Hi everyone, I'm really enjoying this thread but definitely a LOT to wade through. I just booked a last-minute trip to WDW and I will be staying at the Contemporary (but only got the garden wing...would love the tower

). But I'm still thrilled. Last few trips have been offsite, which is great, but wanted to try something different and it may be my last trip for a LONG time. Definitely last trip for my parents. It's sort of nostalgic. In 1975, my parents took me to Disney for the first time. I was 12 and there was only the MK, the Contemporary, and the Polynesian. I imagine the Shades of Green must have been the Garden Inn or whatever it was called at that time. Anyway, I am SOOO excited. We are driving down on 7/26 from Virginia and going straight through. I will stay two nights at the Drury Inn so that we can do a day at Universal and then on the morning of the 28th, I'm going to take my bags over to the CR, pick up my dad's
ECV, and then head over to the MK for check in and spend the next 5 days there. I think I got a really good rate using a military discount that you can all call for. I got a rate of $344 per night which includes tax.
So if anyone has any tips or great things to tell me about Garden View rooms, please chime in. I'm wading through this thread but not finding as many posts on it as I wish there were. Also trying to read up on the refillable mugs and dining plan. On one of my rooms I booked a dining plan to try out. As for the mugs, I'm not much of a drinker so probably won't use it much but do they really have "hot tea" made to put in them. I am reading that its available and that's my morning beverage!