Any one else feel the magic at the Contemporary?

[ColoradoDis]

I just feel the magic at the Contemporary. I still remember riding the monorail the first time in 1972 and going through the hotel! Wow, what a sight for a kid from a small town in Nebraska. I always wanted to stay there and we finally were able to swing it in 2001. Luckily, my kids and husband feel it too. The only problem is the pool. Not the same as Storm Along Bay. Still trying to decide if we stay here for 9 nights in May or move to a resort with a better pool.

Anyway, does anyone else feel the same?

 

[Cathy baby RN]

"I just feel the magic at the Contemporary"



I do too I've stayed at almost every resort on property and it is by far my favorite. I love the hustle and bustle of the 4th floor with the shops and the monorail running through. I love the chocolate smell by Bayview Gifts. I love having a drink at the Outer Rim with my husband. I love the noise from Chef Mickey's. It's fun watching the pin traders on a Friday night. My kids love the arcade. They like the pool too....they like any pool, so it's not an issue. I just spent a week there and we splurged and stayed in the tower with a MK view.
I was more than happy to spend most of my time at the resort.

 

[CRCrazy]

Hi there -

As you can tell from my screen name, Our family loves the Contemporary!!! My husband and I have fond memories from our honeymoon there, and my 3 girls prefer it to the other resorts we have stayed at as well - with the possible exception of AKL.

While the pool is not heavily landscaped, it is themed - it's a giant Hidden Mickey! Swimming late at night while watching the Electrical Water Pageant is truly magical! My girls liked the slide at this pool as well - they liked this pool much better than the AKL, although they did like the volcano slide at the Poly even more.

The arcade is wonderful - and has prizes for the little ones. The shopping on the concourse are the best resort shops around, and pin trading is so much fun!

The dining is great - you've got CG for special occasions - and the 15th floor observatory for fireworks is incredible. The Concourse Steakhouse serves wonderful food all day long - Chef Mickey's is THE archetypical character meal, and even the Food N Fun Center serves up tasty treats - my middle daughter says the fries from there are the best!

The monorail through the resort just adds to the magic! And, walking to the MK early in the morning is a great way to start the day - and after the FW - holding a sleeping child, hopping on the resort monorail (rarely a wait), and getting to your room just 3 minutes later is a godsend!

Our last trip, we weren't able to get ressies at the CR - they were totally booked with a conference, so we stayed at the Poly concierge. While the Poly was lovely, and the service was great - it just wasn't home, like the CR is! It IS Mickey's HOuse!

 

[debster812]

I feel it too.

Although DH and I have not been able to swing staying there yet. My grandmother started taking us back in the 70s, and we stayed offsite a couple of times, before we knew better, but then she started alternating staying at the CR and the Poly.

Walking into CR last year for our dinner at Chef Mickey's, all those great memories came FLOODING back.

We are not planning another trip back to WDW after our upcoming one, until maybe 2006, so maybe we can start socking away the money, and split a stay between CR and Poly.

 

[momof3disneyholics]

I have never stayed there, hopefully one day I will, but I just have to visit it everytime I go to Disney World. I love that place. I can definately feel some Disney Magic there. I have so much respect for the place too because it was the first.

 

[Kteacher]

I love the CR My favorite thing is walking to the MK ( okay, usually I skip ) right after check-in! I love everything about it-the monorail, Chef Mickey's , having dinner at the California Grill, the view from the tower rooms , sitting by the pool, sitting in the sand by the lake............only 99 days till I'm there again

 

[aesalsa]

I definitely "feel the magic". On our last trip in Oct., DH and I strolled along the concourse level, and it really felt like the spirit of Walt was there--in the shops, the sitting ares, and especially near the monorail. I love to hear Minnie cheerfully informing you which floor you're on in the elevator . We ate at the Concourse Steahhouse unexpectedly on our last trip--we had a great view of the mural and the monorail--very magical. I have never even stayed at a WDW resort, but I have visited all but one of the deluxes. Even though the others are more my taste when it comes to style and furnishings, I don't feel the "warm fuzzies" and spirit like I do at CR. I hope we can afford to at least do a split stay there on our next trip (Dec. 2005).

This is a great thread!!

 

[goofyandmore]

ok, all you contemporary lovin people, please help me!! We really wanted the Polynesian concierage-garden view with ap discount for week before Easter. But we couldn't get it, so I have the tower club as a back up. I have heard that it is a pain to get down in the elevators from the 12th, especially if you have a stroller. Is it any different from the elevator crowds at other resorts? Is the tower club a separate elevator? When you check in, do you check in at concierage?

