Contemporary Reviews!!!

[bupper_wj]

My wife and I are taking our 3 yr old to Disney to celebrate his 4th b'day in May!!! We have booked 4 nights at the Contemporary. After reviewing a number of post and comments on the boards, I've found more negative comments on the contemporary resort then positive. We've stayed at 3 different Disney resorts and we wanted to celebrate our sons b'day with a bang!!! We have booked MK view for the nights...Can someone please share some good reviews or update me on improvements the resort has made.

Thank you
1st time poster!!!

[Tippy]

Hi - I am leaving for Disney this Sunday and returning on 26 April. We are staying at the CR. I'll send an update when I get back. -Tippy

[KylesMom]

If you go to the trip reports forum, there is currently an Intercotee who is staying at CR for the first time and is totally loving it. Check out her reports to get some first hand knowledge!

P.S. - we loved CR!

[Tigerinvestigator]

Don't worry, you will love it. Maybe the bad reviews had to do with construction? We love the CR because of location, size of the rooms, the monorail, the view, and sentimental reasons!

[wedway76]

We stayed at the CR for our 20th wedding anniversary and loved it. We got a tower room facing the MK. The view was spectacular. The rooms were beautiful and spacious. You have 3 great restaurants and a food court in your building. The pool is huge with a great slide. You can walk to the MK. Oh yeah and THE MONORAIL GOES RIGHT THROUGH THE MIDDLE!

That main building is as big an icon as Cinderella’s Castle or Spaceship Earth. I think everyone should stay there at least once.

[Disnamic Duo]

My wife and I stayed there for the first time this past January and LOVED IT!! Don't let the poor reviews get you down. This is an awesome place to stay. Our opinion is that you cannot get more "Disney" than CR MK view. You can see the castle and Wishes from your balcony!!! You can watch the castle change colors all night! Besides those thrill factors, there's also the convenience of the monorail going right thru the middle of the resort, providing great transportation to MK, EPCOT, the Poly and the GF. You can very easily walk to MK. The rooms are huge and really nice. Free internet. Great (as in California Grill) restaurants!

You'll have a great time!

[Ms.Disney]

We have never stayed at the CR but we have ate there and enjoyed their gift shop We really love the atmosphere there and what could be better than a room with a view of the MK I am sure you will have a fantastic time.

[Taja]

I have a feeling that most people who don't like CR--unless service/room was really bad, which is pretty unusual in a WDW deluxe resort--prefer cozy surroundings.

CR originally was of mid-century modern design. Well, ermmmm, contemporary when WDW opened in 1971!

There's still an element of that, but it's more elegant contemporary now. It's the first place I wanted to stay at WDW--and still haven't managed it! Some day, though!

[LottaLubes]

OK...I'll be the one to warn you. After a stay at the Contemporary, your son will not want to stay anywhere else!

CR has become a family favorite. Not only because it's an original...it's so convenient to MK...you can actually walk to MK and it takes no more than 10 minutes. You're also just one stop away from the TTC if you're heading out to Epcot.

You're gonna love it!

[thejens]

You'll love it. I "vicariously" stayed at the Contemporary during my first trip to WDW three years ago. I had already booked Animal Kingdom for my immediate family. A week before we left my Mom and sister and niece decided to join us! There were no rooms at AKL so we booked them at the Contemporary. My first reaction was to feel sorry for them, because the AKL was amazing in its theming and I really dislike modern decor. But as the week went along (we visited at the Contemporary every day) I fell in love with the CR. The cast members there are the best, so friendly and helpful in the lobby! The monorail is SO fun right there outside your room. The rooms seem very spacious. THe view of the castle is amazing and my Mom and sister really loved watching the fireworks from their room some nights. It is very quintessentially Disney and there is no better restaurant than the Cali Grill in my opinion. I think each resort has its unique wonderful qualities. I think if you are open minded you'll love it!

[kmo84]

I have stayed at CR a number of times, the most recent was in Nov of '06. The renovations to the rooms were so cool. The CR is just about my favorite resort. For many of the reasons the other posters have mentioned, and lots more.

We have watched the fireworks from the 4th floor right under the monorail station. If your in the tower and your room faces Bay Lake, you can see the Electrical Water Parade from your balcony every night.

