Disney's CONTEMPORARY RESORT Information & Questions

[smooreo]

Hi Everyone. Happy to have booked another vacation at Disney and BLT this winter.

I have a few questions I'm hoping you can help me with...

There are 6 of us in our party. Only 2 will need Magical Express. This won't be an issue, right? 4 of us will be driving. I figure we just add them in on MDE.

We're slated to check out December 8th (early) and then head to AK for the day before leaving. If we drove over, we'd have to pay $20 to park instead of leaving the car at BLT, correct? Can we still park at BLT even though we've checked out?

 

[Deb & Bill]

Hi Everyone. Happy to have booked another vacation at Disney and BLT this winter.

I have a few questions I'm hoping you can help me with...

There are 6 of us in our party. Only 2 will need Magical Express. This won't be an issue, right? 4 of us will be driving. I figure we just add them in on MDE.

We're slated to check out December 8th (early) and then head to AK for the day before leaving. If we drove over, we'd have to pay $20 to park instead of leaving the car at BLT, correct? Can we still park at BLT even though we've checked out?

It won't be any problem at all for two of your group to rely on DME. You are able to park at the theme parks until the end of the day you check out. You won't have to pay to park at the theme park parking lot.

 

[CuseWazowski]

Question for those who have stayed at CR. Whenever I tell someone we are staying at CR they seem to respond with "the food court is bad there." Is Contempo Cafe really that bad?

I also like Contempo Cafe. It is much smaller than the food courts at some other resorts, which have giant, sprawling areas with multiple queues and counters. The seating area is also much smaller - more like a cafe than a food court.

 

[bar423]

I know I read it somewhere but have no clue where and now I can't find it. If we're staying in the tower theme park view do I want to request an odd or even number room so the beds face the castle?

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I know I read it somewhere but have no clue where and now I can't find it. If we're staying in the tower theme park view do I want to request an odd or even number room so the beds face the castle?

Odd numbered rooms.

 

[bar423]

Thanks!

 

[LisaCM614]

I just saw this on the Disney site - is Yoga new? so bummed we arrive on a Friday and check out on Monday! I would love to start my Disney day with yoga!

 

[WestieCrazy]

Many people feel the theming of the Contemporary is lackluster, and that's fine. I can certainly see the draw of the other resorts on property, I have never been unhappy at another resort and hope to stay at many more than I have. To me though, it feels like a building straight out of Walt's original concept of Progress City. It feels like something straight out of Walt Disney's head, and for me there can be nothing more "Disney" than that.

We stayed at the Contemporary last week - and loved it! Of course, our boys are almost 10 and 13, so none of us were looking for character meals or total Disney immersion. We were on the 10th floor with a bay/pool view - we enjoying going out on the balcony and watching the boats come in from Wilderness Lodge. We also loved looking at the monorail and thru the massive front glass "window" at Space Mountain and the Castle. We would stay there again!

 

[Ava]

Hi DisBoards, long time lurker first time poster:

I've never stayed at the Contemporary or BLT before. Parents have DVC, have done BLT, weren't huge fans of the themeing. They've said, and I think I have read this in other places, that the Contemporary doesn't "feel like a Disney resort" and maybe feels more like a nicer non-Disney resort. I've looked at pictures, watched tour videos, been in the main concourse for Chef Mickey's, but I don't know if those are all ways to get the 'feel' of a resort, as it were.

Currently planning my honeymoon, Contemporary is at the top of my list since it is one of the very few resorts still on my list. Does anyone else share this opinion, or even heard it before? Especially for a honeymoon trip feeling the "disney magic" is important to me.

Thanks.

I haven't stayed at CR or BLT yet (first stay booked for this summer!) but to me the only resorts that scream DISNEY are the Values. All of the other resorts are themed, but they aren't specifically Disney-themed. If you base it purely on the theme, the Mod & Deluxe resorts could really be anywhere.

I had only stayed at Values until our 2014 trip when we stayed at Caribbean Beach. I'd always enjoyed the Values and they are fun resorts, but CBR felt so much more relaxing to come back to after a day at the parks. In 2015 we were back in a Value (a family suite at AoA) and I really noticed how NOT relaxing it felt after having been at CBR the year before. I'd still stay at a Value for a shorter/budget trip, but for a week or longer I like the more relaxing vibe of the Mod & Deluxe resorts.

