First time planning a Disney trip. We are traveling with 5 people (2 are toddlers). We have two different reservations on hold at the Contemporary 1) a one bedroom villa at Bay Lake Tower with a lake view and 2) a Garden wing - 1 bedroom Hospitality Suite Access. From my novice research the GW suite appears to be much bigger with an additional bathroom and seating area. Both reservations are for 5 nights and the GW room is priced at $3k+ more. I am wondering if this is largely because we found that particular room via travel agent or if the value is really there. I know the space appears to be larger, but many are speaking to the Garden Wing rooms being older with less-optimal views. I have two toddlers and am happy to pay if the value is there, but I want to make sure this isn't foolish! I'd really appreciate any insights you all may have.
-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Contemporary BLT 1bdrm Villa vs. GW 1 bdrm Hosp Suite Access
- Thread starter JMLBDisney
- Start date
nickys
Premium Member
I haven’t stayed in the 1-bed Hospitality Suite, but I own at Bay Lake and have stayed in the 1-bed villas each time.
From what I saw in a walk through tour of the suite, there is a massive amount of space. For me it would come down to two things.
1. The villa will have a full kitchen plus washer and dryer. Those could be invaluable with two toddlers.
2. The sleeping arrangements.
The villa has a master with king bed. There might be enough room for a pack ‘n’ play in the master, but not two. Whereas the suite has plenty of room for two pack ‘n’ plays in the bedroom. So it all depends who is going and who would sleep where.
What I don’t know is if all the suites have a balcony or patio. The walk through I saw was on the ground floor so had a patio area.
From what I saw in a walk through tour of the suite, there is a massive amount of space. For me it would come down to two things.
1. The villa will have a full kitchen plus washer and dryer. Those could be invaluable with two toddlers.
2. The sleeping arrangements.
The villa has a master with king bed. There might be enough room for a pack ‘n’ play in the master, but not two. Whereas the suite has plenty of room for two pack ‘n’ plays in the bedroom. So it all depends who is going and who would sleep where.
What I don’t know is if all the suites have a balcony or patio. The walk through I saw was on the ground floor so had a patio area.
Thank you nickys! Our toddlers are now in beds, so we're hoping for two queen beds in the bedroom at Garden Wing. Otherwise, in either Garden Wing or Bay Lake, we'll be fully utilizing a queen pull out for our toddlers and twin pull our for our other child. After calling Disney and a travel agent, we couldn't find any two bedrooms available this summer and can't risk not getting adjoining rooms.
A lot of the blogs I've found comment about the Garden Wing being cheaper, which is why I was surprised that for 5 days, it's over $3k more...but perhaps that's because the hospitality suite is larger?
Good to know re: patios on ground floor. Thank you for your insights!
Pirate's Life
Member
I'm staying at BLT this week in a 1 bedroom and it has a second full bathroom as well. Sleeps 5, washer / dryer / full kitchen. Also it would take you an additional 5 to 10 minutes to walk to the Magic Kingdom from the garden wing if you chose to do so. While the hospitality suite might be bigger in square footage, like you mentioned most of that is a seating area.
MickeyCB
Well-Known Member
We like the proximity to MK from BLT and love the size of the one bedrooms there, and there are 2 bathrooms. (We just stayed in a 2 bedroom in October). You do have to deal with pulling out the bed each night if you don't leave it out.
But I do have an odd question. (I tried to figure out how to word this without sounding like a huge worrywart)!
Are your toddlers ever the type that would try to open the balcony door? Because there is a door directly out to the balcony from the main living area (where they would be sleeping), and I can't remember the lock configuration on the door.
We're at grandma/grandpap phase at this point, but maybe there is someone on here with small children that has stayed there recently that could offer an opinion.
But I do have an odd question. (I tried to figure out how to word this without sounding like a huge worrywart)!
Are your toddlers ever the type that would try to open the balcony door? Because there is a door directly out to the balcony from the main living area (where they would be sleeping), and I can't remember the lock configuration on the door.
We're at grandma/grandpap phase at this point, but maybe there is someone on here with small children that has stayed there recently that could offer an opinion.
RememberWhen
Well-Known Member
We didn’t stay there, but the balcony doors at Boardwalk and Kidani in February were too high for our 4yo to easily open. She needed help. It seems likely that the doors across property are similarly planned.We like the proximity to MK from BLT and love the size of the one bedrooms there, and there are 2 bathrooms. (We just stayed in a 2 bedroom in October). You do have to deal with pulling out the bed each night if you don't leave it out.
But I do have an odd question. (I tried to figure out how to word this without sounding like a huge worrywart)!
Are your toddlers ever the type that would try to open the balcony door? Because there is a door directly out to the balcony from the main living area (where they would be sleeping), and I can't remember the lock configuration on the door.
We're at grandma/grandpap phase at this point, but maybe there is someone on here with small children that has stayed there recently that could offer an opinion.
We’ve done BLT and loved how close it is to MK. In fact, our family of 5 will be staying there for part of our stay in August. My kids will be 10, 5 and 1. I looked at a walk through of the garden wing suite. I didn’t watch it carefully, but I did see the space. It does look really big, but seems to only have the bed in the bedroom and the couch in the living room as sleeping surfaces. Is there another bed somewhere that I missed?
Personally, we love having the full kitchen and the washer/dryer. The kids make a mess. Melt mickeybar all over their clothes? No worries. We’ll just throw it in the wash. Need a night in? Have some groceries delivered. Frozen pizza, popcorn and a movie after a pool day is great. Fruit and eggs for a slow morning. A full fridge can fit the milk for your coffee, the kids’ leftover chicken fingers and a bottle of wine for when they finally crash. Plus the kitchen will have a corkscrew and wine glasses, plates, cups, forks.
Plus if your kids like to swim, the BLT pool has a slide and a zero entry area. My littles love that. And you can walk to the other pools at the contemporary if you want to.
I would go BLT, but that’s just me. Especially if it’s $3000 cheaper.
nickys
Premium Member
The bedroom has either a king or two queen beds.
RememberWhen
Well-Known Member
That makes sense. The one I watched must have had a king.
correcaminos
Well-Known Member
I haven’t stayed in the 1 bedroom hospitality suite, but I know they are huge and very nice. That said $3k is a lot. The 1 bedrooms at BLT are spacious enough for a family. Since you plan to use beds and not cribs, outside of space differences I don't see the value in the $3k. The walk to MK and all transportation will be much further. I think only if you needed the extra space would I do the garden wings. The views are meh at best there IMO.
The Hospitality suite is huge! I've been in one and I can attest to it. Which one are you going with?
Pam
Vacationeer
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
Does the Hospitality Suite in the Garden Wing include Club Level access? That could be part of the price difference. That lounge is on the 12 floor. That might be fun! Has a great view too.