Reviews of Bay Lake Tower (Disney Vacation Club)

Reviews

69

Rating

8.61 / 10

Recommended By

99%



Reviewed by chansman Review Date: 08/17/2022

Rating: (9)
Recommended

My family absolutely loves Bay Lake Tower. We used a 3rd party DVC point rental agency so the pricing was great. They actually placed us in a lake view room but we also had a great view of Space Mountain. From the lobby all the way to the room, this resort felt like it was the cleanest resort on property. It's almost sterile but that's not a knock. The walkway over to the Contemporary is quick and easy and makes up for the lack on onsite food and beverage. We would actually select Bay Lake over the Polynesian and Contemporary.

Pros:

quick and easy walk to MK access to Monorail transportation easy access to Contemporary restaurants and shops

Cons:

not a lot of Disney theming
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Reviewed by Anonymous Review Date: 07/29/2022

Rating: (8)
Recommended

We are not DVC members, but needed a large suite for our family. We stayed in the 2 bedroom/3 bath dedicated villa in June for 10 nights and loved it. It was spacious and fit our family’s needs wonderfully.

Pros:

Full kitchen, watching the fireworks from the observation deck, 3 bathrooms.

Cons:

Long wait for the elevator after getting off the elevator as entire families use it not just 1 person pushing the stroller or a wheel chair.
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Reviewed by DisJen Review Date: 10/25/2021

Rating: (9)
Recommended

we are a DVC fam and this is our home resort for good reasons - it's a short walk to MK, short walk to Contemporary/monorail and a good variety of dining options. That said, the studios are small and may not be a good choice for families with small kiddos. For just my husband and I, though - this is a great choice. When our adult son travels with us, we try to snag a 1 bedroom villa. The extra space and especially the two full baths in the villa are extra appreciated.

Pros:

proximity to MK, monorail and dining options

Cons:

studios are small
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Reviewed by ErinElisabeth Review Date: 06/27/2021

Rating: (8)
Recommended

A hotel in the heart of the magic.

This resort is located on the heart line of the original Disney World-- the monorail, of course! At the time of writing, the EPCOT monorail is not yet open, and so this lovely highway in the sky is not as useful for Bay Lake and Contemporary patrons at the moment. It is much faster and easier to walk to Magic Kingdom.

If you are booked for just the right room (and it doesn't need to be theme park view!) you will be graced with views of the Contemporary and the monorail, and the Electric Water Pageant!

This resort is modern, and very well designed-- the galley kitchen in studios is fantastic-- but it is not as immersive as other resorts, such as Wilderness Lodge or Boardwalk. There is no food service, or shop, on site. Visitors will need to find these services at the Contemporary. Bay Lake also does not have a bus station of its own-- all forms of transportation are shared with, and located at, the Contemporary.

Overall, I LOVE staying here every once in a while-- but I would not make this my home resort, as it feels less themed than other options. The tiny lobby sets the tone-- this is a resort that would not stand on its own without its big sister next to it.

Pros:

Proximity to Magic Kingdom, and to monorail. Gorgeous views!

Cons:

Not as themed as other resorts-- including the pool. Not as fun for kids-- no splash pad, and no characters except for the odd single piece of artwork outside the elevator on each floor.
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Reviewed by TyandMasonsMom Review Date: 03/16/2021

Rating: (8)
Recommended

We really enjoy staying at Bay Lake Tower. This was one of the first properties we stayed at when we first joined DVC in 2014. We love that it is connected by a bridge to the Contemporary and the ease of access to the monorail. It also is home of one of our favorite quick service restaurants, Contempo Cafe. Another thing we love is that everything is in close proximity and mostly indoors rather than in multiple buildings. One downside is the size of the Deluxe Studio. They are rather tiny in comparison to the rooms at our two home resorts, The Polynesian and Grand Floridian. The size of the studio was fine when it was just my husband, our first child, and I. However, now we have a new baby boy and it would be very cramped with a crib in the room. We have stayed in a one bedroom as well and that was plenty of space.

Pros:

Connected by bridge to Contemporary

Cons:

Deluxe Studios are rather small Theming is basic
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Reviewed by jensmousemagictravel Review Date: 02/16/2021

Rating: (7)
Recommended

I enjoyed staying at Bay Lake Tower. I love the Disney-inspired artwork in the rooms; however, they were decorated like a normal hotel. With the exception of the artwork and the theme park views, the room itself felt like a normal hotel room. Walking to Magic Kingdom is an amazing perk. Also, I found the most amazing monorail view. It's a fireworks viewing area but it's right under the monorail tracks and gives such an awesome video spot!

Pros:

The amazing theme park views! Plus I saw the boats going out and coming in at the beginning and end of each day.

Cons:

A little bit of a walk from Bay Lake Tower to the main Contemporary lobby.
0 Users found this helpful.

Reviewed by DisneyLover325 Review Date: 02/08/2021

Rating: (9)
Recommended

Now me and my family have stayed here a couple of times in the past and I love it. It's walking distance to Magic Kingdom,has a nice pool,and pretty nice theming. It is actually one of my favorite hotels i've stayed at ever.

Pros:

Walking distance to Magic Kingdom,very nice pool, and pretty nice theming.

Cons:

Pretty hard to get a room.
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Reviewed by Anondisney Review Date: 01/12/2021

Rating: (7)
Recommended

We found the theming to be basic compared to the offer resorts in the area (Poly, Grand Flo), but the walk to Magic and being connected to the Contemporary's food and the Monorail to Epcot can't be beat.

Pros:

Close to magic

Cons:

Basic theming
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Reviewed by Anonymous Review Date: 01/06/2021

Rating: (8)
Recommended

So amazing whether or not you are part of the DVC or not. Its a beautiful place to stay at especially if you have a larger family or just want to stay there. It’s a bit pricey and wouldn’t recommend if you are ok with spending that money and are spending more time at Hollywood Studios or Epcot, also wouldn’t fully recommend if your hotel is just a place to rest your head but if you are looking to spend a bit of time at the hotel and want to be on the Monorail or want to be walking distance from Magic Kingdom then 10/10 would recommend!

Pros:

Walking distance from Magic Kingdom On the Monorail Great theme and classic theme

Cons:

Can be a bit pricey
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Reviewed by Snooganz Review Date: 12/08/2020

Rating: (8)
Recommended

On of my favorite resorts. two sides have a mazing views! Lake View and Magic Kingdom!

Pros:

Amazing views! Beautiful rooms! So close to MK its just a walk away! Access to the Monorail is also awesome!

Cons:

Walk to quick service or table service restaurants! They aren't located in the same building.
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