Category — q. Reviews

(For the first page of this review of Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, see this.)

Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is themed around Caribbean islands, their beaches, and the pirates who once voyaged among them. Rooms in the resort are found in five “villages” ringing a lake, each of which has three or six two story, 64 room buildings. All the villages are named after Caribbean destinations: Barbados, Trinidad, Martinique, Aruba, and Jamaica.

Each colorful village has palm-tree lined beaches, and each has its own pool and bus stop. The central Old Port Royale area includes another bus stop and the main pool at the resort, the pirate-themed Fuentes del Morro Pool—the best pool of the Disney World moderate resorts.

All rooms were refurbed in 2014-2015. Pirate rooms (in Trinidad) got a light makeover, retained their full beds, and sleep four.

Rooms in all other villages got a major makeover.  Full beds were replaced with queens, and many rooms now have in addition a fold-down Murphy bed, suitable for a person five feet or shorter, increasing the capacity of these rooms to five.

In all villages you can book water-view rooms (some of the “water” views are of the pools). In all villages except Trinidad, you can book king rooms.  Also in all villages except Trinidad, you can book a room with a third sleeping spot–these rooms previously were reserved for families of five, and any left over were randomly assigned.

You can also book “preferred” rooms in Barbados, where for an extra cost you can get a room are closer to the central services of Old Port Royale.

There’s much similarity among the villages, but also some key differences. This part of the review of Caribbean Beach will discuss them village by village, starting with Martinique and going clockwise.

Note that in May 2017, the former village Barbados and half of Martinique were leveled.  In October 2018 the village formerly known as Trinidad North inherited the name of the demolished Barbados, while Trinidad South became simply Trinidad.

MARTINIQUE

Martinique is a three building area (it used to have six, but three were leveled in May 2017). The three buildings that remain here have recently been priced as both preferred and regular. They seem to be regular now, but may shift to preferred soon.

A re-orientation of bus routes in late June 2017 means that park buses pick up and drop off Martinique guests first.

Each village has a beach.  At Martinique the beach, shown above, is near Old Port Royale.

Each village has a pool–all are similar. Here’s the one at Martinique.

The view from the Martinique area is of the lovely beaches across Barefoot Bay in Aruba.

Martinique guests will find two bus stops to use–one at Old Port Royale is closer to some rooms especially in building 26, and most other rooms will be closer to the other bus stop.

Martinique has a Coke freestyle machine for refillable mugs in Building 25, and also in 25 an Island Market, in room 2509.

BARBADOS

Barbados was known until October 2018 as Trinidad North. All buildings here are at “preferred” prices. Because many of its buildings are not far from the central services and pool at Old Port Royale, rates are $40-70 per night higher than standard rooms in non-preferred buildings.

It has just three buildings and two beaches, and thus is overall the most compact and convenient of all the Villages.

One of the beaches–near Old Port Royale.

The second beach, further south.

The pool at Barbados is at the end furthest from Old Port Royal–if this were a six building village, it would be right in the middle. This means all rooms are close to both the main pool and this smaller “quiet” pool.

Buildings here are a brown pink that adults probably call “coral.” We’ll get a better view in the same-color Trinidad material coming next.

The view from Barbados is of the great beach of Jamaica.

The bus stop is in the center and convenient to all rooms.

Barbados has a Coke freestyle machine for refillable mugs in Building 33, but no Island Markets, I suppose because it is so close to the temporary dining facilities between it and the main pool.

TRINIDAD

Up the road–in a dead end–are the six buildings of Trinidad, known until October 2018 as Trinidad South.

In this distant, inconvenient area of Caribbean Beach, you’ll find the expensive Pirate rooms.

Pirate rooms are full bed rooms with special decorations meant to make them nautical and piratical. More on these is here.

Here’s the beach at Trinidad.

…and here’s the pool.

Trinidad has Coke freestyle machines for refillable mugs in Buildings 34 and 38, but no Island Market.

In March 2018 a new quick-service venue, Spyglass Grill, opened here.

