Should You Stay at Caribbean Beach?
With more than 20 official Walt Disney World hotels available, you face a difficult choice.
While you’re aware enough to know that staying at an official Disney hotel is a must, picking the right one is…hard.
Image: The Healthy Mouse
So, MickeyBlog has created this series to identify the reasons you should consider each resort.
We’ll even throw in some reasons to look elsewhere to give you the complete picture.
Photo: Playbuzz.com
Today, we’re evaluating a resort that has definitely improved over the past few years.
Should you stay at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort? Here are the pros and one big con.
The Theming
Everyone dreams of an exotic island vacation in the Caribbean.
Disney Cruise Line has monetized this tourist desire by purchasing two islands in the region.
At Walt Disney World, you can experience something similar due to the theming at this hotel.
Imagineers adopted the same premise by creating a series of “islands” at the resort.
Each section of Caribbean Beach celebrates a different nation, with the whole thing feeling like a Beach Boys song.
Here’s a list of the sections where you can stay at Caribbean Beach:
- Aruba
- Barbados
- Jamaica
- Martinique
- Trinidad
Aruba, Jamaica, ooh, I wanna take you…
Sorry, I can’t help it. I hear Kokomo in my head whenever I discuss this hotel.
Of course, the Beach Boys wrote this song as a tribute to island vacations, which underscores the point.
Caribbean Beach provides an island vibe even though you’re staying in the heart of Disney World.
The Location
Speaking of which, Caribbean Beach is among the most centrally located hotels on the Disney campus.
When you stay here, you’re within five miles of every Disney World theme park.
The “outlier” is Disney’s Animal Kingdom, which is five miles from Caribbean Beach.
Meanwhile, Magic Kingdom is 4.2 miles from the hotel lobby’s bus depot.
Photo:visitorlando.com
So, you can conveniently travel to these parks, with a bus ride typically taking 15 minutes or so.
Those are the slower park travel options, as we’ll discuss a bit more in the next section.
Image Credit: Disney
You should prioritize Caribbean Beach as your hotel destination when you plan to visit the other two parks.
EPCOT resides 3.7 miles from the hotel, while Disney’s Hollywood Studios is just 1.9 miles away.
So, you’re right by the action if those are your preferred Disney World parks during your vacation.
In 2019, Disney even made such visits easier for you…
The Disney Skyliner
Disney Skyliner Directional Sign
I shouldn’t need to tell you how phenomenal the Disney Skyliner is. This gondola system hearkens back to the earliest days of Disney World.
Back then, guests could save themselves some walking by boarding a gondola.
These crafts would carry guests on a somewhat perilous ride from Fantasyland to Tomorrowland.
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Skyliner Station
As a child, I loooooved these trips. Only as an adult did I realize how dangerous they were.
Disney didn’t enclose the gondolas, so stupid kids like me would lean over the edge.
Caribbean Beach Resort
The Disney Skyliner provides a more comfortable ride and an exponentially safer one to boot.
Since you’re riding in an enclosed space, you’ll enjoy a cozy trip to your destination.
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort Jamaica Buildings
During your route, you’ll savor a bird’s-eye view of Hollywood Studios and the World Showcase.
Best of all, these trips take only a few minutes since Caribbean Beach hosts the main terminal.
All other parts of the Disney Skyliner lead here, making it the ideal place to stay.
The Spectacular Pool
If you’re unfamiliar with the Fuentes del Morro Pool at Caribbean Beach, you’re missing out on greatness.
Imagineers are never afraid to try doing the impossible, with this pool as proof. For no apparent reason, Disney themed the pool after a Spanish Colonial Fortress.
You cannot imagine how bizarre this is until you see it, so please watch this video:
As you can see, you’re spending your pool time at an abandoned, thematically run-down fortress.
The defensive fortifications remain in place, which makes it a mesmerizing place to spend an afternoon.
You may want to swim and luxuriate in the sun, yet you’ll be so distracted by your surroundings.
When we discuss the Best Pools at Disney World, Fuentes del Morro always places high on the list.
The Caribbean Cuisine
Banana Cabana
Given the convenience of the Disney Skyliner, you’ll never go hungry when staying here.
You can hop on a gondola and be at two parks or several other hotels in a matter of minutes.
Springtime Treats
Still, you don’t need to stray far from home during your Caribbean Beach vacation.
This resort offers three very good restaurants plus a pool bar at Fuentes del Morro.
The place where you’re most likely to grab some grub is Centertown Market.
You’ll find this Quick Service restaurant at Old Port Royale, making it convenient no matter where you’re staying.
Sebastian’s Bistro at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
Spyglass Grill resides near the pool at Trinidad, and it’s renowned for its spicy Caribbean cuisine.
Finally, Sebastian’s Bistro has become one of the most reliable seafood spots at Disney World.
This family-style meal has earned glowing reviews on sites such as TripAdvisor.
Why You May Look Elsewhere
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Aruba Buildings
As convenient as the Disney Skyliner is, it doesn’t currently stop at Magic Kingdom.
Since that park hosts by far the most guests at Disney World, it’s a significant absence.
Skyliner Station at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
While a 15-minute bus ride isn’t bad, that’s only part of the story at Caribbean Beach.
Depending on where your “island” is, you may need to wait several minutes for the internal bus route.
Image Credit: Disney
That delay can slow you down, thereby delaying your gratification on a Magic Kingdom visit.
Speaking of the islands, some tourists find the stretched-out nature of the resort a bit frustrating.
I’ve never had a problem with it, but some critics lament booking the wrong room here.
To avoid this fate, you should speak with a MickeyTravels agent. They’ll know the best rooms to book.
MickeyTravels can book your next Disney vacation!
MickeyTravels is a Diamond Earmarked agency, signifying it’s the best of the best.
However, their agents offer their services for free. So, you save yourself plenty of vacation aggravation by speaking to MickeyTravels.
Earmarked by Disney Diamond Level
Overall, I quite like Caribbean Beach, especially since the introduction of the Disney Skyliner.
As a Moderate Tier resort, it’s affordable yet overflowing with amenities
Still, if you can stretch your budget just a bit, I’d recommend staying at its sibling, Disney’s Riviera Resort, instead.
I find the amenities there substantially better for only a modest increase in nightly cost.
Photo: MickeyBlog
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