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

[Carrie in AZ]

I think a MK/Epcot split is a great idea. Would you do it in that order again with the CR first?

Yes, I would absolutely do this order again. Our family tradition is to start our trip with an 8am Crystal Palace breakfast so that we can walk on Main Street before the MK opens, so MK is always our first day. (Except this trip we did BB our first day because I couldn't get that coveted res at CP on our first day.....but, I don't view a water park as technically visiting another park before MK like if we had gone to AK, HS or EPCOT before the MK....going to one of the other parks before MK ust doesn't feel right to me...) I also love arriving at CR in the night, which is how it has worked out for our two stays there. Pure magic to drive up and see the CR lit up so beautifully then to go up to our Tower room, open the drapes and see the gorgeous Castle!

Finishing up at BCV was very nice for our family. Our girls are 11 and 7 and being in a one bedroom allowed them time to chill out with their own TV in the living room and DH and I with ours in the bedroom. After six days of togetherness 24/7, we all needed a breather, and being at BCV allowed that. Plus, Stormalong Bay and the pool options are better at BC in my opinion, so we were able to spend time swimming on our rest day which came toward the end of our trip.

CR Bell Services took our luggage at about 12:30 and it was at the BC waiting for us when we checked in 4. We had a seamless transfer when we did our other split stay in Nov. 2009 also (CR/Poly).

Did you notice if there is still free WIFi being offered as a "test?" It was supposed to last only 30 days in public areas, but you know how sometimes these things get extended.

My DD used the free wifi down in the lobby with her ipod touch. We didn't allow her to take it to the pool so I'm not sure if any wifi is out there. I don't think she tried it at Contempo either, but it def worked in the lobby.

I am sooo happy for everyone and anyone who will soon be at the CR!! We did not book a bounce back and we wouldn't have if we had seen it. (There was one in our villa at BCV) As much as we love our trips to DW and DL, we are going to focus on Kauai again next summer. We were there last summer and fell in love with it and snorkeling. We are now all about snorkeling, so we will start saving for next year. We live in AZ and it is easier for us to visit DL so we will probably be there before we make it to FL again. But you know how Disney tugs at you..........!!!

 

[Minnie&Nana]

We are back!!! Had another magnificent stay at CR!!! We arrived about midnight on June 4th for five nights before moving over to the BCV for the final four nights of our trip.

I just cannot say enough good things about the CR. I truly love it. Love the room and resort decor, love that it is basically all under one roof, love the Contempo Cafe, love the kind CMs, and LOVE LOVE LOVE that easy, quick walk to the MK and the quick walk or monorail ride back when finished at MK. It's the best! We were blessed to stay MKView once again, but now that we've done it twice, I know we'd be just as happy with the lake view or even staying in the garden wing.

It still amazes me when people say the theming of CR does nothing for them. I really feel like LOADS of people are missing out on such a fantastic resort. I love the huge bathroom and all that space in the commode area. And also love the two flat sinks -- one of them is perfect for me to lay out my make-up bag and all of our toiletries and then we just used the other sink for brushing teeth, etc. The white and black marble looks very classy and upscale in my opinion. And I don't recall anyone mentioning the sensor that comes on when you walk into the bathroom in the middle of the night which emits a teeny tiny drop of light so that you can see where you are walking -- fabulous! We also love the long glass desk and the glass table on wheels that you can move around. The room lighting is fantastic as well -- lots of options available for dimming or brightness.

We really enjoyed our stay at BCV, too, and being able to walk to EPCOT. This was our second split stay at DW resorts and they work very, very well for us. I still feel like the CR is "it" and we will probably always stay there on future trips. We may try BLT because the space of a villa is very nice. The CR rooms are quite large, though.

I'd be happy to answer any and all questions. I feel so blessed we were able to visit DW again and stay for five nights at CR. It was pure magic!! I truly felt at home there.

Welcome back, Carrie! It has been way too long since a CR stay - which was our very first Disney Resort in 1981. Tower was not available so we booked a GV and we all grinned ear to ear when we walked in our 3rd floor, close to the Tower GV room and saw the monorail glide by through the sheers. Then when we opened the sliding door we could see the top of the Train Station and Space Mountain...at night, the fireworks - what wonderful memories. Next visit we stayed the Poly, which we also absolutely loved, but the following summer were in a Tower Room - made no requests and had a great MK view.

It's always hard for me to choose between Poly, CR & GF, but reading your happy review, think it just might be time to go back to CR.

So glad you had a wonderful trip!

Well, don't you have a great memory, Heather!



You might get lucky and get a room facing BL, so just for fun, here's a photo of the view we had from our ground floor end room facing Bay Lake:

And facing the room:

WDWKOOK - no bugs or snakes? I"d love a CR first floor Garden room, but fear we will see creepy crawlies.

