Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort Fact Sheet

Building upon a Beloved Icon

Bay Lake Tower builds on the celebrated legacy of Disney’s Contemporary Resort, hailed as a modern marvel of American architecture when it opened alongside the nearby Magic Kingdom Park on Oct. 1, 1971. While its innovative design drew early crowds, it was Disney’s Contemporary Resort’s unparalleled convenience that kept families coming back. Today, Disney’s Contemporary Resort offers conveniences unavailable at any other resort hotel, including a monorail station right inside the building, the fine dining and amazing views of the Walt Disney World Resort available at the California Grill, the innovative and healthful dining options served at new restaurant The Wave and the new game arcade and quick-service eatery located on the resort’s fourth floor. Plus, the proximity to the MagicKingdom Park continually proves to be among the resort’s most popular “amenities,” allowing families to easily return to their rooms for quick breaks from their busy day in the Park.

Bay Lake Tower will take that experience one step further, adding the conveniences of “home” to this world-class vacation destination. Most rooms feature full kitchens complete with granite countertops and modern appliances, separate bedrooms, washers and dryers, and other home-like amenities that will add even more comfort and convenience to the unique experience offered by Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

Unparalleled Views

Bay Lake Tower’s crescent-shaped tower will boast some of the most dramatic Walt Disney World views available, offering open sightlines to an amenity-filled courtyard, the picturesque lakefront or one of the most beloved theme parks on earth. The view will be equally appealing on the other side of the window, with rich woods and warm fabrics complementing interior spaces and creating a welcoming, family friendly environment.

Planned Rooftop Lounge and Fireworks Viewing Area

The only view better than the one families will enjoy from their rooms may be the one available* from the exclusive rooftop deck, offering sweeping views of the resort and a dramatic look at Magic Kingdom Park’s fireworks by night. Plus, as an homage to the original, Bay Lake Tower’s rooftop lounge, Top of the World Lounge, was actually inspired by Disney’s Contemporary Resort’s former restaurant of the same name.

*Availability is limited and usage guidelines do apply.

Planned Spacious Lobby

After checking in at the original resort, Guests’ first glimpse of the tower’s interior will be revealed in the lobby area filled with woven woods and glass-wrapped columns. From the area, guests can catch their first look at Bay LakeTower’s lakeside pool area and outside pool bar.

Planned Bay Cove Pool

Nestled in the shadow of Bay Lake Tower, the resort’s zero entry pool includes a water slide, separate whirlpool spa and an interactive children’s water feature – all overlooking picturesque Bay Lake.

Planned Resort Amenities

Beyond the rooftop lounge, spacious lobby and lakeside pool, Bay Lake Tower will feature a covered outdoor sky bridge that connects to the original resort so that guests can access the monorail as well as the restaurants and merchandise shops Guests love at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Plus, Bay Lake Tower Guests can pamper themselves with room service available through the original resort or make use of Community Hall, an activity center.

Disney Vacation Club

Disney Vacation Club is a vacation-ownership program that helps families enjoy flexibility and savings on vacations for decades to come. By purchasing a real estate interest in a Disney Vacation Club resort, families enjoy flexible vacations at Disney destinations worldwide, as well as more than 500 other popular Member Getaways vacation locations around the globe. 

Disney Resorts

Walt Disney Parks & Resorts operates 38 resort hotels with more than 35,000 hotel rooms worldwide.

Disney Vacation Club properties include the following eight deluxe resorts:

• Disney’s Old Key West Resort
• Disney's BoardWalk Villas
• The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Disney Beach Club Villas
• Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas
• Disney’s Vero Beach Resort
• Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort

Fun Facts

• Disney Vacation Club has doubled its membership since 2004 to include more than 350,000 individual members from each U.S. state and approximately 100 different countries.
• There are 167 miles of post-tensioning cable running through the concrete slabs. These cables could stretch from Bay Lake Tower to Disney’s Vero Beach Resort and back.
• There are 1,398 tons of reinforcing steel, known as rebar, within the structure. This is equal to the weight of 254 full-grown elephants.
• Bay Lake Tower rests on a foundation of more than 800 concrete piles that are 16” in diameter and extend 70’ into the ground. Stacked on top of one another, these would reach more than 10 miles into the sky. 

Quick Facts

Date Announced:  September 16, 2008

Targeted Completion Date:  Fall 2009

Location/Geography:  Bay Lake Tower is ideally situated between the Magic Kingdom Park and Disney’s Contemporary Resort with easy access to the monorail

Room Mix:   Bay Lake Tower offers studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom units. The majority of room categories include views of Bay Lake or Magic Kingdom Park Number of Units: 295 two-bedroom equivalent villas

Planned Resort Amenities:   Zero entry pool with water slide, separate spa and interactive children’s water feature; exclusive lounge on the top floor with outdoor fireworks viewing area (availability is very limited and usage guidelines apply); covered outdoor sky bridge connects Bay Lake Tower to the existing resort so that guests can access the monorail