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OVERVIEW: DISNEY’S CARIBBEAN BEACH RESORT FOR FIRST TIME VISITORS

Hey! A MAJOR refurb is kicking off at Caribbean Beach in May 2017.  See this for issues and my advice.

Note: Caribbean Beach room refurbs that ended in the fall of 2015 replaced the full beds that used to be here with queen beds in all standard rooms.

Pirate rooms had a different refurb, kept full beds, and sleep four.

Many (but not all) queen rooms have a Murphy Bed now as well–see the image at right. These rooms now sleep 5.

Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is the best Disney World moderate resort for first time family visitors who may never return, especially those who avoid the Trinidad South (“Pirate rooms”) and Barbados sections.

You can have a wonderful visit at any Walt Disney World resort hotel.

However, this site recommends that first time visitors to Walt Disney World who can afford it should stay at Disney’s Polynesian Resort, a deluxe resort, and that those who can’t should stay at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, a value resort.

It also suggests that first time visitors should avoid the moderate resorts, while noting that these resorts are wonderful for visits after the first. See this for why.

Compared to other Walt Disney World owned and operated resorts, the moderate resorts are distinguished by having nicer settings and landscaping, and much bigger rooms, than the value resorts, while being less comfortable than and having not nearly as good dining as the deluxe resorts.

Among the moderate resorts, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort’s positives in kid appeal outweigh its negatives in convenience, and give it the first ranking among the moderates for first time family visitors.

(Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort is second, Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside is third, Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter is a very close fourth, and The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort are last. The rankings of the first four are very close, and sensible people can differ on them.)

(See this for much more on resort distinctions by price class–value, moderate, deluxe, etc.)

FLOOR PLANS AT THE CARIBBEAN BEACH

While many websites and books (but not all) claim that Caribbean Beach rooms have 340 square feet, every room I have measured at the Caribbean Beach has come out at pretty close to 314 square feet–nearly the same size as the rooms of the other moderate resorts (except the cabins.)

Even so, Caribbean Beach rooms are quite spacious.  The bedroom area is particularly ample, and is bigger than the bedroom spaces at several of the deluxe resorts. (See this.) The floor plan above is for a two queen refurbed room…

…and this is for a refurbed Murphy Bed room.

The refurbed rooms have a new look, and, as you can see at the back right, also now have sliding “barn doors” separating the bath area from the bedroom, rather than the fabric curtains here in the rooms. before the refurb.

And for many, the key feature of the refurb is the addition to many queen rooms (not king rooms) of a Murphy Bed, which gives another sleeping spot and a new option for five-person families.

I measured the Murphy Bed mattress as 30″ wide by 64″ long.  The way it is positioned on top of the bedframe and related to the back framing means that, unlike many such beds, it does not sleep shorter than this. I’d put a five foot tall kid on this and expect great results. The cushion is 5 inches deep.

You can add to this capacity of four or five a child younger than three who sleeps in a crib.

Pirate rooms had a different refurb, kept their full beds and the cloth curtain between the bedroom and bath areas, and sleep four. The beds of a refurbed Pirate room are above.

DISNEY’S CARIBBEAN BEACH RESORT

Resorts are ranked on this site for first time visitors based first on their kid appeal, and then on their convenience.

On this basis, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is the best moderate resort for first time family visitors to Walt Disney World.

Kid Appeal.

• Three of the deluxe resorts–the Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, and Polynesian Resort, in that order–have spectacular kid appeal.
• None of the moderates has strong kid appeal, but Caribbean Beach has the most
• All of the value resorts–Disney’s All-Star Sports, All-Star Music, and All-Star Movies, and its Pop Century Resort and  Art of Animation–have strong kid appeal.

The kid appeal of the Caribbean Beach Resort comes from

• The vibrant and playful colors that form the basis of its Caribbean theme (the other moderates are dull to a kid’s eyes)
• The beaches that ring the lake it is built around (Coronado Springs is the only other “traditional” moderate with any beaches, and those in only one of its three sections; the Cabins at Fort Wilderness also have a beach, about a mile away)
• The kid friendly theming of many of its rooms, with Mickey and Pluto in the five person refurbed rooms, and rooms in the not-recommended (because too distant) Trinidad South section themed around pirates. No other moderate has theming designed to appeal to kids in so many of its rooms
• The quality of its main pool, the best among the moderates—for example, no other traditional moderate has such a fully themed little kid pool.

