Best Rooms at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort
How to request the best possible oom at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
Wondering which rooms are near the Disney Skyliner station at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort? Want to know the difference between a Standard View and a Preferred Room? Or, which rooms are closer to the pool and restaurants? In this guide, I’ll share maps of Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and help you find the best room at this Walt Disney World Resort hotel.
Disney’s Caribbean Beach is a moderate category hotel, close to Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
An overhead gondola system called Disney Skyliner provides transportation to both said theme parks and it’s a terrific perk. Not only is it efficient, but it’s also fun!
One of the reasons Caribbean Beach is so convenient is that it’s home to the central hub of Disney’s Skyliner System.
Skyliner routes originate at Caribbean Beach, which means you won’t have to transfer to a different line if you’re traveling to Epcot or Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
25 individual, 2-story buildings, make up Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort.
They are built around a lake known as Barefoot Bay. For this reason, buildings are very spread out here.
There are no elevators at Caribbean Beach Resort, so if stairs are an issue, you should make a request for a ground-floor room above all else.
The resort provides internal shuttles and vans that will take you and your luggage to your room.
Rooms at Caribbean Beach are accessed via exterior corridors.
Rooms at the end of most corridors have an additional side window that allows for more natural light, these are known as, “corner rooms.”
Heat and air conditioning come from a built-in unit under the window. The only moderate hotel to offer central air conditioning is Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort.
Rooms can accommodate up to 4-5 people. Rooms that can sleep 5 are known as 5th sleeper rooms. They come with a child-size fold-down bed that is ideal for a child up to age 9.
The main pool complex known as Fuentes del Morro is located next to Old Port Royale, the lobby and dining district of the resort.
How Disney’s Caribbean Beach is different from other Disney Moderate Resorts
Closest Moderate Category hotel to Epcot and Hollywood Studios
Home to the Skyliner hub
Some rooms can sleep 5 guests with a child-size fold-down bed
It’s the first Moderate resort ever built at Walt Disney World
There are 5 villages with the resort named after Caribbean islands:
Aruba
The majority of the rooms in Aruba are either Standard View or Water View. They sit across the lake from Old Port Royale. Some rooms and buildings are actually closer to Disney’s Riviera Resort.
Barbados
Barbados is a Preferred section because it’s close to Old Port Royale, and the walk to the Skyliner station is an acceptable distance for most. In this section, you’ll find rooms in the Preferred and Water View categories. It’s as close to being the in middle of Old Port Royale and Skyliner as possible.
Jamaica
You’ll find Standard View and Water View rooms in Jamaica. Like Aruba, this section is across the water from Old Port Royale. This should be your requested section if you prefer to be closer to the Skyliner hub.
Martinique
Martinique is primarily a Preferred section with some Water View rooms as well. It’s the closest section to Old Port Royale, but also the furthest away from the Skyliner hub.
Trinidad
Trinidad is all by itself at Caribbean Beach. While it’s in a remote location, some rooms are actually a short walk from the Skyliner hub. But Trinidad is quite far from Old Port Royale.
You cannot specifically book a room in one of these villages, but I can enter a request with your reservation.
Pool in Jamaica at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. The main pool is located at Old Port Royale.
Each village has a smaller pool nearby for convenience. They each have their own bus depot as well so it’s not necessary to walk to Old Port Royale.
When making a room request at Caribbean Beach, you have to play the game Would You Rather. The 2 most utilized features of this hotel are Old Port Royale and the Skyliner station but they are nowhere near each other.
So, would you rather be closer to the dining, lobby, and feature pool in Old Port Royale, or would you rather be closer to Skyliner?
Let’s take a look at the different room categories offered here so you make some great room requests at Caribbean Beach.
Room Categories at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
Standard View - views of parking areas or landscaping. 2 queen beds.
Standard View 5th Sleeper - views of parking areas or landscaping. 2 queen beds + 1 child-size pull-down bed.
Water or Pool View - views of the lake or a pool. 2 queen beds
Water or Pool View 5th Sleeper- views of the lake or pool. 2 queen beds + 1 child-size pull-down bed.
Preferred Rooms - close to Old Port Royale. Views of lake, pool, landscaping, or parking area. 2 queen beds or 2 queen beds + 1 child-size pull-down bed.
Best rooms at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
Where are the Standard View Rooms at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort?
Remember you’ll need to decide if you want to be closer to Skyliner or closer to Old Port Royale but in either case, I recommend you narrow Standard View down to the Aruba and Jamaica villages. Trinidad is just too remote.
Caribbean Beach Rooms Close to Skyliner
If you wish to be closer to Skyliner, book a Standard View room and request Jamaica, specifically buildings 41, 42, and 43.
This photo was taken at Building 41 in Jamaica at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort.
And if you want to be closer to the lobby, feature pool and dining options, request a Standard View room in Aruba, specifically Buildings 51 and 52.
Jamaica and Aruba are across from Old Port Royale but there’s a bridge that will make the walk shoter.
