Caribe Royale Orlando Review for Your Next Disney Trip

Disney days are long, and coming back to a hotel room where everyone is tripping over each other’s suitcases doesn’t make them feel any shorter. That’s usually when clients start asking me about suites. I almost always start with Disney’s own resorts, but Caribe Royale near EPCOT is a nice option to know about when you want a separate bedroom and living area without booking a Disney villa. I stayed there myself, so my Caribe Royale Orlando review is the same honest rundown I’d give a client, from the suites and the pool to the fees and the Disney shuttle.

Caribe Royale is an all-suite resort, which means every room has a separate bedroom and living area. It’s also an official Walt Disney World Good Neighbor hotel, so it’s close to the parks even though it isn’t on Disney property.

Thank you to Caribe Royale Orlando for hosting my stay. As always, all opinions are my own.

Where is Caribe Royale Orlando Located?

Caribe Royale is on World Center Drive, about 1.5 miles from EPCOT, and you’ll recognize the pink towers once you’ve seen them. It’s about 16 miles from Orlando International Airport, which makes arrival day pretty easy.

Grocery stores, pharmacies, and casual restaurants are a short drive away, which comes in handy when someone forgets sunscreen or you want to stock up on snacks without paying resort prices. I-4 is close by too, so it’s an easy spot if you’re splitting your trip between Disney and Universal.

It’s not a very walkable area, though. World Center Drive is a busy road, and there isn’t much within walking distance besides a small shopping center across the street. Getting out of the resort can take a few extra minutes at busy times of day, so give yourself a little cushion before an early dining reservation or rope drop.

I usually steer clients toward staying on Disney property, but when a group wants a suite without the price of a Disney villa, this area near EPCOT often comes up when we talk through where to stay near Disney World.

What Makes Caribe Royale Orlando Different

Lots of hotels around Disney World offer bigger rooms, so any Caribe Royale Orlando review should explain what makes this one different. It comes down to the combination of space and quality. The resort went through a renovation and expansion of more than $140 million, it has a AAA Four Diamond rating, and it’s part of the WorldHotels Elite collection, so WorldHotels Rewards members can earn or use points here.

It still feels relaxed, though. You can have a steak dinner at the Venetian Chop House one night and grab tacos by the pool at Calypso’s the next without anyone expecting you to dress up.

My Caribe Royale Orlando Review of the Suites and Villas

Space is the main reason people book Caribe Royale, and the suites and villas were all refreshed during the renovation. Expect a light, coastal look with soft blues and teals, glass showers, and backlit vanities.

One-Bedroom Suites With Space for Everyone

Every one-bedroom suite has a separate bedroom and a living room with a queen sofa bed, plus a mini fridge, microwave, Keurig, workspace, and a 55-inch TV in each room. Suites run about 468 to 600 square feet depending on the layout. For comparison, a standard room at a Disney value resort is about 260 square feet, so the difference is noticeable right away.

If there’s one detail from my Caribe Royale Orlando review I’d point out to any client, it’s the door between the bedroom and the living room. If you’re traveling with an early riser and a night owl, it makes a big difference. One person can have coffee in the living room while everyone else sleeps, and the late crew can watch a show after fireworks without waking anyone up.

I stayed in a Caribe King Suite, which is about 500 square feet and sleeps up to four. If you’d like a pool view, the Caribe Queen and Royale King suites both offer one, and the Royale King has a second vanity, which helps a lot when two people are getting ready at the same time.

Caribe Royale Villas With Full Kitchens and Laundry

For groups of five or six, or for longer stays, the villas are worth a look. Each two-bedroom villa is about 1,260 square feet, with a king bedroom and private bathroom, a second bedroom with two queens and a full bath, a living room with a sofa bed, and a dining table that fits everyone. The kitchen has a full-size fridge, a range and oven, a dishwasher, and a blender, and there’s a washer and dryer plus a screened patio. Villa guests also have their own private pool and hot tub.

A villa can save you money if you use the kitchen. Have groceries delivered the day you arrive, eat breakfast in before the parks, and run a load of laundry halfway through the trip so everyone can pack lighter. There are only about 120 villas compared to more than 1,200 suites, so book early for holidays and school breaks.

What It’s Like to Stay at Caribe Royale

Caribe Royale is a big resort with more than 1,300 suites and villas, and it’s busy in a fun way. A resort shuttle runs between the Reception Building, the towers, the villas, and the convention center from 7 AM to 11 PM, so you don’t have to walk everywhere. There’s also a lot to do on property, which is nice on the days your feet need a break from the parks.

The Waterfall Pool and Waterslide

The main pool is in the center of the resort and has a 75-foot waterslide, rock waterfalls, a grotto, and a hot tub. Next to it, you’ll find a kiddie splash pool and a shaded playground. The pool is open from 8 AM to 11 PM, weather permitting, and kids need to be 42 inches tall to ride the slide alone, though shorter kids can ride with an adult.

