Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort

I took a trip to Disney at the end of February through the beginning of March this year. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, my favorite resort, Port Orleans Riverside, was temporarily closed. As an alternative, I chose to stay at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. The Caribbean Beach Resort is one of Disney’s moderate resorts. The resort also distinguishes itself by being Disney World’s first moderate resort, opening on October 1, 1988. Prices for rooms are between the lower-priced value resorts but not nearly as expensive as the deluxe resorts. 

There’s excellent tropical theming at the resort. It’s consistent with the vibe of a low-keyed Caribbean Island paradise. I’m not going to go into much detail about the amenities at the resort. There are so many other websites where you can go to read all about the conveniences of Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. My perspective is to look at the resort regarding mobility access and how it related to me.

A Review Of Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort For Guests With Disability Issues

Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort occupies 200 acres. In the middle of the resort is a 45-acre lake called Barefoot Bay. If I didn’t have access to the mobility scooter, it would have been impossible to tour the resort on foot. Nevertheless, it was easy to navigate the entire resort with the mobility scooter at outdoor and indoor locations. Of course, I’m talking about all the common areas like the lobby, restaurant, food court, gift shops, arcade, and other indoor places. Most importantly, the walkways were wide and well-lit at night for excellent visibility.

Most of the 1,536 guest rooms are approximately 314 square feet. However, you should be aware that the resort guest rooms are in two-story buildings with no elevator service. If you can’t manage stairs, make sure you request a first-floor room when making your reservation. It follows that if you are using a mobility scooter or wheelchair, a second-floor room would not be a good choice.

Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort Is Along The Skyliner Route

The Caribbean Beach Resort is along the Skyliner route. The Skyliner is a state-of-the-art gondola system that conveniently connects Disney’s Hollywood Studios and the International Gateway at Epcot to the following resort hotels. They include Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, and Disney’s Riviera Resort.

Here is a link to information regarding using the Skyliner system at the Resorts, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios. The gondolas have stations located at the International Gateway entrance of Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Pop Century, Art of Animation, and Disney’s Riviera Resorts. The HUB is located at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. The HUB is important because all of the transfers to different locations happen there. I wrote a post last year describing how to use the Skyliner. Click on this link, “Disney Skyliner Disability Access,” which you may find helpful.

The European-Inspired Riviera Resort Is Easily Accessible From Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort

Disney’s new European-inspired Riviera Resort is accessible from the Caribbean Beach via a large pathway. It’s a scenic walk or, in my case, a mobility scooter ride by the water’s edge. I visited there several times for breakfast at Primo Piatto, a quick-service eatery where the atmosphere was more serene and relaxing. Quick-service locations usually have similar food choices, but Primo Piatto prepares their food better and is much more appetizing.

The Caribbean Beach Resort Did Not Meet My Expectations

The Caribbean Beach Resort is well recommended by many. Quite honestly, it did not meet my expectations. I felt that I never got a chance to relax fully. It just appeared to be super busy all the time. Now, this is just my personal opinion, but I don’t think I’d want to stay there again with so many other choices available. I’m looking forward to Port Orleans Riverside reopening.

The pandemic has caused quite a few issues with our world and the way we operate in it. I understand that. As a means to operate within budgetary constraints, Disney has been forced to cut back on maintenance. Sure, the grounds are well maintained, and Disney’s Caribbean Beach is esthetically appealing. However, it’s been said many times that outward appearances are deceiving.

Maintenance Issues That Needed Correction

Let me explain what I experienced the first time I entered the room after check-in at the Caribbean Beach. First, naturally, you go around to check on cleanliness. Then you look to ensure all the expected amenities are present in the room, like the TV remote, ironing board, etc. Next, I went into the bathroom, and everything was fine, except the commode was crooked. Again, no big deal, but my left leg would be cramped against the wall and beneath the safety assist handrail if I sat down. It was to the point that the toilet paper dispenser would push against my knee.

I placed a call to the maintenance department, and a person came right over to inspect it. He agreed the toilet was crooked and not seated or bolted on the floor flange correctly. He asked when he could have someone come back to correct it. We arranged a time when the room would be empty. By the time I got back to the room later in the day, maintenance had fixed the problem.

