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

[psac]

We usually end-up changing our ADRs onsite, too. It's harder, too because you're staying at AKL so it's a bit easier to eat there. How many Zebra Domes have you had?!

I wouldn't say this on the AKL board because it would be sacrilege, but neither of us thought the zebra domes were that amazing. Good, but not like OMG GIMME MORE!!! I'd rather have the cupcakes from Contempo cafe!!

That is one downside of AKL without a car. We usually eat resort dinners every night, with a few signatures. At CR you have all the other monorail resorts to go to. At BW/YC/BC, you have all the other Epcot resorts, including the Swolphin. At AKL, there is just Jiko/Boma/Sanaa (didn't try the latter) and then we had to cab everywhere else. AKL is cheaper, though, so that more than offset the cab budget.

 

[lmhall2000]

I am going the slowest time of the year and standard view rooms have never shown availability..has ANYONE seen a Standard view show up as available for their dates in 2013? Is it worth it to keep trying to see if anyone cancels these or does Disney just not 'sell' them anymore to the public and blocks them out for some other reason? In the past we could always book standard view, but that was before they tore down one of the wings I think?

 

[Waddler]

We just got back from our stay in a 2 bedroom theme park view villa at BLT! Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread! It really helped me prepare.

A few tidbits:

The bus expansion site is featured prominently from most of the BLT theme park view villas. As I had posted up-thread, this wasn't a big deal for us either way... but if you really want to avoid it, you might want to request a room on the far north side of the building where we were. From our 6th floor villa, the monorail almost totally blocked our view of the construction site. That said, the view was half parking lot anyway (and half awesomeness). I'm not sure it would make a big difference to anyone.

Also, we mistakenly left our baby's carseat in the living room when we checked out yesterday at 11. We had gone down to the Contemporary's lobby to relax, grab a bite to eat, and wait for the ME. When we realized our mistake by 11:45, my husband ran over the BLT desk. They brought him up to our room, where the mousekeeper was cleaning, but the seat was already gone. Several managers, an hour, a bit of a language barrier problem, and lots of running around later, they determined that it had been "thrown out"!

To their credit, the managers did help us quite a bit. They arranged a cab for my husband because he missed the ME by a few minutes. (He actually arrived at the airport before us, even though the cabbie took the long way). They also promise to credit us the cost of the carseat, and gave us a spare seat that had not been claimed. As it turns out, it wasn't FAA-approved and didn't fit on the plane, and reeked of dried pee... but they did try to help us some. Long story short, we all made it back safely and my family split a nice bottle of wine when we arrived home. The experience kind of put a damper on the end of our trip, but it was partially our fault anyway.

So, moral of the story: Don't forget anything important in your room. And, if you're flying with a baby, bring a copy of their birth certificate even if you bought them a seat (just in case).

Otherwise, we had a fantastic time! BLT is a great choice if you're travelling with little ones. Our 1-year-old slept in his stroller for his morning nap, but we always went back to the villa by 1 pm for his afternoon nap and 7 pm for his bedtime. We had 5 adults, so we took turns staying back with the sleeping baby while the others ran off to the MK for the evening. We loved watching the fireworks from the living room. They were closer than I had expected!

Our little guy LOVED the BLT pool and splash area. Even in the mid-afternoon, it was never too crowded. The living room was very large and about as soft and baby-proofed as a hotel room could be. We spent hours relaxing by the large picture window, watching the world go by.

I hope you all enjoy your upcoming trips!

 

[jdcthree]

Also, we mistakenly left our baby's carseat in the living room when we checked out yesterday at 11. We had gone down to the Contemporary's lobby to relax, grab a bite to eat, and wait for the ME. When we realized our mistake by 11:45, my husband ran over the BLT desk. They brought him up to our room, where the mousekeeper was cleaning, but the seat was already gone. Several managers, an hour, a bit of a language barrier problem, and lots of running around later, they determined that it had been "thrown out"!

To their credit, the managers did help us quite a bit. They arranged a cab for my husband because he missed the ME by a few minutes. (He actually arrived at the airport before us, even though the cabbie took the long way). They also promise to credit us the cost of the carseat, and gave us a spare seat that had not been claimed. As it turns out, it wasn't FAA-approved and didn't fit on the plane, and reeked of dried pee... but they did try to help us some. Long story short, we all made it back safely and my family split a nice bottle of wine when we arrived home. The experience kind of put a damper on the end of our trip, but it was partially our fault anyway.

I find it really weird that your car seat was thrown away so quickly, and yet a disgusting pee covered seat was saved, lol! The way the cast members helped is encouraging, though. I'm glad you had a nice trip!

 

[lmhall2000]

I find it really weird that your car seat was thrown away so quickly, and yet a disgusting pee covered seat was saved, lol! The way the cast members helped is encouraging, though. I'm glad you had a nice trip!

