by Doctor Disney Devo
Imagine getting ready for bed at night, looking out your window, and seeing a castle not too far from your room. The castle is lit up brightly and changes colors from time to time. In the distance you hear music and laughter, knowing that excitement is not too far way. Then you see the entire area go dark, and all of a sudden fireworks begin and you are treated to an amazing show right outside of your balcony. Now, imagine that happening every night during your vacation! That castle is none other than Cinderella’s castle, and you are staying at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.
View of the Contemporary from Magic Kingdom.
The Contemporary Resort sits just steps away from the Magic Kingdom and is the closest hotel to the park. From any hotel room, you will have some of the greatest views of Cinderella’s castle and the rest of the Magic Kingdom.
View of Monorail passing through the Contemporary
The Contemporary (opening on October 1, 1971), in addition to the Polynesian, are the only resorts to coincide with the opening of the Magic Kingdom. The Contemporary has a unique “A” shaped design and is the only hotel to have a monorail pass completely through it. It has a futuristic design that is fitting for its location, which is closest to Tomorrowland. It is one of eight of the Deluxe resorts located throughout Disney World and (along with the Grand Floridian and Polynesian) is on the Monorail Resort line/loop.
Anyone planning to go to the Magic Kingdom for the day will park at the Transportation and Ticketing center. From there, people can either take a ferry or the monorail to the Magic Kingdom. Those taking the monorail will automatically travel completely through the Contemporary, giving them a little glimpse of the inside of the resort before their final destination to the gates of the Magic Kingdom a few steps away.
There is something truly magical about being inside the Contemporary and knowing that any time you look out the large windows, you can see Cinderella’s castle.
View from balcony looking at Magic Kingdom
Even the rooms live up to the name given to the overall theme of being the Contemporary. The resort has very bright colors with a futuristic feel. Large square sinks in the bathroom and square furniture adds to the modern ambiance.
Standard Park View Room
There are many activities outside of the resort including a large feature pool with a slide and play area, as well as, another family pool right on bay lake. The resort also has its own beach for people who just want to lie on the sand and relax or just indulge in a poolside cabana. Additionally, water activities such as parasailing, water skiing, renting a personal water craft (for two), wave runners, kayaks, etc. are available.
Disney’s Contemporary offers three restaurants on site. On the top of the building is the fine/signature restaurant called California Grill see Beauty and the Beast Diva’s review of it here . Darilin Diva’ review called Disney World Dining- California Grill. There is the very popular Chef Mickey’s, which offers character dining. Check out Daisy’s Diva’s Review of the Chef Mickey’s Character breakfast here. Pixie Dusted Diva also has a great review called Our Family Tradition. Finally, there is The
Wave, which offers excellent American cuisines. See reviews of the Wave here and here
I have not stayed at all of the Disney resorts, but out of all the ones I have stayed at, this is by far my favorite. There is something very nostalgic and fascinating about the Contemporary. It may come from dreaming as a kid or even as an adult when you are riding the monorail through the hotel and seeing all the smiles on the faces of the guests inside.
There are a few things that I would mention that may hinder the overall experience. I did notice while staying in the rooms at the Contemporary that you can always hear when the monorail is coming and going through the resort. While it isn’t (overbearingly) loud, it is enough to be a little irritating at times. Also, it can get very loud inside the main tower especially during the peak hours of the day when there are a lot of kids out and about. With that said, a couple who is honeymooning and who want some peace and quiet at times may be better off going somewhere like the Grand Floridian. Finally, the price for this deluxe resort will definitely set you back a bit given the fact that the starting price for a standard room with the theme park view is $555/per night (which is actually a lot higher than it was a few years ago when my wife and I stayed there).
Overall, if you have ever dreamed what it would be like to actually stay inside a theme park, Disney’s Contemporary resort is pretty much as close as you can possibly get. You will not be disappointed and will enjoy memories that will last a lifetime.
