Caribbean Beach internal bus questions

[Ladybat]

We are booked at the CB in June. We have Pirate rooms which are in the Trinidad buildings which are the furthest away from OPR where check in is located. (15 minute walk I've read) We are flying in from Cali and won't arrive till 10:30 PM and probably by the time we collect our luggage ourselves (magical express luggage pick up is closed after 10PM) get on the ME bus and get to the CB resort its going to be around midnight I'm sure.

Even though I've already completed early check in I'm not sure that will help me with my transportation situation.

I understand there is an internal bus system that runs from OPR check in to each of the CB resort villages. But I've read they don't let you take your luggage on the internal buses and we will be having our's with us. Magical Express buses do allow you to carry on your own luggage on those but the internal buses at CB do not allow it.

We will have to unload at OPR check in from the ME bus. Then take an internal bus to our room at the Trinidad building that would be a 15 minute walk with our luggage and after midnight which I am going to be way to tired to do being as we are going to have to get up very early the next morning in time for rope drop at the parks.

I was told by a CM on the phone that CB has bell hop services but now I'm reading they do not.

Here are my questions I'm hoping someone out there might be able to answer...

1 How late do the internal buses (the ones that take you only to the different CB villages buildings) run at the CB resort? Do they run 24 hours?

2- If we take one of these buses after midnight and they don't allow us to carry on our luggage who will carry it and how long will it take for it to get to our room after we take the bus that late at night?

3-If the CB does have Bell Hop services does this mean a bell hop person will just walk the 15 minute walk from OPR to Trinidad with us?

Its these tiny little details of this vacation that keep me awake at night.

I would greatly appreciate any one's help with this issue.

 

[mouse_luv]

Why don't you just arrange to get a rental car at the airport and keep it overnight? Return it to either the Car Care Center or Dolphin resort the next day? Then you can take your luggage with you to your room and park not to far from it and not have to worry about all this trouble with the buses?

 

[Ladybat]

Why don't you just arrange to get a rental car at the airport and keep it overnight? Return it to either the Car Care Center or Dolphin resort the next day? Then you can take your luggage with you to your room and park not to far from it and not have to worry about all this trouble with the buses?

Because we are meeting my other daughter there. She lives in Florida and is driving to WDW. We will be using her car to drive from the CB to the parks. I don't wish to pay a parking fee for two cars,($19.00 each car for 8 nights) her's and a rental for us when Magical Express is free. But on our arrival night we won't get there till mid night or after. My daughter, who will already be there, has two small boys who, most likely, will be in bed asleep at that time so it would be a hardship for her to drive from the Trinidad building to the check in desk at OPR to pick us up. I did not want her to have to do that.

But all is well any way as I went ahead and called guest services and asked them specifically how The Caribbean Beach resort will help us get from the Magical Express drop off to our Trinidad room that is at least a 15 minute walk that I don't want to take after midnight carrying our luggage.

They said not to worry about that at all because they have vans with bell hops to take us and our luggage to our room that first night at no extra charge (other than the tip I plan on giving the driver) because the internal Caribbean Beach buses won't be running at that time.

So in case any one out there ever encounters this same situation this will be good for them to know.

But you are right about car rentals. If my other daughter was not meeting us there supplying her own car to carry us around I would get a rental rather than deal with the buses because a car is a much faster way of getting around WDW and from the Orlando Air Port.

 

[mouse_luv]

Because we are meeting my other daughter there. She lives in Florida and is driving to WDW. We will be using her car to drive from the CB to the parks. I don't wish to pay a parking fee for two cars,($19.00 each car for 8 nights) her's and a rental for us when Magical Express is free. But on our arrival night we won't get there till mid night or after. My daughter, who will already be there, has two small boys who, most likely, will be in bed asleep at that time so it would be a hardship for her to drive from the Trinidad building to the check in desk at OPR to pick us up. I did not want her to have to do that.

But all is well any way as I went ahead and called guest services and asked them specifically how The Caribbean Beach resort will help us get from the Magical Express drop off to our Trinidad room that is at least a 15 minute walk that I don't want to take after midnight carrying our luggage.

They said not to worry about that at all because they have vans with bell hops to take us and our luggage to our room that first night at no extra charge (other than the tip I plan on giving the driver) because the internal Caribbean Beach buses won't be running at that time.

So in case any one out there ever encounters this same situation this will be good for them to know.

But you are right about car rentals. If my other daughter was not meeting us there supplying her own car to carry us around I would get a rental rather than deal with the buses because a car is a much faster way of getting around WDW and from the Orlando Air Port.

