Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort—is designed to complement the fabled styling of the classic Disney's Contemporary Resort building and delivers some of the most dramatic views available anywhere at Walt Disney World Resort. Bay Lake Tower is located in the Magic Kingdom Resort Area, adjacent to Disney's Contemporary Resort, Bay Lake, and the Magic Kingdom. While Bay Lake Tower is designated as a standalone Disney Vacation Club resort hotel, it is considered an addition to Disney's Contemporary Resort and follows the same modern design. Bay Lake Tower occupies the land that was formerly occupied by a garden wing of the original A-frame Contemporary Tower. Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort (commonly referred to as Bay Lake Tower), is a Disney Vacation Club resort.
Bay Lake Tower balances a modern and luxurious experience with warm and innovative features. This description extends to its exclusive and impressive pool—complete with a unique water slide wrapped in an intriguing glass block. Spacious rooms (equivalent to 2-bedroom Villas) are furnished with contemporary custom pieces, such as the pull-out pantry in the kitchen and the sliding doors in the bathrooms. These pieces are as functional as they are attractive. The rooms maintain the feel of clean lines and open spaces, with plenty of details and touches you expect from a Disney Deluxe Villa. Enjoy views that may include old-growth cypress trees, the lush landscape near Bay Lake, the courtyard, pool or Magic Kingdom theme park.
Resort
Bay Lake Tower is a very popular destination at which Disney Vacation Club members may use their ownership interests to book vacations. Non-members may also stay in Bay Lake Tower villas on cash reservations made through the Walt Disney World central reservation office or web site, or via a travel agent. There is also limited availability to trade into Bay Lake Tower using a RCI timeshare exchange.
The tower shares many design features with the original Contemporary Resort, tying it into the overall theme and feel of the resort, yet has a unique rounded-horseshoe shape that sets it apart. Because of the shape of the building, rooms have a wedge shape that give them a unique floor plan from other Disney Vacation Club villas. Also, rooms on the outside of the building have a different design from those on the inside. The differences are nominal, however. Rooms are decorated with a contemporary feel, using furniture, artwork, and accessories that all reflect the resort’s overall theme.
Bay Lake Tower features its own pool, water feature play area, pool bar, and bocce court in the courtyard at the center of the horseshoe. The pool has a spiral waterslide designed with neon light and glass brick accents to match the resort’s contemporary feel. Guests staying in Bay Lake Tower are welcome to use the Contemporary Resort’s other pools and recreational facilities, but only those with a room in Bay Lake Tower may use its features. Access to the Bay Lake Tower pool area is key card controlled. The tower also has a Community Hall featuring games and family activities, and its own guest laundry room. Front desk, concierge, valet, bell services and transportation are shared services provided through the main resort. Bay Lake Tower does not have its own separate check-in area. It is connected to the main Contemporary Resort complex via a sky bridge. This affords guests in Bay Lake Tower villas the opportunity to use the resort's restaurants, amenities, and transportation.
Guest Rooms
The units are the most expensive yet offered by Disney Vacation Club, presumably because of their proximity to the Magic Kingdom. Some of the resort's features include full-length windows with views into the Magic Kingdom or onto Bay Lake. Some bathrooms on the Magic Kingdom side include movable partitions to permit watching the park's fireworks displays from the bathtub. Toward the top of the tower, there are several two-story units that contain large windows. Like all Vacation Club resorts, the one-bedroom, two-bedroom and grand villa units contain full kitchens. The tower contains 295 Disney Vacation Club units consisting of 148 dedicated two-bedroom units, 133 lock-off two-bedroom units (which can be booked together as a two-bedroom unit, or booked separately as either a deluxe studio unit or a one-bedroom unit), and 14 three-bedroom Grand Villa units. There are no dedicated studios or dedicated one-bedroom units in Bay Lake Tower. Each villa is assigned to one of three booking categories: Magic Kingdom View, Bay Lake View, or Standard View; with the relative cost or number of required Disney Vacation Club points assigned accordingly. Although the Magic Kingdom can be seen from some standard and Bay Lake view rooms, the premium views of the park are given the Magic Kingdom view category. Standard view rooms tend to be lower-level rooms that overlook either the parking lot or a service area. The remainder of the tower is assigned the Bay Lake View category, with views primarily of either Bay Lake or the pool.
