by Disney Magic Diva
Have you ridden on the monorail through Disney’s Contemporary Resort and thought how fun it would be to stay there someday? We certainly have! But let’s face it – it’s pretty pricey! Of course that doesn’t stop us from dreaming, and we periodically check the Walt Disney World website to see if there are any good room rates at our “bucket list” resorts. Well, the pixie dust finally found us, and we were able to get a theme park view room in the main building at a pretty good Annual Passholder rate! And it probably won’t surprise you to learn that our room really was a dream come true!
Through the on-line check in service, I had requested a room on a higher floor. We thought the higher we were, the better chance we had for a spectacular view. We were happy to find our room was on the 10th floor, and at the end of the building away from Chef Mickey’s. This location just enhanced my enthusiasm for our room because I had been concerned being close to the popular restaurant would be noisy. (We walked down that way just to see what the noise level was like. It was remarkably much quieter than I anticipated.)
As soon as we walked in the room, we knew it was completely different from any other experience we had ever had at Disney. We’ve stayed in deluxe rooms before (Grand Floridian, Yacht and Beach, and Saratoga Springs as a surprise upgrade one time), but we had never been welcomed to our room with a personalized note from the General Manager and a plate of delectable goodies. We felt the pixie dust immediately!
The second thing we noticed about the room was our view! (In all honesty, the view would probably have been the first thing we noticed, if the grandkids hadn’t been with us. Those kids can spot candy at 500 yards, blindfolded, in a snowstorm, at night.) We walked out on our balcony and our jaws dropped. Right there, in plain view, was Magic Kingdom. No need to lean over the edge, or squint to really see it well. It was big as life and right before our eyes. Unobstructed. Unencumbered. Waiting for us. Cinderella Castle in all her glory! It was a dream come true!
When we were able to compose ourselves, we ventured back into the room and began to unpack. Here’s where we discovered the room, while beautifully decorated, was a little less than ideal for a family with young children. 
On this trip we were a party of six – three adults and three children (ages 9, 4 and 1). The rooms at Contemporary are designed to sleep up to 5, but since our youngest granddaughter was still an infant, she didn’t “count” in the guest total for the room. The room had two queen beds and a sleep sofa. We requested a crib 
for the baby, which Disney happily provided. Even with the sleep-sofa pulled down and the addition of the crib, there was still plenty of floorspace for everyone to move around.
Diva Tip: When traveling with a very young child, you may want to remember to pack outlet plugs. We were able to order some from Prime Now, (see Pixie Dusted Diva’s article) and upon reflection the hotel may have provided them had we thought to ask, but next time they will be on our packing list!
What we found lacking was shelf space. There was an “L” shaped desk/counter in the corner next to the bed, with drawers under the counter. Unfortunately, to get to the drawers, you needed to move the rolling desk chair. This became somewhat of a nuisance. There were shelves above the television set, but they were too high for the children to use. While this had some benefits (keeping things little hands shouldn’t touch out of reach) it also led to the kids just putting all their belongings on the floor.
We also missed shelving in the vanity area. At the moderate resorts we’ve loved all the shelf space beneath the vanity, and sometimes even a small shelf under the mirror. The renovated rooms at Pop Century also have quite a bit of shelf space. But we sadly found it lacking at the Contemporary. There was a small area under the sink, and a very narrow counterspace between the two sinks, but we had much less room to store our toiletries than we were accustomed to at other resorts.
At the Contemporary, the sinks in the vanity area were gorgeous – very trendy and modern – but not really practical for little ones. The basin in the sink was enormous and essentially flat, making it difficult for water to drain quickly. With young kids brushing teeth became an adventure. They couldn’t reach the faucet because the sink was so large, and then the water didn’t drain if the faucet was left running. Neither of these issues that would keep us from jumping at the opportunity to return to the Contemporary, but they are worth noting if you are traveling with young children.
We loved having a separate toilet area and of course the luxurious robes available. Nothing says “relax” like a plush, white robe after a hot shower. And the doors in the bathroom (both to the vanity area and between the vanity and the toilet area) were pocket doors. We loved this feature, because it saved space, was quiet, and eliminated the possibility of the baby getting fingers pinched in the door.
We were able to spend just one afternoon at the pool, mostly due to rainy weather. The pool was fabulous! The waterslide was a hit with my oldest granddaughter. Our grandson, who is 4, loved the pool too.
The Splash Pad area
We had thought he may be more comfortable at the splash pad area since he hasn’t had much practice swimming, but after a few minutes at the splash pad he was ready to jump into the regular pool. Like all pools, there are complimentary life jackets available. The Recreation Staff seemed to enjoy playing with the kids who were participating in the pool party games.
A wonderful perk of staying at the Contemporary is your proximity to water recreation. You can rent jet skis or boats to use on the lake, and it’s all right outside the lobby! There are locker rooms with showers if you want to change into swimwear at the pool. If you prefer to stay dry, you can enjoy the ping pong table, Plinko, bag toss, or other games available by the pool. Or of course you can just enjoy the pool bar!
Sand volleyball courts!
As for food – well there’s Chef Mickey’s! A classic character meal, and it’s just an elevator ride away! Talk about convenient! (You can read Pixie Dusted Diva’s review here.) For quick service dining, The Contempo Café proved to be a delightful option for us. (Daisy Diva has a full review here.) The gift shop also had a pretty extensive selection of food – bread, lunchmeat, cereal, milk, chips and even wine!
Being just a 5 minute walk from Magic Kingdom was definitely a HUGE convenience for us. We never had to fold up the stroller and board a bus with sleeping children in our arms. We also avoided the long security lines at the gate, because there is a small (and extremely efficient) security tent along the walkway between the Contemporary Resort and Magic Kingdom. And the walkway has a (somewhat) hidden Mickey! The kids loved looking for it, and took their minds off the walk. 
Of course if the weather is not cooperating, or if you just can’t imagine taking another step, you can always board the monorail (again – without folding up a stroller!) and ride in luxury back to your resort. It’s magical!
But probably the best part of our stay at Disney’s Contemporary Resort was the view. We were able to enjoy the fireworks from our balcony, in our pjs, then lay in bed and gaze out the sliding glass door at a twinkling Cinderella Castle. We kept the drapes open, every night, so we could drift off to sleep with Magic Kingdom as our last thought of the day. It was absolutely a dream come true.
Are you ready to book your own room with a view? Patricia at All for Dreams Travel can find the perfect resort for you – and her services are FREE! Contact her today! Then get ready for your own dream come true.
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We actually ended up with a room on the 4th floor directly over Chef Mickey’s I was afraid it would be too noisy as well, but we honestly never heard it! It was a blast opening your door to the Fab 5 every day. We spent some time just watching one night with my daughter.
Looks so dreamy! I’m partial to GF, but one day I’d like to stay here too! Thanks for sharing on #mousefanmondays
This looks like such an amazing trip!! That view!!!!
Random question, but do you know who the GM of the Contemporary is? You mentioned he wrote you a letter.
Thank you in advance!