Take a Closer Look at One of Walt Disney World’s ORIGINAL Resorts!
Let’s talk resorts, specifically, The Contemporary. If you’ve been to Walt Disney World and visited the Magic Kingdom, you have seen The Contemporary. It is literally the closest to the Magic Kingdom, just a 5-10 minute walk, depending on where your room is located. To many people, a stay at this resort is a pipe dream or a bucket list item. The ultimate dream is to wake up and walk on your balcony, only to be able to see INTO the Magic Kingdom! So let’s take a deeper look!
Room Categories
Over in the Main Tower, there are about 500 guest rooms. Half of them face the Magic Kingdom and, yes, you can see the Magic Kingdom directly from your balcony! Some of them even look into the park! As I said, staying at the Contemporary is a bucket list items for many fans and guests that visit Walt Disney World.
Obviously, Bay Lake Tower, which is a DVC property, is going to cost the most. It is also the closest hotel. Did you know you can stay in DVC rooms without being DVC members? As long as members haven’t booked the rooms and you’re willing to pay for it, I can book these rooms for you. We LOVE them for the washer and dryer alone!
Now back to the main tower, it is worth noting that some of these theme park view rooms also have views of the parking lot, the Magic Kingdom bus loops, and the roof of the convention center. These rooms are also pretty pricy and can get up to $1,000 per night, depending on the time of year. Like all rooms at The Contemporary, they sleep up to 5, with a pull-down daybed. They are incredibly nice rooms, and they were recently renovated with Incredibles themes. They look AWESOME and we cannot wait to stay here this summer!
A Theme Park View room for 5 nights, 6 days, with a 5-day park hopper and Memory Maker, for a family of 4 (2 kids under 9), will run you about $7,500. It’s not terrible, but the backside, with views of Bay Lake, is equally nice and pretty peaceful and quiet. They’re also cheaper and the same package for the same family would run about $1,000 cheaper, just for staying on the other side of the tower.
The Contemporary – Garden Wing
Walt Disney World has over 25 hotels, and the Contemporary is almost like 3 hotels in one! Bay Lake Tower, again, a DVC Property, the Main Tower, and there is also the Garden Wing option. The Garden Wing is also significantly cheaper. These rooms are detached from the main tower, right on Bay Lake and closer to the pool and the docks to catch a boat. It’s a slightly longer walk to the monorail, bus stops, and Magic Kingdom, but we’re talking like 10 minutes instead of 5. And, again, the serenity of lakefront accommodations can be pretty relaxing, as opposed to the hustle and bustle of the main tower.
The Garden Wing has both suites and standard rooms, with the biggest difference (other than price) being space. They offer the same amenities, sleep 5 guests (or 8 guests for the hospitality suite), but the suites are about double the size. The suites for the same family of 4 with a 5-day park hopper and Memory Maker will cost about $11,000 BUT the standard view Garden Wing room, with all the same options for this family of 4, is about $5,800. So plainly you can see, if you want the most affordable way to stay in the Contemporary, choose a Garden Wing room!
The Contemporary – Pools & Recreation
But what else does But what else does the Contemporary have to offer? Let’s start with pools! Florida is hot and what better way to cool off than to jump in the pool? The main pool has a 17-foot high swirling water slide. You can also rent a private poolside cabana!
If you hop over to the Bay Lake pool which is closer to the lake, you have a more quiet pool option, plus a water play area for the littlest guests. Bay Lake Tower has its own pool and waterslide as well. The main pool area has a hot tub and a poolside bar, for the adults to unwind and relax while the kiddies have a blast!
You can also play basketball, tennis, do lakeside yoga, rent boats, go fishing, and more. The Contemporary has many recreational options to take part in, so there’s sure to be something for everyone!
The Contemporary – Dining
Let’s talk FOOD! The Contemporary has a ton of great dining options. There are three full-service table service restaurants available. Chef Mickey’s, currently available for breakfast and dinner, is a family-style character meal, and one of the most popular character meals Disney has to offer. The California Grill, a fine dining restaurant that is incredibly popular, for both its food and it’s incredible views of the Magic Kingdom. It is located on the TOP FLOOR of the Resort, so it is incredibly popular to time dining reservations here with Magic Kingdom fireworks! And there is the all-new, FABULOUS, AMAZING, Steakhouse 71!!!
There are three quick service options, though two of them are poolside. The Contempo Cafe, located next to Chef Mickey’s, is one of the most popular quick service options on property. The Contemporary also has its own coffee bar in the lobby, offering unique options. You can also visit one of the lounges available. There are many food and drink options here, making this a great choice for families full of many different palettes.
Have you stayed at the Contemporary? Would you LIKE to stay at the Contemporary? Contact me today to get your free quote!!!
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