Resort Thread Disney's Club Level (CL) Thread

[Jdogbeanie]

Do any of you always (or almost always) stay CL at the same resort? I see many posts about hopping around, but I'm curious if some of you love a resort CL so much that you stick with it every (or nearly every!) trip!

We have stayed club level at several but always seem to return to the contemporary

 

[PolyAddict]

I booked a CSR tower club level room for July on Monday and they called and left voicemail yesterday. We check in July 18th, I think that is the second week it opens. I will share our experiences here when we get back.

 

[trishadono]

I booked a CSR tower club level room for July on Monday and they called and left voicemail yesterday. We check in July 18th, I think that is the second week it opens. I will share our experiences here when we get back.

Oh good ! I can't wait

 

[mickeynut1]

@mickeynut1 , thank you for reply! You make a great point that you never know you have a new favorite if you don't try new things! Lots to think about.

You're welcome! It's definitely not easy as there are so many great choices .

We just completed a BWI/ AKL split. As much as I love the BWI I really did not enjoy the club level. They really had nothing palatable for kids. I did get the feeling they it’s geared for adults and that’s the way they want it. AKL on the other hand was awesome. Great options for kids and adults. I will say the rooms are much in need of a refurb. Beds were very uncomfortable and the shower head was a disaster. It was impossible to take a shower without flooding the bathroom.

We also spent a night at CSR. I will say I was very impressed with new rooms. Kuerig coffee pots, granite countertops, and the rainforest shower head are fantastic. The rooms are more upscale then AKL or Wl. I found it to be the best bang for your buck. I can’t wait to stay CL in the new tower.

I'm sorry you didn't care for BWI CL, but hope you had a nice stay overall. Glad you enjoyed AKL CL as well as your one night at CSR .

The three monorail resorts are definitely the best, IMO. That castle really does feel magical when viewed from your resort.

I agree

The idea of CR is growing on me, although hubby says he'll only do a room there if he can get CL TPV room, and so far no luck finding that under the Bounceback offer!

CR has never appealed to me either, but after reading so many great things about CL, it's grown on me enough to want to give it a try for a few nights. I don't think I can stay there for a week, but a few nights would be a good way to try it out. Good luck on your search for a discount .

That was a long winded way to say you might be surprised and like it, it happened to me!

This happened to me with the GF. The GF was never on my must try list, but once I did, I fell in love with it. For me, it's a totally different experience visiting a resort vs actually staying there .

I booked a CSR tower club level room for July on Monday and they called and left voicemail yesterday. We check in July 18th, I think that is the second week it opens. I will share our experiences here when we get back.

Looking forward to hearing about your experience .

 

[Rachel GB]

The CR fans are coming out of the woodwork! But seriously, I am enjoying all of these great responses!

We've never stayed CR but we are one of those people who probably wouldn't love the hotel. The lounge and its offerings sound great but the actual tower and hotel does nothing for me. We live in the NYC area and want to get away from bug buildings and craziness on vacation. We like the more relaxed feel of the Poly and WL. We like the pretty grounds and trees. What we love about both Poly and WL is that is has a more relaxed vibe. We didn't like BC either! I found it too noisy and crowded. I know people say the poly's lobby gets crazy but other then to eat we didn't stay there. We were content with the outdoor bar and lounge.. I may have felt differently if we didn't stay CL. Now my 11yo is in love with the Contemporary. He always asks to stay there. Our first day ever at wdw we started at CM for breakfast. It's been love ever since for him. In fact many years later we have to start our first full day at disney at CM. He would be in heaven if we stayed tower CL there.

It's good to hear your opinion on Poly! I do get that chaotic vibe from the lobby and never really considered that CL means you can avoid the main lobby, if necessary. And another vote for CR!

I just wanted to say that in the case of CL at the CR, the standard view is really spectacular, and I feel arguably the better view. Seeeping trees and lake and the Pools, with no parking lot in site. Plus you can see the EWP at night from your balcony. I agree if I were not CL I would prefer TPV to be able to watch HEA and to see that iconic view, but with CL you can see that from the lounge and get the other amazing view from the room. The lounge is never (or I guess I should say rarely) busy, and we could always watch HEA from one of the 3 balconies with no problem. I honestly think when staying CL I prefer the SV room, and as a bonus it’s also less expensive! Just food for thought for your husband

We were on the Chef Mickeys side both stays and never noticed any problem with noise from the atrium at all. We also got a lower discount than the other monorail resorts when we stayed there, we just decided to do it anyway since it’s what we wanted, so I tried not to compare

I never wanted to stay at the CR, it also didn’t do much for me in terms of theming. But my kids always loved chef mickeys and wanted to stay there, so when we went over Christmas a couple of years ago we decided to book the CR to take advantage of being able to walk on Christmas Day and not have to wait for any transportation. I was very pleasantly surprised, and really enjoyed the resort and our stay. I wouldn’t say it becamel my favorite, but it exceeded my expectations and the plusses far outnumbered the negatives. In fact, we stayed there again as part of a split stay last summer. That was a long winded way to say you might be surprised and like it, it happened to me! I have boys that are 5 and 9, and I think it might be their favorite resort, or one of the top 3. For reference, we were Atrium CL Bay Lake view both times.

