Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort

Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is a moderate priced resort located within the Walt Disney World Resort. With the Caribbean theming and the tropical Florida weather, its the perfect resort to make you feel like you are on an island in the Caribbean.

The Caribbean theming of the resort is evident in the colorful buildings and the buildings are in villages within the resort with each village named after a Caribbean island: Aruba, Jamaica, Martinique, Barbados and Trinidad. Of course, the tropical climate of Florida with its natural palm trees adds to the Caribbean feel of the resort.

I will be the first to admit that in the past the Caribbean Beach Resort was not one of my favorites at Walt Disney World. The resort is very large and depending on which village your room is in it could be quite the lengthy walk to the main building where reception, food options, gift shop and the main pool are located. There are also quite a lot of bus stops throughout the resort making the bus rides to and from the theme parks quite long. before you even leave the resort. This made the resort not as popular with guests as some of the other Walt Disney World resorts.

Disney’s Skyliner

All of this changed with the introduction of Walt Disney World’s newest transportation option. The Disney Skyliner transports guests between select Walt Disney World resorts and Epcot and Hollywood Studios. Not only is Caribbean Beach Resort one of these select resorts, but it is also the Disney Skyliner hub. This means it’s a direct flight on the skyliner from Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort to Epcot as well as a direct flight to Hollywood Studios. The other select resorts (Pop Century, Art of Animation, Riviera Resort and the Epcot resort area which includes Boardwalk, Yacht and Beach Club and Swan and Dolphin Hotels) require a change between skyliner lines at the Caribbean Beach Resort Skyliner station.

The first time that I stayed at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort after the skyliner opened, I was lucky enough to get a room in one of the buildings right across the street from the skyliner in the Jamaica village of the resort. I timed how long it took me to take the skyliner to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. From walking out of the door of my hotel room to getting to the entrance of the theme park, it took 7 minutes. I could not believe how quick it was and it was very lucky it was that quick that morning as it was the first weekend that Star Wars Rise of the Resistance was open, so it got me in the park with plenty of time to spare before the virtual queue opened. How incredibly convenient is the Disney Skyliner transportation, definitely a huge plus for Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort!

Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort Rooms

The Disney Skyliner is not the only advantage of staying at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. The resort is also one of the few on property that offers a 5th sleeper option and for families that have three children, this is such a great option so you do not need to pay for two rooms. The resort offers the following room options:

• 5th Sleeper room Standard View
• 5th Sleeper room Water or Pool View
• King Bed Room
• 2 Queen Beds with Standard View
• 2 Queen Beds with Water or Pool View
• Preferred Rooms with 2 Queen Beds located closest to the main building

Up until late 2022, they also offered Pirate themed rooms which I honestly loved, I mean who doesn’t love a pirate theme? It’s a shame that these rooms are no longer available as they were pretty cool and I’m sure little kids that like pirates would really love them.

While these rooms, located in the Trinidad village were a bit removed from the rest of the resort, they were fairly close to the skyliner which made them convenient. The rooms at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort definitely needed an upgrade though, so these rooms which are 5th Sleeper rooms were remodeled with an Under The Sea theme. These much more modern rooms opened in 2023 just in time for the release of the live action Little Mermaid movie. They are not a separate room category, so if you are wanting to stayin in one of these rooms, it’s best to book a 5th Sleeper room and put in a request for the Trinidad section of the resort.

Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort Dining Options

From sit down to quick service to a tropical bar, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort has all your dining needs covered.

• Centertown Market – Quick Service restaurant open for breakfast, lunch and dinner featuring typical American fare such as burgers and some Caribbean dishes such as a Caribbean Omelet for breakfast and Fried Yucca Bowls and Arroz Mamposteao for lunch and dinner.
• Centertown Market Grab & Go – For an even quicker bite, head to the Grab & Go location in the Centertown market featuring snacks, bakery items, coffee and other assorted beverages.
• Spyglass Grill – This second quick service location offers American and Caribbean dishes and is located in the Trinidad section of the resort. It’s a great option for guests staying in this section since it is a bit removed from the rest of the resort.
• Sebastian’s Bistro – This sit-down restaurant features family style Caribbean food and after having dinner there for the first time this year, I can honestly say it’s a true hidden gem! And at only $35 per adult, this family style meal is quite the great deal for a restaurant at Disney World. Your meal starts with rolls and guava butter and the most delicious salad with key lime dressing. Next up you have a choice of either Caribbean meats or plant based entrees that are served with cilantro rice and beans and vegetables. And to top it off, dessert is coconut-pineapple bread pudding served with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream. Is your mouth watering yet?

• Banana Cabana – Located just outside of Sebastian’s Bistro across from the resort pool is the tropical lounge, Banana Cabana. Featuring tropical beverages like Mai Tai’s, Margaritas and Mojitos as well as a variety of frozen beverages, it’s the perfect place to cool off at the end of the day. They also offer appetizers, salads, sandwiches and burgers.

Activities at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort

Similar to other Walt Disney World Resorts, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort offers many activities to keep you busy, making it a great spot to enjoy a resort day if you are needing a rest from the theme parks.

• Pools – There are six pools located throughout Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. Within each of the 5 villages there are leisure pools for a more relaxed and quiet atmosphere located closer to your hotel room. The highlight of the pools at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is the Fuentes del Morro Pool. This pool is themed after a Spanish fort from the Caribbean and features 2 water slides (one of which is 102 feet long!) and a shipwreck play area for the littlest children. For the adults, there is also a hot tub and the Banana Cabana bar is located just outside of the pool area if you would like to enjoy an adult beverage by the pool. They also offer scheduled activities such as pool games and trivia at the pool that are fun for the whole family.

• Beaches – Being that the resort has a Caribbean theme, there are beaches scattered throughout the resort. While you are not able to swim in the water, they are a great spot to relax on a lounge chair or hammock or play in the sand. At the beach in the Martinique village there is even a sand volleyball court and nightly campfires activities.

• Caribbean Cay – Located in the middle of the resort is a small island oasis, Caribbean Cay. Here you can relax on a hammock or even go fishing. It’s also a very relaxing little island to walk through and get away for the business of the rest of the resort. Nightly on Caribbean Cay they also have movies under the stars.

• Jogging Path – Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is located around Barefoot Bay with Disney’s Riviera Resort along the other end of the water. This makes for a great jogging path if you need to get a short run in while vacationing at Walt Disney World.

I have always loved all things tropical and when I was younger Florida seemed to be the closest I could get to the Caribbean. I always dreamed of staying at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. If you are looking for the perfect moderate level resort with some Caribbean vibes the convenience of the skyliner transportation, definitely look into staying at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort.

If you would like to compare Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort to other moderate resorts located at Walt Disney World, check out my post on Disney’s Port Orleans Resort.

As always if you need help planning the perfect Walt Disney World vacation, Beyond The Miles Travel would love to help!

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