Category — q. Reviews

Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort emerged (mostly) last week from an almost 18 month long construction project, and is now once more a great choice among Disney’s moderate resorts.

Highlights of the re-imagined Caribbean Beach include

• The shift of the main entrance from Buena Vista Drive to Victory Way, near Jamaica
• The abandonment of the Custom House (and its bus stop), with all check-in and concierge service moved to the much more central and convenient Old Port Royal area
• The loss of nine accommodations buildings, a bus stop—and 576 rooms—in the old Barbados section and the more distant part of Martinique, reducing the resorts’ capacity by more than 25%–meaning popular amenities, like the wonderful Fuentes del Morrow pool, have fewer guests competing for them.
• The renaming of the old, confusingly named (especially for the dyslexic, like me) Trinidad South and Trinidad North, to Barbados and plain old Trinidad.
• A complete redo of the bar, dining options, and gift shop. The needs for each of these has been served by so-so temporary replacement over the last 18 months, but that’s now over, and Caribbean Beach is back to being a full-service resort. The early reviews of the brand-new waterside table service venue, Sebastian’s Bistro, have been astonishing.
• In addition, the opening of an all-new counter service venue in Trinidad, deeply changing the attractiveness of this more isolated village.

Still to come at Caribbean Beach is the Disney Skyliner, a gondola that will connect the resort with Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios later this year. The station will be just south of Jamaica, and across from Trinidad, making these villages more attractive places to stay (Jamaica is already a great choice) after it opens.

I’ll have more to say and show about Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort after my next stay here—my tenth—over the Veterans Day weekend.

But in the meantime, I’ve fully updated my review of Caribbean Beach, which begins here and include all the following pages:

• An overview and summary of Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
• Theming, accommodations and villages at Caribbean Beach
• Photo tour of a four person queen bed room at Caribbean Beach
• Photo tour of a five person queen and murphy bed room at Caribbean Beach
• Photo tour of a four person full bed Pirate room at Caribbean Beach
• Amenities at Caribbean Beach
• Dining at Caribbean Beach
• The main pool at Caribbean Beach

The long-time travel agent partner of this site, Kelly, can book you into Caribbean Beach–or any other Disney World hotel.  Contact her using the form below:

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For the first page of this review of the Wyndham/Wyndham Garden, see this.

THE POOL COMPLEX AT THE WYNDHAM LAKE BUENA VISTA

The pool complex at the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista in the Disney Springs Resort Area is one of the top three among the seven hotels here, and is topped only by the pools at the Hilton Buena Vista Palace.

What you’ll find is one large playful pool popular with both kids and adults, a smaller and less interesting pool that attracts largely adults, a hot tub, a pool toy rental area, and a bar with an extensive menu.

The pool area is behind the accommodations buildings, and surrounded by sports courts on either side. The back border is trees.

On the left, you’ll find the bar and grill.

The menu.

Next to the bar is the larger of the two pools here.

One end of this pool has this interesting rock feature…

…which includes water sprays for kids to play in.

The other end of the large pool has a zero entry into a shallow area, with an in-water play structure. Another view of it is at the top of the page.

This image shows both features.

The larger pool at night.

An area to rent water play toys is between this pool and the bar.

A second, smaller pool is more angular and has no obvious invitations to play, so is more popular with adults.

Another view of the smaller pool.

The smaller pool at night.

Between the two pools you’ll find this hot tub.

The two pools of the pool complex at the Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista in the Disney Springs Resort Area nicely deliver for both kids and adults, and the bar and grill menu is one of the more extensive among these hotels. As a result, I rate the pools here as being among the top three among the seven hotels of the Disney Springs Resort Area.

MORE ON THE WYNDHAM LAKE BUENA VISTA

• Overview and summary
• Photo tour of a standard tower room 
• Photo tour of a Garden room
• Dining and amenities
• The pool

OTHER KEY PAGES FOR WHERE TO STAY AT DISNEY WORLD

• Where to stay–the Basics
• Where first-timers should stay
• Reviews of all the Disney World resorts, based on my 160+ stays in them

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(For the first page of this review of the Doubletree Suites, see this.)

THE POOL AT THE DOUBLETREE SUITES BY HILTON ORLANDO

The pool complex at the Doubletree Suites by Hilton Orlando in the Disney Springs Resort Area provides most of what guests might be looking for, but in an uninteresting fashion, and thus falls into the lower rank among the offerings of the seven Disney Springs Resort Area hotels.

The offerings are behind the main building, screened from the nearby busy road (535) by a group of trees.

You’ll find this small main pool.

Another view of the main pool.

Off to one side is this large hot tub…

…and on another side is a kids wading pool with some water jets providing play opportunities. I did not see any other play options–no games, no fun water play items available for rent.

