Review of Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort

I’ve often chosen Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort as my home base for my Disney World vacations, but my recent stay was the first in a few years. I keep coming back because of the laid-back island style, the convenient transportation options and the price. Compared to my other favorite Disney hotel, Disney’s Beach Club Resort, this one is, by far, the most budget-friendly.

With so many Disney World hotels to choose from, however, you may wonder about the amenities, the dining and (most importantly!) the rooms. I even noticed the rooms had been freshened up since my last stay, lending a bright, airy feel that added to the sense of being in the tropics instead of Central Florida.

Here’s everything you need to know before you book a stay at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort.

What is Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort?

Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is one of Disney’s mid-level moderate resorts, meaning you’ll find more amenities than one of Disney’s value resorts but fewer perks than you’d receive at a deluxe resort. With two waterslides, a kids’ splash area and a hot tub, the Spanish-fort-themed pool complex is one of the best at Disney World. The resort has a table-service restaurant and a quick-service restaurant with Latin- and Caribbean-inspired dishes.

In addition to bus transportation, this resort has a Disney Skyliner station. The Skyliner offers transportation from select hotels to Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. If you plan on spending a lot of time at either of those parks, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is in a perfect location.

How to book Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort

It’s best to book your Disney World hotel stay directly through Disney, but there are a few ways to do this. You can book through Disney’s website, over the phone or using an authorized Disney vacation planner.

I used the third option for this trip because Disney vacation planners can help you get the best price by searching for available discounts at the time of booking and up until your trip. As a Disney World annual passholder, my Disney vacation planner with Mouse Counselors found a deal available only to pass holders, saving me nearly $100.

Similar deals are available to Disney Visa cardholders, Disney+ subscribers and sometimes to all guests based on the dates and length of your stay. You can look for deals yourself, but a Disney vacation planner will do the legwork, so you don’t have to. My planner was also able to help me purchase the Disney Dining Plan to use for prepaid meals and snacks during my stay.

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In addition to booking through Disney or a vacation planner, you can also use miles from your Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card or the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card to book through the Capital One Travel Portal or pay using your card and earn up to 10 miles per dollar on your stay.

Related: These are the best times to visit Disney World

Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort rates average around $312 per night but can climb as high as $400 or more during the busy holiday season. I paid a rate of $244.81 (including taxes and fees) per night with my annual passholder discount.

Close to all the magic of Disney

The Walt Disney World Resort is massive. If you are staying at a Magic Kingdom area hotel, it can take 30 minutes to get to Hollywood Studios or Animal Kingdom by bus, and vice versa. Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is one of four hotels with a station along the Disney Skyliner route. These aerial gondolas can take you from the hotel and Hollywood Studios or Epcot in 15 minutes or less, with great views along the way.

You can also take a bus to Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom, with about a 15-to-20-minute travel time to each. If you are driving, your travel time will be even shorter, though you will need to park farther away. For this reason alone, I prefer to use Disney’s complimentary transportation options when I visit the parks.

Rooms with family-friendly features

In recent years, Disney has been adding rooms with child-size pulldown beds to many of its resorts, including Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. As a family of five, these are the only standard rooms we can fit in, so even though this was a solo trip, I was keen to check one out.

The light walls and airy floral-print curtains set off by the dark wood furnishings gave the room a tropical vibrance that would fit right in at an actual Caribbean Beach resort. The two queen-size beds in my room were elevated high enough off the ground that I could stow suitcases underneath during my stay.

In addition to storage under the bed, the room also had a dresser with five storage drawers. The dresser also held the fold-down bed, a refrigerator and a coffee station with a Cuisinart coffee maker, tea, coffee and an ice bucket.

The beds were comfortable, with fluffy pillows and a soft comforter that wasn’t too heavy for the Florida heat. Between the two beds, there was a nightstand with a phone and both electric and USB charging outlets. Decorative lighting above the beds gave enough light for reading in the evening without getting up and finding a light switch.

The bathroom is separated from the bedroom via sliding doors. When you enter the bathroom, there is a double vanity with H2O+ soap and lotion, as well as a rod for hanging clothes, a safe, an iron and ironing board and extra bedding.

A door separates the vanity area from the rest of the bathroom, where you’ll find a shower/tub combo outfitted with refillable H2O+ shower products in Disney’s signature Sea Marine scent.

One of my favorite benefits of staying at an official Disney resort is that I can use a MagicBand, a key card or my phone as a digital key (a function of the My Disney Experience app) to get into my room and charge dining and shopping purchases to my room during my stay.

Some rooms have recently been made over with a subtle “Little Mermaid” theme. Unfortunately, you cannot specifically request these rooms, but if you book a fifth sleeper room and request the Trinidad section, you may just get lucky with a room that looks like it’s “Under the Sea.”

Overall, these rooms are designed with thoughtful touches like ample storage space and a space-saving bed that works well for families.

