Trip Reports

Time of Year: Spring
Travel Method: Personal Car
Resort: CBR
Accommodations: Standard Room
Ages Represented in Group: Elementary, Adult
WDW Experience Represented in Group: Veteran
Comments: Ruth and her family tried CBR this time after a couple trips to WL. I must admit that this style of trip isn't my favorite. The Smith's spent almost every waking hour in the parks and covered a HUGE amount of territory during their stay. On the other hand, if you really want to see a lot in a short time, Ruth's report can show you how to do it well. The family even squeezed a day in at Universal if you're interested in seeing Disney's Orlando competition.

Trip Report, Day 1, CBR/Epcot

Third trip for family of 4, 2 adults, 2 kids. April 19-22, 1997. First time at Caribbean Beach Resort. Taking a suggestion from this newsgroup (RADP), I had requested Jamaica. At 2:00 check-in was very crowded but still took only about 10 minutes. The customs house where you check in has at least a dozen windows. They also have an area for kids to play in with toys and a movie while you check in and it is attended by a cast member. That was nice. No room was ready in Jamaica but they offered me one in Barbados that came with a free breakfast. Apparently this is due to some renovations of the grounds and painting going on in that section. We were in building 12 and very close to the beach and quiet pool. The weather was perfect with high about 75 and low about 55. It warmed up steadily and was almost 85 our last day. We had two separate reservations because on Saturday, our first night, there was no MKC discount available. I had to go to the customs house to check in and out sun. morning but I didn't have to change rooms. This gave me the opportunity to ask a few questions at the guest services desk and to pick up some of the park guides prior to going into the parks. The CBR is very nice and I would stay there again. Both our first two trips had been at the Wilderness Lodge and I must say I missed walking through a lobby, using refillable mugs, and having guest services, food, pool, mercantile, and kids club all in the same building.

I did like the area of being an Epcot resort but missed the relaxation of taking the boat to the MK. Busses only from CBR. We got to Epcot about three o'clock and this was my favorite day. We were concentrating on doing things we had missed in earlier visits and walked on to Spaceship Earth, Ellen's Energy Adventure, and Journey to Imagination. HISTA had a 45 minute wait. Future World really clears out between 5 and 7pm while everyone eats dinner in World Showcase and gets ready for Illuminations.

We enjoyed some of the Flower Festival tents with demonstrations and crafts on the way to Canada and England where we was some Holy Grail type actors and had some Bass Ale. We walked to the Beach Club Cape May Buffet and really enjoyed this. I think we will try the Beach Club next time for our Epcot and MGM days and Wilderness Lodge for our two MK days. Shopped in France for items for the first grade report on France. Cheaper than flying to Paris! Sampled the french wine from the cart by the fountain. Saw part of John Davidson in Concert at the American Garden Stage. Only about half full but looked like a very good show. Did Malestrom and El Rio Tiempo and saw Illuminations from Mexico. We next took advice from this group and avoided the exiting masses by lingering at the fountain view cafe. This was really great. It was getting cool and we had capuccino and enjoyed the fountain. The kids had a strawberry frozen drink with whip cream and a more gummy bears than even they could eat.

I liked this day best.

Trip Report, Day 2, MGM/Rainforest

Day 2 began with the free breakfast at the food court in Old Port Royale. Drove over and ate full breakfasts from the Pasta shop. Kids chose cereal with a sand bucket that came in handy later at the beach. $32.00 breakfast on Disney! Great start to the day.

MGM early entry day. Star Tours already had a 40 minute wait so we went to Muppets. Did Beauty and the Beast and although this is my favorite Disney musical, it was just ok. Caught the first HunchBack show and it was wonderful. Exceptionally talented cast and wonderfully entertaining. My husband was quite taken with Esmerelda. I last saw the Pocahontas show from this theatre and it was very much improved with the addition of risers and a covering. We watched the Toy Story Parade from the shade of the Great Movie Ride while Dad and the other kid did TOT. Saw John Davidson at 3:00 putting his hands in concrete in from of the Great Movie Ride. Real highlights of this day was both kids getting a stuffed animal from the crane games at the Pizza Planet and the wonderful and relaxing lunch at the Brown Derby. Got a table just after 3:00 for a late lunch with no reservation and only waited a few minutes. Portabello mushroom sandwich is my new favorite. After 6:00 MGM becomes deserted. I believe this is because the last showtimes for Indy and other shows are during the 5 o'clock hour. With no nighttime fireworks, many people who can hop go to other parks. This leaves Star Tours a walk on and our family favorite ride. We rode it several times in a row. Back to CBR to try the main pool with the waterslide while Dad stayed behind for the X-files. Browsed the gift shop and got a hair wrap for one kid.

By accident while looking at Hale Bopp from the parking lot of Barbados, we saw all of Illuminations. I think I liked it more from this vantage. I didn't appreciate the high fireworks due to the trees at Epcot and had no appreciation for how far out the lasers will go. Wonderful.

After 10 but on to the Marketplace to shop and try the Rainforest Cafe. Put name on list and returned at 11:00 p.m. for dinner. Not enough time to shop in the huge World of Disney but snagged a few items. Could spend a whole day in there. Dinner was great. Outside effects of the Rainforest were amazing at night. Sat under a large elephant. Neat gift shop with lots of animatronics there too. Busy place. If you don't like late dinners, this would be a great place for dessert and shopping and gawking.