A pool bar is present, was not open when I stayed here. There’s another bar not far away inside the hotel.

Nearby is this playground…

…and behind it, between the pool area and the parking lot for the next-door B Resort there’s also a set of four tennis courts–a rare amenity among the Disney Springs Resort Area hotels, especially the smaller ones.

Overall this pool complex is entirely adequate, with all the basics.  But it does not compare at all well to the offerings at the Wyndham, Hilton, or Hilton Buena Vista Palace.

MORE ON THE DOUBLETREE SUITES BY HILTON ORLANDO

• Overview and summary
• Photo tour of a standard one bedroom suite 
• Dining and amenities
• The pool

OTHER KEY PAGES FOR WHERE TO STAY AT DISNEY WORLD

• Where to stay–the Basics
• Where first-timers should stay
• Reviews of all the Disney World resorts, based on my 160+ stays in them

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For the first page of this review of the Hilton Orlando, see this.

THE POOL COMPLEX AT THE HILTON ORLANDO LAKE BUENA VISTA

The pool complex at the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista has two good-sized regular pools, a brace of hot tubs, and a kids’ wading pool–as well as an outdoor bar.

While not distinctive or particularly interesting, the pool complex at the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista is one of the top three among the seven Disney Springs Resort Area hotels–the pools at the Wyndham and the similarly-named Hilton Buena Vista Palace are also in this same group.

The pool complex framed among the mid-rise accomodations building and convention spaces. This isolates it from the nearby freeway.

There are two principal pools, one a bit smaller and rectangular, the other larger with a curve at one end.

The smaller pool.

Another view of this pool.

Next to it is this larger pool.

This pool from the other side–your rubber duckies may vary.

Between the two pools is this children’s wading pool–note at the upper right the kiosk for renting pool toys.

This fun set of hot tubs is also present (another image of them is at the top of the page).

You can also chill with some chess…

…or perhaps more likely at this pool bar.

While there’s nothing especially delightful or interesting about the pool complex at the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista, it has all the key features of a vacation pool complex except for a splash/spray play area, and has plenty of capacity.  This puts it into the highest rank of Disney Springs Resort Area pools.

MORE ON THE HILTON ORLANDO LAKE BUENA VISTA

• Overview and summary
• Photo tour of a standard room
• Dining and amenities
• The pool 

OTHER KEY PAGES FOR WHERE TO STAY AT DISNEY WORLD

• Where to stay–the Basics
• Where first-timers should stay
• Reviews of all the Disney World resorts, based on my 160+ stays in them

Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Twitter or Pinterest!!

(For the first page of this review of the Doubletree Suites, see this.)

PHOTO TOUR OF A ONE BEDROOM SUITE AT THE DOUBLETREE SUITES BY HILTON ORLANDO

The Doubletree Suites by Hilton Orlando in the Disney Springs Resort Area–an entirely different hotel than the two other Hilton-flagged properties in Disney Springs, the Hilton Buena Vista Palace and the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista–offers several suite types in a long fortress-like mid-rise building.

One bedroom suites with a king bed, or with two queens–each also with a sleeper sofa–are available. Two bedroom suites, with a king bedroom and also a two queen bedroom, are also available. No suites have balconies, but a few first floor suites in the back by the pool and tennis courts have patios, and are bookable as a separate class, as are suites with pool views. (Views generally are of the parking lot or of 535, but there are enough trees in this area that they aren’t too objectionable.)

This photo tour is of a one bedroom suite at the Doubletree Suites by Hilton Orlando with two queens and a fold out couch.

The suite is about half a living/dining/kitchenette space and half a bedroom/closet/bath space–see the floorplan above.

The kitchenette has quite the long counter, and comes only with a microwave, mini-fridge, small sink and coffeemaker. The microwave is set into the cabinet–you can see it just above the center of the table.

Here’s the mini-fridge–the absence of a little freezer compartment makes the microwave less useful.

The coffee service.

The table is larger than it appears in my images. But it still seats just four–two fewer than the suite will sleep. There’s plenty of space on this side for a larger table…so this is a bit of a miss. Note the connecting door between the table and the couch. Since all rooms here are suites, there’s another one bedroom suite on the other side of that door.

Further back is seating for four or five on a couch, easy chair, and an ottoman/coffee table that can also serve as a seat.

Here’s a closer view of the couch and easy chair.

The couch folds out a queen-sized bed. Comfort is adequate for youngsters–although most will want to put the youngsters into the back queens, so that the living/dining space can be used after they are asleep, which complicates things a bit.

Across from the seating area is a surprisingly small TV above a storage cabinet.

The TV cabinet has a couple of drawers…

…but is mostly empty space.

The bedroom area–and the bath–is accessed through a sliding door next to the TV cabinet.

