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

[vdoucet78]

So excited! We just booked a 1 bedroom villa at BLT for October! We had originally booked a room at Beach Club on a bounceback offer but then decided to bring DMIL with us and were able to switch resorts. We figured as 3 adults we'd really appreciate the extra space and second bathroom. Is the second bathroom a full bath with shower, or just a half bath? I'm hoping the pull-out bed will be comfy enough for DMIL to sleep on, but I haven't read any negatives about them and she is usually comfortable sleeping just about anywhere (sometimes stays over here or at BILs house and also travels a lot with her church group), and doesn't have any back problems. We booked a standard view to save money, any recommendations of what to request? We basically would just prefer not to overlook a parking lot, a garden type view or a partial view of the lake or part of MK would be a great bonus if possible. I want to request a higher floor, would anything 4th floor and up be a good request? Also for watching Wishes I've read we can watch from the connecting walkway or the 4th floor deck at CR. Any other good places to watch? It's DMIL's first Disney vacation and our first time for the F&W festival so we are all very excited!

 

[Deb & Bill]

So excited! We just booked a 1 bedroom villa at BLT for October! We had originally booked a room at Beach Club on a bounceback offer but then decided to bring DMIL with us and were able to switch resorts. We figured as 3 adults we'd really appreciate the extra space and second bathroom. Is the second bathroom a full bath with shower, or just a half bath? I'm hoping the pull-out bed will be comfy enough for DMIL to sleep on, but I haven't read any negatives about them and she is usually comfortable sleeping just about anywhere (sometimes stays over here or at BILs house and also travels a lot with her church group), and doesn't have any back problems. We booked a standard view to save money, any recommendations of what to request? We basically would just prefer not to overlook a parking lot, a garden type view or a partial view of the lake or part of MK would be a great bonus if possible. I want to request a higher floor, would anything 4th floor and up be a good request? Also for watching Wishes I've read we can watch from the connecting walkway or the 4th floor deck at CR. Any other good places to watch? It's DMIL's first Disney vacation and our first time for the F&W festival so we are all very excited!

Standard villas are lower floors, maybe five and lower. And they can be parking lot or pool.

The second bath is a full bathroom. No separate shower, just the standard shower in the tub.

 

[princessap]

So excited! We just booked a 1 bedroom villa at BLT for October! We had originally booked a room at Beach Club on a bounceback offer but then decided to bring DMIL with us and were able to switch resorts. We figured as 3 adults we'd really appreciate the extra space and second bathroom. Is the second bathroom a full bath with shower, or just a half bath? I'm hoping the pull-out bed will be comfy enough for DMIL to sleep on, but I haven't read any negatives about them and she is usually comfortable sleeping just about anywhere (sometimes stays over here or at BILs house and also travels a lot with her church group), and doesn't have any back problems. We booked a standard view to save money, any recommendations of what to request? We basically would just prefer not to overlook a parking lot, a garden type view or a partial view of the lake or part of MK would be a great bonus if possible. I want to request a higher floor, would anything 4th floor and up be a good request? Also for watching Wishes I've read we can watch from the connecting walkway or the 4th floor deck at CR. Any other good places to watch? It's DMIL's first Disney vacation and our first time for the F&W festival so we are all very excited!

we are booking a one bedroom at BLT too and am hoping to get a standard view too to save money or lake view if std view isn't available! I am soooo excited to stay here for our first week stay onsite!!!

I am interested in what people tell you for where to watch wishes as I want to do that too!!!! have fun planning!

 

[Irishlisa]

You were very lucky. We are DVC members who stayed at BLT and we were asked for our blue member card.

I know, we were really lucky. We felt like wedding crashers

 

[vdoucet78]

Standard villas are lower floors, maybe five and lower. And they can be parking lot or pool. The second bath is a full bathroom. No separate shower, just the standard shower in the tub.

Do you recommend the Lake View over the Standard View? We've never stayed Deluxe before, so I'm looking forward to enjoying a nice view from the balcony, anything but a parking lot or service area!

 

[CJK]

Hi all! I have a question regarding access to the 'Top of the World Lounge' at Bay Lake Tower. I think I read that you can only access this lounge if you are a DVC member. Is this true? So, if you stay at this resort but are not DVC members, you still can't go to this lounge? TIA!

 

[Missyrose]

Hi all! I have a question regarding access to the 'Top of the World Lounge' at Bay Lake Tower. I think I read that you can only access this lounge if you are a DVC member. Is this true? So, if you stay at this resort but are not DVC members, you still can't go to this lounge? TIA!

That is the rule. You have to present a DVC membership card to gain access. There have been reports here and there of CMs letting people without those cards in, but those reports are few and far between. The bridge between BLT and CR is a great alternative.