Convenience.

This distinctive level of kid appeal is sufficient to make up for the resort’s inconvenience—among the moderate resorts, only the Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort are more inconvenient.

The Caribbean Beach Resort was Walt Disney World’s first moderate, and Disney made one mistake that led to this inconvenience: designing the resort with seven bus stops. This is 2 or 3 more than it could have had, and almost doubles the amount of time it takes for buses to get around the resort compared to the other large moderates which, designed later, have 4-5 bus stops.

Moreover, a couple of the areas at Caribbean Beach–Barbados and Trinidad South–are quite a hike from the main central services, and the check-in building the Customs House isn’t really convenient to anything except Barbados.

Other distinctive features.

The Caribbean Beach Resort is the only moderate with no elevators at all, and with no indoor bar/lounge (there’s a bar at the pool).

Best places to stay. 

This site suggests that first time visitors stay in standard rooms, not preferred rooms (because they won’t be spending much time in their rooms, or going to the main resort food area often; the single exception is visitors to the Animal Kingdom Lodge, who should always pay for savanna views).

See the map (as always on this site, click it to enlarge it.)

Standard rooms on the ground floors (because no elevators) in the southern part of the Aruba section (buildings 51-53) and the northern part of the Jamaica section (buildings 44, 45 and 46) are the best balance between cost, tranquility, and closeness (via the Caribbean Cay bridge) to the main pool and food area. 

Avoid Trinidad South and Barbados (too distant).

Here’s the current online check in form. Look at the map carefully before you click “Near Transportation.” At Aruba, that will put you distant from the bridge; at Martinique, it’s not necessary as there’s two nearby bus stops.

BEST FOR:

Any typical first time visitors who insist on staying, or only can stay, in a moderate.

WORST FOR:

Families with mobility issues (lack of elevators, spread out; multiple bus stops).

PHOTO TOUR OF A NEWLY-REFURBED QUEEN AND MURPHY BED ROOM AT DISNEY’S CARIBBEAN BEACH RESORT

This review continues here.

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Over the last week, I’ve published the draft versions of all the core tools you need to pick when to go to Walt Disney World in 2016.

These include

• An overview of what might be different in 2016 at Walt Disney World
• The draft 2016 Disney World Crowd Calendar
• Projections of 2016 Resort Price Seasons, and based on these, the crowd calendar, the ride closure season, and the hurricane season, the first draft of
• 2016 Weeks to Visit, Ranked in Order

The Disney World 2016 week rankings I publish annually are among my more popular offerings–they’ve been viewed almost 3 million times–and are meant for first time visitors who may never return. Returning visitors will find good times to visit in September and January/early February that are ranked low for such first-timers.

The week rankings likely will change a bit between now and next summer, as I get better information on crowds and prices, but weeks very rarely shift “classes”–that is, they don’t move from “recommended” to “not recommended.”

The Disney World 2016 crowd calendar may change once the final 2015-2016 school calendars are available next summer. Every year I analyze every break for almost 200 school districts covering more than 10 million kids, and use these to update the crowd calendars. Many district calendars aren’t out til the summer before, so that’s when I’ll update the 2016 crowd calendar–in the summer of 2015. I’m not expecting any major changes–2016 looks pretty tightly predictable.

The 2016 Disney World price seasons are projections based on recent Disney practices. Disney will publish final price seasons most likely in the summer of 2015.  There’s often a curveball or two in these, but not enough to move a week from “recommended” to another class.

Going to Disney World in 2016?  Then start picking your dates!

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(For the first page of this review of Four Seasons Resort at Walt Disney World, see this)

THE POOLS AT THE FOUR SEASONS RESORT ORLANDO

The geometry of the Four Seasons Resort Orlando yields two long sides.

One faces the parking lots and the rest of the Golden Oak division of Disney World, an expensive residential area.

The other long side faces the waterways and forests of the wilderness area south of Bay Lake and east of Fort Wilderness.

The northern part of this side is where you’ll find the pools and most of the play play areas of the Four Season at Disney World (the tennis courts are on the far south side.)

