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

[WDWKOOK]

Looks like BLT is booking 11 months out right now!

Thanks for the tip!

You're welcome and happy booking!

 

[WDWKOOK]

I am finally movin' on up... to the CR. I am rather pleased with myself for allowing my brain to spend this much on a solo trip! I am going on the Podcast cruise in Dec and will be at the Swan pre-cruise, then on the Wonder, and then to CR (this part is Dec 16-19)!

I had been booked at ASMo because I kept telling myself that it was such a waste of money for a room that only I would be enjoying and not in that much anyway. THEN... I took a peek at Expedia. I got a rockin' deal at CR for $201 per night (Thurs/Fri/Sat). Using my Fuzzy Disney Math, I "only" spent $170 more for those 3 nights than I was going to spend at ASMo.

So, now I am booked at CR. Now, my dilemma. In my haste to book, I picked a GW/GV room. I know that ANY room that I have will be wonderful, hey, I'll be at Disney rather than work, but I did not realize that the GW rooms did not have balconies. I sure like a balcony in the AM & PM. I can not rebook the CR room through Expedia as they have now changed the sale to not have the same $201 price on the weekends, it is $300 per night. It would cost me $200 more for the same room just to rebook, let alone upgrade to anything else. SO I am hoping that I can pay for an upgrade once I check in. I really don't care about the view, noise, or proximity to the pool. I just really want a balcony which will require a tower room. I don't think that I want a ground floor (for the patio) in the GW either, since I will be alone. I just get all weird like that.

This is where you all come in.
1. Do I do the online check in and just put in a request for a tower room?
2. Do online check in with no request since I will be hoping for a change anyway?
3. Or simply, not do the online check in at all and check in & ask to pay for an upgrade when I get there?

This is my birthday present from my DH. And this is my first WDW deluxe. I would like to make it as magical as possible, but again, I will be happy wherever I end up. I will be at Disney World!

Go with option #3.

When you do check-in, ask how much an upgrade to the Tower would be. But, in case you can't upgrade, make sure that you have requested an upper GW floor (second or third) so that you won't be on the ground level.

Have a great birthday trip and make sure that it's noted as your "celebration" on your reservation.

 

[seadd67]

Hi there. We are starting really early for our 2011 trip. We are looking at staying at the the CR last part of Septemper of 2011. We are going to take advantage of the time, and the fact there will be the free dinning offer and stay in the atrum club level. Its me the Dad and my not so small DS. He will be 18 when we go so it will be the frist time we go as both adults. We have stay for the last 5 years at POP and love It,but I thought we could graduate to a delux, and of course the grand poo ba of delx the CR. So as I read throught the borads,I will have a million and a half questions so I just thought I throw out a heloe just In case I ask a dumb question.

 

[rcraw45425]

Go with option #3.

When you do check-in, ask how much an upgrade to the Tower would be. But, in case you can't upgrade, make sure that you have requested an upper GW floor (second or third) so that you won't be on the ground level.

Have a great birthday trip and make sure that it's noted as your "celebration" on your reservation.

I agree with this also, unless......you can "make do" with a patio. The wing ground floor rooms have sliders with a table and two chairs. Really peaceful sitting lake side in the evening watching the Electric Water Parade on Bay lake. Also, the upper floors may not have a balcony but they do still have sliders that you can open and stand at the railing. This may do for you if a tower room is not available. Good luck and pixie dust your way like we received in May!

 

[WDWKOOK]

Hi there. We are starting really early for our 2011 trip. We are looking at staying at the the CR last part of Septemper of 2011. We are going to take advantage of the time, and the fact there will be the free dinning offer and stay in the atrum club level. Its me the Dad and my not so small DS. He will be 18 when we go so it will be the frist time we go as both adults. We have stay for the last 5 years at POP and love It,but I thought we could graduate to a delux, and of course the grand poo ba of delx the CR. So as I read throught the borads,I will have a million and a half questions so I just thought I throw out a heloe just In case I ask a dumb question.

