DVDizzy Forum

So I just found out that my family and I are going to the Contemporary Resort in Febuary. I heard Contemporary resort is a nice hotel. Has anyone who has stayed there tell me what the hotel is like and the hotel rooms and such... Also, how does it compare against Old Key West and Wilderness Lodge?

Alan wrote:So I just found out that my family and I are going to the Contemporary Resort in Febuary. I heard Contemporary resort is a nice hotel. Has anyone who has stayed there tell me what the hotel is like and the hotel rooms and such... Also, how does it compare against Old Key West and Wilderness Lodge?

Contemporar is in the stages of a major revitalization, to make it THE hotel to stay at for Disney again, the Premiere hotel of sorts.

When our family went to WDW in 1993, we stayed at Holiday Inn outside of the property, but our cousins were in Contemporary and we visited them all the time.

Also, in 2004 we stayed at the Contemporary for a few days.

The hotel is really rather spectacular and retro. There are two monorail lines that go through, though only one line actually picks up and drops off the guests. The Resort Monorail line is a cycle from Contemporary to Transportation and Ticket Center to Polynesian to Grand Floridian to the Magic Kindgom and back to Contemporary. It takes about 20-25 minutes to take the Monorail from Contemporary to Magic Kingdom. Also, if you don't mind walking, it's a mere 10 minute walk from Contemporary to Magic Kingdom as well, there's a sidewalk and everything.

Inside, the first floor is the check-in and also has the arcade and a quick-service food area with pizza, sandwiches, hot dogs, etc. On the second floor is where you can make reservations in person for California Grille (on the 15th Floor), and only from the second floor can you get the elevators up there. I think there's also some boardrooms and such for business meetings.

Floor 3 I think is also boardrooms and conference rooms and such, and larger ballrooms for big events.

The 4th Floor is a busy floor, with Monorail Access, a few stores, along with Chef Mickey's and a lunch/dinner restaurant as well.

5-14 I believe are all guestrooms, with corner rooms on the upper floors being large suites. The guestrooms are actually quite roomy, most have two fullsize beds, a sofa for sleeping, a full bathroom, and tables, chairs, TV, drawers, closet, etc. They've got some funky motif going that reminds me of New Age abstract art.

I wouldn't know how it compares to Old Key West and Wilderness Lodge since I've never been to those. But in terms of transportation, all the hotels have buses, but only the Contemporary, Polynesian, and Grand Floridian have the monorail line. So essentially, if you were spending the entire vacation within the resort property, you could leave your car in the parking lot, and take buses to MGM, Animal Kingdom, and Downtown Disney, Monorails to TTC (to go to Epcot) or Magic Kingdom, or simply walk to Magic Kingdom. Also, I'd highly recommend a pricey dinner at California Grille, and especially Ohana (at Polynesian).

And if you're ever on the fourth floor, look for the five-legged goat on the mural!

Have fun!

Escapay

It's a nice place. Great access to the parks and a lot of dining options. It's a little too noisy and big for my tastes, though. My absolute favorite hotel is still the Polynesian. Can't beat that theming!

Alan wrote:So I just found out that my family and I are going to the Contemporary Resort in Febuary. I heard Contemporary resort is a nice hotel. Has anyone who has stayed there tell me what the hotel is like and the hotel rooms and such... Also, how does it compare against Old Key West and Wilderness Lodge?

Old Key West : Suburbia :: Contemporay : Inner City 5 Star Hotel

If you're looking for a unique theming/setting such that resorts like Wilderness Lodge and Caribbean Beach Resort offers, you won't really find it here. As of now, the Contemporary is more like any 5 Star hotel with Disney shops, Disney character dining, Disney Channels, Disney Toiletries, and Disney Transportation - much like all the Disney resorts. You shouldn't be too discouraged if you have stayed at the aforementioned resorts prior to here, because Contemporary makes up for it by having the WONDERFUL convenience of the monorail, everything in one place, and spectacular views of the WDW resort of Bay Lake. Also, it has a huge arcade of outdated games, hehehe. They took out the bowling lane though. It was there in 1993, but not in our most recent trip.

My only complaint was that in the tower (main building) sometimes the elevators take excessively long to get to you. There are many in the center of the hotel, but chances are they're all being used to stop at each floor as everyone likes to get to the parks and resort areas at one time. There aren't any main stairs, just fire emergency exit stairs that will sound the fire alarm if you try to use them.

I stayed at the Wilderness Lodge once. It was really great. But yeah, the Contemporary is a nice hotel. They even have a character dinner right in the hotel with Chef Mickey. I like how the monorail can take you to and from epcot and magic kingdom

the best part of contemporary is that u can avoid all the crazy parking/tram access to get to MK...u can walk over or take the monorail.

Make sure u have bkfast @ Chef Mickeys!

The Contempoary is a great hotel..its very big and the rooms are nice..i think they also have the best pool area.

The Times I been to disney world I stayed at
TheContemperary
The Polynesian
Rented a house Outside of disney)
Marriot (School Trip)

The Great thing is to that with the breakfeast u can go to the 3 main ones by takin the moneral.

is the happiset celbration thing still goin on there cause when I went there in july they said that it started a few months ago.

Oh when in disney check out these rides
Mickeys Phillar Magic (Magic Kingdom)
Soarin(Epcot)
Rock and Roll Rollar Coaster (MGM)
and then the classics

and then the classic rides!!

hope u have a nice time
________
Oregon Dispensary

Just came back from Contemporary.

I was dissapointed by the hotel. The rooms are small and cramped, old and dirty. It is NOT a 5-star hotel (I've been to several in US and China). Chef Mickey's was overpriced (I only ate breakfeast there), 20.99 or something for each person and the food wasn't really that good too. I think that the 3.99 breakfeast buffet at Ponderosa was better... The only good thing about it is that it has a monorail, and I did not stay in the main tower. I stayed in one of the rooms on the left side building. A rather unspectacular hotel...

Alan wrote:. I stayed in one of the rooms on the left side building. A rather unspectacular hotel...

No wonder they were small and dumpy...

Anyways, I agree about Chef Mickey's being overpriced, but California Grille is almost always worth the extra buck...

Escapay

i love the contemporary because it will be alot of rooms.