Disney's CONTEMPORARY RESORT Information & Questions

[skuttle]

We had a great first stay at CR (Nov. 22-25). Our TPV was worth every penny! Waking up and going to sleep with the view and sounds from MK was an incredible experience! Watching fireworks from our room with the kids already in their pjs was awesome!

A bit disappointed in the monorail issues. One morning we had to take a bus to Epcot and another day when we were trying to make the resort loop it was delayed a while as well.

Loved the size of the room for our family of five. However the room had a funny smell that took a while to get used to, and our floor felt funny. It wasn't level and there were areas that didn't feel "solid" for lack of a better description. We were on the 9th floor above chef mickeys and never heard a thing. Loved having contempo cafe right downstairs, especially for our teen.

 

[Deb & Bill]

...
My only minor complaint - it seemed to take forever to get back home from Epcot. A transfer at the TTC and a long monorail loop made for a couple of long nights (Uber next time). No big deal though.

From here on out - it's the Contemporary or nothing for these mouseketeers!

You might even exit out the International Gateway and take a bus from BC or YC or BW to MK and monorail or walk from there.

 

[MinMou]

One of the excuses I am using to book, oops, I mean reasons I am booking the Contemporary is the walking path to MK. On Thanksgiving, a relative told me that we shouldn't walk, because with a small child it takes a long time, and we should use the monorail.

Has anyone stayed at CR with a small child (3'-4', 3-4 years old)? What worked best for you?

 

[Mitre10]

Can you get soda refills for refillable mugs at the Sand Bar?
Is there anywhere else to refill coffee in refillable mugs besides Contempt Cafe?

Thanks! I'm sure this has been answered before but I couldn't make it through all 227 pages!

 

[Cluelyss]

One of the excuses I am using to book, oops, I mean reasons I am booking the Contemporary is the walking path to MK. On Thanksgiving, a relative told me that we shouldn't walk, because with a small child it takes a long time, and we should use the monorail.

Has anyone stayed at CR with a small child (3'-4', 3-4 years old)? What worked best for you?

Will you have a stroller? The walk is about 10 minutes at an adult pace. I'd double that if you are walking at a toddler's pace, which wouldn't save you any time and would wear the child out before even arriving at the park! If you have a stroller, take the path. It's faster and a very pleasant walk. And you can come and go at your own schedule, which is the biggest selling point for us.

 

[BlueFairy]

Can you get soda refills for refillable mugs at the Sand Bar?
Is there anywhere else to refill coffee in refillable mugs besides Contempt Cafe?

Thanks! I'm sure this has been answered before but I couldn't make it through all 227 pages!

I asked the same. I was able to have the mug filled at the Sand Bar. They did not want to fill it at Contemporary Grounds (?) - the coffee bar; Could have been just that cast member. I didn't ever ask about coffee elsewhere.

One of the excuses I am using to book, oops, I mean reasons I am booking the Contemporary is the walking path to MK. On Thanksgiving, a relative told me that we shouldn't walk, because with a small child it takes a long time, and we should use the monorail.

Has anyone stayed at CR with a small child (3'-4', 3-4 years old)? What worked best for you?

Even for some solo adults that might be a tiring walk. But it's short in comparison to the walking you do at WDW. Truly. So if it sounds too far for anyone, they should consider having a scooter or stroller available to them to make a WDW trip manageable. It's really not so much farther than the bus stop is from MK (maybe double the distance to the farthest bus). Can't say from personal experience, but stories about CSR, POR, CBR and the values suggest to me that they have long walks just to get to the bus stop. And then you have to fold the stroller.
I liked being able to just get to the park on my time, as @Cluelyss said. So, I walked all 3 times to MK this trip. But I did take the monorail back at night. After staying until park close, it just was much nicer to rest my feet. CR is the first stop on the return from MK. You can always ride the monorail to MK as well. I'm told to allow 30 min.

 

[Mitre10]

Thanks! And apologies for the autocorrect of Contempo to Contempt

 

[GADisneyDad14]

One of the excuses I am using to book, oops, I mean reasons I am booking the Contemporary is the walking path to MK. On Thanksgiving, a relative told me that we shouldn't walk, because with a small child it takes a long time, and we should use the monorail.

Has anyone stayed at CR with a small child (3'-4', 3-4 years old)? What worked best for you?

So, funny you ask this. I stayed at CR when DS was in a stroller a few years ago (DS was 4) and most recently this September with no stroller (DS is 6 now). I appreciated the walking path much more when he was in a stroller, not so much when he was walking on his own. DS is a good trooper at Disney but his energy is not unlimited, so I'm a little conscious as to where/how we're expending his energy depending on what else we plan to do. (Obviously every kid is different in this regard)

But with a stroller, we were all over that path!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Loved the size of the room for our family of five. However the room had a funny smell that took a while to get used to, and our floor felt funny. It wasn't level and there were areas that didn't feel "solid" for lack of a better description. We were on the 9th floor above chef mickeys and never heard a thing. Loved having contempo cafe right downstairs, especially for our teen.

I had this same observation about the floors during our trip this past September. We were on the 12th floor. The floor was somewhat 'lumpy' in spots with one small in particular that was very 'soft'... so much so that I made it a point to avoid it. Gave me a weird feeling! lol....

