

Caribbean Beach resort was the first resort I ever stayed at on Disney property and will forever hold a special place for me. This is a large resort covering 200 acres and it surrounds a 42 acre lake, Barefoot Bay. The resort is split into five islands: Martinique, Barbados, Trinidad, Jamaica, and Aruba. The island theme is seen throughout every aspect of the resort from the beaches in each section, to the details in the main building, Old Port Royale, to the uniquely decorated pirate rooms in Trinidad. Caribbean Beach is in the Epcot Resort area and home to the hub for the Skyliner. It has quick access to Hollywood Studios and Epcot, as well as, the other skyliner resorts. If you want an upbeat, tropical paradise feel, this is definitely the resort for you. Bonus, it was recently renovated and the upgrades are beautiful.
Caribbean Beach
Caribbean Beach is a great option year round. It has direct skyliner access to Epcot, which makes it a great home base during any of Epcot’s festivals. Trying to get to Hollywood Studios right at opening? It will take you no time at all to jump on the skyliner and go. If you are not a fan of walking around in Florida’s weather, I would caution against this resort. It has exclusively exterior corridors. All of the islands are sprawling around Barefoot Bay and some are quite a distance from the main areas. There is also very little shade. Each section does have it’s own beach and pool, so you do not have to leave your island if you do not feel like making a trek to Old Port Royale after a day at the parks. Or, you can hop on one of the buses and catch it to the main building. There is an internal bus system.
ROOM CATEGORIES
There are three main categories of rooms at Caribbean Beach: king, two queens, or a fifth sleeper. The king bed only sleeps two adults and offers no selection on view. The other two options offer standard view and water or pool view. There is also an option for a preferred room. This has the option to sleep five and has closer proximity to Old Port Royale. These rooms are decorated with fun island accents to tie in the theming of the resort. You’ll find the basic amenities that all moderate resort rooms have: mini-fridge, coffee maker, hair dryer, in room safe, iron, and ironing board.
Unique to Caribbean Beach are the pirate rooms. These are found in Trinidad buildings thirty-four to thirty-nine. They sleep four in two double beds and have the option of standard view and water or pool view. The theming is very over the top from the pirate beds to the oak barrel furniture. However, unlike the royal rooms at Port Orleans Riverside, I do not recommend splurging for these, unless you have a die hard pirate lover. They come at a preferred price, but definitely are not preferred level. The beds are only doubles, where all others on property are queens in the standard rooms. Instead of a sliding door, there is only a curtain separating the bathroom from the main area. Also, they are found in the furthest corner of this very large resort, although very convenient to the skyliner hub. The one positive to being in Trinidad, is that it is home to Spyglass Grill. One of the quick service restaurants at Caribbean Beach.
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Spyglass Grill is currently closed.



Pirate room pictures courtesy of WDWNT
TRANSPORTATION
Caribbean Beach has the best and the worst transportation at Disney. So let’s start with the worst. Caribbean Beach is a large resort with one of the most number of internal bus stops. It is so large, it has an internal bus system to island hop and get back to Old Port Royale. As a result of the multiple stops, getting to the parks and Disney Springs can take awhile. There is also no set schedule and buses seem to run pretty erratically. This can be frustrating when trying to get to Animal Kingdom or Magic Kingdom, especially when traveling with young children. If you are close to the Riviera, I suggest using their bus system for Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, and Disney Springs.
A major highlight for Caribbean Beach is definitely the skyliner transportation. It is the main transfer station for all three lines of the skyliner making travel anywhere the skyliner stops a breeze. This is helpful for getting to and from Hollywood Studios, Epcot, Pop Century, Art of Animation, and Riviera (you can also just walk here). However, the bus service to and from Hollywood Studios and Epcot is extremely limited. If you do not wish to ride the skyliner and will be visiting either of those parks, I highly suggest you choose a different resort or plan to use a car service. Bonus, there is a new Joffrey’s location at the main skyliner stop found in Jamaica.
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DINING
As with the rest of the moderate resorts, Caribbean Beach has some great dining options from the pool bar to table service. Most of the food options are found in the main area of the resort by Old Port Royale. This area is between the islands of Martinique and Barbados. A great bonus at this resort is that there are coke freestyle machines in every section by the ice/vending. This means, you can make great use of your refillable resort mugs without trekking all the way to Old Port Royale.
