Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort With Kids: Honest Review

I stayed at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort on a recent mother-daughter trip to Disney World with my 3 year old, and I was especially curious to see how it would feel with just the two of us.

I had stayed there once as a child, but not in a way I remembered well enough to really know what it would feel like now as the parent managing the trip. Overall, it ended up being a really good fit for this stay, mostly because our room location and Skyliner access made the park days feel much easier.

Caribbean Beach is a large Disney moderate resort, so the experience can depend a lot on where your room is located. For us, being close to the Skyliner ended up being the biggest win of the entire stay.

We stayed in a preferred room in building 41, and we were about a 1 to 2 minute walk from both the Skyliner station and a Joffrey’s coffee stand. With a little kid, a stroller, and Disney park days to manage, that location made everything feel easier.

In this review, I’ll walk through what Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort was actually like with a young child, including the room, transportation, pool, splash area, playground, dining, and the pros and cons I noticed during our stay.

Is Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort a Good Fit With Kids?

Yes, I think Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort can be a great fit with kids, especially if you are planning to spend time at EPCOT or Hollywood Studios.

It’s a great fit if:

• You want access to the Disney Skyliner
• You are visiting EPCOT or Hollywood Studios
• You like moderate resorts with outdoor room buildings
• You want a good pool and splash area for younger kids
• You want quick service dining with mobile order
• You like having beaches, hammocks, and outdoor spaces around the resort
• You are willing to request or pay for a room location that makes the resort easier

Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is a moderate Disney resort located in the EPCOT resort area.

The resort is themed around the Caribbean, with different island-inspired villages spread around Barefoot Bay. You’ll find pastel-colored buildings, palm trees, sandy beaches, hammocks, walking paths, and water views throughout the property.

The main hub of the resort is Old Port Royale. This is where you’ll find the lobby, Centertown Market, Sebastian’s Bistro, Calypso Trading Post, Banana Cabana, the main pool, the splash area, and the central playground.

Like many Disney moderate resorts, Caribbean Beach is not one large hotel building. The rooms are spread across multiple outdoor buildings in different sections of the resort, which means your exact room location can make a big difference.

That was one of my biggest takeaways from this stay.

We were in building 41, which was a preferred room location. For us, it was excellent. We were right near the Skyliner station and a Joffrey’s coffee stand, and we could walk there in about 1 to 2 minutes from our room.

We were also only about a 4 minute walk from the main pool and dining area, so getting to Centertown Market, the playground, and the splash area still felt easy.

That room location made the resort feel incredibly manageable.

But Caribbean Beach is a very large resort, and not every room will feel that convenient. If you are staying farther from the Skyliner, Old Port Royale, or your nearest bus stop, the day-to-day logistics may feel very different.

For our trip, the preferred location was absolutely worth it.

Transportation: The Skyliner Is the Biggest Perk

Transportation is one of the biggest reasons to stay at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort.

The resort has its own Disney Skyliner station, and from there you can ride directly to both EPCOT and Hollywood Studios.

That is a huge perk.

Unlike Disney’s Pop Century Resort or Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, where you have to transfer at Caribbean Beach to get to EPCOT or Hollywood Studios, Caribbean Beach is the hub. From here, you can board directly for either park.

For us, that made getting to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios feel very easy. I could keep my daughter in the stroller as we rolled up to the Skyliner station, and we did not have to deal with folding the stroller for a bus.

That matters a lot when you are traveling with little kids. The Skyliner was the main reason this resort worked so well for us.

That said, the Skyliner does not go everywhere. For Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom, you still need to take a bus.

And because Caribbean Beach is a large resort, there are multiple bus stops scattered around the property. That means your bus experience can depend a lot on where your room is located and where your stop falls in the route.

If you get on at one of the first stops, you may have to sit on the bus while it loops around the resort before heading to the park. If you get on at one of the later stops, the bus may already be pretty full.

That can be hard with kids, bags, and a stroller.

This is one of the main reasons I would think carefully about your room location at Caribbean Beach. The Skyliner access is fantastic, but if you are relying heavily on buses, this resort can still feel big and a little more complicated.

The Room: A Solid Disney Moderate Room With a Helpful Fifth Sleeper

We stayed in a preferred fifth sleeper room.

The room felt very typical for a Disney moderate resort. It had two queen beds plus a small child-size pull-down bed, sometimes called a fifth sleeper.

