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

[oasispaul]

Your pictures look great so thanks for posting them.

oasispaul, thanks so much for posting your photos! I know a lot of us have been waiting for any kind of update, and your pictures were great. I love all the new landscaping going in!

You're welcome!

I'll include the rest of my Contemporary pics in my TR. I got some good video of the "Characters in Flight" Balloon (the new, yellow, tethered "hot-air" balloon in downtown disney) from our balcony. I was amazed at everything you could see from our balcony - Downtown Disney, Spaceship Earth, the Swan & Dolphin, Tree of Life, Wilderness Lodge, etc.

Don't get me wrong, MK view would have been terrific, but we were very pleased with the Bay Lake view..

 

[oasispaul]

Hi everybody.
I'm Craig from ContemporaryResort.net.
Thanks for the links to our site and the kind words.

Craig, I just wanted to let you know how much of a resource your site was for our recent trip. Thank you!

 

[BCV23]

Great pictures, oasispaul. Is there a zero entry area in the pool?

 

[Craig-TMIP]

Alright guys, since it looks like it's going to take me a few days before I have time to post a Trip Report, I figured I'd share the Contemporary Pool Area Rehab pics I took this past Monday (5/4).

This is my first attempt at posting pics, so hopefully this works...

Here are a few shots of the pool area taken from the balcony of our room on the 9th floor:


As you can see, there are 2 main fenced-off areas being worked on. One of them is the kids splash play area (I was told this is the area right beneath the waterslide). I couldn't get a straight answer on what the other fenced-off area is going to be. Also, you'll notice a lot of new landscaping, including several palm trees that still have their palms bundled up.

Here are the shots I took of Bay Lake Tower from our balcony:


Hope the pics are helpful!

thanks for sharing your pics!! It's very exciting to see the new progress on the pool and at BLT

 

[Craig-TMIP]

Craig, I just wanted to let you know how much of a resource your site was for our recent trip. Thank you!

thanks for the kind words!

 

[Craig-TMIP]

WDWKOOK,
I made those changes that you mentioned however I believe they do have a sauna, whirlpool and tanning booths, so I did not erase that information. So if someone who is going to the Contemporary very soon can confirm that or I can see for myself when I am there this August.

There is a sauna, its in the hallway on the way to the bathrooms behind the door.
I've never seen tanning beds or whirlpool though.

I plan on adding a fitness center page to our site this year.

 

[Craig-TMIP]

I dont know if it has been brought up before but I was wondering if anybody has brought or thought about bringing a Nintendo Wii. We will be at the contemporary this summer and I was just wondering if this would be possible or if anybody has done this and would like to share their experience.

the front of the new tv's have a red/white/yellow input. I use those to look at pics from my camera while I there. I have also hooked up a dvd player with no problem. I would suggest bringing an extension cord though, there is no power source near the tv.

 

[WDWKOOK]

Just called the Olympiad Health CLub and spoke with a very pleasant CM named Brie. She confirmed that there are NOT any tanning beds, or whirlpool or steam rooms. There is a small dry sauna room back in the area where the rest room is located (as Craig mentioned).

She also confirmed that there is NO additional fee or memberships required to use the gym, unless you aren't a registered guest.

Brie said that she wishes that WDW's own website and other Disney websites were up-to-date, too because people frequently come in and are upset when they can't use a tanning bed or the whirlpool.

 

[oasispaul]

Great pictures, oasispaul. Is there a zero entry area in the pool?

Thanks.
No, as of right now, neither pool has zero entry.

 

[oasispaul]

One other thing I forgot to mention - if you have an Ipod, bring it with you! Every room at the Contemporary has an Ipod alarm clock. I foolishly left my Ipod at home thinking I wouldn't need it. It would have been nice to wake up to our choice of music every morning instead of listening to Stitch screaming "NO MORE SLEEPING!" The first day it was kind of cute. By day 2, I was contemplating which would be worse to wake up to - Stitch screaming at us or the most annoying sound in the world - the alarm clock BEEP-BEEP-BEEP. (Ultimately we determined Stitch was slightly less annoying than the alarm clock siren).

 

[Cmbar]

I know this is going to sound like a dumb question (don't laugh)but...if you are staying on the Bay Lake side, how do you get to the monorail?

Your question is NOT dumb!!

Not sure if you are asking how you would get there if you stayed at Bay Lake Towers (DVC) or on the Bay lake side of the contemporary (garden rooms).

