The ALL NEW Disney's Contemporary Resort & Bay Lake Tower FAQ with PICs! (July 2011)

[rcraw45425]

I'm planning a Jan 2014 trip and am wondering what room is the best? Tower or garden? Thanks!

Just back on Sunday from four nights in the tower, theme park view. That is a view that's hard to beat, but the price has really gotten out of hand. It was over $500 a night and not even peak season or club level. I could have stayed lagoon view at the Poly cheaper. For convenience, definitely the tower if you an afford, if not in your budget and you really want to stay there, the wing rooms are identical with the exception of second and third floors have a slider but no balcony.

 

[WDWKOOK]

I need to ship package from CR to my home. Do I go to front desk or business center? What are the hours of operation? TIA

Sent from my SGH-T769 using DISBoards

To ship a package via Fed Ex or UPS, go to the Business Center on the first floor. I don't know the hours, but the concierge can help you near the check-in/out desk.

I'm planning a Jan 2014 trip and am wondering what room is the best? Tower or garden? Thanks!

Our favorite room is a Tower room with a Bay Lake View. Beautiful view of Bay Lake, Discovery Island, the pool and marina and even Epcot off to the right and it's less expensive than TPV/MKV (and there isn't a parking lot below). The Garden Wing's Garden View rooms that directly front Bay Lake are also amazing, but there's no guarantee that you'll get one facing Bay Lake as that is only a request.

Just back on Sunday from four nights in the tower, theme park view. That is a view that's hard to beat, but the price has really gotten out of hand. It was over $500 a night and not even peak season or club level. I could have stayed lagoon view at the Poly cheaper. For convenience, definitely the tower if you an afford, if not in your budget and you really want to stay there, the wing rooms are identical with the exception of second and third floors have a slider but no balcony.

Welcome back

 

[rcraw45425]

To ship a package via Fed Ex or UPS, go to the Business Center on the first floor. I don't know the hours, but the concierge can help you near the check-in/out desk.

Our favorite room is a Tower room with a Bay Lake View. Beautiful view of Bay Lake, Discovery Island, the pool and marina and even Epcot off to the right and it's less expensive than TPV/MKV (and there isn't a parking lot below). The Garden Wing's Garden View rooms that directly front Bay Lake are also amazing, but there's no guarantee that you'll get one facing Bay Lake as that is only a request.

Welcome back

Thanks, back to the real world, albeit a lot cooler temperature wise!

 

[Janed]

We are planning a trip for next October. We'll be renting points for a 2 bedroom villa. Would be great to hear what they are like, the views you had and how far the walk is to the CR. I have moderate arthritis so am looking to get a room as close to the CS restaurant as possible.

Let the planning begin!

 

[pixarmom]

Just wanted to stop by and say THANKS for all the information and advice! We just returned from our first CR CL stay earlier this week and LOVED it. I'm so glad we decided to book CL for this stay. The lounge was comfortable with beautiful views. The CMs were absolutely outstanding - very helpful and engaging. They really stood out as some of the best CMs we've met at Disney - similar to some of the CMs in the BWI lounge. The club lounge and the convenience of the breakfast, snacks, etc. really made a huge difference in our stay.

I'm also very happy with our decision to book a Bay Lake View. Our three boys loved the MK view and my husband and I loved the Bay Lake view - with an Atrium Club standard room, we had both!

A few photos . . .

Our room:

The view:

Views from the club lounge:

Views of CR from the monorail:

And one more:

And our concerns regarding the elevators were unfounded - always arrived quickly and were pretty fast up to the 12th floor. Great stay!!!

 

[AirGoofy]

I hope you're having a great vacation, AirGoofy and family. Where are you dining today?

Sorry I missed your question. I was doing a live trip report and tried to minimize my computer time other than that. The TR is not live, but it was and in the link in my signature. We had a great trip. BLT is amazing.

 

[psac]

Great pix pixarmom, thanks for posting!!

 

[WDWKOOK]

Welcome back and thank you for posting those great photos, pixarmom. I'm glad you had a great experience at the Atrium Club and no elevator issues either. It sounds like some positive improvements have been made since I last stayed on the 12th floor a couple of years ago

We are planning a trip for next October. We'll be renting points for a 2 bedroom villa. Would be great to hear what they are like, the views you had and how far the walk is to the CR. I have moderate arthritis so am looking to get a room as close to the CS restaurant as possible.

Let the planning begin!

We stayed in a one bedroom in August and I have a link to my TR in my signature. If you would like two bedroom view/room number information, the BLT Rooms and Views thread is very helpful:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2257082

 

[mickeynut1]

Just wanted to stop by and say THANKS for all the information and advice! We just returned from our first CR CL stay earlier this week and LOVED it. I'm so glad we decided to book CL for this stay. The lounge was comfortable with beautiful views. The CMs were absolutely outstanding - very helpful and engaging. They really stood out as some of the best CMs we've met at Disney - similar to some of the CMs in the BWI lounge. The club lounge and the convenience of the breakfast, snacks, etc. really made a huge difference in our stay.

I'm also very happy with our decision to book a Bay Lake View. Our three boys loved the MK view and my husband and I loved the Bay Lake view - with an Atrium Club standard room, we had both!

Glad you had a great first stay at the CR . Thanks for posting the great room & view pics. The CR has never been on our radar as a resort we wanted to try, but after researching it more and looking at all of the great photos people have posted, I realize it's a must try for us, even if it is for just a few nights . One question if you don't mind.....would you stay at the CR again and would you do CL?