We love ALL questions here on the CR/BLT thread, so don't be a stranger

 

[Elise79]

Elise, we had booked Atrium Club (12th floor) MK view over the Memorial Day holiday, were upgraded to Tower club 1 bedroom suite. I believe that most of the rooms there are suites, that may be why the 2 quuen rooms are hard to find. Ours consisted of foyer with full bath with glass shower to the right, enter on in to a huge family type room with long dining table and chairs, wet bar area with fridge sink and bar with stools, and living area with sofa sleeper with two occasional chairs coffee table and entertainment center. Huge balconies off of this room with chaise lounges and tables and chairs. Through a door was the bedroom with two queens, a table and chairs, the dresser area with tv. the little hall area led to the second bath, this one with tub/shower combo, sinks and a powder room with another sink. If you're familar with the layout of the CR I'd say that the bedroom part was like the rooms before renovation. The bedroom had the new bedding from a few years back and the beds were new but the wall colors were not as up to date. The living room furniture was modern with colors of gold and plum.
THis is a bad BlackBerry photo of the parlor area:

Thanks

We just have a standard room booked.

Is the 14th floor better than the 12th or just about the same? We have never stayed club level before and probably won't get the chance again so just trying to get a feel for what to expect. There is not much posted on the 14th floor nearly everything is on the atrium club!

 

[jkstewart1800]

Okay, so I have way too much time on my hands as I wait around for November 2011... ha ha ha but I am just too excited!

I am going to book a 1 bedroom MK veiw at BLT.... so I have been reading all things BLT! I had a question about the bar in the sky? or top of the world club.... I keep forgetting the name (gotta go back and re read!)

Anyway, the pictures make it look quite fancy and grown up... But I thought my kiddos would like to check out the view... can kids go up with their parents? is there food up there that we could snack on? I assume people go up there to watch the fireworks... does it get crowded?

 

[jkstewart1800]

From all ears - Currently it is only open to Disney Vacation Club members staying at Bay Lake Tower on points. The lounge is not open to guests staying on a cash rental basis.

Is this still the case?

and one last question... at least for this hour The past two years that we have stayed on site there have been 'pool parties' at the main pools of both the hotels (GF and the Poly) with music and games and all that stuff... do they do this at the CR? Is there a quiet pool if we don't want any of that? Does the BLT have these too?

Okay - that is it! LOL Thanks in advance!!

 

[CooperPrincesses]

Question? Our trip is getting closer and closer and it looks like now my mom is going to have to have surgery on her foot before we go. Not a big deal as she will rent a scooter. We are staying CL on the 12th floor with 4 adults and one toddler in the room, will the scooter fit as well or should we just leave it in the car except for when we're in the parks? It is not in our budget to upgrade, so I was just wondering how cramped it would make the room to have it in there as well.

She can walk short distances no problem, but the parks all day long would be to much. Thanks for your help.!!

 

[of the seas]

Question? Our trip is getting closer and closer and it looks like now my mom is going to have to have surgery on her foot before we go. Not a big deal as she will rent a scooter. We are staying CL on the 12th floor with 4 adults and one toddler in the room, will the scooter fit as well or should we just leave it in the car except for when we're in the parks? It is not in our budget to upgrade, so I was just wondering how cramped it would make the room to have it in there as well.

She can walk short distances no problem, but the parks all day long would be to much. Thanks for your help.!!

Will the toddler be sleeping on the daybed or in a pack n play?

 

[Elise79]

From all ears - Currently it is only open to Disney Vacation Club members staying at Bay Lake Tower on points. The lounge is not open to guests staying on a cash rental basis.

Is this still the case?

and one last question... at least for this hour The past two years that we have stayed on site there have been 'pool parties' at the main pools of both the hotels (GF and the Poly) with music and games and all that stuff... do they do this at the CR? Is there a quiet pool if we don't want any of that? Does the BLT have these too?

Okay - that is it! LOL Thanks in advance!!

Yes the Top of the World is only open to DVC members staying on points at BLT.

BLT has activities at their pool most days. Not sure about the CR pool. There is a quiet pool at the CR too.

 

[jkstewart1800]

bummer ...

 

[sherabby]

Yes the Top of the World is only open to DVC members staying on points at BLT.

BLT has activities at their pool most days. Not sure about the CR pool. There is a quiet pool at the CR too.

We were at the pool at CR on Fri and Sat and there were activities all day on Friday. Sat there was quite a bit of rain off and on but there were still scheduled activities while the pool was open. Movie on the beach at night too!

 

[rcraw45425]

Thanks

We just have a standard room booked.

