HockeyChick
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2005
- Messages
- 213
We just got back....first stay at CR. We were there 12/12 through today. Loved the Contemporary! The location and the view cannot be beat.
We got an odd numbered room, as requested (thanks to all of you!!), on the 9th floor. We were in the very last room on the CM side (MK view). When I realized we were right above CM I was a bit nervous because I'd read some complaints about how loud it can be...especially at 7am, and we were planning to have a sleep-in kind of trip. Well, we could definitely hear CM when we were awake but, it never woke us up or kept us up. Not a problem at all...once you get that song out of your head.
The other mild complaint I remember reading here was in regards to Mousekeeping. That was probably the low-light for us, though nothing I would even mention had it not been a topic of discussion already. I think they provided the bare-minimum. My last stay (in October) was concierge level at AKL so, maybe I have an unrealistic expectation. But our last stay at Poly was not concierge and I feel the Mousekeeping was much better.
Our room was clean, but not sparkling (if I'd had some cleaner I'd have touched up a few spots, lol). Our Mousekeeper knocked on our door prior to 9am when the "Do Not Disturb" sign was up twice. The staff in the hallways were not at all friendly and one this morning was nearly rude. No additional toiletries were provided after our arrival day, even after the original shampoo bottle was very near empty and the soap was nearly down to a sliver. We had to call for washclothes on one day....no new ones were left and the used ones, which we had re-hung to indicate we'd like to reuse, were gone. And not one towel animal all week. Obviously, that would have been an extra and was certainly not expected....though I admit, I have come to expect some extras from WDW. Oh, and one day when we returned to our room there was a large puddle of water (I hope) in the floor....no idea if that had anything to do with Mousekeeping but, we couldn't figure out where it had come from!! But I think most of that really is nit-picking as I don't think I'd be mentioning it had it not come up here and I wanted to provide a full, honest impression.
The front desk staff was awesome, we were afforded a late check-out today, the view was unbelievable, and the walking path to MK is the best! I don't truely feel I have any complaints.
I felt the transportation options went very well. We used the walking path, took the monorail, took a water launch to the Wilderness Lodge to see the Christmas tree, and took all the buses. No long waits, no hold-ups at all. Apparently we missed an extremely long delay on the monorail by mere minutes Saturday night, however. We were eating in Citricos and half of the party at a neighboring table was delayed over an hour on the monorail. It sounded terrible! But we lucked out.
The sinks definitely do not drain fully but, I didn't find it to be much of an issue. I was concerned we'd have a hard time washing toothpaste residue out of the "trough" but, it seems to rinse well....just some residue water is left. Didn't bother us, and neither did the lack of counter space (both of our toiletry bags fit between the two sinks).
The beds were comfy and the rooms are HUGE. And we loved being about to hear the Wishes and Holiday Wishes music on channel 20 while we watched the show!
We only ate at the Contempo this trip. Couldn't fit The Wave in and couldn't get an ADR at Cali Grill (but have eaten there numerous times and can attest to its excellence!). We actually had a CM ADR and canceled it. We never saw Chip and Dale there and that's who I was going for. It was fun to watch Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Pluto make the rounds from outside our room, though.
About the beach question above....I believe I saw that there was a beach by the garden wing but, I didn't actually experience it for myself.
Anyway, great trip and the view of the castle, especially with the Christmas lights, is worth every cent I paid to stay there. I think we still like the Poly best (just find the theme more to our taste) but I love the CR as well! Thanks to everyone here for all the info!
Just found out my hockey team might be starting out next season in Finland so, we didn't book the bounceback in order to save for that trip....but I sure hope we can get back soon!
We got an odd numbered room, as requested (thanks to all of you!!), on the 9th floor. We were in the very last room on the CM side (MK view). When I realized we were right above CM I was a bit nervous because I'd read some complaints about how loud it can be...especially at 7am, and we were planning to have a sleep-in kind of trip. Well, we could definitely hear CM when we were awake but, it never woke us up or kept us up. Not a problem at all...once you get that song out of your head.
The other mild complaint I remember reading here was in regards to Mousekeeping. That was probably the low-light for us, though nothing I would even mention had it not been a topic of discussion already. I think they provided the bare-minimum. My last stay (in October) was concierge level at AKL so, maybe I have an unrealistic expectation. But our last stay at Poly was not concierge and I feel the Mousekeeping was much better.
Our room was clean, but not sparkling (if I'd had some cleaner I'd have touched up a few spots, lol). Our Mousekeeper knocked on our door prior to 9am when the "Do Not Disturb" sign was up twice. The staff in the hallways were not at all friendly and one this morning was nearly rude. No additional toiletries were provided after our arrival day, even after the original shampoo bottle was very near empty and the soap was nearly down to a sliver. We had to call for washclothes on one day....no new ones were left and the used ones, which we had re-hung to indicate we'd like to reuse, were gone. And not one towel animal all week. Obviously, that would have been an extra and was certainly not expected....though I admit, I have come to expect some extras from WDW. Oh, and one day when we returned to our room there was a large puddle of water (I hope) in the floor....no idea if that had anything to do with Mousekeeping but, we couldn't figure out where it had come from!! But I think most of that really is nit-picking as I don't think I'd be mentioning it had it not come up here and I wanted to provide a full, honest impression.
The front desk staff was awesome, we were afforded a late check-out today, the view was unbelievable, and the walking path to MK is the best! I don't truely feel I have any complaints.
I felt the transportation options went very well. We used the walking path, took the monorail, took a water launch to the Wilderness Lodge to see the Christmas tree, and took all the buses. No long waits, no hold-ups at all. Apparently we missed an extremely long delay on the monorail by mere minutes Saturday night, however. We were eating in Citricos and half of the party at a neighboring table was delayed over an hour on the monorail. It sounded terrible! But we lucked out.
The sinks definitely do not drain fully but, I didn't find it to be much of an issue. I was concerned we'd have a hard time washing toothpaste residue out of the "trough" but, it seems to rinse well....just some residue water is left. Didn't bother us, and neither did the lack of counter space (both of our toiletry bags fit between the two sinks).
The beds were comfy and the rooms are HUGE. And we loved being about to hear the Wishes and Holiday Wishes music on channel 20 while we watched the show!
We only ate at the Contempo this trip. Couldn't fit The Wave in and couldn't get an ADR at Cali Grill (but have eaten there numerous times and can attest to its excellence!). We actually had a CM ADR and canceled it. We never saw Chip and Dale there and that's who I was going for. It was fun to watch Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Pluto make the rounds from outside our room, though.
About the beach question above....I believe I saw that there was a beach by the garden wing but, I didn't actually experience it for myself.
Anyway, great trip and the view of the castle, especially with the Christmas lights, is worth every cent I paid to stay there. I think we still like the Poly best (just find the theme more to our taste) but I love the CR as well! Thanks to everyone here for all the info!
Just found out my hockey team might be starting out next season in Finland so, we didn't book the bounceback in order to save for that trip....but I sure hope we can get back soon!
That bounceback is is pretty good..that is the rate I booked at this time.
) for all of the information in preparation for this trip.
As long as I can see some sort of changing lights from the castle at night, I'll be good 
Maybe he'll have heard something about it and will share when he gets back?
.
not foe me.
I think I'm going to ride it out and hope for the best. There is actually nothing else available to book at the CR, or I would do just that. I was thinking of switching to BLV or a garden wing, but the only thing left is either $4000, $5000 or $12000 more!
Now I am worried and I don't go until May. I truly understand where you're coming from spending all that money on a room with a great view and not being able to maximize on it.
That made my day! 