Spyglass Grill provides interesting, though limited, dining options that are much more convenient than what is in Centertown/Old Port Royale.

A better view of the insipid colors it shares with Barbados.

Trinidad is on a separate lobe of Barefoot Bay–Barefoot Bay Bay?–and the land across the water will become the Caribbean Beach stop of the new Disney Skyliner gondola transportation system to Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which is expected to open in mid-2019.

The current Spyglass Grill and future nearby gondola stop will make Trinidad a better and less isolated choice than it had been in the past.

The bus stop is in the center of the village.

JAMAICA

Jamaica is my favorite among the Caribbean Beach Villages. Most of its six buildings are near enough to Old Port Royale via the bridge across Caribbean Cay, and those that aren’t are still a reasonable walk via the road bridge and Barbados.

Some southern rooms are close to the new Spyglass Grill in Trinidad, and Jamaica is just north of the Caribbean Beach stop of the Disney Skyliner transportation system to Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, expected to open in mid-2019.

Jamaica also has a great color scheme…

…a pool similar to the rest…

…a huge, gorgeous beach, and a nice view of Barbados and Old Port Royale.

The bus stop is in the center. It’s the second to last stop.

Jamaica has Coke freestyle machines for refillable mugs in Buildings 43 and 46. Also in 43 is an Island Market, in room 4308.

ARUBA

Aruba is the next best choice after Jamaica for those unwilling to pay for a preferred room.

It has a so-so color scheme, and its bus stop is at the far end.  Some rooms will be closer to the footbridge to Caribbean Cay and Old Port Royal, others will be closer to the bus stop.

Some rooms near the bus stop will have unsightly views of construction.

It has the usual pool…

…and a beach second only to Jamaica’s in extent and loveliness.

It has a nice view of Martinique and Old Port Royale.

Buses stop here last. Aruba has Coke freestyle machines for refillable mugs in Buildings 52 and 55, and also has in 55 an Island Market, in room 5524.

PHOTO TOUR OF A FOUR PERSON QUEEN ROOM AT CARIBBEAN BEACH

This review continues here.

PAGES IN THIS REVIEW OF DISNEY’S CARIBBEAN BEACH RESORT

• Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort: Overview and Summary
• 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

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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CINDERELLA AND HER FAMILY AT 1900 PARK FARE

Dinner at 1900 Park Fare at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is one of three princess meals at Walt Disney World, and if it had a better setting it might be the best.

The other two are Storybook Dining in Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in Norway at Epcot and Cinderella’s Royal Table at the Magic Kingdom (closed until March 2015 for refurb.)

Each of these two presents a boatload of princesses and a fun setting–Akershus in the banquet hall of a medieval fort, and Cinderella’s Royal Table inside her castle at the Magic Kingdom.

Cinderella’s Royal Table, however, is wildly expensive and reservations are hard to get.

Akershus is more reasonably priced, but requires a visit to Epcot, which otherwise at the moment has not much of interest to the younger kids who most avidly want to meet the princesses.

Dinner at 1900 Park Fare is about the same price as Akershus, has much better food than either, and, since it’s in a hotel, does not require using a park ticket.

1900 Park Fare is on the first floor of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, entered through its spectacular lobby. The Grand Floridian is on the resort monorail loop, just outside the Magic Kingdom. To get there from the Magic Kingdom, take either the boat at the right (as you are facing away from the park) or if it has long lines (it’s a small boat, built on the classic Morgan 40 hull), the resort monorail. Take the monorail back.

In the undistinguished and windowless space–the ambiance is the only negative of 1900 Park Fare–two character meals are served, one with Pooh and British friends (including from UKIP) at breakfast, and Cinderella and her family at dinner.

Here’s the scoop on both from our book:

Dinner begins with a photo session outside–that’s older son Ted and his girlfriend, Danielle. I ducked this photo–but no others…

No character joins this initial photo session, unlike at Cinderella’s Royal Table, where Cinderella appears, or Akershus, where your greeting photo is with Belle.