I agree, it wasn't likely thrown out as more than likely 'taken' as finder's keeper's! Who throws away a perfectly good car seat??

 

[closetmickey]

I am going the slowest time of the year and standard view rooms have never shown availability..has ANYONE seen a Standard view show up as available for their dates in 2013? Is it worth it to keep trying to see if anyone cancels these or does Disney just not 'sell' them anymore to the public and blocks them out for some other reason? In the past we could always book standard view, but that was before they tore down one of the wings I think?

I have a GW standard view booked for the end of this August. I think I booked it back in October, though.

 

[Waddler]

I agree, it wasn't likely thrown out as more than likely 'taken' as finder's keeper's! Who throws away a perfectly good car seat??

Yeah, we wondered that, too. It was only a few weeks old. Thankfully, it wasn't very expensive to begin with. We were more stressed by the prospect of going to the airport without a carseat.

 

[lmhall2000]

I have a GW standard view booked for the end of this August. I think I booked it back in October, though.

Whew! You give me hope!! Next time we book, I'll have to remember to do it a year ahead! So, I'll keep checking, I think it would save us over $320 for our week's stay! That would cover our tips for meals and then some!! Thanks!! Going to call now!

 

[RapunzelsGoodMom]

Thanks mickeynut! You know how to convince me! Lol

for anyone who books lake view can I ask why you book that versus theme park view? I was pricing out our options and there doesn't seem to be that much difference between the two? Am I wrong on that or missing something?

I think I am back to my original plan of booking garden wing and then if a discount comes up and we can afford to upgrade we will. Everyone's opinions on here helped me decide that I have to do what is right and what works for our family. I know in the end I would end up resenting anyone who changed our plans. Plus this is probably our last visit for a while until our youngest is older. And right now she is free so we should take advantage of that right? Lol. Anything to convince Ourselves! Ha ha

You will have a great time and your girls will love it! We have a rule that "she with the youngest baby wins". You're doing the right thing, this trip is for the kids and there's nothing worse than a 30 minute trek back to your hotel when the kids are tired. This way you and DH can split up or do afternoon nap breaks and head back.

And don't worry, if MIL/FIL stay offsite, they'll just end up hanging out in the CR too!! Ha! Such a beautiful area and the location is priceless.

 

[RapunzelsGoodMom]

I wouldn't say this on the AKL board because it would be sacrilege, but neither of us thought the zebra domes were that amazing. Good, but not like OMG GIMME MORE!!! I'd rather have the cupcakes from Contempo cafe!!

That is one downside of AKL without a car. We usually eat resort dinners every night, with a few signatures. At CR you have all the other monorail resorts to go to. At BW/YC/BC, you have all the other Epcot resorts, including the Swolphin. At AKL, there is just Jiko/Boma/Sanaa (didn't try the latter) and then we had to cab everywhere else. AKL is cheaper, though, so that more than offset the cab budget.

Don't tell anyone over there I said this but I am SO with you! Didn't see that they were anything exciting! But do love the AKL....probably my favorite themed....but must have car (or cab)....

 

[princessap]

You will have a great time and your girls will love it! We have a rule that "she with the youngest baby wins". You're doing the right thing, this trip is for the kids and there's nothing worse than a 30 minute trek back to your hotel when the kids are tired. This way you and DH can split up or do afternoon nap breaks and head back.

And don't worry, if MIL/FIL stay offsite, they'll just end up hanging out in the CR too!! Ha! Such a beautiful area and the location is priceless.

Thanks. Have you stayed garden wing before? I was leaning towards it to save money but then I looked on the map and it looks a little far from everything?
The issue is the splurging....I stay home with our girls so have to be cost conscience. I always said I wanted cr TPV so really hoping it will happen. We plan to do other trips and take a break from disney so wondering if we should splurge now while kids are young or wait till they are older?

For those who helped with the inlaws....my DH had a discussion with them and told them where we want to stay and they are free to do whatever they like. He asked if they would watch the girls at night while him and I went to MK or Epcot one night and they said sure. So really hoping it all works out!

 

[RapunzelsGoodMom]

Thanks. Have you stayed garden wing before? I was leaning towards it to save money but then I looked on the map and it looks a little far from everything?
The issue is the splurging....I stay home with our girls so have to be cost conscience. I always said I wanted cr TPV so really hoping it will happen. We plan to do other trips and take a break from disney so wondering if we should splurge now while kids are young or wait till they are older?

For those who helped with the inlaws....my DH had a discussion with them and told them where we want to stay and they are free to do whatever they like. He asked if they would watch the girls at night while him and I went to MK or Epcot one night and they said sure. So really hoping it all works out!