 

[mrsmouse1960]

There is the rule that the cast members are supposed to follow. When we were there in September, due to lack of use and slow business, they were letting just about anyone up to the lounge. We were there for 9 days and every night we were there, 7 out of 9 nights, they were letting people up. It was good for business because almost everyone ordered snacks and drinks from the lounge.

 

[WDWKOOK]

I just love the Christmas tree at WL. Have a great trip !

We did and the tree was gorgeous:

Have a fabulous trip!

Looking forward to the festive photos,
Babsy

(sorry, but fighting and parties are almost inevitable this time of year! LOL)

I know you posted this a long time ago, but it still makes me LOL. The trip is over and it was fabulous. Now to write up the TR...

Have a great time and enjoy the lodge .

Thank you and you know we had a great stay again.

Just made a reservation for Nov 16-21!!!single bedroom at BLT! Super excited to be so close to the MK!

You're going to love the one bedroom villa and I'll add you to the Log-orail.

Merry Christmas and enjoy!

We just booked our first trip ever over Thanksgiving, November 22-28, 2014, studio at BLT. Looking for any advice on going during a holiday?

Congratulations and I'll add you to the Log. We just returned from a Christmas stay and my best advice is to have ADRs, avoid parades when you can, especially it you're trying to exit the park or get to the other side of MK and use FP+ all the time!!

Yay! I get to try another resort and it's CR

DH was assigned a January vacation instead of our June request, isn't lower seniority grand , so we put a silver lining on it by planning a WDW vacation. At first we chose Poly CL but I really wanted to try CR. Finally, a TPV came available for the winter discount and we switched!

I've really enjoyed the thread and the hints. We have 3 elementary kids and I feel like the TPV experience will be awesome for them (and me!), as well as the quick access to MK.

We'll be there the 14th - 19th. Good timing for monorail usage! We're driving for the first time, too. Although DH has NO desire to use our vehicle while we're there, I believe that driving our van to AK and DHS might be time savers. Is that correct? CR shares buses to those parks, right?

You'll have much lower crowds and prices are a bit lower so that's all good. You'll also avoid all the Poly construction. We drive to FL, but we dislike driving after we arrive because it takes away from the "magic." Though Disney transportation can be unpredictable and crowded at times, you're going at a slow time and the kids might find it more fun than hopping in the van on vacation. I hope you have a great vacation!

Well, it's been great chatting with you all here, but we can be removed from the Log-o-rail. Our traveling party has shrunken significantly - originally 11 total in a 1 BR and 2 BR at BLT, then just 7 all in the 2 BR. Now we're down to 5 - 3 adults and 2 children. The 2 BR is too much now and those darned 1 BR's just don't work well because of the King bed. So wish they'd have 2 queens, at least in some of them. After much thought, though, we decided to switch back to the Polynesian (2 rooms) which is our Disney "home". I was still somewhat ambivalent about not staying there anyways, and now it seems the pool refurb has been put off to May. Add that to the monorail closures and the ability to walk to the TTC for the Epcot monorail and/or MK ferry....we knew the Poly was right for us again.

Thanks for you hospitality here!

Aloha and you'll just be across the lagoon so we'll wave to you

Wohooooo! Our wait list came through
We are now BLT with MKV Jan 9-12th for the marathon weekend and my first ever 10K!

YIPPEE and congrats!

Enjoy your return to the Poly! I'm sure you'll love it there. But, sometime down the road, you might want to try out a 2BR Villa. We only have four in our family---two parents and two teens---but we've long considered a 2BR to be the smallest we're willing to live with. We did connecting rooms (one K, one 2Q) at the Sequoia Lodge at Disneyland Paris this summer, and while it was fine, it just wasn't as nice as a 2BR unit.

Very nice and I agree with having more space so you can spread out and have some breathing room on vacation. Each of your teens get their own bathroom this way, which is ideal no matter what the gender. And, the parents have their own refuge.

I have just seen this from a link on another thread. I have not read through all the pages(!) but based on the links at the start thought I would ask if you needed any grand villa pics posting as there wasn't a link to this? I have some that I could post if you needed them.

In the BLT section of the thread, I do have a hyperlink to irishlisa's GV photos, but I would be pleased to add a link to yours as well - thanks. I can post the link you have in your signature.

What a wonderful Christmas present!!!

It certainly was the best!

Congrats on the awesome upgrade . Love the CR pics.....thanks for posting.

You're welcome and I'll have more in my TR…someday

LOVE THIS THREAD! We're going to be in a TPV room at CR Jan 31 - Feb 2. I stayed at the there in approx 1974 when I was a kid. SOOOO excited to be staying there again.
With my DD22 and DD19 we've stayed at ASMo and last spring AoA. Both were wonderful but the CR is my penultimate resort.

Welcome and I'll add you to the Log. I'm pleased you love the thread. The CR sure has changed since '74! The décor is much softer now. You're going to LOVE the new and improved over '74 CR!

