My review of the Contemporary

[Tinks]

I feel I tried very hard not to factor the decor in my like or dislike of the resort. I knew when I booked the resort that the rooms were "modern" and therefore had a more "sterile" feel to them. This didn't bother me at all. The rooms and halls were just dirty. There's no other way to describe it! There was dirt all along the carpet and many places on the walls throughout the resort. When housekeeping vacuumed, it was very clear they just did the center of each walkway area because dirt was collecting along every path and looked like it hadn't been cleaned in months. The lack of cleanliness was a big issue for me because I hadn't stayed in a Disney resort that was not clean until this time.

The smell is primarily in the first floor which contains the lobby and the food'nfun center. There wasn't a noticeable smell to our room and our room was quiet when we were in there (except for that darn electrical water parade, my God! That thing woke us every night!!!lol) The lobby and food center were busy and loud and just plain ugh to me.

I so agree with the fact that there is a resort for everyone and you might want to try as many out as you can---it can actually be fun! That is why I chose to stay at the Contemporary---to try something new that might even be more fun. What I found was the Contemporary just wasn't for me.

 

[StrwLady]

I'm sorry to hear you didn't have a great visit to the Contemporary.

I have stayed there 2 times. (North Garden Wing and The Tower). I have enjoyed both stays. I never had an issue with the cleanliness or smell of the resort. If I had to come up with a complaint I guess it would be the ordering area of the Food and Fun Center. It's not quite as open as some of the other resorts and when it gets busy it’s a tad cramped. But that’s not a big issue for me.

As for the rooms I didn't mind the decor. It gave the room a bright feel. I will say that if you have little ones that will need room to run around and let off some steam before bed, the lay out of the 2 double bed rooms isn't the best for that. And having asthma that flares up bad in Orlando, I rent and ECV from and outside company. The lay out of the room makes it a little difficult maneuvering the ECV in and out the room. But it's still very doable Our second trip we requested a King room and got it. It was great. We will always request a king room.

I say those thinking of trying the Contemporary go ahead and give it a try. Hopefully you will have the great time many others have had.

 

[MAC3]

I agree with CD,,,

BambiTamby, give CR a try. I've never stayed but we go over often to eat and I would love to try it. Especially if I've tried all the others.

 

[BambiTamby]

I'm gonna stick with the CR!

You know....I love the Poly, it's what I've considered my WDW
"home"!

But, to be honest..
WE'VE LOVED EVERY ONE OF THE RESORTS WE'VE STAYED!
Each has their own charm and style...pros and cons....
oh, what a boring world this would be, if all the resorts were exactely alike!

I'll look at this as a new adventure!

And, ya'll can expect a real BT trip report on the CR!!!

 

[cheeringmom]

I am not a fan of the CR either. I agree with the original poster. The resort was filthy. We had trash on the elevator floor almost all week -the same trash!! and the trash cans next to the elevators were overflowing. They had not been changed in days. But my biggest problem was the duck droppings around the pool steps. The pool was fully staffed but not one lifeguard would clean up the duck messes. Plus there were things on the bottom of the pool that I had no idea what it was. I would not let my children go into the pools. Not my idea of a deluxe. Maybe the tower rooms were better. We were in the garden wing. Best thing about the CR was location, location, location.

 

[dreamflight99]

Originally posted by CaliforniaDreaming
It amazes me how this Disney masterpiece is often called "dated, cold and dirty" and things like it. This was WALT'S original! This was basicly his dream, this one resort. It reflected the future as seen is his eyes, and it truly is a great resort. Everyone needs to try this resort once. I'd love to return to the resort, that's how much I enjoyed my stay. Bambi---give the place a try!

"DITTO", please give the place a try! It's an incredible resort. We still love it SOoooo much, that even when NOT staying there...we VISIT! We love the shops, restaurants, monorail, walking to/from MK, VIEW (**magical**), rooms, CM's, Lobby, Arcade (24-hours!), food court, food, Talking elevators, escalators, Walt's aura, balconies, roof-tops, pools, waterfront, secrets and MORE! It is a designated GEM...and until you TRY IT...you'll never truly KNOW. Please, Bambi....give it a GO!

TTFN....DF99

 

[ColoradoDis]

We love the CR. In fact for our trip in May, I had a hard time talking my kids into sharing the trip between the Poly and CR. It's hard to beat the location and view of MK.

 

[magicmouse2]

I dreamt we stayed at the CR. Although we have visited quite a few times and love the restaurants, shops and monorail, I have no plans to stay there. I can imagine the tower rooms having a really nice view though, and it would be cool to be so close to MK. When we have tried all the other resorts, I may give it a go.