 

[pbb&j]

Hi DisBoards, long time lurker first time poster:

I've never stayed at the Contemporary or BLT before. Parents have DVC, have done BLT, weren't huge fans of the themeing. They've said, and I think I have read this in other places, that the Contemporary doesn't "feel like a Disney resort" and maybe feels more like a nicer non-Disney resort. I've looked at pictures, watched tour videos, been in the main concourse for Chef Mickey's, but I don't know if those are all ways to get the 'feel' of a resort, as it were.

Currently planning my honeymoon, Contemporary is at the top of my list since it is one of the very few resorts still on my list. Does anyone else share this opinion, or even heard it before? Especially for a honeymoon trip feeling the "disney magic" is important to me.

Thanks.

We stayed at the Contemporary for the first time a few weeks ago, and while the location is very convenient to MK, my husband wouldn't stay there again because he spends lots of nights traveling for work, and to him it felt too much like a convention hotel. While I guess technically it is a convention hotel, it's also a resort hotel. The lobby, in particular, was too formal and didn't feel like a resort.

I probably liked it better than he did, but we both liked the Polynesian and the Epcot resorts better. And while the walk to MK is handy, it isn't particularly scenic like the walk through the International Gateway is. I say if you have misgivings about it and you haven't stayed there yet, choose something that looks more like a resort to you and your taste.

To be fair, we were in a standard view garden wing room, and literally looked out at a wall, which didn't exactly make him fall in love either! But, we booked a standard view. And then there was the part where I accidently ran over and mortally wounded a snake with my rolling suitcase looking for our room while my daughter screamed hysterically...

 

[MMSRunner87]

So, we checked into our room
at the Contemporary yesterday evening. Unfortunately, our bathroom was pretty disgusting and there was trash left in our room.
This was sad as it was the first time I've ever had to say anything to management here. They came up and cleaned it, but then we went to take a shower and it would not drain. A bunch of hair and black stuff started coming up in the tub. So, we had to call house keeping again. Then, we were trying to enjoy our TPV balcony, but large amounts of smoke were coming into our room/balcony. As it turned out the people below us are quite the smokers and security went over there, but they kept doing it. (Feel sorry for the people that get that room next!) Anyways, sad to say it has been less than magical so far. However, here is to hoping the rest of the trip is great! )

 

[alliecat523]

We stayed at the Contemporary for the first time a few weeks ago, and while the location is very convenient to MK, my husband wouldn't stay there again because he spends lots of nights traveling for work, and to him it felt too much like a convention hotel. While I guess technically it is a convention hotel, it's also a resort hotel. The lobby, in particular, was too formal and didn't feel like a resort.

I probably liked it better than he did, but we both liked the Polynesian and the Epcot resorts better. And while the walk to MK is handy, it isn't particularly scenic like the walk through the International Gateway is. I say if you have misgivings about it and you haven't stayed there yet, choose something that looks more like a resort to you and your taste.

To be fair, we were in a standard view garden wing room, and literally looked out at a wall, which didn't exactly make him fall in love either! But, we booked a standard view. And then there was the part where I accidently ran over and mortally wounded a snake with my rolling suitcase looking for our room while my daughter screamed hysterically...

This is a great review! I travel for work too so this resonated with me. We're still booked in the Garden Wing Standard next month so we'll see how it goes. I agree that the lobby is sterile and not resort like but I'm hoping the location will over rule any bad convention hotel feelings.

Still giggling about the snake.

 

[WestieCrazy]

We stayed at the Contemporary for the first time a few weeks ago, and while the location is very convenient to MK, my husband wouldn't stay there again because he spends lots of nights traveling for work, and to him it felt too much like a convention hotel. While I guess technically it is a convention hotel, it's also a resort hotel. The lobby, in particular, was too formal and didn't feel like a resort.

I probably liked it better than he did, but we both liked the Polynesian and the Epcot resorts better. And while the walk to MK is handy, it isn't particularly scenic like the walk through the International Gateway is. I say if you have misgivings about it and you haven't stayed there yet, choose something that looks more like a resort to you and your taste.

