Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort Review

[Alex Coleman]

This is a comprehensive review of Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. I will give my thoughts about the resort itself and I will review the room. I will also give some recommendations for those who may want to stay at the resort and some suggestions to make your stay better.

Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort is a Disney Vacation Club resort in the Magic Kingdom area of Walt Disney World. There are just under 300 rooms and they are housed in a 15-story tower. The resort theming is, well, contemporary. I would call it Disney-lite. Aside from some Disney character themed artwork, you would almost mistake this resort for a non-Disney property. It is apparent that Disney is moving more and more towards this style. The renovated rooms at Disney’s Pop Century Resort are another great example of this movement.

Sarah and I stayed here during our November 2017 trip. To be honest, this resort was not very high up on our list. When we considered the price-point and the theming, it moved its way into the back of our minds. Being that this resort can cost over $750 per night for a normal room, it was not exactly in our normal price-range. The only factor that ever moved us towards considering this resort was the Theme Park View room. As you will see later in this review, it is an amazing perk.

Because we were able to get this room at a reasonable enough price (thank you Tuesday during a non-holiday season!), we decided to go for it. We put this in the middle of our resort hopping trip (more on this in our Trip Report!) and we eagerly anticipated our night’s stay.

Resort


Let’s start with positives. When it comes to Bay Lake Tower, there is one undeniable positive. The main reason why I would recommend this resort to someone would be its proximity to Magic Kingdom. You simply cannot beat being walking distance to The Most Magical Place on Earth. You also get to go through a much shorter security line at MK. This is underrated, but can save a significant amount of time.

You also combine this convenience with access to the monorail system in the main lobby of Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Even though you need to switch monorails at the Ticket and Transportation Center, Epcot is very close. These two factors mean that you are within touching distance of two of the four WDW theme parks.



Even though many people may view the tower as an eyesore, I think that there are positives that can be gained from its design. The main positive is that everything is incredibly close. If you want to go to the pool, get on the elevator. Do you want to take a ride on a boat on Bay Lake? Get on the elevator! Are you hungry? Get on the elevator (and cross the bridge).

I think the outdoor spaces at BLT are also positives. Walking out the back doors to the recreation area is quiet and relaxing. I think the semi-circular nature of the building itself shelters this area from the theme park noise and creates a quiet oasis to relax. Sarah and I spent quite a bit of time wandering this area during a rest break.



The dining at BLT bridges the gap between positive and negative. The positive is that there is close access to some of the best dining options on property. Sarah and I both enjoyed eating at Contempo Cafe, which is a great quick service option. We tolerated eating at Chef Mickey’s on a previous trip. If you have young kids or love character dining, you will love this option. The food is just not very good. There is The Wave... of American Flavors is a trendy lounge space and California Grill combines upscale food with amazing views.



This is an impressive array of dining options, however, they are technically not at BLT. The only space that resembles a restaurant at this resort is the Top of the World Lounge. This is supposed to be one of the most amazing places at WDW, but Sarah and I are not Disney Vacation Club members and did not want to lie to attempt to get in, so we have not been.

Leaving your building to eat is not uncommon at any other resort on property. I don’t think that the lack of dining options in the tower itself is something to lead you away from this resort. I think the positives far outweigh the negatives in terms of dining.

The main negative for Sarah and I (as non-members) is that it can be incredibly expensive. This is similar to Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, but I would rate that as a better resort. GF feels like a flagship resort, BLT does not.



For DVC members, BLT is fairly reasonable. For example, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas Deluxe Studios start at 11 points. The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa Deluxe Studios start at 17. The Deluxe studio at BLT starts at a middle-of-the-road 14. This means that you can get more bang for your buck using your points at this resort.

I think the theming is also lacking at this resort. This can be a matter of preference, but I got to WDW to feel like I am on a Disney property. There are a few nods to Disney intellectual property, but it feels like you are at a resort that happens to be at WDW. I would rather stay at a Disney World resort.

Given the significant markup for Disney resorts, I would expect many guests would be in agreement with me.

Rooms


I will not hide it, our impression of the rooms at Bay Lake Tower are significantly skewed by the nature of our trip. However, I don’t think that makes them wrong. We stayed at Grand Floridian the night before and that room was perfect in every single way.

