Resort Review: Contemporary Resort

The Contemporary Resort is a deluxe resort, and is one of the original two resorts opened in 1971 at Walt Disney World. It's familiar A-line tower with a monorail running through its lobby has long been a symbol of Walt Disney World itself.

This resort offers the best location of any of the Disney Resorts, with monorail service to Magic Kingdom and Epcot, a walkway to get to Magic Kindgom, and boat service to nearby Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness Campgrounds. It sits on the lake, and many of the rooms have excellent views of the lake or Magic Kingdom.

While the location is premium, this resort is my least favorite deluxe resort in terms of themeing. Even though there have been a couple of rennovations since its opening, the Contemporary feels dated. It is a Jetsons-meets-office-complex sort of feeling that just isn't conducive to a relaxing vacation. The building walls are concrete, and the lobby is massive and impersonal.

Excellent Rooms
Recent rennovations of the rooms have created a light, whimsical feel to the accomodations, with funky bedspreads, furnishings, and carpet in a variety of colors. Just shy of 400 square feet, you can sleep a family of five comfortably with room to maneuver. Tower rooms are more expensive, and all have balconies overlooking the lake (the best and most expensive rooms have views also of Magic Kingdom). Wing rooms span the North and South Wings. First floor Wing Rooms have patios, many with lake views. Upper floor Wing Rooms have small juliette balconies, with no space to walk out on.

Bed configurations are either one king bed or two queen beds. The couch converts to a very comfortable bed (no painful sleeper sofa bar to contend with).

The bathroom has a separate room for the toilet, and has a double sink and shower/tub combination. In-room amenities include coffee maker, small fridge, safe deposit box, Internet connection (for a fee), iron and board, and daily newspaper.

Pool and Recreational Activities
The pool was also rennovated in recent years, converting a basic and dull pool into one with a fun slide, a freeform shape, and various waterworks. There's a waterfall area for kids to romp around in, but there's no true baby pool for your toddler to wade. If the pool is a critical element to your vacation, you'll do best at another Disney Resort.

The Contemporary Resort does offer an array of watersport vehicle rentals, including jet skis and paddle boats. They are all at an additional cost, of course. The lake is very scenic, but it is not swimmable.

Chances are you'll spot some critters onsite. There was a bunny who passed by our patio a couple of times, and an adorable duck and her ducklings who made their way across the parking lot.

Dining: The Best and The Worst
At the top level of the Contemporary Resort is one of the dining jewels of Disney World: The California Grille. Both the food and the views here are excellent. Food here is quite expensive, but for a special occasion it is well worth the money spent.

Chef Mickey's is an active buffet restaurant featuring character breakfast and dinner. Food here is of acceptible quality, but nothing outstanding. It is located in the open lobby area of the tower building.

Concourse Grille serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is also located in the tower building lobby area. Food here is decent, but the prices are not.

If you're looking for a quick bite (or something less vicious on the wallet), the counter service area is tucked away behind the check-in desk in the lower lobby. The space is crowded, and the noise from the video arcade next door is distracting. You can find a cup of chili, a burger, or a variety of premade cold sandwices and salads. The service is slow and clueless, the menu drab and uninventive, and really lacks Disney's standards.

Thankfully, other restaurants are close enough by monorail or boat. You can take the monorail to the Polynesian Resort or Grand Floridian, or the boat to the Wilderness Lodge or Fort Wilderness Campgrounds. One night we took the monorail over to check out the Polynesian Resort, and had an impromptu counter service dinner there. We were hoping to dine standby at OHana's but the wait time was just too long.

Overall
The Contemporary Resort is a good choice for folks who really need quick access to their hotel rooms from Magic Kingdom, such as parents of little ones who plan on making Magic Kingdom the primary focus. Also, the Contemporary Resort is often available when other deluxe resorts are sold out. You'll have a great time at the Contemporary Resort, but it pales in comparison to its newer sister resorts.

Update!!
The Contemporary (and sister property the Polynesian Resort) are slated for renovations. Rooms will be changed to a new, sleek decor with muted colors and new furnishings. Rennovations have begun as of May 2005, and are expected to take 18 months to complete.

 

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