The pull-down bed is definitely small. It worked for a child, but I would not expect an older kid or adult to be especially comfortable sleeping there.

For our trip, the setup worked well.

There was plenty of storage, a table with two chairs, and a sink area with two sinks that could be closed off from the main room with sliding barn-style doors. I always appreciate that kind of separation in a hotel room with kids because it makes it easier to get ready while someone else is still sleeping or winding down.

The bathroom was a standard setup with the toilet and bathtub in a separate room.

The bathtub was a big win for me. So many newer or recently updated hotel rooms now have showers instead of tubs, and while that is not a big deal for every family, it still matters when you are traveling with younger kids.

A real bathtub makes bedtime and cleanup much easier.

The room itself was functional, comfortable, and had what we needed. But I will say that it was one of the least Disney-themed Disney resort rooms I have stayed in. There were not many details that made it feel especially Disney, and if you are hoping for a room with lots of character or obvious Disney touches, this one may feel underwhelming.

That did not bother me too much for this trip, because the room worked well logistically. But it is worth knowing before you book.

Here’s a quick room tour so you can see the layout, the fifth sleeper, the sink area, and how much space the room actually has:

A Note About Elevators

One important thing to know about Caribbean Beach is that the room buildings do not have elevators.

The buildings are only two stories, but if you are on the second floor, you will need to use stairs.

If you have mobility needs, are traveling with a stroller, or simply do not want to carry kids and bags up and down stairs, I would request a first-floor room.

I requested one for our stay and was happy that the request was granted. That made our trip much easier.

With a stroller and a 3 year old, being on the first floor was a big deal. I could roll in and out of the room without folding the stroller, carrying it upstairs, or juggling everything at the end of a long park day.

For me, that is the kind of small hotel detail that makes a huge difference.

What It Actually Feels Like to Stay At Caribbean Beach Resort

Caribbean Beach felt relaxed, tropical, and easy for the kind of trip we were taking.

It reminded me a little of Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort in the way it is laid out. Both are large moderate resorts with outdoor room buildings, multiple bus stops, a central food court area, and a spread-out feel. I personally think Port Orleans Riverside is more charming from a theming perspective, but Caribbean Beach worked really well for us because the logistics were so strong.

Our room location made the resort feel manageable. The Skyliner made EPCOT and Hollywood Studios easy. Centertown Market was convenient. The splash area and playground were excellent for my daughter. And the resort had enough outdoor space that it did not feel like we were just moving from room to bus to park and back again.

I also liked that it felt like a true resort, not just a place to sleep.

There were beaches, hammocks, pools, playgrounds, walking paths, and places to slow down outside of the parks. That was especially nice on a mother-daughter trip where I was not trying to maximize every single minute.

That said, Caribbean Beach is very room-location dependent.

Because we were so close to the Skyliner, Joffrey’s, and transportation, I had a very positive experience. If we had been in a far section and had to walk longer distances every time we wanted coffee, food, transportation, or the pool, I think the resort may have felt more tiring.

So my overall feeling is that Caribbean Beach can be a fantastic family resort, but your room location matters.

Pool and Splash Area: The Toddler Water Play Area Was the Highlight

The main pool at Caribbean Beach is called Fuentes del Morro Pool.

We actually did not use the main pool during our stay because my daughter was much more interested in the nearby splash area. But the main pool itself looked great for families. It has a zero-entry area and two waterslides, which are some of my favorite pool features with kids.

The real highlight for us was the shipwreck water play area.

This area is for kids under 48 inches tall, and it was absolutely perfect for my 3 year old. It has splash features, pirate ship theming, and several small toddler-size water slides.

She absolutely loved it. This was easily one of her favorite parts of the entire trip. She could have played there for hours every day.

What I appreciated most was that the area was completely fenced in and had a lifeguard on duty. I still watched her closely, of course, but I did not feel like I had to hover over her every second the way I sometimes do at larger pool areas.

That made it feel like a rare Disney resort moment where she could play hard and I could actually sit down for a minute.

For a parent traveling with a preschooler, that is a huge win.

There are also leisure pools throughout the resort, but we did not use them during this stay.

Here’s a quick look at the main pool area and the shipwreck splash area so you can get a better feel for the setup:

Playground and Beaches

The playground at Caribbean Beach was another big win for us.

It is centrally located near the main lobby and pool area, and it looked fairly new or at least very well maintained. It was the perfect size for my 3 year old, and she had a blast there.

