Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort

For our Thanksgiving visit, we stayed at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. Having grown up in the islands, I’m particularly drawn to tropical themes and love seeing how others interpret them. At Caribbean Beach Resort, I was taken with the pastel hues and lush landscaping. I don’t know that I was transported back to The Bahamas, but I was definitely somewhere in the Caribbean Sea.

The Resort

Caribbean Beach Resort is sprawling and is designed to capture the essence of 5 distinct islands: Barbados, Jamaica, Martinique, Trinidad and Aruba. We arrived in the late evening, so the lobby in Old Port Royale – the port of entry – was practically deserted. This made for a few great photos!

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Pirate-Themed Rooms

Originally we were planning to take this trip in December, and would have been in a preferred building, closer to dining, shops and transportation. When I rebooked for November, only the Pirate-themed Rooms in Trinidad were available.

Here, you can appreciate Disney’s attention to detail. The beds look like the masts of a ship, the dresser is a series of crates that look like they’re waited to be unloaded, and there’s hidden storage in a treasure chest. The kids were thrilled!

• 

• 

• 

• 

During our stay, Mousekeeping visited every other day to refresh towels, empty the trash and replenish coffee supplies. When we needed something additional, we simply phoned our request in and it was magically delivered to our room.

Getting Around

Caribbean Beach Resort is the hub of the Disney Skyliner system. This aerial gondola whisks guests away to Epcot and Hollywood Studios, and also connects the resort to Disney’s Riviera Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, and Disney’s Art of Animation Resort.

Even if you’re not staying at a Skyliner Resort, this is a fun “ride” to experience. On Day One we actually embarked at the wrong station (Disney’s Riviera Resort is just next door), so got to take an extra flight to Hollywood Studios. I’m sharing our oops so you can see what flying the Skyliner is like. 🙂

In addition to the Skyliner, you can also get around by bus. Each section of the resort has a dedicated bus stop.

Pro-Tip: On particularly crowded days, its worth the short walk to Old Port Royale, which is the first bus stop. As buses limit capacity, they may not be able to make subsequent stops at other stations. If you don’t want to walk, no worries, another bus will be by shortly.

The Pool

I always advise my clients to make time to enjoy their resort. And a pool day is a must! Designed to resemble a Spanish citadel, the pool at Caribbean Beach Resort is oodles of adventure! It features a zero-entry pool, two slides, and water cannons. What more could two swashbuckling pirates ask for?!

• 

• 

• 

• 

Pro-Tip: Mornings are less crowded than afternoons and evenings when poolside movies and activities are in full swing.

Dining Options

Though not all of the dining options at the resort have reopened, it was nice to have two to choose from. Centertown Market is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and is available via mobile order only. It was especially convenient to order our dinner before leaving the parks, and pick it up on the way back to the room. Banana Cabana is the poolside bar and is open for lunch and dinner.

I have clients booked at Caribbean Beach Resort next month and can’t wait for them to experience it for themselves!

I hope this series of posts provide a little magic in your day. And when you’re ready to visit the Happiest Place on Earth, I’ll be here.

Thanksgiving at Disney – COVID Precautions / Caribbean Beach Resort / Tiffins Restaurant / Hollywood Brown Derby