Disney's CONTEMPORARY RESORT Information & Questions

[cmarsh31]

I booked the same for December and was wondering what to request! I didn't know it's possible to see fireworks from a standard? What sort of requesting do you make to get that sort of view?

I'm still sorting out how it all works - you can definitely see the Electric Water Pagent from some rooms (not sure if they count as standard) and I thought I read somewhere that some of the 3rd floor rooms have an angle towards MK. Hopefully someone who's stayed in these rooms can help us out!

 

[CMNJ]

Garden Wing, standard for Feb. Definitely the "close to transportation" - trying to decide between a higher floor for the potential of fire works, or ground floor for the patio (thinking this will win out)! I've been reading as much as I can since the big decision was made! While the TPV in the tower would be my dream (an unafforable one on this trip!), I think my DH would actually prefer the quieter aspect of the Garden Wing over floors and floors of elevators.

The standard view (to the best of my knowledge) are the side of the wing that faces the parking lot. I read somewhere there are a couple others that have an obstructed view in the center of the wing but generally speaking they run along the entire side facing the parking lot/convention center. I could be mistaken but I think if you get your request of "close to transportation" if granted would prevent you from having a fireworks view as the tower will block any possible view of the fireworks.

I booked the same for December and was wondering what to request! I didn't know it's possible to see fireworks from a standard? What sort of requesting do you make to get that sort of view?

Yes it is definitely possible-you will not have a grand view like in the TP view tower rooms (partially obstructed by the tower itself) but it is still pretty great. They have the wishes music avail on a channel in all contemporary rooms so you can listen while you watch. You will need to request 3rd floor all the way down by the canal for the most unobstructed view.

Our fireworks view from our standard garden wing room

I'm still sorting out how it all works - you can definitely see the Electric Water Pagent from some rooms (not sure if they count as standard) and I thought I read somewhere that some of the 3rd floor rooms have an angle towards MK. Hopefully someone who's stayed in these rooms can help us out!

We could see the end of the water pageant (like when the floats head back from WL but many were turned off at that point and no music)
Not the best picture but you get the idea.

 

[stitchfan18]

We're checking into BLT in a LV next month. If we request even number on the north side of the building, are those the rooms with partial fireworks view? If we don't get a room where we can see fireworks, where is the next best place to watch fireworks besides ToTW (we aren't DVC members.) I was thinking the bridge between CR and BLT, but is the music piped in there? We're definitely wanting to see hallowishee since we aren't going to the party.

 

[Candycane83]

The standard view (to the best of my knowledge) are the side of the wing that faces the parking lot. I read somewhere there are a couple others that have an obstructed view in the center of the wing but generally speaking they run along the entire side facing the parking lot/convention center. I could be mistaken but I think if you get your request of "close to transportation" if granted would prevent you from having a fireworks view as the tower will block any possible view of the fireworks.



Yes it is definitely possible-you will not have a grand view like in the TP view tower rooms (partially obstructed by the tower itself) but it is still pretty great. They have the wishes music avail on a channel in all contemporary rooms so you can listen while you watch. You will need to request 3rd floor all the way down by the canal for the most unobstructed view.
View attachment 196797
Our fireworks view from our standard garden wing room


We could see the end of the water pageant (like when the floats head back from WL but many were turned off at that point and no music)
View attachment 196798 Not the best picture but you get the idea.

Thanks you so much for the response! Can I say down by the canal and they would understand?

 

[cmarsh31]

The standard view (to the best of my knowledge) are the side of the wing that faces the parking lot. I read somewhere there are a couple others that have an obstructed view in the center of the wing but generally speaking they run along the entire side facing the parking lot/convention center. I could be mistaken but I think if you get your request of "close to transportation" if granted would prevent you from having a fireworks view as the tower will block any possible view of the fireworks.

Yes it is definitely possible-you will not have a grand view like in the TP view tower rooms (partially obstructed by the tower itself) but it is still pretty great. They have the wishes music avail on a channel in all contemporary rooms so you can listen while you watch. You will need to request 3rd floor all the way down by the canal for the most unobstructed view.

That's what I was afraid of... at least I have a few months to contemplate - 3rd floor end or 1st floor transportation

 

[Candycane83]

That's what I was afraid of... at least I have a few months to contemplate - 3rd floor end or 1st floor transportation

I was initially thinking of first floor transportation too since I have a stroller and two year old, convenience seems to be a priority but I keep thinking a few more steps would not really hurt

@CMNJ is it possible to get a 1st floor end and still get a view?

 

[CMNJ]

I was initially thinking of first floor transportation too since I have a stroller and two year old, convenience seems to be a priority but I keep thinking a few more steps would not really hurt

@CMNJ is it possible to get a 1st floor end and still get a view?

