The ALL NEW Disney's Contemporary Resort FAQ with PICTURES! (APR 2009)

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I have a question. In some pics of Contemporary, I saw a picture of an escalator (mispelled? sorry) and stairswith a sign above that said to Restuarants. Is this in the lobby? I don't remember seeing this when I was there in '08. Where is this?? We are in the Garden Wing this time and it would be much faster to use this instead of waiting on the elevator for the 4th floor if busy. Thanks!!

I believe this is the sign you are asking about and these picture were taken in front of the esclator in the lobby.

 

[mdrob214]

Here is a (convention) map of the 2nd floor showing the escalator.

When you are checking-in one set of escalators are behind you. These escalators go as high as the Concourse, but you have to get off at the 2nd floor and walk around to the next set that go to the Concourse.

To take it from the garden wing, you would have to climb the tall, steep flight of stairs that are outside the back of the Tower building (next to the garden wing and facing the pool) that lead to the 2nd floor convention area. From here you can take the escalator up to the 4th floor.

The other escalator on the opposite side of the CR on the Concourse level, near the bathrooms and elevators, only goes to the monorail platform.

You don't HAVE to climb those steps. You can come into the main building on the first floor, take the escalator--directly across from the lobby conceirge desk-- up to the next level, then go around the corner and take another escalator up to the concourse level (4th floor).

We often took the lazy way out and took the escalator up, but took the outside stairs down from the second level. The benefit to going into the tower on the first floor, is that you're covered the whole way. Those outdoor steps are not covered from the elements.

 

[WDWKOOK]

You don't HAVE to climb those steps. You can come into the main building on the first floor, take the escalator--directly across from the lobby conceirge desk-- up to the next level, then go around the corner and take another escalator up to the concourse level (4th floor).

We often took the lazy way out and took the escalator up, but took the outside stairs down from the second level. The benefit to going into the tower on the first floor, is that you're covered the whole way. Those outdoor steps are not covered from the elements.

Thanks for mentioning what I didn't.

 

[A MK Family]

Hello All!
This is my very first post on DIS. I have been lurking for well over a year and finally joined.
Last April this thread was such a great help in planning our first CR stay. We walked in to our MK view and my DD (then 3) declared the room her new home.
We have booked to go back March 15-22 theme park view and can't wait.
Thanks for all the great tips and I will stay tuned for more

 

[csaribay]

Thanks! That helps. So looking at the map, the std. rooms seem to be 5152-5168 (5252-5268, 5352-5368) . Does that sound correct? Also, do you remember your std. view room number? I'm leaning toward a first floor request, so we can have a patio, or would it be better to be higher, since we will probably have a parking lot view

This is mostly correct. Rooms 6_29 and 6_30 (_ being the floor #) are also considered standard view rooms as they are considered to be obstructed.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

We just booked one more night for our June trip!!! Why stay for 10 when you can stay for 11??? (thank you Southwest for making such a HUGE price difference between Sunday and Monday flights! )

Anyway, since we have ALOT of resort time planned, does anyone happen to remember what days of the week they do movies on the beach?? I can't find my resort info sheet from last June for anything!

Thanks!!!

PS: Welcome out of lurkdoom A MK Family and WDWKOOK, your Toonces picture cracks me up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mdrob214]

Thanks for mentioning what I didn't.

Just didn't want anyone to be scared of those long steps!

 

[WDWKOOK]

Hello All!
This is my very first post on DIS. I have been lurking for well over a year and finally joined.
Last April this thread was such a great help in planning our first CR stay. We walked in to our MK view and my DD (then 3) declared the room her new home.
We have booked to go back March 15-22 theme park view and can't wait.
Thanks for all the great tips and I will stay tuned for more

We're flattered that you chose the CR thread for your first post! I think mine was probably here as well (when I finally stopped lurking). Have you made all your ADRs?

Have a great vacation and stop by here anytime.

 

[WDWKOOK]

We just booked one more night for our June trip!!! Why stay for 10 when you can stay for 11??? (thank you Southwest for making such a HUGE price difference between Sunday and Monday flights! )

Anyway, since we have ALOT of resort time planned, does anyone happen to remember what days of the week they do movies on the beach?? I can't find my resort info sheet from last June for anything!

Thanks!!!