Is the 14th floor better than the 12th or just about the same? We have never stayed club level before and probably won't get the chance again so just trying to get a feel for what to expect. There is not much posted on the 14th floor nearly everything is on the atrium club!

I'm not sure about "better", IIRC I don't think that the Tower Club rooms (14th floor) received the latest renovation. The bedding was nice and the beds reminded me of the ones in the other rooms post renovation, but the decor was a little bit different. Not gaudy or dated, just I don't recall the soothing colors of the regular tower rooms. This was an incredible upgrade for us, I had booked 12th floor MK view with a 40% code, so I was paying less than $400 a night for this suite. The lounge offerings are pretty much the same on both floors, I don't think that much is different. The fridge was stocked for us with juice and sodas, most days mousekeeping restocked for us, or I simply picked up extras while the lounge was open. The bedroom part of the suite was pretty much standard CR room, the bath was a little different, the best part was having the second bath, especially with two teenaged girls!

 

[jkstewart1800]

We were at the pool at CR on Fri and Sat and there were activities all day on Friday. Sat there was quite a bit of rain off and on but there were still scheduled activities while the pool was open. Movie on the beach at night too!

Thanks! - Does anyone know about BLT pool exclusively?

Does the CR have a 'quiet pool'?

 

[sherabby]

Thanks! - Does anyone know about BLT pool exclusively?

Does the CR have a 'quiet pool'?

There is a quiet pool at CR and two hot tubs. One was out of service during our stay. The beach was also closed on Fri but open on Sat.

 

[Rhongepooh]

Yep, they do In fact, last week I opened up one of the soaps from my last trip, just for a little shot of the CR while I wait for my next trip ;-) They also sell the products in the BVG shop.

Very funny story here. . . my family is obsessive with disney and we tend to "save" our left over disney stuff for "special occasions". Well, my parents had stayed in the contemporary several years ago and bought home tons of soap and all. Well, Katrina hit and almost completely destroyed their home. While we were packing up the save and throw away stuff while they moved out my mom found stuff like old perfume/makeup that she gave to all the granddaughters and was looking for SOMETHING to give the only grandson she has (14 at the time). Well she found some bars of disney "Soap". He was happy to have it, went home and used it, and used it, and used it and the family couldn't figure out why it was lasting so long. Come to find out it wasn't soap at all. . . .it was some sort of candles! We have laughed and that has become one of our family jokes since then!

 

[drafthorsecrazy]

There is a quiet pool at CR and two hot tubs. One was out of service during our stay. The beach was also closed on Fri but open on Sat.

I've seen the hot tub that is in the "middle" of the pool....but where is the second hot tub?

 

[disneymath]

From all ears - Currently it is only open to Disney Vacation Club members staying at Bay Lake Tower on points. The lounge is not open to guests staying on a cash rental basis.

Is this still the case?

and one last question... at least for this hour The past two years that we have stayed on site there have been 'pool parties' at the main pools of both the hotels (GF and the Poly) with music and games and all that stuff... do they do this at the CR? Is there a quiet pool if we don't want any of that? Does the BLT have these too?

Okay - that is it! LOL Thanks in advance!!

We just came back from a week at BLT ... they definitely had music and such going on at the BLT pool. They also had hula hoop contests for the kids one of the days we were there. They also have a "calendar of events" for stuff going on at BLT/CR (movies by the pool, etc.)

If you stay at BLT, you have access to both the BLT pool complex (accessible only with your BLT room key) AND the CR pool complex. If you stay at CR, you do not have access to BLT's pool complex.

We used a 40% PIN to get our rooms (a 2BDRM LV and a LV Studio) and it was worth it - now we're seriously contemplating DVC.

Also, prior to our stay we had the impression that CR was a bit "businesslike and serious" - let's just say that we were pleasantly surprised at how friendly everyone was. Our check-in experience was the best we've ever had at Disney - we were greeted by a friendly CM who walked my mom and I over to the check-in counter where we were served by a second friendly and very efficient CM. A third CM greeted the rest of the family and plastered Mickey stickers all over my three young nephews. It was a great start to our vacation.

 

[WDWKOOK]

I've seen the hot tub that is in the "middle" of the pool....but where is the second hot tub?

The other hot tub is at the end of the pool nearest the Tower and furthest from the beach. It's separate from the pool, unlike the one in the middle of the pool. It's image 21/42:

http://www.disneycontemporary.com/content/pools