Walt Disney World has revealed a reimagining for Caribbean Beach Resort’s Trinidad space that replaces the Pirate Rooms with Little Mermaid themed types. This put up shares the unique announcement, a brand new sneak peek contained in the redesigned rooms, and different commentary.
Let’s begin with the official data from Disney Destinations, which was first shared earlier this fall: “In an effort to repeatedly improve the visitor expertise, among the resort rooms within the Trinidad space of Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort can be receiving a brand-new feel and look.
These new rooms, which can embrace refined nods to fan-favorite characters from underneath the ocean, will accommodate extra company and have up to date finishings that may’t be discovered wherever else on the resort. As we put together these new rooms, company will be capable to see and listen to refurbishment work in and round Trinidad starting October 3. We sit up for welcoming company into these new rooms in 2023.”
This didn’t precisely popping out of left discipline. Back this summer season, Walt Disney World launched 2023 trip packages and resort reservations, and one room class was absent from the resort roster: Pirate Rooms at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. Nothing was obtainable from January by means of October 2023, and the rooms weren’t even listed as unavailable. Vanished as in the event that they by no means even existed.
The firm adopted up with an announcement in the course of the Walt Disney World journey brokers webcast indicating that the Pirate Rooms at Caribbean Beach Resort have been being discontinued. Disney additionally introduced that the no new theme is deliberate to interchange the Pirate Rooms “at this time.”
Walt Disney World simply shared a sneak peek at these new rooms on social media. These what the message there needed to say about them: “Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort recently added some fin-tastic touches to guest rooms in the Trinidad area of the resort, and cast members were excited to be the first to ‘sea’ them!”
“These new 5th sleeper rooms accommodate more guests and feature special touches inspired by the timeless story The Little Mermaid. They are among the newest of the ongoing enhancements happening at our Resort hotels all around Walt Disney World!”
Since these have been posted, I’ve seen so much of criticism on social media that they’re too bland and appear to be an actual world Hilton or different chain, with merely just a few splashes of The Little Mermaid right here and there. To make sure, we’ve had this criticism of many previous Walt Disney World room redesigns.
However, that was positively not my preliminary response right here. First, this doesn’t present the whole lot of the room. When the 2 beds are pulled down, that’ll virtually definitely reveal big paintings from The Little Mermaid. I’m guessing the response from Walt Disney World followers could be very totally different–and way more constructive–if the picture beneath as a substitute had each beds pulled down.
In addition to that, there are little touches that evoke the Caribbean. The finish of the espresso desk, rest room door, and dresser drawers all seem Caribbean-inspired, as do the colour selections. It’s positively extra on the refined aspect, and never over-the-top just like the earlier Pirate Rooms or present Little Mermaid rooms at Art of Animation, however not everybody desires that.
While I might like to see extra immersively themed rooms like these or the Royal Rooms at Caribbean Beach, I might personally reasonably keep on this room. Honestly, I’m a bit stunned at how good this seems. I’m much more shocked that they borrowed the Riviera Resort-style pull-down mattress for the brand new rooms (see beneath). I figured that was going to be a Disney Vacation Club-exclusive design function to differentiate these. I’m shocked they’d introduce this at a Moderate Resort.
To make sure, Disney’s Riviera Resort rooms (or these on the Polynesian, Grand Floridian, and coming quickly to Wilderness Lodge) are a lot nicer and extra spacious. They even have balconies, which is a giant deal for a lot of.
However, if I have been primarily involved with location, facilities, and value–and the room have been a bit decrease on my listing of priorities–it might be tough to guide the Riviera over its next-door neighbor given the colossal value differential. These new Little Mermaid rooms will shut the hole between the 2 resorts for a lot of households.
Ironically, virtually a decade in the past we dubbed the then-new Caribbean Beach rooms as “Poly-lite” (above) since they’d be the budget-friendly different to staying at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. That was primarily based on the rooms alone, as Caribbean Beach and the Poly are nowhere close to each other, and provide not one of the identical different upsides (save for “vibes”).
These new “Reasonable-Riviera” rooms (nonetheless workshopping the title) will provide not only a very comparable type, however lots of the identical benefits in location, transportation, eating, and extra by advantage of each being positioned at Barefoot Bay. I do know if it’s a alternative between paying ~$250 per evening or ~$700 per evening, I’m reserving the cheap ‘version’ of those rooms each single time. I don’t want a balcony or to be within the tower that badly.
