CR? Tell Me Everything Recent...

[Stitch Inside]

...you know about the CR. Post pictures. How's the food court? Does the pool get crowded? How are the different views? Can you see the castle from any of the Wing rooms? What's the latest on the renovations? We'll be there August 3rd and we're getting excited.

 

[sdlipton]

Well, I haven't been to the CR since I was 5, and that was 21 years ago.. but most of the answers you seek can be found by simply searching the threads already on this board, or by reading all 45+ pages of the CR Faq which can be found in the resort FAQ sticky at the top of the board.

Happy hunting and remember.. always search before you post!

 

[Stitch Inside]

Well, I haven't been to the CR since I was 5, and that was 21 years ago.. but most of the answers you seek can be found by simply searching the threads already on this board, or by reading all 45+ pages of the CR Faq which can be found in the resort FAQ sticky at the top of the board.

Happy hunting and remember.. always search before you post!

Been there, done that. Suddenly, I'm not as excited.

Would it be too much to ask if anyone else would be willing to impart with some new more recent knowledge?

 

[sdlipton]

Suddenly, I'm not as excited.

Stitch,

MY bad... DId not mean to burst your bubble of excitement.. I can tell you that I am going to the CR for my DIsneymoon in October and my excitement is overflowing!

Good luck and I hope folks add to the existing CR threads or answer your questions here.

I can tell you.. that according to the CR Front Desk, the 10th Floor is roped off (or at least half of it) and they are working their way down from there.

 

[Thekidsmom]

Check out my thread we just got back last month from the CR 12th floor. I will bump up the thread.

 

[PigletFan05]

I also would like to see and hear more about the resort.

 

[missypie]

We stayed 5 nights at the CR (tower) last month. Here is what I wrote:

Contemporary: B to B-
It is a good thing they are renovating the CR. The rooms just look tired and worn. I hate it when part of the drapes come off the hooks and are never fixed...shows a lack of care, I think. The windows still had tape marks on them, I assume from the hurricanes. Isn't there an adhesive remover that they could use? It's little things like that that that make me think that they need to take better care of the place.

We checked in early in the morning in a HUGE rain storm. When a room was available at 7:30 am, I knew it would not be the most desirable, but I decided to take it so we would have a room if it poured down rain all day. It was a 5th floor, bay view room and the location turned out to be very neat.

The monorail is on the 5th floor (although you have to go down the elevator to 4, then take the escalator to 5 to ride it) but it's a very cool thing to see the monorail just across the hall. We were on the Chef Mickey's end, so we could just look over the rail and see the characters. If I stood by the door I could hear some noise from the restaurants, but it never disturbed us.

The view was wonderful. At any other place, a view of the pools and the lake and the boats would be the preferred view. You also have a view of the sunrise on the bay side. The downside is that there is no drainage from the balcony - it drains "in" so since we had rain, there was a pool of water about an inch deep on the balcony the whole time we were there.

The feel of the place is more "big city hotel" than resort. (It would have a more resort like feel from the wings, I think.) The decor of the Food and Fun Center is very cold...I felt like I was in a hospital cafeteria.

The location can't be beat. Being able to walk to the MK is terrific. Getting to Epcot is a piece of cake. Visiting the other MK area resorts is easy.

The pool was nice. I enjoyed the slide although since "mom" liked it, it must be slow by kid standards. There are two hot tubs. The beach area is nice. The grounds would be greatly improved if they would get rid of some of the paving and landscape more of it.

Mousekeeping was mixed. On one day it was terrific. We got a towel ducky and the mousekeeper arranged the kids' stuffed animals and left loads of extra toiletries and coffee. The next day the blow dryer broke and although I left a note about it, it was not replaced.

I'm glad we stayed at the CR, but probably would not do it again

 

[Ndftball]

My girlfriend and I are staying there in May 2006. This is my first time staying at the CR since I was 4. I'm excited because I upgraded the room to the MK view and I think the renovations will be complete by then....

 

[Cris]

My girlfriend and I are staying there in May 2006. This is my first time staying at the CR since I was 4. I'm excited because I upgraded the room to the MK view and I think the renovations will be complete by then....