Nice pics -thanks for posting these again. I do remember seeing them before, but would not have found them again easily.

Youre DD is lovely!!

 

[Kimi313]

I think a MK/Epcot split is a great idea. Would you do it in that order again with the CR first? So have you booked a bounceback? Was there one in your room

Hmmm...love this, DD will be 21 on our next trip and her and DBF is already talking about wanting to spend more time at Epcot but also she has requested CR tower so maybe we should do both. Also impressed they took care of luggage themselves.

Okay here is a couple of questions, hopefully we will be doing ME again next time so don't have to worry about moving car, so does one just get up and check out before you go to the parks? Do you take luggage down to them or call for them to come get it?

Also we have stayed in the tower many years ago and one time we could see the castle from one of the beds because the bed was on the left side of the room, I have no idea if we were in a odd or even room or if it matters now but could someone tell me if they could see MK from bed and if it was an odd or even room please (hope that made sense). Thank you!!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Also we have stayed in the tower many years ago and one time we could see the castle from one of the beds because the bed was on the left side of the room, I have no idea if we were in a odd or even room or if it matters now but could someone tell me if they could see MK from bed and if it was an odd or even room please (hope that made sense). Thank you!!

When you get a room in the Tower where the beds face the Magic Kingdom those are the odd numbered rooms.

 

[WDWKOOK]

Welcome back, Carrie! It has been way too long since a CR stay - which was our very first Disney Resort in 1981. Tower was not available so we booked a GV and we all grinned ear to ear when we walked in our 3rd floor, close to the Tower GV room and saw the monorail glide by through the sheers. Then when we opened the sliding door we could see the top of the Train Station and Space Mountain...at night, the fireworks - what wonderful memories. Next visit we stayed the Poly, which we also absolutely loved, but the following summer were in a Tower Room - made no requests and had a great MK view.

It's always hard for me to choose between Poly, CR & GF, but reading your happy review, think it just might be time to go back to CR.

So glad you had a wonderful trip!



WDWKOOK - no bugs or snakes? I"d love a CR first floor Garden room, but fear we will see creepy crawlies.

Nice pics -thanks for posting these again. I do remember seeing them before, but would not have found them again easily.

Youre DD is lovely!!

Thank you for the compliment. I can't believe that photo is from 2007 - seems like yesterday. Nope, no critters other than bunnies and the ones pictured. But, it is FL so there are snakes pretty much everywhere. The Corn snakes are common and they're not venemous and while they may startle you, they proabably won't bother you. But, best not to leave your 1st floor patio door wide open. Oh, and best not to look at the Poly thread today if you don't like snakes.

It is hard to choose between the MK resorts. We went from booking CR and WL to now CR and Poly. But, whatever we do, we always have to stay part of our trip at the CR. I think you should go back

Hmmm...love this, DD will be 21 on our next trip and her and DBF is already talking about wanting to spend more time at Epcot but also she has requested CR tower so maybe we should do both. Also impressed they took care of luggage themselves.

Okay here is a couple of questions, hopefully we will be doing ME again next time so don't have to worry about moving car, so does one just get up and check out before you go to the parks? Do you take luggage down to them or call for them to come get it?

Also we have stayed in the tower many years ago and one time we could see the castle from one of the beds because the bed was on the left side of the room, I have no idea if we were in a odd or even room or if it matters now but could someone tell me if they could see MK from bed and if it was an odd or even room please (hope that made sense). Thank you!!

I think the split stays are lots of fun. Yes, just call bell services in the morning and they'll pick up your bags and move them to your next resort usually by 3. Remember to take anything you might need before 3 out of them since it can take a while to transfer them.

And yes, those odd numbered rooms do still matter and for the Bay Lake side as well. You made perfect sense

 

[Sinderelly]

I think the CA Grill has the best views at WDW and I love their sushi. Do you have an ADR there for your next trip? (BTW, I'm originally from Bloomington.)[/QUOTE]

We live in Greensburg but I've only lived here 4 years. I am from Nashville (Brown County). We don't have an ADR for CA Grill for our October trip. The view was awesome but we didn't really care for the food and don't do sushi. I loved the CR though. We spent some time there looking through the shops and had lunch at the Contempo Cafe.

 

[Kimi313]

.I think the split stays are lots of fun. Yes, just call bell services in the morning and they'll pick up your bags and move them to your next resort usually by 3. Remember to take anything you might need before 3 out of them since it can take a while to transfer them.

One more question, I am thinking you probably used Magical Express, any problem on being dropped off at one resort and picked up at another resort?

Getting excited about trying this and thinking I may just surprise the whole group with the split stay!

