Our Experience at Caribe Royale Orlando

As soon as we entered the resort, my daughter and I felt like we were on a tropical island. There are palm trees and lush greenery everywhere—even in the spacious, light-filled lobby. At check-in, our wristband room keys were presented to us in a pretty box that made us feel super special. The staff in the restaurants, at the pool, and everywhere else were very friendly and eager to help us with whatever we needed.

Caribe Royale's one-bedroom suites are spacious, modern, and cozy. 

Caribe Royale Orlando Accommodations

Caribe Royale has all suites and villas—no cramped rooms here. My daughter and I stayed in a one-bedroom suite, and it was modern, comfy, and huge! It had two queen beds in the bedroom and a pullout queen sofa in the living room, so it could have fit my entire family of five. The microwave and fridge made it convenient for us to store and reheat leftovers.

For larger families, or those that just want all the comforts of home, Caribe Royale has 1,260-square-foot villas that sleep six. That's bigger than my first apartment! Each villa has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a full kitchen, a washer and dryer, a screened-in lanai, and access to a private (and much quieter) pool just for villa guests.

A wading pool and splash area is perfect for the littlest guests. 

Family-Friendly Things To Do at Caribe Royale Orlando

1. Pool

The centerpiece of Caribe Royale is the tropical main pool, complete with waterfalls, several hot tubs, and a 75-foot water slide. We saw kids of all ages having a blast in the pool, but older kids and teens will especially love the energetic playlist of pop and dance music. You can rent a cabana, or just plan to get to the pool early to snag chairs. Poolside food and drink service are available. For little ones, there's a small wading pool with a splash zone and an adjacent small playground.

This big smile was well worth the price tag for a hair wrap!

There's also a poolside booth where you can get temporary tattoos, braids, and hair wraps for an additional fee. I couldn't resist getting a hair wrap for my daughter—she chose a Stitch charm for a little Disney magic!

2. Flamingo Scavenger Hunt

This was my daughter's absolute favorite activity at Caribe Royale! We received a scavenger hunt sheet at check-in that challenged us to find a dozen flamingoes hidden throughout the property, with clues to each one's location. Once we found them all, my daughter turned in her sheet for a prize at the resort gift shop. We loved that the hunt wasn't too easy for the big kids—we actually had to really work to find a few flamingoes (hint—look up!). What a unique and fun activity!

3. Fitness Center

Caribe Royale's large, two-story fitness center is one of the nicest gyms I have seen at a hotel!At 3,500 total square feet, it has cardio equipment like treadmills and ellipticals, free weights, and more. Teens ages 16 and older are allowed to use the fitness center.

4. Bike Riding

Cruiser bikes are available on a first-come, first-served basis at the fitness center. My daughter and I used a couple and enjoyed a little ride around the property. The bikes were a little old and there was construction going on, so there were some areas where we had to drive through parking lots and cross streets. Be careful with younger kids!

Play padel, pickleball, or basketball on the Sport Court.

5. Sport Court

We discovered the Sport Court during our bike ride, and it is big and beautiful! There are state-of-the-art padel and pickleball courts available at no fee to hotel guests from 1-5pm, but they must be reserved (all other hours require a fee). There's also a basketball half-court (no fee or reservation needed), and we saw some happy teen boys playing.

6. Fishing 

There's a pretty pier on the property where guests can enjoy catch-and-release fishing with provided equipment. My daughter and I got to ride along the pier on our bikes and saw several families fishing.

The small arcade has a variety of games and claw machines. 

7. Arcade

There's a small arcade in the pool area with claw machines, a racing game, arcade basketball, and a few other games. This seemed to be a popular hangout for the older kids and teens. My daughter was thrilled to win a few rubber ducks in a claw game.

8. Outdoor Movies

Family-friendly poolside movies are shown seasonally on weekends. While we were there, the calendar showed some Disney movies and some non-Disney.

Stadium Club is a sports lover's dream. 

9. Stadium Club

This is definitely the most fun place to eat at Caribe Royale! It's a family-friendly sports bar and grill with tons of TVs all around (my daughter said she's never seen so many TVS in one place) showing every sporting event imaginable. An emcee makes periodic announcements as if you're at a real game, and pay attention—you may even see yourself on the big screen! There's also a complimentary photo area in the front with fun props, like trophies and medals.

The most fun part of Stadium Club, though, are the sports simulators! Reserve a suite for up to six people and play 13 simulated games and sports with the provided sports equipment, including football, soccer, basketball, baseball, and more. My daughter's favorites were the carnival games and zombie dodgeball!

10. Holiday Fun

When I heard about all of the holiday activities at Caribe Royale, I decided I need to bring my family back one December! In 2025 there's a Hidden Holiday Gnome Hunt, Christmas cookie decorating, free hot cocoa at check-in, holiday movies under the stars, a holiday village made out of chocolate, a nightly lighting of the menorah during Hanukkah, and even a Noon Year's Eve party on December 31!

Getting to Disney World

As much fun as we were having at the resort, my daughter and I did spend one full day of our trip at EPCOT, and it was super easy to get there. Caribe Royale provides a complimentary shuttle service to the Disney parks, and it was only about a 15-minute trip. Shuttle times are limited, however, so be sure to check the schedule with the front desk and reserve your seats ahead of time. Reservations are available up to 24 hours in advance on a first-come, first-served basis.

Dining at Caribe Royale Orlando

If you have tween or teen girls, they'll likely notice the Starbucks as soon as you walk into the lobby. It's perfect for grabbing coffee and a quick bite on your way out to the theme parks. If you'd rather have a full breakfast, Tropicale offers a buffet on certain days and a la carte entrees on other days. We really enjoyed the breakfast buffet here!

We also enjoyed our casual, open-air dinner at Calypso's Pool Bar & Grille, which serves sandwiches, salads, burgers, and more. There's a kids menu as well as fun tropical cocktails for the adults. And speaking of cocktails, there's a rum bar next to the lobby!

The Market has grab-and-go options like paninis, sandwiches, salads, and pastries and is open until midnight. But we were too distracted by all of the sweet treats including homemade candy, cookies, and Kelly's Homemade Ice Cream—to die for!

Families looking for a bit of a fancier meal can dine at The Venetian Chop House, a AAA Four Diamond restaurant serving steaks, chops, seafood, and Italian specialties. There is a kids menu, but you'll need to ask about it.

And of course, there's Stadium Club, which has everything you'd expect at a sports bar—burgers, wings, pizza, sandwiches, and more, along with a kids menu.

Soak up the resort's lush tropical feel from the moment you step into the lobby. 

Would I Recommend Caribe Royale Orlando for Families?

The answer is a resounding YES! Caribe Royale is ideal for families with kids of various ages (or with older kids and teens), larger families who want to spread out, families who want to travel with their pets, and those who want to visit Disney World without staying at a Disney property. It's also great for multi-generational travel—I met a woman at the pool who said she and her husband bring their kids and grandkids every year. Caribe Royale provides the perfect blend of luxury, convenience, and fun.

Book your stay at Caribe Royale Orlando today!

All photos courtesy of the author