the 6 buildings closest to Old Port Royale, the area that has the main pool, food court, etc. These 6 buildings are all three buildings in Trinidad North (31-32-33) and half of the buildings in Martinique (24-25-26).

If you don't want to pay for preferred location but you want to be as close to OPR as possible, you can request Aruba 51, Jamaica 45 or Martinique 22 ... of the "standard" (non-preferred location) guest buildings, these three are the closest to OPR.

[MrPeetrie]

CleveRocks, thank you for some very informative details.