 

[dreamflight99]

We've tried every WDW resort...with the exception of the VALUES and the AKL. We KEEP saying we will stay at the AKL, and even visit there each summer to dine, stroll and shop. Yet, we returned once again to the CR last summer, for 5 glorious eves in a 1BR suite atop the 14th floor concierge! It was astoundingly beautiful, with breathtaking views and attentive CM's, mousekeepers and Concierge. We had one of the best times ever, and I nearly cried when we left. But the saddness was short~lived, as I knew we would return again...soon.^_^

So...for us at least....the MAGIC is still there, alive and well (and for us it always will be). Perhaps in our giddy & innocent glee, we somehow look past the odd "smells" (never notice), and trash (also never see), and any other "problems" this resort may have. We are oblivious to anything other than the FUN, EXCITEMENT and ESCAPE this resort provides.

I'm glad there are others whom find it as favorable, and feel sad for those of you whom experience otherwise. I wish everyone had the SAME experiences we do...and could enjoy all the WONDER and MAGIC which cascades over us (while in the world). I wish you all a wonderful future stay, at the resort of your choice! May the MAGIC find you...and stay with you, long after you leave.

TTFN....DF99

 

[Jynohn]

We just returned from the CR too, through SoG. We were in the North Garden Wing.

Before going, I really expected that I would HATE this resort. The pictures I saw of the room decor were horrible and I thought it was terribly tacky.

That being said, I didn't hate the CR like I thought I would, but we definitely won't be returning. Actually the room decor was the least of my concerns. I agree with the OP that the place (or at least the NGW) is just generally run down and in MAJOR need of a rehab.)

I was shocked when we first arrived and I saw the condition of the hallways. There were scuffmarks everywhere on the walls, and big chunks of peeling wallpaper. If I hadn't been paying the rate I paid through SoG ($78/night), I would have turned right around and asked to be moved.

Our room was clean, I have no complaints there, but it was also pretty tired looking. The cabinet door fell off several times throughout our stay, and we were also missing knobs off of the bathroom vanity. I was also disappointed in the fact that we had no balcony.

I too noticed the smell, but to me it was more like a cheap, fast food/carnival smell. I can't think of any other way to describe it. It wasn't offensive, but not pleasant either.

I was also annoyed by the fact that the dryers in the laundry room needed to be replaced. At $2.00 a pop, I wasn't too happy when after my third cycle, my clothes still weren't dry!

I guess my biggest gripe with this resort is that it just didn't have a "vacation" feel to me. I know the CR has it's fans, but the whole place reminded me of a hospital waiting room LOL. People have mentioned that Walt himself designed this hotel, but certainly our tastes change with time. If he were alive today, even he might have said it was time for an update

All in all, for the price we paid, I don't really have a right to complain. We got a clean room at a decent rate. But if I had paid Disney rates for this hotel, I would have been really upset.

It wasn't a terrible visit, but we'll go someplace else next time around.

Just my two cents...

Jynohn

 

[EToo]

DramFlight 99 we will be staying CR 14th floor April 10-17. We are looking foward to our concierge stay. Please share any tips or suggestions. We know Easter will be busy. Concierge has our PS taken care of. We plan on hitting parks early then returning to enjoy the resort.
Thanks for any help you can offer.

CAROLINA PANTHERS SUPER BOWL BOUND!!!

 

[GraceDVC]

The Contemporary Resort is still our favorite Disney resort -- part nostalgia we're sure because it was our first Disney experience, followed by many other visits there over the years. We returned a couple of years ago for an anniversary visit without the children and "loved" it all over again. We sat by the round pool located by the lake and enjoyed cool breezes and the tranquil atmosphere. We also still get invigorated when we open the Tower door and look down at the shops and monorail. This resort is Disney at its best with great access into the MK.

As for the duck pool mentioned above, the droppings at the Yacht and Beach Club's Storm-a-long Bay pool area were, by far, more overwhelming, but we still enjoyed that resort's amenities and access into Epcot.

We honestly never noticed a "smell" at the CR. The only thing we felt when we exited the monorail was complete joy as we took in the view and the excitement that only the CR brings!

 

[sm4987]

Sorry you didn't like it. I love the Contemporary. I would stay there again in the heartbeat. To be in the tower and see the views, look down and see the monorail as it goes through, to hear the singing coming from Chef Mickey's........ However, to each it's own. It's alright that you didn't like the resort. I hated the WL and I know many people would get angry with me about that.