Disney's CARIBBEAN BEACH RESORT Information & Questions

[tinderbox]

I don't understand HOW I can use my $75 per day credit toward the balance of my stay if the balance is due BEFORE we arrive and you don't get the "credits" till you get there. Somebody please set me straight. Thanks.

 

[AngiTN]

I don't understand HOW I can use my $75 per day credit toward the balance of my stay if the balance is due BEFORE we arrive and you don't get the "credits" till you get there. Somebody please set me straight. Thanks.

People are using it pay the balance accrued during their stay. That's what we did

Though maybe it's possible to do it when you arrive if you have a room only and if you don't complete online check in. Never tried it myself, I like to have it all out of the way before we arrive, the less I have to do upon arrival the faster I can start vacation.

 

[tinderbox]

I hear you. We will use it to pay what we accrue during our stay. Heaven knows we will spend much more than the value of the credit during our time in Disney...especially without DD.

Again, thank you!

 

[Tall Todd]

I don't understand HOW I can use my $75 per day credit toward the balance of my stay if the balance is due BEFORE we arrive and you don't get the "credits" till you get there. Somebody please set me straight. Thanks.

People that have a 'room only' reservation are doing this. The balance is due upon check-in.

 

[BeautyMom]

I'm sure this is addressed upthread, but has anyone recently gone back to CBR from one of the parks for a mid-day break. I wonder if its practical with this resort. If you did, how much time did you allow.

 

[AngiTN]

I'm sure this is addressed upthread, but has anyone recently gone back to CBR from one of the parks for a mid-day break. I wonder if its practical with this resort. If you did, how much time did you allow.

It's a practical as any other resort. We always plan an hour as you never know how long a bus wait will be

 

[dansdad]

I'm sure this is addressed upthread, but has anyone recently gone back to CBR from one of the parks for a mid-day break. I wonder if its practical with this resort. If you did, how much time did you allow.

We do itevery day. We usually allow 3 hours.

~15 minutes to get to CBR
~1 hrs of pool time
~30 minutes to shower and change
~15 minutes back to a psrk

 

[WEDWDW]

If you are coming to CBR in July,you may want to "avoid" Aruba if you are not a fan of The 15s!

Disney is trying to keep all of The 15s staying at CBR there so they will be "contained" in one area!lol

There are currently 300 of The 15s in Aruba.

Disney has even constructed a second Food Tent exclusively for The 15s-we are calling it the Arubatown Buffet!lol

The new tent is in the Aruba parking lot and is almost as big as Centertown Buffet.

The 15s were,are and will continue to be BIG BUSINESS for The Mouse.

 

[BeautyMom]

We do itevery day. We usually allow 3 hours.

~15 minutes to get to CBR
~1 hrs of pool time
~30 minutes to shower and change
~15 minutes back to a psrk

Thanks!

 

[ConnecticutNonna]

If you are coming to CBR in July,you may want to "avoid" Aruba if you are not a fan of The 15s!

Disney is trying to keep all of The 15s staying at CBR there so they will be "contained" in one area!lol

There are currently 300 of The 15s in Aruba.

Disney has even constructed a second Food Tent exclusively for The 15s-we are calling it the Arubatown Buffet!lol

The new tent is in the Aruba parking lot and is almost as big as Centertown Buffet.

The 15s were,are and will continue to be BIG BUSINESS for The Mouse.

What pray tell, are "The 15s"?

 

[la la limon]

We just returned from a 5 night stay at CBR and my feelings were mixed on this hotel. It sounded like the hotel had many large groups so our request for a murphy bed couldn't be honored. We were put in Trinidad South, which felt out there on the resort loop. Our room was very quiet except for our bathroom fan that had a mind of its own! We were given a pirate room and my kids were thrilled. I thought the room was much nicer than how it showed online. I'm not a fan of double beds but we made it work for the four of us with an air mattress.

I think my biggest gripe was with transportation; twice I had to go to the Custom House (once to straighten out an error on their end that they couldn't address over the phone) and the process including the internal shuttle took close to an hour, which stinks on vacation. We also had to wait more than a hour for a bus back from the Magic Kingdom one afternoon. The busses in general were hit or miss. No doubt due to the construction, the property felt segmented and hard to get around. We had a great rate due to having an AP rate and the gift card offer but I don't think I'd stay there again unless I had the same great deal.

 

[Mickey & Minnie Mom]

We just returned from a 5 night stay at CBR and my feelings were mixed on this hotel. It sounded like the hotel had many large groups so our request for a murphy bed couldn't be honored. We were put in Trinidad South, which felt out there on the resort loop. Our room was very quiet except for our bathroom fan that had a mind of its own! We were given a pirate room and my kids were thrilled. I thought the room was much nicer than how it showed online. I'm not a fan of double beds but we made it work for the four of us with an air mattress.

I think my biggest gripe was with transportation; twice I had to go to the Custom House (once to straighten out an error on their end that they couldn't address over the phone) and the process including the internal shuttle took close to an hour, which stinks on vacation. We also had to wait more than a hour for a bus back from the Magic Kingdom one afternoon. The busses in general were hit or miss. No doubt due to the construction, the property felt segmented and hard to get around. We had a great rate due to having an AP rate and the gift card offer but I don't think I'd stay there again unless I had the same great deal.