PS: Welcome out of lurkdoom A MK Family and WDWKOOK, your Toonces picture cracks me up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yippee!! Don't forget to add that extra day of ADRs. Despite being a very serious cat, Toonces appreciates that he cracks you up. He's trying to sign-up for the Richard Petty Driving Experience, but needs someone to drive for him. Maybe for your birthday?

Movies are shown everyday. Here is the movie schedule for January:

CR Movie Schedule:

Sunday
1/10 Cars
1/ 17 Monsters Inc
1/ 24 The Incredibles
1/31 31 A Bug's Life

Monday
1/11 Echanted
1/ 18 Sleeping Beauty(See our Princess Page)
1/ 25 The Princess Diaries 2

Tuesday
1/12 Camp Rock
1/ 19 Princess Protection Program
1/ 26 Hannah Montanna: The Movie

Wednesday
1/13 Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
1/20 UP
1/ 27 Race Tto Witch Mountain

Thursday
1/14 The Fox and the Hound
1/ 21 Robin Hood
1/ 28 The Rescuers Down Under

Friday
1/8 Finding Nemo
1/ 15 Swiss Family Robinson
1/ 22 Lilo & Stitch
1/ 29 The Jungle Book

Saturday
1/9 Mary Poppins
1/ 16 The Parent Trap
1/23 Freaky Friday
1/30 G-Force

Just didn't want anyone to be scared of those long steps!

 

[Cinderumbrella]

Yippee!! Don't forget to add that extra day of ADRs. Despite being a very serious cat, Toonces appreciates that he cracks you up. He's trying to sign-up for the Richard Petty Driving Experience, but needs someone to drive for him. Maybe for your birthday?

Movies are shown everyday. Here is the movie schedule for January:

CR Movie Schedule:

Sunday
1/10 Cars
1/ 17 Monsters Inc
1/ 24 The Incredibles
1/31 31 A Bug's Life

Monday
1/11 Echanted
1/ 18 Sleeping Beauty(See our Princess Page)
1/ 25 The Princess Diaries 2

Tuesday
1/12 Camp Rock
1/ 19 Princess Protection Program
1/ 26 Hannah Montanna: The Movie

Wednesday
1/13 Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
1/20 UP
1/ 27 Race Tto Witch Mountain

Thursday
1/14 The Fox and the Hound
1/ 21 Robin Hood
1/ 28 The Rescuers Down Under

Friday
1/8 Finding Nemo
1/ 15 Swiss Family Robinson
1/ 22 Lilo & Stitch
1/ 29 The Jungle Book

Saturday
1/9 Mary Poppins
1/ 16 The Parent Trap
1/23 Freaky Friday
1/30 G-Force

I didn't realize they were every day now (Hooray!!!) I already spent the last couple of hours flip flopping all kinds of ADR's to accomodate the changes and luckily I wasn't shut out of anything we wanted.

Still laughing about Toonces (I don't think I even want him to ride shotgun with me...that cat has some bad juju when it comes to driving! )

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Hello All!
This is my very first post on DIS. I have been lurking for well over a year and finally joined.
Last April this thread was such a great help in planning our first CR stay. We walked in to our MK view and my DD (then 3) declared the room her new home.
We have booked to go back March 15-22 theme park view and can't wait.
Thanks for all the great tips and I will stay tuned for more

Welcome to the thread and it's great you enjoyed your previous stay at the Contemporary, plus have a great time on your next one. Also if you have any others questions go right ahead and ask.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

We just booked one more night for our June trip!!! Why stay for 10 when you can stay for 11??? (thank you Southwest for making such a HUGE price difference between Sunday and Monday flights! )

Congragulations on being able to add an extra night and I always say the more the better.

 

[MHTeacher]

We didn't spend much time enjoying our "garden" view either, but there simply weren't any standard view rooms when we booked. I suspect this is very common ... those rooms are a considerable value with an AP discount, especially when you consider a family of 5 like ours.

I also want to comment that you may well find that a first floor request will be very pleasant as the walk area between the garden building and the parking lot is very heavily planted. You will not likely be gawking at license plates.

Thanks LandChildWorldAdult ! I totally agree about the AP discount. That's why I'm looking at Contemporary for our May trip.

Good to know the landscaping is heavy enough to block out the parking lot if I'm on the first floor. So your recommendation would be to request 1st floor?

