(CLOSED) Disney's CONTEMPORARY RESORT and BAY LAKE TOWER INFORMATION THREAD

[Dopey19]

Hi we are staying at BLV in a few weeks and I was just reading about the standard cabanas. how difficult is it to get one? I know it's first come, first serve but do people tend to get out there early and reserve the spaces with towels? TIA!

 

[WDWKOOK]

Add me to the roll call. We will be in the garden wing, Aug.7-12.

I wish I would have booked tower, but I was looking at the "whole" budget. We are combining business with pleasure, POP for the first 4 nights, DD7's b-day at the Contemporary for the last 5 nights.

It will be great to get back to the Contemporary. I love this resort!

You've been added to the Log-orail. I'm not trying to shorten your split stay at CR, but if you were to add one day to POP (5 days POP and 4 days CR) would you then be able to budget for a Tower STD View (BLV) room?

 

[WDWKOOK]

Hi we are staying at BLV in a few weeks and I was just reading about the standard cabanas. how difficult is it to get one? I know it's first come, first serve but do people tend to get out there early and reserve the spaces with towels? TIA!

Lynn, there are four cabanas: Two surround the Bay Lake or quiet pool and two are by the large Mickey-shaped pool, (there are photos on the first page under RECREATION). You can reserve them in advance. For reservations, call (407) WDW-PLAY or (407) 939-7589. I don't know how likely you are to get one without a reservation.

 

[poohgirl6]

Kook, please add us to the Log-o-rail

We will be at CR Sept 1-8 for the Experience Conference/Night of Joy

Did it last year and fell in love with our Bay Lake View Tower Room at a conference rate

Love love love sitting on the balcony overlooking the back entrance and pool area people watching and just listening to the happy sounds. Also love that EWP each night

Thank you!

 

[Dopey19]

Lynn, there are four cabanas: Two surround the Bay Lake or quiet pool and two are by the large Mickey-shaped pool, (there are photos on the first page under RECREATION). You can reserve them in advance. For reservations, call (407) WDW-PLAY or (407) 939-7589. I don't know how likely you are to get one without a reservation.

Thank you for the reply, I guess I misunderstood. I thought you only reserved the cabana with the amenities and the ones without where available on a first come basis. As nice as the ones with amenities sound I'm not sure it is in the budget!

 

[WDWKOOK]

Kook, please add us to the Log-o-rail

We will be at CR Sept 1-8 for the Experience Conference/Night of Joy

Did it last year and fell in love with our Bay Lake View Tower Room at a conference rate

Love love love sitting on the balcony overlooking the back entrance and pool area people watching and just listening to the happy sounds. Also love that EWP each night

Thank you!

I've added you! I love your description of overlooking Bay Lake and what a great time of the year to be able to go. I feel at home at CR when I hear the pool music that's been the same track for so many years. BTW, I like your face for your DS14, that often describes my DD14 along with

 

[poohgirl6]

I've added you! I love your description of overlooking Bay Lake and what a great time of the year to be able to go. I feel at home at CR when I hear the pool music that's been the same track for so many years. BTW, I like your face for your DS14, that often describes my DD14 along with

Thanks for adding us! I have been on the YC/BC Be Our Guest list for months (we are transferring to YC after the week at the CR) but forgot about getting on the CR list

Yes, I cannot believe how much we (really me) used our balcony. As soon as I woke up I would go out there and hear the sounds of Disney waking up and coming to magical life. If I got up in the middle of the night for something, I would go out there. That magical soundtrack was always playing I know we would probably love a MK balcony view to see the fireworks, but I loved the fact that the Bay Lake view was shaded in the heat of the afternoon

Yes, my 14 yr old son is a mess...all 6'2'' of him

 

[WDWKOOK]

Thank you for the reply, I guess I misunderstood. I thought you only reserved the cabana with the amenities and the ones without where available on a first come basis. As nice as the ones with amenities sound I'm not sure it is in the budget!

You're welcome and it is confusing. I'm not sure why in the description they mention "Standard cabanas without amenities." Hopefully someone will be able to clarify this for us. Maybe they mean that the cabanas without drinks and food can be rented the same day. They all seem to have the same furniture, but maybe you can rent them without food and drinks which you would think would cost less, but I haven't seen a price list w/o those amenities. They do mention that the fruit basket may not be available w/o a reservation.

Disney CR cabana description:

Standard cabanas with amenities can be reserved and include furniture, electronics and refreshments. Standard cabanas not featuring amenities are available on a walk-up basis only.

Standard cabana amenities include:

2 padded lounge chairs
2 padded straight-backed chairs
Plush towels
32-inch LCD television with cable access and optional earphones
DVD/CD/MP3 player
Phone for internal Resort calls
Ceiling fan
Mini refrigerator stocked with complimentary sodas and water
Fruit basket (may not be available without advance reservation)
Private dining and poolside massages are available at an additional cost.