Thank you for taking the time to post. Arriving soon and like hearing from those just there to adjust our expectations if needed.

What type room had you booked? With a longer stay planned, I would not like to be "upgraded" from our standard room to a pirate room due to the smaller beds. We don't have younger kids so maybe they will save those rooms for them and pass us over if the situation arises.

I understand your frustration spending so much time to deali with problems .... never a good use of vacation time.

 

[la la limon]

What type room had you booked? With a longer stay planned, I would not like to be "upgraded" from our standard room to a pirate room due to the smaller beds. We don't have younger kids so maybe they will save those rooms for them and pass us over if the situation arises.

We had also booked a standard room. From what I understood from calling the front desk, there were lots of groups of kids the whole time we were there. The hotel was likely trying to give us some peace and quiet!

 

[WEDWDW]

What pray tell, are "The 15s"?

Tour Groups from South America(Brazil and Argentina send the largest numbers) comprised of girls celebrating their 15th Birthday.

July is their biggest month(their Winter school break)followed by January/February(their Summer school break).

If you ever "meet" The 15s,you will NEVER forget them!lol

 

[WEDWDW]

As I was chatting with the CM about what's going on at the resort she was talking about all they are doing to accommodate guest food wise and mentioned that there is a buffet that is a TS. I told her I thought it was a QS credit and she said that it had recently changed to a TS.

Bad info-still a QS-will always be a QS I would feel strongly.

Breakfast is strong,but Centertown Buffet was only about one-quarter full for Dinner last night(a little of that can be contributed to The 15s eating in their own tent).

 

[AngiTN]

Tour Groups from South America(Brazil and Argentina send the largest numbers) comprised of girls celebrating their 15th Birthday.

July is their biggest month(their Winter school break)followed by January/February(their Summer school break).

If you ever "meet" The 15s,you will NEVER forget them!lol

But you know, other than seeing them being in a large group, they have just never bothered us. DH and I saw lots of them on our trips last summer and this past January and I told him how they had such a bad rep on the message boards and he was shocked and couldn't believe it. I told him I never got it either. Now, granted, we have not stayed at a resort with them, just been in the parks with them so that may well make a big difference but in the parks they are just not a problem for us.

I can see why Disney still encourages and markets to them. With the rest of the touring down from those regions they need them.

 

[AngiTN]

We just returned from a 5 night stay at CBR and my feelings were mixed on this hotel. It sounded like the hotel had many large groups so our request for a murphy bed couldn't be honored. We were put in Trinidad South, which felt out there on the resort loop. Our room was very quiet except for our bathroom fan that had a mind of its own! We were given a pirate room and my kids were thrilled. I thought the room was much nicer than how it showed online. I'm not a fan of double beds but we made it work for the four of us with an air mattress.

I think my biggest gripe was with transportation; twice I had to go to the Custom House (once to straighten out an error on their end that they couldn't address over the phone) and the process including the internal shuttle took close to an hour, which stinks on vacation. We also had to wait more than a hour for a bus back from the Magic Kingdom one afternoon. The busses in general were hit or miss. No doubt due to the construction, the property felt segmented and hard to get around. We had a great rate due to having an AP rate and the gift card offer but I don't think I'd stay there again unless I had the same great deal.

So you didn't book a Pirate room but were given one? I would NOT be pleased with that at all.

Did you not attempt to fix your issues with the remote Concierge office in Trinidad North? I thought they could do anything CH could do (other than hand out the gift card)

 

[ehrenrj]

I called in yesterday to add a couple of days into our September trip and will be staying at our favorite resort. As I was chatting with the CM about what's going on at the resort she was talking about all they are doing to accommodate guest food wise and mentioned that there is a buffet that is a TS. I told her I thought it was a QS credit and she said that it had recently changed to a TS. Of course I haven't seen anything like that on here but wanted to ask if any one is there now - did it change? Thanks.

I checked in yesterday and asked specifically about this. She told me that the buffet is QS dining and the only change they have is that there will be a different menu for July 3 & 4 (and it'll still be QS on those days).

 

[ehrenrj]

But you know, other than seeing them being in a large group, they have just never bothered us. DH and I saw lots of them on our trips last summer and this past January and I told him how they had such a bad rep on the message boards and he was shocked and couldn't believe it. I told him I never got it either. Now, granted, we have not stayed at a resort with them, just been in the parks with them so that may well make a big difference but in the parks they are just not a problem for us.

I can see why Disney still encourages and markets to them. With the rest of the touring down from those regions they need them.

We ran into a large Latin American group last October. We weren't staying at CBR but we saw them (or a portion of them) whenever we went to MK or Epcot. I haven't seen them this trip, yet, but we've been here only one day and have only gone to AK. Are they even here now? I haven't heard any of their singing, which they do ALL THE TIME!!!!

 

[ehrenrj]

Probably not. We didn't get any notification or reminders for our previous reservation, though they were at Grand Floridian and the resort was under normal operation.

My kids go cruising on 02-July. If we don't get an answer prior to then, I will post an update and maybe pictures of the temporary setup.

No reminders were sent out. They have it setup on Caribbean Cay right next to the playground, at the very top end of the island, but there are no signs. The pirate captain, first mate, and a helper get out there 30 minutes before the scheduled departure to get everyone signed in, get name tags, and bandanas for the kiddies. That's then in the little hut on the second pictures.