Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort
Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort is a Disney Vacation Club resort at Walt Disney World in Bay Lake, Florida, standing immediately north of Disney's Contemporary Resort on the shore of Bay Lake. The crescent-shaped tower was the first Disney Vacation Club property on the monorail loop, within walking distance of the Magic Kingdom, and it shares the Contemporary's restaurants, shops and transport.
History
Bay Lake Tower was built on the site of the Contemporary's North Garden Wing, one of the low-rise garden buildings that had flanked the original A-frame tower since 1971. The wing was demolished to make way for a dedicated Disney Vacation Club building, answering long-standing member demand for villas near the Magic Kingdom. The project was formally announced in September 2008, although the tower was already visibly under construction and had been the subject of speculation for some time.
The tower opened on August 4, 2009. It was a busy year for Disney Vacation Club at Walt Disney World: Bay Lake Tower was the third DVC opening of 2009, following Kidani Village at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge and the rebuilt Treehouse Villas at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa. Its opening gave Disney Vacation Club a presence at the Contemporary nearly four decades after the hotel itself had opened with the resort in 1971.
Theming and layout
Where the Contemporary is a bold A-frame, Bay Lake Tower is a curved, sixteen-storey crescent that wraps around a central courtyard facing Bay Lake. Its contemporary styling is deliberately complementary rather than imitative: clean horizontal lines, extensive glass and warm materials in the lobby, including woven wood detailing, echo the main tower without copying it. The curve of the building is functional as well as aesthetic, orienting many villas towards the Magic Kingdom, from which the park's fireworks can be watched across the Seven Seas Lagoon area.
Accommodation consists of Deluxe Studios and One-, Two- and Three-Bedroom Grand Villas, offered with Standard, Lake and Theme Park views. The tower has its own lobby and check-in facilities but no full-service restaurant or major shop of its own. Instead, a covered skyway bridge links the fifth floor of Bay Lake Tower directly to the fourth floor of Disney's Contemporary Resort, emerging on the Grand Canyon Concourse beside its shops, giving guests access to the monorail station, restaurants and convention facilities under cover. A walking path continues from the Contemporary to the Magic Kingdom entrance.
Dining and amenities
Bay Lake Tower's own headline amenity crowns the building: the Top of the World Lounge, a rooftop lounge and outdoor viewing deck on the top floor. Its name revives that of an earlier restaurant in the Contemporary's tower, on the site now occupied by the California Grill. Access has generally been restricted to Disney Vacation Club members under changing eligibility rules, and the deck is prized at night for its elevated view of the Magic Kingdom fireworks, with the show's music relayed to the lounge.
At ground level, the Bay Cove Pool, with a water slide and children's play area, sits in the courtyard, served by the Cove Bar. For dining, guests cross the bridge to the Contemporary, home to Chef Mickey's character buffet, Steakhouse 71 and the California Grill, among others. Transport is via the shared monorail station, boats across Bay Lake, the walkway to the Magic Kingdom, and buses to other destinations including Disney Springs. There is no Disney Skyliner service in the Magic Kingdom area; the nearest comparison for villa accommodation on the loop is Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
See also
- Disney's Contemporary Resort
- Disney Vacation Club
- Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
- Magic Kingdom
- Disney Springs