Help Me Decide - Contemporary or Wilderness Lodge for July 4th

[tink2007]

My husband and I have planned a “staycation” for July 4th weekend.
I have booked a theme park view room at the Contemporary and a resort view room at the Wilderness Lodge.

We do not plan to visit parks. We want to enjoy more of which ever resort we choose.

Is the Contemporary worth the extra money to see the fireworks from our room?
I’m worried how busy and crowded it will be since it’s a holiday weekend.

We LOVE Wilderness Lodge but I have two concerns. First, being able to see fireworks. Second, the pool is always so crowded and hard to find shade.

Looking for opinions from anyone that has experienced July 4th at either resort.

 

[CinderellaDream]

While the Contemporary is not my favorite hotel choice (decor, elevator situation and the atrium is loud), the July 4th fireworks cannot be beat from there because they are shot off from around the Seven Seas Lagoon. It really is magical! I've never stayed at Wilderness Lodge so I cannot compare but I would think the view of fireworks is somewhat obstructed by trees.

 

[olliesmom]

We haven't been to either resort for July 4th, but recently did a WL/Contemporary split stay. We definitely enjoyed the theming at WL more and didn't have difficulty finding chairs at the pool (though I don't specifically recall how much shade coverage there was).

I would consider staying at WL and visiting the Contemporary for fireworks, from the 4th floor viewing platform (or one of the stairwells just above)!

One thing I will note is if you are using a stroller, the elevator situation at the Contemporary was pretty rough. There was one evening we had to wait about 20 mins for an elevator because they were just packed. If we stay there again, we will wait until the whole group can take the stairs.

 

[fla4fun]

WL is my favorite Disney deluxe, but I would never pass up the opportunity to stay in a theme park view at CR for July 4th. We have done this before and the view can’t be beat. I would much rather be out on my balcony where I can easily see the show and not have to deal with the crowds.

We did it as a staycation as well, and it was convenient to be on the monorail route for visiting and dining at Poly and GF. It is more challenging to get to other resorts from WL (although to me, the remote feel of WL is a big part of its charm).

If the fireworks are a top priority for your trip, stay at CR. If the fireworks are not your top priority, then WL is a great choice for a non park, relaxing trip.

 

[Dave006]

Is the Contemporary worth the extra money to see the fireworks from our room?
I’m worried how busy and crowded it will be since it’s a holiday weekend.

Yes if you are going to be on your balcony for the July 3rd or 4th it is a great location to catch the extra perimeter fireworks in addition to the main Fireworks. It will not matter how busy the resort is once you watch the show from your balcony. And the 2 second commute back into your room is magical.

The pool deck area at the CR can feel like the surface of the sun in the afternoon from 12-5 with no real shade. However once the sun is past the A-frame the building starts casting a wonderful shade area,

We LOVE Wilderness Lodge but I have two concerns. First, being able to see fireworks. Second, the pool is always so crowded and hard to find shade.

Watching the Holiday Fireworks from WL is like watching someone else's fireworks display. For regular MK Fireworks yes the boat dock where you catch the boat to MK is fine but no soundtrack. The large concrete area between GP and Bay lake has the soundtrack piped in.

In either location at WL you don't see all the lower Fireworks on July 3rd and 4 that are from the perimeter locations and the island in front of MK. The trees and the Contemporary A frame block them. On July 3 & 4 it is worth staying in the Seven Seas Lagoon area.

The WL has 2 great pools. We find lounging at the quite pool by BR is great for relaxing away from the noise at the main pool by Geyser Point (GP) with the slide and Splash Pad.

Dave

 

[Jacq7414]

Epcot 4th of July fireworks are better than MK IMO. Would you consider one of those resorts instead?

 

[Dave006]

Epcot 4th of July fireworks are better than MK IMO.

Only issue with viewing the 4th of July Fireworks at Epcot is that you really need to be in the park to enjoy the majority of the show. @tink2007 is not planing to be in any parks during their visit.

Dave

 

[jason423]

You dont get much of a fireworks view at WL. You really only see the highest fireworks and that is mainly down by the boat dock area. They do pipe the music in at Geyser Point and the pool but you cant see anything from there so you wont get that either.

