Copyright ©  1999 by S.M. Moore

Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort

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Aruba, Jamaica, ooh I want to take you to, Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort. Disney's version of a tropical getaway is the first moderate resort ever built and it's a wonderful vacation escape.

From the moment you enter through the gates of this 200 acre resort and pull up to the Custom House and are greeted by what appears to be a Nassau policeman, you will never believe you are not on a Caribbean island. For anyone that has visited the tropics, you will appreciate the details of this uniform that all Disney cast members wear to greet you to the resort. For those that have never been further south than Orlando, you will experience Disney theming at its best.

As you follow the signs for guest check in; you will approach the Custom House where you will find yourself being transported to another land. The detail at the Custom House is only the finest. Be sure to notice the tropical plants, the shutters on the window, ceiling fans, and music that sets the mood for your experience. The Custom House is a Disney version of an old world Caribbean hotel lobby. This area could be found in any deluxe hotel on any island of your choice. Here you will find the front desk for checking in, guest services, bellmen, and taxi services. This is also a bus stop for the internal bus that will take you around this large resort.

Once leaving the Custom House, you will notice the vastness of this resort. Its Disney largest with 2,112 rooms surrounding a 45 acre lake called Barefoot Bay. As you circle the lake the colors of the villages will saturate your visual senses. You will find that lodging is located in 2 story, brightly painted buildings representing 5 islands. Each building is represented in  beautiful hues of salmon/teal, terra cotta/bronze, pink/purple, blue/red and yellow/blue. With the walls of the building being one color and the roofs the other. Each building in its village will be the same making it easy to locate your village by color. The 5 villages represent the islands of Martinique, Barbados, Trinidad, Aruba, and Jamaica. The design is of a 2 story,  with gingerbread detail along the railings of each landing. The roofs appear to be tin and the buildings are stucco. At the villages you will find a sand beach area at the lake, a quiet pool, playground, and courtyard with lush tropical landscaping. Laundry facilities are located at every quiet pool, and include change machines and vending for detergents and snacks. All of the pool areas are beautifully landscaped with tropical plants. The blooms and fragrances please the sense of smell and sight, including hibiscus, jasmine, mango and a variety of palms.

Leaving the Custom House you will encounter the village of Barbados first, then Martinique, Old Port Royal Town Center, North and South Trinidad, Jamaica and lastly Aruba as you circle the lake. In the center of the lake (Barefoot Bay) is an island that connects the villages on one side of the lake to the Old Port Royale area on the other side. Lovely pedestrian bridges link this tropical play area to the busy area of Old Port Royale. On the island you will discover a wonderful children's playground, picnic area, live parrots, and lovely areas to sit and enjoy this tropical garden setting.

Rooms at Caribbean Beach are the largest of any moderate resort with 340 sq. feet. You will be pleased to find a minibar and coffee maker in each room. Two double beds with a nightstand in between, a small table with chairs, armoire for the TV and storage are standard in each room. The bath area offers a vanity with two sinks and clothing rack and shelf outside the bath area, the bath is your standard tub/shower, toilet combo. Some King beds are available and all king rooms have connecting doors to a standard room which is great if you need the extra room for children, and the privacy of your own room. The coloring of the rooms varies from island to island but are similar in their tropical design. The exterior colors of the villages are reproduced in the bedding, wallpaper and window treatments only in softer tones. Views here consist of water and garden. Water being near the pool or lake and garden face the parking areas or garden areas of the resort. Room size and amenities are the same for either view.

For dining you will find a wide variety of offerings at Old Port Royale at either the full service Captain's Tavern or the food court called Market Street. Captain's Tavern offers dinner selections of prime rib, chicken, and fish of the day. The food court area resembles a Caribbean street market, complete with authentic looking store fronts offering tin roofs and balconies. Each complete with tropical foliage, and decorative Caribbean items giving it a look of a real village. The selections here include Bridgetown Broiler offering spit-roasted chicken and home-style meals, Cinnamon Bay Bakery tempting you with delicious rolls, croissants, pastries, and ice cream among other treats, Kingston Pasta Shop is the place for delicious pasta offerings, Port Royale Hamburger Shop for great burgers and sandwiches, and Royale Pizza Shop for pizza by the slice or pie. From 4pm to midnight limited room service is available.

To appease that need to shop, you will find several shops in Old Port Royale. The Straw Market is home to a good selection of Caribbean Beach logo merchandise and a fine choice of tropical or pirate toys and souvenirs. Near the Straw Market you can shop in the Calypso Trading Post, here you will be able to locate your Disney character merchandise, postcards, stamps, magazines, and other sundries such as film, sunblock, and snacks.

The recreational possibilities at Caribbean Beach Resort are some of the finest available. The themed pool near Old Port Royale offers a spa, kiddie pool and water slide. The theme of the main pool is an old Spanish fort, with details such as turrets, water cannon, and waterfalls. The water slide leads from the top of the fort down into the pool. Each village offers a very nice sized quiet pool and on the beach you will find hammocks for relaxing. At the marina you can rent many types of water vehicles, including canopy boats, water mice, pedal boats. Bikes for the family are available for rent also. The paths leading through each village and around the lake are great for jogging or biking. In addition to the main playground on Parrot's Cay, there are smaller ones on the beaches of Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad.

Buses provide transportation to all Disney World locations. There are seven bus stops located around Bay Lake without locations near the Customs House, Martinique, Old Port Royale, North Trinidad, South Trinidad, Jamaica and Aruba.

Caribbean Beach Resort is a favorite of many repeat visitors. The comforting sights, sounds, and smells contribute to this following. You can absolutely loose yourself in the ambiance of this place and forget all the hustle and stress of everyday living. You can definitely get into the Caribbean attitude here and enjoy a day in paradise.

Copyright ©  1999, 2000, 2001 by S.M. Moore - Please do not copy this material, in part or in whole, or use it on another website, or printed material without prior written permission.

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