Complete Guide to Bay Lake Tower (w/ review)

Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort can be found right next door to the Contemporary. You might even say they are sister resorts.

The difference is that Bay Lake Tower is a Disney Vacation Club Resort and a Deluxe Villa Resort, instead of just a Deluxe Resort. It’s 1 of 12 Deluxe Villas at Disney World.

Bay Lake is a lakeside resort that’s within walking distance to Magic Kingdom and also where “warm luxury meets modern elegance.”

Here’s everything you need to know about Bay Lake Tower.

Quick review

Submit your review at the bottom of the page.

Pros and Cons

Pros: Can walk to Magic Kingdom, views of Magic Kingdom fireworks, can view Electrical Water Pageant from hotel, 50 minute specialty cruises for up to 10-12 people available at the dock, salon on site,

Cons: Pool is not anything special, theming seems sterile to some people, bus transportation is shared with other hotels, Bay Lake Tower rooms are smaller than at other properties

Overview

Bay Lake Tower is in the Magic Kingdom Resort Area. Actually, it sits right across from the iconic park and offers views of Cinderella Castle and Space Mountain.

Since the DVC resort is right by the Contemporary, the two resorts share a lot of the same features and amenities, including dining and transportation. Bay Lake Tower even has the super convenient Sky Way Bridge connecting it to the Contemporary.

All guests have to do is take the short walk across the bridge to access restaurants and transportation, including the Monorail. 

Bay Lake Tower has a lot to offer. Here’s what you can expect.

Guest Rooms And Bathrooms

Bay Lake Tower offers rooms that can hold up to 12 guests, depending on your room selection. The rooms also feature in-home amenities, including a kitchen, washer, dryer, and separate bedrooms. 

These types of rooms are perfect for large parties and those who want more space with a homey feel. You can choose from either one or two bedroom villas. 

You can also expect the traditional amenities, like a hairdryer, TV, free WiFi, a coffee maker, telephone, in-room safe, iron and ironing board, and a mini-refrigerator. Plus, there are some extras, including a toaster, microwave, coffee maker, and more.

The views also range depending on what you book, but you might look out upon either Bay Lake, Magic Kingdom, or possibly an obstructed or parking lot view.

There are plenty of outlets and USB ports available as well. And if you’re worried about storage, don’t be, because these villas are designed to give guests plenty of space for luggage and other items.

There are also some important details to note about housekeeping services.

If you’re a Disney Vacation Club Member using your Membership to stay, you’ll receive service on the 4th and 8th days, unless you decide to decline the service. Rental Guests (non-Members or DVC Members not booking through Membership) receive Full Cleaning Services every day.

Let’s go through the types of rooms available to book.

Studios

• Deluxe Studio — Standard View: Views of Parking Area or Obstructed View; 1 Queen Bed and 1 Double-Size Sleeper Sofa; Balcony; Kitchenette with small fridge and microwave 

• Deluxe Studio — Lake View: Views of Bay Lake; 1 Queen Bed and 1 Double-Size Sleeper Sofa; Balcony; Kitchenette with small fridge and microwave

• Deluxe Studio — Theme Park View: Views of Magic Kingdom; 1 Queen Bed and 1 Double-Size Sleeper Sofa; Balcony; Kitchenette with small fridge and microwave

Villas

• 1 Bedroom Villa — Standard View: Views of Parking Area or Obstructed View; 1 King Bed and 1 Queen-Size Sleeper Sofa and 1 Twin-Size Sleeper Chair; Balcony, 2 full bathrooms, full kitchen with an island

• 1 Bedroom Villa — Lake View: Views of Bay Lake; 1 King Bed and 1 Queen-Size Sleeper Sofa and 1 Twin-Size Sleeper Chair; Balcony, 2 full bathrooms, full kitchen with an island

• 1 Bedroom Villa — Theme Park View: Views of Magic Kingdom; 1 King Bed and 1 Queen-Size Sleeper Sofa and 1 Twin-Size Sleeper Chair; Balcony, 2 full bathrooms, full kitchen with an island
• 2 Bedroom Villa — Lake View: Views of Bay Lake; 1 King Bed and 2 Queen Beds and 1 Queen-Size Sleeper Sofa and 1 Twin-Size Sleeper Chair; 3 full bathrooms and full kitchen with an island

• 2 Bedroom Villa — Theme Park View: Views of Magic Kingdom; 1 King Bed and 2 Queen Beds and 1 Queen-Size Sleeper Sofa and 1 Twin-Size Sleeper Chair; 3 full bathrooms and full kitchen with an island
• 2 Bedroom Villa — Standard View: Views of Parking Area or Obstructed View; 1 King Bed and 2 Queen Beds and 1 Queen-Size Sleeper Sofa and 1 Twin-Size Sleeper Chair; 3 full bathrooms and full kitchen with an island

• 3 Bedroom Grand Villa — Theme Park View: Views of Magic Kingdom; 1 King Bed and 4 Queen Beds and 1 Queen-Size Sleeper Sofa
• 3 Bedroom Grand Villa — Lake View: Views of Bay Lake; 1 King Bed and 4 Queen Beds and 1 Queen-Size Sleeper Sofa

There are also both wheelchair and hearing accessible rooms available that include accessible bathrooms and visual alarms.

