Reviews of Contemporary Resort (Deluxe Resort)
Reviewed by Mike Review Date: 09/30/2018
Rating: (10) Recommended
The resort and service are awesome. We stayed here on our fist trip to Walt Disney World and it helped us fall in love with Disney World. The location is super convenient and having the monorail station is very helpful as well. Our first trip was for a work trip so the hotel was paid for. Due to the price, we will probably never be able to stay there again.
Pros:
Theme, service, food, location, monorail, fireworks viewing, water paradeCons:
CostReviewed by mawdryn Review Date: 09/29/2018
Rating: (10) Recommended
We booked 2 Garden Wing rooms for 2 nights in early June. The rooms are spacious, modern and extremely clean. Our rooms were adjoining and had views of landscaping and the pool. This resort is fabulous! It's the only resort with walking ability to the MK. There are many dining options and the grounds are beautiful. You can also watch the fireworks from this resort as well as the Electric Water Parade.
Pros:
Proximity to the Magic Kingdom and dining options.Cons:
NoneReviewed by Becky B Review Date: 09/26/2018
Rating: (10) Recommended
We stayed here for a week in April 2018 in the A tower. Had a lake pool view out the back sliding door/balcony, a view of Chef Mickey's out the front door. We all thought it was the most magical place we've ever stayed. We were on floor 5 - had a pretty good bird's eye view of Chef Mickey's but never heard any noise from inside our room. And every morning before setting off to the parks, we all had to pause and watch the kids below dancing and interacting with the characters. *LOVE* Loved also being able to walk into Magic Kingdom. Loved walking past Space Mountain every morning. Loved eating at and watching the Magic Kingdom fireworks from the California Grill (fabulous, BTW). Beds were very comfortable, the room itself was roomy, staff were friendly and efficient. This resort is on the expensive side, we certainly won't be able to stay here every visit to WDW - but we would choose this resort every time if we could afford it. Oh, and the lobby smells so good. Highly recommend.
Pros:
Location, beds, pool, views, cleanliness, shops, restaurantsCons:
PriceReviewed by mkymouse4ever Review Date: 07/13/2018
Rating: (9) Recommended
We stayed at the CR for 12 nites 6/22 > 7/4. We had tower theme park view. We where just to the right of the center of the resort. Our view was totally amazing. The room was clean, and perfect. Beds very comfortable. Noticed the tv is now gigantic compared to our last stay.
Only issue we had was really parking. They shut the main lot in front of the tower closed 2 different times during our visit. No notice was given. No reason was given. My family member has a handicapp placard > and NO extra HC parking was available to tower. They did not designate any new area which we could use > other than the suggestion of valet parking. I really do not like valet parking, especially after watching them park cars the first day. They told us the first time, was due to construction. They closed lot on friday and construction was 1 day on monday. But, no one could use the lot in the mean time. 2nd time was july 2 cause of a large party in convention center (or thats my guess) also people parking and going to mk. main lot was totally closed. till after the 4th. Now for the price you pay at CR for tower tpv. appropriate parking should be available. Only other HC parking was over at south tower had about 8 spots and should be used for people in south tower. The BLT has some by there door too but these are NOT convient for someone who can only walk a limited amount.
Pros:
location location locationCons:
—Reviewed by kelallie Review Date: 06/11/2018
Rating: (10) Recommended
I stayed 1 night on May 31, in a garden view room on the first floor, room #6114. My view was of Bay Lake. I was close to the pool. My walk from the room to the tower and to MK was not long at all. The room was very large as was the bathroom. Room could easily accommodate 5 adults, or at least 4 adults and a child. The bed was probably the most comfortable on property. CMs were very friendly and helpful. I checked in around noon and waited about 20 minutes until my room was ready. Bell services quickly delivered my bags. It is a very quick walk over to MK.
I went to Contempo Café for breakfast and it was standard grab and go fare. I had dinner at The Wave. It was good, but I wouldn't go out of my way to eat there again, though it may have been what I ordered.
The views from CR are breathtaking. I woke up early to see the sunrise over Bay Lake and MK. I was able to get great photos from the Tower balcony.
If you have the chance to stay here, definitely go for it. I've put off staying here because of the decor, but I really enjoyed my stay and would definitely go again.
Pros:
LocationCons:
—Reviewed by Gingy160 Review Date: 12/06/2017
Rating: (9) Recommended
I have stayed in the park three times (out of 28 visits) -- and all three were at the Contemporary. It is the quintessential Disney resort, not because of elaborate Disney theming like other resorts, but because it is the original Disney resort and you can't find anything like it anywhere else. True, it is very light on Disney decorating, and lower floors can be a mite noisy with the monorail, shops, and Chef Mickey's. And on our recent trip, we just could not get a character wake-up call! But, you can't beat the location and the ease of getting to the MK or EP. We have had the opportunity to visit several other hotels all over the Disney property where other members of our traveling party were staying. Each time, we all look at each other and agree they're nice, but the Contemporary is the only hotel for us. Besides that, according to my 8 year old son, you can't beat that "the monorail goes right through the building!" We have always been treated well and have been very satisfied staying there.
Pros:
Location, Location, LocationCons:
—Reviewed by mkymouse4ever Review Date: 10/15/2017
Rating: (8) Recommended
We stayed finally 6 nites at Cr tower mkv. sept 2017 ending our 2.5 week stay at wdw.
