CR Garden Wing Compared to other Deluxe Resorts

[aprilbabes]

Many of you have convinced me to consider the CR being the Poly will have construction, and we've been priced out of GF It is important to us to be near MK. We tried WL last year and didn't love it.

I wouldn't consider BLT because unlike many, I don't want to be I'm the middle of all the action. We have two little ones and peace and quiet is important to us.

I'm not familiar with the garden wing, but the proximity to Mk is ideal and the rooms look spacious and updated. PLEASE tell me the good, the bad, and the ugly about the garden wing. I don't like surprises- especially when I'm paying deluxe prices!

 

[HereForMinnie]

Many of you have convinced me to consider the CR being the Poly will have construction, and we've been priced out of GF It is important to us to be near MK. We tried WL last year and didn't love it.

I wouldn't consider BLT because unlike many, I don't want to be I'm the middle of all the action. We have two little ones and peace and quiet is important to us.

I'm not familiar with the garden wing, but the proximity to Mk is ideal and the rooms look spacious and updated. PLEASE tell me the good, the bad, and the ugly about the garden wing. I don't like surprises- especially when I'm paying deluxe prices!

If you were considering Poly I don't think you're priced out of GF. There's only a $17 difference between a Poly TPV room and a GF TPV room.

As others have said, the good part about CR garden wing is the price. It's much cheaper than staying in the tower. The garden wing is probably much quieter than the tower with all of its restaurants, guests and the monorail going through. However you have to walk over to the tower for the amenities. That's a negative to me.

 

[aprilbabes]

If you were considering Poly I don't think you're priced out of GF. There's only a $17 difference between a Poly TPV room and a GF TPV room.

As others have said, the good part about CR garden wing is the price. It's much cheaper than staying in the tower. The garden wing is probably much quieter than the tower with all of its restaurants, guests and the monorail going through. However you have to walk over to the tower for the amenities. That's a negative to me.

I guess we would've been priced out of Poly too although they do have a greater discount.

 

[DemonLlama]

We stayed in the Garden Wing last April, in an end room, which had its own private patio, and we were just staying on at the cheap conference rate. The room was huge and spacious, the grounds very quiet. This is a link to the photos I took of our room and the grounds:

Contemporary Garden Wing Photos

 

[zark72]

Many of you have convinced me to consider the CR being the Poly will have construction, and we've been priced out of GF It is important to us to be near MK. We tried WL last year and didn't love it.

I wouldn't consider BLT because unlike many, I don't want to be I'm the middle of all the action. We have two little ones and peace and quiet is important to us.

I'm not familiar with the garden wing, but the proximity to Mk is ideal and the rooms look spacious and updated. PLEASE tell me the good, the bad, and the ugly about the garden wing. I don't like surprises- especially when I'm paying deluxe prices!

We switched over to the CR after learning of the Poly construction, so join the club! Anyhow, we've stayed in the tower and the garden at CR and I think I may have liked our garden room better, *but* it was in a great location; ground floor in the north-south wing farthest from the tower, window facing east so we had a view of nothing but the lake and Discovery Island. I could sit on he patio and enjoy coffee and nature waking up each morning. We didn't think the extra footsteps to the tower were really a big deal. If you don't mind the walk, I highly recommend asking for this location. I'd tell you the room number, bit I don't typically remember those things.

We're heading back to the tower this March, but only because there were no garden rooms available during our schedule. Enjoy!

 

[aprilbabes]

We stayed in the Garden Wing last April, in an end room, which had its own private patio, and we were just staying on at the cheap conference rate. The room was huge and spacious, the grounds very quiet. This is a link to the photos I took of our room and the grounds:

Contemporary Garden Wing Photos

Wow! Amazing pics! Is that room a deluxe or standard???
So, I'm guessing you recommend the garden wing ?
Did it bother you to have to walk to the tower for food, etc?
Although, if I were staying at Poly or GF I'd have to walk to the main building as well.

How did you find the pool area? Clean? relaxing? Fun for little ones?

 

[TJA]

Since you want peace and quiet, I do think the wing would be a great option for you (versus the tower). When we stayed in the wing, we did get a feeling of being "out of the action" or "away from it all" though we were just a short walk away from the action in the tower. And quite frankly, when our kids were young as in babies/toddlers, we couldn't even place a value on CR -- it was priceless to us to be able to walk back and forth to MK. We'd just let the kids fall asleep in the comfortable stroller/jogger and take our time walking back to CR at night. If Wishes started, DH and I would just turn around and watch the show while the kids slept.

