Disney's CARIBBEAN BEACH RESORT Information & Questions

[MamaJessie]

More of a Dining Plan question but will ask anyway. on QS DDP. I heard conflicting reports yesterday. Since we have refillable mugs while onsite, can we substitute drink for dessert or snack when eating at counter service at CBR?

I have always been able to do this.

 

[huckabear]

Where did you see this? I am going on honeymoon in a couple of weeks. This makes me nervous.

On an annual passholder group - I wouldn't be opposed but when you've got your whole trip planned around where you're staying it's a little anxiety producing!

 

[stal]

The did not allow us to do trade a drink for dessert in november/december last year. Only resort at that time which refused.

 

[Stefne]

Heard on FB of some people booked at CBR in next 2 weeks getting calls that they were over booked and being moved to deluxe resorts. Anyone else hear this is happening?

I am definitely looking forward to our CBR stay this year in July, but if they want to upgrade me to a deluxe due to overbooking I confess that I would be over the moon . Deluxe is likely never going to be in our budget so I would gladly take it for free and do CBR another time.

 

[dachsie]

Where did you see this? I am going on honeymoon in a couple of weeks. This makes me nervous.

Don't be nervous. I got an awesome upgrade in May when I went - theme park view at Contemporary.

 

[sbd78]

I would love a surprise upgrade to a deluxe, except that we have friends who live in Florida who are booking their own room at CBR and joining us for a few days of our trip. So an upgrade could majorly screw up our plans on that front!

 

[goofynut41]

Don't be nervous. I got an awesome upgrade in May when I went - theme park view at Contemporary.

WOW !!! Talk about Disney Magic!!!!

 

[usernamechuck]

I am definitely looking forward to our CBR stay this year in July, but if they want to upgrade me to a deluxe due to overbooking I confess that I would be over the moon . Deluxe is likely never going to be in our budget so I would gladly take it for free and do CBR another time.

Don't be nervous. I got an awesome upgrade in May when I went - theme park view at Contemporary.

Can I ask, when did they upgrade you? Was it before you arrived, or when you were checking in? If it was at check-in, did you do it online, or in-person... and when did you arrive? (And did you book directly with Disney, or through undercover tourist etc.?)

I'm curious because we will be transferring over from AKL that day, and we'll be in MK all day. I wouldn't mind getting sent to some other resort, but I wouldn't like have to go somewhere else at 11pm while carrying sleeping kids (or worse, trying to calm over-tired crying kids).

 

[pcbianchini]

We have a July stay planned. While I am happy to be staying at CBR as it’s been over 20 years since my last visit, an upgrade to a deluxe would be amazing. Thank so to all who contribute to this thread, especially @dansdad!

 

[disfan32]

Don't be nervous. I got an awesome upgrade in May when I went - theme park view at Contemporary.

True, I guess that would be a nice upgrade I don't do well with quick change, but we could make it work! I called and they said we wouldn't know until the day of check-in.

 

[Hudmaster]

We also have reservations at CBR in mid July. We have been to AKL but its so far away from everything else (accept AK) if you plan on spending a lot of time in the parks. I like the location of CBR and would love to see the Skyliner have some soft openings by mid July since its biggest hub/station is right on property. With that said, I'm not going to complain if I get moved to the Contemporary or the Poly!

 

[dansdad]

We also have reservations at CBR in mid July. We have been to AKL but its so far away from everything else (accept AK) if you plan on spending a lot of time in the parks.

You know what's interesting is that AKL is closer to every destination, other than MK, than the MK resorts yet nobody ever says those resorts are far away from everything. I see that exact phrase so often here on the DIS when folks describe AKL I just find that really interesting.

 

[Boardgaming]

Booked a standard view room with 2 queens and pull down sleeper. Any recommendations on rooms I should request? I know there are no elevators but are first floor rooms more noisy with people above you?

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Looking for some input on CBRs beds. I'm currently booked in a a preferred room for marathon week. I'm pretty bed sensitive and I'm now nervous after re-watching Pete's DisUnplugged CBR review from this past December. He noted that the bed were new as part of the refurb, but that the quality wasn't the greatest and his back hurt. The only beds we've ever experienced at a Disney resort that were truly awful were during our stay at POR, but I also found the beds at WL and AKL to be a bit too firm for my preferences. I also wonder if it's just the new beds in general, since my parents stayed at Poly and hated the newer bed that was in their room. I stayed at the Poly several years before them and had a great bed.

Any opinions or experiences would be appreciated

 

[MomOTwins]

You know what's interesting is that AKL is closer to every destination, other than MK, than the MK resorts yet nobody ever says those resorts are far away from everything. I see that exact phrase so often here on the DIS when folks describe AKL I just find that really interesting.

It's about the mode of transportation as well; not just the distance. AKL is a bus to everything, versus boat and monorail transport at the MK resorts to MK and Epcot. On every single trip I have taken with bus transportation, I have had at least one one very unpleasant experience when I ended up waiting 45 minutes or more beyond the originally posted wait time at the bus station because the buses are not reliable transportation. It make take longer to drive from the Poly to Epcot than from AKL, but the fact that I can walk to the monorail to epcot and take that instead of a bus is on average a much faster (and less irritating) form of transportation for me because the monorail seems to be more consistent.

 

[ksromack]

Looking for some input on CBRs beds. I'm currently booked in a a preferred room for marathon week. I'm pretty bed sensitive and I'm now nervous after re-watching Pete's DisUnplugged CBR review from this past December. He noted that the bed were new as part of the refurb, but that the quality wasn't the greatest and his back hurt. The only beds we've ever experienced at a Disney resort that were truly awful were during our stay at POR, but I also found the beds at WL and AKL to be a bit too firm for my preferences. I also wonder if it's just the new beds in general, since my parents stayed at Poly and hated the newer bed that was in their room. I stayed at the Poly several years before them and had a great bed.

Any opinions or experiences would be appreciated

We stayed in Martinique last month and I thought the beds were really great. Firm, but not too firm. I slept very well.

 

[BebopBaloo]

Stayed in Martinique this past spring and I was sad that I couldn't bring the bed home with me. I thought they were really comfortable. I normally don't like hotel pillows, and I loved the pillows too.

 

[ksromack]

Stayed in Martinique this past spring and I was sad that I couldn't bring the bed home with me. I thought they were really comfortable. I normally don't like hotel pillows, and I loved the pillows too.

Yes! Those pillows. Ugh, I want one...or five.

 

[BebopBaloo]

Booked a standard view room with 2 queens and pull down sleeper. Any recommendations on rooms I should request? I know there are no elevators but are first floor rooms more noisy with people above you?

It probably depends on who is in the room above yours. We had a first floor room and never heard the people upstairs at CBR, whereas at CSR the year prior we could definitely hear our upstairs neighbors walking around. It could be because CSR has hardwood/laminate floors now and CBR still has carpet.

 

[tinderbox]

So, if you're staying in Martinique will it be easiest/fastest to use the gondola station at the Riviera?