Unpopular opinion (apparently this is my thing): The Contemporary is my favorite monorail resort. Yes, yes, the Grand Floridian is beautiful and The Polynesian is fun and cool, and I’ll write about these sometime soon too, but the location of The Contemporary cannot be beat. The 8-10 minute walk to Magic Kingdom is honestly enough pull for me to choose this resort over the other two if I’m staying in this area. And by the way, the monorail is still there (and actually runs right through the lobby which is super cool) if you don’t feel like walking, and it still gets you to Epcot too. For me, in a place as big as Disney, nothing beats a convenient location or easy transportation.
But guess what. There are other great features to this resort too.
I actually really like the basic, clean, contemporary theming. It doesn’t feel super “Disney” if that’s what you’re looking for, but it’s easy to get the Disney feeling by looking out your Theme Park View window at Magic Kingdom, or walking 8 minutes.
Don’t get me wrong though, you can still find Mickey and his friends everywhere. It’s just not super in your face like it is in some other resorts.
And the rooms have recently been renovated, so they feel brand new (because they are) with their new Incredibles theming.
It feels like a more traditional hotel than many of the other resorts on property – a big tower with a few elevators and rooms going up to floor 14. I actually love this because so many Disney resorts are SO BIG with so many little 2-4 floor buildings, and getting around them requires a lot of walking which isn’t always the best with small kids. This is not the case with the Contemporary, because the grounds aren’t huge since the resort goes up instead of out. Although not huge though, the grounds are still beautiful.
And then there’s the food. California Grill guys. If you haven’t eaten there, it should be first on your list. It’s on the 14th floor, and they have a viewing deck to see the fireworks. You cannot access the viewing deck without a reservation, but you don’t need a 9 pm dinner reservation for the show. If you have a reservation at any point during the day, you can go back for fireworks. I’m not a fireworks fan though, and I don’t really get the appeal, but I am a food fan. And let me tell you, the food at this place is absolutely amazing.
And of course, Chef Mickey’s. I’ve never actually eaten there myself, but I’ve heard this is the place to go for the character interactions, not for the food. That’s honestly why I recommend Topolino’s, because you get the same characters AND delicious food, but if you’re staying at the Contemporary or one of the other monorail resorts or visiting Magic Kingdom, this is one of the most popular character dining experiences. And special bonus: It’s open! Many character meals are still closed or don’t have characters post Covid.
Being a deluxe resort, the Contemporary also has a great pool with a water slide, and splash pad or “kids water playground” area, plus a smaller quiet pool with private cabana rentals.
The Contemporary is connected to Bay Lake Tower, which is the DVC (Disney Vacation Club) villa part of the resort. This is where you find your studio, one bedroom, and two bedroom suites for added space. You get all of the same amenities as Contemporary guests, but you also get some extra bedrooms and a kitchen/living room area. This is an amazing option for larger families.
I’ve never been good at conclusions, so, the end.
TRAVELING WITH ARDEN 