 

[glvsav37]

Hi all....getting close, we will be at BLT from July 28-Aug 8th, our first DVC stay!!! Me, wifie and 2 kiddos, Katie 7 and Ian 3.

We stayed at BLT 2 summers ago as regular guests and loved it, so we are back for more.

 

[GinCar]

You've been added to the Log-orail. I'm not trying to shorten your split stay at CR, but if you were to add one day to POP (5 days POP and 4 days CR) would you then be able to budget for a Tower STD View (BLV) room?

You are right, I could, but I think I would rather have the extra night at the Contemporary.
I also want to make sure we are at the Contemporary for her b-day.

Thanks for the idea, though!

 

[bluejasmine]

I'm really looking fwd to using our balcony, even on DCL every morning we woke up called room service for coffee, had a few cups out there before getting dressed & going down to breakfast!

We did that at The Poly, GF, AKL & tried to do it at BC but our balcony was covered in spiders & webs!!

It's the only way I can get DH woke up! I get up make coffee, wake him up, he takes our coffee out to balcony & we take about 20 min to wake up with our coffee. Get dressed go down to breakfast & hit the parks..

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[johnsonet]

WOW! We were pretty much blown away
Atrium Club staff are the MOST professional and uniformly friendly of the CL we have experienced (GF x 4+; Poly x 2; WL x 1; BWI x 2; AKL x 7+)
In addition, the room and view were fabulous. We will definitely return ASAP.
Here are some photos:

Breakfast offerings were very nice.

LOVE this machine

Just some of the dessert offerings - loved the apple slices with little pots of caramel

not too shabby

 

[trishadono]

Sorry, take me off log o rail. I got into VGF for a 2bdm for same dates I wanted.

WE love BLT but when opportunity knocks...we have to try VGF!!!!

But am sure we will be back to BLT soon

 

[Mousemommy1]

Wow johnsonet! Thanks for the quick review on CR Atrium CL! We are hoping to book there for next August once the rates and word on military discount come out. Fingers crossed!!!

More pics would certainly be welcomed!

 

[mickeynut1]

WOW! We were pretty much blown away

Thanks for the pics, although it's making my decision harder . I thought I was set on trying CR CL for a few nights in December, and then I started looking at pics of the VGF . But these pics are bringing me back to the CR .

 

[johnsonet]

Wow johnsonet! Thanks for the quick review on CR Atrium CL! We are hoping to book there for next August once the rates and word on military discount come out. Fingers crossed!!!

More pics would certainly be welcomed!

Thank you and I truly hope you get to book Atrium Club for next August
I am happy to post more photos. Also, I have posted some on the Concierge thread http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2959196&page=123

Thanks for the pics, although it's making my decision harder . I thought I was set on trying CR CL for a few nights in December, and then I started looking at pics of the VGF . But these pics are bringing me back to the CR .

Thank you. That is a tough call. Would you consider a split stay? I'd be keen on trying VGF for sure. A friend just booked it for October
I highly recommend Atrium Club, though We only stayed one night and just adored it. We really took advantage of being next to MK, and of the lounge.

welcome gift

cookies throughout the day (not pictured are the yummy soft sugar cookies and the oatmeal and fruit, spicy cookies.)

more of lounge

Nespresso machine

some evening offerings

pot stickers and conch fritters

Assorted cheeses plus sliced baguettes with peanut butter and jelly "shots"

 

[mickeynut1]

Thank you. That is a tough call. Would you consider a split stay? I'd be keen on trying VGF for sure. A friend just booked it for October
I highly recommend Atrium Club, though We only stayed one night and just adored it. We really took advantage of being next to MK, and of the lounge.

We are kind of doing a split already as we are staying 2 nights prior to a cruise and then 2 nights after, but after is definitely Poly CL, so unfortunately, I have to make a (difficult) decision between VGF and CR CL . One thing pushing me toward CR is that there (hopefully) will be a discount, whereas with VGF, that would be rack rate due to it being brand new. And our dates prior to the cruise fall during peak season and after is holiday season (which I'm not holding my breath for a discount of any kind ).

OMG those sugar cookies are to die for!!!! I was wondering if those were offered in Atrium Club.....LOL. I couldn't get enough of those on my last trip staying RPC and I don't see them listed on other resort's food offerings, so I wasn't sure just which CLs had them (or if they all did and some people just didn't list them ).

I know everyone's opinion is different, but how would you compare CR Atrium CL to GF RPC?