Dining
- Chef Mickey's - Chef Mickey's is a buffet restaurant serving breakfast and dinner flavors—and your favorite Disney Characters!—at Disney's Contemporary Resort. The whole brood will chow down in smiles while the likes of Mickey or any assortment of his pals roams the restaurant. You never know who might show up! Delicious seasonal specialties make for a spectacular spread in this bright, happy space located beneath the quiet whisks of the monorail. Breakfast includes a premium fruit bar, cereal selections, American classics like pancakes (with fun toppings!), Mickey Mouse waffles, eggs, omelettes and pastries.
- The California Grill - California Grill is a Signature Dining restaurant that serves up award-winning gourmet dinners and sweeping views atop Disney's Contemporary Resort. Venture into this vibrant and charged atmosphere and watch the creation of culinary masterpieces in the on-stage kitchen. Choose your view—the shimmering Seven Seas Lagoon, the enchanting Magic Kingdom theme park, the fireworks bursting over Cinderella Castle or, perhaps best of all, each other. Linger over the unforgettable vistas as you taste refined flavors influenced by the cultural melting pot of the American Pacific Coast.
- The Wave - The Wave...of American Flavors at Disney's Contemporary Resort is a casual restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Here, you can enjoy American-style dishes with international flavors, healthy dining options and trendy cocktails. Choose from a la carte breakfast options or a bountiful buffet and enjoy a delicious start to your day at The Wave...of American Flavors. The a la carte menu features traditional American breakfast fare, like egg dishes, Muesli and Omega Berry Smoothies. For lunch, light eaters can choose from chilled Laughing Bird citrus-marinated shrimp, lump crab-Florida rock shrimp cakes with cucumber tomato salsa, crispy salads, or a delicious vegetarian wrap with seasonal vegetables and fajita-seasoned tofu. Evenings bring distinctive dinners that combine American and world flavors, such as a sustainable fish selection paired with corn and edamame (soybean) stew and cilantro chutney, grilled beef tenderloin with shallot butter, potato gateau and summer ratatouille, or naturally raised, oven-roasted chicken with locally sourced seasonal vegetables.
- The Sand Bar - Located poolside, the Sand Bar is a counter-service eatery and bar that serves up various meals and snacks for the entire family, including hamburgers and ice cream.
- Contempo Cafe - Wave at the passing monorail while you order on touch-screen kiosks. Menu items include flavorful flatbreads and hot and savory sandwiches, like honey lime chicken.
Touring Tips
- In addition to the pool, with its 148-foot-long water slide, there is the Community Hall, where ping-pong, foosball and video games are available as well as equipment for basketball, tennis and shuffleboard. Check the chalkboard in the children's area, located in the main lobby, for games and crafts offered by the recreation team. Children will also enjoy the nightly Electrical Water Pageant that floats through the waters of Bay Lake.
- Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort is conveniently located within walking distance of Magic Kingdom theme park.
- Together with independent childcare provider Kids Nite Out, Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort offers you the convenience of one-to-one in-room babysitting for an additional cost. You can even reserve a childcare specialist to accompany you and your family during your visit to the Parks, providing a helping hand where needed.
- One-bedroom villas, 2-bedroom villas and Grand Villas (where available) at Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort include full kitchens that feature a full-size refrigerator, microwave, oven, stove, sink, cabinets and coffeemaker.
History
In November 2006, Disney filed plans for a project on the site of the Contemporary Resort's North Garden Wing and a construction fence was erected, encompassing the wing and part of its parking lot. On the North Wing site, Disney's Racquet Club was demolished by January 30, 2007. The North Wing itself was demolished between January 31 and April 6, 2007. Construction on the new building continued through 2007, without Disney ever officially announcing what was actually being built.
In February 2008, Disney gained approval from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation to begin selling Disney Vacation Club units at a property called "Kingdom Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort". Approval was granted for an initial sale of 75 units, with the Kingdom Tower ultimately containing 281 timeshare units. The approval did not, however, state when Disney Vacation Club would actually begin selling units, only that they could do so. In preparation for the future sale, Disney incorporated a condominium association for the property on January 9, 2008 that would manage the units.
The project was finally unveiled on September 16, 2008 with its official name, Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort. Sales of ownership interests (timeshares) at the resort began on September 28, 2008 to existing Disney Vacation Club members and on October 5, 2008 for new members.
Bay Lake Tower is the ninth Disney Vacation Club resort and the seventh located at the Walt Disney World Resort. It is the second Disney Vacation Club resort to be built in the Magic Kingdom Resort Area, following The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge which opened in 2000. The Disney Vacation Club is a timeshare program, with Bay Lake Tower being one of the locations at which ownership interests are sold. The resort has not yet sold out, and is still being actively marketed by Disney Vacation Development, Incorporated.