The most important thing to understand about the Deluxe Studios at BLT is that they are not as large as the other rooms in that category on property. This means that the rooms are arranged in a strange way. The bathroom was small and Sarah struggled to find a place to get ready.



The kitchen was a nice touch and I actually thought they made the most out of their small space. Having a kitchen in the room was a welcomed change for Sarah and I. We were not used to this because we had never stayed in a DVC resort before.

I also have to say that the sleeping situation was not as nice as other resorts we stayed at on this trip. The bed was not nearly as comfortable as most of the hotel rooms. The bed was hard and the pillows were weak. The pillow problem was not unique to BLT. I would just expect higher quality from a resort in this category.



The entertainment center was nice, but the television felt microscopic next to the Jumbotron that we had in our GF room. The bar was set incredibly high for entertainment systems at GF and I would expect more at a similarly priced resort. The only positive at BLT was that we could watch and listen to the soundtrack to Happily Ever After while we watch the show for our unique perspective. The combination of the show and the soundtrack helped this resort gain massive points.



Speaking of that window, by far the best part about this particular room was the amazing, incredible, awesome view of Magic Kingdom just outside it. As soon as we entered the room, Sarah threw down her bag and drooled off our eighth floor balcony. This may be dramatic, but I would almost call the upgrade to the theme park view an essential.



Should I Stay Here?


Should you stay at Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort? I think that this question is mostly dependent upon your current level of Disney vacationing. AKA, are you a Disney Vacation Club member? If so, then yes! As a result of this, I would recommend BLT for the following people:

• Disney Vacation Club members with a normal allocation of points.
• Parties who want the benefit of being close to Magic Kingdom.
• People who want a one-of-a-kind view.

There are a lot of great reasons to stay at this resort. I think this resort appeals to different people for different reasons. The main group of BLT visitors will be DVC members. I think this resort is an amazing value in terms of points. When you consider it is a middle-of-the-road cost for the upside of being in the Magic Kingdom area, it is a no-brainer.

Speaking of MK area, this resort is the closest commute! If you are planning on spending a significant amount of time in this park (and you should be!), stay here. Being able to avoid the long lines and transportation ride at the end of the day is an incredible perk. Sarah and I attended Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party during our stay and it saved our lives being able to limp back to our resort after a long day of touring back to our resort. We were so full of cookies and hot chocolate that we would not have survived a bus journey!

Lastly, there is a population of WDW guests who would stay at this resort regardless of DVC status. These guests want to stay in a room with a view of the shining castle at night. Sarah fell into this category. We were willing to pay the premium to stay in a room with this view. You may feel the same way!

Tips


Like I just said, upgrade to the Theme Park View room. This view is what sold us on the room because we wanted to just sit and look at Seven Seas Lagoon, Grand Floridian, and Magic Kingdom. We wanted to sit out on the patio and watch Happily Ever After. This view is what made Bay Lake Tower worth it. Even though we spend very little time in the room, the view sealed the deal.

I would request a top-floor room. The higher the floor, the better the view. We were on the eighth floor and that was amazing, but the higher the better! There are plenty of elevators to get to your room, so that should not be a deterrent. Also, the resort is fairly compact so you will not have a long walk to transportation.

If you are a Vacation Club member, go to Top of the World Lounge. This is one of the most picturesque locations at WDW. If you are a member and staying that the resort, you have access! Go check it out, you will not regret it (or so I have heard!).

Have you stayed at Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort? Share your experience! We would love to hear from you! Just add to the Comments section below.

Want to see more Walt Disney World reviews? Check out our Reviews page!

 

[holden]

BLT is our home resort. I agree about the decor, however we prefer a lake view to the theme park view. The fireworks were incredibly loud and shook our windows. Gotta love the car alarms that go off in the parking lot during the fireworks

 

[Alex Coleman]

BLT is our home resort. I agree about the decor, however we prefer a lake view to the theme park view. The fireworks were incredibly loud and shook our windows. Gotta love the car alarms that go off in the parking lot during the fireworks

How interesting I never considered that! That is a great point!