I always recommend building a few rest days into a Disney trip, and a pool day here is an easy one to plan. If you want to make it a treat, rent a private cabana for the afternoon. The Royale Cabanas include a TV, a ceiling fan, a mini fridge, a fruit platter, and cold drinks.

More Ways to Spend a Resort Day

If you want something besides the pool, the Sport Court has pickleball and padel courts plus a basketball half-court, and pickleball and padel require a reservation. You can borrow bikes and catch-and-release fishing gear for the Boca Pier at the Recreation Station, walk or jog the 1.5-mile trail around the property, or catch Movies Under the Stars by the pool on weekends. There’s an arcade too, and Caribe Royale is also pet friendly.

Stadium Club for Game Days and Rainy Afternoons

Stadium Club is a great backup plan for rainy afternoons, and it’s fun even when the weather is nice. Summer storms roll in almost every afternoon in Florida, and when the pool closes for lightning, this two-story sports bar gives everyone something to do. A 110-foot screen wraps around the room so you can see the game from almost anywhere, and it hosts official Orlando Magic watch parties during the NBA season.

The sports simulators are a big part of the fun. You can play virtual golf, try a quarterback challenge, take hockey slapshots, or play carnival-style games, which makes it an easy pick for a group that likes a little friendly competition.

The menu was created by Top Chef alums Janine Booth and Jeff McInnis and includes upgraded game-day food like spicy shrimp tacos, pork belly bao buns, and the resort’s signature candied orange and rosemary bacon. There are kid-friendly snacks like cotton candy and Cracker Jacks too. Stadium Club is open to all ages earlier in the day but may become adults only later in the evening, so check the cutoff if you’re bringing kids for dinner.

What to Know About the Convention Crowd

One thing that doesn’t come up in every Caribe Royale Orlando review is that this is also a large convention resort, with 260,000 square feet of meeting space. On weekdays, you might share the lobby and restaurants with conference groups. If you’re hoping for a small, quiet hotel, that’s helpful to know before you book, but if you don’t mind a resort with some energy, it probably won’t bother you.

Dining and Amenities Worth Knowing About

Caribe Royale has eight dining options on property, so you can eat well without getting back in the car. You’ll find everything from grab-and-go coffee to a sit-down steakhouse dinner.

Caribe Royale Restaurants and Quick Bites

The Venetian Chop House is the resort’s AAA Four Diamond restaurant, with steaks, chops, and Italian dishes in an upscale but relaxed setting. It’s a great choice for a birthday, an anniversary, or the last night of your trip when you want to celebrate how far you walked that week.

Tropicale is the sit-down breakfast restaurant, with classic American breakfast dishes and a buffet on select days. It isn’t open every day, so check the schedule when you check in. When it’s closed, you can mobile order Starbucks and pick it up in the Reception Building, or grab breakfast at The Market.

The Market is open late and has sandwiches, pizza, salads, pastries, and Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream, including a Rum Cake Royale flavor you can only get at Caribe Royale.

Calypso’s Pool Bar and Grille serves Latin and Caribbean food and frozen drinks on the pool deck, and the Rum Bar is a cozy spot for a cocktail and a game of dominoes. Stadium Club also serves a full menu if you want dinner and a game.

In-Suite Dining

In-suite dining is available for breakfast, dinner, and an all-day menu that runs until midnight, with options like pizza, burgers, salmon, and steak. When I stayed, I ordered breakfast to the suite, and it was delicious! A delivery fee and service charge are added to every order, so it’s best saved for the nights nobody wants to put their shoes back on.

Spa, Fitness, and the Little Extras

The Island Spa offers massages and skin care treatments, and booking one on a non-park day is one of my favorite ways to make a Disney trip feel like a vacation too. The two-story fitness center is much bigger than most hotel gyms, and the gift shop in the Reception Building carries sunscreen, snacks, and other things you might have forgotten. You can also buy Disney tickets at the concierge desk.

Caribe Royale Orlando Resort Fees, Parking, and Other Costs

A Caribe Royale Orlando review wouldn’t be complete without the fees, because the nightly rate isn’t the full cost of staying here. Caribe Royale’s current booking terms list a daily resort fee of $38 plus tax on most rates, which covers things like the Disney shuttle and the resort shuttle. Self-parking is separate, at $34 to $36 plus tax per night depending on the offer. For a four-night stay with a car, that adds up to close to $300 before tax.

A few other costs are easy to forget. Valet costs more than self-parking, there’s a fee to check in before 1 p.m., pets have a one-time fee, cabanas cost extra, and in-suite dining adds a delivery fee and service charge. If you drive to the parks, Disney also charges a daily parking fee for guests who aren’t staying at a Disney resort.

