3 Reasons Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort is Moving Up on My Disney Resort List

Posted:  Resorts

I have a goal to stay at every Walt Disney World Resort, and so far, I’m doing pretty well. I’ve stayed at 13 resorts and will hopefully check off a few more in the next year; however, I think a stay at Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort might be coming sooner rather than later. 

Exterior of Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort. The large beige building is covered in hotel room windows, and has a suspended walking path to the right of the path.

I’ve stayed at the other two monorail resorts, the Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian and Polynesian Villas and Bungalows. So, it might be time to check off the third and final monorail resort.

Back of Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort. The large beige building is covered in hotel room windows, and there are lines of trees in front of the building.ound and information about the resort before I dive into my reasons for staying here. Bay Lake Tower is connected to Disney’s Contemporary Resort via a covered bridge. You can also walk between buildings if you would like. Bay Lake Tower is an entirely Disney Vacation Club (DVC) resort that has some great amenities for guests staying in the DVC Villas and exclusive perks for DVC owners.

Exterior of Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort and Disney's Contemporary Resort. There is a suspended walking path between both of the buildings.

Here are my three reasons why I want to stay at Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort:

 

  1. The proximity to Magic Kingdom.

Blue sign with white lettering that reads "Walkway to Magic Kingdom" sitting in the bushes at Bay Lake Tower.

Bay Lake Tower is within walking distance of Magic Kingdom. On my last visit to the resort, I timed myself, and it took me about 7 minutes door to door. Now, keep in mind that this was late morning, so I wasn’t in a big crowd with many other guests. I was by myself, so I had no little ones to keep pace with, and I still had some energy as I had not yet been to the parks. This walk may take longer if you’re stuck behind a slower group, if you have small children, if you’re a slower walker, or if you’re heading back to the resort after a long day at Magic Kingdom.

Security checkpoint for Magic Kingdom on the walkway to Magic Kingdom.

Being so close to Magic Kingdom, you can also enjoy some amazing views. When visiting this resort, I like to take the elevator all the way up to the 14th floor and look out the windows by the elevator to the West. The last time I was there, they had a bench by the window, so I took the time to enjoy while snacking on a treat I had picked up at the Contemporary. It feels so magical to me to see the whole park at once. If you head to the east side, you can catch some spectacular views of Bay Lake, the lake the resort was named after. Honestly, I don’t think there is a bad view when you’re that high up.

Blue and white monorail entering in Disney's Contemporary Resort.

 

  1. Dining Options

The second reason I would love to stay at Bay Lake Tower is all of the amazing dining options at Disney’s Contemporary Resort right next door.

Exterior ground of Bay Lake Tower. Lots of palm trees surround the pool area, with Bay Lake in the background of the photo.

California Grill is a signature restaurant at the resort where you can see the Magic Kingdom fireworks if you time your reservation correctly. The cuisine “celebrates fresh, seasonal ingredients and the international, melting-pot culture of the Golden State.” This prix fixe menu currently offers one appetizer, one entrée, and one dessert at the current price. They also have a fine dining dress code, which guests should check out before attending. Reservations are strongly recommended.

Entrance to Steakhouse 71. The restaurant sign is written in gold lettering on top of the dark wood exterior.

If you’re looking for something more casual but still has amazing food, I would recommend Steakhouse 71. To pay homage to the opening day resort, Steakhouse 71’s style is reminiscent of the 1970s contemporary style that can be seen throughout the resort.

Interior of Steakhouse 71. The 70's 70-themed restaurant is filled with short blue fabric chairs around white tables, sitting on a black and white geometric carpet.

Steakhouse 71 burger sitting on a white plate. There are waffle fries covered in parmesan cheese sitting in a small metal basket beside the burger.

Chef Mickey’s is a Character Dining Experience. You can meet Mickey Mouse and friends over breakfast or dinner! Classic breakfast items, like sweet and savory breads, scrambled eggs, smoked bacon, a carving station, Mickey waffles, and so much more, will be offered at breakfast. For dinner, guests can enjoy Chef Mickey’s Signature dishes like NY Strip Loin, Roasted Pork Pernil, Orange, Baked Macaroni and Cheese, Vegetable Stir Fry Noodles, Couscouscous, and other exquisite choices.

Chef Mickey's sign. There is a photo of Mickey Mouse in a chef's hat above the red lettering on the sign.

Sign for Contemp Cafe. The lettering is done in blue metal script. There is a colorful mural to the right of the restaurant sign, and a yellow and right monorail car to the left of the sign.

The quick service option, Contempo Cafe, will have all of your grab-and-go needs. This is also a mobile order station, which is great if someone is done getting ready in the mornings. They can pop over and grab everyone’s food to enjoy back in the room. I also love to stop here and get my favorite dessert, the Monorail S’mores Brownie! It’s perfectly themed and such a delicious treat.

Classic Breakfast combo sitting on a paper-to-go plate. There are scrambled eggs, sausage links, tater tots, and Mickey Waffles sitting on the plate.

Chocolate brownie topped with a white chocolate monorail car sitting in a plastic container.

If you’re not a huge breakfast person, you can stop by Contemporary Grounds to grab a hot or cold beverage or a baked good to start your day.

Exterior ground of Bay Lake Tower. Lots of palm trees surround the pool area, with Bay Lake in the background of the photo.

If you’re lounging poolside at the Bay Cove Pool (exclusive to guests staying at Bay Lake Tower), be sure to check out the Cove Pool Bar for all your snacking needs. Alternatively, if you’re over at the main pool at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, grab a bite to eat at the Sand Bar Pool Bar.

Entrance to the Outer Rim Lounge. The sign to the lounge is neon blue, with black lettering.

If you’re looking for a late-night bite to eat or an evening beverage, there are several lounges at the Contemporary. Outer Rim Bar will offer specialty cocktails and a full bar menu. If you weren’t able to make a reservation at California Grill or Steakhouse 71, they both have lounges with a limited menu of food offerings, classic cocktails, and other beverages.

Navy Blue Cocktail menu for Outer Rim sitting on a table with a purple mocktail.

As you can see, there are a ton of dining and lounge options at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, and this is a huge reason I would love to stay here.

 

  1. Rooms will be refurbished

Starting September 2024, the villas at Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort will be undergoing refurbishment until September 2025.

Disney has not yet released any information about what the refurbished rooms will look like. However, I am hoping that the sleeper sofa will be converted into a pull-down bed. I like the current contemporary design of the room, but I am excited to see if Disney will add a little more color to the villas as they have with previous refurbishments.

Current interior of the Studio at Bay Lake Tower. A queen sized bed sits next to a brown couch. There is a modern print of Mickey Mouse above the bed.

Staying in a newly refurbished room is a big plus to staying at any resort, so it’s another reason that Bay Lake Tower has moved up my list.

Exterior of Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort. The large beige building is covered in hotel room windows, and has a suspended walking path to the right of the path.

Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort has always been a resort I have wanted to stay at. However, with being so close to the Magic Kingdom, plenty of fantastic dining options, and a new look on the way, this resort is quickly moving it’s way up my list of places to stay when I’m at Disney World. 

 

~Taycee

 

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