DISNEY'S CONTEMPORARY RESORT Information Thread!

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Yes, we were in a garden room and a tower room and both still had the computers and free internet. They say when you log on that you get 24 hours, but once you start getting down to lower numbers, it boots back up to 24 again, so don't worry that you only have a certain number of free hours

The good:
1. The new rooms are AWESOME! They are beautiful, love the flat screen TV, love the computers, beds are very comfy (they could use a full length mirror, though )
2. The staff at the concierge area of the front desk and the management (and Carl who welcomes people at the front entrance!)
3. The convenience to the MK- AWESOME!
4. The pool/beach area
5. The water rentals & water access to the WL




The bad:
1. The food and fun center is SO small right now and the offerings are pitiful. Plus, none of the coolers seemed to be working, so buying milk, water, yogurt, etc... was out of the question because it was warm The refrigerators in the rooms were the same way.
2. The check in/check out staff were AWFUL!!! We are very pleasant people and they were just rude and cold and not helpful at all. So many aspects of our wedding were ruined by their lack of competency.
3. There were a LOT of conventions going on while we were there, so it lacked a little of the 'disney theming' feel and felt a little more like we were on a business trip.
4. The confusing corridors of the garden rooms and the limited number of elevators.

Getting ready to go to bed, so I'll try to think if there was anything else and post tomorrow

Thanks for posting what you thought was good and bad about the Contemporary. As for some of the bad comments here are my thoughts.

Since the Food & Fun Center will soon be at the Concourse Steakhouse location, I am sure it will be a lot bigger. As for the problems with the fridges, hopefull they can get it fixed very soon.

Sorrry about the Cast Members being rude, because there should be no reason for that.

I don't really care how many conventions are going on when I am staying there because they don't bother me and since the Contemporary does have a convention center, there is always going to be a few going on while we are there.

I have never stayed in the Garden Rooms, so I can't comment about them.

 

[krbq]

2. The check in/check out staff were AWFUL!!! We are very pleasant people and they were just rude and cold and not helpful at all. So many aspects of our wedding were ruined by their lack of competency.

There's no excuse for rude or cold CM's or CM's that aren't helpful. None.

DH and I have noticed this problem getting worse over the years, especially at the resorts and frequently at the check-in desks. I carry a small notebook and jot down the name, hometown, date, time & location of any CM that really irks me (as well as any CM that is especially helpful) and report them later.

 

[princessesrule4]

First of all congratulations!
Did you get married there or honeymoon or both?
I'm sorry if the CM's were not nice - there is just no excuse for that!

I would love to hear details! Was the food and fun center rehab noisy? Not good about the fridges not being cold either! Gross!

Hopefully the good outweighed the bad!

 

[WickedWench]

DH and I have noticed this problem getting worse over the years, especially at the resorts and frequently at the check-in desks. I carry a small notebook and jot down the name, hometown, date, time & location of any CM that really irks me (as well as any CM that is especially helpful) and report them later.

I hope you also note down the CM's who do a good job and compliment them!

 

[SRUAlmn]

We stayed there for our wedding and our honeymoon. I completely understand that there was construction going on and that the F&F Center was much smaller than it will eventually be. I was just commenting that it was a little disappointing, especially if you have stayed at values or moderates before. Currently, the F&F Center has about 6 options for breakfast and 6 for lunch/dinner and that's it. There are some 'cold' options over to the left which include things like yogurt, fruit & cheese, cake, lunch meat subs, etc...

As for the 'convention feel' of the resort. It really didn't bother me too much except that it seemed to take a way a little of the magic. Normally at a Disney resort everyone is so cheery and friendly and smiling. At the CR, we would pass people in the hall and say hi & smile and they would just keep walking. Especially with having to walk around in my wedding dress on 3 different occassions, people would just stare and wouldn't smile or say congrats or anything. It just sucked away a little of the fun for me

I did jot down the names of the people at the front desk who were rude. It was definitely the worst part of our experience. They just really didn't seem to care at all. It was quite a shame

 

[SRUAlmn]

I hope you also note down the CM's who do a good job and compliment them!

absolutely

 

[CrzyGmer789X2]

Hi, I've stayed at the Contemporary 6 times, the most recent being June 29-July 5 of this year. My family loves this hotel, and here's what we see great about it.