I also really appreciated the setup.

The playground is mostly enclosed, so I did not feel like I had to worry as much about her running off. There were seating areas and hammocks nearby, which would be especially nice if you have slightly older kids who can play more independently.

The best part, though, was the shade.

The entire playground had a sun shade covering it, which made a huge difference in the Florida heat.

The beaches were also a fun part of the resort. There are multiple sandy beach areas around the water, with palm trees and hammocks nearby.

My daughter was so excited to play in the sand.

The only problem was that we visited in June, and the sand was extremely hot during the day. There was not much shade on the beach areas we visited, and the sand was so hot that she could hardly walk on it.

We solved that by waiting until the evening to play, but she was definitely disappointed when she saw the beach during the day and could not comfortably play there.

So the beach areas are beautiful, and they are a fun feature, but in the summer heat, they may be more realistic in the morning or evening.

Recreation and Things to Do at the Resort

If you are planning a resort day, Caribbean Beach Resort has plenty to keep kids busy.

Between the pools, splash area, playground, beaches, hammocks, walking paths, and outdoor spaces, it is an easy resort to enjoy without going into the parks.

The resort also offers recreation activities like Movies Under the Stars, an evening campfire with marshmallows, fishing, volleyball, and a jogging trail.

We did not do every activity during our stay, but I liked knowing there were options.

For us, the splash area, playground, and beaches were more than enough for a short trip. If you are staying longer or building in a rest day, I think Caribbean Beach has enough to make that feel worthwhile.

Dining: Centertown Market Was Easy and Actually Good

There is one table-service restaurant, Sebastian’s Bistro, which we did not try on this trip. There is also Banana Cabana, the pool bar near the main pool area, which serves drinks and a limited food menu.

We did not eat there, but I did appreciate that they had cold ice water set out for self-service. I used it twice during our stay, and in June at Disney World, that kind of easy water access is no small thing.

There are also two quick-service restaurants: Centertown Market in the main building and Spyglass Grill near the Trinidad pool. We did not try Spyglass Grill, but we used Centertown Market several times.

I was really happy with it.

The menu had some unique Caribbean-inspired options, but it also had the Disney kid basics like burgers, pizza, and chicken tenders.

I had the fish tacos twice because they were so good. My daughter got the chicken fingers every single time we went, which is exactly what I expected from her.

One of my biggest tricks when I’m at Disney alone with my kids is to mobile order before we arrive. I would order from the room, from the bus, or while we were on our way so the food is ready when we get there.

That worked really well at Caribbean Beach.

Several times, I placed our order before we walked over or while we were still in transit, and then we picked it up once we arrived. It made meals feel much easier, especially when my daughter was tired or hungry and I did not want to stand around waiting.

For a Disney resort with kids, that kind of food access matters a lot.

Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort With Kids: Pros and Cons

What I loved:

• Direct Skyliner access to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios
• Our preferred room location was extremely convenient
• Joffrey’s and the Skyliner were very close to our room
• The toddler splash area was excellent
• The playground was shaded and mostly enclosed
• Centertown Market was easy and had good food
• Mobile order worked really well here
• The room had a bathtub
• The room had good storage and a helpful fifth sleeper
• The resort had relaxing beaches, hammocks, and outdoor spaces

What I didn’t love:

• The resort is large and spread out
• There are no elevators in the room buildings
• Buses are still required for Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom
• Multiple bus stops can make transportation slower or more crowded
• The room was not very Disney-themed
• The beaches had very little shade
• The sand was too hot for daytime play during our June stay
• Your experience may depend heavily on room location

Caribbean Beach is a large resort, and I do not think every room location would feel as easy as ours did. If you are traveling with young kids, using a stroller, or trying to keep logistics as simple as possible, I would seriously consider a preferred room or at least make a first-floor request.

This is not the Disney resort I would choose if my main priority were Magic Kingdom access, and it is not my favorite Disney resort in terms of overall theming. But for a moderate resort with Skyliner access, good food, a great splash area, and plenty of space to relax, it was a really solid fit for us.

For me, Caribbean Beach was one of those stays where the logistics worked. And with a young child at Disney World, that matters more than almost anything.

If Caribbean Beach feels like the right fit for your family, you can check current rates through Undercover Tourist before booking. Their Disney resort prices are often lower than booking directly through Disney, which may make this resort a better fit for your budget.