I have but it has been a really long time. I was a kid and don't remember being upset about it. As a kid, it is ALL exciting. The only thing I remember is the excitement of the monorail coming through the hotel and being able to eat your dinner while you watched it come through. Still makes me excited to have 3yr old watch for it too!

My kids are little (1&3) so we are renting points for lake view at BLT. But they are in bed before fireworks so the view is for me. I like the peaceful after a long day or the boats early in the morning. But I'm already thinking about how great it will be to watch the fireworks from their pjs on the balcony when they can stay up long enough. So I'm a terrible influence, I would TOtALLY do it with a 5&6 yr old. But even if you decide against it, remember the GW and lake view have the electric water pageant which is another one of my favorite memories. We would take our snacks and drinks down to the dock. So fun! It really is win/win for you! I'd probably book GW since it is harder to get and then see how much more a tower room is when those discounts get released.

Too bad you can't get the in-laws to go 2br with you at BLT.

 

[mickeynut1]

my DH had a discussion with them and told them where we want to stay and they are free to do whatever they like. He asked if they would watch the girls at night while him and I went to MK or Epcot one night and they said sure. So really hoping it all works out!

Sounds like it will all work out .

 

[princessap]

I have but it has been a really long time. I was a kid and don't remember being upset about it. As a kid, it is ALL exciting. The only thing I remember is the excitement of the monorail coming through the hotel and being able to eat your dinner while you watched it come through. Still makes me excited to have 3yr old watch for it too!

My kids are little (1&3) so we are renting points for lake view at BLT. But they are in bed before fireworks so the view is for me. I like the peaceful after a long day or the boats early in the morning. But I'm already thinking about how great it will be to watch the fireworks from their pjs on the balcony when they can stay up long enough. So I'm a terrible influence, I would TOtALLY do it with a 5&6 yr old. But even if you decide against it, remember the GW and lake view have the electric water pageant which is another one of my favorite memories. We would take our snacks and drinks down to the dock. So fun! It really is win/win for you! I'd probably book GW since it is harder to get and then see how much more a tower room is when those discounts get released.

Too bad you can't get the in-laws to go 2br with you at BLT.

I know eh? the thing is they could with their rci membership but she is saving her points for something she just doesnt know what?!

I think I will book garden view in the summer when prices are released so i can get my Adr's and then upgrade if discount comes out.

 

[WDWKOOK]

I wouldn't say this on the AKL board because it would be sacrilege, but neither of us thought the zebra domes were that amazing. Good, but not like OMG GIMME MORE!!! I'd rather have the cupcakes from Contempo cafe!!

That is one downside of AKL without a car. We usually eat resort dinners every night, with a few signatures. At CR you have all the other monorail resorts to go to. At BW/YC/BC, you have all the other Epcot resorts, including the Swolphin. At AKL, there is just Jiko/Boma/Sanaa (didn't try the latter) and then we had to cab everywhere else. AKL is cheaper, though, so that more than offset the cab budget.

DH didn't care for the ZDs either, so you're not alone. DD and I had plenty for ourselves when we stopped by last trip:



I'm with you on those yummy CC cupcakes

We just got back from our stay in a 2 bedroom theme park view villa at BLT! Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread! It really helped me prepare.

A few tidbits:

The bus expansion site is featured prominently from most of the BLT theme park view villas. As I had posted up-thread, this wasn't a big deal for us either way... but if you really want to avoid it, you might want to request a room on the far north side of the building where we were. From our 6th floor villa, the monorail almost totally blocked our view of the construction site. That said, the view was half parking lot anyway (and half awesomeness). I'm not sure it would make a big difference to anyone.

Also, we mistakenly left our baby's carseat in the living room when we checked out yesterday at 11. We had gone down to the Contemporary's lobby to relax, grab a bite to eat, and wait for the ME. When we realized our mistake by 11:45, my husband ran over the BLT desk. They brought him up to our room, where the mousekeeper was cleaning, but the seat was already gone. Several managers, an hour, a bit of a language barrier problem, and lots of running around later, they determined that it had been "thrown out"!

To their credit, the managers did help us quite a bit. They arranged a cab for my husband because he missed the ME by a few minutes. (He actually arrived at the airport before us, even though the cabbie took the long way). They also promise to credit us the cost of the carseat, and gave us a spare seat that had not been claimed. As it turns out, it wasn't FAA-approved and didn't fit on the plane, and reeked of dried pee... but they did try to help us some. Long story short, we all made it back safely and my family split a nice bottle of wine when we arrived home. The experience kind of put a damper on the end of our trip, but it was partially our fault anyway.

So, moral of the story: Don't forget anything important in your room. And, if you're flying with a baby, bring a copy of their birth certificate even if you bought them a seat (just in case).