1) The location- The Contemporary is in a great location. You can take the monorail to EPCOT & Magic Kingdom, or you can even walk to the latter! My dad and I timed it, and it was just under 5 minutes.
2) The pool/marina area- It's just great to walk out into your "backyard", swim in a Mickey Mouse shaped pool, or even go rent a boat. My dad and I went parasailing on the 4th of July in 2005, it was one of the best experiences of my life. Simply fantastic.
3) The staff- I know that some people say that the staff here isn't as friendly as other hotels, but we found a great staff during our latest stay. The first time I vistied in 1999, they had Goofy in the lobby the whole day, just greeting guests. We haven't seen him since, but in 2001, Goofy, Max, & Tigger came and gave a visit to the swimmers in the pool. And our maid this year would make little animals out of the napkins and towels, very cute.
4) The shops- The Contemporary has a whole floor of just restaurants and shops, and they are great. BVG has great character merchandise, and Concourse Sunneries is great too. Fantasia was a great store too, but now the arcade is there (is Fantasia going now?) Also, there is Chef Mickey's, a well respected character meal with a great buffet seletion.

There are a lot more pros to it, including computers with free internet access (This was in the SOuth Garden Wing, no clue about tower rooms), but here is the only con I can see.


The changes! Yes, I know that the name is the Contemporary, so it has to stay modern, but the FOod & Fun Center makeover isn't getting on my good side. I felt it was great to have it on the lobby floor, because you could walk from a garden wing or a the pool and fill up your refillable mug or play a game of air hockey. But now that the arcade is on the fourth floor, it closes at 11:30, rather than it staying open 24 hours. And with the Food Center becoming Chef Mickey's Express on the fourth floor, it makes me wonder if it'll be open 24 hours too.




Overall, we love this hotel enough to stay 6 times. My parents wanna stay at the Polynesian our next trip (2009), but I'm trying to convince them to let us stay at the Contemporary.













(first post! woots!)

 

[cheerbop]

Currently, the F&F Center has about 6 options for breakfast and 6 for lunch/dinner and that's it. There are some 'cold' options over to the left which include things like yogurt, fruit & cheese, cake, lunch meat subs, etc...

What were the options for breakfast and lunch? We are having a hard time deciding if we really want to stay here this time because of all the construction and this is one of the things we are wondering about with our decision.
Thanks!!!

 

[CrzyGmer789X2]

To answer cheerbop's question, I felt fine with the Food Center. I had nice pancakes for breakfast, peanut butter sandwhiches for lunch (the place where you order burgers and stuff at the counter, ask them for peanut butter, they'll give you a little container), and they have little Micky Mouse cupcakes. That's all that I know, but I felt fine there.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

4) The shops- The Contemporary has a whole floor of just restaurants and shops, and they are great. BVG has great character merchandise, and Concourse Sunneries is great too. Fantasia was a great store too, but now the arcade is there (is Fantasia going now?) Also, there is Chef Mickey's, a well respected character meal with a great buffet seletion.

The changes! Yes, I know that the name is the Contemporary, so it has to stay modern, but the FOod & Fun Center makeover isn't getting on my good side. I felt it was great to have it on the lobby floor, because you could walk from a garden wing or a the pool and fill up your refillable mug or play a game of air hockey. But now that the arcade is on the fourth floor, it closes at 11:30, rather than it staying open 24 hours. And with the Food Center becoming Chef Mickey's Express on the fourth floor, it makes me wonder if it'll be open 24 hours too.

According to the schedule of renovations for the Contemporary, the Fantasia store is set to re-open in in August 2007. Here is the quote from the schedule.

August 2007 - Newly renovated Fantasia Shop will re-open.

