Contemporary Resort Questions

[njflounder]

Visiting CR in May 2008 for the first time in 20 years. We booked the garden view rooms which are located outside of the main tower. Does anyone have any feedback on these rooms. Are the clean? Will the construction taking place interfere with my hotel stay? Lastly, does it pay to pony up for the main tower? My budget has already been blown but I really wanted to stay close to the MK due to my young children.

Thanks

 

[spiceycat]

your kids would be happy at the value resorts. So don't spend more than you need too.

the garden rooms are fine.

you can take the monrail or walk over to the MK - from either tower or garden.

I liked the garden rooms myself. No white noise was needed so they were quieter.

all the work is being done during the day - when you are in the parks. If your kids are still young enough to need naps - then I might reconsider.

 

[njflounder]

your kids would be happy at the value resorts. So don't spend more than you need too.

the garden rooms are fine.

you can take the monrail or walk over to the MK - from either tower or garden.

I liked the garden rooms myself. No white noise was needed so they were quieter.

all the work is being done during the day - when you are in the parks. If your kids are still young enough to need naps - then I might reconsider.

I am set against the Disney buses. The garden view rooms just worry me about the construction. Should I call the hotel about this?

 

[spiceycat]

The garden view rooms just worry me about the construction. Should I call the hotel about this?

the hotel is not involved. what worries you? Disney has been constructing new places near old ones for a while now.

VWL, BCV - are both new construction right next door to older ones.

there won't be a way for your little ones to even get here the site.

 

[njflounder]

the hotel is not involved. what worries you? Disney has been constructing new places near old ones for a while now.

VWL, BCV - are both new construction right next door to older ones.

there won't be a way for your little ones to even get here the site.

The noise would bother my 2 year old. I just would like to hear opinions if I should pay extra money to stay in the main tower

 

[strdncr]

This will be our families first ever trip in 20+ years and our four year daughters very first introduction. Because my husband works in the construction industry a vacation whereby he can see or hear it is NO vacation at all!! Heck, he can't even tolerate a minute of HGTV.

At any rate, due to the CR’s conveniences we're pretty sure this is the place for us to stay; young child and frail grandparents (May 08 visit as well.) Are there specific rooms / levels / views of the hotel to avoid.... should we look into booking the tower or garden, go for a specific view (MK or Lake) or opt for a specific location e.g. North South East West etc.? Help from you experienced folk is greatly appreciated as I work through trying to make this as magical as possible for everyone

Oh… and last but not least, how does one obtain a renovation schedule?

 

[strdncr]

This will be our families first ever trip in 20+ years and our four year daughters very first introduction. Because my husband works in the construction industry a vacation whereby he can see or hear it is NO vacation at all!! Heck, he can't even tolerate a minute of HGTV or in like.

At any rate, due to the CR’s conveniences we're pretty sure this is the right place for us to stay; young child and frail grandparents (May 08 visit as well.) Are there specific rooms / levels / views of the hotel to avoid.... should we look into booking a tower or garden room, go for a specific view (MK or Lake), or opt for a specific location e.g. North South East West etc. to be void of construction... or is this remotely possible at all?

Help from you experienced folk is greatly appreciated as I work through trying to make this as magical as possible for everyone

P.S. Oh… and last but not least, how does one obtain a renovation schedule?

 

[grimley1968]

If you are "set against the Disney buses", I'd suggest you have a car with you. No resort on WDW property will allow you to get to all 4 theme parks without getting on buses to at least 2 of them, though some definitely offer non-bus transportation to one or two parks.

Why CR if you're worried about construction noise? First of all, I doubt the noise would be bothersome. I've stayed at many resorts during construction and barely knew anything was going on. But if you can't take it at all, there's WL, Poly and GF near MK as well, none of which require a bus to MK. In fact, I just don't enjoy CR, and would always book Poly or WL over CR.

 

[crazy4wdw]

Visiting CR in May 2008 for the first time in 20 years. We booked the garden view rooms which are located outside of the main tower. Does anyone have any feedback on these rooms. Are the clean? Will the construction taking place interfere with my hotel stay? Lastly, does it pay to pony up for the main tower? My budget has already been blown but I really wanted to stay close to the MK due to my young children.

Thanks

I would think that the noise would be minimal as the construction is going on at the other side of the resort at the site of the former north wing. The only construction which may be going on in the Tower is installaton of the new counter service restaurant, Chef Mickey's Express. The other changes in the Tower are scheuduled to be completed in April. All of the rooms at the CR have recently been refurbished and are quiet nice (IMHO). I think the extra for the tower is well worth it, especially if you reserve the MK view.

 

[crazy4wdw]

I am set against the Disney buses. The garden view rooms just worry me about the construction. Should I call the hotel about this?

The monorail only goes to MK and Epcot. If you're planning on going to the studios, AK, the water parks, or Downtown Disney, your only option is buses. I stayed at the CR this past December and the buses to the parks weren't too bad. However the bus to Downtown Disney is a nightmare! As mentioned in my previous post, if you stay in the garden wing (which would be the south wing as the north one has been demolished) the construction noise should not be a problem at all.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

According to the renovation schedule April 2008 is when the Concourse Steakhouse is set to close, so that means they would get started on turning it into the new counter service location. Besides that the new restaurant called the Waive is also set to open that month in the old Food & Fun Center location, however the schedule does not have any set dates. It just says April 2008, so it could be anytime during that month.

Besides that since you're staying in a Garden Wing room, you won't hear any construction on the 4th floor that you would if you stayed in a Tower room. Also the construction area where the North Garden Wing building use to be will not effect you're stay, since it is on the opposite side.

 

[CrzyGmer789X2]

I've stayed in South Garden Wing 6 times, and all times have been phenominal. The rooms are very clean, and even have a computer with free usage. Mousekeeping does do towel animals frequently, I got 3 of them last visit! You can't even see construction going on, let alone hear it at all from your room. I really think that it's great compared to the main tower, because it's nice to have a pool view (if you get one), and it's an easy walk back from the pool. 30 seconds, maybe less if you have a first floor patio. It's only a 2 minute walk to the main tower also, so when you're going to the monorail, it's not a big walk at all.

Best wishes your stay

 

[goofyshell]

That's exactly what I wanted to hear! I would also love to spring for a tower room but my dh says the kids need money for college (spoil sport! ) so if we did CR it would be a wing. I worried about distance to the tower, but most reviews I've read have been very positive in general about the wing.

Also , we'd be there at Thanksgiving next year. Is there much in the way of decorations at CR? Thanks!