As a side note, I got the same feeling about WL -- I honestly don't understand why I don't love it there (we've stayed there a few times with the most recent stay just a few months ago). It may have something to do with the room size being so small -- you will notice a huge difference when you see a CR room as they are very spacious especially compared to WL.

So the good things about CR wing:
> walkway to MK.
> large rooms/comfortable beds.
> having the tower right there for restaurants (Chef Mickeys!), shopping, arcade with prizes, monorail.
> you don't have to be at MK to watch Wishes -- you can watch Wishes from various areas right at CR.

Bad things:
> the sinks! We don't like the flat rectangle shapes because they just don't drain fast. However, it's definitely not a deal breaker -- the good outweighs the bad for us by a longshot.
> the lobby area gives us a somewhat "convention feel," but once you get onto the main level, you will feel total Disney.

 

[aprilbabes]

Since you want peace and quiet, I do think the wing would be a great option for you (versus the tower). When we stayed in the wing, we did get a feeling of being "out of the action" or "away from it all" though we were just a short walk away from the action in the tower. And quite frankly, when our kids were young as in babies/toddlers, we couldn't even place a value on CR -- it was priceless to us to be able to walk back and forth to MK. We'd just let the kids fall asleep in the comfortable stroller/jogger and take our time walking back to CR at night. If Wishes started, DH and I would just turn around and watch the show while the kids slept.

As a side note, I got the same feeling about WL -- I honestly don't understand why I don't love it there (we've stayed there a few times with the most recent stay just a few months ago). It may have something to do with the room size being so small -- you will notice a huge difference when you see a CR room as they are very spacious especially compared to WL.

So the good things about CR wing:
> walkway to MK.
> large rooms/comfortable beds.
> having the tower right there for restaurants (Chef Mickeys!), shopping, arcade with prizes, monorail.
> you don't have to be at MK to watch Wishes -- you can watch Wishes from various areas right at CR.

Bad things:
> the sinks! We don't like the flat rectangle shapes because they just don't drain fast. However, it's definitely not a deal breaker -- the good outweighs the bad for us by a longshot.
> the lobby area gives us a somewhat "convention feel," but once you get onto the main level, you will feel total Disney.

Oh good- thought it's was just me with the WL. It gets excellent reviews and really is very lovely, but something was just missing for me.

Also, meant to ask if there was a beach and a splash pad area for kiddies like at the Poly and GF.

 

[paxsarah]

I guess I've never considered BLT as being in the center of all the action, but then I haven't actually stayed there yet (will be in May). I'm kind of looking forward to being close to but not in the midst of the amenities of the main Contemporary tower, plus we love the additional peace and quiet of being able to have a little extra personal space when we're in our unit.

 

[GovieMom]

Although, if I were staying at Poly or GF I'd have to walk to the main building as well.

Bingo! Plus, the Tower rooms at CR cost as much as, and sometimes more than, the standard rooms at GF.

 

[TJA]

Yes there is a beach area and also a splash area for the kids. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked the pool area. I guess when I looked at the CR initially I thought the entire resort area would feel somewhat "sterile" if that makes sense, but really it's the opposite once you get on the main level and also the pool area. I don't think you would regret staying there.

Yes, something was missing for us too at WL, not sure what, as you say it's very gorgeous and so cozy. The only thing I can think is I just didn't enjoy the room, though I adapted and didn't "hate" it, but it felt so small and hard to spread out and enjoy.

 

[kmc]

Absolutely love ground floor rooms in the garden wing.

 

[polyfor4]

This is a tough one. We stayed in the garden wing in 2003 so probably not the most accurate review but we're also Poly people! The garden wing is a good value, the tower rooms are surprisingly expensive! To me it didn't really change my experience of CR but we were also in the garden wing where BLT is now. If you are sold on CR stay in the garden wing- I didn't think it changed my experience that much and the price difference is astronomical! If you wanted to stay in the tower maybe consider a split stay for affordability. An Epcot resort would be a nice change of pace and you could save your MK days for when you're at CR?

 

[Babsy]

Yes there is a beach area and also a splash area for the kids. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked the pool area. I guess when I looked at the CR initially I thought the entire resort area would feel somewhat "sterile" if that makes sense, but really it's the opposite once you get on the main level and also the pool area. I don't think you would regret staying there.

Yes, something was missing for us too at WL, not sure what, as you say it's very gorgeous and so cozy. The only thing I can think is I just didn't enjoy the room, though I adapted and didn't "hate" it, but it felt so small and hard to spread out and enjoy.

