The ALL NEW Disney's Contemporary Resort & Bay Lake Tower FAQ with PICs! (FEB 2010)

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

We stayed a week at the Contemporary in late January. We booked a MK view room and were upgraded to the 12th floor. I never noticed any conventioneers but I wasn't looking It was my dream to stay there and it really did live up to my expectations. We plan to spend a week every January and I can't imagine staying anywhere else, I'm hooked. Now I have to convince DH that club level is the way to go

Well good luck on talking him to staying Club Level again and if it helps the Atrium Club - Bay Lake View is less expensive then the Atrium Club - Magic Kingdom View.

 

[Sadie22]

Here are a few thing I forgot to mention. Unless you go looking for people who are there for conventions the only time you will see them is when they are on the 2nd floor in some of the various meeting rooms or if you walk into the convention center. However if you happen to see them walking around the 4th floor or the lobby it won't spoil any Disney magic, now the reason I say that is because others have mentioned that in the past when putting the Contemporary down because of their conventions. Also sometimes these people who stay there on conventions bring their families down so they make it a working vacation, which I think is one thing others forget when mentioning the Contemporary and conventions in the same sentence.

I will be coming with my husband. Why would anyone go to a convention at Disney without family? Please tell me there will not be people pointing at the guys in the golf shirts?!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I will be coming with my husband. Why would anyone go to a convention at Disney without family? Please tell me there will not be people pointing at the guys in the golf shirts?!

You won't have anything to worry about.

 

[mamasha]

When we stayed at AKL, we could request Jiko's menu. Does anyone know which restaurant if any prepares room service at CR?

 

[Sadie22]

You won't have anything to worry about.

Thanks, CR Resort Fan! I'm sorry we won't be there at the same time as you!

 

[DisneyHardin]

We are booked in a Garden Wing Standard room for June 21-26. I can't wait. Reading through the thread has answered lots of my questions about the resort.

 

[dwsandy]

No it's not available there, however here is a list of where you can get it.

Main Lobby
Tower Club 14th Floor Club Level Lounge
Outer Rim Bar
1st Floor Convention Center Lobby
2nd Floor Convention Center Lobby
Main Pool

Just wondering where Wi-fi is available in BLT?

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Thanks, CR Resort Fan! I'm sorry we won't be there at the same time as you!

You're welcome.

We are booked in a Garden Wing Standard room for June 21-26. I can't wait. Reading through the thread has answered lots of my questions about the resort.

I hope you have a great time.

Just wondering where Wi-fi is available in BLT?

I am not sure about that, so hopefully someone else knows that answer.

 

[moparop]

Where would be the best place for a single PnP in a standard CR room?

 

[rcraw45425]

All CR rooms are spacious, you could probably put it between the tv and the wall where you come in (where the door is on connecting rooms). I know a huge suitcase will lay there with room to spare on either side. BAck when we needed one they still had cribs and I believe that 's where they put it.

 

[rcraw45425]

Just got an email from Calvin in the IPO. These guys rock, he finally heard back from the Poly and managed to get us a 5:30PM for 'Ohana for May 27 when all had been booked for months!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Just got an email from Calvin in the IPO. These guys rock, he finally heard back from the Poly and managed to get us a 5:30PM for 'Ohana for May 27 when all had been booked for months!

That's great to hear how their doing a great job and getting you that ADR for Ohana.

 

[WDWKOOK]

Just wondering where Wi-fi is available in BLT?

That's a good question and I think the answer might be "no where". I've not been able to find any references to any WiFi availability at BLT. Even the rooms require an ethernet cable to connect to the internet.

 

[WDWKOOK]

Well, DH is being deployed to Afghanistan in July. I booked BLT in January, but I can't substantiate a BLT 1-bedroom for just me and DD11. I deferred to DD and asked her what she wants to do...

DD wants to do a split stay and try a couple of new resorts (AK and YC) and one of her favs, the Poly. Given its remote location, two nights is about all I could do at the AK (DH would do zero...) Then YC for four nights and Poly for four. She's "tired" of the CR (how could that be possible?) and we both agree that we don't want to stay in a BLT studio.

Any thoughts/suggestions/ideas

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Well, DH is being deployed to Afghanistan in July. I booked BLT in January, but I can't substantiate a BLT 1-bedroom for just me and DD11. I deferred to DD and asked her what she wants to do...

DD wants to do a split stay and try a couple of new resorts (AK and YC) and one of her favs, the Poly. Given its remote location, two nights is about all I could do at the AK (DH would do zero...) Then YC for four nights and Poly for four. She's "tired" of the CR (how could that be possible?) and we both agree that we don't want to stay in a BLT studio.

Any thoughts/suggestions/ideas

I am not sure if this would be in your price range or if they have any current deals for it right now, but have you thought of a Atrium Club - Bay Lake View? So maybe the thought of staying Club Level would change her mind of being tired to stay at the Contemporary.

If that's not a good idea I would try to look more at the Polynesian, because I also also think the overall location of the Animal Kingdom Lodge is not that great and I personally don't like the Yacht Club because in my opinion I don't see it's theme or think anything of it's atmosphere.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

Well, DH is being deployed to Afghanistan in July. I booked BLT in January, but I can't substantiate a BLT 1-bedroom for just me and DD11. I deferred to DD and asked her what she wants to do...

DD wants to do a split stay and try a couple of new resorts (AK and YC) and one of her favs, the Poly. Given its remote location, two nights is about all I could do at the AK (DH would do zero...) Then YC for four nights and Poly for four. She's "tired" of the CR (how could that be possible?) and we both agree that we don't want to stay in a BLT studio.