Even more rooms close to Skyliner (sort of)
Caribbean Beach Rooms close to Disney’s Riviera Resort
Buildings 54, 55, and 56 in Aruba are closer to the Skyliner station at Disney’s Riviera Resort.
These are especially convenient if you plan to be most of your time at Epcot. These rooms are quite far from Old Port Royale, however, figure about a 10-minute walk. An internal resort shuttle is an option.
If you stay in 54, 55, or 56, you can use Riviera for dining too. No, you can’t use Riviera’s pool, unfortunately, but you’re welcome to use Riviera’s transportation and restaurants.
From the Riviera Skyliner station, you’ll be able to go express to Epcot quite easily, but to visit Hollywood Studios, you’ll need to take the Skyliner to the Caribbean Beach station and transfer to the Studios line. It’s not a major inconvenience but it’s an extra step.
Caribbean Beach is the central hub for Skyliner.
Building 55 in the Aruba village of Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is closer to the Skyliner station at Disney’s Riviera Resort.
Where are the Water / Pool View Rooms at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort?
Water view rooms mean just that - either the lake or a pool. Not the feature pool, but one of the village pools.
Water View rooms are located in the same building as Standard View rooms in most cases, they are just located on the other side of the building - the side that faces water.
If you prefer to be closer to the lobby and restaurants, Building 51 in Aruba and Building 45 in Jamaica are the closest.
And if you want a short walk to the Skyliner, I recommend Buildings 42 and 43 in Jamaica and Building 34 in Trinidad.
Where are the Preferred Rooms at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort?
Preferred Rooms are located in the villages of Martinique and Barbados only. These are the closest villages to Old Port Royale where you’ll find dining and the feature pool.
Views from Preferred Rooms can be of courtyards, gardens, parking areas, lake, or pool. Disney does not specifically mention the room view in the Preferred category because the main advantage of these rooms is that they are close to Old Port Royale.
Martinique and Barbados also have their own bus depots plus there’s another one at Old Port Royale. This is convenient if you want to have breakfast and then head off the bus for the theme parks or even catch the internal shuttle to Skyliner.
The Disney Skyliner station is a 10-minute walk from these villages. Building 32 is my recommendation if you want to be closer to Disney Skyliner and Old Port Royale.
If you prefer to be closer to the feature pool and dining, I recommend Buildings 25 and 26 in Martinique and Building 31 in Barbados.
▸ See my video tour of Disney Skyliner here to see how it works.
Room Requests at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
I help my clients with room requests all the time so feel free to contact me for your next Disney World vacation. Together we can come up with the perfect room request.
Room requests have a better chance of being honored if you make them within the category you booked.
For example, if you booked a Standard View room and make a request to be near Old Port Royale, your request would have very little chance of being honored.
Preferred Rooms are located close to Old Port Royale and they cost more.
But if you request to be near Skyliner, that could easily be honored because that’s where most of the Standard View rooms are located.
Keep in mind that room requests cannot be guaranteed but Disney tries hard to honor them.
▸ See Average rooms rates for Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
Map of Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
Floor plan of a standard room at Caribbean Beach Resort
My Recommended Rooms at Caribbean Beach
Here’s my shortlist of recommended rooms at Caribbean Beach Resort. Keep in mind that similar rooms may exist on the upper or lower floors of the building as well.
Standard View - Jamaica 4101
Building 41, Jamaica 1st floor, corner room
Very close to Skyliner station
Standard View - Aruba 5645
Building 56, Aruba, 2nd floor, corner room, 5th sleeper
Very close to Riviera Skyliner station
Away from Skyliner noise
Standard View - Aruba 5125
Building 51, Aruba, 1st floor, corner room 5th sleeper
Very close to the bridge to Old Port Royale
Water View - Jamaica 4217
Building 42, Jamaica 1st floor, corner room
Views of lake and Old Port Royale
Close to Skyliner station
Water View - Trinidad 3440
Building 34, Trinidad, 2nd floor, corner room
Close to Skyliner station
Close to the walkway to Old Port Royale
Preferred Room - Martinique 2549
Building 25, 2nd floor, corner room
View of the lake and Skyliner
Close to Old Port Royale
Preferred Room - Martinique 2616
Building 26, Martinique 2nd floor, corner room
Very close to Old Port Royale
View of the the lake
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort address:
1114 Cayman Way, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
If you have any questions about this resort or about Disney Skyliner, use the comments section below, or contact me here.
Pool and Recreation:
Fuentes del Morro Pool – Spanish fortress-themed pool with two waterslides and whirlpools
5 Leisure Pools
Caribbean Beach Campfire Activities
Disney Movies Under the Stars
Volleyball Jogging Trail Playground
Dining at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
CASUAL TABLE-SERVICE DINING
Sebastian’s Bistro – salads, sandwiches, burgers steak, and seafood entrées.
QUICK-SERVICE DINING
Spyglass Grill – featuring American fare with a Caribbean twist for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Centertown Market – Fast-casual restaurant with an indoor street market vibe and flavorful Latin- and Caribbean-inspired breakfast and dinner menus.
Centertown Market Grab & Go – A convenient market for fast meals on the go—from salads, sandwiches, and snacks to bakery items, specialty coffee, smoothies, and a variety of bottled beverages.