 

[Jennasis]

BLT is our home resort and THE reason we bought into DVC. As a counter-point, we love the theming and decor and it is by far and wide our favorite resort alongside the Contemporary. It has the most Disney feel to us because CR is one of the original Disney resorts. The Theme park view is lovely, but we actually prefer ground floor. The view out of our standard view into the inner courtyard was peaceful and sublime...like being at a spa. Being on the ground floor made access to our car super quick and returning to our room after a long night at MK super easy.

For those who are DVC members, the Top of the World Lounge IS amazing for the views of fireworks. As an fyi, one wouldn't have to worry about lying to get up there...they check for DVC membership cards to let you on the elevator.

The resort makes great sense for folks like us...no kids, so room size isn't at all an issue.

Disney has lots of different resorts for all the different tastes out there (the GF is downright unappealing to us).

LOVED your pics!

 

[Alex Coleman]

BLT is our home resort and THE reason we bought into DVC. As a counter-point, we love the theming and decor and it is by far and wide our favorite resort alongside the Contemporary. It has the most Disney feel to us because CR is one of the original Disney resorts. The Theme park view is lovely, but we actually prefer ground floor. The view out of our standard view into the inner courtyard was peaceful and sublime...like being at a spa. Being on the ground floor made access to our car super quick and returning to our room after a long night at MK super easy.

For those who are DVC members, the Top of the World Lounge IS amazing for the views of fireworks. As an fyi, one wouldn't have to worry about lying to get up there...they check for DVC membership cards to let you on the elevator.

The resort makes great sense for folks like us...no kids, so room size isn't at all an issue.

Disney has lots of different resorts for all the different tastes out there (the GF is downright unappealing to us).

LOVED your pics!

I love hearing the different approaches to the resorts! I think that is really cool, but my wife wanted to see the fireworks and I was more than happy to oblige. That does sound gloriously relaxing!

Sorry about the lying thing (I was being slightly facetious!). It doesn't sound like a difficult process, I just want to go so bad!

Thank you so much! I appreciate it!

 

[spiceycat]

also love BLT (am an owner also) - my favorite are the standard views - you can get a half view of the MK from the standard rooms they do stop at the 5th floor - but they are my favorites - not all standard rooms have a view of the MK - they are all over the resort.

 

[spiceycat]

your point chart (I think) is not correct - the 14 points is for standard view in early Dec, 17 is lake view, and 19 is mk view.
this is sun-thu. - fri/sat as well as later in the month are more.

 

[Alex Coleman]

your point chart (I think) is not correct - the 14 points is for standard view in early Dec, 17 is lake view, and 19 is mk view.
this is sun-thu. - fri/sat as well as later in the month are more.

I just used that as an approximation, I just looked on the DVC site and saw what it was currently stating. I will make that more clear!

 

[spiceycat]

if you are really interested - there is on the parent company of the disboards -

http://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-vacation-club/

 

[Alex Coleman]

if you are really interested - there is on the parent company of the disboards -

http://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-vacation-club/

That is super helpful, thank you!

 

[Micca]

BLT is one of our home resorts and in many ways it's our favorite. Pedestrian access to MK is great, and the TOTWL is fun.

 

[Alex Coleman]

BLT is one of our home resorts and in many ways it's our favorite. Pedestrian access to MK is great, and the TOTWL is fun.

I love the access, just wish I was a DVC owner!

 

[Micca]

I love the access, just wish I was a DVC owner!

I should add that I enjoyed your comments and pics, very nicely done!

 

[Alex Coleman]

I should add that I enjoyed your comments and pics, very nicely done!

Thank you so much!!

 

[skippytx]

Solid review. I'm a BLT owner and don't really disagree with any part of your review. Well done.

We own there for 1 major reason, location of course. We end every night at MK and being able to walk back to your room is just so worth it. I will say the theme is a subjective thing. I personally like the clean contemporary theme of the resort. After all day of the mouse in your face, it can be a nice break. I understand other folks want the full Disney theme 100% of the time, but that's not for me. I also don't care for the Grand Floridian at all. I'm a laid back casual sort of guy and it just seems too formal and stuffy there for me. I just don't feel like I belong there. It is beautiful, but it's not for me.

