Question(s) about the Contemporary Resort (thru SOG)

[jlazz]

Hi. I just started planning our next trip to Disney! Yippee! The folks here were so helpful as I planned our trip last year, so of course this was the first place I came as soon as I found out we were going to try to go again!

Now for the set up...Dh works for the Army Corps of Engineers, so we stayed at SOG last year. They allow you to book 53 wks in advance, so i emailed to see if we could get *this* week in 2003. We live in NJ and plan to drive down, so dh could take Friday off, then he will have President's Day as a holiday (so ultimately he only takes a week). I got an email back from them telling me that the week is available, but due to renovations they would put us at the Contemporary. I've never stayed there, and have wanted to, so I'm excited about it.

On to the questions...I was told they would put us in "the North Garden Wing, which is adjacent to the tower". I've read thru the boards a bit, and I get the impression that it's better to be in the tower. Is this true? Can anyone tell me the advantages/disadvantages of each location? If I want to move from the Garden wing to the Tower, what are my chances? Do I have to *ask* for a view of the MK?

I think I read that you can watch Illuminations from the hotel - where's the best place?

What about the Mousketeer Clubhouse? My girls will be 4 and 6 when we go next Feb. Will they like it? Will I *really* be able to go out dh and have a nice quiet adult dinner????

Are there any other things about the resort (in February) that I should know?

Sorry for all the questions. I have more, but figure I'll wait and post more later.

TIA!



Jackie

CR - 2/2003
SOG - 1/2001
and 3 times prior, many many years ago!

 

[ContempoSMT]

I do not know anything about the Garden Rooms but i have stayed in the Tower and i can tell you from what i ahve heard is that the tower rooms are alot better. You can prob. watch fireworks from your hotel room coming from the Magic Kingdom also..

 

[Buckleybunch]

I have stayed in the wing two different times. I think the rooms are the same, just the location. We really enjoyed being close to the MK to walk.. WE were in a room that was really close to the food court. We had the playground just outside our room - which was great!
Now, if you could get a MK view, yes that would be grand!

 

[RobinLyn]

The rooms are pretty much the same. We stayed on the 12th floor in the Tower and a room in the North Garden wing (can't remember which room). There are 3 floors in the north and south wings. I have a map of all the room and where they are located in both the Tower and wings if you want to know which face MK. IMHO, the wing rooms are a quieter location verse's the Tower. If you stay in the Tower, try to get a room on a high floor. Rooms begin on the 5th floor (below the 5th floor is the monorail, shops, Chef Mickey's, etc). There are 9 floors in the Tower with rooms. It starts at 5-12, and 14. There is no 13th floor and the 15th floor is where the California Grill restaurant is located. Some people complain they can hear the monorail in the lower rooms, others have said there is lots of noise in the rooms that are above Chef Mickey's (this I can believe!!). We were on 12th floor which was concierge, facing MK. The only noise we had was from a very late wedding reception that weekend below in the convention center located to the left of the Tower (if looking down from your room, it's on the left side of the Tower). The parking lot also sits in front of the Tower rooms. You do get a wonderful view of MK, fireworks, Grand Floridian, and the Polynesian. Also there are no laundry rooms in the Tower. I had to take wash to the North Garden wing (2nd floor) for a laundry room and it was a bit of a walk. We had a great time and the rooms are larger than most other resorts at WDW. But don't think we would foot the money for a concierge room at Contemporary again.

RobinLyn

 

[UNH 1980]

jlazz, could you tell me the email address for shades of green? I tried to use the reservation request form on their website and it doesn't seem to be working anymore.

thanks.

 

[jlazz]

I went thru this link: http://www.armymwr.com/shades/index.html

It worked for me on Friday. The email addy that my confirm came from is reservations@shadesofgreen.org

hth



Jackie

 

[joyful1nh]

My brother just stayed in one of the North Garden Rooms -- I was not impressed. I thought the building was in poor repair and it seemed to be a long walk from anything. They had no balcony and no view to speak of.

My DD, age 4, loved the clubhouses at AKL & WL. There were some kids in with her (older) that had to be sent back to their parents because they were not enjoying themselves or behaving very well.

The CA Grill is our favorite on site restaurant -- so you should be able to have that adults only meal with ease. Try to book around the time of the MK fireworks -- its also one of the best places to watch from.

We saw some of Illuminations from the boat that goes from the Contemporary to WL on two separate nights. I would think you would need a higher room in the Tower to see much of this display as it is a lower level display than the MK fireworks (or sure seems to be).

 

[UNH 1980]

thanks jlazz for the quick reply! I'll try that site again. If I don't hear anything I'll try the ressie address. I thought it was funny last week when I called the reservation line and asked for a date in June. The agent said that SOG was full for my dates. She didn't offer me the Contemporary. I thought the resort was closing in April...

 

[suevee]

Hi

I think SoG are only booking a specific number of rooms at the CR to make up for the ones lost due to repairs at SoG. So June may well be filled. Also give the price we recieve at SoG I do not think we are allowed to upgrade to the Tower unless we want to pay rack rates. I believe SoG will lease the entire North Wing which will be 300 rooms. I am booking tomorrow.

 

[padams]

Start planning your night out. DSs 4 and 6 spent an evening at the Mouseketeer Clubhouse at CR three weeks ago. They had a great time. When we checked them in, we were given a child's menu to select their dinners- all standard kids' menu items. Because early Feb. is a slow time, there were only 4 kids present and 3 CMs (1 cm in training). DH and I ate upstairs at the California Grill, and had a very enjoyable "date". When we were being seated at CG, I explained to the hostess that we would only need a table for 2 (instead of 4 that the PS was for since DSs were at MC). She replied "don't worry about your boys, they [she knew all of the MC CMs by name] will call us at the front desk if they need you." It put my "nervous mom" mind at ease. DSs didn't want to leave MC when we picked them up. The CMs played lots of games with DSs, but I also saw toys, video games, tv with vcr, etc.