Otherwise, we had a fantastic time! BLT is a great choice if you're travelling with little ones. Our 1-year-old slept in his stroller for his morning nap, but we always went back to the villa by 1 pm for his afternoon nap and 7 pm for his bedtime. We had 5 adults, so we took turns staying back with the sleeping baby while the others ran off to the MK for the evening. We loved watching the fireworks from the living room. They were closer than I had expected!

Our little guy LOVED the BLT pool and splash area. Even in the mid-afternoon, it was never too crowded. The living room was very large and about as soft and baby-proofed as a hotel room could be. We spent hours relaxing by the large picture window, watching the world go by.

I hope you all enjoy your upcoming trips!

Thanks much for posting your BLT TR, Waddler.

I'm guessing that in 45 minutes your car seat may have been misplaced and with any slight language barrier this may have added to the confusion. Last August when we stayed at BLT, I did some laundry then we checked-out and moved over to WL. A few days later, a guest found DD's gold ring that she had placed in her pants pocket, in the washing machine. CR Lost and Found called me on my cell and we picked it up. DD didn't even know she had lost it. I know that some things get easily lost when they get mixed up with the bedding and head off to the WDW laundry (which didn't happen in your case), but it's still possible that your car seat was re-located and hadn't made it down to lost and found yet. Did DH fill out a lost and found card with your address? Sorry you had to go through all that on your way out. We had a HUGE billing problem many years ago at CR as we were trying to check-out, and that was a bad way to end our trip. But, we have returned since and recovered from that incident.

Do you have plans to return?

 

[DisneyFans222]

DH didn't care for the ZDs either, so you're not alone. DD and I had plenty for ourselves when we stopped by last trip:

http://s621.photobucket.com/user/WDWKOOK/media/EFE17150-1.jpg.html

I'm with you on those yummy CC cupcakes

http://s621.photobucket.com/user/WDWKOOK/media/CRandBLT 8-2012/IMG_0577-1.jpg.html

Thank you for posting a photo of the zebra domes ... I had no idea what everyone was talking about and assumed it was I had missed on the AK Safari ride (rotfl)

 

[mickeynut1]

I didn't care too much for the zebra domes either, but those cupcakes sure look good .

 

[LSUfan4444]

Also, we mistakenly left our baby's carseat in the living room when we checked out yesterday at 11. We had gone down to the Contemporary's lobby to relax, grab a bite to eat, and wait for the ME. When we realized our mistake by 11:45, my husband ran over the BLT desk. They brought him up to our room, where the mousekeeper was cleaning, but the seat was already gone. Several managers, an hour, a bit of a language barrier problem, and lots of running around later, they determined that it had been "thrown out"!

Wow, thats pretty surprising.

 

[gwynne]

At what age does this stop?

This 52 year old "kid" sill has the wow if the castle, so does my mother who is 89!

I so agree!! I'm 53 and I still love the castle, too!

 

[Waddler]

it's still possible that your car seat was re-located and hadn't made it down to lost and found yet. Did DH fill out a lost and found card with your address?

Yeah, that's a possibility. The mousekeeper in our room told my husband and the manager that she had noticed the car seat and had moved it to another place, but when they went there, it was gone. The manager was running around trying to find someone who could open another room, then another office, etc... it was just a big mess. We were frantic trying to figure out how we were going to make it home without a car seat.

We didn't get a chance to fill out a lost and found card, but they do have our contact info. Now that you mention it, I might follow up with an email today before I go out and buy a brand-new car seat.

Thanks for sharing the story about the lost ring! Very impressive!

Do you have plans to return?

Sadly, no. Our entire group (Me, DH, DS1, and three of DS1's grandparents) had a wonderful time, but I think I'm the only one eager to go back right away.

Traveling with our 13-month-old was kind of stressful. (As Touring Plans says, "the ecstasy and the agony"! So right!) We were extremely fortunate that just about everything went well. No one got sick, no chronic health issues flared up, the weather was decent, and DS was uncharacteristically easygoing and flexible.

We lucked out that he took one of his two naps in his stroller, slept well in our room most nights, and was generally cheerful on the plane, monorail and busses. Even then, he was only in the parks from 9am until noon or so each day. It was too hot to take him back after his second nap (and other than the MK, it took too long to get him there & back before bedtime). We took turns hanging out with him at the resort while the others went back to the parks for the evening. Not a hardship by any means, but it was definitely more complicated than our pre-baby trips! We were so glad that we invited our parents along to help.

If things had started going wrong, I'm not sure it would've been worth the $$$ and hassle. We might try a lower-stakes car trip this summer.

I do hope we go back again in a few years (maybe after we've added another toddler to our family). In the meantime, I'll have to settle for daydreams and DISboards.