Anyone know how deep the pool is? Just curious for our upcoming trip.

All of the pools have a max. depth of about 5'. The PP is correct that they range from about 3'-5'.

We will be arriving at BLT on January 21, 2014, any idea when the January activities calendar will be posted?

The January calendar is hyperlinked in Post #1 and it should change over this weekend - hopefully.

So excited! We just booked a 1 bedroom villa at BLT for October! We had originally booked a room at Beach Club on a bounceback offer but then decided to bring DMIL with us and were able to switch resorts. We figured as 3 adults we'd really appreciate the extra space and second bathroom. Is the second bathroom a full bath with shower, or just a half bath? I'm hoping the pull-out bed will be comfy enough for DMIL to sleep on, but I haven't read any negatives about them and she is usually comfortable sleeping just about anywhere (sometimes stays over here or at BILs house and also travels a lot with her church group), and doesn't have any back problems. We booked a standard view to save money, any recommendations of what to request? We basically would just prefer not to overlook a parking lot, a garden type view or a partial view of the lake or part of MK would be a great bonus if possible. I want to request a higher floor, would anything 4th floor and up be a good request? Also for watching Wishes I've read we can watch from the connecting walkway or the 4th floor deck at CR. Any other good places to watch? It's DMIL's first Disney vacation and our first time for the F&W festival so we are all very excited!

Welcome and congratulations on booking!

Do you recommend the Lake View over the Standard View? We've never stayed Deluxe before, so I'm looking forward to enjoying a nice view from the balcony, anything but a parking lot or service area!

We prefer the Lake View. With floor to ceiling windows in the living room, it's so nice having a beautiful view of Bay Lake and being able to see the EWP. We prefer the outer villas because they don't overlook the BLT pool area.

 

[mickeynut1]

Thank you and you know we had a great stay again.

You're welcome and I'll have more in my TR…someday

Now it's time to start planning the next one .

Can't wait to read your TR .

 

[alex9179]

WDWKOOK, you are so kind to respond directly! I'm glad your trip was great, but I pretty much assume everyone's will be, hahaha.

I'm almost too excited. Growing up, we used to call unbearable anticipation of fun "Disneyworld-itis". I've got a BAD case, right now

 

[mickeyplanner]

Thanks Kook for posting the January calendar. Now if only BWV was available too.
Are Thanksgiving Crowds as bad as Christmas?

 

[Loveslsu]

I am happy to say that I got the 20% discount applied to my BLT room stay in May!!!! So excited.

 

[SRUAlmn]

I am happy to say that I got the 20% discount applied to my BLT room stay in May!!!! So excited.

I am SO GLAD to hear that!! We are waiting on a July discount (which are usually similar to the June ones,) and the quote on Mousesavers with the discounts for each resort had me gasping when I saw BLT said 5%!

 

[goofy4prez]

What an awesome job by WDWKOOK with this thread; but then again all of KOOK's threads are great.

I am so excited about our upcoming trip in June. We just got back a few weeks ago from our holiday trip at the WL-CL and have been in Disney withdrawal ever since. I also had the AKL-CL booked several months ago, but with the new discounts released by Disney yesterday we are now booked for the Contemporary-Atrium Club from 6/2/14 till 6/9/14.

We have stayed at the WL three times and the YC once and are really looking forward to our first stay at the CR. We have decided to also take my late brothers 12 year old daughter (my niece) for her first trip to WDW. With staying at the CR- Atrium Club and doing the DxDP, I'm sure we are going to have a great time and some wonderful memories.

 

[SRUAlmn]

What an awesome job by WDWKOOK with this thread; but then again all of KOOK's threads are great.

I am so excited about our upcoming trip in June. We just got back a few weeks ago from our holiday trip at the WL-CL and have been in Disney withdrawal ever since. I also had the AKL-CL booked several months ago, but with the new discounts released by Disney yesterday we are now booked for the Contemporary-Atrium Club from 6/2/14 till 6/9/14.

We have stayed at the WL three times and the YC once and are really looking forward to our first stay at the CR. We have decided to also take my late brothers 12 year old daughter (my niece) for her first trip to WDW. With staying at the CR- Atrium Club and doing the DxDP, I'm sure we are going to have a great time and some wonderful memories.

That is so wonderful that you're taking your niece! My first trip to WDW was the year we lost our dad and my sisters and I were 11, 14, and 16. It was a wonderful place to heal, and is part of why I love WDW so much. I feel close to my dad every time I'm there

 

[WDWKOOK]

Now it's time to start planning the next one .

Can't wait to read your TR .