I wasn't telling you to park them overnight at your resort or even drive the rental to the parks if you didn't have to. It was going to be a one way transfer of the car from the airport to the hotel to drop your things then to drop it off at disney at the rental place. We did this a week ago so I know. But if you want to do it the other way, by all means.

I wish you luck and have tons of fun!

 

[Disneysea05]

Bell Services has little carts that can take you and your luggage to your room. They drive you there.

 

[Ladybat]

I wasn't telling you to park them overnight at your resort or even drive the rental to the parks if you didn't have to. It was going to be a one way transfer of the car from the airport to the hotel to drop your things then to drop it off at disney at the rental place. We did this a week ago so I know. But if you want to do it the other way, by all means.

I wish you luck and have tons of fun!

Oh I see. Well that is another good option for folks like us arriving late at night. Thanks for the tip and fun wishes.

 

[Ladybat]

Bell Services has little carts that can take you and your luggage to your room. They drive you there.

I had thought that too then I read on line where they don't have that so I got a little worried about it. But I finally went ahead and just called them to ask. The CM I talked to did not mention carts but said they have vans that take late arrival guests to their rooms. Either way, vans or carts, as long as we don't have to lug our luggage all the way to the Trinidad buildings. I read that is a 15 minute walk. To late for after midnight with luggage in tow.

 

[Rumrunner]

Because we are meeting my other daughter there. She lives in Florida and is driving to WDW. We will be using her car to drive from the CB to the parks. I don't wish to pay a parking fee for two cars,($19.00 each car for 8 nights) her's and a rental for us when Magical Express is free. But on our arrival night we won't get there till mid night or after. My daughter, who will already be there, has two small boys who, most likely, will be in bed asleep at that time so it would be a hardship for her to drive from the Trinidad building to the check in desk at OPR to pick us up. I did not want her to have to do that.

But all is well any way as I went ahead and called guest services and asked them specifically how The Caribbean Beach resort will help us get from the Magical Express drop off to our Trinidad room that is at least a 15 minute walk that I don't want to take after midnight carrying our luggage.

They said not to worry about that at all because they have vans with bell hops to take us and our luggage to our room that first night at no extra charge (other than the tip I plan on giving the driver) because the internal Caribbean Beach buses won't be running at that time.

So in case any one out there ever encounters this same situation this will be good for them to know.

But you are right about car rentals. If my other daughter was not meeting us there supplying her own car to carry us around I would get a rental rather than deal with the buses because a car is a much faster way of getting around WDW and from the Orlando Air Port.

As a possibility could you daughter leave her car at the check in parking lot and a key at the reception desk. When you arrive could get the key and drive her car to your room. Not sure that would work it would at least be an option to consider.

 

[Disneysea05]

All I can tell you is what they did for me, at Caribbean Beach and at Coronado Springs they drove us and luggage to our rooms when we arrived late at night.

 

[Ladybat]

As a possibility could you daughter leave her car at the check in parking lot and a key at the reception desk. When you arrive could get the key and drive her car to your room. Not sure that would work it would at least be an option to consider.

That is a good idea that I never even thought of. Thanks!

 

[Ladybat]

All I can tell you is what they did for me, at Caribbean Beach and at Coronado Springs they drove us and luggage to our rooms when we arrived late at night.

I am very glad to hear this. Puts my mind at ease. I remember many years ago, back in 1993, we stayed in what was then referred to as Dixie Landings and it was a far walk from the desk to our room and even though we had our car they still brought our luggage to our room on a golf cart that my husband rode on with the driver. And it was not at night time or late at all.

I guess it was stupid to worry about it. No way Disney would just leave us stranded with our luggage late at night to make a 15 minute walk to our room. But still, after reading that source on line that said that, I got a little worried about it and thought I better find out now what to do about it.

 

[LeighM]

I saw them drive guests and their luggage to their room during my visit last week. Just keep in mind that the buildings at Caribbean Beach don't have elevators so if you don't want to take luggage up/down a flight of stairs, or walk them after the parks, call and request a ground floor room.

 

[Ladybat]

I saw them drive guests and their luggage to their room during my visit last week. Just keep in mind that the buildings at Caribbean Beach don't have elevators so if you don't want to take luggage up/down a flight of stairs, or walk them after the parks, call and request a ground floor room.

