You might be shocked that this is Disney World’s lowest-rated hotel, considering the perks it offers!
From budget to location, there’s a lot to consider when deciding which Disney World hotel is best for your vacation. That’s why it can be helpful to check the reviews and ratings other guests have given based on their own experiences. But we have proof that just because a hotel has a lower rating doesn’t mean you should automatically count it out!
Currently, the Disney World hotel with the lowest rating on TripAdvisor is Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, at 3.8/5. But even though it’s at the bottom of the ratings, there’s still a lot to love about this hotel! Here are four perks you get at Caribbean Beach Resort.
Skyliner Access
Caribbean Beach Resort is home to the main hub of Disney’s Skyliner, located south of the Jamaica area of the hotel. The Skyliner provides transportation to both EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, so Caribbean Beach Resort is in a prime location, especially if you plan to spend a lot of time at those two parks!
Not only does having a Skyliner station at the hotel make it super easy to get to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, but it also means you can get back to your room more easily, which is helpful if you or other members of your group may need naps or mid-day breaks.
As with the other Disney hotels, there’s free transportation offered to all of the parks. If you want to head to Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom, you can catch one of the Disney buses. But having Skyliner transportation to two parks is a huge plus for Caribbean Beach Resort!
Themed Entertainment
If you have a pirate fan in your party, they’ll love Caribbean Beach Resort’s feature pool, Fuentes del Morro! It’s themed after a Spanish fort and features a water slide, wading pool, and whirlpool.
As far as other activities go, Caribbean Beach Resort hosts a rotating schedule of entertainment around the hotel, including poolside trivia games, movies under the stars, and campfires. Be sure to take a look at the weekly activities schedule when you check in to see what activities are planned during your stay.
Plus, if you visit during Summer 2026, you’ll get even MORE exclusive entertainment! Caribbean Beach Resort is one of only four hotels (along with Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, and Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside) included in Cool Kids’ Summer. From now through September 8th, these hotels have even more special entertainment, including scheduled character appearances!
The themed entertainment at Caribbean Beach Resort can be a huge selling point, especially if you’re traveling with kids who will love the pirate vibes of the pool area!
Early Theme Park Entry
In 2021, Disney World introduced Early Theme Park Entry for guests at Disney Resorts and other select hotels. This perk allows eligible guests to enter any of the four theme parks up to 30 minutes early every day of the week.
Since all of the official Disney World hotels, including Caribbean Beach Resort, are included in this benefit, guests can take advantage of that half-hour jump start in any park on every day of their stay.
Pro tip if you do plan to take advantage of Early Theme Park Entry — it’s a popular perk and LOTS of people use it to try to beat the lines. With that in mind, if your goal is to get a head start on a popular attraction, be sure to get to the park at least 30 minutes before Early Theme Park Entry starts, since lines start to form early.
Early Access to Reservations for Dining & Lightning Lanes
Staying at Disney-owned hotels, including Caribbean Beach Resort, will allow you to make dining reservations and Lightning Lane selections earlier than guests staying off-property.
Advance Dining Reservations can typically be made 60 days in advance. But guests staying at Disney-owned hotels can make reservations for their entire vacation (up to 10 days) 60 days out from the first day of their reservation. This can be a HUGE help in snagging reservations for hard-to-get spots like Cinderella’s Royal Table, ‘Ohana, and other ultra-popular restaurants.
Guests staying at Caribbean Beach Resort can also take advantage of a similar head start with scheduling Lightning Lanes. Disney Resort hotel guests and other select hotels can book Lightning Lane passes up to 7 days in advance from their arrival for their entire stay (up to 14 days). All other guests can only book Lightning Lanes up to 3 days in advance.
Getting early access to reservations for dining and Lightning Lanes can be a big leg up in snagging hard-to-get experiences, especially during busier times of the year like the holiday season and spring break!
From Skyliner access to exclusive Disney hotel perks, Caribbean Beach Resort is proof that you shouldn’t count out a hotel just because of its rating alone. We’ve stayed at EVERY hotel around Disney World, so stay tuned for more tips, tricks, and info to help with planning your next Disney World vacation!
Is Staying at a Disney World Hotel Worth The Price For Early Entry?
Have you stayed at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort? Share your experience in the comments!
Not sure if this is still a thing, but when my partner and I stayed there in 2023 they had calypso musicians who would perform periodically outside Banana Cabana. Really helped to set the mood of the resort!