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

[Mouselvr1]

Leaving in 6 days for my 10 day trip to the world and my first stay @ BLT! Woo hoo ! I have read some postings stating that coffee makers may be changing in DVC resorts. Does anyone know what type of coffeemakers are in BLT? Thanks!

[dmband]

How much does the activity calendar change?
Itw, can I predict at all what Sunday July first will be based on Sunday's for June?

[WDWKOOK]

Originally Posted by jeanylaser

I can't wait to Stay in Contemporary in Dec 2012! I'm so excited to stay in this resort!

Yippee! Now all you need is a nice CR ticker

Originally Posted by BLTtinkerbell

Looking forward to my upcoming stay at BLT!!!!

What villa are you in? Have you stayed there before?

Originally Posted by buzlite

just booked first stay at bay lake villas! Got free dining!! now2 to decide where to eat!

Congratulations! The Wave's breakfast buffet is great and CA Grill has the best views (and sushi), IMHO.

Originally Posted by Mouselvr1

Leaving in 6 days for my 10 day trip to the world and my first stay @ BLT! Woo hoo ! I have read some postings stating that coffee makers may be changing in DVC resorts. Does anyone know what type of coffeemakers are in BLT? Thanks!

I only know that the non-DVC resorts have switched over to the Cusinart pods. Hopefully someone else will answer your question. I know that psac was at BLT recently

Originally Posted by dmband

How much does the activity calendar change?
Itw, can I predict at all what Sunday July first will be based on Sunday's for June?

It seems to change more seasonally than monthly (other than the movies), so June and July should be pretty much the same.

[QueenJane]

Checking in on Monday! Can't get here soon enough!!!

I am to check out on Saturday....wonder how hard it would be to find 1 extra night somewhere?

[salann]

just returning from a wonderful trip. the CR was awesome, we had booked a Garden View room...checked in and was given a tower room!! It overlooks the lake and the pool...simply amazing.

My kids loved the monorail and my husband loved the ease and convenience of being able to hop on the monorail or walk to MK...I'm not sure I'll ever stay elsewhere!! Except I will bring my own pod coffee because the stuff they had in room was not very good at all!

I also loved the fact they provided free lifevests for kids at the pool...my 5 year old isn't the strongest swimmer so he was great to strp on the jacket and go on the slide.

One note, the slide had broken the day before we left and was closed for repairs. (this was June 4th)

[psac]

Originally Posted by Mouselvr1

Leaving in 6 days for my 10 day trip to the world and my first stay @ BLT! Woo hoo ! I have read some postings stating that coffee makers may be changing in DVC resorts. Does anyone know what type of coffeemakers are in BLT? Thanks!

Originally Posted by WDWKOOK

I only know that the non-DVC resorts have switched over to the Cusinart pods. Hopefully someone else will answer your question. I know that psac was at BLT recently

I saw the psac-signal in the sky. So far the non-DVC Deluxe resorts have switched over, like WDWKOOK said, but the DVC resorts have all stuck to "old fashioned" 12-cup basket filter coffee makers. I think that's primarily because many DVC members like to cook their own meals, bring their own coffee, etc., which is sometimes harder with the pods. I haven't seen any schedule for changing that. If you really did want to use the pods (and it's pods, not K-cups), you might be able to ask for one from housekeeping since they have them for the Contemporary side, but I don't know if you would be successful with the request. Enjoy!!

[serene56]

Originally Posted by salann

, we had booked a Garden View room...checked in and was given a tower room!! It overlooks the lake and the pool...simply amazing. (this was June 4th)

Please forgive me-- never stayed at this resort and booked for labor day weekend.

can you tell me the difference between Gardnen view and a tower room? (is that Bay Lake Tower room? wow I wish I could be so lucky

is the Garden view in the Wing section?

[WDWKOOK]

Originally Posted by serene56

Please forgive me-- never stayed at this resort and booked for labor day weekend.

can you tell me the difference between Gardnen view and a tower room? (is that Bay Lake Tower room? wow I wish I could be so lucky

is the Garden view in the Wing section?

Yes, a Garden View room is in the Garden Wing, a separate building next to the Tower, but connected by a covered walkway. The Garden Wing also has Standard View rooms. The Tower has only Theme Park/MK view rooms and Bay Lake view rooms. The interior of the rooms is identical.

No need to apologize for asking questions here!

[jeanylaser]

I love Garden wing I hope we get it!

[BLTtinkerbell]

Originally Posted by WDWKOOK

What villa are you in? Have you stayed there before?

This time we are trying a 2 bedroom standard view. We have stayed here before in a 2 bedroom TP/MK View and LOVED it! Booked standard view this trip so we could try BCV as well.

[jeanylaser]

WDWKOOK! Does the Contemporary has coffee Makers in every room?

[serene56]

Originally Posted by WDWKOOK

Yes, a Garden View room is in the Garden Wing, a separate building next to the Tower, but connected by a covered walkway. The Garden Wing also has Standard View rooms. The Tower has only Theme Park/MK view rooms and Bay Lake view rooms. The interior of the rooms is identical.

No need to apologize for asking questions here!

ok i had to go check my reservation to see what it was.

Standard garden wing. Never even asked if I wanted a garden view- what is the difference between a garden view and a standard.

Is the garden wing far from the resort? or is it part of the resort?

[BLTtinkerbell]

Originally Posted by serene56

ok i had to go check my reservation to see what it was.

Standard garden wing. Never even asked if I wanted a garden view- what is the difference between a garden view and a standard.

Is the garden wing far from the resort? or is it part of the resort?

The garden wing is part of the resort. If you look at pictures of CR you will see the main building, called the tower. Behind the tower is the garden wing. There is a covered walkway between the two buildings. The rooms are exactly the same inside. I have stayed in both the garden wing and tower and love the resort. You will enjoy it.

By the way, Bay Lake Tower is the DVC building next to CR.

[Jaaaacki]

Getting closer to online check in. Yay!!

[CleveRocks]

Originally Posted by serene56

Please forgive me-- never stayed at this resort and booked for labor day weekend.

can you tell me the difference between Gardnen view and a tower room? (is that Bay Lake Tower room? wow I wish I could be so lucky

is the Garden view in the Wing section?

With so many things sounding the same, it can get confusing.

There are two different resorts, but they are sister resorts that share a lot of infrastructure. Bay Lake Tower is a relatively new building, completed roughly 3 years ago. If you look at the photo in BLTtinkerbell's signature, Bay Lake Tower is the building on the left. BLT, as it's sometimes known, is a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) resort. DVC is Disney's version of a time share. Although DVC owners have first crack at booking rooms there, anyone in the general public can book a room at BLT, subject to availability.

The building on the right of that photo is the tower portion of Contemporary Resort, the iconic building that was one of the original buildings in all of Walt Disney World when it opened in 1971. Contemporary Resort is comprised of 2 buildings, known as the tower and the garden wing. Now here's where it can get confusing. The tower rooms are divided into two room types, theme park view rooms and Bay Lake view rooms.

So if you have a room in the tower at Contemporary Resort, the room category is either "tower - theme park view" or "tower - Bay Lake view" ... it's easy to confuse a "tower - Bay Lake view" room with a room in Bay Lake Tower.