Thanks for your reply! A previous poster (maybe @mickeynut1 ?) also mentioned that you never know if you have a new favorite unless you try other places, just like you said! That really resonates with me, as we love GF, but that's the only CL we've tried (so who knows what else we may love?).
You make a great point about the CR CL SV rooms. When I watch YouTube videos of the TPV room views, the castle views are great, but the parking lot view... not so great! I'm surprised you didn't have any noise staying on the CM side, too! Sounds like you had a wonderful stay .

We have stayed club level at several but always seem to return to the contemporary

Another CR lover! Thanks for chiming in! It sounds like CR might be a hidden favorite!

You're welcome! It's definitely not easy as there are so many great choices .



I'm sorry you didn't care for BWI CL, but hope you had a nice stay overall. Glad you enjoyed AKL CL as well as your one night at CSR .



I agree



CR has never appealed to me either, but after reading so many great things about CL, it's grown on me enough to want to give it a try for a few nights. I don't think I can stay there for a week, but a few nights would be a good way to try it out. Good luck on your search for a discount .



This happened to me with the GF. The GF was never on my must try list, but once I did, I fell in love with it. For me, it's a totally different experience visiting a resort vs actually staying there .



Looking forward to hearing about your experience .

Would love to hear how you like it if you do decide to give it a try! Thanks for always weighing in and sharing your opinions and expertise!

 

[smmco]

I booked a CSR tower club level room for July on Monday and they called and left voicemail yesterday. We check in July 18th, I think that is the second week it opens. I will share our experiences here when we get back.

I did not get a voicemail, but I did get a card in the mail. The only negative I can see to CSR is not having a balcony. The room refurbs at CSR are gorgeous. I think CL at under 300 a night it's a very good value. Back in 2011-2013 we stayed at WL club level quite a few times when it was around 300 a night. At the time I thought it was a great value. I today's prices I wouldn't stay at WL. I spent one night there in September in a standard room as much as I love the Wilderness Lodge the rooms just aren't worth the price they are asking. Like AKL the rooms are overdue for a face lift.

 

[PolyAddict]

I did want to ask opinions on our July stay. I had booked 2 Pop rooms with free QS for the July trip since it was DH, DD18 and DNiece18 for an upcoming martial arts tournament. Of course I am never truly settled on my 1st choice so i started pricing other options. I then realized the Tower would be open and chose CL because it would give us extra space since I went down to one room. I was able to apply the free dine but I am trying to decide whether to switch over to the room discount. It's a little over $600 cheaper for the room discount. For those with previous CSR business class experience were the food offering similar to the deluxes? We are not big meal eaters and usually did a sit down lunch and ate the breakfast and evening offerings for the other meals. Once I switch to room discount I cannot get the free dining back so i want to make the right decision. I think that the 4 of us over 6 days could eat for approx $700 for a combo of sit downs and QS.

 

[Babsy]

We've never stayed CR but we are one of those people who probably wouldn't love the hotel. The lounge and its offerings sound great but the actual tower and hotel does nothing for me. We live in the NYC area and want to get away from bug buildings and craziness on vacation. We like the more relaxed feel of the Poly and WL. We like the pretty grounds and trees. What we love about both Poly and WL is that is has a more relaxed vibe. We didn't like BC either! I found it too noisy and crowded. I know people say the poly's lobby gets crazy but other then to eat we didn't stay there. We were content with the outdoor bar and lounge.. I may have felt differently if we didn't stay CL. Now my 11yo is in love with the Contemporary. He always asks to stay there. Our first day ever at wdw we started at CM for breakfast. It's been love ever since for him. In fact many years later we have to start our first full day at disney at CM. He would be in heaven if we stayed tower CL there.

I never wanted to stay at the CR, it also didn’t do much for me in terms of theming. But my kids always loved chef mickeys and wanted to stay there, so when we went over Christmas a couple of years ago we decided to book the CR to take advantage of being able to walk on Christmas Day and not have to wait for any transportation. I was very pleasantly surprised, and really enjoyed the resort and our stay. I wouldn’t say it becamel my favorite, but it exceeded my expectations and the plusses far outnumbered the negatives. In fact, we stayed there again as part of a split stay last summer. That was a long winded way to say you might be surprised and like it, it happened to me! I have boys that are 5 and 9, and I think it might be their favorite resort, or one of the top 3. For reference, we were Atrium CL Bay Lake view both times.

