Just Back from CR! Long!

[ckmommy]

We just returned from a wonderful week at WDW and the CR. This was our first stay at the CR or any Deluxe for that matter. We booked a standard garden view room, and I was secretly hoping for an upgrade, but we did not get one. Our room was in the South wing just right of the elevator near the parking lot enterance on the 2nd floor. We did not have a view (or at least a nice view-parking lot), but at least we could see the monorail everytime it passed by (my DD loved to watch that)! The room was very brightly decorated and large! We were not cramped even with having a crib and 2 strollers in the room! We were able to hide the strollers in the closet at night, so that helped a lot. The room was clean except for a few stains on the carpet. That did not bother us at all (my opinion is that the only way you won't see stains on the carpet is if you are on of the first people to be staying at a new or newly redecorated hotel).
We were not far from the pool, which was very nice because we used it every day! The main pool seems to be in need of some repair. There were 2 sets of fountains that were not working and had seen much better days. The pool itself looked nice and cheery, but it really needs some help. My DD (3 y.o.) loved the water slide, and the lifeguards were very nice and helpful with her. Again, looking at the other Magic Kingdom resorts, the slide needs to be themed (like the new Poly slide or the GF rock slide)and not just a blue slide sticking up 2 stories.
The walk to the monorail station was much longer for those in the South tower. And we did not visit the playground because it was pretty far away, and if we were going to do somthing fun, we went swimming.
The CR was filled to capacity 3 nights that we were there, and you could really notice this in the pool because there were no chairs and the pool was very full.
One thing that really bothered me was the complaining that I heard about the Cr from the SoG people. They were complaning about room size, room view, food quality, themeing, too many people and even monorails running to slow, and how the SoG is SOOO much better! This just made me very mad!! I paid over $100 more than some of the SoG guests and felt that the CR was a nice resort with great ammenities. If the SoG is SOOO great WHY are the refurbishing it!! Be happy that you are staying on a monorail resort for Cheap!!
Would I stay at the CR again?? Yes! But I would definatly stay in the tower!! For the conveience to the resturants and transportation.

 

[s&k'smom]

Glad you had a good time. I've always wanted to stay there too. My friend who got married there several years ago had a tower room over looking MK. Absolutely gorgeous.

 

[DancingBear]

Glad to hear you had a good time. We're being relocated from SoG for our December stay, you won't hear us complaining!! Walk to MK!!

 

[eeyore0062]

I guess there is just no pleasing some people. I know that most of us pay at least $100 per night more for a room at the Contemporary and love it. SoG must really be something special-- and I was not aware that the rooms were really that much bigger. I know the theming is more sedate, but it is not as though it is a monorail resort. If they look at it from the positive side, they could have been relocated to PO-FQ as was rumored to happen! Guess they hadn't thought about that!

Oh well, I am really glad that you enjoyed your trip! And Dancing Bear, I hope you enjoy yours, as well!

 

[suevee]

ckmommy

I am glad you had such a great time. I am sorry I am one of those people who prefer SoG. It is just different strokes for different people. I like the quiet and smallness of SoG. However it won't be so small anymore as they are increasing the room numbers from 300 room to 600 rooms. But that is still smaller than any WDW operated resort. That is why it is closed, they are rebuilding to offer more rooms. I don't particularly care about the "Mickey" theming at CR. I prefer the military family feeling at SoG. Sorry, that's just me.

Am I getting a break staying at the CR? Sure, but our families pay for this break in different ways. And the profits from our military stores pay for our stays at these resorts. So even if we get a break, WDW still receives full price. Sort of like airmiles, when we shop at military stores, a portion of their profits go towards park and rec for military families. So the more we shop, the better the profits, the better the perks.

Will I go back to the CR? Sure, until SoG reopens. I don't want to make you mad, but that is JMHO. Anyone can get the same brreak we are, just join the military or the reserves.

 

[turls401]

We stayed at the CR with the SOG discount but I want to make it clear that we have never stayed at SOG and a deluxe (because of the transportation convenience) was our only option. We would have paid the full room price, but I would have been disappointed if we did. I didn't let this ruin my vacation - I would try the CR again because it brings back so many memories as a kid - my DH probably wouldn't want to try it. I did email guest services when I returned so they new - I didn't want to call attention to it during my vacation, because some of these items were beyond their control, and I would have been disillusioned if they didn't address the items that they could control.

Everything about the CR was great except for the room. And because my husband and I were treating this as a relaxing vacation (not as much emphasis on the parks), we did use the room more than usual. I had stayed at the CR three times prior, but the latest visit was 14 years ago. The updates to the room were great - I loved the marble bathroom. However, the room was not that clean (dust along the edges of the carpet, bathroom floor, maid didn't wipe counter/tables that well), we didn't always get facecloths/hand towels, the windows were filthy (and I don't wash mine at home - these were really bad). A bucket of KFC was left in the hallway for over 24 hrs. The maids would also congregate loudly in the hallways around 3:30 - I guess they figure everyone was at the parks. The water also smelled of sulfur and by the end of the week I felt like I couldn't rinse the shampoo out of my hair. The closet door was heavy and constantly fell of the track - my husband had to open/close it for me.

We stayed at POR for the first night - the room was clean and the water was fine. The wait for busses was long (35 min for MK - finally gave up and took a bus to Epcot). So you can't beat the transportation at CR (and walking to the MK). However, I would have been very disappointed if I paid more than the SOG rate.

My point is that Disney used to be the exception to the rule of hotel inconsistency - one person might have a great room and the person across the hall would have a dirty one. I would pay $300 a night if I would be guaranteed a clean room with the basic amenities - but sometimes you don't want to take that gamble, so instead you pay half the price, "suck it up" and just enjoy everything else about the resort.

 

[eeyore0062]

Unfortunately the sulfur in the water is not something that WDW or CR has any control over... it is in the Orlando area water supply...that is why the water tastes funny.

 

[ldeveaux]

I am sorry that your attitude regarding the people who like the SOG so much better is so negative. For the most part, we are military personnel serving our country. We do this because we want to. We don't do it for special perks or thanks, but sometimes it is nice to be able to get a break. The SOG was the first hotel on the Disney property and is in need of upgrade. Given its age the condition it was still was a lot better maintained then others I have stayed in at Disney such as the Swan. As was posted, some of the dollars we invest in using the post exchange is going to the upgrade. Please bear with us SOG types.

 

[CaliforniaDreaming]

Glad you had a good stay at the Contemporary!