The Contemporary is an iconic Disney World resort. Located just a short distance from the Magic Kingdom, the Contemporary might be best known for being the resort with the monorail running through it. Having stayed at many different resorts both on and off property, we were eager to stay at the Contemporary and see how the experience stacked up. Was there more to this Deluxe Disney resort than just the convenience of a great location? Fortunately, we found the answer to be a resounding yes.

Check-In: After a very quick stop at the Wilderness Lodge on the Magical Express (by the way – we love the Magical Express. Free transportation from the airport and your luggage shows up in your hotel room! What’s more Magical than that? …but I digress), we made it to the Contemporary. We took advantage of online check-in which was very convenient and a big time saver. We walked up to the check-in desk and our room keys were already waiting for us. When I completed the online check-in, I requested a room near transportation and at the end of the hallway. Imagine my surprise when we were upgraded from our garden wing – garden view room to a tower room with a Bay Lake view on the eight floor!

The Room: Excited about our upgrade, we quickly hurried up to the eighth floor. One downside about the Contemporary Resort is that the elevators are quite slow and there is a lot of extra foot traffic due to being home to the monorail, Chef Mickeys, and California Grill. Once we made it to the eighth floor, our room was at the end of the hallway facing Bay Lake. We opened the door and were pleasantly surprised. Compared to some of the other Deluxe Disney World hotels (I’m looking you, Animal Kingdom Lodge), this room was huge.

And the best part of the room – the view! What an amazing view!

While excited about the Tower room, I was a little nervous about the noise. I’m happy to report that I never heard any noise once inside the room at the Contemporary!

Pork Belly - California Grill - Disney World Dining

Food: There are several dining options at the Contemporary Hotel. We enjoyed the convenience of the Contempo Cafe for quick service meals. We tried a flatbread, sandwich, and salad. All were pretty good. The frozen yogurt here is delicious and very refreshing after a hot day in the parks. The worst thing we had from the Contempo Cafe was a Frozen cupcake. We love a cupcake but the spearmint frosting tasted more like toothpaste than a dessert. It was pretty though.

There is also the California Grill (check out our review), Chef Mickey’s, and the Wave for sit down options. Drinks are available at the Outer Rim or at the bar at the Wave. There is a coffee shop on the ground floor of the hotel in case you need coffee before heading out in the morning.

Everything else: The highlight of the Contemporary is how easy it is to get to the Magic Kingdom (about a 10 minute walk) as well as Epcot (quick monorail ride to the TTC and then hop on the Epcot monorail – about 20 – 30 m
inutes). When we went to Hollywood Studios, the bus was extremely convenient and quick. If you are interested in visiting the Wilderness Lodge, there is a boat that leaves from the back of the resort. Visiting the parks was a priority on this trip, so the convenience of transportation was a huge plus. The pool, while it doesn’t have the “theming” of some of the other Disney resorts, serves it purpose and has a great view of Bay Lake. There is a water slide that is a lot of fun for both kids and adults. For the very little kids, there is a small “water park” to play in. In the evenings, the Electric Water Pageant passes by the back of the hotel. We enjoyed watching it from our room one night. It’s not a huge draw, but a cool little detail.

Tips for the Contemporary Resort:

– The Contemporary is a great resort if you have small kids and will be spending a lot of time at the Magic Kingdom! It is priceless to not have to move them in and out of the stroller – especially if they fall asleep in the afternoon.

– The best place to view the Magic Kingdom fireworks is the California Grill restaurant – and the food is delicious! Don’t have a reservation – it’s OK, grab a seat at the bar or in the lounge. First come, first serve.

– Take advantage of online check-in. Save time and get to the parks faster. Have you stayed at the Contemporary? Share your thoughts!

Have you stayed at the Contemporary? What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.