You can check out room layouts below.

Bay Lake Tower Room Options

Stay tuned for a detailed graphic of the available room types, along with floor plans.

Checking In And Out

When it comes to checking in and out, you have a few options: at the front desk, online through the official Walt Disney World website, or via the My Disney Experience app.

The front desk is located in the main lobby. Even though the front desk is there to assist guests, especially with checking in and checking out, all Disney World Resort guests are encouraged to check-in online or by using MDE.

• Checking-In: After you check-in online or using the app, you’ll receive a room-ready notification via next. You can then use your MagicBand or MDE’s digital key feature to unlock your room door.
• Checking-Out: Currently, guests will automatically be checked out of their rooms. But, if you have unresolved charges to your hotel folio, you’ll need to visit the front desk.

Note: Guests also have the option of to chat virtually with resort Cast Members via MDE for any assistance. 

The pickup and dropoff location for Mears Connect (which is the replacement for Magical Express) is also right outside the main lobby. The hotel also offers luggage storage for those who have checked out or are waiting to check in.

Note: Resort Airline Check-In and Magical Express are no longer available.

Package Delivery & Pick Up

You can have packages and groceries delivered to your Disney Resort hotel, along with shipping select items home.

Here’s everything you need to know about having packages delivered and picking them up.

Grocery Delivery

You can have groceries delivered directly to your Disney Resort hotel. Dry-good storage and refrigerated storage are offered (subject to availability).

Important: a $6 fee will be charged to your room account for each grocery delivery order brought to your room by Bell Services or Luggage Assistance. Or, you can pick up these deliveries yourself from Bell Services or Luggage Assistance — at no charge.

Select items will need to be picked up in person, like alcohol. Most grocery delivery services require an individual of age to sign for alcohol and to show valid identification. Disney Resort hotels will not accept these types of orders on behalf of you.

Resort Hotel Delivery (temporarily unavailable)

If you’re staying at a Disney Resort hotel, you can have park souvenirs delivered to your hotel instead of carrying them around with you all day.

Just tell the Cast Member at checkout that you want your purchase delivered to your hotel. You’ll usually pick up these items at your hotel’s gift shop (a Cast Member should tell you the designated pick-up location).

Home Delivery

In-park purchases can also be shipped to your home via UPS or FedEx for an additional fee.

Sending and Receiving Mail

Sending Mail

You can mail postcards, letters, and packages from the theme parks and select Disney Resort hotels.

Letter and Postcards
Postcards and letters with postage already applied can be mailed from any mail box located throughout the theme parks and at the Front Desk of Disney Resort hotels.

Packages
You can ship pre-packed, pre-labeled packages at the Front Desk or Concierge desk of most Disney Resort hotels. Hotels that include an onsite Business Center, including Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, can also ship packages for you.

Regular shipping and handling fees will apply.

Purchasing Postage
Postage stamps are available for purchase at various gift shops including:

• Art of Disney (Epcot)
• Celebrity 5 & 10 (Hollywood Studios)
• Disney Springs Welcome Center (Disney Springs)
• Disney Traders (Epcot)
• Garden Gate Gifts (Animal Kingdom)
• Heritage Manor (Epcot)
• Main Street Chamber of Commerce (Magic Kingdom)
• Mickey’s Gift Station (Transportation and Ticket Center)
• Mickey’s of Hollywood (Hollywood Studios)
• Movieland Memorabilia (Hollywood Studios)
• Newsstand (Magic Kingdom)
• The Outpost Shop (Animal Kingdom)
• Sundries (Disney Springs)

Receiving Mail

If you’re staying at a Disney Resort hotel, you can receive mail throughout your stay. Occasionally, some guests will ship items in advance of their vacation to help save luggage space.

If you want to receive mail during your vacation, be sure the letter or package:

• Includes the mailing address of your Disney Resort Hotel
• Clearly features the word “Guest” on the front and the date of your arrival

Important: a $6 per package handling fee will apply to all packages that are received through the Front Desk or are delivered to your Disney Resort hotel room.

