The ALL NEW Disney's Contemporary Resort & Bay Lake Tower FAQ with PICs! (FEB 2010)

[Lisa S.]

I'm going to be there August 24 through 28...but I did book in August 2010, so that may be why the 12th floor was available in the first place.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I'm going to be there August 24 through 28...but I did book in August 2010, so that may be why the 12th floor was available in the first place.

Well since those are some of the dates we are staying at the Boardwalk Inn then at least I know had we reserved the Atrium Club we would have been told we needed to also switch to the Grand Floridian like you did.

Now when we made our Boardwalk Inn reservation that was back on Janurary 1, 2011 and at that time the Atrium Club was available for the exact same dates had we decided to stay there.

 

[mantysk8coach]

Question - we have only stayed at Values, but are planning our next trip for 2013 and want to try Contemporary. I know there are the sit down restaurants, but is there more of a quick service type place also, similar to what the food courts at the values would be like?


ETA: Nevermind, found my answer, that would be Contempo Cafe. Although it doesn't look as delightfully junky as the Value's food courts - LOL! Is that where you'd go to get mugs refilled too?

Oh so much to learn! Good thing I have two years~

 

[dvczerfs]

sorry crfan, its been 2 weeks since we have been home and i needed this.
for you new people on this thread, these people are great and will not stear you wrong!! i took there advice and i have to say, waking up every morning, laying in bed,looking out and seeing the mk is one of the greatest things ive done in the 38 years ive been going to wdw!! thanks again!!!

 

[dvczerfs]

Question - we have only stayed at Values, but are planning our next trip for 2013 and want to try Contemporary. I know there are the sit down restaurants, but is there more of a quick service type place also, similar to what the food courts at the values would be like?


ETA: Nevermind, found my answer, that would be Contempo Cafe. Although it doesn't look as delightfully junky as the Value's food courts - LOL! Is that where you'd go to get mugs refilled too?

Oh so much to learn! Good thing I have two years~

they have the centempo rest. which is a counter service type rest. we ate at the contemp alot for lunch. they have great sandwiches and dd loved the pizza.

 

[hstrickland]

Question - we have only stayed at Values, but are planning our next trip for 2013 and want to try Contemporary. I know there are the sit down restaurants, but is there more of a quick service type place also, similar to what the food courts at the values would be like?


ETA: Nevermind, found my answer, that would be Contempo Cafe. Although it doesn't look as delightfully junky as the Value's food courts - LOL! Is that where you'd go to get mugs refilled too?

Oh so much to learn! Good thing I have two years~

We were at the CR last month...it won't disappoint!! It had been around 20 years since I actually stayed there last. So much has changed... for the better. WDWKOOK and CRResortFan4Life will be able to assist you in any shape or form...they are the experts on this thread Be warned, though....the CR will spoil you!

Happy planning...and ask away...someone on here will be able to help!
Heather

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

ETA: Nevermind, found my answer, that would be Contempo Cafe. Although it doesn't look as delightfully junky as the Value's food courts - LOL! Is that where you'd go to get mugs refilled too?

Oh so much to learn! Good thing I have two years~

Yes the Contempo Cafe is where you can get the mugs refilled and here is a tip when doing that. They have two soda machines and the one closest to Chef Mickey's is shut off at 10:00 PM. Then at 12:00 AM the other machine is shut off for the night along with all the other drink options for the mugs, because that's when the Contempo Cafe closes for the evening.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

dvczerfs,
I know how you feel because there are times when I need a Contemporary fix and a picture like that helps.

 

[WDWKOOK]

sorry crfan, its been 2 weeks since we have been home and i needed this.
for you new people on this thread, these people are great and will not stear you wrong!! i took there advice and i have to say, waking up every morning, laying in bed,looking out and seeing the mk is one of the greatest things ive done in the 38 years ive been going to wdw!! thanks again!!!

Don't apologize, dvczerfs. We all love resort/park photos. hstrickland has been posting wonderful resort photos of the CR and FTW to her TR that you can link to in her signature.

Yes the Contempo Cafe is where you can get the mugs refilled and here is a tip when doing that. They have two soda machines and the one closest to Chef Mickey's is shut off at 10:00 PM. Then at 12:00 AM the other machine is shut off for the night along with all the other drink options for the mugs, because that's when the Contempo Cafe closes for the evening.

That's a great tip.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

That's a great tip.

It's one of the many Contemporary tips I posted on the 1st page.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

http://www.wdwmagic.com/Transportat...-operate-during-Evening-Extra-Magic-Hours.htm

Beginning on July 11 2011, the Epcot monorail service will stop operation 1 hour after regular park closing, and from August 1 2011, the Magic Kingdom monorail will stop operation 1 hour after regular park closing. This means that in both cases, the monorail will not be able to return guests back to their resorts after evening Extra Magic Hours. Guests will instead be transported by bus and boats where available. Morning Extra Magic Hour service has not been affected. All indications are that this is a permanent change.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Here is the one negative I just realized about this news when it comes to the Monorail. Let's say there are nights when the Magic Kingdom closes at 7:00 PM, well how are guests staying at the Contemporary or Bay Lake Tower able to visit the Polynesian or Grand Floridian once the Resort Monorail has stopped for the evening? One great thing about staying at either location is taking the Resort Monorail to visit those Resorts. Plus how about the other way around when Polynesian or Grand Floridian guests want to visit the Contemporary when the Resort Monorail has stopped? At least the Polynesian and Grand Floridian have a walkway that goes from one resort to another, so those guests won't have to worry about the Resort Monorail.