I'm not sure if the convention center would block the view. We were on the third floor so we could see over it. The patio would be nice though if you want to be able to hang out after the 2 y/o falls asleep.

 

[CMNJ]

Thanks you so much for the response! Can I say down by the canal and they would understand?

No problem. I used touring plans fax request to request our room. I didn't realize we would be able to see the fireworks but wanted a decent view of the monorail and canal for my 4 y/o. He loves the monorail and boats so I knew he would love watching them from our room. I would suggest requesting a room at the far end of the garden wing near the canal.

 

[MinMou]

I was initially thinking of first floor transportation too since I have a stroller and two year old, convenience seems to be a priority but I keep thinking a few more steps would not really hurt

@CMNJ is it possible to get a 1st floor end and still get a view?

I can't help you with a view, but having traveled elsewhere with a toddler, it's nice to have a patio so you can go outside. It's like having a private playground for you little one, you can keep the stroller out there for short periods when you need some extra room, and it's a great place to sit and read while your little one, if God is good, is napping.

 

[CMNJ]

According to touring plans the rooms in red are the standard view garden rooms. From the bottom picture you can see the ones closest to the tower actually face away from MK. You really have to be most of the way down to have the partial view of the fireworks that we did because otherwise the tower would completely block the view

 

[Candycane83]

Thanks @MinMou and @CMNJ really helps!! I'll make the request at check in. Again thanks for your help!!

Edit: do you have to book with touring plans to ask them to request a room?

 

[CMNJ]

Thanks @MinMou and @CMNJ really helps!! I'll make the request at check in. Again thanks for your help!!

Edit: do you have to book with touring plans to ask them to request a room?

No you don't have to book a room with touring plans (not even sure if they do that). You might need to have a subscription in order to access the fax feature.

 

[Candycane83]

No you don't have to book a room with touring plans (not even sure if they do that). You might need to have a subscription in order to access the fax feature.

I do have a subscription! I'll check it out tomorrow Thanks so much again!!!

 

[CMNJ]

No problem

 

[MinMou]

I noticed that the log-o-rail only goes out about 6 months. Is this typical? Do people who have reservations further out get posted elsewhere?

 

[BlueFairy]

Does anyone have an idea as to how frequent upgrades are at the CR? I booked garden wing standard view at one of those hugely discounted TA rates. I would love to increase my odds of getting requests for pool or lake view met, even though I didn't book a garden or water view. Should I request it anyway on my reservation? I know at hotels with limited std room views available an upgrade used to be pretty common. It doesn't look like those std views are very plentiful.

Thoughts?

 

[Drayton Peterson]

Hello! We will be staying at the Contemporary from 11/21 - 11/27. We have Garden Wing standard view rooms (2).

We were at the Contemporary last year the week after Thanksgiving. We stayed on the 12th floor, it was wondwerful! Traveling with my sisters family this time, so the budget didn't allow for the club level.

Looking for any and all advice for the Thanksgiving week at the parks. Especially on how to get my 3 year o.d princess in to Cinderellas Royal Table.

 

[NS8VN]

I noticed that the log-o-rail only goes out about 6 months. Is this typical? Do people who have reservations further out get posted elsewhere?

WDWKOOK updates it as people post their trip dates, there is no time limit. In fact the last one currently in the log, monorailrabbit, is for October 2017.

 

[teddygurl28]

got back about a week ago from BLT- we rented points. a had a couple of questions here and there so i thought i would answer and note some stuff from our trop.

Room 7606- i used touring plans fax to request a room similar to 7808. we got to the hotel about 3pm and it wasn't ready- the girl at the desk said my request was pretty specific and they wanted to honor it- i apologized to her as i didn't mean to be specific. the only other room available at that point was a room on the inside of the C so we chose to wait (check in is 4pm so it was still early) she did look and confirmed it wasn't scheduled for a deep clean or anything and should be ready within the hour. about 15 minutes later we got the text that our room was ready. we got up and called bell services- they brought our luggage and garden grocer right up and we called housekeeping to get bed rails and they also came right away.

bed rails- we used the pull out sofa for our 2 yr old- she was just not having the pack n play. i had ready the rails don't really work on the bed and people bring pool noodles- but since we fly that wasn't an option. however, the bed rails worked out perfectly. the top half of the sofa has the arms of the sofa as a blocker, and the rails tucked into the lower portion- they wiggled a little but i wasn't concerned at all and was very happy with the set up. i didn't see pool noodles for sale here- however, i did see them for sale $5/each at the beach club- so if someone really wanted to go that route they could go there.

