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

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

As BLT and the CR would each have their own pool, and the walkway between BLT and CR will be key access for BLT guests only, my guess is that the BLT pool will only be for BLT guests.

I realize there would be nothing to look at but what if some Contemporary guests wanted to walk into the lobby of Bay Lake Tower and look around, are they going to allow that since WDW wants guests to look around their different resorts. Unless they are going to make guests insert their KTTW cards when entering from there, although that I can not see happening.

 

[spaceace510]

I realize there would be nothing to look at but what if some Contemporary guests wanted to walk into the lobby of Bay Lake Tower and look around, are they going to allow that since WDW wants guests to look around their different resorts. Unless they are going to make guests insert their KTTW cards when entering from there, although that I can not see happening.

Well I wouldn't count it out. I mean check-in for BLT is in CR. Guest will be escorted to BLT via the fourth floor. So the BLT lobby really has no real purpose except as a lounge area i guess. So they just might key card it. Just like the individual long houses at the Poly require a KTTWC for entrance. If they key card the fourth floor bridge, which in my opinion is the true main entrance, I think they will probably key card the ground entrance too

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Well I wouldn't count it out. I mean check-in for BLT is in CR. Guest will be escorted to BLT via the fourth floor. So the BLT lobby really has no real purpose except as a lounge area i guess. So they just might key card it. Just like the individual long houses at the Poly require a KTTWC for entrance. If they key card the fourth floor bridge, which in my opinion is the true main entrance, I think they will probably key card the ground entrance too

Well I guess we will find out on August 4th to find out exactly what they will be doing.

I also thought the only Longhouses at the Polynesian which require KTTW card access is Hawaii because it's their Club Level building and Tonga which is their Suite/Club Level building, so that means anyone can walk into the other Longhouses.

 

[TinkTatoo]

....I agree. And after the period of adjustment when BLT opens, hopefully things will settle down and guests at both sides of the resort will be happy with the way everything shakes out.

Hopefully it will work out

......I also wish they would block access for DVC members to swim at the Contemporary pool because if they got denied access to the Bay Lake Tower then what if someone says let's just swim at the Contemporary. However I would not mind if they kept the rule saying Bay Lake Tower guests can swim at the Contemporary since that has already been mentioned as something they can do. Personally I think it makes sense because it might cause even more over crowding to the Contemporary pool with the Contemporary guests and for those from Bay Lake Tower if they choose to swim there, so what do you think?

One of the perks of DVC membership is the ability to hop to other resort pools so any DVC guest staying at any resort on points could swim at the CR if they wanted. TBH though we rarely use the pool hoping privilege as we're usually happy enough to swim at the resort we're staying at.

I don't see the CR pool being extra crowded once BLT opens, when ever we've stayed there the pool has never had that overcrowded feel that you get at the Poly so I really can't see a few extra BLT guests making that much difference.

Well I wouldn't count it out. I mean check-in for BLT is in CR. Guest will be escorted to BLT via the fourth floor. So the BLT lobby really has no real purpose except as a lounge area i guess. So they just might key card it. Just like the individual long houses at the Poly require a KTTWC for entrance. If they key card the fourth floor bridge, which in my opinion is the true main entrance, I think they will probably key card the ground entrance too

If you have to check in at the CR then I'd probably agree that access to most of BLT will be by key card. We'll see on the 4th

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

One of the perks of DVC membership is the ability to hop to other resort pools so any DVC guest staying at any resort on points could swim at the CR if they wanted. TBH though we rarely use the pool hoping privilege as we're usually happy enough to swim at the resort we're staying at.

I don't see the CR pool being extra crowded once BLT opens, when ever we've stayed there the pool has never had that overcrowded feel that you get at the Poly so I really can't see a few extra BLT guests making that much difference.

Oh believe me I know that a perk of DVC member is being able to pool hopp. I was just thinking since pool hopping to Bay Lake Tower is going to be off limits for anyone not staying there, wouldn't it make sense to do the same thing for the Contemporary pool if those guests decide to swim there if they are turned away at Bay Lake Tower, plus since it will be brand new I am sure other DVC members might try to pool hopp there. So that's what I meant about the Contemporary pool being more crowded because I doubt Bay Lake Tower guests swimming there would cause any problems. Basically it would be the same rules for the Contemporary which they have at Stormalong Bay, however the difference will be only Contemporary and Bay Lake Tower guests will have access to the Contemporary pool.

 

[spaceace510]

Well I guess we will find out on August 4th to find out exactly what they will be doing.

I also thought the only Longhouses at the Polynesian which require KTTW card access is Hawaii because it's their Club Level building and Tonga which is their Suite/Club Level building, so that means anyone can walk into the other Longhouses.