I think that there are three issues that either prevent people from staying at the CR or result in them not enjoying the resort if they do:

1. The look of the building from the outside - in. Plus the look of public areas is loud, busy.
The huge concrete A frame is not an appealing structure on the outside, especially if you are coming from a city. It looks ordinary and uninspired. If you go inside in the atrium you have a high energy environment with lots of busy-ness and noise. The overall effect is not conducive to a relaxing vacation atmosphere.

2. Pool is plain, with no zero entry. The location is awesome for people with small children in strollers. Unfortunately the pool/play areas of this resort need more to appeal to that family group. While the pool location is lovely and we enjoyed it much more than anticipated from pictures, it still won't work as well as other resorts' pools on property.

3. grounds seem to have less vegetation/foliage than resorts like the WL and Poly in particular. Again, it is part of the atmosphere of the CR, but it is less appealing than a more tropical vibe. It just doesn't feel like a resort in which you would spend a lot of time outside relaxing.

The things that people that haven't stayed here may not realize:

1. Because this hotel is walking distance to the MK, it does feel more like you are staying AT the MK. You are still very close to the MK at the POLY and GF, but having to take the monorail or boat to get there is another degree of separation. Being able to walk to the MK mens that the MK is your backyard. This is particularly awesome if you plan to spend a lot of time in the MK and less time at the resort. Also reduces wait times for transportation and makes returning to your resort easier, IMO.

2. Staying inside looking out is not the same as looking in from the outside. When you stay here you have a huge patio door looking out onto your large balcony and lovely view. The difference is especially true of the tower rooms. These tower rooms are bright, cheery, comfortable and all have relatively great balconies and views. Sure, you can see the parking lot from the MK view, but you also see the entire MK monorail loop, the lake the MK, the GF and the Poly. You can watch the fireworks and ELP from your room every n night. I LOVE the feeling of being up high and looking out over the entire MK area. I love not having. to worry that I will end up in an awful room with my view completely blocked by a tree (happened in GF in SL) or with no balcony (Poly) or looking at an ugly roof (YC/BC).

3. The pool is plain, but the surroundings are beautiful when you are there. And it has never been overcrowded when we have been there. When you return to your hotel from the parks, having an uncrowded pool area where you escape from all the people is a very nice plus, IMO.

4. Chef Mickey's, CG, the Wave and Contempo Cafe are really great restaurants right there in your hotel. You do not have to go outside into any bad weather to get to them from the tower rooms. If you are staying in the garden wing there is a covered walkway to the tower. This is not true for the outer buildings at the Gf or at the Poly.

5. You can walk to the MK bus stop to have a direct bus to any resort on property except those that are connected by monorail or boat. ASAIK, this is the only resort that can walk to transportation anywhere in WDW. You have a boat to the WL and FW which adds Hoop Dee Doo Revue as an easy access event. Then there is the easy monorail to the Poly and GF to relax on their grounds and use their facilities (except pools).

The CL (atrium) pluses:

1. the lounge never closes

2. all rooms are really near by on the same floor

3. the lounge has a great balcony to watch the fireworks

 

[mrsap]

I think that there are three issues that either prevent people from staying at the CR or result in them not enjoying the resort if they do:

1. The look of the building from the outside - in. Plus the look of public areas is loud, busy.
The huge concrete A frame is not an appealing structure on the outside, especially if you are coming from a city. It looks ordinary and uninspired. If you go inside in the atrium you have a high energy environment with lots of busy-ness and noise. The overall effect is not conducive to a relaxing vacation atmosphere.

2. Pool is plain, with no zero entry. The location is awesome for people with small children in strollers. Unfortunately the pool/play areas of this resort need more to appeal to that family group. While the pool location is lovely and we enjoyed it much more than anticipated from pictures, it still won't work as well as other resorts' pools on property.

3. grounds seem to have less vegetation/foliage than resorts like the WL and Poly in particular. Again, it is part of the atmosphere of the CR, but it is less appealing than a more tropical vibe. It just doesn't feel like a resort in which you would spend a lot of time outside relaxing.

The things that people that haven't stayed here may not realize:

1. Because this hotel is walking distance to the MK, it does feel more like you are staying AT the MK. You are still very close to the MK at the POLY and GF, but having to take the monorail or boat to get there is another degree of separation. Being able to walk to the MK mens that the MK is your backyard. This is particularly awesome if you plan to spend a lot of time in the MK and less time at the resort. Also reduces wait times for transportation and makes returning to your resort easier, IMO.

2. Staying inside looking out is not the same as looking in from the outside. When you stay here you have a huge patio door looking out onto your large balcony and lovely view. The difference is especially true of the tower rooms. These tower rooms are bright, cheery, comfortable and all have relatively great balconies and views. Sure, you can see the parking lot from the MK view, but you also see the entire MK monorail loop, the lake the MK, the GF and the Poly. You can watch the fireworks and ELP from your room every n night. I LOVE the feeling of being up high and looking out over the entire MK area. I love not having. to worry that I will end up in an awful room with my view completely blocked by a tree (happened in GF in SL) or with no balcony (Poly) or looking at an ugly roof (YC/BC).