The two queen beds are a bit cramped on their sides.

The beds from the back of this space

A closer view of one of the beds–note how close the right side is to the wall.

Between the beds you’ll find this bedside table, with a small drawer and a storage cubby below.

Across from one of the beds in the back corner is a dresser and a larger TV, though hard to watch from the bed closer to the bath.

The dresser has four large drawers–plenty for the four people this space will sleep.

The other part of this room is a hallway that leads to the closet and the bath.

One side of this back hall has a long table. This suite would function much better with a door between this hall and the area with the queens, and also another door, to the living area, where the long table is. That would let the folks sleeping in the living area enter the bath area without going through the bedroom area.

Note the safe in the closet. My book is six inches by nine inches, so this will fit several laptops.

The other side of the closet.

The undivided bath has but a single sink–although there is another sink in the kitchenette.

Toiletries.

A tub-shower combo fills out the other side.

Frankly, a room that sleeps six ought to have a divided bath. This, the cramping of the queens, the small TVs, and the needlessly small table make it hard for me to be keen on these rooms.

But you will find them available for less than half–sometimes a lot less–than any Disney-owned accommodations that sleep six.  However, before booking them, consider booking two connecting rooms at the Holiday Inn just down the street. You’ll lose the spacious living area and its seating and dining table, but pick up another bath, another microwave, two (albeit tiny) freezer compartments in the mini-fridges, and more comfortable and/or less cramped beds.

AMENITIES AND DINING AT THE DOUBLETREE SUITES BY HILTON ORLANDO

This review continues here.

MORE ON THE DOUBLETREE SUITES BY HILTON ORLANDO

• Overview and summary
• Photo tour of a standard one bedroom suite 
• Dining and amenities
• The pool

OTHER KEY PAGES FOR WHERE TO STAY AT DISNEY WORLD

• Where to stay–the Basics
• Where first-timers should stay
• Reviews of all the Disney World resorts, based on my 160+ stays in them

Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Twitter or Pinterest!!

For the first page of this review of the Hilton Buena Vista Palace, see this.

THE POOL COMPLEX AT THE HILTON BUENA VISTA PALACE

The pool complex at the Hilton Buena Vista Palace has somewhere between two and three and a half pools. Despite my counting failure, I can affirm that it is the best pool complex among the seven Disney Springs Resort Area hotels, with only the pools at the Wyndham and the Hilton even close.

What is clearly here is a large pool next to the outdoor bar and grill to which adults gravitate, and a separate lazy river pool which sees more families and kids. The third pool is in another location, barely visible except from the lobby bar and rooms near it, which has not been open during any of my visits. And the half pool is an appendage to the lazy river pool which functions like a toddlers pool.

The pool complex is between the main tower and the Island buildings.  From the main tower, you get to the pools from the lowest level, which is also where most Hilton Buena Vista Palace dining and other amenities are located.

The first thing you’ll note is this event lawn, which–if not being used for some convention-y thing (the Hilton Buena Vista Palace is a major convention resort) could have a variety of games set up on it. At one my visits it was just cornhole games–another time, it also had a badminton/volleyball net.

Deeper in the complex you’ll find the bar and grill on one side…

…a large hot tub off in a corner…

…and next to the bar the first pool.

The propinquity to the bar (in the right background) and the simplicity of its offerings makes this the pool adults will prefer.

Another view of this pool–some of the Island rooms are in the background.

Off to the right you’ll find another pool, a lazy river pool.

Another view of the lazy river pool. See the top of the page for yet another view.

There’s a zero entry to the lazy river, accompanied by a set of handrails, making it easily accessible.

Just to the right of this is a much shallower appendage with water sprays that functions well as a toddler splash area.

Another view of this area, which is my “half pool.”

The final pool is in a different area (although on the way from the lower floor of the tower to this complex). On my visits it has been unsigned, inaccessible and unused (so far as I could tell).

It is visible from the outside seats of the lobby bar, and from the rooms on this side of the tower.  I don’t know what’s up with it–my guess is that it is an event space–but on my next stay in the Hilton Buena Vista Palace, I will force myself to go to the lobby bar and inquire!

Even without this mystery pool, the rest of the pool complex at the Hilton Buena Vista Palace has something for everyone, and more to offer than any other pool set-up in the other Disney Springs Resort Area hotels.

MORE ON THE HILTON BUENA VISTA PALACE

• Overview and summary
• Photo tour of a standard tower room 
• Photo tour of an Island room 
• Dining and amenities
• The pools 

OTHER KEY PAGES FOR WHERE TO STAY AT DISNEY WORLD

• Where to stay–the Basics
• Where first-timers should stay
• Reviews of all the Disney World resorts, based on my 160+ stays in them

Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Twitter or Pinterest!!