Nope. Cuase my room was in Fiji and it was key carded. I guess, we can look at it like this. There is nothing but rooms in the longhouses and there is nothing but rooms in BLT. But we will see...

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Nope. Cuase my room was in Fiji and it was key carded. I guess, we can look at it like this. There is nothing but rooms in the longhouses and there is nothing but rooms in BLT. But we will see...

Oh I had no idea all the Longhouses were like that, so I just learned something new. I also agree that if the lobby entrance to Bay Lake Tower also requires a KTTW card to enter the front doors that would be a good comparison. However I also think it goes against WDW telling guest that they encourage others to visit their resorts, because you would think a main entrance is for everyone and it's nothing like the skybridge.

 

[bmb3]

We just upgraded our August vacation to the Contemporary! This will be our first deluxe experience - and we couldn't be MORE excited to be on a monorail resort!

We booked a room in the Garden Wing - what are the odds of being upgraded to the tower? We'll be coming in late on a Sunday evening (8-9pm).

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

We just upgraded our August vacation to the Contemporary! This will be our first deluxe experience - and we couldn't be MORE excited to be on a monorail resort!

We booked a room in the Garden Wing - what are the odds of being upgraded to the tower? We'll be coming in late on a Sunday evening (8-9pm).

Congragulations and have a great time. As for being upgraded to the Tower I always say if you want to stay there and can afford the cost right now then you should try to make a reservation for it, because there is no guarantee of being upgraded when you check-in. This way you won't be disappointed if your not upgraed. Also even if you read different posts of guests getting upgraded don't think it happens all the time, because you don't read about all the others who never got upgraded.

 

[Cmbar]

Congragulations and have a great time. As for being upgraded to the Tower I always say if you want to stay there and can afford the cost right now then you should try to make a reservation for it, because there is guarantee of being upgraded when you check-in. This way you won't be disappointed if your not upgraed. Also even if you read different posts of guests getting upgraded don't think it happens all the time, because you don't read about all the others who never got upgraded.

CRFAN!
I think you meant to say "there is NO guarantee of being upgraded!"

I agree with CR FAN. If you really really want to stay in the tower book it. But there is always the possibility of being upgraded. I actually think you have a fair shot arriving so late. But in all our trips to Disney we have never been upgraded. I would say don't put any "requests" on your room location so that you aren't flagged and given your room request. Just leave it to luck and sometime you can be lucky! Either way, the resort is lovely and you will have a blast!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

CRFAN!
I think you meant to say "there is NO guarantee of being upgraded!"

Yes that's what I meant to say and I just edited my previous reply.

 

[spaceace510]

Oh I had no idea all the Longhouses were like that, so I just learned something new. I also agree that if the lobby entrance to Bay Lake Tower also requires a KTTW card to enter the front doors that would be a good comparison. However I also think it goes against WDW telling guest that they encourage others to visit their resorts, because you would think a main entrance is for everyone and it's nothing like the skybridge.

As true as that may be... I feel like with them putting everything in CR, from check-in, shops, food, and everything else, I think that when Disney would say check out BLT, they would point them to CR since that is where basically everything is. Cause they can build a model room and show them that, put you can't replicate CR's fourth floor

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

As true as that may be... I feel like with them putting everything in CR, from check-in, shops, food, and everything else, I think that when Disney would say check out BLT, they would point them to CR since that is where basically everything is. Cause they can build a model room and show them that, put you can't replicate CR's fourth floor

That's a very good observation.

 

[Disneymama5816]

Oh I had no idea all the Longhouses were like that, so I just learned something new. I also agree that if the lobby entrance to Bay Lake Tower also requires a KTTW card to enter the front doors that would be a good comparison. However I also think it goes against WDW telling guest that they encourage others to visit their resorts, because you would think a main entrance is for everyone and it's nothing like the skybridge.

Actually we have stayed at the Poly 3 x and the only time we had to use out KTTW card to get into our longhouses was after 10pm in the evening. Perhaps the use of keycards to get into all the longhouses all the time, is a new security thing. The last time we stayed there was Aug 07.

 

[angboys3]

Just got back from our stay at the Contemporary! We had an awesome stay. We were picked as family of the day and got upgraded from our Garden room, to Bay Lake on the 10th floor. We loved being on the monorail, it was so easy to come back mid day for a break. The only thing, we didn't like was the food at Contempo Cafe, it really wasn't very good. (only thing I really liked was the chicken pasta dish, and they had a great german chocolate dessert) The hamburger was okay, as was the roast beef sandwich. My husband didn't like the flatbread.

There seemed to be tons of buses to Animal Kingdom, we always seemed to have to wait for anything else though, we waited 30 mins for HS one day, the Poly guests say they had waited 40 mins. We were glad to be at Contemporary though as we got a seat on the bus.