Trip Report, Day 3, MK/Monorail

Day 3, Magic Kingdom. Crowded! I never dreamed so many people would be there on a weekday, April 21. Couldn't get reservations for King Stephans Character Breakfast. This had been a favorite of our last trip. Stopped by just in case and was told to check back at 9:50 and couldn't promise but could probably get us in. Did Peter Pan. Dumbo already 45 min line. Went to ToonTown just at 9:00. We did Mickey's house and saw all the characters with no lines. Did Barnstormer twice and this became a new favorite for the kids.

Took railroad to Frontierland and found lines way too long for Pirates and Jungle Cruise. Did the Tiki birds for the first time and was enchanted. Vintage old Disney stuff. Great and cool relaxation. Nice break. Hit the Columbia Harbor House for clam chowder in bread bowl just before 11:00. By the time we left the place was packed. Had fruit from the vendor carts outside. Excellent watermelon. Rode horse pulled trolley down main street and caught the Guest of Honor film. Went to Tomorrowland. Over an hour for AE and Space Mountain. Did Take Flight, Timekeeper, and TTA. Walked on to Space Mountain and family rode while I relaxed in the Fedex Lounge. Nice to work for a Disney Corporate Partner and sponsor of Space Mountain. Nice perk. Thanks Fed Ex. Now too hot, too crowded. Back to CBR for more pooltime. Would have liked to see the parade but it after all, this is a vacation. Forgot to mention that the kids were so taken with Toontown that they voted not to go back to try to get in to King Stephans. I believe we could have gotten in though and would suggest this strategy to anyone who really wanted to get in and couldn't. Back to the MK by 7:00 p.m. Voted to miss Spectromagic and hit the rides. Didn't want to get caught in Adventureland during the parade so we opted for Big Thunder, I survived my first roller coaster ride at age 39. Second if you count barnstormer earlier in the day. Kids were very proud of me. Walked on to Haunted Mansion, Small World, and finally caught Dumbo with about a 20 min. wait. Went behind the castle towards tomorrowland and stood under Tinkerbell for her flight. Trees obscured the fireworks so we walked toward Tomorrowland and had a great view although no castle in the background.

Masses were leaving the MK. Got a yummy rice krispy treat with chocolate at the bakery on Main Street. Last chance to ride a monorail so we took the resorts one to Grand Floridian in search of a store. Resorts monorail and almost no line and all other monorail, boats and busses were just swamped with huge lines. Found out that the store was at the Poly so monorailed around the loop again and shopped. Got the front seat of the monorail and got a two color card for being Monorail drivers. No more large certificates like last trip. Both drivers we had were college program. First a girl then a nice young man from Univ. of Cincinnati. Two weeks of training and it beats the heck out of food services. At the Poly got a bus to Marketplace and another bus for CBR.

This is where we encountered Nick the bus driver. He was full of jokes and information. He says he doesn't work for Disney he plays for them. When it became work he would quit. By now it was after 11:00 p.m. and my kids were getting sleepy. He told my husband if they fell asleep he would have to charge hotel rates at GF prices of $435.00. By the PI stop, one was fast asleep. the other kid got to "drive the bus" while parked at PI and got a card similar to the monorail one but in four color. Nick said these were collector's items as the new cards would only be two color. Thanks Nick. Then he pointed out the new area west of PI where AMC was expanding and some big record store was coming as well as Wolfgang Puck's Cafe and Gloria Estafan's club. Neat.

There was nothing of this in the film at Mk of what was coming. End of a crowded and tired but great day at the MK.

Trip Report, Day 4, Comments/Universal

Day 4, Checked out of CBR and went to Universal early entry. We enjoyed the competition but have no burning desire to go back and do it again.

In retrospect, I would have enjoyed the CBR until check out and gone back to Epcot with my last day of passes and not been so tired at the end of the trip.

I guess I'll just have to go back and use those passes on another trip. Express check out bill was not on my door when we left the resort so I called back to let them know we were gone. The CBR desk read me the bill and said they would mail it to me. Also promised to mail the fanny pack and tape I was supposed to get at check in for American Express White Glove treatment when they got more in. Wonderful treatment from the CBR staff down to the last. General observations: We took our camcorder for the first time to WDW. I watched the tapes and wished I did a better job of taping and wished I had taped more. As I was taping I wished I wasn't taping because I thought I would enjoy everything more if I didn't have to see it through a viewfinder. There must be some balance here. We also took a backpack into the parks mostly for the camcorder but also for much needed sweatshirts for early morning and evening fireworks. No one ever asked to look in my pack or seemed to care. For that matter no one ever checked our resort ID for early entry, transportation, or at the CBR pool. We were never super early for early entry either, usually between 8 and 8:30. We left Tuesday night and missed the RADP dinner but also missed the tornado watch and any type of bad weather for this trip. The Magic Kingdom was extremely crowded. The best treat was the old Pocahontas bar, now Hunchback bar, with chocolate ice cream, caramel, and chocolate coating. And only 380 calories! I was on my second one of the trip before I read the package.

A quick comment about Universal. Do the character breakfast. It is at the food court so it puts you deep in the park before it even opens. We walked on to four major rides before 10:00 a.m. and had done everything we wanted to do and left at 3:00.

Thanks to everyone in this newsgroup for the wonderful tips and shared experiences. I know it enhanced my Disney vacation and I hope someone can benefit somehow from my trip report as well.

Ruth in Memphis

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