If you’re looking for something fancier than the All-Star resorts but don’t want to spend a fortune, Caribbean Beach Resort may be the resort for you!
Caribbean Beach Resort will always have a special place in my heart. It was the first resort my family stayed at when we visited Walt Disney World wayyyy back in 1996! It’s also the first resort my sister and I stayed at during our first sister’s trip. Compared to the other resorts, I personally think this one has one of the best balances of value and comfort. It does this all while maintaining that high Disney standard with the “Pirates of the Caribbean” theming. Currently undergoing renovations, this resort has everything you need for your down time between the parks to make your vacation as relaxing as possible.
Here are a few aspects of Caribbean Beach that make it a fantastic choice!
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Layout
Located in the Epcot Resort area, Caribbean Beach may seem daunting at first. In reality, it’s actually very easy to get around. Each “village” of the resort is named after a different Caribbean island. When we went, we stayed in Martinique. I loved that it was close enough to the main house that we could walk there if needed. It’s also far enough away, however, that you don’t hear all the noise and chatter from the main pool. Your room is assigned at random. If you want to be closer to the food court or the main pool, you can request a certain village.
Need to get to another part of the resort? Simply hop on the next Disney bus that comes to the stop. The buses stop at each of the villages. This also means you don’t have to walk very far to get to the bus stop when it’s time to get to the parks! Finally, everything is spread out, giving you much more privacy than the value resorts. While the value resorts feel like a hotel, this feels like a true resort.
Best Value Moderate Resort
I find this resort is usually one of the cheaper Moderate resort options. For a little bit extra each night, you can also request a Pirates of the Caribbean themed room! If your kids are obsessed with Jack Sparrow, this is more than worth the extra few dollars a day.
Why is this cheaper than say, Port Orleans? I suspect it’s due to the fact that there is no boat transportation anywhere, and dining is reserved to the quick service buffet (which is still delicious!) This may change, however, with the introduction of Disney Vacation Club villas.
Dining and Recreation
Each village has their own pool, which is almost always less crowded than the main pool at Center Town. Also at Center Town, there is a buffet, bar, and food truck fare if you’re looking to have a meal at the resort. As you can probably imagine, this is all located centrally at the resort. It’s just a short walk there or you can take the bus.
Aside from the pool, there are bikes for rental, movies under the stars, and even a pirate voyage that you can sign your kiddos up for! If you’re looking for a nice night in after a long day at the parks, there are plenty of activities to keep you entertained well in to the evening hours.
Room Quality
Despite being more condescended (yet still not as sardine packed as the value resorts) the rooms at Caribbean Beach are relatively quiet. We didn’t hear our neighbors, and since the villages are all spread out, it was hardly ever crowded at the bus stop. House keeping came every day. Even if we had the “do not disturb” sign on our door, they’d leave a bag of toiletries in case we needed them. It is one of the older resorts, and it shows in some aspects (like the carpeting). However, with renovations being done, I imagine they’ll update the rooms village by village. The inclusion of Disney Vacation Club villas will also add in popularity to the resort. I suspect will cost less points than the other DVC options since it is a moderate resort.
All in all, Caribbean Beach is one of the best moderate value resorts out there. It’s a step above the All Star resorts, but still offers everything you need to have a comfortable stay at Disney. Renovations will likely update the much needed decor, Otherwise this resort has everything you need at a fraction of the cost – good quality rooms, privacy, amenities and dining, as well as transportation to the parks.
Have you stayed at Caribbean Beach? How did you like it? Let me know in the comments below! And If you love Disney be sure to sign up for my newsletter. You’ll get my FREE WDW Planning Checklist as a thank you when you sign up!
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