Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<(Why is everyone hating on the Caribbean?)>> Why is everyone hating on the Caribbean? Because it's POPULAR to hate on the Caribbean. You know how THAT goes around here. The rap against the CBR is typically poor maintenance. As a heavily used property attracting lots of kids that may be true at times. Recent renovations have (reportedly) left most rooms looking very nice. There will often be a range in people's experiences. At almost any Disney property you can find one room that was just renovated last month and one room scheduled to be renovated next month. Here are some of the things we really enjoyed when we stayed at the Caribbean: 1) Our 'cheap view' (non-water) overlooked a very lovely courtyard, not a parking lot. 2) Quiet pools in each section of the resort are VERY nice. 3) We enjoyed the walk from our room in Jamaica to the main building. There was a bridge crossing Barefoot Bay between those locations which stopped at an Island in the middle of Barefoot Bay. It was really quite lovely. 4) One of the nicer gifts shops I've seen at any Disney Moderate. 5) Nightly live entertainment on the plaza near the pool outside the main building. 6) I enjoyed the CBR foodcourt, though at times it is overcrowded. On the other hand, all of the moderate foodcourts are overcrowded at times. Personally, I would choose CBR over Coronado Springs for the following reasons: 1) As a convention oriented hotel Coronado Springs doesn't feel quite as "vacationy" as the CBR. 2) The CS foodcourt is more expensive because there is limited table service (bringing your drinks, clearing your plates) there. Of course with limited tables service comes a 10% gratuity AUTOMATICALLY added to your bill. Have fun!! By the way... we stayed at the CBR pre-renovation. While the carpet was rather worn (though certainly not threadbare!) the room was perfectly acceptable in every other way. The room was very clean... I certainly found no fault with the nightly service.
Originally Posted By SteamboatPhillie I doubt I'm alone in this, but my impressions of each resort have little to do with the rooms themselves. I don't go to WDW to hang around the hotels, I want to be out and about at the parks. Even last year, when I didn't have enough money to go to the parks my entire time there I kept busy going from resort to resort, checking them all out. The room is just for sleeping and showering, then I'm outta there. What I really care about is the general decor, the layout (I've gotten lucky everytime so far, I've never been too far from the lobby/foodcourt), and the all-around ambience. So I guess I'm not swayed by if the carpet is worn out (I've never noticed something like that) or the towels are too thin. As long as there's no moist spots on the mattress or weird odors I'm content.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> (Hey, remember the Macarena? = me choking back vomit), but when you << Man what a coincidence, I've got it blasting away on my ipod, moving my hands, and shaking my booty to the beat; right here in front of my computer. I hope you get the picture!
Originally Posted By MPierce >> I've seen the F&GF @ EPCOT 2x, It's unbelievable..moving topiaries!!! SO COOL!! << They always move for me when I make a World Beer Tour around the World Showcase.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> In hindsight, I probably blew it. I should've taken the 14 days at the Poly and paid for my own damned car. << DEFINETLY!!!!
Originally Posted By MPierce >> Sorry to rant, but I guess Disney shoving the term "moderate" down our throats have sort of distorted the meaning of the word a bit? I just can't fathom how $250 is anywhere close to "moderate" for a quasi-impressively themed motel. << I know what you mean X! I always thought it was a sham calling it a value resort at $100.00 plus a night.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> Wasn't it just 5-7 years ago or so that the "moderate" places were under a hundred bucks a night? << I paid $151.00 per night for the POFQ during value season back in January 2001. WDW is definetly overpriced for what you get.
Originally Posted By bobbelee9 In 1981, I paid $60 for the Poly, my inlaws came down a few days later, and paid $80 for the Royal Plaza, we were on the monorail, they had to bus in and they paid MORE? I really miss the old Poly prices.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> In 1981, I paid $60 for the Poly, my inlaws came down a few days later, and paid $80 for the Royal Plaza, we were on the monorail, they had to bus in and they paid MORE? I really miss the old Poly prices. << Did you think $60 was kind of high at the time bobbelee?
Originally Posted By bobbelee9 Not really, at that time we used to pay about $300 for a cabin on a lake for a week. We'd been to Disney two years earlier, but my inlaws paid, so I can't compare the 2 years.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> Not really, at that time we used to pay about $300 for a cabin on a lake for a week. We'd been to Disney two years earlier, but my inlaws paid, so I can't compare the 2 years. << High Rollers Huh?
Originally Posted By carribean queen <<Hey Happy, next trip we go over to Acacia/Acadia and take a flippin' picture of the butterfly garden. Hope my other daughter doesn't mention her experience at the German Pavillion with the ladybug release. They'll lock us all up in the nut house.>> So the ladybug release is a cute idea, getting people into the whole green way of life. YA RIGHT! til the nasty things decide to climb up your arm instead of fly away, then you freak out a little and kill a few of the nasty little buggers while they're trying to violate you, then all the cast members and guests look at you like a crazy person! I get the creeps just thinking of all those nasty legs climbing all over. Then just to torture me everytime I walked past Germany the rest of the trip they sat there taunting me! I'm now seeking professiional help!
Originally Posted By MPierce >> then you freak out a little and kill a few of the nasty little buggers while they're trying to violate you, << You killed a cute little Lady Bug!