There’s four pools here, plus a slide landing zone that Four Seasons counts as a fifth:

• The adult-only Oasis Pool
• The lazy river The Drifter
• A family pool
• A splash pool bigger than most Disney main pools, the Splash Zone

The last three are all in what the Four Seasons calls “Explorer Island”–see the map.

THE ADULTS-ONLY OASIS POOL AT THE FOUR SEASONS ORLANDO

The adult-only Oasis pool is the first you’ll encounter, and a wonderful point of quiet tranquility.

Neither large nor of distinctive design, it has no kid appeal other than being the first pool they will see.  Getting them past it and into the lazy river area will suffice to leave this pool for quiet adult relaxation.

It is a straight-sided infinity pool with the infinity edge charmingly tied to the pond beyond.

The pool is surrounded on the other three sides by lounge chairs and cabanas, with generally a side table for every two lounge chairs.

Staff will cover your chair…

…bring you a pitcher of water…

…and offer you the PB&G menu–here’s part of it.

There’s also a hot tub here. There’s nothing special about this pool–except the level of pampering, and the freedom from noise…which are themselves pretty special.

THE LAZY RIVER DRIFT POOL AT THE FOUR SEASONS ORLANDO

The lazy river Drift pool seems to go on forever…

…and ever, and includes some semi-hidden spots to nestle with your family.

This shot, from my balcony at night, gives a sense of the scope of this pool. In it the Drift pool is at the right.

The 11,000 square foot Drift pool includes a waterfall, rapids section, and even some water cannons! (There’s an image of the water cannons at the top of the page.)

THE SPLASH ZONE AT THE FOUR SEASONS ORLANDO

The Splash Zone pool at the Four Seasons includes both play fountains and a short-depth splash pool as well.

This enormous play pool itself is large than many Disney World main pools.

Like the Drift Zone, it has some secluded areas

…but also abuts the “Ruinous Mansion” area…

…with its water slides…

…and kids services. Here’s where you’ll find the “Kids for All Seasons” staff who provide indoor, outdoor, and pool play help and supervision.

THE FAMILY POOL AT THE FOUR SEASONS ORLANDO

The family pool is a traditional family resort pool with a couple of additional features. For example, it’s an infinity pool–like the Oasis pool the infinity side is to the pond.

It’s also a zero-entry pool, with the zero entry in the middle of the long and narrow 7500 square foot pool.

One end of the family pool…

…and the other.

There’s also a playground here…

…and casual dining at PB&G, located between the family pool and adult pool.

Here’s the interior of PB&G.

A poolside meal from PB&J.

As a total offering, the pools at Four Seasons are far better than the total pool offerings at any Disney owned resort.

Nothing here is so charmingly themed as the pools at the Wilderness Lodge or Animal Kingdom Lodge; but no pool complex at a Disney resort comes close to the wide range of offerings here–a lazy river, an adult pool, a splash and play pool–except Stormalong Bay at the Yacht and Beach Clubs. The slide at Stormalong Bay is clearly better; on every other dimension, the Four Season pool offering bests it.

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OVERVIEW: THE BEST TIMES IN 2016 AT WALT DISNEY WORLD

This site recommends arriving at Walt Disney World one of the first three Saturdays after Thanksgiving.

If you can’t go then, presented below are my rankings of the weeks of 2016 in order of best to worst.

The ranking is designed for first time visitors who do not know whether or not they will return.

For visitors on a return trip, less concerned about ride closures, the later January and early February weeks would be ranked much higher–with the Marathon and Martin Luther King Day weeks being the worst of these.

These week rankings are based on my 2016 Disney World Crowd Calendar and on 2016 Walt Disney World price seasons.

Other factors are key as well–the Christmas season, ride closure season and hurricane season in particular.

(For 2017 rankings, see this, and for 2018 rankings, see this.)

RECOMMENDED 2016 WEEKS, RANKED IN ORDER

The fifteen recommended weeks that follow are wonderful weeks to visit Walt Disney World in 2016.

Week number one has it all–lower crowds, low prices and wonderful Christmas programs and decorations. The first Saturday of this week overlaps with Thanksgiving crowds, but the rest of it will be marvelous:

• 1: 11/26/16.

