Contemporary Garden Wing or Tower

[AggieBeth]

Staying at the Contemporary in February but I'm conflicted. I can't decide if I should get a Garden Wing or Tower room. Initially, I booked Garden Wing because it is cheaper but now I'm to the point that if I'm paying to stay at the Contemporary, I may as well stay in the best place. Give me your pros and cons to garden vs. tower!

 

[ppjluvsdvc]

I personally prefer the tower mostly for convenience - just an elevator ride to the monorail, restaurants, buses, etc.. Also I am not sure if the Garden wing has balconies. Also the views are better from the tower.

 

[ErinsMommy]

we've never stayed GW but as for the Tower, it has its benefits but also its downfalls. Elevators can be slow, the noise level esp on the 4th floor can be quite loud, and when the monorail comes through, I feel the vibration through the floor. We've stayed there the past 4 times though so clearly none of that has been a deciding factor to have us stay elsewhere. LOL.

 

[wajones2]

My experience/opinion:

I had stayed in the Tower years ago, and booked Garden Wing a couple years ago b/c cheaper. We spent only 1 night before I called an asked to be moved to the Tower. They of course charged me the difference, but I didn't care. We were in the middle area of the garden wing, and felt like we were weaving through a maze (hallways were warm and it was October) and we had to walk past the pool to get to the monorail, buses or walkway to MK and DD wanted to swim every time we passed (meltdown). For us if we can't afford the Tower at the Contemporary, we book a moderate resort. We have stayed at the Poly and Grand Floridian too but they don't have the same convenient elevator ride to monorail, dining, and shopping that the Tower at the Contemporary offers. Our favorite moderate is Port Orleans French Quarter, followed by Riverside. Hands-down they both have better bus service than any of the monorail resorts.

 

[ErinsMommy]

Our favorite moderate is Port Orleans French Quarter. Hands-down they both have better bus service than any of the monorail resorts.

Totally agree!

 

[AggieBeth]

Love POFQ but I have never stayed at the Contemporary and I LOVE the idea of being able to walk to MK. If I go tower, higher floor recommended? Anyone have a certain floor they like to be on?

 

[FSU Girl]

I think the tower is definitely worth it. You're under one roof, everything is right there. I had a room on the 11th floor and heard no noise or vibrations. It was absolutely magical. I didn't like that the garden wing was really far from the main building and you had to go outside. Also, you won't have a balcony in the garden wing. The views are also amazing from the tower on either side.

 

[ErinsMommy]

Love POFQ but I have never stayed at the Contemporary and I LOVE the idea of being able to walk to MK. If I go tower, higher floor recommended? Anyone have a certain floor they like to be on?

I think highest we got was 10th floor - since we always stay TPV that may be why we feel the monorai vibrations since its on the same side?

 

[beccasmom]

We often stayed in the wings due to our budget. They (used to be both North and South! ) were fine and we were park-bound all day anyway, so it hardly mattered. The rooms are very spacious. Only first-floor garden rooms have patios, although perhaps some upper floor suites do too. It is relatively quiet in the wings, but it is more convenient to be closer to the resort services for some folks. In my younger days I guess I didn't mind as much!

We are staying in the tower for the first time in many years in September for a rare free-dining trip. (We mainly stay in DVC resorts now.) I love the Contemporary because we stayed there on our first-ever WDW trip.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I think there are pros and cons to both. We've stayed in both and have enjoyed both of them. Tower pros - you feel like you are IN the resort, the restaurants are right there, the monorail goes through and, from our lake side view, we could see the EP fireworks which was really cool. Tower cons - the elevators take FOREVER! Garden Wing pros - very quiet, same room layout as the tower rooms for less money. Cons - feels a little removed from the rest of the resort, request a first floor room for a patio as upper floors have no balconies. Personally, unless I was staying on a higher floor, I would take the garden wing over the Tower.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We stayed in the South Wing back when there was also a North Wing (before BLT was built). We thought it was very nice, rooms were very large and we never had to wait for an elevator to get anywhere. We could easily take the stairs. We were on the second floor and had a Juliet balcony. No real standing space, but the patio door opened up and there were bars to keep you from falling out. It was about a five minute walk or less to get to the main lobby area and Chef Mickey's. It was only about five minutes to get to the bus stop. It was very quiet. And we were rather close to the pool.

 

[HeidiGW]

We have only stayed once in the now demolished garden rooms. It was nice. But when I think of CR, I think of the monorail. And, it seemed like it took forever to get there.
If we stayed again, it would be in the tower. If we win the lotto, CL MK View!

