Let’s Talk about the Rooms at Bay Lake Tower

Booking a Disney Vacation Club room can sometimes feel like an adventure. The remarkable depth of the program can lead to analysis paralysis. With so many exceptional options, I may not know what to do. 

Each resort comes with its own unique selling points, and information is power in helping you choose. So, let’s talk about the rooms at Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. After all, we both know you want to stay there…but where?

Let’s Talk about the Room Types

Like most DVC resorts, Bay Lake Tower offers four booking options. These are Studios, One- and Two-Bedroom Villas, and Three-Bedroom Grand Villas. 

At this property in particular, you get what you pay for in that the Studios are on the smaller side. I find them extraordinarily efficient, but if you need lots of space, a Villa probably makes sense here. 

Of course, that’s only half the discussion. The other debate centers on the view. So, let’s evaluate those options.

Let’s Talk about the Views

DVC allows you to book three different Room Types based on the view. They are Standard View, Lake View, and Theme Park View. You’ll spend the fewest points on Standard View and the most on Theme Park View.

Photo Courtesy of Disney Tourist Blog

For calendar 2024, the DVC Points Chart lists seven Travel Periods at Bay Lake Tower. Let’s use the middle one, which covers February 1st through the 15th and June 11th through August 31st. 

A one-week stay in a Studio costs 123 DVC Points for Standard View, 137 DVC Points for Lake View, and 167 DVC Points for Theme Park View. 

What do you get for the extra points? Standard View rooms look out at some of the less aesthetically pleasing parts of the hotel campus, like the parking lot and the hotel grounds. Since Bay Lake Tower is lovely, the latter view is surprisingly nice, but I personally find the parking lot view less than magical.

For this reason, my family typically upgrades to Lake View, which includes rooms that face Bay Lake. You can also see the Bay Lake Tower pool well from most rooms. So, I think of it as pool view as much as Lake View. 

Some of my most tranquil moments at Walt Disney World have occurred during rainstorms. I savor Lake View at Bay Lake Tower as I can watch the stormy weather from the comfort of my room.

Finally, we have Theme Park View, and here’s where I lose some of you. Personally, I find this one a bit overhyped. 

You can see parts of Cinderella Castle, Tomorrowland, and Main Street, U.S.A. That’s marvelous during fireworks presentations. During the daytime, it’s not quite as impactful, in my opinion.

Others adore watching the Astro Orbiter from their hotel rooms, though. Please choose whatever makes sense to you!

Let’s Talk about the Studios

A Bay Lake Tower Studio covers 339 square feet of space. As a large man, that would typically bother me, but I marvel at the efficiency of the room design.

Disney has deftly segmented the various parts of the Studio. So, the kitchenette stands on its own and feels larger for that reason. 

Before you reach that area, you’ll walk past the master bathroom. After the kitchenette, you’ll find the bedroom/living room area, which is a large open space. 

While 339 square feet may not sound like much, at least by DVC standards, splitting the room into three parts maximizes the space. I both enjoy and admire this design and consider it among the best at DVC. 

Let’s Talk about the Villas 

Still, no matter how much I praise the Studio, the reality is that many of you will skip straight to the Villas. For some families, 339 square feet simply isn’t enough. 

Thankfully, the One-Bedroom Villas cover 803 square feet of space and include full-sized kitchens and a washer/dryer combo. So, they’re ideal for larger traveling parties or people who simply prefer more space.

In terms of price, a Lake View One-Bedroom Villa in the middle season costs 268 DVC Points. Effectively, you’re getting more than double the space for slightly less than twice the price. That’s a good trade.

Of course, you may prefer to go bigger. The Two-Bedroom Villas definitely qualify. They’re 1,152 square feet and cost 313-424 DVC Points, depending on the view. You’re paying 80-93 DVC Points than a One-Bedroom for the extra space. It’s a decent trade when you have spare points.

Then again, if you do, you might as well book the ultimate. The Grand Villas at Bay Lake Tower represents the pinnacle of the DVC experience. These 2,044-square feet suites provide a multi-floor hangout experience. 

Disney wants large groups to stay here and adds centrally located hangout spaces. They feature floor-to-ceiling windows that highlight one of the two breathtaking views you can choose, Lake View or Theme Park View. 

Here’s a DVC Fan walkthrough that helps you to appreciate the majesty of the Grand Villa:

The danger of booking a Grand Villa is that once you stay there, you’ll want to live there. The experience is life-changing.

Then again, that’s how most of us would describe DVC in general, isn’t it? And you can’t go wrong staying at the resort that’s a ten-minute or monorail ride away from Magic Kingdom.