A REVIEW OF DISNEY VACATION CLUB’S BAY LAKE TOWER

1. A REVIEW OF DISNEY VACATION CLUB’S BAY LAKE TOWER

2. One of the most divisive discussions among Disney Vacation Club resale involves one of Walt Disney World’s original resorts. When Magic Kingdom opened in 1971, Disney’s Contemporary Resort joined it as the first Disney-owned theme park hotel. Yes, an obscure bit of Disney trivia is that someone else, Jack Wrather, owned and operated the Disneyland Hotel with Walt Disney’s blessing. Sixteen years later, Disney learned from its mistake by opening two monorail resorts in Orlando. Today, we’ll talk about the DVC offering that came much later. Here’s my review of Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

3. BAY LAKE TOWER LOCATION AND LOGISTICS In my introduction, I hinted at the impeccable location and logistics of this resort. Early in the 2000s, Disney executives chose to build an adjoining property on the Contemporary’s campus. This space would turn into Bay Lake Tower. So, the location is a few hundred feet away from the front gate at Magic Kingdom. Importantly, the lobby at Bay Lake Tower is even closer to the park than the one at the Contemporary. You’re only a brief walk away from Main Street, U.S.A. It takes 10-15 minutes. Of course, you don’t have to walk. You could head over to the Contemporary and ride the monorail instead. DVC members know the best strategy, which is to walk to Magic Kingdom. Then, you take the monorail back from the park to the Contemporary.

4. THE THEMING This review’s recurring premise is that other DVC resorts possess more substantial offerings than Bay Lake Tower. I’ve established these comparison criteria for all DVC properties to provide a baseline. The theming absolutely qualifies as one of the most essential barometers for determining the appeal of a DVC resort. Sadly, the theme at Bay Lake Tower proves a bit challenging to pin down. It’s also a modern hotel whose décor and amenities should feel contemporary. On this front, I have nothing but kind words. Over the past four months, I’ve stayed at both the Contemporary and Bay Lake Tower. In fact, by the time that you read this, I may be back at Bay Lake Tower, as my Disney countdown is in the single digits.

5. THE BAY LAKE TOWER LOBBY That statement trickles into the lobby, too. In truth, I suspect that few DVC members spend a substantial amount of time in the hotel lobby. Oddly, that statement applies twice. Bay Lake Tower features a modest check-in desk area where DVC workers address customer service needs. These folks have demonstrated high levels of competence in my dealings with them. Still, the lobby space here is no bigger than your living room. At the Contemporary, the first floor qualifies as more expansive. And yes, it does feature a fragrant scent, as is the case with all DVC resorts. Still, beyond an extended check-in desk section, the Contemporary doesn’t qualify as a hangout spot. At most, guests meet here and then head elsewhere. Yes, you’ll find ample seating near the check-in desk, and parents will be happy to know that a nearby television plays Disney cartoons. So, you can address customer issues while your child enjoys a background distraction. In a world of smartphones, this aspect is less critical now anyway. Beyond that, the most essential needs in the lobby are the elevators and the escalator.

6. RESTAURANTS AND SHOPS I’m flipping the order with this review since I just mentioned the Grand Concourse. For DVC fans, it’s a memorable destination that will create many of your vacation memories. Since Bay Lake Tower adjoins the Contemporary, Imagineers constructed a bridge that connects the two buildings. And here’s where things get a bit confusing. You’ll take the elevator to the fifth floor of Bay Lake Tower. Then, you’ll walk across the bridge to reach the fourth floor of the Contemporary. It’s witchcraft. I joke, but the point here is that Bay Lake Tower guests enjoy all the Grand Concourse amenities. You’re never more than a five-minute walk away from Chef Mickey’s, Contempo Café, Bayview Gifts, Fantasia Shop, or Fantasia Market.

7. Fantasia Shop sells more novelty items like Magic Kingdom Railroad and Monorail miniatures, complete with tracks. Stuffed animals and collectibles are also ubiquitous here. You’ll do virtually all your shopping on the Grand Concourse, and it’s genuinely perfect for DVC members. Fantasia Market sells plenty of foodstuffs that you can stick in your refrigerator. And a whiteboard there often includes Disney movie trivia. It’s one of my favorite Disney distractions. As for the restaurants, Bay Lake Tower features some of the finest in any DVC resort. I already mentioned three of them, two of which are on the Grand Concourse.

8. Chef Mickey’s offers a character meal with Mickey Mouse as the cook. People of all ages delight in this rare opportunity to interact with many of the Sensational Six Disney characters. The Contempo Café, a reliable Quick Service eatery, resides right beside it. And both come with views of the monorail in action. The tracks cross a few feet over the drink station at the Contempo Café. It’s a sight that your brain will struggle to reconcile. The fine dining experiences are The Wave and California Grill. The top-floor eatery receives most of the hype, but Disney fans have grown quite loyal to The Wave. You really cannot go wrong with either, and I say that as someone who has dined at both recently.

9. THE X-FACTOR I already referenced the x-factor here. It’s a monorail resort, with a station on the Contemporary’s Grand Concourse. Of course, fitness-minded DVC members can ignore the monorail altogether. You can walk from Bay Lake Tower’s hotel lobby to Magic Kingdom’s front gate in 10 minutes. I’ve done this many times over the years, and my wife’s adoration for this amenity explains why we stay so frequently at Bay Lake Tower. She’s obsessed with leaving her hotel room and then standing in line at Haunted Mansion 20 minutes later. Depending on how fast you walk, whether you can make a red light, and the lines at the front gate, this is definitely possible. Remember that annual passholders can enter through that exclusive Magic Kingdom line, which helps.

10. BAY LAKE TOWER HOTEL ROOMS AND OTHER AMENITIES And we’re back to the negatives. The hotel rooms at Bay Lake Tower won’t impress you with their spaciousness. A standard studio includes only 339 square feet of space. By DVC standards, that’s relatively small. We almost always book studios since it’s just my wife and me. I’m 6’2”, 225, which gives me a unique point-of-view on the subject. If the size bothered me, I wouldn’t stay here so regularly. I should add that my wife is only 5’2” (yes, we look ridiculous), which helps. Together, we’re an average-sized couple, and we are perfectly comfortable here.