Quick bites, pool drinks and savory seafood

Staying at a moderate resort like Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort means you’ll have more dining options than at a value resort. Here, you can choose from the table-service restaurant called Sebastian’s Bistro, the quick-service Centertown Market and poolside dining and drinks from Banana Cabana and Spyglass Grill.

I used the Disney Dining Plan on this trip, so I ate most of my meals in the park. I did utilize the Centertown Market Grab & Go for sparkling water ($3.79) and to rehydrate after a long day in the parks and a yogurt parfait ($5.79) for a quick breakfast before heading back in the next day.

The main section of Centertown Market functions as a food court, with traditional items like pizza, sandwiches and Mickey waffles, but also island-inspired fare like a Caribbean Omelet ($10.99), Rum-Mango Barbecued Pulled Pork Sandwich ($10.79) and Arroz Mamposteao ($12.99).

Because the resort is so large, there is a second quick-service eatery on the far side of the property called Spyglass Grill. This was a really smart move on Disney’s part because guests in the buildings near Spyglass Grill have at least a 10-minute walk to get to the lobby and Centertown Market.

I had breakfast here and had the plant-based Trinidad Sunrise Crispy Yuca Bowl ($9.49), a fruit cup ($5.69) and a cinnamon roll ($4.79). The yuca was warm and crispy, and the pico de Gallo added freshness. That said, this is comparable to most quick-service breakfasts at a Disney hotel; it was good enough to energize me for a day at the parks, but nothing to write home about.

At Sebastian’s Bistro, meals are served family style ($38 for adults, $20 for kids ages 3-9). Entrees include items like citrus chicken, mojo pork with mango sabal or baked fish with Veracruz sauce. You’ll also receive house-baked rolls, cilantro rice and beans, vegetable curry, grilled vegetables, salad and coconut-pineapple bread pudding for dessert. Plant-based and allergy-friendly menus are also available.

All-day recreation and activities

When I am spending more than a day or two at Disney, I love to build in time for lounging around my resort. Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is packed with family-friendly activities and tucked-away spots for quiet relaxation.

This resort is one of the larger ones at Disney World, but that also means more space for waterfront hammocks and loungers, which are spread out all over the grounds. Most of the outdoor activities and hideaways are located on a small island near the Old Port Royale lobby area, restaurants and main pool area. This island, called Caribbean Cay, has a large playground, more hammocks, shaded seating areas and a spot for nightly movies under the stars.

On the main beach, Disney also holds a nightly campfire on the beach where guests can roast marshmallows. If you are in need of a rainy-day activity, the hotel had a special scavenger hunt during my visit where you could earn a button by finding a Sebastian photo prop.

The resort also has a .6-mile jogging trail and fishing excursions are available that leave from Caribbean Cay.

Pools for play and relaxation

The main pool at this resort is the Fuentes del Morro Pool. Located near the lobby, this pool is themed to a Spanish fortress, with two waterslides, a zero-entry area, a 12-person hot tub and a pirate-themed splash area for kids. This pool is located directly across from the Banana Cabana pool bar and near the Old Port Royale lobby area dining options.

Throughout the day, Disney’s activities team hosts pool games, crafts and trivia at the pool, too.

Because this resort is spread out among so many individual buildings, there are five additional pools across the property. These are smaller and quieter if you want a more relaxing dip in the pool or want to stay close to your room. These pools also open earlier and stay open later (7 a.m. to 11 p.m.) than the main Fuentes del Morro Pool (10 a.m. to 10 p.m.).

Reasons Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort may not be for you

Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is, in a word, massive. The resort is comprised of five “neighborhoods.” Each has its own bus stop and pool, but depending on your room, you could be a long walk from the Old Port Royale area or the Disney Skyliner station.

If you prefer a resort that places you closer to the hotel’s main amenities, this one might not be the best choice for you. That said, this did make the resort feel quieter and more secluded, so there is a silver lining to the sprawling size.

You may also want to look at other resorts if you plan to spend most of your time at Magic Kingdom. If your budget allows, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and Disney’s Contemporary Resort are all a walk — or Monorail ride — away from Magic Kingdom.

Accessibility

Like all of Disney World’s resorts, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort has accessible rooms. The guest room buildings do not have elevators, so all wheelchair-accessible rooms are on the first floor. These rooms have a roll-in shower with a bench seat and grab bars for the toilet and shower. You can also call Disney or request a room closer to the lobby area during online check-in.

Hearing-accessible guest rooms are also available.

In the hotel’s public areas, all walking paths and the amenities at Old Port Royale are wheelchair accessible. Each pool also has a self-service lift.

Checking out

My favorite thing about any Disney hotel is the theming and Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort has one of the best themes on property, in my opinion. The colorful buildings and island style make my time there feel like a vacation, even when waking up early and going to bed late, as I often do at Disney.

If you don’t mind the sprawling layout, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is a great mid-level resort with enough space for guests traveling with kids and enough quiet areas for guests looking to escape them.

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