This is mostly correct. Rooms 6_29 and 6_30 (_ being the floor #) are also considered standard view rooms as they are considered to be obstructed.

Thanks csaribay! I will look at the other rooms you mentioned on the master map layout. Any recommendations?

 

[scrdofbugs]

Here is a (convention) map of the 2nd floor showing the escalator.

When you are checking-in one set of escalators are behind you. These escalators go as high as the Concourse, but you have to get off at the 2nd floor and walk around to the next set that go to the Concourse.

To take it from the garden wing, you would have to climb the tall, steep flight of stairs that are outside the back of the Tower building (next to the garden wing and facing the pool) that lead to the 2nd floor convention area. From here you can take the escalator up to the 4th floor.

The other escalator on the opposite side of the CR on the Concourse level, near the bathrooms and elevators, only goes to the monorail platform.

Thanks so much!!!

 

[WDWKOOK]

Thanks so much!!!

You're welcome. Don't forget to take a look at the top of page 217 at mdrob214's additional escalator comments. And we'd love it if you'd post photos of your Deluxe room

 

[A MK Family]

Thanks for the welcome.

I am very excited that our trip is now 47 days away. We love being able to walk to the magic kindgom with our DDs 2& 4. I do have a couple questions though...

Last year the splash area was still under construction. It looks like it is fairly separate from the main pool are there chairs or anything around so that I can sit and relax while my little ones play?

Also can you book the cabana's before you go? Last year we got one and absolutely loved it. It was great with the tv so when the kids started to get tired they could sit in the shade and watch their fav dis movie. While I ofcourse enjoyed the warm florida sun!!

One more - I think I heard on this thread that they do campfires with marshmellows for kids. Is that every night?

WDWKOOK - Thanks for the movie schedule think it will be everynight in March too? Also I have made my adr's I actually think I might I have went a little over board - I have 18 for 8 days (we are doing the dxdp again). We love the dxdp because we find we can get milk and snacks for our little one who isn't on the plan. I just wished is still included gratuities...oh well!

 

[Cinderumbrella]

MK Family, we do alot of ADR's as well. In fact we have 21 for an 11 day trip (which is actually a few less than normal for us). We like to TS at least 2 times per day. I am a firm believer in the power of an hour in the A/C at lunch time to recharge your batteries. We TiW now instead of DxDDP (but I sure am going to miss all those snack credits this June when I buy all those bottles of water!!)

Also, while I am thinking of it, there were threads going around in the past couple of weeks wondering why there was no CR availability the week of 6/13. There is now for the tower rooms and deluxe GW. That is how we were able to add our extra night. HTH someone!!

 

[Disneymama5816]

Thanks! That helps. So looking at the map, the std. rooms seem to be 5152-5168 (5252-5268, 5352-5368) . Does that sound correct? Also, do you remember your std. view room number? I'm leaning toward a first floor request, so we can have a patio, or would it be better to be higher, since we will probably have a parking lot view?

Thinking we may stay at CR during our May trip, but will just want the std. view. I've realized during our past eight trips that while a view may be nice, we really just don't stay in the room enough to merit its cost.

Unfortunately, I don't remember our room number. I do remember it was on the second floor. Didn't like that as much with small children. I suggest requesting first floor for the patios. I don't think the view will change much no matter what floor you are on.

 

[WDWKOOK]

More pictures of the Castle rehab taken on 1-25:

http://www.disunplugged.com/2010/01/15/disney-is-sprucing-up-cinderella-castle-at-magic-kingdom/

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Thanks for the welcome.

I am very excited that our trip is now 47 days away. We love being able to walk to the magic kindgom with our DDs 2& 4. I do have a couple questions though...

Last year the splash area was still under construction. It looks like it is fairly separate from the main pool are there chairs or anything around so that I can sit and relax while my little ones play?

Also can you book the cabana's before you go? Last year we got one and absolutely loved it. It was great with the tv so when the kids started to get tired they could sit in the shade and watch their fav dis movie. While I ofcourse enjoyed the warm florida sun!!

One more - I think I heard on this thread that they do campfires with marshmellows for kids. Is that every night?

There are pool chairs located very close or right by the splash play area.

Yes I believe you can book the cabana's in advance.

I don't think the campfires is every night, so I would check to see the dates when your there.