OTHER DINING OPTIONS
Banana Cabana – Walk-up bar that offers tropical sips and quick bites. Island Markets – Snack stations in select villages throughout the resort.
Pizza delivery service
Related:
▸ Check for current offers at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
For over 12 years Darren Wittko has been helping people save money at Walt Disney World as both, a travel writer and a travel advisor with Magical Vacations Travel. He’s featured in the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World as a Best of the Best Disney Travel Agent. Darren resides in Celebration, FL.
Easy Guide to Disney Skyliner
Route map, operating times, strollers and wheelchairs and frequently asked questions about using Disney Skyliner
Disney Skyliner opened on Sept. 29, 2019 at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Here you’ll find information on Disney Skyliner times, hours of operation, and the route map.
Disney Skyliner
Disney Skyliner Map
Disney Skyliner conveniently transports guests between Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot to four resort hotels:
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort (hub)
Disney’s Pop Century Resort
Disney’s Riviera Resort
The hub for Skyliner is located at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. All routes lead to Caribbean Beach. At the hub, you can transfer to other Skyliner routes.
What are Disney Skyliner hours of operation?
Disney Skyliner hours vary. On a typical day gondolas begin flying approximately 1-hour prior to park opening and up to two hours after park closing. Disney does not post Skyliner hours on its website. Instead, there are signs at each Skyliner station that display operating hours. You can also ask at your hotel for daily Skyliner hours of operation.
What are the Disney Skyliner times along each route?
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort to Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 5 minutes
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort to Epcot: 15 minutes
Disney’s Pop Century / Disney’s Art of Animation to Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort: 5 min
Disney’s Riviera Resort to Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort: 5 minutes
Disney’s Riviera Resort to Epcot: 10 minutes
Epcot to Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 20 minutes
I have an early morning dining reservation, can I use Disney Skyliner to get there?
This is a tricky one. Disney doesn’t post Skyliner hours online and there are no set hours of operation. Ask at your hotel to be sure. You might have to plan on driving or taking Uber or Lyft.
Are there long lines to board Skyliner?
During the morning and evening rush lines can be as long as 15 to 20 minutes at the Caribbean Beach station. Transportation at Walt Disney World whether you’re waiting for a bus, monorail, boat or gondola, will usually be about 20 minutes when the parks are opening and closing.
The real advantage to Skyliner, however, is that during off-peak times, there’s no wait at all.
Can I use Skyliner for rope drop?
Rope drop is an unofficial term that means, “arriving at the parks slightly before they open.” This allows you to get a head start on crowds and I do highly recommend it.
Often Skyliner will start running 30-60 minutes prior to park opening. Ask at your hotel what time it will start running.
Don’t forget to allow time to board Skyliner during rush hour, wait times can be 15-20 minutes during this period. Yes, another reason to get an early start on your day at Walt Disney World!
Disney Skyliner station
Can I Ride Skyliner if I’m not staying at one of the hotels?
Yes! It’s perfectly ok to board Skyliner at one of the theme park stations to go for a ride. The best time to do this would be late afternoon to early evening. One of the more scenic routes is between Epcot and Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort.
I’m afraid of heights, can I take a bus instead of Skyliner?
Sure, buses still run between the Skyliner hotels and the theme parks, however, they are on reduced schedules and may arrive only once per hour.
Inside a Disney Skyliner gondola
Can I take a stroller in the gondola? Do strollers need to be folded on Skyliner
Most strollers will fit without the need to fold them up, even the double-wide strollers fit in the Skyliner gondolas.
Can I take a wheelchair or scooter on Skyliner?
Yes. Skyliner operators will slow the speed of the gondola allowing you to roll in. You also have the option of boarding a stationary gondola. Stationary gondolas are located on a separate spur in the station. When you’re ready to go, the gondola will rejoin the main line. The gondola will be discreetly marked so the operators at the other station will know to direct it off the main line onto the spur.
Are Skyliner cabins air conditioned?
No, but they have large vents at the top. While the gondolas are moving, there’s a steady breeze that passes through the cabin. Even on the hottest day in Florida, the breeze moving through the gondola is sufficient to keep you cool.
For over 12 years Darren Wittko has been helping people save money at Walt Disney World as both, a travel writer and a travel advisor with Magical Vacations Travel. He’s featured in the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World as a Best of the Best Disney Travel Agent. Darren resides in Celebration, FL.
Recent Updates
Disney Skyliner Refrubishment Slated for January
All lines of the Disney Skyliner will be closed for routine maintenance Jan. 22-29, 2023.
Bus transportation will be available at all Disney Skyliner Resorts throughout the planned closure so you can reach your destinations across Walt Disney World.
Have questions about planning your Orlando vacation? I have answers! Contact me now to get more out of your vacation.
Darren is a Disney-focused travel agent with Magical Vacations Travel and has over 13 years of experience. Readers of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World rate him as a Best of the Best Disney Travel Agent. Darren is also an Orlando-based travel writer with topics ranging from theme parks to cruise lines.
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