PassPorter's
Article Tools |
|
|
Disney's Contemporary Resort: A Reviewby Cheryl Pendry, PassPorter Featured Columnist
Last modified 10/1/2009
Cool Tip: Click here to get a FREE PDF version of this article, fully formatted to print and put into your PassPorter Deluxe Binder!
Filed in Articles > Walt Disney World > Lodging
Disney's Contemporary Resort is perhaps the best known resort to any visitor to the Walt Disney World Resort. It's the hotel that we've all zoomed through on the monorail, either on our way to or coming back from the Magic Kingdom.
The first thing that struck me when we first entered the room was how modern it looked, but also how welcoming the décor was. I'm a great fan of using browns and beiges in rooms, as I think they add a warm feeling, and that's very much what Disney achieved here. I had seen photos of the interior of the rooms here before, so I had an idea what to expect, but I was still pleasantly surprised. Somehow, with the look of the exterior of the resort, you half expect the rooms here to be steel grey – at least I did!
The rooms are very well sized, as you'd expect from one of Disney's deluxe resorts. Even with two queen-sized beds in the room, there was still lots of space, with a desk providing a good amount of workspace and a fold out sofa bed, which was certainly very comfortable to sit on, although neither of us sampled actually sleeping on it! There was plenty of storage here and we found the bathroom to be very spacious, although our only complaint was the design of the sinks in there. We found that it was all too easy to splash water everywhere, because they're quite shallow.
But the real treat was saved for the moment that we first stepped out on to balcony. Our Magic Kingdom view was exactly how I'd imagined it, with Space Mountain nearest to us and Cinderella Castle and the various lands laid out around it. Across Seven Seas Lagoon, we had a perfect view of the Grand Floridian, with the Polynesian to the left. What we didn't notice for the first day or so was that we could also see Expedition Everest in Animal Kingdom way in the distance. It was amazing how much we noticed as the days wore on.
We spent a fair bit of our time exploring the Contemporary and, despite my many previous visits to Walt Disney World, I was amazed that we were still able to find new things to see. For example, I'd never seen the swimming pool at the Contemporary before, but I have to admit this was one of the least impressive aspects to the resort. The main pool didn't do much for me, although the pool nearest to Bay Lake was much more appealing. Still, considering I'm used to the Beach Club's beautiful Stormalong Bay, it's understandable that this was never going to compare.
Something that does compare very much is the shopping on offer here on the fourth floor's "Grand Canyon Concourse." I loved the stores and found a number of items that didn't seem to be available elsewhere on Disney property (and that's not the first time I've had that experience). Also on the fourth floor is an outdoor seating area, facing the Magic Kingdom. It's a great spot to watch Wishes from, but we also enjoyed just sitting out there during the day and watching the monorails glide past.
One of our other great discoveries was the Contemporary's new counter service offering, the Contempo Cafe. It offers a superb selection of items, with all the usual hot food that you'd expect for breakfast, along with some delicious pastries, while lunch and dinner is the territory of flatbreads and sandwiches and a few other treats. The cheese flatbread was very good, but the real star on the menu here was the Spice Crusted Mahi sandwich. It's so lovely to see such diverse choices at quick service places at Disney these days.
Of course, the Contemporary is also home to some superb table service restaurants. Let's be honest, it's hard to find a more fun way to start your day than breakfast at Chef Mickey's, and dinner here is excellent as well. Then there's the Wave, the newest addition, which I enjoyed for breakfast and I'm looking forward to sampling dinner there in due course. And of course, let's leave the best until last – the California Grill on the resort's 15th floor. Offering superb views, similar to those that we had from our room and with the bonus of prime viewing spots for Wishes each night, it's in a premium location. As for the food, well, I can't fault it and it's been my selection for a number of birthday meals and one Christmas dinner, which probably gives you a good idea of how much we love it there.
Not only is the Contemporary full of wonderful amenities and some excellent rooms, its location was a definite bonus as well. Being able to walk to the Magic Kingdom is a real treat and there's nothing like just popping downstairs to pick up a monorail over to Epcot (you must change trains at the next stop) or the Magic Kingdom.
I loved my first stay at the Contemporary and, although I know it will be a bit different, I can't wait to go back and sample their newest addition, Bay Lake Tower, on our next Disney visit.
About the Author: Cheryl and husband Mark live in England and love to travel, particularly to Disney, and they have made numerous visits to destinations across America and Europe. They recently completed their tour of every Disney theme park around the world, which culminated in their visit to Japan, including the Tokyo Disney Resort. Click here to view more of Cheryl's articles!
Related Links:
The Art of A Smooth Check-in At Walt Disney World - Save Time and Trouble On Your Next Trip last updated 12/04/2008
Disney's All Star Movies Resort - Big "Blockbuster" Fun On a Small "Indie" Budget last updated 01/20/2009
Disney's All Star Music Resort - Quality Lodging For a Song last updated 1/13/2009
Disney's All Star Sports Resort - The Original Value last updated 1/13/2009
Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge - The "Perfect" Resort for Teenagers last updated 1/13/2009
Reader Comments:
View all comments in forum thread
So what do you think? Click here to share your comments, feedback, and experiences on this article and topic!
(Note: You must be a member of our PassPorter Message Board Community to leave comments. Join today for free!)
This article originally appeared in the PassPorter newsletter -- subscribe to our popular newsletter today for free!
Return to PassPorter.com |
Ask a Question on the PassPorter Message Boards
Updated 10/1/2009 - Article #299
Read additional articles from PassPorter.com
|
Subscribe to our free e-mail newsletter, PassPorter News, published for nearly 50,000 opt-in subscribers worldwide.
As an added bonus for subscribing, you will receive a 20% discount coupon for the PassPorter Store -- no catch!
We respect your privacy and never sell or rent our subscriber list. Subscribing will not result
in more spam! We guarantee it.
|
Please feel free to link to this page so that other vacationers can find it.
Copyright 1999-2010
by PassPorter Travel Press, an imprint of MediaMarx, Inc.
Publishers of bestselling travel guidebooks and proud recipients of 12 national book awards
~ * ~ Celebrating 11 Years of Making Dreams Come True! ~ * ~
Questions? Concerns? Please e-mail us at feedback@passporter.com or call us at 877-929-3273
We respect your privacy -- please review our Privacy Policy
Read more about PassPorter or advertise with us. | |
PassPorter.com Recommends
RSS Test
PassPorter Community - Message Boards and Forums - Staying in Style: The Reso...
Whether you're staying at a Disney resort, or "off-property," this is the place for questions, picks and pans, and experiences.
Forum Sponsored by ALL STAR Vacation Homes
|