Glad you enjoyed your stay!

 

[MinMou]

Thanks for all the responses to my question. Our son doesn't use his stroller any more, but I am planning to either bring ours or rent one for Disney. I found a folding stroller that I am hoping will go down in price by next year. http://www.toysrus.com/buy/strollers/gb-pockit-stroller-monument-black-616230013-90221976

 

[WDWKOOK]

DISNEY WORLD TO OFFER $150 MONORAIL “HIGHWAY IN THE SKY” DINING PACKAGE

This package begins and ends at CR with stops at Poly and GF.​

 

[MinMou]

DISNEY WORLD TO OFFER $150 MONORAIL “HIGHWAY IN THE SKY” DINING PACKAGE

This package begins and ends at CR with stops at Poly and GF.​

Supercalifragilistic!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

DISNEY WORLD TO OFFER $150 MONORAIL “HIGHWAY IN THE SKY” DINING PACKAGE

This package begins and ends at CR with stops at Poly and GF.​

Sign. Me. Up.

 

[trishadono]

Sign. Me. Up.

Dd21 texted me first thing this morning about this lol.

The college senior is supposed to be studying for exams yet always has time for a Disney break

 

[kalikiana]

Hoping this is the right place to ask about this!
We are looking at the 2 bedroom villas at BLT and have seen 2 different floor plans. Does anyone know...are there 2 entrances to the room? Or perhaps we're seeing 2 different floor plans because some are one way and some are the other?

Layout 1: https://www.dvcrequest.com/images/resorts/bay-lake-tower/bay-lake-tower-one-two-bedroom_sm.jpg
Layout 2: http://**************.net/wp-conten...a-Bay-Lake-Tower-from-**************.net_.jpg

Thank you!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Hoping this is the right place to ask about this!
We are looking at the 2 bedroom villas at BLT and have seen 2 different floor plans. Does anyone know...are there 2 entrances to the room? Or perhaps we're seeing 2 different floor plans because some are one way and some are the other?

Layout 1: https://www.dvcrequest.com/images/resorts/bay-lake-tower/bay-lake-tower-one-two-bedroom_sm.jpg
Layout 2: http://**************.net/wp-conten...a-Bay-Lake-Tower-from-**************.net_.jpg

Thank you!

If you have a lockoff two bedroom villa, you will have an entrance from the one bedroom section and another from the studio section (that's what a lockoff is - a one bedroom connected to a studio). A dedicated (always a two bedroom and only a two bedroom) will have one entrance from the living room/kitchen living space. A lockoff will also have a queen bed and double sleeper sofa plus a kitchenette in the studio portion. The second bedroom of the dedicated will be two queen beds, no kitchenette.

In addition, the villas on the inside of the C are a bit different from the ones on the outside of the C. The ones on the inside don't have bar stools at the kitchen island and have a nice sized laundry room. The ones on the outside of the C have a the bar stools and a smaller laundry closet.

The two sketches you have are both on the outside of the C. The first is the lockoff. The second is the dedicated.

 

[kalikiana]

If you have a lockoff two bedroom villa, you will have an entrance from the one bedroom section and another from the studio section (that's what a lockoff is - a one bedroom connected to a studio). A dedicated (always a two bedroom and only a two bedroom) will have one entrance from the living room/kitchen living space. A lockoff will also have a queen bed and double sleeper sofa plus a kitchenette in the studio portion. The second bedroom of the dedicated will be two queen beds, no kitchenette.

In addition, the villas on the inside of the C are a bit different from the ones on the outside of the C. The ones on the inside don't have bar stools at the kitchen island and have a nice sized laundry room. The ones on the outside of the C have a the bar stools and a smaller laundry closet.

The two sketches you have are both on the outside of the C. The first is the lockoff. The second is the dedicated.

That is awesome info, thank you! Do you know if we are able to choose which one we'd like or is it just assigned to us? We are checking out David's DVC rentals (are in a queue right now).

 

[Deb & Bill]

That is awesome info, thank you! Do you know if we are able to choose which one we'd like or is it just assigned to us? We are checking out David's DVC rentals (are in a queue right now).

Back in the old days when there were fewer DVC resorts, if you booked a two bedroom villa, they put you in the dedicated unless you specifically requested lockoff. And lockoffs were assigned after the dedicated were gone. Now, dedicated or lockoff is usually a booking category. So if you want the dedicated, make sure you let David know that.

For inside or outside the C, that is not a booking category and you get what you get.

 

[NS8VN]

Back in the old days when there were fewer DVC resorts, if you booked a two bedroom villa, they put you in the dedicated unless you specifically requested lockoff. And lockoffs were assigned after the dedicated were gone. Now, dedicated or lockoff is usually a booking category. So if you want the dedicated, make sure you let David know that.

For inside or outside the C, that is not a booking category and you get what you get.

^This. You can choose between 2-bedroom and 2-bedroom lockoff. As for inside or outside of the C you can request even numbered for outside and odd number for inside. Send your request to David's sometime after you get booked and the DVC member you are renting from will put that request in (as always, a request is not a guarantee).

 

[kalikiana]

Definitely makes sense, thank you guys so much!