Disney's CONTEMPORARY RESORT Information & Questions

[PNO4TE]

We are staying in a BLT Lakeview Studio in October. This is the first time we have stayed here on points and are wondering if there are any things we might want to request. (Being Disney vets, we know things are most often just requests.) Thanks for your suggestions!

 

[WDWKOOK]

We are staying in a BLT Lakeview Studio in October. This is the first time we have stayed here on points and are wondering if there are any things we might want to request. (Being Disney vets, we know things are most often just requests.) Thanks for your suggestions!

Congratulations and welcome! You probably already know that If you're staying on points, the person from whom you rented the points must make the request and you won't receive daily housekeeping.

As far as what request to make, there are OUTER LV villas and there are INNER. We prefer OUTER LVs because these villas do not face other villas, they face directly out to Bay Lake and/or CR-marina area and/or MK off to the left. The INNER villas face into the BLT courtyard/pool area, with other villas directly across. If you want a more specific answer and to see where they are located, take a look at the BLT ROOM VIEW/NUMBER thread. It has a chart and links to photos of the view from many villas.

 

[PNO4TE]

Congratulations and welcome! You probably already know that If you're staying on points, the person from whom you rented the points must make the request and you won't receive daily housekeeping.

As far as what request to make, there are OUTER LV villas and there are INNER. We prefer OUTER LVs because these villas do not face other villas, they face directly out to Bay Lake and/or CR-marina area and/or MK off to the left. The INNER villas face into the BLT courtyard/pool area, with other villas directly across. If you want a more specific answer and to see where they are located, take a look at the BLT ROOM VIEW/NUMBER thread. It has a chart and links to photos of the view from many villas.

Thank you! It has been years since we stayed at the Contemporary but we have rented DVC points many times. BLT is a whole new ballgame. Your pointers will be helpful.

 

[AliceIn]

Our flight takes off at 6 am, and we land at MCO around 9:30ish. I figure we'll be getting to the resort somewhere around 11. We're not expecting our room to be ready when we get there, but it would be a plus. We plan to rent a cabana for the day to have a place to hang out and relax for the day. We'll be getting up around 3 am our time, so I doubt any parks are in the cards. Has anyone tried the "straight to room" check-in experience yet? I'm wondering how that went for teh Contemporary. It's been about 3 weeks since it went live.

 

[Jfsag123]

Leaving for Disney next Friday, checking in at BLT next Sunday after a couple of nights elsewhere. So excited! Trying to plan for food while at WDW and was wondering if the studio unit mini-fridges have a freezer compartment? Thinking of bringing frozen microwave meals, but no point if I've got nothing to freeze them in.

 

[WDWKOOK]

Our flight takes off at 6 am, and we land at MCO around 9:30ish. I figure we'll be getting to the resort somewhere around 11. We're not expecting our room to be ready when we get there, but it would be a plus. We plan to rent a cabana for the day to have a place to hang out and relax for the day. We'll be getting up around 3 am our time, so I doubt any parks are in the cards. Has anyone tried the "straight to room" check-in experience yet? I'm wondering how that went for teh Contemporary. It's been about 3 weeks since it went live.

Good question about the new room check-in option

As far as your room being ready at 1100, we've had Disney resort rooms ready at 0900 and some not ready until late afternoon. It depends on whether the room they assign you had an occupant the night before, what time they checked out and when housekeeping finishes cleaning it. You can note in your OCI that you would prefer the first available room over any other room requests. You can also ask at check-in if there is another room in your category that's available immediately. In our experience, the vast majority of time, our room has been ready by noon.

Leaving for Disney next Friday, checking in at BLT next Sunday after a couple of nights elsewhere. So excited! Trying to plan for food while at WDW and was wondering if the studio unit mini-fridges have a freezer compartment? Thinking of bringing frozen microwave meals, but no point if I've got nothing to freeze them in.

The Studio fridge is larger than a standard room mini fridge and it does have a small freezer compartment, but I can't find a photo of the open fridge.

 

[jmkjr72]

I just did the new online check in. It asks for your choices
then after I selected mine another window popped up
saying your arrival is before check in what is more important to you having a room ready or your choices

 

[animalkingdom15]

Well the Disney magic continues. I was just made aware that I'm getting an extra night free of charge at CR from 3/8-3/9. When they said would I be able to take it I couldn't say yes soon enough since the airfare for Monday is the same as Sunday. What a great trip this has been.

 

[WDWKOOK]

I just did the new online check in. It asks for your choices
then after I selected mine another window popped up
saying your arrival is before check in what is more important to you having a room ready or your choices

NEW Online Check-In? Does it look like this?

Well the Disney magic continues. I was just made aware that I'm getting an extra night free of charge at CR from 3/8-3/9. When they said would I be able to take it I couldn't say yes soon enough since the airfare for Monday is the same as Sunday. What a great trip this has been.

I have never heard of this happening, unless there is a problem and/or they are trying to compensate you for some reason. Do you know why this was offered? How many nights total were you booked? You seem to have had an amazing experience at CR - congratulations!

 

[animalkingdom15]

I was asked this as well and it's a what is a higher priority to you. your room choices or your room being ready sooner. They want to know if your room being ready earlier due to you arriving before 3 is more important then your room requests. If you check on the box, it means that they will try to get you a room ready earlier and thus it might not have any of the room requests you wanted. If you don't check on the box then your room choices will take priority over your room being ready earlier/ I hope this helps.