i really hated the magical express- we waited for over an hour at MCO for a bus and then we were the 4th stop of a full bus- needless to say, after a 3 hour flight, an hour sitting in the stroller waiting and then another hour+ on the bus, my poor 2 yr old lost it on the ride from wilderness lodge to the contemporary..I felt bad she was loud but also didn't blame her. as soon as we stepped foot on the ground at the contemporary she was fine.

we ate lunch a few times at the café and it was great.

one morning we were trying to get to EPCOT for a PPO breakfast and the monorail wasn't starting until 9am. a bus took us to the TTC and then onto Epcot. We still made it in plenty of time. That was the only time the resort monorail and Epcot monorail was down. Other times the express monorail was down and that caused a busy resort line but nothing crazy. the access to the monorail and walk to the magic kingdom really made this trip amazing for us- i am 6 months pregnant and my daughter hates the bus rides- so minimizing bus rides was great.

speaking of buses- we took them to AK, DHS and Downtown Disney- busses were always prompt. One morning we wanted to go to DHS and we waited about 15/20 minutes and a bus had not yet come. the line for that bus was so much that we wouldn't have made the first bus to come, and quite possibly not the second. knowing our daughter hated the bus to start with- a crowded one was not going to go over well, so we scrapped our DHS plans and walked to the MK and made it there in no time. That was the only park bus issue we had

the hotel was great. our view from the beds was of the lake ( and we did get to see the ferrys coming out early morning) and then from the balcony itself we could see the magic kingdom and watched wishes from there. it was loud- my 2 yr old was fine in the room and it didn't wake her, but when we watched them from the balcony she was not a fan

 

[Candycane83]

got back about a week ago from BLT- we rented points. a had a couple of questions here and there so i thought i would answer and note some stuff from our trop.

Room 7606- i used touring plans fax to request a room similar to 7808. we got to the hotel about 3pm and it wasn't ready- the girl at the desk said my request was pretty specific and they wanted to honor it- i apologized to her as i didn't mean to be specific. the only other room available at that point was a room on the inside of the C so we chose to wait (check in is 4pm so it was still early) she did look and confirmed it wasn't scheduled for a deep clean or anything and should be ready within the hour. about 15 minutes later we got the text that our room was ready. we got up and called bell services- they brought our luggage and garden grocer right up and we called housekeeping to get bed rails and they also came right away.

bed rails- we used the pull out sofa for our 2 yr old- she was just not having the pack n play. i had ready the rails don't really work on the bed and people bring pool noodles- but since we fly that wasn't an option. however, the bed rails worked out perfectly. the top half of the sofa has the arms of the sofa as a blocker, and the rails tucked into the lower portion- they wiggled a little but i wasn't concerned at all and was very happy with the set up. i didn't see pool noodles for sale here- however, i did see them for sale $5/each at the beach club- so if someone really wanted to go that route they could go there.

i really hated the magical express- we waited for over an hour at MCO for a bus and then we were the 4th stop of a full bus- needless to say, after a 3 hour flight, an hour sitting in the stroller waiting and then another hour+ on the bus, my poor 2 yr old lost it on the ride from wilderness lodge to the contemporary..I felt bad she was loud but also didn't blame her. as soon as we stepped foot on the ground at the contemporary she was fine.

we ate lunch a few times at the café and it was great.

one morning we were trying to get to EPCOT for a PPO breakfast and the monorail wasn't starting until 9am. a bus took us to the TTC and then onto Epcot. We still made it in plenty of time. That was the only time the resort monorail and Epcot monorail was down. Other times the express monorail was down and that caused a busy resort line but nothing crazy. the access to the monorail and walk to the magic kingdom really made this trip amazing for us- i am 6 months pregnant and my daughter hates the bus rides- so minimizing bus rides was great.

speaking of buses- we took them to AK, DHS and Downtown Disney- busses were always prompt. One morning we wanted to go to DHS and we waited about 15/20 minutes and a bus had not yet come. the line for that bus was so much that we wouldn't have made the first bus to come, and quite possibly not the second. knowing our daughter hated the bus to start with- a crowded one was not going to go over well, so we scrapped our DHS plans and walked to the MK and made it there in no time. That was the only park bus issue we had

the hotel was great. our view from the beds was of the lake ( and we did get to see the ferrys coming out early morning) and then from the balcony itself we could see the magic kingdom and watched wishes from there. it was loud- my 2 yr old was fine in the room and it didn't wake her, but when we watched them from the balcony she was not a fan

Thanks for the review! Going with my two year old in December so it's nice to have review with a little one. We're staying at the Garden Wing and hope we have as much luck as you with transportation!