Contempory Resort Questions.

[amycishere]

We have stayed at AKL twice and absolutely loved it but are possibly looking for something different.

Are their rooms that just have an inside look at the lobby and the monorail? Right now, the monorail, Chef Mickey's closeness to MK and Epcot, different atmosphere to begin with are our main draws.

Mom and I have eyesight that is not the greatest as that is why we will not be booking a MK Tower Room. From everything I've heard, there is a parking lot first and then the Castle in the background. That is why we loved AKL was so great because the animals were right outside. And we LOVED them, but again, may be looking for something different.

We live on the waterfront at home, so the Bay Lake Tower doesn't hold much draw for us either.

As far as the Garden View rooms go, can you actually see Garden? That would be something new and exciting for us as well. I've heard a rumor that they have shrub characters or something like that?

Thanks so much,
Amy

 

[jcb]

We just returned from the CR. None of the tower rooms have views that overlook the interior (something the monorail calls the Grand Canyon Concourse). The tower room doors open to the Concourse.

The garden view rooms don't really overlook a "garden" as the name implies. The CR grounds are beautifully decorated and maintained but you might be disappointed to arrive and find the only significant "gardens" are flower beds by the bay side entrance to the tower.

Generally, "garden view" seems to be the name for rooms that don't overlook the parking lot. I can't say how the specific rooms are designated. For example, some rooms overlook an exterior wall and I would hate to pay for a "garden" view room with this very "standard" view.

Some "garden" view rooms apparently overlook the bay. A few are along the canal the boats use to ferry passengers between the WL area and the MK. These are the nice rooms but if you are a light sleeper and go during a heavy visitation period, be aware that the boats sound the horn as they enter the bay from the canal. Fortunately, we were so exhausted, it didn't bother us.

 

[jcb]

Also, there is a shrub character (or two) near the bay side tower entrance.

We just returned from the CR and loved it. There are many reasons to stay there. I'm just not sure you should go there expecting lush grounds comparable to those at the AKL.

 

[amycishere]

Are Garden Wing rooms better than Garden View? So confusing!

The search function isn't working currently.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Are Garden Wing rooms better than Garden View? So confusing!

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I believe that a Garden Wing would be face would face the pool and etc, where as the Garden View might face the parking lot or the convention center.

 

[Racemom17]

Can 5 sleep in a room at the contemporary?

 

[klofan]

The Garden Wing rooms have 2 views: Standard or Garden.

Garden: Views of the resort grounds, pools, Bay Lake.

Standard: Parking lot, convention center, monorail.

The rooms are the biggest standard rooms on Disney property and can easily fit 5 in a room.

 

[jcb]

I think the distinction between "garden wing" and "garden view" is that the garden "wing" is the building itself. You might want to look at the disboards.com page for the contemporary.

Garden view is how Disney typically describes the view from the room and the price for that view. The disneyworld.com site on the contemporary reads as if you can have a "garden view" room from the tower.

To really confuse things, there use to be two "garden wings" (north and south) but the north one was removed and WDW is building a new facility. You can still see both wings (and the tower) at google maps or windows live local.

Of course, all of this could be wrong or changed tomorrow.

One of the best things about the Contemporary is the fourth floor balcony overlooking the MK. We watched wishes from there several times. It was spectacular.

 

[fla4fun]

I booked a garden view for my trip a couple weeks ago. I had a view toward the pool and marina from the far end of the wing. I could see quite a bit of the fireworks from the room (and more from just outside). It was a very nice room.

If you aren't particular about the view, I would request a room in the wing close to the tower, to minimize the walk. The rooms in the wing and tower are laid out the same - the main difference being that the wing rooms do not have balconies and the tower rooms do. I had a first floor wing room, so I had a patio.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Can 5 sleep in a room at the contemporary?

I think 5 is the maximum number allowed for Deluxe Resorts.

 

[KerryCM]

I think 5 is the maximum number allowed for Deluxe Resorts.

The deluxe rooms at the BWI sleep 6.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

The deluxe rooms at the BWI sleep 6.

My mistake if the number I posted was wrong.

 

[fla4fun]

My mistake if the number I posted was wrong.

The deluxe rooms at BWI have two queens and a sitting area with a sofa bed for the other two (same sleeping configuration as the WL deluxe rooms, but not laid out as well, in my opinion). Personally, I prefer a dedicated daybed to a sofa bed any day, but then you can only sleep the five.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

The deluxe rooms at BWI have two queens and a sitting area with a sofa bed for the other two (same sleeping configuration as the WL deluxe rooms, but not laid out as well, in my opinion). Personally, I prefer a dedicated daybed to a sofa bed any day, but then you can only sleep the five.

Thanks for that info.

 

[jcb]

it would not be comfortable to fit 5 into the room we had at the CR. We booked a standard room in the garden wing. We were given 6108 which must have been an upgrade as it was on the southeast corner with a bay view. There were two queens and two chairs in the room. No sofa. The room was perfect for us but 5 would have meant someone slept 3 to a bed or strung between the chairs.

We walked past larger rooms in the garden wing that had sofas in them. These faced the pool.

 

[SandrainNC]

Hi! Our first time staying on property was at AKL in 2006. We loved it!!! This past trip in November, we stayed at CR and we loved it too! For the theming, AKL wins. For the location, it is CR hands down. You just cannot beat the location. Even with the other monorail resorts, you can't walk to MK. Which helped us avoid some waiting a few times (like after Wishes). We were in the Garden Wing on the first floor and I paid for a standard view. Our room was located all the way at the end of the wing, but we just walked back and forth outside to get to the tower instead of through the hallways, and it wasn't bad at all. We had two adults and two children ages 6 and 16 months. I was so glad to have that extra space since the CR rooms are a bit larger.

This was our view from our room.

Sandra

 

[ntsammy5]

The deluxe rooms at BWI have two queens and a sitting area with a sofa bed for the other two

BTW They are roughly the same as the Shades of Green. BW is a great location. I like them both. SoG is roughly 1/6 the cost though as long as you qualify.