Caribe Royale Review – Should You Stay Here When Visiting Disney
As a Walt Disney World Good Neighbor resort, Caribe Royale Orlando is a quick drive to get onto Disney property. It also has many amenities and passes Disney’s health and safety checks.
I’ll be the first to admit- we usually stay in Disney resorts, or the Disney Springs resort area. But for this trip, we wanted to try something new! I’ve heard great things about Caribe Royale Resort so we gave it a shot.
The resort has a beautiful, large lobby, a fun pool, a convention center, and even a fishing pier. The outside is grand and tropical. It’s a resort that feels like a vacation. The pool-view rooms or the lake-view villas will give you even better vacation vibes.
When it comes down to planning your Walt Disney World vacation, there are a few things to consider when determining where to stay in Orlando. Proximity to where you want to go (Disney, Universal, Sea World, etc.), perks related to wherever you are going, ease of transportation, amenities, and number of guests traveling. With all of that being said, let’s dive into the Caribe Royale review!
Who Should Stay Here
Large groups traveling together but wanting their own space, or families who only plan to visit Walt Disney World, Universal, or another theme park for 1-2 days of their vacation.
About The Resort
Location: It is just off Disney property, about 15 minutes from Magic Kingdom, about 20 minutes from Universal, near a CVS and souvenir stores. It is also close to outlets. The traffic getting in and out of the resort was a struggle, and we usually sat in traffic for a at least 5 minutes when attempting to go anywhere.
The Rooms. We stayed in a queen suite and felt like the room was spacious, with a living room, desk, two large TVs, a vanity and bathroom in separate spaces, and a large bedroom. There are several room options, including villas and pool-view suites. I love that all of their room options are suites and above!
The Cost. It was priced similarly to a value (or some moderate) Disney or Universal Resort. It did have a resort fee and a parking fee, which I don’t love, especially when we aren’t utilizing all the resort “perks.” The rooms were big for the cost, though.
The Vibes. Tropical, chic, and fun in the main building. Also a dash of “corporate” because of the convention center. It was a family friendly and fun resort overall though!
The Amenities include a pier for fishing, a large pool with a slide, a hot tub, a splash pad, and a poolside restaurant. The sports restaurant has a golf simulator, which looks like a blast! They also have a nail salon and a spa.
The Food. There are multiple restaurants- you have options for Italian, breakfast, a rum bar, a market with a sandwich and pizza shop, a sports bar, and a Starbucks in the lobby.
Transportation to the Disney parks is provided via shuttle buses. We found the times quite difficult compared to the schedule we like to follow, especially with some parks having 2-3 hours between shuttles. You also have to reserve them 24 hours in advance, which wasn’t helpful when traveling for the weekend.
My Thoughts
Overall, we enjoyed the resort and loved the size of our suite. However, we felt like the “resort” perks were lacking compared to Disney resorts, where you aren’t charged a resort fee or for parking. We also couldn’t find parking when coming back after the parks closed. If you can take advantage of the transportation to the parks, and you only plan to visit them for 1-2 days, I think it would be worth a stay as you are near many other activities, have a nice pool at the resort, and the restaurant options are plentiful.
Check out all of my Walt Disney World, Universal, and Orlando resort reviews here. I hope this Caribe Royale review helps provide insight into where to stay in Orlando during your vacation! Let me know if you have questions about the resort, the Orlando area or any of the theme parks!
We’re Walt Disney World Annual Passholders, Florida Residents, and a family of three with a goal to travel as much as possible between school calendars, PTO, and busy schedules. We hope to provide you with thoughtful and insightful information to ensure you get the most out of this beautiful life He has created for us.
