WL or Contemporary?

[UMichGirl]

Help! We are debating where to stay when we go in November. It's our first family trip--my son will be 3.5. We keep going back and forth between Wilderness Lodge and the Contemporary.

Wilderness Lodge: Biggest pro...it's cheaper. Like, $1200 over the course of the week cheaper. And that's including the room discounts which we've read have traditionally been 30% here and 20% for Contemporary. We also love the lobby area, especially if they have their Christmas decorations up when we are there. I don't exactly like the look of the rooms...but not sure how big a deal that is. I've read mixed reviews on the transportation to the parks as well.

Contemporary: Biggest pro...the convenience of getting to MK by the walking path and also being on the monorail. The one character meal we know we want to do is Chef Mickey's and that's right in the resort. My son would get an absolute kick out of watching the monorail trains coming and going. Love the look of the rooms. If it weren't for price, we'd be booked here already. (We know the garden rooms are cheaper, but we'd want to stay in the main building.)

So...based on your experiences, which resort would you recommend? Is it worth it to spend the extra $$$ to stay at the Contemporary? Will we be just as happy at WL? We can swing it...just don't know that we want to, or if we'd be better off spending that money on other things!

Thanks!

 

[jrt1176]

If you've never stayed at either, I would choose WL.

You're saving a nice chunk of change that you can put toward the tickets or something else, etc.

We stayed there our last trip and loved it. We usually stay at a different resort each trip, etc. I haven't stayed at the Contemporary since the early 80's, but the décor is very sterile. Christmas so close may change the décor matter, but I think the overall charm will be more to a child's liking.

We never had issue with transportation to MK by boat. And they have another boat that will take you to the Contemporary for Chef Mickey's!

 

[mickeynut1]

Help! We are debating where to stay when we go in November. It's our first family trip--my son will be 3.5. We keep going back and forth between Wilderness Lodge and the Contemporary.

Wilderness Lodge: Biggest pro...it's cheaper. Like, $1200 over the course of the week cheaper. And that's including the room discounts which we've read have traditionally been 30% here and 20% for Contemporary. We also love the lobby area, especially if they have their Christmas decorations up when we are there. I don't exactly like the look of the rooms...but not sure how big a deal that is. I've read mixed reviews on the transportation to the parks as well.

Contemporary: Biggest pro...the convenience of getting to MK by the walking path and also being on the monorail. The one character meal we know we want to do is Chef Mickey's and that's right in the resort. My son would get an absolute kick out of watching the monorail trains coming and going. Love the look of the rooms. If it weren't for price, we'd be booked here already. (We know the garden rooms are cheaper, but we'd want to stay in the main building.)

So...based on your experiences, which resort would you recommend? Is it worth it to spend the extra $$$ to stay at the Contemporary? Will we be just as happy at WL? We can swing it...just don't know that we want to, or if we'd be better off spending that money on other things!

Thanks!

My choice would be the WL. We've never stayed at the CR, but we love the WL (especially during the holidays). Like the pp, we've never had any trouble with the transportation. There is a boat to MK (as well as a direct bus, with no stops), and we have always found the buses to the other parks to be quick and efficient. With that said, the CR is on our list to try, but I would choose the WL during the holidays. Good luck.

 

[jhaig]

I would choose Contemporary only for convenience. Granted, you pay a pretty penny for the ability to walk to MK and use the monorail, but at the end of a hot sweaty day being just a couple minutes away from your bed is worth it. Chef Mickey's is always great for the kiddies. We also love WL and the dining options there (which is only a quick boat ride away), but CR wins because of location and monorail.

 

[MonoMan]

We have stayed at both multiple times and you can't go wrong with either one. IMO the biggest difference is transportation. At the WL you have to take buses everywhere except for the MK, where you can take the boat. Or you can take the boat to the CR and use the monorail from there. At the CR you can get on the monorail and go to the MK, any of the other resorts if you're interested in dining there, or the TTC and take the monorail to Epcot. I think something to consider is how often you think you'd want/need to go back to the room during the day and if there is any urgency to get there. Every family is different in terms of naps and rests and how well their children handle a full day in the park and traveling back to the hotels.

 

[DrBanner]

We stayed at BLT last stay and just booked our stay at CR for august.. We loved the convenience of the monorail and I would have to say I could ride the monorail all day no problem.. You can get to MK and Epcot fairly quickly and the busses are not very crowded.. For us the extra money is worth staying at the CR.. But at the end of the day it will come down to personal preference..

 

[GrumpyBelle]

For that much of a difference, I would go with WL.

 

[Soccer Fan]

We stayed at the WL last stay and it was awesome! The theming, restaurants, transportation, and layout of the Lodge are perfect. My daughter was almost 4 and my son 2 and the kids splash area was so great for them and Whispering Canyon has good food with a fun atmosphere. I feel like you have everything there that you could need/want.

The transportation was also great. We either took the boat or bus to the MK and it was direct, fast, and efficient. We took buses to the other parks but we rarely had to wait long for any of them.