3. The pool is plain, but the surroundings are beautiful when you are there. And it has never been overcrowded when we have been there. When you return to your hotel from the parks, having an uncrowded pool area where you escape from all the people is a very nice plus, IMO.

4. Chef Mickey's, CG, the Wave and Contempo Cafe are really great restaurants right there in your hotel. You do not have to go outside into any bad weather to get to them from the tower rooms. If you are staying in the garden wing there is a covered walkway to the tower. This is not true for the outer buildings at the Gf or at the Poly.

5. You can walk to the MK bus stop to have a direct bus to any resort on property except those that are connected by monorail or boat. ASAIK, this is the only resort that can walk to transportation anywhere in WDW. You have a boat to the WL and FW which adds Hoop Dee Doo Revue as an easy access event. Then there is the easy monorail to the Poly and GF to relax on their grounds and use their facilities (except pools).

I’ll be honest, I’m one of those who lean towards not having the desire to stay there. Although I have only been there to eat, Chef Mickey’s and California grill, I always felt like the hotel itself gives off a cold vibe. Also, when we would watch videos, my kids would say they did not like the way the pool looked. I’m sure if we stayed there, though, we would probably feel different. We might try BLT at some point, just for view and to be able to walk to MK.

 

[trishadono]

I did want to ask opinions on our July stay. I had booked 2 Pop rooms with free QS for the July trip since it was DH, DD18 and DNiece18 for an upcoming martial arts tournament. Of course I am never truly settled on my 1st choice so i started pricing other options. I then realized the Tower would be open and chose CL because it would give us extra space since I went down to one room. I was able to apply the free dine but I am trying to decide whether to switch over to the room discount. It's a little over $600 cheaper for the room discount. For those with previous CSR business class experience were the food offering similar to the deluxes? We are not big meal eaters and usually did a sit down lunch and ate the breakfast and evening offerings for the other meals. Once I switch to room discount I cannot get the free dining back so i want to make the right decision. I think that the 4 of us over 6 days could eat for approx $700 for a combo of sit downs and QS.

DD and I did the business class twice. It was great for breakfast since it was pretty similar to other cls. It was closed midday altogether then reopened at 5p for appies and snacks. It was not a meal substitute for us vs other cls but a great value.

However this time this is CL not BC. I booked it with the anticipation it will be similar to the other cl's. I would save the $ and fill in with some meals as needed. We usually do a lunch and sometimes a late snack at the park. DD still eats like shes growing even at 23 lol. ALWAYS HUNGRY THAT GIRL

Oh the quality of the food at BC was the same as others so I am not worried about that.

 

[PolyAddict]

DD and I did the business class twice. It was great for breakfast since it was pretty similar to other cls. It was closed midday altogether then reopened at 5p for appies and snacks. It was not a meal substitute for us vs other cls but a great value.

However this time this is CL not BC. I booked it with the anticipation it will be similar to the other cl's. I would save the $ and fill in with some meals as needed. We usually do a lunch and sometimes a late snack at the park. DD still eats like shes growing even at 23 lol. ALWAYS HUNGRY THAT GIRL

Oh the quality of the food at BC was the same as others so I am not worried about that.

Your DD sounds like my DD25 and she is so tiny but ALWAYS wants a full meal lol I did book Toledo one night but our niece is extremely picky so it may be just DH and I for that one.

 

[Rachel GB]

I think that there are three issues that either prevent people from staying at the CR or result in them not enjoying the resort if they do:

1. The look of the building from the outside - in. Plus the look of public areas is loud, busy.
The huge concrete A frame is not an appealing structure on the outside, especially if you are coming from a city. It looks ordinary and uninspired. If you go inside in the atrium you have a high energy environment with lots of busy-ness and noise. The overall effect is not conducive to a relaxing vacation atmosphere.

2. Pool is plain, with no zero entry. The location is awesome for people with small children in strollers. Unfortunately the pool/play areas of this resort need more to appeal to that family group. While the pool location is lovely and we enjoyed it much more than anticipated from pictures, it still won't work as well as other resorts' pools on property.

3. grounds seem to have less vegetation/foliage than resorts like the WL and Poly in particular. Again, it is part of the atmosphere of the CR, but it is less appealing than a more tropical vibe. It just doesn't feel like a resort in which you would spend a lot of time outside relaxing.

The things that people that haven't stayed here may not realize:

1. Because this hotel is walking distance to the MK, it does feel more like you are staying AT the MK. You are still very close to the MK at the POLY and GF, but having to take the monorail or boat to get there is another degree of separation. Being able to walk to the MK mens that the MK is your backyard. This is particularly awesome if you plan to spend a lot of time in the MK and less time at the resort. Also reduces wait times for transportation and makes returning to your resort easier, IMO.

