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PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.

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If you miss us, you can still find some of us online. Sara started a new blog at DisneyParkPrincess.com -- I strongly urge you to visit and get on her mailing list. She IS the Disney park princess and knows Disney backward and forward. And I am blogging as well at JenniferMaker.com, which is a little craft blog I started a couple of years ago to make ends meet. You can see and hear me in my craft show at https://www.youtube.com/c/jennifermaker . Many PassPorter readers and fans are on Facebook, in groups they formed like the PassPorter Trip Reports and PassPorter Crafting Challenge (if you join, just let them know you read about it in the newsletter). And some of our most devoted community members started a forum of their own at Pixie Dust Lane and all are invited over.

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Best wishes for a wonderful and magical new year!

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Old 02-03-2016, 08:36 PM   #1
rpennington95
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Staying at CR for the First Time!

Hey Y'all,

I just came back from Disney 3 weeks ago and had a wonderful couple of days at the Poly! So, I decided to go back home for my birthday and I booked a couple of days at the Contemporary. Since this is my first time staying there, do y'all have any dining reccomendations or room requests? (I'm staying in the Garden Wing)

Thanks!
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Old 02-03-2016, 09:32 PM   #2
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This is neither dining nor about rooms, but something I found just stunning was to get on the boat from the CR to either Wilderness Lodge or the MK while the Electrical Water Pageant is going past.

Riding the boat was so relaxing and enjoyable anyway we thought.

The fourth floor deck in the Tower is pretty good for watching the fireworks but get there at least a half hour or more beforehand. It's gotten to be much more popular than it once was.

We've never been as impressed by California Grill at the top of the CR as most people are. If you can afford it, it would have a fantastic view of Wishes so might be worth the cost to see Wishes from there.
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Old 02-07-2016, 03:08 PM   #3
Huntermom
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I stayed at the CR in a garden wing, first floor room many years ago. I was with mty DD and my nephew, both 10 at the time. Around two AM someone began to try to get in the slider. They were relentless and I was scared out of my mind. I called the front desk and was told it couldn't be happening. I was finally put through to security who sent someone out. I could hear them talking to someone who was under the influence and appeared to have been confused about what slider they wanted to get in. Security never got back to me.

It was not a good experience and I left a day early (got an earlier check in at Universal) My room was pretty far from the tower and about everything else. AS a female, I would not stay alone in a first floor garden wing room again.

I would also ask to be somewhat close to the tower.
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Old 02-07-2016, 08:04 PM   #4
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I've stayed in Garden Wing rooms a few times, twice in the North Wing, now gone, and once in the South Wing, which is the only one now there.

We were also on the first floor, right near the exit to the main Tower. I liked our room location - it was right near the main pool and the hot tub, and a short walk to the Main Tower. We never had any trouble with noise or neighbors any time.

I do miss the North Wing - I liked the first floor rooms there - just a quick skip over to what was then the food court on the first floor, and the arcade - all of this has now been moved, and the Wave is located in that space.

Speaking of restaurants - I enjoyed the Wave for both breakfast and dinner. I used to enjoy the Concourse Steakhouse, which it replaced. I do enjoy California Grill - and Chef Mickey's is a classic - but I've been there and done that - at least until I have grandchildren.
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Old 02-07-2016, 09:58 PM   #5
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We used to love that arcade & movie theatre. And my mouth waters at the mere thought of many a yummy face lickin' meal at the Concourse Steakhouse. I miss some of the boutiques from the CR which are also long gone.
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Old 02-08-2016, 06:17 AM   #6
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I agree that the steakhouse is a sad loss all these years later.

We had a great meal there about ten years ago. Much more enjoyable location for us, bright and open though noisy, than the claustrophobic Wave which has no windows.
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