Any thoughts/suggestions/ideas

First off, best wishes to your DH during his deployment

I am not a fan of the split stay. Once I get to a hotel, I want to unpack and be done with it. That being said, there is NO way I would do 3 hotels in 10 days.

My vote is for a YC/Poly split (not because I like the Poly, because I really, REALLY don't ) but I like the idea of an EPCOT/MK split. (If it were me, I would go YC/GF split....heck if it were me, I would just stay GF for the whole trip! But alas, this is your dilemma )

I probably didn't help much at all did I????

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

All CR rooms are spacious, you could probably put it between the tv and the wall where you come in (where the door is on connecting rooms).

I would agree with that suggestion.

 

[WDWKOOK]

I am not sure if this would be in your price range or if they have any current deals for it right now, but have you thought of a Atrium Club - Bay Lake View? So maybe the thought of staying Club Level would change her mind of being tired to stay at the Contemporary.

If that's not a good idea I would try to look more at the Polynesian, because I also also think the overall location of the Animal Kingdom Lodge is not that great and I personally don't like the Yacht Club because in my opinion I don't see it's theme or think anything of it's atmosphere.

I do have a -40% off pin (wouldn't book without one) so we're lucky that everything is under consideration. I just asked DD if she would like staying at the CR if we were CL and she said, "Maybe, I'll think about it", so it's not completely off the table anymore - thanks for the suggestion. (But truly, would you have suggested anything but CR/CL).

We've never stayed at an Epcot resort so out of the choices, the YC is my preference. The convenience of walking to Epcot (and DHS) is appealing and DD thinks she'd love SAB. But, the breakfast choices are really limited and I'm not a big fan of the room style.

First off, best wishes to your DH during his deployment

I am not a fan of the split stay. Once I get to a hotel, I want to unpack and be done with it. That being said, there is NO way I would do 3 hotels in 10 days.

My vote is for a YC/Poly split (not because I like the Poly, because I really, REALLY don't ) but I like the idea of an EPCOT/MK split. (If it were me, I would go YC/GF split....heck if it were me, I would just stay GF for the whole trip! But alas, this is your dilemma )

I probably didn't help much at all did I????

No, you did help and thank you for your best wishes. I'm not used to ever asking these kinds of questions on the DIS, I usually try and answer them so getting a different persepctive is much appreciated.

I did suggest the GF and DD just hates the atmosphere/theming. We even had a CM give us a tour once of a vacant room to see if we liked it and none of us really cared for it and I can't handle the arcade noise while I eat at Gasparillas.

I've always wanted to try AK (DH will never stay there) mostly so that we could eat there more easily. Everytime I make an ADR there, I end up canceling because we don't feel like driving out there just to eat. But, it would only be for two nights.

We've stayed twice at the Poly, but our last visit we had a bad housekeeping/room location experience and actually switched after 3 nights to the CR. I don't like that the walkways aren't covered, that you're dodging those carts all the time, and that many of the rooms are in disrepair and poorly cleaned and the VP deck is so crowded. But, DD doesn't really care about those things; she loves the theming. I like the theming, too and the food choices, but the rooms' condition is a big negative.

I agree with you on the split stay. I like to hunker down and get settled-in. But, I thought that I should try some new resorts that normally we wouldn't since DH isn't a fan of them (he loves the CR/BLV). I guess I'm just curious about those "other" resorts, but I'm also concerned that I'll regret not staying at the CR

 

[Cinderumbrella]

I get the fear of regret. When we aren't staying at the GF, I won't even eat a meal there to avoid the regret (thank goodness we are booked there after Thanksgiving again this year to ease the pain )

We really, REALLY like AKL. But, to us, it is so reasonable priced, that we are "saving" our next stay there for when we don't have a pin code/AP rate.

How about a YC/CR CL split? This way you are still trying somewhere new (YC), get the benefits of walking to EPCOT/DHS but still avoid the regret of not staying at the CR since you'll be there at the end of the trip. (And if you are REALLY ambitious, try to get a garden view CL room at YC with the code- its not a bad price with the discount)

I would be hesitant to do the Poly again for the exact reason that you posted. We enjoy Kona, but I just don't "feel the love" when we are over there and have no desire to stay there (YMMV).

 

[WDWKOOK]

I get the fear of regret. When we aren't staying at the GF, I won't even eat a meal there to avoid the regret (thank goodness we are booked there after Thanksgiving again this year to ease the pain )

We really, REALLY like AKL. But, to us, it is so reasonable priced, that we are "saving" our next stay there for when we don't have a pin code/AP rate.

How about a YC/CR CL split? This way you are still trying somewhere new (YC), get the benefits of walking to EPCOT/DHS but still avoid the regret of not staying at the CR since you'll be there at the end of the trip. (And if you are REALLY ambitious, try to get a garden view CL room at YC with the code- its not a bad price with the discount)

I would be hesitant to do the Poly again for the exact reason that you posted. We enjoy Kona, but I just don't "feel the love" when we are over there and have no desire to stay there (YMMV).

OK, Cinderumbrella, I think you're onto something here. If we stay YC CL, then the lack of breakfast options won't be a problem. But, I have some misgivings...

I like the idea of the restricted access to CL, but I've read some reviews/posts that some lounges can get really crowded (no seats) and there are kids misbehaving w/o adult supervision, people wearing PJs, food/drinks not being replenished... Has this ever been your (or anyone else's) experience? I wouldn't want to pay a premium for that kind of atmosphere.