There have additionally been rumors and hypothesis that new rooms are coming to different buildings at Caribbean Beach Resort past the Trinidad space. Recently, Walt Disney World filed a allow for “general construction” that encompasses a number of buildings on the resort that weren’t beforehand Pirate Rooms.
Balfour Beatty is listed as the overall contractor, they usually have intensive expertise with main tasks within the Orlando space. Just off the highest of my head, they have been liable for the work inside Pandora – World of Avatar, Gran Destino Tower (customary visitor room pictured above), Reflections Lakeside Lodge, plus Cabana Bay & Loews Sapphire Falls Resorts at Universal Orlando and the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.
It’s totally attainable that it is a totally different mission totally, however the nature of the allow and what it encompasses suggests a room refresh. The proven fact that the Pirate Rooms are being redone and the present rooms at Caribbean Beach are beginning to present their age reinforces this.
One factor to notice is that Walt Disney World’s authentic announcement about The Little Mermaid rooms is that it indicated they might “feature updated finishings that can’t be found anywhere else at the resort.” That may have modified since, or would possibly nonetheless be correct. It wouldn’t be stunning to see Disney go a special course with a view to distinguish the rooms and provides the Trinidad space its personal promoting level. My wager is that the substantive design options find yourself being the identical, however possibly the artwork or mental property finally ends up being totally different–or they’re fully the identical. I suppose we will see!
Interestingly, Caribbean Beach had character rooms considerably like this previous to the 2014 redo. Above is our picture of the room again from one in every of our stays in 2011 when there have been Finding Nemo characters on the bedspread and wallpaper borders. While I take pleasure in an excellent loopy comforter, I additionally suppose the brand new Little Mermaid room is sort of the ‘glow up.’
Nevertheless, Disney has launched plenty of marine motion pictures lately, together with Moana, Luca, and Finding Dory. There are different characters residing underwater who is also used. So I wouldn’t essentially be upset to see the opposite CBR room redesigns go in a special course with the IP.
It additionally doesn’t trouble me that there are already The Little Mermaid rooms over at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort (above), which is just a brief Skyliner experience away. Those are among the hottest and seldom-discounted rooms in all of Walt Disney World, and they’re additionally extremely totally different from what’s being achieved at Caribbean Beach Resort.
The new Little Mermaid rooms at Caribbean Beach Resort are refined and barely subtle, geared toward an older viewers (or at the very least a greater stability of pursuits and desires). By distinction, the rooms at Art of Animation are extra in-your-face and kid-focused. There’s completely nothing improper with both method, and there are audiences for every. The Little Mermaid can also be a basic that has stood the take a look at of time, so much more rooms that includes its characters would possibly make extra sense versus Luca or one thing newer.
Even if the brand new rooms solely find yourself changing the Pirate Rooms, we’re excited. We hated these however completely love the brand new DVC type that has been rolling out since Disney’s Riviera Resort opened. We’ve additionally develop into rising followers of the Trinidad part of Caribbean Beach within the final a number of years.
In the time because the Pirate Rooms debuted, so too have the Skyliner and Spyglass Grill. The hub gondola station is immediately throughout the water from the Trinidad part of Caribbean Beach the place the Pirate Rooms are positioned, they usually now have a handy eating possibility in Spyglass Grill. These are wonderful enhancements that actually elevate the Pirate Rooms.
In different phrases, if you happen to haven’t stayed within the Pirate Rooms within the final 5 years, issues have modified. While nonetheless an extended stroll from the primary foyer and have pool, this space isn’t as undesirable as you bear in mind. It’s not the place ‘premium’ rooms could be positioned if this have been a model new resort being constructed, nevertheless it’s now not an terrible location, both.
Ultimately, it’ll be fascinating to see what occurs with scope and scale of the brand new rooms at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. At the very least, the Pirate Rooms are going, which was essentially the most desperately wanted enchancment. Whether Disney follows swimsuit with the remainder of the resort matter much less, however we hope the identical substantive type is replicated all through the resort.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Are you excited for The Little Mermaid changing the Pirate Rooms at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort? What do you consider the useful design of the brand new rooms? What about their aesthetics? Think these are too bland or simply proper thematically? Does the close by Skyliner hub change your perspective on the Trinidad part of CBR? Do you agree or disagree with my evaluation that this actual property is just too ‘prime’ to stay a part of Caribbean Beach eternally? Any questions we can assist you reply? Hearing your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!