The only gtd Magic Kingdom view are some of the rooms and suites on the 14th floor.

 

[Ndftball]

The only gtd Magic Kingdom view are some of the rooms and suites on the 14th floor.

Hmmmmmmm, when I booked the room they said I was gtd a MK view. Probably a very small view....

 

[swilphil]

Been there, done that. Suddenly, I'm not as excited.

Would it be too much to ask if anyone else would be willing to impart with some new more recent knowledge?

I was there in March and I would be happy to share my information with you. I love talking about Disney World, especially CR and Swan/Dolphin.

Food court: I hear it's not as big as the food courts in values and moderates. They serve the basics: sandwiches, burgers, pizza, chicken strips, fries, salads, etc. The pizza was surprisingly good and the chicken strips were the same as you would get at the park counterservice restaurants.

The food court is next to the arcade, which is really fun! We actually would stroll on over to the MK most of the time when we wanted a quick meal.

Pool: I thought it was plenty big. There's two seperate pools, plus a slide and hot tub. There are lots of lounge chairs and a beach area, though you can't swim in the lake. It lacks a theme that most WDW resort pools have and there's not much landscaping though there were lots of umbrellas. They were doing some construction when we were there (maybe a food area and/or restroom).

View: I know some North Wing standard rooms have a view of MK. Those rooms are actually cheaper than the garden view wing rooms because they face the parking lot. The garden view rooms look out over the lake. You can see the nightly water parade, plus a beach area. While the rest of the CR's landscaping is a little sparse, it was quite pretty on that side of the North Wing.

Renovations: I'm guessing you would only be able to get a renovated room in the South Wing in August. I don't think the North Wing is any where close to being done.

We loved staying in the North Wing as it's closer to MK and the CR food court. We could walk to MK in 10 minutes. I would highly recommend a ground floor room in the wings. They have patios. The upper wing rooms do not have balconies. I didn't mind the decor at CR. The rooms are huge, and the color scheme isn't quite as loud as it looks in pictures. I do admit that the renovated rooms look stunning.

Feel free to post any additional questions. There are lots of CR lovers here.

 

[disneyag]

Yes, for 2006 they DO have gtd MK view rooms. You pay a little more than the regular Tower room, but it might be worth it if the view is important to you.

 

[Cris]

Hmmmmmmm, when I booked the room they said I was gtd a MK view. Probably a very small view....

what is your catagory?

 

[Ndftball]

I'm not sure what you mean, I'm new to all this....

 

[Cris]

I'm not sure what you mean, I'm new to all this....

Do you know what your room catagory is called ie: Tower Room, Atrium Club Room, Tower Club room.

 

[disboy21086]

The only gtd Magic Kingdom view are some of the rooms and suites on the 14th floor.

Not True. I was on the 8th Floor in the Tower Last Week, and had a Perfect view of the Castle.

 

[Ndftball]

Do you know what your room catagory is called ie: Tower Room, Atrium Club Room, Tower Club room.

I copied this off the confirmation email:

Disney's Contemporary Resort
Room Type: Tower Magic Kingdom View

 

[sdlipton]

Not True. I was on the 8th Floor in the Tower Last Week, and had a Perfect view of the Castle.

The poster you were quoting specifically mentioned "gtd view", shorthand for Guaranteed View" In 2005 there are no view guarantees, in 06 it seems as if they are offering a gtd view at a premium price.

 

[Minniedap]

We stayed at the CR over 4th of July weekend. Had a garden view in the north wing. We were on the ground floor and loved the view! At night we watched the fireworks from outside the entrance between the north wing and main building. You could even see Tinkerbell come off the castle at night.

The food court is small compared to the values and moderates, but it was never crowded and had a good variety.

The pools were not crowded. Very relaxing with the lake view.

On this trip we also stayed at the POP seven nights and the BC three nights. We choose CR as our favorite and would definitely ask for north wing garden view ground floor again.

 

[Stitch Inside]

Thank You Sherri and Minniedap.

The excitement is returning as our date quickly approaches.

Does anyone have any recent pictures of the CR that they'd like to share? (and please don't direct me to All Ears or any of the other threads, I've seen them, Thanks)

And oh yeah, NDftball; Go Irish!