The great thing about Disney is there is something out there for everyone. Different resort themes, price points, locations. Lots of options, and you can't really go wrong if your at WDW right?

Don't forget renting DVC points is an option for folks looking to stay at BLT. We rented the first time we stayed there before we purchased DVC, and the price to rent the points for a 1 bedroom villa was the same cost as an AoA Family Suite at the time. It's probably less expensive now, as the AoA suite was about 350 a night in early 2015, and I think it's pushing 500 a night now. My biggest complaint about our first trip (at AoA) was it seemed like we spent 1/3 of our 'vacation' either walking to/from or riding the buses. The walk to BLT isn't much farther than the walk to the AoA bus stop so it's a huge time saver for us. We like to 'siesta' during the afternoon, and saving time on transportation means more time for fun.

 

[MountainMouse]

Great pictures and thanks for the extensive review. I especially like the picture in the metal Mickey Ears, my daughter and I get a picture there every year. We stay at BLT most trips to Disney (we’re DVC Members) and at this stage in our lives it is our favorite though we like to spend time at the other MK resorts. If I had the opportunity to piece together the perfect MK resort it would be the GF/VGF rooms, the Poly grounds and atmosphere, and BLT/Contemporary's convenience to the MK and shops/restaurants in the Contemporary. That’s all based on how we vacation now, those preferences will probably change in the future. By the way, they would probably appreciate your review over on the DVC Resorts page. Thanks again.

 

[TeacherDL]

Thanks for your review. We are going to BLT (one bedroom lake view) in June!

 

[Alex Coleman]

Great pictures and thanks for the extensive review. I especially like the picture in the metal Mickey Ears, my daughter and I get a picture there every year. We stay at BLT most trips to Disney (we’re DVC Members) and at this stage in our lives it is our favorite though we like to spend time at the other MK resorts. If I had the opportunity to piece together the perfect MK resort it would be the GF/VGF rooms, the Poly grounds and atmosphere, and BLT/Contemporary's convenience to the MK and shops/restaurants in the Contemporary. That’s all based on how we vacation now, those preferences will probably change in the future. By the way, they would probably appreciate your review over on the DVC Resorts page. Thanks again.

Thank you for the kind worlds!

That combination sounds awesome, I think I would be a member there!

 

[Alex Coleman]

Solid review. I'm a BLT owner and don't really disagree with any part of your review. Well done.

We own there for 1 major reason, location of course. We end every night at MK and being able to walk back to your room is just so worth it. I will say the theme is a subjective thing. I personally like the clean contemporary theme of the resort. After all day of the mouse in your face, it can be a nice break. I understand other folks want the full Disney theme 100% of the time, but that's not for me. I also don't care for the Grand Floridian at all. I'm a laid back casual sort of guy and it just seems too formal and stuffy there for me. I just don't feel like I belong there. It is beautiful, but it's not for me.

The great thing about Disney is there is something out there for everyone. Different resort themes, price points, locations. Lots of options, and you can't really go wrong if your at WDW right?

Don't forget renting DVC points is an option for folks looking to stay at BLT. We rented the first time we stayed there before we purchased DVC, and the price to rent the points for a 1 bedroom villa was the same cost as an AoA Family Suite at the time. It's probably less expensive now, as the AoA suite was about 350 a night in early 2015, and I think it's pushing 500 a night now. My biggest complaint about our first trip (at AoA) was it seemed like we spent 1/3 of our 'vacation' either walking to/from or riding the buses. The walk to BLT isn't much farther than the walk to the AoA bus stop so it's a huge time saver for us. We like to 'siesta' during the afternoon, and saving time on transportation means more time for fun.

I definitely agree with the fact that theming can be subjective. For my wife and I, it is not our favorite. I could see the validity not wanting to go over the top with the Disney intellectual property. We just have an incredibly high tolerance!

Wow that sounds like a great deal! We stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge and we got a really great deal on a Savanna View Room. It is a fantastic way to stay at a DVC property without the commitment of DVC. We love AoA, but the walking can be very difficult. Stay tuned I will be posting my review of that resort very soon!

 

[Alex Coleman]

Thanks for your review. We are going to BLT (one bedroom lake view) in June!

Have so much fun!