also forgot to add, the old genie+ days are what youre thinking about when it comes to getting up at 7am to do youre lightning lane reserving.
also i too stayed at Contemporary this past April. the walk from our room in the Garden Wing to main street USA took 15 minutes. from bay lake tower itll probably be 10. Including ticket entry and security. The walk path to MK has its own security, and its awesome. You dont get your own private ticket entrance, you still use the public one. Contemporary security also seemed to be more chill than the public security so if you have a stroller with cooler, bags etc...theyre not as keen about searching you. the public one seems like TSA.
we had reservations for Chef Mickeys but didnt find time to squeeze it in, we were trying to cut down on character meals since its $240 a meal. Contempo cafe has some pretty decent food for quick service. And it doesnt cost an arm/leg, for disney standards. I had the Chicago italian beef sub a few times. Also we mobiled ordered on the way back to the room a couple pizzas to be picked up after park hours and those were clutch, waiting for us to just grab off the shelf and head to the room.
I'll be honest with you, if you have your own vehicle...dont use the monorail coming back from Epcot when you go for luminous unless youre drunk then use the monorail. Its a shit show, and im not sure if youre familiar with the monorail route. epcot>TTC(get off to board the resort monorail)>polynesian>grand floridian>magic kingdom>contemporary. shit takes forever(35-45 min). at hollywood you share buses with wilderness lodge guests after fantasmic. not sure about animal kingdom, we usually drive to AK every time we go