The next one was planned and booked - Tower Club for June. But, now that we've planned our (non-Disney) Spring Break trip in April and we plan to return at Christmas to WL, I felt the June trip to WDW didn't make for a great vacation-interval. It's too close to April's trip. I'm going to switch the June trip (which would have been our first-ever June at WDW) to our usual August visit. Should be less crowded and it's a tad cheaper, too. DH and DD aren't feeling it for the Tower Club, but really want to stay again at BWI. I'll probably make it a split and throw in a Bay Lake resort for good measure

I finally have all the photos edited and uploaded to PB so I can officially start my TR draft. I'll post here when it's up and thanks for the encouragement

WDWKOOK, you are so kind to respond directly! I'm glad your trip was great, but I pretty much assume everyone's will be, hahaha.

I'm almost too excited. Growing up, we used to call unbearable anticipation of fun "Disneyworld-itis". I've got a BAD case, right now

Is there more planning or looking at photos you can do to ease your Disney World-itis?

I think you're right that most people who post here love their trips to WDW. But, there's always the risk of someone getting sick or having weather or transportation problems, etc… we were very relieved that none of those issues occured.

Thanks Kook for posting the January calendar. Now if only BWV was available too.
Are Thanksgiving Crowds as bad as Christmas?

The calendars on all my threads are hyperlinked to a site that posts the calendars themselves. Sometimes they don't post the new month's calendar right away, which didn't happen this month with CR, but did happen with WL and BWI.

Crowds are thick during all federal holidays. I've never been at Thanksgiving, but we've been twice at Christmas. With the FP+, crowd size didn't matter at all. As long as you make your 3 FP+ times, you'll have no problem. If you don't or you have to see every parade/Wishes...then the crowds will be intolerable.

I am happy to say that I got the 20% discount applied to my BLT room stay in May!!!! So excited.

Don't forget that if you find a better applicable discount, you can still apply it anytime.

What an awesome job by WDWKOOK with this thread; but then again all of KOOK's threads are great.

I am so excited about our upcoming trip in June. We just got back a few weeks ago from our holiday trip at the WL-CL and have been in Disney withdrawal ever since. I also had the AKL-CL booked several months ago, but with the new discounts released by Disney yesterday we are now booked for the Contemporary-Atrium Club from 6/2/14 till 6/9/14.

We have stayed at the WL three times and the YC once and are really looking forward to our first stay at the CR. We have decided to also take my late brothers 12 year old daughter (my niece) for her first trip to WDW. With staying at the CR- Atrium Club and doing the DxDP, I'm sure we are going to have a great time and some wonderful memories.

Thank you so much and it's great to see you over here from the WL thread. Isn't Bay Lake GREAT?! Your niece is going to love WDW and what a great way to experience it for the first time by going with someone who knows it well. You're very thoughtful and she will have wonderful memories.

You're doing both the DxDP and CL? Have you done both before? I'll add you to our Log-orail and congratulations on booking!

That is so wonderful that you're taking your niece! My first trip to WDW was the year we lost our dad and my sisters and I were 11, 14, and 16. It was a wonderful place to heal, and is part of why I love WDW so much. I feel close to my dad every time I'm there

It holds a special spot for so many

 

[goofy4prez]

Thank you so much and it's great to see you over here from the WL thread. Isn't Bay Lake GREAT?! Your niece is going to love WDW and what a great way to experience it for the first time by going with someone who knows it well. You're very thoughtful and she will have wonderful memories.

You're doing both the DxDP and CL? Have you done both before? I'll add you to our Log-orail and congratulations on booking!

Thanks KOOK. I'm sure she will have a great time; she is already so excited about going. As for CL an the DxDP; we did it a few weeks ago when we were at the WL. I know I'm paying a lot for club level and in monetary value, but I love the higher up floors catching an easy and quick breakfast, and the occasional snack during the day. We love the signature restaurants so we will do one of those each day in the later evening hours. On a few days we will do a character breakfast, and on the days without a breakfast we usually do an early lunch between 11-12. It spreads things out and doesn't feel like a ton of food. The nice thing for us is that we are no longer park commandos. The dining experience is all part of the magic for us.

 

[mommyrosa2]

DH & I are trying to plan an adults only trip in October and am wondering about the garden wing rooms. We've never stayed at CR but have always wanted to try it and with a 35% off r/o discount, the prices in the garden wing were pretty good. While I did put a hold on a std vw room for now, I can't help but wonder if I should change it to a garden vw instead. Is garden vw really going to be any better than the std in this bldg? Looking for some feedback from those who have stayed in the garden wing.
TIA...

 

[ARS]

Hi There,
Thank you to all who have provided such great information here. It has been so helpful in planning a first WDW trip for my little grandchildren. We are ready to book a BLT 2 bedroom villa but really need to have a designated 2 bedroom as opposed to a lock off. I know Disney says they cannot guarantee that type of room but I am wondering if any of you experts have some advice regarding getting the room we want/need.
Thanks so much.