 

[dallas66]

had my first visit to this resort and i would have to say while it is a nice new resort.
it did not have a great disney feel to it.

but the location is great

 

[pixarmom]

Great pix pixarmom, thanks for posting!!

Thanks, psac! Made me happy to share! Loved how the room looked in the early morning photo on the top!

Welcome back and thank you for posting those great photos, pixarmom. I'm glad you had a great experience at the Atrium Club and no elevator issues either. It sounds like some positive improvements have been made since I last stayed on the 12th floor a couple of years ago

KOOK, we really appreciate all your advice before our stay!

Glad you had a great first stay at the CR . Thanks for posting the great room & view pics. The CR has never been on our radar as a resort we wanted to try, but after researching it more and looking at all of the great photos people have posted, I realize it's a must try for us, even if it is for just a few nights . One question if you don't mind.....would you stay at the CR again and would you do CL?

Hi mickeynut! That's how we felt - we really love BC and Poly. But our boys have always wanted to try CR, and for the night of MNSSHP it made sense. And the history of CR is just so interesting. All these years of seeing it across the lagoon from Poly, stopping in for California Grill or Chef Mickey's and zooming through it on the monorail - just wanted to give it a try. Yes, we would stay there again, but as part of a split stay and definitely CL.

I just can't emphasize enough how much CL added to our stay. It made CR feel very warm, welcoming and comfortable. In the past, I've said that I would not pay more than $100 extra per night for CL for our family of five. This was above my "value" limit at $150 extra for the night. But we did have breakfast in the lounge on arrival and departure day, used it a ton in the afternoon for both snacks and extra living space, we all had evening appetizers before the party, beer for my husband and wine for me, and we all really enjoyed talking with the CL CMs. In the end, I surprisingly felt it was entirely worth the extra cost - no question.

 

[mickeynut1]

Hi mickeynut! That's how we felt - we really love BC and Poly. But our boys have always wanted to try CR, and for the night of MNSSHP it made sense. And the history of CR is just so interesting. All these years of seeing it across the lagoon from Poly, stopping in for California Grill or Chef Mickey's and zooming through it on the monorail - just wanted to give it a try. Yes, we would stay there again, but as part of a split stay and definitely CL.

I just can't emphasize enough how much CL added to our stay. It made CR feel very warm, welcoming and comfortable. In the past, I've said that I would not pay more than $100 extra per night for CL for our family of five. This was above my "value" limit at $150 extra for the night. But we did have breakfast in the lounge on arrival and departure day, used it a ton in the afternoon for both snacks and extra living space, we all had evening appetizers before the party, beer for my husband and wine for me, and we all really enjoyed talking with the CL CMs. In the end, I surprisingly felt it was entirely worth the extra cost - no question.

Thanks for all of your input . We have had great stays at all of the resorts we've tried, but we are also Poly fans as that's our favorite overall. I never really considered the CR as the theme/decor has never appealed to me, but then one day my DH mentioned staying there on a future trip. Once the s/p/d and Jan-Mar room discounts came out, I started quoting a quick March trip and the only room category available for our dates is Standard Atrium Club. I was looking at just a TPV, but after reading your report about CL (and TPV not being available), I'm thinking that might be a good time to give CR CL a try. Glad to hear you had such a great stay that you would stay there again .

 

[WDWKOOK]

HERE IS THE LINK to the CR October Activities flyer. However, there is a separate Halloween activities flyer that was not posted.

BLT OCTOBER ACTIVITIES FLYER

 

[skifast22]

Checking back into BLT next Saturday! Doe the rooms at BLT still have the 8 cup coffee makers that use the square bottom filters, or have they switched to single cup pod machines? Thanks

 

[AirGoofy]

Checking back into BLT next Saturday! Doe the rooms at BLT still have the 8 cup coffee makers that use the square bottom filters, or have they switched to single cup pod machines? Thanks

Just there last week. It was a regular coffee maker. I may have put a picture on the last page or so or one of the other BLT threads.

 

[psac]

Checking back into BLT next Saturday! Doe the rooms at BLT still have the 8 cup coffee makers that use the square bottom filters, or have they switched to single cup pod machines? Thanks

Yup, you would want a 12 cup basket filter if you were buying them.

 

[WDWKOOK]

Checking back into BLT next Saturday! Doe the rooms at BLT still have the 8 cup coffee makers that use the square bottom filters, or have they switched to single cup pod machines? Thanks

Have a great vacation!

 

[skifast22]

awesome... thanks for the info and the pic! Can't wait to get back "home"

 

[vatali]

Welcome fellow threaders. We just made our ressies for xmas (19-25) for our first time in a deluxe! welcome us to the big time.

That being said, normally we stay at POR/POFQ and get our breakfast from the general store there. Is there a similar store in the contemporary? I have looked at countless maps and have not been able to find one.

Also, we are staying out in the garden wing and are looking for a decent place to watch the fireworks before bed. I read you can go out into the parking lot and cacth the show. Any other ideas for a 9 year old?

Thanks in advance

Vat

 

[Qmom]

You can buy groceries at Fantasia Market on the 4th floor of the tower just next to the arcade. You can watch fireworks from the 4th floor balcony or you can see them from the parking lot. We would go to the movies under the stars and watch the fireworks by turning around in our chairs. They are held on the walkway between the CR and BLT.