 

[johnsonet]

We are kind of doing a split already as we are staying 2 nights prior to a cruise and then 2 nights after, but after is definitely Poly CL, so unfortunately, I have to make a (difficult) decision between VGF and CR CL . One thing pushing me toward CR is that there (hopefully) will be a discount, whereas with VGF, that would be rack rate due to it being brand new. And our dates prior to the cruise fall during peak season and after is holiday season (which I'm not holding my breath for a discount of any kind ).

OMG those sugar cookies are to die for!!!! I was wondering if those were offered in Atrium Club.....LOL. I couldn't get enough of those on my last trip staying RPC and I don't see them listed on other resort's food offerings, so I wasn't sure just which CLs had them (or if they all did and some people just didn't list them ).

I know everyone's opinion is different, but how would you compare CR Atrium CL to GF RPC?

Oh, now I understand your predicament

[BTW, we visited the Poly one evening and it is more beautiful than ever! I cannot wait to stay there again]

Re. GF RPC, my last RPC stay was 4 years ago but every time we have done it it has been wonderful. So pretty there and GF was our first love Our last couple of stays have been standard GV rooms, though.

My daughter and I were both crazy for Atrium Club. It without a doubt was a more polished experience than we've had at any of the other WDW CLs. BWI CL years ago probably was our 2d most polished.

Upon arrival, my DD and I were both offered a cup of coffee by one of the CMs in the lounge, who walked over to us during the check-in process. He fixed me an excellent cappuccino, which I enjoyed just moments after walking into the lounge. This has never happened to me on any of my previous stays. That is excellent service and I think was the moment we fell in love with the place

I loved our CR room and its location. LOVED being on the same floor as lounge (without having to worry about requesting it). LOVED that ALL the CMs seemed genuinely helpful and had pride in their hotel.

P.S. I did get the summer offer discount for Atrium Club, MK View for this stay

Oh, and for any of you ladies trying to convince your DH or BF to try CL (or a Disney Deluxe, for that matter), I think CR CL would appeal to men very much

 

[WDWKOOK]

Hi all....getting close, we will be at BLT from July 28-Aug 8th, our first DVC stay!!! Me, wifie and 2 kiddos, Katie 7 and Ian 3.

We stayed at BLT 2 summers ago as regular guests and loved it, so we are back for more.

That's great! I'll add you to the Log-orail.

WOW! We were pretty much blown away
Atrium Club staff are the MOST professional and uniformly friendly of the CL we have experienced (GF x 4+; Poly x 2; WL x 1; BWI x 2; AKL x 7+)
In addition, the room and view were fabulous. We will definitely return ASAP.
Here are some photos:

Thank you for posting your one-night review with many great photos! I'm glad you had a great experience. I'd love to use some of your lounge photos in the CL section, with your permission, of course.

Sorry, take me off log o rail. I got into VGF for a 2bdm for same dates I wanted.

WE love BLT but when opportunity knocks...we have to try VGF!!!!

But am sure we will be back to BLT soon

No problem and we understand!

 

[mickeynut1]

Oh, now I understand your predicament

[BTW, we visited the Poly one evening and it is more beautiful than ever! I cannot wait to stay there again]

Re. GF RPC, my last RPC stay was 4 years ago but every time we have done it it has been wonderful. So pretty there and GF was our first love Our last couple of stays have been standard GV rooms, though.

My daughter and I were both crazy for Atrium Club. It without a doubt was a more polished experience than we've had at any of the other WDW CLs. BWI CL years ago probably was our 2d most polished.

Upon arrival, my DD and I were both offered a cup of coffee by one of the CMs in the lounge, who walked over to us during the check-in process. He fixed me an excellent cappuccino, which I enjoyed just moments after walking into the lounge. This has never happened to me on any of my previous stays. That is excellent service and I think was the moment we fell in love with the place

I loved our CR room and its location. LOVED being on the same floor as lounge (without having to worry about requesting it). LOVED that ALL the CMs seemed genuinely helpful and had pride in their hotel.

P.S. I did get the summer offer discount for Atrium Club, MK View for this stay

Oh, and for any of you ladies trying to convince your DH or BF to try CL (or a Disney Deluxe, for that matter), I think CR CL would appeal to men very much

I mentioned VGF to my DH and he really wants to try the CR. He's very easy going and usually says that whichever resort I pick is fine, but I think I'm with him on this one (especially after reading your post ). CR has never appealed to me as far as theme/decor, but after researching it the last few months, I think it would be great to try. I was originally thinking tower TPV, but I really want to try CL, so that's what we're going to do. And thanks for adding that you got a discount on Atrium Club MKV. I was thinking CL BLV, but now I'm going to shoot for MKV if I can get a good discount. Thanks for all of your input......CR CL sounds like an awesome experience .