To be fair, we were in a standard view garden wing room, and literally looked out at a wall, which didn't exactly make him fall in love either! But, we booked a standard view. And then there was the part where I accidently ran over and mortally wounded a snake with my rolling suitcase looking for our room while my daughter screamed hysterically...

I agree with you about the walk to MK - last week we spent 4 nights at the Contemporary, then 4 nights at the Swan. The walk to MK from the Contemporary is so convenient, but the walk across the Boardwalk to Epcot is pretty, scenic and relaxing.

Oh no! About the snake - but it's a story you can tell in the future, right??

 

[Deb & Bill]

So, we checked into our room
at the Contemporary yesterday evening. Unfortunately, our bathroom was pretty disgusting and there was trash left in our room.
This was sad as it was the first time I've ever had to say anything to management here. They came up and cleaned it, but then we went to take a shower and it would not drain. A bunch of hair and black stuff started coming up in the tub. So, we had to call house keeping again. Then, we were trying to enjoy our TPV balcony, but large amounts of smoke were coming into our room/balcony. As it turned out the people below us are quite the smokers and security went over there, but they kept doing it. (Feel sorry for the people that get that room next!) Anyways, sad to say it has been less than magical so far. However, here is to hoping the rest of the trip is great! )

Every time they light up, call Security.

 

[pbb&j]

Oh no! About the snake - but it's a story you can tell in the future, right??

Oh yes, my kids love calling me "the snake murderer" now! Even though I am really scared of snakes, I felt terrible that I did it, and it certainly wasn't intentional. I didn't even realize it until I was heading inside and heard my daughter screaming because she was now in between the rest of us and the snake carcass.

And a couple days later, my kids were heading up to a water slide at Blizzard Beach, and my oldest almost stepped on another snake. He said he heard kids yelling "SNAKE SNAKE!" and thought they were joking. I don't think either of these snakes were dangerous, but it's the first time we've seen them at Disney World. Maybe it's a spring thing? The one I ran over was small, probably a baby.

 

[spiceycat]

And a couple days later, my kids were heading up to a water slide at Blizzard Beach, and my oldest almost stepped on another snake. He said he heard kids yelling "SNAKE SNAKE!" and thought they were joking. I don't think either of these snakes were dangerous, but it's the first time we've seen them at Disney World. Maybe it's a spring thing? The one I ran over was small, probably a baby.

central Florida is in a drought - so it is probably lack of water - which WDW has. plus the wild fires in the area will kept the native animals looking for another place to live.

 

[bar423]

How are the beds? we're CR first timers and have stayed at a few of the other deluxe resorts over the past 10 years. I think the polynesian has the worst beds out of all the ones we've stayed at (BC, YC, GF, poly). My 10 year old still talks about the beds at GF, yeah those were amazing!

 

[Jessiemendez1]

You probably won't be able to book any DVC resort before DVC members can book them. So plan on later on in the fall for a 2018 summer reservation.

The Disney rooms available for cash and those available for DVC are separate inventories. Shouldn't matter when DVC can book. I thought I read somewhere you can book more than a year ahead so I'd call and see. If a discount comes out then you can call again and see if you can get it applied.

 

[melanielll]

I think the beds are fine. What I do like a lot is the mountain of pillows that you get. There is a blanket shortage, though. There is an extra one in the closet, but you should probably call housekeeping and get a few more.

 

[Jessiemendez1]

I haven't stayed at CR or BLT yet (first stay booked for this summer!) but to me the only resorts that scream DISNEY are the Values. All of the other resorts are themed, but they aren't specifically Disney-themed. If you base it purely on the theme, the Mod & Deluxe resorts could really be anywhere.

I had only stayed at Values until our 2014 trip when we stayed at Caribbean Beach. I'd always enjoyed the Values and they are fun resorts, but CBR felt so much more relaxing to come back to after a day at the parks. In 2015 we were back in a Value (a family suite at AoA) and I really noticed how NOT relaxing it felt after having been at CBR the year before. I'd still stay at a Value for a shorter/budget trip, but for a week or longer I like the more relaxing vibe of the Mod & Deluxe resorts.

Totally agree. The values are all Disney all the time. The moderates and deluxes are Disney but toned down. We have stayed at SS and VGF and it was the small touches that reflected Disney, not needing a 30 foot character out front to figure out it's still Disney. And definitely more relaxing! Staying at BLT this summer and can't wait!