At dinner, you will be visited by, and can get autographs from and photos with…

Cinderella’s stepmother…

…her stepsisters…

…Prince Charming. That’s Danielle to the right. My job is to introduce girlfriends to Disney World. When I told Danielle she’d be meeting Cinderella at dinner, she said “Dave, you know how to make a girl’s dreams come true.”

This is now the unofficial motto of the site.

Cinderella.

Cinderella also dances with Prince Charming, and plays with all those who show in princess garb–see the image at the top of the page!

There will be a lot of little girls in princess garb at this meal, but it may be the most everybody-friendly princess meal at Disney World, because the step-family are a bunch of comically hostile smart-alecks, making interaction with them fun for all who aren’t already swooning at Prince Charming.

And the food?  This is the best buffet at Disney World. See the details in the capsule review above. There’s several hot stations…

…a carving station, several cold stations, a kids buffet, and a dessert table.

My plate shots turned out even worse than usual, but here’s the result of one of several trips to the buffet line…

…and here’s another.

The food is better than at either Akershus or Cinderella’s Royal Table. While there’s not the parade of princesses you’ll find at those, for many families the comic step-Tremaines more than make up for that. The setting is not as nice as either, but the Grand Floridian overall is a lovely place to visit–and does not require a ticket day to be spent. And the price is similar to Akershus, and much less than Cinderella’s Royal Table.

For first-timers it remains my third-recommended princess meal.  But for returning visitors–or families with only older boy children–it is decidedly worth a visit!

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For the first page of this review of Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort, see this.

ROYAL ROOMS AT PORT ORLEANS RIVERSIDE

The Royal Rooms were introduced to Port Orleans Riverside in 2012.

As part of a refurb completed then, the rooms in two buildings in Magnolia Bend, Oak Manor and Parterre Place, were redesigned–and re-priced–as “Royal” Rooms.

I’ve stayed in them several times since, focused on three potential issues: are these rooms too girly, too inconvenient, and/or too expensive?

The short answers:

• These rooms are not girly, but distinctive more in a heavy, detailed, layered, Victorian “elderly aunt” sense than in a princessy way. They won’t be off-putting to little boys. Little–and mom-sized–princesses will likely love their sumptuous design, unless their design aesthetic tends towards the spare and the simple.
• These two buildings have always been inconvenient, particularly distant from bus stops, and they remain so–particularly Parterre Place.  Disney’s choosing of them for the Royal Rooms is a way to add value to this base of inconvenience similar to the choice to make the Pirate Rooms at Caribbean Beach out of the least convenient buildings there.
• They cost most nights of the year $50-100 more per night than standard Port Orleans Riverside rooms.  You have to value the decor, and princes and princesses, for them to be worth the extra cost and inconvenience they bring–or be a huge fan of The Princess & The Frog!

A PHOTO TOUR OF THE ROYAL ROOMS AT PORT ORLEANS RIVERSIDE

The floor plan of the Port Orleans Riverside Royal Rooms is pretty close to the standard for four person queen-bed moderate resort rooms.

What’s different compared to other moderate rooms is the richness of the furnishings, and all the wonderful prince and especially princessy detailing…and those headboards!

You’ll find two queen beds on one side.

The headboards are lovely even in standard light.

But darken the room, and find on the side of each a button, which launches a very fun “fireworks” show on the headboards…

…actually, as you’ll know if you’ve seen The Princess and the Frog, it’s a firefly show.

The richness of the patterning on the bed furnishings has been simplified since the 2012 opening of these spaces.

Here’s the busier 2012 version.

On the other side of the room, you’ll find a table and two chairs.

You’ll find on this side of the room silhouettes of Disney princes.

More princes.

Here’s a shot that shows this side of the room in total. Note the detailed and layered window curtains. Fewer than half of rooms have the two windows you see here–more common is just one, over the heater/cooler unit. Rooms without the second window will have the mirror and some of the art in different locations.