Parking

Parking is available at Contemporary. There is a standard $25 overnight self-parking fee (including tax) that is applied to guests’ hotel folio upon check-out.

Valet parking is also available for $33 per night.

Complimentary standard self-parking is available for non-resort guests exploring dining, shopping, entertainment, and other experiences during the day.

We also have a complete Walt Disney World parking guide you can browse.

Important: Valet parking might not always be available.

Resort Map

Bay Lake Tower Building

Bay Lake Tower rooms are located in the Bay Lake Tower, which is located directly next to the Contemporary Resort Tower. The 2 towers are connected by the Sky Way Bridge, allowing for accessibility especially when it comes to dining and other amenities.

Amenities And Shops

Bay Lake Tower guests can enjoy a variety of amenities, including several gift shops, on-site laundry services, and even the chance to watch movies outside on a big screen! 

Important note: Some of the following amenities might not be available at all times.

• Bayview Gifts: A gift shop featuring your standard Disney souvenirs.  
• Fantasia: A smaller gift shop that also sells Disney souvenirs.

• Fantasia Market: A market, where you can buy food and spirits.
• Laundry Services: There are 24-hour self-service laundry facilities available on the first floor.
• Dry Cleaning Services: Dry cleaning and valet laundry services are also an option.

• Movies Under the Stars: Watch complimentary Disney movies on the lawn behind Contemporary’s Main Tower.
• Electrical Water Pageant: A nighttime water parade that sails along on Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake.
• Olympiad Fitness Center: Full-service gym with exercise equipment.

Pools And Recreation

There are several pools available for guests at Bay Lake Tower, in addition to the pools at Contemporary Resort. We recommended spending the day at your hotel and enjoying a Disney Resort pool, especially if you need a non-park day.

Important note: Some of the pools and recreation options might not be available at all times.

The pool available is:

• Bay Cove Pool: Features a 20-foot-tall waterslide, whirlpool spa, and a poolside bar, the Cove Bar. There’s also a water play area for kids. This pool is exclusively for Bay Lake Tower guests and Disney Vacation Club members. Cabanas are also available for rental.

You can also access the pools at the Contemporary.

Some other recreational options include:

• The Game Station (arcade games)
• Basketball
• Lakeside Yoga

• Fishing
• Motorized Boat Rentals
• Volleyball

• Tennis
• Jogging Trails
• Campfire to roast marshmallows
• Community Hall: complimentary pool, ping-pong, video games, board games, DVDs, and more

Guests can also enjoy the following for an additional price:

• Pirates & Pals Fireworks Voyage: A Seven Seas Lagoon dessert party cruise that’s pirate-themed.

Restaurants & Dining Options

Contemporary and Bay Lake Tower share the same dining options.

There are plenty of dining options available, including Quick Service locations, some of the most popular signature dining, like California Grill, and also coffee shops and lounges. Contempo Café also offers Mobile Ordering.

Plus, California Grill, Chef Mickey’s, and Steakhouse 71 have Mobile Dine Check-In, meaning you’ll check-in using the My Disney Experience app rather than going to the host stand. When your table is ready, you’ll be notified to proceed to a specific location.

Steakhouse 71 also features Table Service To Go, meaning you can Mobile Order form the Table Service spot. You can read more about the dining options below.

You can read more about the dining options below.

Quick Service

Although you don’t need reservations to dine at the Quick Service locations at Contemporary and Bay Lake Tower, you may want to consider using Mobile Order where available.

Contempo Café

This is along the lines of a grab-and-go spot for those who want a quick breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You can find a range of items, like breakfast platters, pastries, cookies, sandwiches, salads, and flatbreads.

Location type: Grab-and-go
Type of food: American
Meals served: Breakfast, lunch, & dinner

• On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Quick Service credit(s)
• Pros: Diverse options for a Quick Service – everything from good sandwiches to made-to-order salads and some of the best cupcakes ever, many find the onscreen ordering to be fun, view of the monorail, mobile ordering in My Disney Experience available
• Cons: Can be quite noisy, due in large part to its proximity to Chef Mickey’s

Table Service

Table Service locations typically require Advanced Dining Reservations. You can make those online or inside of the Disney Experience app.

Steakhouse 71

Steakhouse 71 replaced The Wave and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It’s a casual steakhouse with a range of options, including plant-based menu items and an amazing 15-layer chocolate cake representing the floors of Contemporary.

Location type: Casual dining
Type of food: American
Meals served: Breakfast, lunch, & dinner

• On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
• Pros: Really diverse menu with a focus on local and sustainable items, good service, usually easy to get into
• Cons: Can be noisy, sometimes service is slow

Chef Mickey’s

Chef Mickey’s offers character dining featuring The Fab Five in chef attire: Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Pluto. There is also all-you-care-to-enjoy breakfast and dinner that is served family-style.