Also, very important, I asked for a MG view. But my 14 year old is saying that he thinks that view is alot of other stuff that isn't as great as the castle. He thinks the bay view would be nicer. He wants to see the electrical parade in the water. Do you see that from the MG view as well? Isn't the castle really far away even if the MG view so that you see the fireworks far off but not nearly the same as at the park up close or listening to the music.

thanks and sorry for so many questions. Carolyn

 

[goofyandmore]

bumping please.

 

[MickeyisanNDfan]

We stayed on the 8th floor with a MK view and while you do look over the parking lot, and the road way the view of the park is really nice. You can see the Water Parade as it goes by the Poly. I think seeing the fireworks from your room is better than seeing the Water Parade, it isn't really that spectcular. We had no problems from the 8th floor with the elevator.

 

[Kimberle]

oh yes!!

CR was the first resort we stayed at. It was our 1st choice, nothing else even came close!

 

[SB in KY]

You do sometimes have to wait on the elevators in the tower...but then again I think the slowest, smallest, most crowded elevators on property are at the poly...so everything is relative. We LOVE the CR...my DH would rather stay in a MK view room than anyplace on property. The elevators are big and unless you happen to be on the 4th floor when the monorail empties right after the MK closes crowds aren't really a problem.

The Bay View rooms are pretty magnificent during the day...but it is pretty hard to beat watching fireworks from your balcony and falling asleep at night watching the castle change colors from your bed. Guess your view preference might depend on when you plan to spend the most time in the room.

I don't think you will be sorry either way you go.

 

[3for Me]

Can't help you with the tower views unfortunately - sorry But as for the original post - We stayed at the CR with our children for their first WDW trip. I don't know if it was because the first trip is always the most magical or what - but every time we go there I get "the feeling". I agree that part of it is that it feels like the resort "hub". It almost feels mandatory to go there at least once during every stay for one reason or another.

 

[CamColt]

Yep! I havnet stayed there since I was 5, but every time I ride or walk through there and see that mural on the wall I feel that Disney Magic. Its probably because it reminds me of my first trip when I stayed there and got sick and spent a lot of time in the hotel. Even seeing the outside of it, with Space Mt next to it I get that Disney feeling. Its a Disney icon.

 

[PamNC]

The Contemporary is certainly magical. We stayed there in 1998 and we really liked it. It's not our favorite resort - we usually stay at YC/BC. You're right about Stormalong Bay. But, I thought the pool was decent at the Contemporary. The whole feel of it is magical - especially seeing the monorail go through. I'm 41 years old and have been a Disneyworld fanatic most of my life. It still amazes me to see it! We really liked the Contemporary - big rooms and the convenience to MK is second to none.

PamNC

 

[Kallison]

Best most spacious rooms -- loved the balcony view of the bay and Electrical Water Pageant. Loved quick access to MK and Epcot. Kids missed it too, even when staying at BC. They loved Stormalong Bay but the CR had more Disney magic. Those rooms in BC did not impress me at all.

 

[ColoradoDis]

Anyone else?

Love the fireworks from the California Grill - and dd still talks about the grilled chicken and mashed potatoes!

 

[mikedani+3]

We have not stayed there yet... but hopefully we can swing it one day.

I was 11 yrs. old my first trip to WDW, and I will never forget going through the CR on the monorail. I had NEVER seen anything as cool as that!LOL

As a Mom, I really love watching my kids experience all the magic of WDW..but every time we go through the CR on the monorail, I swear I feel like I am 11 yrs. old again! It's one of those things that has always stayed with me.

 

[cinmell]

The CR is my favorite resort! Before we stayed there I never had a desire to spend a vacation there. One vacation we really started touring the CR, hanging out at the Outer Rim, spending time at the concourse and arcade so we decided to give it a shot our next vacation. It was amazing! We've stayed at the CR several times and we've always been lucky enough to receive our request for a MK view (we've only stayed in the tower). The views from the room are unbelievalbe, especially at night. The rooms are spacious and have always been clean. Here's a link to my review of our last stay in May. http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=372170

Our next vacation we hope to try the Polynesian but I know I'll miss the Contemporary.

 

[BambiTamby]

Thanks Cindy!

I'm so glad to read such positive input on the CR!

We've stayed at all of the other deluxes, mostly concierge, and the CR was always BOOKED whenever we wanted to try it!

Even though, I'm still calling everyday for an AP rate on the Club Tower, just knowing we're just gonna be there in one of those Tower rooms is still so exciting!



All I know is that ever since I can remember of dreaming of going to WDW....the CR always seemed so magical!