This is typical of one of the several ways–besides price!–these rooms are “royal.”  There are images of princes and princesses, sumptuous Victorian-styled furnishings and fittings in a regal color scheme of (royal!) blue and gold, and various objects that will remind fans of various princesses and their films.

Next on this side of the room is a combined dresser and mini-fridge with a TV on top.

With only three small drawers, this room is a little short on storage–though there is a large clothes rod in the bath, with a shelf above.

The mini-fridge is the standard Disney offering.  I have my usual objects in it to help you with its scale.  I probably should have bought classier objects for such a royal space!

Next to it is a charming footstool, meant to remind you of the pup in Beauty and the Beast!

The wall by the bath has a ton of princesses…

Between the bed area and the dresser/TV area you’ll find this ornate rug that may remind you of something…

The bath as is typical is divided into two areas.  One area has sinks that have a very graceful design, including sparklies that show up better in the photograph below.

The faucets here mimic the magic lamps from Aladdin.

There’s a closet area on the side.

Behind a door you’ll find the rest of the bath–including more gold-colored fixtures! The shower curtain reportedly is reminiscent of the Little Mermaid–not so obvious to me.

Something I do get is the allusion to Cinderella in this coat rack!

There’s lots of other wonderful details–see Tiana’s monogram above.

Tiana’s portrait also graces your room.

Royal Rooms make up a quarter of Port Orleans Riverside’s capacity, and are all found in two southeast buildings, Parterre Place and Oak Manor, circled in red on the map excerpt. Neither is particularly close to a bus stop (circled in black), the main pool (in blue) or the dining area (white).

Oak Manor is to be preferred because it is pretty much universally closer to where you might want to go than Parterre Place, and also has easier choices of bridges (yellow).

Disney’s online check in form for Royal Rooms won’t let you select buildings or even “near transportation,” so to request Oak Manor, call.

These rooms are expensive and inconvenient, but wonderful for those looking for a royal, princessy abode!

PHOTO TOUR OF AN ALLIGATOR BAYOU ROOM AT PORT ORLEANS RIVERSIDE RESORT

This review continues here.

TOPICS IN THIS REVIEW OF DISNEY’S PORT ORLEANS RIVERSIDE RESORT

• Port Orleans Riverside: Overview and summary
• Theming and accommodations at Port Orleans Riverside
• A photo tour of a four person standard room in Port Orleans Riverside’s Magnolia Bend section
• A photo tour of a four person Royal Room in Port Orleans Riverside’s Magnolia Bend section
• A photo tour of a five person Murphy bed room Port Orleans Riverside’s Alligator Bayou section
• Amenities at Port Orleans Riverside
• Dining at Port Orleans Riverside
• The pools at Port Orleans Riverside
• The history of Port Orleans Riverside

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 150+ stays in them

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

(For the first page of this review of the Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, see this.)

MORE ON THE AMENITIES AND ART OF THE VILLAS AT THE WILDERNESS LODGE

The Villas at the Wilderness Lodge is an underappreciated gem of architecture and design.

While showing nothing so dramatic as the lobby of next-door Wilderness Lodge, the Villas have some very nice vistas from rooms on the long arm of the resort–at left in the image.

The rooms at top have views of Bay Lake, and those below of the forest. See the image at the top of the page for these forest views.  The grassy area closest to the building is not set up as a playground, and does not have paths leading to it.  But many kids from the first floor villas and studios that border it find their way here from their patios and play on it.

The Villas show the same attention to detailed theming that you’ll find in the main lodge, including these lights…

…and these.

Note the woodsy theming of this bench.

Also notable is the art and decoration. Art in the rooms has some Bambi theming–this from a Studio…

…and this in One and Two Bedroom villas.

Both rooms and public spaces have art with national park themes, like this…

…and this.

And you’ll also find many western vistas, some with trains…

…but most just of people and a view.

The Wilderness Lodge itself has the best, and best-executed, theming of any Disney World resort.

The Villas at the Wilderness Lodge both share in and complement this theming.

