When Disney decided to add a level of resort to compete
with the more moderately priced hotels located outside of Walt Disney
World, the Caribbean Beach Resort was the first of four resorts to
fill this niche. Suddenly families who were unable to afford the deluxe
resorts were able to stay on Disney property and enjoy the perks provided
to Disney resort guests.
The resort is named appropriately, as the theming is based on various
Caribbean islands. There are six separate “villages,” each named for
a different island and built with a different color scheme.
Jamaica at the Caribbean Beach Resort.
Barbados at the Caribbean Beach Resort.
The six villages are Trinidad North, Trinidad South, Jamaica, Aruba,
Barbados and Martinique. They are built around a 42-acre lake, and
each village has its own quiet pool, laundry room and a beach. Most
— if not all — beaches also have a playground, and swimming
is not permitted at any beach.
Martinique’s quiet pool at the Caribbean Beach Resort.
Martinique at the Caribbean Beach Resort.
A 1.4-mile paved walkway surrounds the lake, and guests
can rent bicycles. Each village also has its own bus stop, but with
seven stops, including the food court, it can seem to take a long
time to get anywhere via Disney bus. The buildings are all colorful
and attractive, effectively creating the feeling of being on a Caribbean
island. Foliage is lush and tropical, and there is even a small island
in the center of the lake. This island, called Parrot Cay Island,
used to house several parrots — but those have been removed.
The island still serves as a shortcut to food from some of the villages,
and is a pleasant stroll.
Aruba’s quiet pool at the Caribbean Beach Resort.
Trinidad at the Caribbean Beach Resort.
In addition to the six villages, the seventh bus stop
is at Old Port Royale Center Towne, home to the resort’s dining and
shopping venues. Located between Martinique and Trinidad North and
directly across the lake from Aruba and Jamaica, any of those four
villages would be the most convenient. The food court recently reopened
after being renovated to make it more similar to the other resort
food courts.
The food court stands offer the usual fare.
Previously, customers had to pay when ordering their
food, and would have to go from stand to stand if, for example, one
person wanted pizza and another wanted a burger. Today they still
have to go to multiple stands to get different items, but they pay
at one time just before going to their seats. While not the ideal
setup, it is an improvement. The food offered includes pizza, burgers,
pasta, chicken fingers, deli sandwiches and some salads.
New centralized cashier station at the food court.
During the renovation, they opened up part of the area
at the beginning of the food stands to create a market similar to
the other resort food courts. It’s bright and attractive, with a variety
of baked goods, cold drinks, and ready-made sandwiches and salads.
Unfortunately, they have experienced trouble with food walking out
of there unpaid, so there may be changes coming. A cast member is
at a cash register at one end, but being behind a counter, there is
not much he can do to stop someone from walking away at the other
end.
The new market area of the food court.
The full-service restaurant was also redone during the
renovation and was renamed “Shutters at Old Port Royale.”
This is not to be confused with the restaurant named Shutters at Disney’s
Vero Beach Resort. Although the theming has similarities, the menus
are different, and the physical settings do not look anything like
each other. The menu is moderately priced by Disney standards, with
entrees priced in the $15 to $25 range. Shutters is only open for
dinner.
The new Shutters at Old Port Royale restaurant.
There are two shopping areas at Old Port Royale – Calypso Trading
Post and Calypso Straw Market. The usual Disney items, sundries, and
some tropical merchandise is available.
Shopping area inside Old Port Royale.
Pirate-themed main pool.
Right outside is the main pool area, which has a water slide and
is themed like a pirate fort. It can get quite busy, and the nearby
Banana Cabana Pool Bar is the source for delicious tropical drinks
while the children enjoy the pool. There is also Barefoot Bay Boat
Yard/Bike Works, where guests can rent boats and bikes.
Barefoot Bay Boat Yard/Bike Works.
Unlike the other resorts, the front desk is not located in the building
near the food court. At Caribbean Beach all front desk services are
located in the Custom House, which is not even around the lake at
all. It seems terribly inconvenient to me, but people staying here
seem to deal with it!
Custom House at Caribbean Beach Resort.
Bell Services is located here, as is the often long line of people
waiting to check in. Assuming your room is not ready yet, you can
leave your luggage and go enjoy the parks, then have your luggage
delivered to your room when you return that evening. The buses to
the parks do not stop here, however. The closest bus stop would be
in Barbados.
Inside the Custom House.
The rooms at this resort are larger than the three other moderate
resorts, but in my opinion, not by a significant amount. Rooms measure
340 square feet, while those in the two Port Orleans resorts and Coronado
Springs are all 314 square feet. Each building is two stories, and
each room contains two double beds.
Guest rooms are colorful.
The rooms were all refurbished within the past few years, and are
adequate for a couple or a family with small children. The drape outside
the bathroom seemed very strange to me, and overall this is my least
favorite of the moderate resorts no matter how many times I try to
like it!
The drape provides privacy at the sink outside the bathroom.
Like any resort, there will be people who hate it and people who
think it’s the greatest place in the world. Hopefully this photo tour
has helped with your decision on whether Disney’s Caribbean Beach
Resort is a good choice for your future vacation.