In terms of the CR, we visited for drinks at the Top of the World Lounge and I was not impressed at all. The theming seemed to be lacking and it had a cold feel to the whole place. Don't let transportation make the difference for you - the WL was very good in that department.

 

[huntconn]

I think it really depends on how much that price difference matters to you. Both resorts are very nice. But I do give the nod to the CR for the convenience and better transportation options. While I do think the WL is better themed overall, I do disagree with people who say that the CR is poorly themed. The coolness factor of the monorail going right through the resort, the enormous Mary Blair mural, the amazing views from the Tower rooms (both sides) and the whole pool/marina area on Bay Lake are all fantastic. I don't think the convenience of the monorail to the MK and Epcot can be over stated. I also like the sit down and quick service restaurants at the CR better than WL. The boat ride from the WL to the MK is convenient and relaxing but nothing beats the monorail IMO.

 

[xlsm]

The WL is our favorite resort. For your little guy, the pool and new splash area are gorgeous. Great for a warm November afternoon. Transportation has never been an issue for us there. The bus to MK takes about 5 minutes, but in the afternoon and evening we LOVE the ferry. We take it to the CR and use the monorail from there. The lodge is super child friendly but also feels very romantic and adult. I just can't say enough good things about it.

On the flip side, the CR has the undeniable convenience of the monorail being onsite and is walkable to the MK. It just depends on what fits your family's style and budget better. One note, and someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the laundry facility at the CR is in the garden wing, so if you will need to do any laundry, you'll have to haul it down there from your tower room. (We also want to stay in the tower if we ever book there, and that's what's keeping me from actually going for it!)

Good luck making your decision, but rest assured, you can't go wrong either way!

Have fun!!

 

[Sunshine11]

I would imagine you can't go wrong with either. My thought would be unless you are staying in the main building at Contemporary, choose WL. We have stayed there and love it. It's small enough to totally enjoy the whole resort. We had no problems with boats to the MK. Love the lobby too! $1200 goes a long way for some great meals and shopping!

 

[TJA]

I clicked on this thread fully intending to vote for Contemporary.....until I read your pros and cons. You pretty much have it all summed up -- bottom line is do you want to spend 1200 more for CR? For us, we've stayed at both of them and we'd probably always choose CR over WL because we've experienced first-hand the perks of both resorts. We do highly prefer the rooms at CR, love walking to MK, love Chef M right there, love watching Wishes right at CR, love the shopping at CR too.

Would you regret a stay at WL? I don't think so, especially at Christmas time as it's one of the most festive resorts at that time. And you are a quick boat ride away from CR for your Chef M ADR.

 

[NYCANC]

Months ago, I had to make the same decision for our Oct. trip. Decided on CR especially for the convenience. My other deciding factor was- I do not know when we will be back to DW. Probably go back to DL before DW again. So, the extra money didn't bother me too much considering I knew this trip would be an expensive one. It's the first time my kids are going.

 

[Katers]

We had the same debate on where to stay for our trip in May. Our solution...both! Split stay starting at WL for four nights and then CR for the last four. We've never stayed at WL so that's exciting and we LOVE CR so that's exciting too!

 

[johnsonet]

We stay at both - and love both. I would say WL has a "homier" feel and would be great with a little boy! Save your pennies if there are only two adults and your son in the room. The CR is great for more adults - or bigger kids b/c there is more square footage in the rooms.
Of course, your son will get a kick out of the monorail but I'm sure he will have a chance to ride it plenty of times during your stay

Have a great time! They are both awesome, awesome resorts! Oh - and the rooms at WL are very attractive:

 

[Disneyhenry]

I see that you are going in November, the WL is just beautiful when it is decorated for Christmas! We stay in Dec 2013, we had a group with a total of 4 rooms and the kids ages were 1.5 - 6 ( two were 4 years old ) I think it is a great place to stay for that age, boat to MK, the new pool area looks so fun! It was in the 90's when we were there. We loved to food choices and we hope to stay there again sometime - have fun!

 

[rainboots]

I'd go WL & use the money for Pirates & Pals or another fun family experience.

I'm cheap, and $1200 is past my threshold. $500-600, maybe. And the thought of commuting by boat after a long day makes my heart sing! Perfect way to end a perfect day, IMO!

 

[Babsy]

Well, both resort are awesome, you can't go wrong either way you decide. I usually vote for CR for the reasons already mentioned in some other posts but at Christmas time would go the WL route. It is so beautiful with the decorations up at WL. The $1200 savings are really great as well.

However, there is a lot to be said for the convenience of the walk to MK and the monorail. Plus the rooms are so much bigger than at WL and SO COMFORTABLE. TOUGH decision.

Good luck choosing. Either way you will love your choice!

 

[Amanda999]

WL and rent a car at MCO, to go everywhere but MK.

 

[jcjen519]

we've never stayed at wl but would choose the cr for sure. $1200 would be worth it to me as long as its in your budget. Why do you think the CR usually offers a smaller discount then WL? I've probably not paid close attention but I've not noticed 20% for CR or any restrictions for CR on general public discounts.