If you are staying at the Contemporary resort in the South garden rooms you would enter the Contemporary and go to the escalator (or elevators) to get to the 4th floor which has all the action on it with shops, arcade and restaurants. This level has an escalator or elevator to the fifth floor which is the monorail entrance.

Now if you are speaking about staying at Bay Lake Tower which opens in August then just go to the bridge that crosses over to the Contp. resort. This is already on the 4th floor and then you would take the specific escalator or elevator to the monorail level (5th floor)

Hope that helps!

 

[BCV23]

No, as of right now, neither pool has zero entry.

Thanks, Paul.

 

[BlueSkies]

Oasis Paul Great pics...thanks from me too...BLT is really looking good....

Craig Let me echo what the others have said...terrfic CR site...

WDWKOOK Thanks to you too for taking the time to get the health club info...so nice of you...

 

[WDWKOOK]

WDWKOOK Thanks to you too for taking the time to get the health club info...so nice of you...

You're welcome, BlueSkies.

I hope you have a great GG at the GF!

 

[WDWKOOK]

Oasispaul,

Good investigatory work! Thank you for making us feel like we're at the CR today.

I'm impressed that you need an alarm to wake-up at the CR. Between the CM table prep. noises, the monorail, and those boat horns, I've never needed one.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Just called the Olympiad Health CLub and spoke with a very pleasant CM named Brie. She confirmed that there are NOT any tanning beds, or whirlpool or steam rooms. There is a small dry sauna room back in the area where the rest room is located (as Craig mentioned).

She also confirmed that there is NO additional fee or memberships required to use the gym, unless you aren't a registered guest.

Brie said that she wishes that WDW's own website and other Disney websites were up-to-date, too because people frequently come in and are upset when they can't use a tanning bed or the whirlpool.

I just updated the 1st page with the information you posted.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

There is a sauna, its in the hallway on the way to the bathrooms behind the door.
I've never seen tanning beds or whirlpool though.

I plan on adding a fitness center page to our site this year.

I can't wait to see the fitness center page, so please let us know when you are going to add it.

 

[brergnat]

For the person who asked about the Wii:

You *could* technically hook one up, but I would see three possible problems.

1. One of the queen beds is DIRECTLY in front of the t.v. It is about 3 feet from the piece of furniture that the t.v. is attached to. Neither is movable...and since I own a Wii and know that you sort of require space from the sensor bar in order for it to work properly, I can see problems with this. There is not adequate open space. You'd have to play from ON the bed, but the bed is high up, and you'd have to place the sensor bar sort of down low, so it may not calibrate properly. Plus, any games that require standing are out.

2. Plugging in the system will be a problem. The closest outlet is on the side wall, under the mirror along the "computer table". This outlet is up high, so it will require an extension cord.

3. I am not sure the Wii and all the accessories (controllers, cords, etc) will fit into the in room safe, IF you have other things you will ALSO need to secure in the safe.

I would really assess how much time you think you'll be in the room playing the Wii, and how much it will be worth it to you if you happen to have it stolen. Personally, I'd leave it home. The arcade at the Contemporary should more than suffice.

 

[brergnat]

I'm impressed that you need an alarm to wake-up at the CR. Between the CM table prep. noises, the monorail, and those boat horns, I've never needed one.

Now, that's just personal experience. When I stayed in the tower last month, I did not hear any of that. I was on the 10th floor, dead center on the MK side. We did hear train whistles, but nothing else. However, once we were up, we STILL did not hear any "tower" noise inside our room (i.e. no noise from the concourse, monorail, chef mickey's etc.)

That's why they make earplugs my friend. I don't even TRY to sleep in hotels without them. Heck, I don't even try to sleep at HOME without them anymore...

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Now, that's just personal experience. When I stayed in the tower last month, I did not hear any of that. I was on the 10th floor, dead center on the MK side. We did hear train whistles, but nothing else. However, once we were up, we STILL did not hear any "tower" noise inside our room (i.e. no noise from the concourse, monorail, chef mickey's etc.)

That's why they make earplugs my friend. I don't even TRY to sleep in hotels without them. Heck, I don't even try to sleep at HOME without them anymore...

With the exception of hearing the noise from Chef Mickey's if our room was around it, (although we don't think it's that bad) we have not heard anything else from the 4th floor and when we have had the Magic Kingdom View the noise from the train is not loud at all. Plus a few years ago we had a Magic Kingdom View room on the 6th floor which was right over the Monorail station and not once did we hear the Monorail go by while we were in our room.