Location type: Family-style character dining
Type of food: American
Meals served: Breakfast & dinner

• On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
• Pros: Family favorite due to the fun vibe (and it’s fun to ride the monorail right into the building), good spot to catch the classic characters together
• Cons: Food isn’t particularly good but is sufficient, reservations are hard to get
• Tips: Request to be in the main dining room to get the maximum amount of fun since the other rooms are further from the action.

California Grill

California Grill is a popular location for dinner. Not only are the views fantastic of Magic Kingdom, but the food is top-notch. There’s also a special plant-based menu, so be sure to ask for that option if you need it.

Location type: Fine/Signature Dining
Type of food: American, Seafood, Sushi
Meals served: Dinner

• On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 2 Table Service credit(s)
• Pros: Great service and ambiance, amazing food (especially if you like sushi) with a great view of Magic Kingdom fireworks (if you eat earlier in the day, you can return with your receipt to view fireworks at night from their private balcony area)
• Cons: Expensive, limited options for kids

Everything Else

Looking to grab some appetizers or a cocktail? Here’s where you can do that.

Steakhouse 71 Lounge

Steakhouse 71 Lounge is connected to the main restaurant, Steakhouse 71. You can order drinks and food here, including the restaurant’s signature burger and other small bites. You may be able to order off the main menu as well, so be sure to ask.

Location type: Bar and lounge
Type of food: American
Meals served: Lunch & dinner

• On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Quick Service credit(s)
• Pros: Easy spot to grab a drink and appetizer
• Cons: Can be noisy

California Grill Lounge

If you can’t get a reservation in the main restaurant, the California Grill Lounge is a second great option. Not only can you order off the full menu, but you too will have access to Magic Kingdom fireworks.

Location type: Lounge
Type of food: American, Seafood, Sushi
Meals served: Dinner

• On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 2 Quick Service credit(s)
• Pros: Great service and ambiance, amazing food (especially if you like sushi) with a great view of Magic Kingdom fireworks (if you eat earlier in the day, you can return with your receipt to view fireworks at night from their private balcony area)
• Cons: Expensive, limited options for kids

Contemporary Grounds

Contemporary Grounds is a coffee stand serving pastries and a range of baked goods. Plus, you can order Joffrey’s, the official coffee of Walt Disney World, here.

Location type: Grab-and-go
Type of food: American
Meals served: Breakfast & snacks

• On the Disney Dining Plan? No, 0 Quick Service credit(s)
• Pros: Great spot to grab a coffee and a pastry
• Cons: Limited seating

Cove Bar

The Cove Bar is located at Bay Lake Tower and is a private pool bar for guests staying at the hotel or for Disney Vacation Club Members.

Location type: Pool bar
Type of food: American
Meals served: Lunch

• On the Disney Dining Plan? No, 0 Quick Service credit(s)
• Pros: Great place to grab a quick bite to eat or a drink, view of the pool or Bay Lake
• Cons: Limited food menu

The Sand Bar

This pool bar offers burgers, hot dogs, snacks, desserts, wine, beer, tropical cocktails, and more. There’s also an enclosed area with air conditioning.

Location type: Pool bar
Type of food: American
Meals served: Lunch & dinner

• On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Quick Service credit(s)
• Pros: Great place to grab a quick bite to eat or a drink, view of the pool or Bay Lake
• Cons: Limited seating

Outer Rim

The Outer Rim is a bar that strictly serves drinks, but it’s a great way to enjoy the evening with some stunning views of Bay Lake.

Location type: Bar
Type of food: American
Meals served: None

• On the Disney Dining Plan? No, 0 Quick Service credit(s)
• Pros: Comfortable seats with a great view make it a great spot to grab a drink
• Cons: Only open in the evenings

How to get from Bay Lake Tower to anywhere at Disney World

Bay Lake Tower has several different forms complimentary transportation to choose from: the Monorail, water transportation, and Disney buses.

The monorail can be accessed inside the Main Tower of the Contemporary. Bay Lake Tower guests can simply walk across the Sky Way Bridge to hop on the Monorail. The water taxi will take guests to Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. 

As for the bus stop, it’s located right outside the main lobby of the Contemporary. There’s also a walkway for guests to walk to the Magic Kingdom. All of the different ways to get from Bay Lake Tower to anywhere in Disney World is below.

Scheduled Refurbishments

None scheduled right now.

Other Info

• Bay Lake Tower Resort Maps
• How to rent DVC points to stay in a Deluxe Villa and pay moderate prices
• Pros and Cons of on-site Walt Disney World Resort hotels

Submit Your Bay Lake Tower Review

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