Grand Floridian or Contemporary?

[maui2k5]

My wife and I (30 & 36 yrs old) are heading back to Walt Disney World from May 8-17, 2008 for another return trip. To give a some background as to why we are choosing between the Grand Floridian and Contemporary after 5 days at the Swan here is the deal... We are Starwood Preferred Members and have 5 nights free at the Swan we will be using from May 8-13 (can't beat that). Also, the reason as are not looking at the Polynesian is they do not offer a King Sized bed except for in the suites which are too expensive (we do like this resort a lot). We also are not choosing the Wilderness Lodge as we stayed there in March 2007 (love that one also!) We have stayed at the Swan many times and like it quite a bit (free makes it that much better!)

The problem comes in (nice problem to have) is where do we move for the remaining 4 nights (we would like to be in the MK area). We have narrowed it down to the following:

1) Grand Floridian (Never stayed here)
Cost = $1767
Pros: Monorail, Luxury Feel, We were married there in March 2006!
Cons: Concerned about the formal and "stuffy" stigma. When we were married we stayed at the Polynesian in the Honeymoon suite. Poly does not have any available King Beds this time in a decent price point.

2) Contemporary (Never stayed here)
Cost: $1737 for a Bay Lake View in the tower
Pros: Proximity to MK (walking distance), Monorail, Big Rooms, View of MK, Never stayed there and have been going to WDW since 1975
Cons: Cost, debatable theming

In the end, I think we will enjoy WDW no matter where we move to. We have considered others such as Animal Kingdom Lodge, but that is a little too remote for us (also - we did not like Boma too much - I know - hard to believe!) Other Epcot Resorts are right next to the Swan so that would not be different enough to move from the location of the Swan.

Thanks!

 

[usewickhouse]

Well what a nice problem to have! I personally would pick the CR...we have stayed there in the tower with a Magic Kingdom view and it was worth every $$ we paid. We have not stayed at the GF, which is amazing but very BIG. We like the fact that you can walk the grounds at CR in very little time. ENJOY!!

 

[Hollywoodhaha]

OOOH.

This is a toughie..

I have stayed at the Contemporary and I have always wanted to stay at the beach club..sigh.

I would choose contemporary..

 

[3"Mouse"keteers]

I would stay at the contemporary.......but I'd shell out the extra money (probably about $150) for a theme park view room. There's nothing like being able to see the fireworks and castle from your balcony, IMO.

 

[princessesrule4]

Definitely GF! We've stayed at both many times and the GF is our favorite!

 

[litlpixie]

I would choose the GF definitely, but I am partial as I am a bonafide "Sugarloafer" and I have stayed there 2x, but never stayed at the CR.

 

[TiszBear]

That's easy for me, I would vote for Grand Floridian. I have stayed at both and was very dissappointed in the Contemporary. I never once felt like the GF was stuffy or that is was formal. If anything I loved how relaxed I felt and how there is so much to look at there. At the Contemporary amoung other things I felt like it didn't have that "Disney" feel like GF had. And I know they were doing construction at the Contemporary when I was there (September 2007) but with that aside I just felt like it didn't have the right "feel" to it. There were other problems that had happened on that trip, and I did complain to managment and to DVC (since I used my points) but all that aside I won't stay there again.

The only good thing about the Contemporary was the view from my room looking out at Magic Kingdom, the Poly & GF.

But it really only comes down to what you and your wife want to experience.

Good Luck.

Jennifer

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I would go with the Contemporary because you already know what area you would be staying. At the Grand Floridian you don't know which building you would be in, unless you were to stay Club Level in Royal Palm or Sugar Loaf. Plus the Contemporary has the better transportation options. Besides having to the walkway to and from the Magic Kingdom, when taking the Resort Monorail back from the Magic Kingdom the Contemporary is the next stop. So it would be a very qick ride. Plus when going to Epcot you just take the Resort Monorail one stop to the TTC and change Monorails, where as at the Grand Floridian you need to take the Monorail to the Magic Kingdom and the Contemporary before changing Monorails at the TTC. Finally since the Contemporary and Grand Floridian share bus service, the Contemporary will always be the Resort where you are picked up and dropped off at when for buses which service Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom and Downtown Disney.