2. Staying inside looking out is not the same as looking in from the outside. When you stay here you have a huge patio door looking out onto your large balcony and lovely view. The difference is especially true of the tower rooms. These tower rooms are bright, cheery, comfortable and all have relatively great balconies and views. Sure, you can see the parking lot from the MK view, but you also see the entire MK monorail loop, the lake the MK, the GF and the Poly. You can watch the fireworks and ELP from your room every n night. I LOVE the feeling of being up high and looking out over the entire MK area. I love not having. to worry that I will end up in an awful room with my view completely blocked by a tree (happened in GF in SL) or with no balcony (Poly) or looking at an ugly roof (YC/BC).

3. The pool is plain, but the surroundings are beautiful when you are there. And it has never been overcrowded when we have been there. When you return to your hotel from the parks, having an uncrowded pool area where you escape from all the people is a very nice plus, IMO.

4. Chef Mickey's, CG, the Wave and Contempo Cafe are really great restaurants right there in your hotel. You do not have to go outside into any bad weather to get to them from the tower rooms. If you are staying in the garden wing there is a covered walkway to the tower. This is not true for the outer buildings at the Gf or at the Poly.

5. You can walk to the MK bus stop to have a direct bus to any resort on property except those that are connected by monorail or boat. ASAIK, this is the only resort that can walk to transportation anywhere in WDW. You have a boat to the WL and FW which adds Hoop Dee Doo Revue as an easy access event. Then there is the easy monorail to the Poly and GF to relax on their grounds and use their facilities (except pools).

The CL (atrium) pluses:

1. the lounge never closes

2. all rooms are really near by on the same floor

3. the lounge has a great balcony to watch the fireworks

Wow, this is a FANTASTIC post! I know you weren’t replying directly to me, but I really appreciate all of the points you address, especially those that people who haven’t stayed there may not realize.
Definitely a contender for 2020 Bounceback (assuming they offer it... and that the SWGE crowds don’t make WDW too hard to bear in 2020)!
@Babsy , what did you think of the CL food at CR? The reviews I see make it look a bit scant.

 

[reluctantredhead]

I am loving all of the wonderful reviews of the CR CL!

We booked a standard CR CL room as part of our Christmas 2019 split stay BB when no WL CL deluxe rooms were available (man...I still really love those rooms and the WL CL, and I can definitely understand why it has so many devotees!). We stayed in BLT on an almost-too-good-to-be-true rate several years ago when it first opened and we were blown away by how amazing it was! But still we weren't looking as forward to the CR CL room because our traveling party is most comfortable in a 1BR suite (sleep issues all around, lol). Still, we booked it because it was a great rate at 30% off, and I don't recall CR having similar discounts when I've looked for recent trips. But now I'm actually super excited about it given everything I've read! Plus, we're only staying 2 nights at CR and then switching over to the 1BR suite at BC again like we did last year...so we'll just get a little less sleep those first two nights, no biggie.

So we leave for H's birthday trip tomorrow and we just got great news...our upgrade request was granted for our flight out to MCO (we'd already paid with points for the upgrade on the flight home), so we'll be flying first class! Honestly what I am most excited about is that I won't have to have anxiety over whether I'll have to check my 22" roller bag because the plane is out of bin space. An airline lost our luggage back way in 1995, and ever since then I've been a "never check my bag" kind of gal, lol. I am very petite at 5', and H is 6'6" (and yes, we look kinda odd together lol), so we can't easily buy clothes "off the rack" that fit us (typically have to order from petite and tall man stores and/or have clothes tailored)...plus I have expensive taste in makeup, lol. I lost my mind when I had to attempt to replace all that stuff in a strange city, and it cost a small fortune too. Anyway, I am soooo relieved I won't have to worry about any of that on this trip, and I'm gonna make a point to remind myself that elite airline status is the silver lining of all the business trips H has to take!

 

[Lovinallthingsdisney]

I think that there are three issues that either prevent people from staying at the CR or result in them not enjoying the resort if they do:

1. The look of the building from the outside - in. Plus the look of public areas is loud, busy.
The huge concrete A frame is not an appealing structure on the outside, especially if you are coming from a city. It looks ordinary and uninspired. If you go inside in the atrium you have a high energy environment with lots of busy-ness and noise. The overall effect is not conducive to a relaxing vacation atmosphere.

2. Pool is plain, with no zero entry. The location is awesome for people with small children in strollers. Unfortunately the pool/play areas of this resort need more to appeal to that family group. While the pool location is lovely and we enjoyed it much more than anticipated from pictures, it still won't work as well as other resorts' pools on property.

3. grounds seem to have less vegetation/foliage than resorts like the WL and Poly in particular. Again, it is part of the atmosphere of the CR, but it is less appealing than a more tropical vibe. It just doesn't feel like a resort in which you would spend a lot of time outside relaxing.