The good news is that Caribe Royale often runs special offers, like Florida and Georgia resident rates, military rates, extended stay deals, and packages with dining credits, and some of them include free parking. Rates and fees change, so always look at the total price before booking. When I plan a trip for a client, I compare the total cost here with a Disney resort for the same dates, so the decision is based on real numbers and not just the nightly rate.

Who Should Book Caribe Royale Orlando?

This is the part of my Caribe Royale Orlando review I care about most, because the right hotel really depends on how you like to travel. I’d much rather you book the right fit than the prettiest photo.

For most Disney trips, I still recommend starting with Disney’s own resorts. Staying on property keeps you in the Disney bubble from morning to night, and you get perks like Early Theme Park Entry and Disney transportation, including the monorail, the Skyliner, boats, and walking paths at some resorts. First-time visitors especially tend to love the theming and not having to think about getting to the parks. Comparing the Walt Disney World resort categories side by side is the easiest way to find one that fits your budget and style.

Caribe Royale makes the most sense when your group wants a separate bedroom and living area, or a full kitchen and laundry, at a different price point than a Disney suite or villa. Larger families and friend groups who need a kitchen, a washer and dryer, or a door between the bedroom and living room will appreciate the space, and so will multigenerational groups where grandparents need somewhere quiet to rest.

It can also work well for travelers splitting time between Disney and Universal, anyone planning slower days with time at the pool, or groups who want to mix in a few things to do in Orlando besides Disney.

It’s probably not the right pick if you’re planning to rely on the shuttle with a stroller, or if you want to be fully immersed in Disney the whole trip. In those cases, a Disney resort will usually make things easier.

Getting to the Disney Parks From Caribe Royale Orlando

Getting to the parks works differently when you stay off property, so this is the part I plan most carefully with clients. You have a few options, and the best one depends on your group and your plans for each day.

How the Caribe Royale Disney Shuttle Works

The Disney shuttle is included in the resort fee and runs on a set schedule to all four Disney parks, plus evening service to Disney Springs. You reserve your seats at the Concierge Desk in the Reception Building, which is open from 8 AM to 4 PM. Reservations open 24 hours ahead and are first come, first served, so stop by the afternoon before each park day.

Since it runs on a schedule, the shuttle won’t always match your plans for rope drop or fireworks. Right now, the earliest Magic Kingdom bus leaves at 8:15 AM, and the last bus back leaves at 11:35 PM. Strollers, luggage, food, and drinks aren’t allowed on board, groups of 10 or more can’t use it, and buses can run late with traffic or bad weather. If you have little ones who nap in a stroller, driving or rideshare might be easier.

Driving, Rideshare, and Park Days

Driving gives you the most flexibility. EPCOT and Disney Springs are just a few minutes away, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom aren’t much farther, and Magic Kingdom takes a little longer because you park at the Transportation and Ticket Center and take the monorail or ferry over. Rideshare is a good in-between option, especially for EPCOT since it’s such a short ride.

Being this close makes a midday break easy. You can spend the morning in the park, come back for a swim and a nap, and head back out in the evening. If you plan to park hop a lot without a car, staying on Disney property and using Disney’s transportation system will give you more flexibility.

Caribe Royale Orlando FAQs

• Does Caribe Royale have a free Disney shuttle?
  • The Caribe Royale Disney shuttle is included in the resort fee rather than being truly free. It runs on a set schedule to all four Disney parks, with evening service to Disney Springs, and you reserve your spot at the concierge desk.
• Is Caribe Royale on Disney property?
  • Caribe Royale is not owned by Disney, but it is an official Walt Disney World Good Neighbor hotel about 1.5 miles from EPCOT. You get a location close to the parks at a different price point than staying on property.
• Is there a restaurant for breakfast at Caribe Royale?
  • Tropicale serves a sit-down breakfast, but it does not operate every day, so check the schedule when you arrive. Starbucks, The Market, and in-suite dining are all available when Tropicale is closed.
• Is Caribe Royale pet friendly?
  • Caribe Royale allows pets for a one-time fee. Check the pet policy before booking for size limits and which suites allow pets.

The Bottom Line of My Caribe Royale Orlando Review

My Caribe Royale Orlando review boils down to space and convenience. You get a suite with room to spread out, a fun pool, plenty of dining options, and a location close to the parks. It isn’t trying to be a Disney resort, and for the right group, it solves a problem a standard hotel room can’t.

Deciding between a Disney resort and a Good Neighbor hotel is where a travel agent helps the most. I can compare both options for your dates and your group, pair your stay with the right tickets, and plan transportation and dining so your days feel easy instead of rushed. If you’re starting to plan your next Disney trip, I’d love to help you put it all together.