The Shower Drain Was Clogged And Water Was Pooling At My Feet

The following morning when taking a shower, I noticed water pooling at my feet. There stood about 3″ inches of water struggling to go down the drain. Had I left the shower running a bit longer, water would have spilled over onto the main bathroom floor. I had to keep shutting the water on and off in intervals before completing my shower. Quite obviously, there was a significantly clogged drain.

I placed another call to maintenance and explained the problem. The dispatcher scheduled the work in order to correct it. Accordingly, they came when the room was empty to work on it. When I got back, there were footprints on the shower floor, so I knew they were there. Problem solved? Hell no! The same thing happened for three consecutive mornings. I made calls to the maintenance department three days in a row with the same complaint.

Needless to say, I was not a happy camper! On the morning of the third day, I went to the main desk and spoke to Cast Member Rita (a 35+ year employee.) She was the manager on duty at that time. After explaining the entire story to her, she assured me that maintenance would fix the shower drain. She promptly applied a room credit of $100.00 to my account for my inconvenience. In brief, they finally fixed the problem after three attempts at doing so.

I was offered the opportunity to change rooms. I felt no need to do so. It was a simple fix that should have been completed on the first attempt. Besides, I was firmly entrenched in the room. I wanted to avoid the hassle of moving all my things to another.

In Defense Of Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort Maintenance Department

In defense of the Caribbean Beach Resort Maintenance Department, they are probably operating with a reduced crew. Furthermore, I discovered the maintenance department for the Caribbean Beach Resort is also jointly shared with Pop Century. I don’t know if this has always been the case. The consolidation may to due to revenue losses associated with the pandemic. However, this is a moderate Disney resort. You’re paying a substantial price to stay there. Furthermore, the Caribbean Beach Resort isn’t the Shady Tree Lakeside Motel in Podunkville, USA. I had greater expectations for this resort.

Housekeeping should bear some of the responsibility too. The housekeeper should have noted the crooked toilet while cleaning and communicated this with someone. Maintenance should fix things before a guest takes occupancy of the room. I shared my views with Rita, and she agreed with my assessment. She told me that she’d discuss this with the respective department heads.

Some Of The Good Things About The Location Of My Caribbean Beach Room

Room maintenance issues aside, I’ll share some good things that I liked. The room was quiet and far enough away from the main hustle and bustle of the resort. It was also close to the parking lot and my car. As a result, I didn’t have to bring all my things into the room with me. Extra sneakers, clothes, and other personal items remained locked in the car until I needed them. Incidentally, the parking lot was on the way to the bus stop and Skyliner station. I liked having that type of access and convenience.

Room 4301 in the Jamaica Village was our assigned room. It’s a room that has a wheelchair-accessible, roll-in shower. The shower area also had a built-in shower seat and hand-held shower head in addition to a large rain shower head. The bathroom entrance was wide and easily accessible. There was plenty of room to maneuver. The commode and shower areas had well-placed safety assist handrails. What’s more, the bathroom door was a sliding pocket door. This feature allowed the bathroom to be more space-efficient.

Photos Showing Wide Entrance To The Large Bathroom Area With Enough Space For Easy Maneuvering

Two Mobility Scooters Fit Into The Room Easily And With Plenty Of Room To Spare At Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort

Two mobility scooters were able to fit into the room with plenty of room to spare. The room had electrical outlets conveniently spaced for charging the ECV’s overnight. It was easy to access the dresser area, including the drawers and mini-refrigerator, even with the ECV’s in place.

In conclusion, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort was adequate but would not be my first choice on future trips. I’m sure the maintenance issues have negatively influenced my overall opinion of the resort. Access to the buses and the Skyliner from our room in the Jamaica Village was excellent. The Skyliner lines were long at certain times but not overwhelming. However, there are advantages to staying at one of the resorts along the Skyliner route. You gain easy access to other Skyliner resorts and eateries, including Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s BoardWalk.

Check out one of my earlier blog posts about Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort. I included some tips regarding mobility scooters. I think you will find these tips helpful at any resort room. On my next trip in September, I’ll be staying at Disney’s Pop Century Resort. They have smaller rooms, but we’ll see if two mobility scooters will fit in the room. It’s a stretch, but we’ll see how it goes. Shortly after that, I’ll report on my stay at the resort and other mobility scooter adventures I encounter on my trip. 

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