The things that people that haven't stayed here may not realize:

1. Because this hotel is walking distance to the MK, it does feel more like you are staying AT the MK. You are still very close to the MK at the POLY and GF, but having to take the monorail or boat to get there is another degree of separation. Being able to walk to the MK mens that the MK is your backyard. This is particularly awesome if you plan to spend a lot of time in the MK and less time at the resort. Also reduces wait times for transportation and makes returning to your resort easier, IMO.

2. Staying inside looking out is not the same as looking in from the outside. When you stay here you have a huge patio door looking out onto your large balcony and lovely view. The difference is especially true of the tower rooms. These tower rooms are bright, cheery, comfortable and all have relatively great balconies and views. Sure, you can see the parking lot from the MK view, but you also see the entire MK monorail loop, the lake the MK, the GF and the Poly. You can watch the fireworks and ELP from your room every n night. I LOVE the feeling of being up high and looking out over the entire MK area. I love not having. to worry that I will end up in an awful room with my view completely blocked by a tree (happened in GF in SL) or with no balcony (Poly) or looking at an ugly roof (YC/BC).

3. The pool is plain, but the surroundings are beautiful when you are there. And it has never been overcrowded when we have been there. When you return to your hotel from the parks, having an uncrowded pool area where you escape from all the people is a very nice plus, IMO.

4. Chef Mickey's, CG, the Wave and Contempo Cafe are really great restaurants right there in your hotel. You do not have to go outside into any bad weather to get to them from the tower rooms. If you are staying in the garden wing there is a covered walkway to the tower. This is not true for the outer buildings at the Gf or at the Poly.

5. You can walk to the MK bus stop to have a direct bus to any resort on property except those that are connected by monorail or boat. ASAIK, this is the only resort that can walk to transportation anywhere in WDW. You have a boat to the WL and FW which adds Hoop Dee Doo Revue as an easy access event. Then there is the easy monorail to the Poly and GF to relax on their grounds and use their facilities (except pools).

The CL (atrium) pluses:

1. the lounge never closes

2. all rooms are really near by on the same floor

3. the lounge has a great balcony to watch the fireworks

This is SO correct. When I booked our first stay at CR, it was done so because it was the only resort that had CL availability for our short last minute trip. It would have been the last choice for me, had I been given a selection. I was SO VERY wrong. We LOVED everything about it and have returned a couple times since. In fact, I just changed my December stay for Sugarloaf to Contemporary Tower Club. I am beyond excited to try that!

 

[Rachel GB]

Well so much for changing my backup trip (using Bounceback) to CR CL! It was available yesterday, just called to book, and gone! Maybe another time .

 

[Babsy]

Wow, this is a FANTASTIC post! I know you weren’t replying directly to me, but I really appreciate all of the points you address, especially those that people who haven’t stayed there may not realize.
Definitely a contender for 2020 Bounceback (assuming they offer it... and that the SWGE crowds don’t make WDW too hard to bear in 2020)!
@Babsy , what did you think of the CL food at CR? The reviews I see make it look a bit scant.

Sorry, I'm not a good one to ask about food in CL.

First off, it has been a few years since we have actually stayed CL in the CR. We only go to WDW once or twice a year and haven't found any good discounts to stay at CR CL during our dates for the past three years. Our more recent CL stays have been in the GF, AKL, BWI and YC. At the time of our last CL stay at the CR, IIRC, the food was fine, but not memorable! LOL! (I do remember the CM's were really nice - offering to bring us a case of bottled water for use in our rooms, carrying food to our rooms for us, setting up a few balloons in the room to welcome our arrival - just generally going above and beyond to make our stay special.)

Hopefully someone that has stayed in the CR more recently can let you know more.

We are also not good at reviewing food, as we often only use the lounge for breakfast and somewhat haphazardly during the day/evening for relaxing or as a meeting place. When I am in WDW I usually want to eat at specific restaurants ( or wherever we are at meal times). It's not always convenient to return to the resort just for appetizers. So, lately, we often miss the appetizers (5-7) altogether and usually don't bother with the desserts (8-10) even if we are back in time for them.
For breakfast, I just eat fruit and oatmeal most mornings. So, as you can see, the food in the CL isn't a big factor for us.

Of course, we have had the occasional time when we managed to make a light meal out of the apps and desserts, but in most recent visits that is the exception rather than the rule for us. It depends upon the focus of the trip - lately it seems that we have started becoming a bit more theme park than resort focused. Perhaps it is a result of the new rides/lands being developed?

Hopefully someone else can help!!

Enjoy wherever you decide to stay!

 

[mickeynut1]

Would love to hear how you like it if you do decide to give it a try! Thanks for always weighing in and sharing your opinions and expertise!

You're welcome

Thinking of possibly trying CR CL for a weekend trip in December. If that pans out, I will definitely post about my experience .

I think that there are three issues that either prevent people from staying at the CR or result in them not enjoying the resort if they do:

1. The look of the building from the outside - in. Plus the look of public areas is loud, busy.
The huge concrete A frame is not an appealing structure on the outside, especially if you are coming from a city. It looks ordinary and uninspired. If you go inside in the atrium you have a high energy environment with lots of busy-ness and noise. The overall effect is not conducive to a relaxing vacation atmosphere.

