Contemp Garden Wing Pros/Cons

[diz100]

Planning my next trip for this summer at CR and am debating between a tower room and a garden wing. I've stayed in the tower before and loved it, but I'm wondering if it is worth the savings to stay in the garden wing. Any pros/cons to this? My biggest concern is that it is going to be a much longer walk to the room/monorail and I will be traveling with two toddlers. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

 

[skifast22]

A longer walk, yes. A much longer walk, no. The Contemporary is more compact than any other resort. Walking to your room in the garden wing will really be no different than walking out to the pool from your tower room. If you were staying at any other resort, your walk from your room to the main building would likely be longer than your walk from your garden wing room to the tower.

The pros as I see them would obviously be the money saved. You'd also be closer to the pool and laundry facilities.

The biggest con to me is the lack of a balcony. If your on the first floor, you at least have a patio, but 2nd and 3rd floor just has a window.

Just editing to say welcome to the Dis! just saw this was your first post

 

[WsPrincess]

We stayed in the tower last time (actually Atrium Club MK view) and are going to do Garden Wing this time. We did request 1st floor but we are doing a split stay and we decided to save money on this part of the stay. If we don't have the patio we will live and we can always go sit by the pool if we need more room.

 

[tluvstink]

We stayed in a garden wing room Thanksgiving week in 2010 and absolutely loved it We had a first floor room located by the pool and lake.One evening I was sitting outside on our patio and saw Capt Hook and Smee walking around the pool. I'm not sure why they were there but it was fun to watch. We also had a great view of the water parade. Granted it isn't the same at watching Wishes from your balcony but it was nice

The walk to the main building was easy and quick and I didn't mind it at all.I can't say it's as convenient as a tower room but we never had to wait on an elevator so I was happy.

The room was always clean and it was very quiet. I wouldn't hesitate to stay there again.

Terri

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

We stayed in a garden wing/garden view room and loved it.

We didn't have to wait for an elevator to get to our 2nd floor room, we just walked up the stairs.
We were much closer to the pool than we would have been if we were in a tower room.

While I'm not a doing laundry on vacation fan, this was the first trip I did that and the laundry room was nice and close by.

Walking to the main tower was a hop, skip and jump. It was very close. And the walkway is covered so if it does rain, you are protected.

Not having a balcony wasn't a big deal to us. It was hot when we went so we wouldn't have been sitting out on it anyway.

I'd go back and stay in a garden wing/garden view room again.

 

[Sue M]

I'd go for the Garden Wing for the savings. The rooms are the same.

 

[serene56]

I have been searching and reading about the Contemporay.

Does this resort have a page like the other resorts?

We are now booked at Coranada Springs but the scales are tipping for me to change.

I would really like to see the different rooms available.

 

[cburek]

we just returned from staying at the Contemporary in the garden wing. Had a deluxe room and it was awesome. Here is the link to the thread. We would definitely stay again over the tower. Much closer to the pools and we liked that we didnt have to track back thru the lobby to get to our room. It was no further walking.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2919774&referrerid=174392

 

[dmband]

I'm getting more excited for my garden room in July after reading this thread

 

[almcg]

Me too!!! My DD12 is so looking forward to using the pool that being in the Garden Wing is definitely a pro. We're counting the days lol!

 

[Grace&Carolinesmom]

OK--I will be the voice of dissention here..... I would stay in the tower. We stayed in a CR wing room our first trip to WDW and by day 3 we were wishing for a balcony. Toddlers are going to have naps and early bedtimes. Unless your kiddos are the type to sleep thru noise, it might make you feel "claustrophobic." Having a balcony gives the adults somewhere to escape and talk while the little ones are catching their ZZzzs. Staying in the tower is also more convenient to the shops and food for quick items as well as the bus stop when the summer heat is radiating off the pavement. I also felt the elevators in the wing were quite small and could be a hassle if you have a double stroller. First floor wing rooms could solve some of these issues but a request is not a guarantee.

Have a great trip

 

[dheinz]

WOW! Contemporary! My favorite! You will love being able to walk to the Magic Kingdom and the Monorail. Also, watching the Magic Kingdom fireworks from the Contemporary is wonderful!

I loved the garden room. They were beautiful, spacious, and we enjoyed being able to enter and exit the resort quickly. We had a pool view and it was lovely. The pool was super close as was the water pageant parade at night in the bay.
I also felt that our room was very quiet. I never remember hearing any outside or neighbor noise. Not to mention the bedding rocks!

Not sure if you are driving? We drove and the parking lot was VERY convenient. If fact, we took our bags to the room because the parking was literally outside the entrance door. We drove to several parks including, water parks, downtown disney, & animal kingdom. It was easier and quicker to take our car than head to the bus and wait. Sometimes we left the stroller in the car for the night and grabbed it the next day on the way to the park or monorail. Seriously, close parking lot.

Either way you are going to Disney! It will be great!