I think WL is the better resort of the two. I would agree that the main pool can get crowded though they have one of the best quiet pools and usually we can get a good spot there, though we have not vacationed there during a big holiday. But you definitely will not get a good fireworks view at all.

 

[mrsap]

My husband and I have planned a “staycation” for July 4th weekend.
I have booked a theme park view room at the Contemporary and a resort view room at the Wilderness Lodge.

We do not plan to visit parks. We want to enjoy more of which ever resort we choose.

Is the Contemporary worth the extra money to see the fireworks from our room?
I’m worried how busy and crowded it will be since it’s a holiday weekend.

We LOVE Wilderness Lodge but I have two concerns. First, being able to see fireworks. Second, the pool is always so crowded and hard to find shade.

Looking for opinions from anyone that has experienced July 4th at either resort.

Here are some of my 4th of July firework pics from Wilderness Lodge, taken along the water by Geyser Point, HERE. Good luck deciding.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

It's going to be hard to match the fireworks view from CR vs WL, IMHO. Although just a caveat that with the off-center direction and launch points used for the 7/3 and 7/4 shows, your head will be on a swivel.

Some pics from a few years ago.

Most of the show is like this - normal low-level castle and surrounding building fireworks, the main launch pad behind the MK (burst to the right), and an island in the middle of Seven Seas Lagoon (burst to the left) that basically simulcasts the same fireworks shot from behind the MK. I'm on the widest iphone setting and can barely get this in the frame - when viewing with your eyes you sort of have to pick where to look.



Angle looking towards the Seven Seas Lagoon launch point:

At times during the show two additional behind the MK launch points are used, as you see below. Same launch points as used during MNSSHP and MVMCP fireworks.


At peak moments and the finale two more additional launch areas are used - one in the grassy field next to the MK stop in front of CR (bottom left) and one over towards GF.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Some words of observation....

Somewhat less so on 7/3, but on 7/4 CR is going to be CRAWLING with people in the evening. Elevators are not your friend. Get where you're going and plan to stay there. Getting up and down the tower is possible in the hours leading up to showtime, just be patient. The return line for CG viewing wrapped around the second floor through the convention center hallways. People start camping out on any fire exit landing that has a view. It was crazy... not necessarily bad crazy, just very much a different day at the resort than a typical fireworks night. (One reason why I like holidays at WDW resorts, BTW... it's fun in a crazy kind of way)

99% guaranteed a car alarm or 10 will start going off during the show. It can be annoying, especially if your room is towards the MK side. If you're more towards the convention building side you at least have some better distance between you and the parking lot. This can happen during Happily Ever After too and is one of my nits about CR TPV room fireworks viewing.

For those that don't know, fireworks audio is on a TV channel in the room. Crank the TV up and enjoy from your balcony.

Love the 7/4 show but it is pretty short relative to shows like Happily Ever After. Just manage expectations - it has a wow factor given the additional launch areas, but it's just not all that long.

Summer sunsets from a TPV room are often lovely whether good or bad weather (it can be fun to watch any storms roll through) - stock any beverages if inclined and enjoy the bustle below you and the calming views of the Seven Seas Lagoon.

This was 7:56pm and if you zoom in you can see folks gathered on the fire escape landings.


8:50pm and more of the same.


Happy to answer any questions!

 

[emmabelle]

@tink2007 - we stayed at WL for 4th of July back in 2017 and I could just barely see the fireworks from there. I do like the theming at WL though, so maybe it would be worth it to just stay there.

@GADisneyDad14 - thanks for the info, very helpful! I just booked a garden wing room at CR for 7/4 to 7/8. I'm not sure where we'll try and see fireworks if at all. We'll be flying that day at 6am so my husband may be toast by 9:20pm.

 

[Dave006]

I just booked a garden wing room at CR for 7/4 to 7/8. I'm not sure where we'll try and see fireworks if at all. We'll be flying that day at 6am so my husband may be toast by 9:20pm.

The easiest location to view the July 4th Fireworks in your situation (long travel day) may be the large patio area just in front of the Convention center. A quick walk from the Garden Wing rooms.

While it will be noisy with Car alarms going off as @GADisneyDad14 mentioned in his post. It is a large open area just west of the CR main entrance doors.

Dave

 

[emmabelle]

@Dave006 I was thinking that I would be able to see them from there.

 

[Loridavis57]

Poly