Weeks 2 and 3 have many, but not all, of the strengths of week 1:

• 2: 12/3/16. Largely a terrific week with low crowds, low prices and wonderful holiday programs. However, this is a week that, because of Pop Warner football demand for resort rooms, is rarely discounted beyond its already low prices. Those intending to stay at a value resort should consider avoiding this week and target week 1 instead, as Pop Warner may make the value resorts crowded and boisterous this week
• 3: 12/10/16. A week as good as week 1 on crowds and holiday programs. Much more expensive, however, than weeks 1 or 2

Weeks 4 is a very strong week. It has low crowds and prices, and most of Disney World’s holiday program except at Epcot will be in place

• 4: 11/12/16

Weeks 5 and 6 share great late autumn weather and have low crowds. These are near-tied, but are in calendar order as the better weather is earlier this time of year

• 5: 10/22/16
• 6: 10/29/16

Week 7  has great late spring weather, low crowds but moderate prices.

• 7: 4/9/16

Weeks 8 is your best 2016 Spring Break bet, with low crowds and moderate prices

• 8: 2/27/16

Week 9 is similar to weeks 5 and 6, but with higher prices

• 9: 10/15/16

Weeks 10 through 13 are similar to week 7, but with slightly higher crowds. They are in calendar order as the better weather is earlier.

• 10: 4/16/16
• 11: 4/23/16
• 12: 4/30/16
• 13: 5/7/16

Week 14 is similar to week 8, but with slightly higher crowds, especially at the beginning of the week

• 14: 2/20/16

Week 15 is similar to week 7, but with higher crowds and prices at the beginning of the week. This week may end up with higher crowds than I am forecasting, but such would move down just a spot or two in the rankings.

• 15: 4/2/16

This completes the weeks in 2016 that are recommended.

WEEKS I’M NOT SO KEEN ON

Weeks 16-21 all have moderate crowd levels, with different prices and weather. I don’t particularly recommend moderate-crowd weeks for first time visitors, but they are manageable, and I would go myself such weeks with no hesitation.

They are in order of least to most crowded, and within crowd groups are sorted by price.

• 16: 5/14/16. Similar to week 13 but with higher crowds and more summer-like weather. Crowds moderate. Prices moderate
• 16: 11/5/16. “Jersey Week”—teacher meetings in New Jersey, leading to a massive temporary immigration of New Jersey families to Orlando. Crowds moderate-minus, prices low to moderate, almost never with major discounts. A little more crowded in 2016 than recent years, because Veterans Day falls on Friday of Jersey Week.
• 18: 5/21/16. Similar to week 17, slightly more heat and humidity and crowds.
• 19: 10/8/16. Columbus Day week with higher crowds and prices than the great weeks (ranked 9, 5 and 6) that follow it
• 20: 8/6/16. Moderate-plus crowds as the summer season begins to fade away
• 21: 6/4/16.  Beginning of summer–similar crowds to week 20, but higher prices in deluxes

Weeks 22-29 have one thing in common: they occur during the peak of the hurricane season. Hurricanes are rare and even more rarely affect a Disney World vacation, but for first-timers who may never return, why not just avoid the risk? For returning visitors, though, the low-crowd weeks among this group can be wonderful times to visit.

They are ranked in order of first crowd levels, and within the same crowd level prices.

Weeks 22, 23 and 24 have among the lowest crowds and lowest prices of the year.

• 22: 9/10/16
• 23: 9/3/16
• 24: 9/17/16

Weeks 25 and 26 are similar, but with slightly higher crowds than 22-24

• 25: 8/27/16
• 26: 9/24/16

Week 27 is at the outer range of low crowds

• 27: 8/20/16

Weeks 28 and 29 are the only moderate-crowd weeks in this hurricane group

• 28: 10/1/16
• 29: 8/13/16

2016 WEEKS TO AVOID AT WALT DISNEY WORLD

There’s two groups of weeks to avoid:  high crowd weeks and weeks when rides are often closed.

The first group, ranked 30-47, should be avoided because of crowds ranging from high to unbelievable.

This group includes all of later June, July and early August (massive crowds, higher prices). Prices go down in Deluxes starting in mid-July, and in the other resorts in mid-August.

It also includes the busy March Spring Break weeks beginning 3/5/2016, and the holiday weeks—President’s Day week, the weeks before and after Easter, Thanksgiving week, and the weeks around Christmas.