 

[WDWKOOK]

Have any of you done both the DxDP AND CL? I would love to read about your experience!

 

[onelilspark]

Here is the one negative I just realized about this news when it comes to the Monorail. Let's say there are nights when the Magic Kingdom closes at 7:00 PM, well how are guests staying at the Contemporary or Bay Lake Tower able to visit the Polynesian or Grand Floridian once the Resort Monorail has stopped for the evening? One great thing about staying at either location is taking the Resort Monorail to visit those Resorts. Plus how about the other way around when Polynesian or Grand Floridian guests want to visit the Contemporary when the Resort Monorail has stopped? At least the Polynesian and Grand Floridian have a walkway that goes from one resort to another, so those guests won't have to worry about the Resort Monorail.

Personally I'm annoyed as I wanted to be able to take the monorail back from Epcot. For some reason it seems like the safer way to travel for a solo-female. I can stay completely inside the hotel to get back to BLT.

I also always wind up standing next to the moron on the bus who doesn't know how to hold on and falls over on top of me

I don't understand how 3 extra hours twice a week is going to make a difference in maintenance. All it does is tick off your guests.

 

[goopysolelady]

http://www.wdwmagic.com/Transportat...-operate-during-Evening-Extra-Magic-Hours.htm

Beginning on July 11 2011, the Epcot monorail service will stop operation 1 hour after regular park closing, and from August 1 2011, the Magic Kingdom monorail will stop operation 1 hour after regular park closing. This means that in both cases, the monorail will not be able to return guests back to their resorts after evening Extra Magic Hours. Guests will instead be transported by bus and boats where available. Morning Extra Magic Hour service has not been affected. All indications are that this is a permanent change.

NOT HAPPY with this news at all! What a downright stupid decision. Are they going to reduce the room rates of the monorail resorts because a much sought after benefit of staying in these resorts is being reduced?

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Have any of you done both the DxDP AND CL? I would love to read about your experience!

Well I am sure you know we haven't done any form of the Disney Dining Plan. However I once asked an Atrium Club Cast Member about staying Club Level with the Dining Plan and I was told it's something they wouldn't do because of the food offerings we already get in the lounge. Plus I have always said if you are always going from one ADR to another when could you enjoy spending time in the lounge?

 

[WDWKOOK]

Well I am sure you know we haven't done any form of the Disney Dining Plan. However I once asked an Atrium Club Cast Member about staying Club Level with the Dining Plan and I was told it's something they wouldn't do because of the food offerings we already get in the lounge. Plus I have always said if you are always going from one ADR to another when could you enjoy spending time in the lounge?

Well, we always have at least one ADR, sometimes two, per day without the DDP. We don't really do CL for the food alone. Although breakfast is convenient, DH and DD love a nice, hot breakfast with some eggs, etc... so I usually book one breakfast every other day. And we always have one TS late lunch or dinner everyday. We don't ever try to make a meal out of the 5-8 offerings. So that's why I was asking the question since we have those ADRs anyway.

I think we've decided to do what we usually do and forgo the DDP. The only times we ever had the DDP was back when the appetizer and tip were included. Since they removed those features, we've never done it again. And since we get 20% off TS food and drinks with the TIW card, it's hard to beat that by buying a plan that has components we don't need when staying CL, like snacks and mugs. But after August 4th our APs expire so we may re-consider the DxDP for a future trip if we don't have TIW.

 

[WDWKOOK]

Here is the one negative I just realized about this news when it comes to the Monorail. Let's say there are nights when the Magic Kingdom closes at 7:00 PM, well how are guests staying at the Contemporary or Bay Lake Tower able to visit the Polynesian or Grand Floridian once the Resort Monorail has stopped for the evening? One great thing about staying at either location is taking the Resort Monorail to visit those Resorts. Plus how about the other way around when Polynesian or Grand Floridian guests want to visit the Contemporary when the Resort Monorail has stopped? At least the Polynesian and Grand Floridian have a walkway that goes from one resort to another, so those guests won't have to worry about the Resort Monorail.

That's a great point. How will those guests get back to their resort after say, 8:00 when the park closes at 7:00? Aren't they going to lose a lot of business or do they expect resort guests to only eat at their resort after park closing?

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

That's a great point. How will those guests get back to their resort after say, 8:00 when the park closes at 7:00? Aren't they going to lose a lot of business or do they expect resort guests to only eat at their resort after park closing?

Last night I said to my family maybe this would mean more stays in the future for us at the Boardwalk Inn. Now I am not saying we would never stay at the Contemporary again because of this news, however it's not like we seriously missed having the Resort Monorail and are use to not having it.

 

[WDWKOOK]

Last night I said to my family maybe this would mean more stays in the future for us at the Boardwalk Inn. Now I am not saying we would never stay at the Contemporary again because of this news, however it's not like we seriously missed having the Resort Monorail and are use to not having it.

Don't forget that they're only discontinuing the monorail AFTER EMH. It will still run on non-EMH days as it always has. Personally, this doesn't affect us at all as we never do PM EMH anyway. But I completely understand the point of view of those who rely on it and argue that the monorail is a perk and if taken away after EMH, they would be disinclined to either stay onsite or at a monorail resort. This is yet another example, among many, of WDW cutting a perk to save some money.

As I mentioned to you on another thread, I'm definitely going to go to the BWI this trip and walk around with my family to see how we "feel" there. We'll be checking-in to the WL two weeks from today so I'll start posting some live TRs at that time.