The only thing wrong with the Wilderness Lodge is the small bedrooms. Villas don’t have this problem except for groups larger than 6, so for everyone else they are the most highly recommended DVC resort for first-time visitors.

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(For the first page of this review of the Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, see this.)

THE AMENITIES AND ART OF THE BOULDER RIDGE VILLAS AT THE WILDERNESS LODGE

The Boulder Ridge Villas at the Wilderness Lodge share the amenities of the next door Wilderness Lodge.

At the Wilderness Lodge you’ll find

• A great pool themed to a mountain spring
• A second newly-redone smaller pool
• A pool bar, hot tubs, and the like
• An imitation of the geyser Old Faithful
• Indoors, three dining options and a bar, and outdoors a bar and grille.
• All kinds of art and exhibits, with  a strong focus on Native Americans and on the geology of the west

The Boulder Villas at the Wilderness Lodge also have a few amenities of their own.

Most charming among them is the main lobby, themed–though most won’t notice it–as a rare fully enclosed railroad roundhouse.

There’s charming sitting areas here…

…including a few chairs on front of a fireplace.

The ceiling beams have their ends carved with wilderness creatures…

…including a perhaps too realistic rattlesnake.

Around the corner is a larger but still cozy sitting room.

Another view of the sitting room.

This area is filled with railroad memorabilia, much of it celebrating Walt Disney’s love of railroads and his outdoor model railroad, the Carolwood Pacific.

Some of the railroad mementos…

…more.

A railroad map.

Outside this sitting area you’ll find porches with rocking chairs, some sized for little ones.

Off the other side of the lobby you’ll find the elevators.  Note the train etching on the elevator door…

…and also note the train details on the hanging.

The other elevator door features a moose or elk or deer or something wild and wildernessy.

Also in this area you’ll find the health club Sturdy Branches.

The Villas at the Wilderness Lodge is an underappreciated gem of architecture and design.

While showing nothing so dramatic as the lobby of next-door Wilderness Lodge, the Villas have some very nice vistas from rooms on the long arm of the resort–at left in the image.

The rooms at top have views of Bay Lake, and those below of the pool and the Cascade Cabins of Copper Creek.

The Boulder Ridge Villas show the same attention to detailed theming that you’ll find in the main lodge, including these lights…

…and these.

Note the woodsy theming of this bench.

Also notable is the art and decoration. Art in the rooms has some Bambi theming–this from a Studio…

…and this in One and Two Bedroom villas.

Both rooms and public spaces have art with national park themes, like this…

…and this.

And you’ll also find many western vistas, some with trains…

…but most just of people and a view.

The Wilderness Lodge itself has the best, and best-executed, theming of any Disney World resort.

The Boulder Ridge Villas at the Wilderness Lodge both share in and complement this theming.

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(For the first page of this review of the Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, see this.)

MORE ON ACCOMMODATIONS AT THE VILLAS AT THE WILDERNESS LODGE

There are currently nine official Disney Vacation Club resorts at Walt Disney World.

However, I have come to count them as eleven, and rank them as ten.

Ten because two of the resorts–Saratoga Springs and the Animal Kingdom Villas–have two very different areas, and a third– the Polynesian Villas and Bungalows–has too different an offering to include in the rankings.

In order of their appropriateness for first time family visitors to Walt Disney World, they are:

1. The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
2. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas–Jambo House
3. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas–Kidani Village
4. Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
5. The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa
6. Disney’s Beach Club Villas
7. Disney’s Boardwalk Villas
8. Disney’s Old Key West Resort
9. Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa, main resort
10. Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort, Treehouse Villas area.

(I don’t include the Polynesian Villas and Bungalows in this ranking, as the offerings there–except Studios–are so different from all the rest. Ranking solely among Studios, the Poly Studios would come near the top of the list.)

These resorts are available to anyone to reserve through the regular Walt Disney World website or the resort reservations phone number at 407-939-7675.

They also are available to the general public at great discounts through renting points from a Disney Vacation Club member.

ROOMS AT THE VILLAS AT DISNEY’S WILDERNESS LODGE [Read more →]