 

[animalkingdom15]

NEW Online Check-In? Does it look like this?

View attachment 80697
View attachment 80698


I have never heard of this happening, unless there is a problem and/or they are trying to compensate you for some reason. Do you know why this was offered? How many nights total were you booked? You seem to have had an amazing experience at CR - congratulations!

They messed up my original reservation and cancelled it and I made a point to mention my unhappiness to a room reservation manager about it. I assume that had something to do with the extra night being credited to me.

 

[WDWKOOK]

They messed up my original reservation and cancelled it and I made a point to mention my unhappiness to a room reservation manager about it. I assume that had something to do with the extra night being credited to me.

Okay, that makes total sense to me. I wonder how the cancellation happened? I thought you saw in your MDX account a few days prior to arrival that you had been upgraded to the Tower? When did they accidentally cancel the reservation?

Did you already have your RPC stay? How was it?

 

[animalkingdom15]

Okay, that makes total sense to me. I wonder how the cancellation happened? I thought you saw in your MDX account a few days prior to arrival that you had been upgraded to the Tower? When did they accidentally cancel the reservation?

Did you already have your RPC stay? How was it?

It was prior to that and they were originally trying to tell me that there was nothing they could do since the system cancelled it. I was having nothing of that and spoke to a manager to fixed it, but couldn't or wouldn't tell me how my reservation got cancelled by the system. That's when I said that I hopped she would report this to someone higher up so this issue could be fixed and to let them know that I wasn't too happy about what happened.

As far as RPC today is my last day here and then I move over to CR for my final 4 nights. At least I know now that they took my issue seriously and didn't just bury it away.

 

[WDWKOOK]

It was prior to that and they were originally trying to tell me that there was nothing they could do since the system cancelled it. I was having nothing of that and spoke to a manager to fixed it, but couldn't or wouldn't tell me how my reservation got cancelled by the system. That's when I said that I hopped she would report this to someone higher up so this issue could be fixed and to let them know that I wasn't too happy about what happened.

As far as RPC today is my last day here and then I move over to CR for my final 4 nights. At least I know now that they took my issue seriously and didn't just bury it away.

Yes, I think an upgrade to the Tower and a free night shows they took your complaint seriously. Do you think it'll be hard though to go from RPC to non-CL?

 

[animalkingdom15]

Yes, I think an upgrade to the Tower and a free night shows they took your complaint seriously. Do you think it'll be hard though to go from RPC to non-CL?

I don't think so as it's been nice just being able to go get snacks when I come back to my room in the afternoon, but most of my park time is coming up over the next 4 days starting with my eating around the Epcots World Showcase Thursday, Hollywood Studio's and BBQ Ribs at Fairfax Fare at Friday, and then Magic Kingdom Saturday and Sunday.

I'm spending today inside as my allergies are really bothering me today so I moved everything back a day which makes getting that extra night free really come in handy and with the AP I already have tickets.

 

[BellsFam]

Tipping question...(if you don't mind)... Is there a "bell service"? Or the person who helps get your luggage up to your room, back down etc.? (If your not using DME)... How much would you tip this person for handling bags in this way?

 

[WDWKOOK]

Tipping question...(if you don't mind)... Is there a "bell service"? Or the person who helps get your luggage up to your room, back down etc.? (If your not using DME)... How much would you tip this person for handling bags in this way?

No problem asking, though answers may vary…

We always use Bell Services because we arrive by car. The first Bellman unloads the car and places all your items on a cart. He then takes it to a storage room where it sits until such time as your room is ready and you call for Bell Services to deliver your luggage. We tip $1 per bag to the first Bellman, and another $1 per bag to the bellman who delivers it to the room. We usually have at least 10 items.

 

[animalkingdom15]

My plan for resort switch tomorrrow is to leave GF around 830 and head over to the Contemporary via the bus that goes to CR and then to TTC. I know my room won't be ready, but by the time I get checked in and do the bag hold, I should be able to take the monorails to EPCOT for the day and come back later, get my bags and check into my room. I for sure want to be back in time to see the Wishes from my balcony at CR.

 

[AliceIn]

My plan for resort switch tomorrrow is to leave GF around 830 and head over to the Contemporary via the bus that goes to CR and then to TTC. I know my room won't be ready, but by the time I get checked in and do the bag hold, I should be able to take the monorails to EPCOT for the day and come back later, get my bags and check into my room. I for sure want to be back in time to see the Wishes from my balcony at CR.

Did you know you were entitled to use the GF club level until midnight of your check-out day? Since it's so close to the CR, you could still enjoy appetizers tomorrow evening.

 

[animalkingdom15]

Did you know you were entitled to use the GF club level until midnight of your check-out day? Since it's so close to the CR, you could still enjoy appetizers tomorrow evening.

Really I didn't know that as I figured once I checked out my arm bad for GF would be disarmed so my new one for CR could be activate and thus couldn't get to the 4th floor of the main building to use the lounge. However, the next four days Thur-Sun are my big park days, not so much in getting a ton of stuff done as I only have a couple things here and there I want to do, but being at the parks for the day. This is why I have loved the ability to relax at GF so come tomorrow I will be ready to go.

Trust me I have gotten my money's worth from the CL during my 3 days here which was the plan since I will have to pay for all my snacks starting Thursday. It was my way of saving money on snacks so I could splurge some in the parks especially World Showcase tomorrow and Hollywood Studios on Friday.