 

[Shanti]

Staying at the Contemporary in February but I'm conflicted. I can't decide if I should get a Garden Wing or Tower room. Initially, I booked Garden Wing because it is cheaper but now I'm to the point that if I'm paying to stay at the Contemporary, I may as well stay in the best place. Give me your pros and cons to garden vs. tower!

We loved garden wing. It's much quieter than the tower, so there are no issues with noise. The rooms are exactly the same as those in the tower- elegant and modern. It also provides easy access to the pool and the boat dock. And, of course, it's a less than 1-minute walk from the entrance to the tower to the entrance to the garden wing. I'd never choose to pay inflated tower prices when the garden wing is available. There are so many other nice things at WDW to spend that extra $150+ per night on. We were on the first floor and really liked our patio that looked out on the pool & lake. That gave our room a bit more of a resort feel, and less of a standard highrise hotel feel. I recommend requesting a first floor room.

 

[AllieBoo]

We loved garden wing. It's much quieter than the tower, so there are no issues with noise. The rooms are exactly the same as those in the tower- elegant and modern. It also provides easy access to the pool and the boat dock. And, of course, it's a less than 1-minute walk from the entrance to the tower to the entrance to the garden wing. I'd never choose to pay inflated tower prices when the garden wing is available. There are so many other nice things at WDW to spend that extra $150+ per night on. We were on the first floor and really liked our patio that looked out on the pool & lake. That gave our room a bit more of a resort feel, and less of a standard highrise hotel feel. I recommend requesting a first floor room.

I would love to request a ground floor room so that we would have a patio, but I am worried about noise from the floor above us. Were you able to hear any noise from the room above you (people walking around etc.)?

 

[bebec22]

I've stayed in the GW twice (never the Tower). I love how quiet the GW is. I requested a ground floor room each time because I wanted the patio and I received my request. I never heard any noise from anyone in either direction or above. The only noise we ever heard was from people passing by in the hallway. On my last trip my daughter screamed for 4 hours one night and the people next to us said they couldn't hear her. The rooms are a great size. It was myself, my mom and my 2.5 year old DS and 11 month old DD. We had the pack n' play set up for DD, the daybed set up for DS and a double stroller in there and it never felt cramped. I would push the kids out in the stroller though the slider, my mom would lock it behind us and then go out the door and meet us on the walkway. I liked being away from all the hustle and bustle of the main tower. I think the only way I would stay in the tower was if I had a TP view room. For the price of the GW, you really can't beat it. The walk to MK is heavenly.

My only major complaint is that the room feels dark and run down. I'm not sure how they compare to rooms in the tower, however. I think the entire resort as a whole is in need of a major renovation.

 

[hedberg1661]

If you have the money and are willing to upgrade I love the tower. Stayed in both multiple times and while the GW rooms are just fine I feel like the tower is the best. Those balconies are great too.

 

[bnhonest]

Just got back from a two night stay in the garden wing. We avoided the lobby at all cost and kind of felt like the garden wing was a good get-away from all things Disney. Our room was ground floor, deluxe suite, so we were mere steps away from the pool. The only times we were ever in the main building were for our ADR for the Wave and the two times we came back to the resort via monorail (once from MK and once from Poly).

This trip was the first time that I felt like I could unplug from Disney while being at the resorts. If I wanted to be immersed, I was a few steps away. I enjoyed that aspect of it.

 

[Masonmj84]

I've never stayed in the Garden Wing but, on our most recent trip (2 months ago), we finally ponied up to stay in the Tower (Bay Lake view room).

It was way more magical than I would have anticipated (we decided to stay here mostly for the location and not so much for the resort itself, which I'd always previously viewed as being somewhat boring and sterile).

That being said, we were majorly pixie dusted as we were the resort's Family of the Day and recieved a free upgrade to club level. This definitely added to the level of magic of our stay.

But, even had we not been upgraded, staying in the Tower would have still been way more magical than I would have expected. I wouldn't expect the Garden Wing to be as magical (but, as noted above, I've never stayed there - have only walked through the hallways).

I think the premium to stay in the Tower is worth it and would definitely stay there again.

 

[doubtingthomas6]

The Contemporary tower rooms with theme park views are honestly worth every penny of the very high cost. IMO it just doesn't get any better.
I know this resort doesn't do it for everyone but the look feel and even the smell of the main building are unbeatable. I don't think I would ever stay in the garden wing.

 

[manicstreet]

This is a no brainer. If you got the cash stay tower. If Cash is tight stay garden.