Thanks Leigh. Yes I requested ground floor rooms which are not guaranteed but they said they will try to get them for us. I was not as concerned about that as that long walk late at night with luggage in tow. That is the only time on this trip that we will need any real help with the commune to the check in-out desk. When we leave we will have my daughter's car (nice roomy SUV) to drive us to Old Port Royal.

What I wanted most was rooms that are connecting. There are not many of those in the Trinidad buildings but there are a few. I asked to make that a top priority. Would love connecting rooms to be on the first floor but if not then connecting rooms on the second floor would be okay. No guarantee for either but they said they would do their best.

So you stayed at the CB last week? Did you enjoy your time there?

 

[LeighM]

I was there for 2 nights and then was at Coronado Springs for 4 nights. I really enjoyed CBR. The food at Sebastians was really good and the (alcohol free) Tropical Paradise drink at Banana Cabanas is addictive. I have pictures and thoughts of the resort in the trip report I'm currently working on. The rooms do need to be updated especially after experiencing the renovated rooms at Coronado Springs last year. You can see the fireworks from Hollywood Studios and Epcot from the resort if you stay watch from the pool area. I would stay at CBR again but it wouldn't be in my Top 3 favorite moderates.

 

[Ladybat]

I was there for 2 nights and then was at Coronado Springs for 4 nights. I really enjoyed CBR. The food at Sebastians was really good and the (alcohol free) Tropical Paradise drink at Banana Cabanas is addictive. I have pictures and thoughts of the resort in the trip report I'm currently working on. The rooms do need to be updated especially after experiencing the renovated rooms at Coronado Springs last year. You can see the fireworks from Hollywood Studios and Epcot from the resort if you stay watch from the pool area. I would stay at CBR again but it wouldn't be in my Top 3 favorite moderates.

I will be interested in reading your Trip Report about it. I was under the impression that the pirate rooms had been recently renovated again. I'm sure you probably stayed in one of the tropical themed rooms closer to OPR. I see in pictures on line those have nice larger sized beds than the pirate themed rooms but do look a bit dated. I chose the pirate themed rooms for my 3 grand sons because they and me their Grammy are swash bucklers. The downside to those rooms is they are the furthest away from the main hub and the beds are smaller since they are pirate ship themed beds. The boys get so excited when they see pictures of the pirate rooms. So I was willing to put up with the downsides so we could all be swash buckling pirates.

Do you like the new OPR make over? It looks so beautiful in the pictures but very different from the old lay out. I plan on trying one of those Tropical Paradise drinks you spoke of. I think they should have put a dole whip stand somewhere on the CB property. It would have fit right in with the theme and those are so popular. Where ever they are sold at WDW there are always lines waiting for them. I've never had one. This trip I'm not leaving till I've tried one of those.

 

[LeighM]

I will be interested in reading your Trip Report about it. I was under the impression that the pirate rooms had been recently renovated again. I'm sure you probably stayed in one of the tropical themed rooms closer to OPR. I see in pictures on line those have nice larger sized beds than the pirate themed rooms but do look a bit dated. I chose the pirate themed rooms for my 3 grand sons because they and me their Grammy are swash bucklers. The downside to those rooms is they are the furthest away from the main hub and the beds are smaller since they are pirate ship themed beds. The boys get so excited when they see pictures of the pirate rooms. So I was willing to put up with the downsides so we could all be swash buckling pirates.

Do you like the new OPR make over? It looks so beautiful in the pictures but very different from the old lay out. I plan on trying one of those Tropical Paradise drinks you spoke of. I think they should have put a dole whip stand somewhere on the CB property. It would have fit right in with the theme and those are so popular. Where ever they are sold at WDW there are always lines waiting for them. I've never had one. This trip I'm not leaving till I've tried one of those.

Your grandsons will love the pirate themed pool It looked like a lot of fun and the slide looked nice. I do regret not being able to try the pool though. The beds in the pirate rooms are still full beds but the rest of the resort has 2 queen beds. I think OPR is great! And the smell in the building is fantastic. There's a non alcoholic drink at Banana Cabana that I'm still drooling over - Tropical Paradise I think it's called. The rooms at CBR received a soft good refurbishment but once you see the pictures of the new rooms at Coronado Springs resort that I'm going to be posting today, I think you'll see the difference in rooms. The resort is so colorful and happy. I agree that the atmosphere at CBR is better but the rooms at CSR can't be beat for a moderate hotel right now.

 

[PeterGriffin]

All I can tell you is what they did for me, at Caribbean Beach and at Coronado Springs they drove us and luggage to our rooms when we arrived late at night.

I have used this too. It was a long golf cart.