YES! totally agree!

We were pleasantly surprised by the pool area as well! It is lovely looking over the lake from the pool which never seemed too busy and had lots of places to hang out and relax. Aerial shots of the area, that we looked at before going, just don't do it justice.

Love the WL, but can't say that I am a fan of the rooms either. Small and dark is how the rooms felt to me. Staying at the CR you can take a nice boat ride over to enjoy the WL dining or walk the grounds, but you still have a nice room to sleep and spread out in.

 

[Kari0180]

We stayed in the garden wing for our honeymoon and loved it! It was so quiet compared to the tower, we were a short walk to the pool and the main building and we loved that we could walk to MK in about 10 minutes, but the best part? Every night we grabbed a drink and watched the water pageant from our room, it was wonderful, would stay there a million times over!

 

[ElizabethB]

I second all the positives about CR. We loved our garden wing room with patio and garden view. And we loved walking to MK with the kids in their strollers. So easy to come back for pool or nap and then wander over again later. We liked the pool area too. The smaller pool that is right on the lake is very pretty.

We, too, think the rooms at WL are too small. Dh and I felt like we were constantly bumping into each other or the armoire, and we are not large people.

 

[HereForMinnie]

I didn't like WL but I laughed when I walked in the room because I'd read so many posts and blogs stating the rooms are small. They weren't small at all to us. Are they as big as Poly's or a one-bedroom villa? No. But they aren't small. I think they're the perfect size for a family of four.

 

[spiceycat]

BLT is not the center of the action - it is a DVC resort - none of the DVC resorts to me are center of action. well sometimes BWV can feel like it.

they are generally quieter than the hotel part.

that say studios at BLT are TINY. you would need at least a 1-bedroom at BLT - so go with CR think the regular rooms are a little cheaper than a 1-bedroom at BLT.

now since I generally go solo - the studios are great for me.

now the lobby and even the tower itself at CR - can definitely feel like the center of the action. Part of the problem it the monorail going through it. Now it is a heck of alot better than in the 70's and 80's before WDW became so good with white noise. the white noise is very, very good - you won't even heard it unless you go to another resort after it. (we went to okw - and boy it may a big difference)

 

[scjo68]

We have stayed in the CR Garden Wing twice, and really enjoy it. In fact, I gave my DD her choice of any resort for her 16th birthday trip, and CR was her pick. I did insist we get the lowest priced room at whatever resort she chose, so we were in a standard view, rather than a Garden view. That is one way to get into the CR for at least a little less, if you do not care about the view (we really don't). We had a view of a wall. If that- or a parking lot view- would bother you, book a garden view.

We also love the Poly. The advantage of the CR is the ability to walk to/from MK. The monorail at the Poly is nice but we had a few times when the monorail was not working. No matter how crowded and backed up transportation is out of MK, you can always walk to the CR.

We have not stayed in the CR tower so can't compare that to the Garden wing. We have always found the Garden wing of the CR to be quiet.

 

[jcjen519]

BLT is not the center of the action - it is a DVC resort - none of the DVC resorts to me are center of action. well sometimes BWV can feel like it.

they are generally quieter than the hotel part.

that say studios at BLT are TINY. you would need at least a 1-bedroom at BLT - so go with CR think the regular rooms are a little cheaper than a 1-bedroom at BLT.

now since I generally go solo - the studios are great for me.

now the lobby and even the tower itself at CR - can definitely feel like the center of the action. Part of the problem it the monorail going through it. Now it is a heck of alot better than in the 70's and 80's before WDW became so good with white noise. the white noise is very, very good - you won't even heard it unless you go to another resort after it. (we went to okw - and boy it may a big difference)

I agree with this. when we've stayed at BLT (granted it was low crowd in January) it was very quiet. of course you have the fireworks and all but we were never bothered, didn't hear hallway noise or noise from the other rooms.

we've never stayed in the garden wing but it does not appeal to me. JMO.
we went over there and toured the wing that was torn down at one point after we knew they were going to be building a dvc building in its place. It was just something my grandfather wanted to do.

I'm surprised to hear that you're priced out of the GF if you were booking a polynesian room. I agree you pay a little more for the same room (cl to cl, tpv to tpv) but always found the difference to be negligible compared to the overall cost. If you want a garden wing room to save some cash then I'd say its a good option. (i don't know how much it saves you but i get the impression on here its quite a bit) otherwise I would personally check out the GF or book a room in the tower at CR if you are sure you don't want to stay at the Polynesian with construction.

good luck