My guess is somehow they are going to combine it where the Bay View Gifts store is, because I don't see where else they can put it.

I agree with you that it is weird that the counter service part of the Food & Fun Center will be at the Concourse Steakhouse location and that the arcade is now where the Fantasia store use to be, however I can see why the arcade now closes at 11:30 PM and why Chef Mickey's Express would not stay open 24 hours. Since all the guests rooms would be right above, I guess they would not want a lot of noise late in the night and hearing complaints.

 

[CrzyGmer789X2]

Definitely true, but it still dissapoints me, because that was a huge influence to why we stayed continuously. The Food & Fun Center open 24 hours. And I'm also sad, because I didn't get a chance to go into the new arcade. I took a few pics of it, but I haven't uploaded any Disney pcs, since I have about 700 from last trip. It did look very sleek though.

 

[krbq]

I hope you also note down the CM's who do a good job and compliment them!

Of course -- as I stated in the parenthesis

And to SRUAlmn - Congratulations!

 

[SRUAlmn]

Of course -- as I stated in the parenthesis

And to SRUAlmn - Congratulations!

Thank you

 

[Aliceacc]

We went in to speak to the AAA travel agent yesterday.

As soon as the prices come out we'll book a room at the Contemporary for next August. It's going to cost more than the Value I was seriously considering.

But the convenience of being able to WALK to the Magic Kingdom blows my mind. My kids are loving the idea of a hotel where the monorail acutally goes right in.

And my 9 year old son has already "called" the daybed!

 

[Marc A.]

What are the odds of getting a MK view room when you requested it???
Going in October
And is the turndown service free of charge??
Thanks

 

[NJRRK]

The MK view is a category not a request. They are the most expensive regular (not concierge) rooms in the CR.

So to answer your question the probablity of getting a MK view when you reserve it is 100%.

 

[mommykds]

Does anyone know what the garden wing room price would be for regular season with an AAA discount? or AP discount? I am just looking at an estimate for 2008. Thank you.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

What are the odds of getting a MK view room when you requested it???
Going in October
And is the turndown service free of charge??
Thanks

Just as NJRRK you don't request a Magic Kingdom view room on the regular Tower floors, since you can reserve one. Now if you were to make a reservation for the Atrium Club Level on the 12th floor, then you would have to request a Magic Kingdom view room.

As for the turndown service it's free and if you want you can tip the housekeeper who does it for you, or don't need to leave a tip if you don't feel like it. Also if you're staying on a regular floor you need to request it, so it's not an automatic service like on the Atrium Club and Tower Club.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Definitely true, but it still dissapoints me, because that was a huge influence to why we stayed continuously. The Food & Fun Center open 24 hours. And I'm also sad, because I didn't get a chance to go into the new arcade. I took a few pics of it, but I haven't uploaded any Disney pcs, since I have about 700 from last trip. It did look very sleek though.

That's true but here is something else I noticed about the Food & Fun Center in recent years. Even though they would stay open 24 hours so you can get drinks, the grill closed at 10:00 PM and a few years ago it would close 1 hour after the Magic Kingdom closed. When it comes to foods like the sandwiches and salads they sold in their fridge, they get purchased very fast when the grill closes and were not re-stocked until they next day. So you could down there at 12:30 AM and there would be almost nothing left to purchase.

 

[CrzyGmer789X2]

That's true but here is something else I noticed about the Food & Fun Center in recent years. Even though they would stay open 24 hours so you can get drinks, the grill closed at 10:00 PM and a few years ago it would close 1 hour after the Magic Kingdom closed. When it comes to foods like the sandwiches and salads they sold in their fridge, they get purchased very fast when the grill closes and were not re-stocked until they next day. So you could down there at 12:30 AM and there would be almost nothing left to purchase.

Hmm, that's interesting! That personally never happened to me, but still.

(I know this isn't the "correct thread", but does anyone know if that goes with Gasparilla Grill & Games and Captain COok's Snack cafe at GF & Poly?)