For quick service, you have the Centertown Market and the Centertown grab and go. It is open from 6:30 am to 11 pm daily. The food is inspired by latin and Caribbean flavors. The feel of Centertown is that of an open air market. Enjoy the ability to mobile order or grab prepared foods or coffee to go on your way to the parks or the pool.
Located right outside Old Port Royale by the main pool area is a table service restaurant, Sebastian’s Bistro. You’ll find surf and turf options that are full of latin and Caribbean flavor. Don’t worry if someone in your party isn’t that adventurous, there is definitely something for everyone here.
Right next to Sebastian’s Bistro is the pool bar Banana Cabana. It’s not surprising that at this island retreat themed resort you would find an amazing and fun pool bar. Open from 11 am to 11pm, this open air, walk up bar not only features delicious tropical concoctions, but tasty bites from jerk chicken wings to burgers.
For those of you staying in Trinidad, you won’t have to travel all the way to Port Royale for quick service. Spyglass Grill is found near the leisure pool. It is a walk up window with a patio overlooking barefoot bay. You’ll be able to mobile order quick bites and bonus can pick up and refill your resort mug here. It is open from 7 am to 10 pm. Making it a great spot for those staying in Trinidad and Jamaica.
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Spyglass Grill are currently closed.
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AMENITIES & RECREATION
Caribbean Beach has the same basic perks of all on site hotels: ability to select dining 60 days out from check-in, transportation to and from Orlando International Airport, and free transportation around Walt Disney World Resort. Just like with the other resorts, there are many options for recreation at Caribbean Beach. Make sure to check the daily schedule.
There are six pools at the resort. The main pool, Fuentes del Morro, has a zero entry and is perfect for any pirate lover. It is themed like a Spanish colonial fortress. There are two waterslides and water spraying cannons. In this area, there is also a shipwreck splash park for anyone under forty-eight inches tall. It has multiples slides, lots of water sprayers, and a bucket that dumps. This may be the best splash area on property. You can also relax in the twelve person spa. The other five pools are found in each of the islands and are quiet leisure pools.
Caribbean Cay Island is a great spot for recreation at Caribbean Beach. There is access to it from the main pool area and from the other side of Barefoot Bay between Aruba and Jamaica. From the Island, you can take a guided catch and release fishing excursion. Everything you need for the excursion will be provided. Make reservations by calling (407) 939-2277. This is also where movies under the stars takes place every night. Visit Old Port Royale to see the nightly schedule.
Besides the pool and typical playgrounds for kids, Caribbean Beach offers a unique experience for children four to twelve, Pirate Adventure Cruises. Your child will set sail from Caribbean Cay on a two hour adventure. They will hear pirate lure, get clues, and find the treasure. A snack, drink, and pirate bandanas are provided on the excursion. Call (407) 939-7529 for reservations or visit the front desk at Old Port Royale.
For outdoor recreation, you’ll find a jogging trail. The jogging trail is just over half a mile and has gorgeous views of Barefoot Bay. There is also a sand volleyball court in Martinique and complementary equipment rental located in Trinidad North. At night, Caribbean Beach features movies under the stars.
Caribbean Beach is a fun option in the moderate range. You’ll love the pool bar, area around the newly refurbished Old Port Royale, and the pool and splash pad definitely rank as two of the best at Mickey’s House. The pirate rooms, while far and only featuring double beds, will definitely add something special for any pirate lover or Peter Pan fan. Add on the Pirate Adventure Cruise and this resort is a must. If you plan on a lot of park time, especially at Animal Kingdom or Magic Kingdom, just beware the bus system is not the best and definitely will eat a lot of time. Getting to Epcot or Hollywood Studios is a breeze and the only way you would get there quicker is to be staying at a resort in walking distance. I highly recommend this resort in the moderate range, especially if you plan on spending extra time at the resort. There is so much to do and explore, plus being on the skyliner makes resort hopping easy and fun.
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Some amenities may be reduced or unavailable during your 2021 stay as a result of safety measures to stop the spread of COVID 19. Please always check Know Before You Go on the Walt Disney World website before traveling for the most up-to-date information.
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Pirate Adventure Cruises are currently suspended.
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