2. Pool is plain, with no zero entry. The location is awesome for people with small children in strollers. Unfortunately the pool/play areas of this resort need more to appeal to that family group. While the pool location is lovely and we enjoyed it much more than anticipated from pictures, it still won't work as well as other resorts' pools on property.

3. grounds seem to have less vegetation/foliage than resorts like the WL and Poly in particular. Again, it is part of the atmosphere of the CR, but it is less appealing than a more tropical vibe. It just doesn't feel like a resort in which you would spend a lot of time outside relaxing.

The things that people that haven't stayed here may not realize:

1. Because this hotel is walking distance to the MK, it does feel more like you are staying AT the MK. You are still very close to the MK at the POLY and GF, but having to take the monorail or boat to get there is another degree of separation. Being able to walk to the MK mens that the MK is your backyard. This is particularly awesome if you plan to spend a lot of time in the MK and less time at the resort. Also reduces wait times for transportation and makes returning to your resort easier, IMO.

2. Staying inside looking out is not the same as looking in from the outside. When you stay here you have a huge patio door looking out onto your large balcony and lovely view. The difference is especially true of the tower rooms. These tower rooms are bright, cheery, comfortable and all have relatively great balconies and views. Sure, you can see the parking lot from the MK view, but you also see the entire MK monorail loop, the lake the MK, the GF and the Poly. You can watch the fireworks and ELP from your room every n night. I LOVE the feeling of being up high and looking out over the entire MK area. I love not having. to worry that I will end up in an awful room with my view completely blocked by a tree (happened in GF in SL) or with no balcony (Poly) or looking at an ugly roof (YC/BC).

3. The pool is plain, but the surroundings are beautiful when you are there. And it has never been overcrowded when we have been there. When you return to your hotel from the parks, having an uncrowded pool area where you escape from all the people is a very nice plus, IMO.

4. Chef Mickey's, CG, the Wave and Contempo Cafe are really great restaurants right there in your hotel. You do not have to go outside into any bad weather to get to them from the tower rooms. If you are staying in the garden wing there is a covered walkway to the tower. This is not true for the outer buildings at the Gf or at the Poly.

5. You can walk to the MK bus stop to have a direct bus to any resort on property except those that are connected by monorail or boat. ASAIK, this is the only resort that can walk to transportation anywhere in WDW. You have a boat to the WL and FW which adds Hoop Dee Doo Revue as an easy access event. Then there is the easy monorail to the Poly and GF to relax on their grounds and use their facilities (except pools).

The CL (atrium) pluses:

1. the lounge never closes

2. all rooms are really near by on the same floor

3. the lounge has a great balcony to watch the fireworks

Great post

Well so much for changing my backup trip (using Bounceback) to CR CL! It was available yesterday, just called to book, and gone! Maybe another time .

Sorry it wasn't available when you called, but keep checking as availability does sometimes change .

 

[Babsy]

Well so much for changing my backup trip (using Bounceback) to CR CL! It was available yesterday, just called to book, and gone! Maybe another time .

That's disappointing! We currently have a GW GV booked for BB for Dec. I call every day to try to get a CL BB, but no luck anywhere! (well except for a 2 bedroom suite, in CL which is way too much $$$ for us, I'm afraid). I will keep trying, though. I basically have the GW GV as a BB 'holder' reservation. I had to book something while still at the resort in order to take advantage of the offer and that was the ONLY reasonable offer available. There were a few DVC options, but they were all with one bed and a pull out sofa. You usually have to go to a 2 bedroom in DVC if you want to get more than one real bed! UGH! We will only stay somewhere with 2 real beds, but we really don't need a 2 bedroom suite for just 2 - 4 people.

 

[ninafeliz]

I think that there are three issues that either prevent people from staying at the CR or result in them not enjoying the resort if they do:

1. The look of the building from the outside - in. Plus the look of public areas is loud, busy.
The huge concrete A frame is not an appealing structure on the outside, especially if you are coming from a city. It looks ordinary and uninspired. If you go inside in the atrium you have a high energy environment with lots of busy-ness and noise. The overall effect is not conducive to a relaxing vacation atmosphere.

2. Pool is plain, with no zero entry. The location is awesome for people with small children in strollers. Unfortunately the pool/play areas of this resort need more to appeal to that family group. While the pool location is lovely and we enjoyed it much more than anticipated from pictures, it still won't work as well as other resorts' pools on property.

3. grounds seem to have less vegetation/foliage than resorts like the WL and Poly in particular. Again, it is part of the atmosphere of the CR, but it is less appealing than a more tropical vibe. It just doesn't feel like a resort in which you would spend a lot of time outside relaxing.

