This was our first time staying at a moderate Disney resort, having enjoyed staying at a budget “All-Star” resort last year.
Please note that this review is based upon having stayed in the Aruba Village part of the resort. I understand that other sections have been refurbished recently, so if you’re lucky enough to be allocated to one of those sections, you might enjoy an enhanced experience with the accommodation.
It is firstly worth mentioning that our room was very similar to the room we stayed in at All—Star last year. Two very comfortable king size beds, small bathroom with shower and a sink/washing area separated from the main room by sliding doors. The rooms are thoroughly serviced every other day and have the usual amenities such as a small coffee machine, beverage cooler (not a full size fridge) and room safe.
Just a minor negative point regarding the safe: it’s fixed to the wall and whilst it’s big enough to accommodate small personal possessions such as jewellery, passports, phones, tablets, etc, you’ll struggle to fit in larger items such as laptops or larger bits and pieces of merch.
So what is the advantage of booking this resort versus one of the cheaper all-star resorts, if there is little to choose from in terms of the rooms? Put simply, it’s the facilities that this resort boasts.
The main hub at Old Port Royale has a spacious lounge, where it’s nice to just relax away from the sun. The quick service restaurant offers a wider range of both American and Caribbean themed food which caters to a wider variety of tastes. The eating space has a much more chilled, less crowded and more relaxing vibe compared to that at a budget resort.
The main pool is themed to look like an old Spanish fort, complete with water slides, and cannons squirting water. Many bloggers comment that it is one of the best themed pools at any Disney resort and I agree. Each village has its own quiet pool if you want to be away from the hustle and bustle.
The resort boasts a themed bar with various alcoholic and non-alcoholic offerings. I don’t drink, but found the mocktails delicious.
Also present is Sebastian’s Grill, a table service restaurant which is highly recommended. Though because it’s an all you can eat, don’t make the same mistake as us and go on day 2 when we were still jet lagged and not hungry!
Also worth mentioning is that Caribbean Beach is on the same site as the Riviera Hotel, which is a deluxe resort. It is quite convenient to wander over to the Riviera to enjoy the cafe, bars, lounge and restaurants of a deluxe resort, we did this on several days and it was great. Caribbean Beach also shares a sky liner station with the Riviera Hotel, offering easy access to Epcot and Hollywood Studios.
One negative which didn’t really affect us, but is worth bearing in mind when booking for certain people: Caribbean Beach is a BIG resort. Depending upon where you’re placed, you may have to walk long distances to get to the main hub or to access transportation to the parks. Therefore, if there’s someone in your party with mobility issues (or just doesn’t like walking!) this may not be the resort for you unless you consider booking a preferred room, which is closer to the action. As I said this doesn’t affect my review, since we were situated close to the skyline station and the riviera and enjoy walking.
Overall it was a magical Disney stay. Great experience, nice resort, great staff and I would definitely stay here again.