We are long time fans and frequent visitors of CR. Love CR and definately our favorite resort and location. Room was clean and fresh. Quick pleasant valet, and check in experience. Room ready very early. Got our requested location area. Only tower down fall is it was very hot during our stay and when leaving your room due to size and opening of building tower was warm on high floor. Aside from that was truely magical. Very pleasant Cm's. and great room service.
Pros:
location, location, locationCons:
elevators, pool crowdsReviewed by cg12086 Review Date: 05/19/2017
Rating: (8) Recommended
Staying at the Contemporary has been on my bucket list for a LONG time! I wanted to love it so much that I would only stay here again... but the monorail transportation that is supposed to be a huge perk was down multiple times during our quick trip.
The room (Garden View in Garden Wing room 6111): The room was spacious and clean. The sink area did need more space but I knew it would be cramped ahead of time so no big deal. The walk wasn't to bad to main lobby and it was very quite. The beds were comfy enough and the I actually enjoyed the theme of the room. The view of Bay Lake was amazing!! My daughter's favorite part of the trip was sitting out on our first floor patio and watching the Water Pageant right out side our window. It felt like our own private show.
The pool:The slide and splash pad were great. I was able to enjoy a margarita ($$$) from the pool bar and watch my kiddos play in the pool.
The dining: The quick service restaurant was smaller than I am use to at the moderate and value resorts however I never went during peak times so I was always able to find a place to sit and the food was ok.
Transportation:Let's be frank here, you pay for being on the monorail system, so when it was broken more than once during my 3 night stay it was very frustrating. The convenience of it when it was working was nice but I am not sure if it's worth the cost. The walk to the magic kingdom is nice but at the end of the night after being in the park all day it can seem much longer.
Overall: I will definitely stay here again but it will probably be after we give a few other deluxe resorts a try. Just wasn't the full experience I was hoping for.
Pros:
location, views, pool, themeCons:
monorail down multiple timesReviewed by RichC Review Date: 04/04/2016
Rating: (10) Recommended
Having just checked out of the Contemporary Resort on April 2 after a seven-night stay on property, I am happy to give this location a hearty recommendation.
My wife and I, along with our 6-year-old son, shared a 1st floor room in the garden wing facing Bay Lake. This, to me, was an ideal location. Tower rooms, especially those facing the Magic Kingdom, command higher nightly rates, but I preferred the peace and lovely view of our location. The walk to the Contemporary tower -including the bus and monorail stops- was not a long one (we stayed at an outer room at Kidani Village: THAT is a long walk!). Pretty Bay Lake is dotted with ferries and watercraft throughout the day and our view provided two showings of the nightly Electrical Water Pageant. I find it charming, but the volume was a bit loud for our location and for the time.
The room, as mentioned above, was exceptionally large and comfortable. We toured other deluxe resort rooms during this trip and were surprised at how roomy and elegant ours was by comparison. This is attributable to the age and unique construction of the Contemporary. Please don't forget this terrific plus when considering deluxe WDW lodgings. The decor was indeed modern and fashionable. Though I believe the Contemporary's modern rooms recently incorporated stylized Disney imagery, there wasn't a mouse to be seen anywhere in the room except for on the shower curtain. My little boy wasn't put off in the least. Comfortable beds are a must, and these did not disappoint. The bathroom sinks have been bashed plenty of times before and those people weren't wrong. They didn't pose much of a problem, though: not really an issue.
As is often noted about the Contemporary, the style is relatively un-Disney. While that turns off many, I admire the sleek theming throughout the resort with the only exceptions being the somewhat airport-like 4th floor concourse and the joyless 1st floor lobby. The pool was a letdown: small, crowded and shallow, it closed earlier than expected each night. Nonetheless, the expansive marina, beach and grounds are delightful. The walk to MK can't be beat and we elected to take that path more than ride the monorail to visit the park. And with so many good views of the fireworks, one needn't fear missing out or being crowded during the show. I recommend the bridge to Bay Lake Tower as an ideal viewing spot if you cant make it up to the California Grill observation deck.
My father took us to WDW many times in my youth and staying at the Contemporary this trip made me nostalgic. I left feeling very satisfied: the vacation was a wonderful one and it brought on many deep and joyful feelings within me (and a few melancholic ones as well). I feel this trip will stick with me and that I now have a special affinity for the Contemporary Resort. It is an excellent choice for those seeking deluxe accommodations near the Magic Kingdom.
Pros:
Location, Room Size, HistoryCons:
PoolReviewed by cchurch74 Review Date: 02/21/2016
Rating: (9) Recommended
My hubby and I stayed here for the second time in Feb 2016. We LOVE this resort! We had a Tower, Theme Park View room on the 11th floor and the views were incredible! We made sure to make it back to our room several nights to watch the fireworks from the Magic Kingdom. Also, being in the Tower, everything was very convenient. The staff were very friendly and helpful, including helping with our room requests. And having the monorail in the building was a huge plus! The rooms are huge as well.
We also loved the fact that you could walk back from the Magic Kingdom when the monorail was super crowded at night.
The only con is the theming, as its not as themed as the other resorts. But everything else trumps that.
