Walt Disney World Caribbean Beach Resort Tips – Madison Blancaflor is a Content Operations Editor for TPG dedicated to helping our broad editorial team bring news, features and advice to our readers. When she’s not working, you can find her planning trips to visit unique filming locations, historic libraries, and exciting theme parks.
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Walt Disney World Caribbean Beach Resort Tips
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort first opened its doors in 1988. In a previous review, TPG director of content Summer Hull mentioned how her first and only childhood trip to Walt Disney World included a stay at the resort — and not that has changed a lot in the years since then.
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On my recent trip to Disney World in Orlando, I stayed two nights at Caribbean Beach. While Disney has made several upgrades over the years (and more are under construction right now), its original character remains the same.
I’ve only stayed at two different Disney resorts over the years – Caribbean Beach and Disney’s Boardwalk Villas – and I didn’t have high expectations for this trip. While my room was fine, the overall resort experience was lacking.
I stayed at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort for two nights, and I used Mouse Counselors for my stay. My hotel reservation was made as part of a larger package that included a two-day Parkhopper ticket. My total for the ticket and resort reservation was $946.01.
If you’re just booking a resort, you can expect prices in the mid-$200s per night, depending on your room type and size and when your trip is planned. Disney is a modest resort, so it’s definitely not as expensive as other Disney resort options. However, if you’re looking for the most bang for your buck at Disney World, you’re sure to find more budget-friendly resorts.
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Since I went through mouse counselors, the booking process itself was an adjustment. I gave Mary Helen my Disney login information, dates of my trip, where I wanted to stay, and which parks I wanted. From there, she was able to book two of my hotel reservations (I had a resort on my trip), secure my Parkhopper tickets, and set up my park reservation for which park my first visit—which I chose based on his recommendations. made
Disney’s Caribbean Beach is located near Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Both parks are connected to the resort by the Skyliner, making it relatively easy to visit both parks from the resort.
The resort itself is spread over – 200 acres in total. And unfortunately, it makes getting around (from the lobby or pool to your room) a hassle. In fact, Disney’s Caribbean Beach has its own bus system to cart guests between resort areas.
Luckily, I had a rental car which made it easy to get from check-in to the Aruba area of the resort where my room was located. But it’s a solid 10 to 15 minute walk back to the Old Port Royal area for food and the pool. If I didn’t have a car, I would have had to carry my luggage over the bridge in the mid-afternoon heat in Florida, or wait for the internal bus system to come through to take me to Aruba. off
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort Review
Additionally, where your room is within the resort will determine how easy external transportation options are to the parks. My room is close to the bus stop, but Aruba is one of the last pick-up stops on the list. Even though I was out and ready for the Magic Kingdom bus by 7am, we didn’t actually get to the park until 8:30am, when the park started to get crowded before the ropes. drop
If you have a car and plan to go to the park, it doesn’t matter much. But I was a bit distracted by being on a Caribbean beach.
One of the advantages of staying at a Disney resort is the proximity to the parks and more transportation options. But the size, layout and overall location of Caribbean Beach negates the benefit in my opinion.
Disney World is one of those places where check-in and checkout times are often as stated. My room wasn’t ready in advance, and I had to go to the front desk for the old-fashioned check-in because the app wouldn’t show me my room number to leave the lobby. Although check-in starts at 3:00 pm, my room is not available to me until 3:30 pm.
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I ordered a magic band before arriving (they are no longer complimentary with your stay), but I wasn’t looking forward to it upon arrival. There must have been something wrong with my order, because I was left without a band. My Disney Experience app had to act as a magic band replacement to get me into my room (the front desk cast member did not offer me a physical key), but after walking around the resort to my room , I’ve done. Don’t get an app to let me in.
After calling the front desk, they said they would send someone to escort me to my room. About 10 minutes passed before a member of the housekeeping staff spotted me and offered to let me in after seeing my reservation confirmation and room number on the app. I was already dripping with sweat and ready for a cold shower. In another 10 minutes, someone came to my room from the front desk and gave me a physical room key. He told me that the app is great for letting people stay in their rooms.
So a word to the wise: make sure you have a magic band, or ask for a physical key at the front desk.
To be fair, it’s not Caribbean Beach’s fault that the My Disney Experience app isn’t working. Later in my trip, the app wouldn’t work for my room at Boardwalk Villas. However, if the Magic Bands are no longer offered as the app is supposed to be a replacement, I expect people to work for the app to get them into their rooms.
Caribbean Beach Resort
Fortunately, the physical key worked during my stay (it has the same functionality as the Magic Band, only in card form), and I had no other issues. Although it was not fun to wait outside in the heat, they sent someone away instead of forcing me to travel back to the lobby and the cast member who stayed there was helpful and friendly.
There is a small Cuisinart coffee maker, tea bags and an ice holder. And in the middle of the cupboard there is a small mini-refrigerator.
There is construction going on nearby, but it didn’t bother me and I slept well at night.
Caribbean Beach offers several dining options, but depending on which area you are in, it can be a significant trip from your room.
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I used the mobile order functionality in the My Disney Experience app to choose Centertown Market for dinner on my first night. I got fish tacos and a key lime tart for dessert. The food is good, but not great. I personally enjoyed my late-night McDonald’s run last night.
Sebastian’s Bistro is the only other dining location on Caribbean Beach (Spyglass Grill is temporarily unavailable). It’s table service only, serving Latin-style dishes in the moderate price range ($15 to $35 for adults).
Honestly, I didn’t spend a ton of time at the resort in general. On this Disney trip, I was on a mission to visit all four parks in two days, so I was out from sunrise to sunset on the same day.
There are beach areas around the lake where you can relax in hammocks or play in the sand.
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort At Walt Disney World
And the resort is home to many pool areas. The main pool near Old Port Royal is pirate-themed and huge. It has a zero-entry zone and a separate splash pool area for the younger ones.
There are also small pools scattered throughout the property so that resort fringers have a place to swim and relax near their rooms.
In the middle of the lake is a small island called Caribbean Cay, accessible by bridges on either side (that’s actually how I got from my room to the lobby area). There are several activity areas — including a space for outdoor movies and a playground. However, the playground was temporarily closed when I was there.
As expected at Disney, everyone I encountered while on the Caribbean beach was helpful and friendly — including the housekeeper and front-desk concierge who helped me to my room that first afternoon.
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