WOOOOOHOOOOOO!!!!! I'm planning again! Now I need info on CR!

[Familyof6]

I haven't been on these boards for quite some time, but I had to get on here to get some info on CR!!! We are planning another trip. We had our "trip of a lifetime" last May. Now dh has given me the go-ahead to plan another trip for this coming spring vacation! (budget this time) I don't really know anything about the CR, but that's where we're staying (since SOG is closed). Of course, we'll be in the North Garden Wing. Any help would be most appreciated. What should I know about the resort before we get there?
There are 6 of us...myself, dh, ds12, dd10, dd7 and dd3. I've read that there is no kiddie pool. What about the pool hours? I know the pool at GF is open 24/7...is that also true at CR?
What are the rooms like? We'll have two...and have requested connecting rooms. I don't expect to spend much time in the rooms anyway, but I'd like to know what to expect.
What kind of treatment should I expect? I thought I remembered reading that military staying at CR were not treated as well as the other guests. True or not? (this would have been last spring) What are some other experiences at CR?

Thanks for your help! I can't wait for the real planning to begin now!

Lisa

 

[suevee]

The rooms at Cr are almost as large as SoG. There will be plenty of room. I would request a room closest to the Tower for easy access to the monorail and Food Courts. Also I like to pay the $10 extra for a ground floor on the poolside. It makes it a lot easier to get to and from the water activities. I don't think CR has any bad views. If you get the parking lot view, you also get Cindy's castle. Also it is a quick WALK to MK and you are the first dropoff coming back on the monorail. The access to MK and Epcot is incredible!!!!!

The thing I miss about SoG is the cheaper restaurants (Evergreen Grill and Buffet Breakfast for $5.99) Be prepared to either bring your own food for some meals, go outside of Disney, or pay, pay, pay!!!!

 

[mayflower]

We just returned from a stay at CR through SOG. We had connecting rooms on the 2nd floor in the north garden wing. We were close to the main building so it made for convienent entry to the Food and Fun center to fill up our resort mugs. Had we been on the other end of the hall it would have been a bit of a walk. The rooms were large and clean. We could see (and hear loudly) the water parade at 10pm every night. The pool is open 24/7. Life guards were on duty 10-7. There is a slide at the main pool that is open when the life guards are there. That was a huge attraction for DS 7 and 10. There is no kiddie pool but the pool is not too deep and will probably be okay for 3 yo. As for treatment, I had read here about the poor treatment of SOG guests, but I did not feel that way at all. In fact they checked us in the same as everyone else. When we made the reservations, DH was told to bring LES and his badge to prove pay grade and identification. We were never asked to produce those things. We did not go the the SOG office for anything as we had purchased our tickets through PNSY prior to going.

 

[Joan S.]

Lisa, We are also a military family and I am thinking of staying at CR in July2003. What are your dates in the Spring ? And how long ago did you make the reservation? Thanks for your help! I had tried at the beginning of Sep. for Feb. 2003 but they were all booked.I am now waiting for Disney to release "overflow rates" to SOG. (even the waitlist was full at CR!) Joan

 

[Magic2000]

We stayed at CR in 2000 and really enjoyed our stay here! (We're not military) We had gotten an AP discount though.

The CMs were very nice, our room was in the North Garden Wing and it was perfect to us! It was just a short walk to the main bldg, and usually, we walked to the MK and then took the monorail back. The pool area was very nice - slide was fun for the kids (OK, fun for me too!).

I think you'll enjoy your stay! The room was very clean, two queen beds and the day bed, the bathroom was large and it was perfect for our family of 5! We could also see the MK fireworks from our window!

 

[CaliforniaDreaming]

I love the Contemporary! It's such a cool resort, truly a "Disney original!" I'm sure you'll have a great stay there! I actually tried to book a room there for my trip next month, but, the place is sold out! I was so disappointed, so, we'll be at the Beach Club instead (I had hoped for the Contemporary, Polynesian, or Grand Floridian, but my only choices were Beach Club or Animal Kingdom Lodge).

Anyways, for a NGW room, I'd ask for a room with a patio. None of the upper floor rooms have balconies.

 

[Familyof6]

I really appreciate the responses I got. Let me see if I can address some questions asked of me and ask more questions of you folks.
CaliD, so glad to hear that you enjoy the CR. Knowing how much you love the GF and being that it's the only place we've stayed at WDW, it makes me feel that we'll be fine staying at CR. We fully understand that it'll be a far cry from the exceptional vacation we took last May.
Joan, I called last Thursday and made our ressies. We are going from 29 Apr -3 May. It's a fairly slow time, but it also happens to be our spring school vacation time this year! Lucky us! I was shocked that I didn't have to be waitlisted or anything. I really never thought we'd get a room, let alone 2! (We have to have 2 since they won't let 6 stay in one )
Mayflower, Thanks for the update and encouraging report! I'm so glad to hear that the pool is open all the time. We never seemed to get there until 9pm or later most nights on our last vacation. I don't know anything about the lay-out of the CR. We are in what I believe is not a bayview room. We are paying the $95 rate. Does anyone know what that means? Will we have a pool view or what? What are the available views?
Sue, I've never been to SOG so I have nothing to which to compare room sizes. We've have only been to WDW once and we stayed at the GF. We had one room then since dd was only 2 and "didn't count" ! Wish we could do that again...we made out just fine in one room. (and much cheaper)
I'm hoping for dh and dd7 and dd3 to get to see EWP this yr. They missed it on our last trip. I'm glad to hear that it's loud and clear at CR...perhaps it'll remind us to go see it.

Thanks again for your help...anyone else have any info to add...?
Restaurants? What should we bring with us to cut down on costs? (as I said, this trip will be on a much tighter budget)

Lisa