Click the table for exact rankings within these lousy weeks.

The next group includes the January and early February weeks when rides are often closed for repair or refurbishment—weeks 48-53.

Many of these weeks have the lowest crowds and lowest prices of the year.

(But not all--click the table above.)

However, this is the peak time for ride closures at Walt Disney World, especially the January weeks.

If this may be your only family visit, why go when you know some of the best of Disney World will be closed?

If you must go during this period, avoid the first few days of January (massive crowds), and the Martin Luther King Day (1/16/16 arrival date) holiday weekend.

The Marathon Weekend (affecting arrival dates of 1/2 and 1/9/16) complicates the parks as well.

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DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: SEPTEMBER 27 TO OCTOBER 5, 2014

The material below details operating hours, Extra Magic Hours, parades, and fireworks.

The same stuff is in the image, but organized by park, not by topic.

For more on September 2014 at Walt Disney World, see this, and for more on October, click here.

[Read more →]

(For the first page of this review of Four Seasons Resort at Walt Disney World, see this)

AMENITIES AT THE FOUR SEASONS RESORT ORLANDO

All parking at the Four Seasons Orlando is valet.

If you plan to use your car a lot, the valet system is very easy–you text your ticket number (minus the hyphen) to the number supplied on your stub, and you’ll get a series of messages back. Sadly, I never got the message “Is your rental the Yaris or the Lamborghini?”

A bunch of staff will be at the front entrance to help you with your bags, open doors, etc. You then enter onto what is the second floor of the Four Seasons. Dead ahead of you down a sweeping set of stairs is the gorgeous fireworks chandelier–best appreciated at night.

Pretty much all guest services are on the right–check-in and concierge services…

…and a Disney planning help desk, staffed by Disney cast members. Note that you still have to plan ahead–if you show up at this desk without Seven Dwarfs Mine Train FastPass+ for tomorrow or Be Our Guest reservations for the next day, you will also leave it without them.

There’s lounge areas throughout.

Further down is Lickety-Split, a combination coffee, gelato, and grab-and-go spot.

The gelato…

…and the small grab and go section.

Next up is the lobby Ravello Bar.

The Ravello Bar has its own menu, and you can also order from the downstairs Ravello menu. The image is of the menu from downstairs–click it to enlarge it.

Ravello itself is on the first floor–get to it either by stairs from the bar or the elevator beyond the check in area. This image is from the stairs…Ravello serves breakfast and dinner, and the dinner menu is modern Italian.  It’s one of two more casual settings at Four Seasons, but I’d still dress for dinner here. (The other is the very casual PB&J pool bar and grille)

The showcase dining at Four Seasons Orlando is the 17th floor Spanish steakhouse Capa.  Here’s what the hotel says about Capa:

“Our 17th-floor rooftop steakhouse and bar in Orlando boasts the best of Spanish-influenced cuisine in a romantic setting like no other. Capa’s diverse offerings range from freshly shucked oysters and Florida seafood to incredible small plates and expertly grilled cuts. An open kitchen and wood-burning grill allow you to get close to the action, while on the outdoor patio diners enjoy views of the nightly fireworks.”

Don’t expect too much from the fireworks–the Four Seasons is pretty far from both Epcot and the Magic Kingdom. This shot, from my 12th floor room, is at the outer limit of the 3.6x optical zoom on my camera, and is also cropped. To give you a sense of the distance here…the blue area between the Contemporary and Bay Lake Tower is Cinderella’s Castle.

From our April 2016 visit to Capa:

Back up to the second floor, this is where the gift shops will be. Neither was open on my 2014 visits.

There’s art of various forms, mostly large.

These may or may not be hidden Mickeys.

The first floor has the main entrance to Ravello on one side, and the gym and spa area on the other. On the way to the spa you’ll pass this late departure lounge.

The spa includes spinning, yoga, aromatherapy, and all kinds of other services I will never use, either singly or in combination–see the bottom of the activity schedule.

It also has windowed workout areas.

The pool side of the Four Seasons Orlando grounds has a number of lovely spaces…

…and is particularly nice at night.

And then there’s those fantastic pools…

THE POOLS AT THE FOUR SEASONS RESORT ORLANDO

This review continues here!

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