The things that people that haven't stayed here may not realize:

1. Because this hotel is walking distance to the MK, it does feel more like you are staying AT the MK. You are still very close to the MK at the POLY and GF, but having to take the monorail or boat to get there is another degree of separation. Being able to walk to the MK mens that the MK is your backyard. This is particularly awesome if you plan to spend a lot of time in the MK and less time at the resort. Also reduces wait times for transportation and makes returning to your resort easier, IMO.

2. Staying inside looking out is not the same as looking in from the outside. When you stay here you have a huge patio door looking out onto your large balcony and lovely view. The difference is especially true of the tower rooms. These tower rooms are bright, cheery, comfortable and all have relatively great balconies and views. Sure, you can see the parking lot from the MK view, but you also see the entire MK monorail loop, the lake the MK, the GF and the Poly. You can watch the fireworks and ELP from your room every n night. I LOVE the feeling of being up high and looking out over the entire MK area. I love not having. to worry that I will end up in an awful room with my view completely blocked by a tree (happened in GF in SL) or with no balcony (Poly) or looking at an ugly roof (YC/BC).

3. The pool is plain, but the surroundings are beautiful when you are there. And it has never been overcrowded when we have been there. When you return to your hotel from the parks, having an uncrowded pool area where you escape from all the people is a very nice plus, IMO.

4. Chef Mickey's, CG, the Wave and Contempo Cafe are really great restaurants right there in your hotel. You do not have to go outside into any bad weather to get to them from the tower rooms. If you are staying in the garden wing there is a covered walkway to the tower. This is not true for the outer buildings at the Gf or at the Poly.

5. You can walk to the MK bus stop to have a direct bus to any resort on property except those that are connected by monorail or boat. ASAIK, this is the only resort that can walk to transportation anywhere in WDW. You have a boat to the WL and FW which adds Hoop Dee Doo Revue as an easy access event. Then there is the easy monorail to the Poly and GF to relax on their grounds and use their facilities (except pools).

The CL (atrium) pluses:

1. the lounge never closes

2. all rooms are really near by on the same floor

3. the lounge has a great balcony to watch the fireworks

These are all great points, and IMO all true. Looking out from the inside is amazing, the theme may be a bit concrete, sterile, and modern for me but the views from both sides are great. when staying CL there is no stress over your room, since they all have essentially the same view and even the furthest rooms aren't far at all. I also agree the pool is plain, and I wish it were zero entry, but swimming in it an looking up at the CR tower looming over you is amazing and gives me such a good feeling. Swimming in the circular "quiet" pool is also amazing, with the feeling that you are out on bay lake. There is the added plus of it never feeling crowded and never having problems finding loungers. I also find that I prefer the lush theming and resort feel of the Poly and GF, but when I was at the CR I didn't miss it as much as I had thought I would. It's just different, not necessarily bad. Walking to the MK makes up for a lot of the drawbacks, and like I said it didn't become my favorite resort by any means, but it has so many plusses that I think anyone who wants to try multiple resorts should definitely give it a try. If your hesitant, try it for a short stay, or a winter stay, or a heavily MK centric stay like for MNSSHP, MVMCP, DAH, or EMM, or even better combo of those!

 

[Babsy]

I did want to ask opinions on our July stay. I had booked 2 Pop rooms with free QS for the July trip since it was DH, DD18 and DNiece18 for an upcoming martial arts tournament. Of course I am never truly settled on my 1st choice so i started pricing other options. I then realized the Tower would be open and chose CL because it would give us extra space since I went down to one room. I was able to apply the free dine but I am trying to decide whether to switch over to the room discount. It's a little over $600 cheaper for the room discount. For those with previous CSR business class experience were the food offering similar to the deluxes? We are not big meal eaters and usually did a sit down lunch and ate the breakfast and evening offerings for the other meals. Once I switch to room discount I cannot get the free dining back so i want to make the right decision. I think that the 4 of us over 6 days could eat for approx $700 for a combo of sit downs and QS.

In our experience, The CSR BC food offerings were not nearly as substantial as those at the deluxe CL's. However, the Gran Destino should be more like the deluxe CL's than the Business class previously offered in 9B. We won't really know for certain until it opens, of course.

For deciding if the Free DP is better than the RO discount:
Most menus are online so you can take the time to judge what you will most likely order and what the total cost for your family would be. I find doing that helps me to budget and decide which type of discount works best for us. It's a bit of a PITA, but worth it to us. FWIW, on our recent trip DH and I spent about $120 total per day when eating a light QS breakfast (2 coffee and 1 pastry / 1 oatmeal), a light second meal at QS and one character/signature meal.

We don't use the food in Cl's as a meal substitute except for breakfast. And even breakfast at the CL lounge can be replaced for us by a reservation (a PPO at BOG for example).

All that said, we have on occasion been able to make a light meal at dinnertime from the evening apps and the desserts later. It depends on the actual offerings (some are better/more substantial than others) how/when you like to eat and your plans for the theme parks and resorts.