By the way, night time is the time to take Magic Express. We took it at 6:30 pm bus to terminal B (we were the only family on it), then stayed the night at the Hyatt inside the airport. We were able to sleep in the next morning and just take the elevator down stairs to our airport check in. The Hyatt was very nice and cheaper then another night at Contemporary plus we didn't have to wake up quite so early.

 

[WDWKOOK]

Thank you for your CR TR!

It looks like the CC is still getting mixed reviews. Sorry to hear that your HS bus wait was quite long; I can't imagine what it might be like after BLT opens...

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Just got back from our stay at the Contemporary! We had an awesome stay. We were picked as family of the day and got upgraded from our Garden room, to Bay Lake on the 10th floor. We loved being on the monorail, it was so easy to come back mid day for a break. The only thing, we didn't like was the food at Contempo Cafe, it really wasn't very good. (only thing I really liked was the chicken pasta dish, and they had a great german chocolate dessert) The hamburger was okay, as was the roast beef sandwich. My husband didn't like the flatbread.

There seemed to be tons of buses to Animal Kingdom, we always seemed to have to wait for anything else though, we waited 30 mins for HS one day, the Poly guests say they had waited 40 mins. We were glad to be at Contemporary though as we got a seat on the bus.

By the way, night time is the time to take Magic Express. We took it at 6:30 pm bus to terminal B (we were the only family on it), then stayed the night at the Hyatt inside the airport. We were able to sleep in the next morning and just take the elevator down stairs to our airport check in. The Hyatt was very nice and cheaper then another night at Contemporary plus we didn't have to wake up quite so early.

Thanks for posting your review and it's to bad you didn't enjoy the Contempo Cafe that much, however everyone will have a different opinion about any counter service location. As for the buses I guess they still don't have that program fixed where you will no longer see the same bus destination arrive back to back.

 

[angboys3]

Thanks for posting your review and it's to bad you didn't enjoy the Contempo Cafe that much, however everyone will have a different opinion about any counter service location. As for the buses I guess they still don't have that program fixed where you will no longer see the same bus destination arrive back to back.

We ate at CC at least three times and I can say it was the probably one of the worst CS we had a Disney. Suprising the Mexico CS at Epcot was the best, and we are pretty picky about our mexican food. CC is trying to go healthier and more upscale but the food just wasn't up to it yet. In fact, we went back to MK one night instead of staying in our room, mainly because we couldn't face it again. However, I can say their chicken pasta was quite good, too bad, we didn't discover it till the end and their desserts were all good. We also ate dinner at Chef Mickey's which we thought was great.

There was someone charting the bus arrivals so maybe they were still working on it. However, if you want to go to AK or BB you are in bus heaven! DTD and HS not so much.

Overall, we loved the Contemporary though and would stay at it again over Poly or Grand Floridan just for the convience to MK and first dibs on the bus, not to mention the free upgrade. We never swam at the pool, just because we went to both waterparks so can't comment on it.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

We ate at CC at least three times and I can say it was the probably one of the worst CS we had a Disney. Suprising the Mexico CS at Epcot was the best, and we are pretty picky about our mexican food. CC is trying to go healthier and more upscale but the food just wasn't up to it yet. In fact, we went back to MK one night instead of staying in our room, mainly because we couldn't face it again. However, I can say their chicken pasta was quite good, too bad, we didn't discover it till the end and their desserts were all good. We also ate dinner at Chef Mickey's which we thought was great.

There was someone charting the bus arrivals so maybe they were still working on it. However, if you want to go to AK or BB you are in bus heaven! DTD and HS not so much.

Overall, we loved the Contemporary though and would stay at it again over Poly or Grand Floridan just for the convience to MK and first dibs on the bus, not to mention the free upgrade. We never swam at the pool, just because we went to both waterparks so can't comment on it.

Like I said before if you didn't like the Contempo Cafe that's your opinion because we are all different. Did you also think of trying the counter service locations at the Polynesian or Grand Floridian, because both of them are also good locations.

I will say your right about the Animal Kingdom/Blizzard Beach bus because it was last August when the Cast Member there told us about the new system of never seeing the same location arrive back to back, a bus for the Animal Kingdom/Blizzard Beach just left and we were told the next one should be for Hollywood Studios which is where we were going. Well the next bus that arrived was for the Animal Kingdom/Blizzard Beach.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Just a few minutes ago I added room tip #10 and here it is.

When making a convention reservation you will get whatever room they will assign you, because you would get a very good rate and don't have the option to choose to the Magic Kingdom View, Bay Lake View or a Garden Wing room.

I also added a section for the covention center with a link to it's website and posted the main information from there, if anyone is intrested in looking at it.