 

[WDWKOOK]

We live in Greensburg but I've only lived here 4 years. I am from Nashville (Brown County). We don't have an ADR for CA Grill for our October trip. The view was awesome but we didn't really care for the food and don't do sushi. I loved the CR though. We spent some time there looking through the shops and had lunch at the Contempo Cafe.

I understand CA Grill isn't for everyone. I like the CC, too.

We lived really close to Brown County so growing-up we went to Nashville all the time. I even learned to ski there. Is the Dillinger museum still there?

One more question, I am thinking you probably used Magical Express, any problem on being dropped off at one resort and picked up at another resort?

Getting excited about trying this and thinking I may just surprise the whole group with the split stay!

Oooo, a surprise is a great idea. Have you decided yet on your split resorts?

No, I have never actually used DME since we always drive. I hope someone else can answer your question. If it isn't answered here, I'll bet it would be on the Transportation forum.

 

[Carrie in AZ]

DME is no problem when doing a split stay, they can def drop you at one resort and pick you up from another. You can also do DME on only one leg -- we arrived at midnight and used Tiffany Towncar from MCO to the CR and we were booked to take DME back to MCO from BCV but we decided to go with Tiffany on the return also. I simply called DME and canceled our scheduled pick-up. They were so nice when I talked them to them a couple of times regarding our trip.

 

[hstrickland]

Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there!!! Hope you have a Magical Day!!

Heather

 

[dvczerfs]

thanks everyone for all the contemp. tips!!! we arrived on sat, we got an odd number room and on the gift shop side, not chef. mickir side. i have been coming to wdw for a long time and there is nothing like laying in bed, turning chanel 20 on and watching wishes from your bed!!!! thanks again!!!

 

[Carrie in AZ]

thanks everyone for all the contemp. tips!!! we arrived on sat, we got an odd number room and on the gift shop side, not chef. mickir side. i have been coming to wdw for a long time and there is nothing like laying in bed, turning chanel 20 on and watching wishes from your bed!!!! thanks again!!!
__________________
driven 1100 miles each way to walt disney world at least once a year since 1973.started staying on property in 1987,joined dvc in 1999. 38 years and 49 trips and counting!!!

Soooooo happy for you!!!!! It's pure magic, isn't it??????

And, all I can say about your signature information is WOWIE!!!! That is an emormous amount of driving and an enormous amount of trips!!! I'm going to give you a couple of these emoticons:
:

You are definitely what I would call a Disney Expert!! LOL!!

Have a WONDERFUL trip!!!

 

[heatherenae71]

Going in mid-November....how late does the pool stay open and are people even swimming in November?!

What about renting watercraft or parasailing? The day that we go to Animal Kingdom we have nothing planned after the park closes (5:00 p..m.). I was thinking of taking the boat to WL for dinner at WCC - but now am thinking we might play on the water instead if we can do any activities around 6:30 p.m.?

Thanks!!!

 

[rmjkharrisfam]

Question for all of you CR experts - is the extra expense for a Tower Room worth it? We are planning a trip for May 2012 and have settled on CR but now we're confused about rooms. Tower or Garden?

 

[dvczerfs]

Question for all of you CR experts - is the extra expense for a Tower Room worth it? We are planning a trip for May 2012 and have settled on CR but now we're confused about rooms. Tower or Garden?

i see this from my bed everyday and all night.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Going in mid-November....how late does the pool stay open and are people even swimming in November?!

What about renting watercraft or parasailing? The day that we go to Animal Kingdom we have nothing planned after the park closes (5:00 p..m.). I was thinking of taking the boat to WL for dinner at WCC - but now am thinking we might play on the water instead if we can do any activities around 6:30 p.m.?

Thanks!!!

The official posted hours is until 10:00 PM because that's the time when the Lifeguards are finished working and at that time they will also turn the water off that is used when going down the water slide, so that can't be used. However I have seen guests swimming well past 12:00 AM, although it's basically at your own risk without any Lifeguards on duty.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

thanks everyone for all the contemp. tips!!! we arrived on sat, we got an odd number room and on the gift shop side, not chef. mickir side. i have been coming to wdw for a long time and there is nothing like laying in bed, turning chanel 20 on and watching wishes from your bed!!!! thanks again!!!

It's great to read that your having a wonderfull time and thanks for the live update.

 

[cw21726]

Anyone staying there on a convention rate will either get a room in the Tower or Garden Wing, so you won't know until you check-in.

I just plugged the reservation number on the reservation page of WDW.com and it shows Tower. Woot.

 

[WDWKOOK]

I just plugged the reservation number on the reservation page of WDW.com and it shows Tower. Woot.

Is it less than 5 days until your arrival? The reason I ask is because the room assignor will assign your room about 3-5 days prior to arrival.

 

[Jerseyboy254546]

we stayed here once