It's a great resort and I don't think for a minute you'll regret your stay! Have a great time!

[awaggett]

We stayed at CR last September for the first tie and totally loved it. The hotel staff/service is amazing. The restaurants are top notch--especially Cali Grill. Most important--the monorail. We stayed in a Garden Room, and had a Bay Lake/pool view. It was definitely worth it.

[ltam16]

I am at the CR right now and using the room computer. The ease of the monorail is great especially for taking a break midday. We have also had no problems with the bus service to either park. The room is great and mk view is awesome. We are facing the mickey watch flowers and there is some construction work there--we can't hear it. The other construction is only noticble when we pass it on the monorail. My kids are really enjoying the pool. I thought we'd miss the kid friendly decor like Pop century, but we really love the CR. The only drawback rightnow is the Tempo Grab and Go, but it is temporary.

Make sure you ask to sit in the front of the monorail! Your little one will love it.

[wdwfansince75]

As you can tell from the signature, we have a thing for the CR! It is great for kids....and childish adults like me! We have lots of pictures of our four, as kids, and our 6 grandkids at the CR, and many fond memories of earlier trips.(our 7th is making his first trip, at 6 mo, in June....and we're taking him to Chef Mickey's for his first character meal!).

Several posters refered to the sense of "home". It is indeed a special place...kid friendly to the extreme. Problem with reviews is that those with a presumed negative experience are more likely to read them....We have never had a really bad experience. Yes, we had a trip or two when Mousekeeping was slow...and yes, we stayed in the North Wing when it was overdue for new carpets and some paint....but we always had a great time. Sorry, but we never wrote a review, to offset the negative ones.

Spent much of my life as a "Road Warrior".....Stayed in some great places, and in some real dumps.....Never wrote reviews of them either.

Have no fear. If you can afford it, it is worth the price.

[pooh0601]

We just got back from 3 nights at the CR(4/20-4/23), and we loved it! We had a room in the South Garden Wing and it's plenty big for 5. The kids love the hotel, especially our 4y/o who loves watching the monorail go through the resort. The only thing we didn't like this time, was the counter service, Tempo-n-Go leaves a lot to be desired. But that's understandable considering it's just a temp. location. We only used it for breakfast, which had slim pickings, but it was more convienent for us to eat and then go to the parks for opening time as to not waste those precious first two hours of short wait times.

The remodeling has made the inside of the resort and hotel rooms look really nice.

[Tygger7]

Only "concern" is the lack of counter space in the bathrooms. There are 2 pedestal sinks, and there is little to no space to set toiletries. Our friends stayed there and used the 2nd sink as a "counter" to hold their stuff. That was their only "complaint"....other than that, they said it was great.

[Mickey91]

We would love to stay there! I can't imagine you would like anything better than a tower MK view!!! I'm totally jealous! Have a great time!!

[TheMartellFamily]

It has always been a dream of mine to stay with a MK view in the tower one time. If you have that opportunity I would stay with it. I have not stayed but one day I will. I think you will not be dissappointed with this choice since you already have your ressies for CR. Stay here and enjoy and then you can report when you get back how great this resort is.

[jedi jen]

I think you will love it. The convenience is awesome--you can walk to MK in 5 minutes. I don't think any other resort has a closer view of the castle; it is a great view. We stayed there July the past two years. I was surprised that the pool and food court never seemed too crowded. The rooms are newly renovated, and very sleek and elegant. Each room has a computer and, at least when I was there, free internet. I think they are still doing that. I recommend taking advantage of Chef Mickey's for a meal; it is so convenient in the hotel, and that way you don't have to wait in a line to see the characters in the park. I also enjoy being able to sit and relax in a sit down restaurant while my kids are entertained. Also, a must do for me is to enjoy Wishes at the California Grill. The food is excellent and the view, for Wishes or any time, is great. Of course, you will have a great view right out your balcony.

We stayed Garden View one year, and Tower - Bay View Concierge one year (we received a free upgrade-wow), and loved it both times. The Contemporary was not available when we go this August, so I had to book the Poly. My kids were disappointed!

Have a magical trip.

Jennifer

[bupper_wj]

Thank you everyone for the reviews. So great to here the upbeat tones in your replys. I remember going thru the Contemporary on the Monorail in 1986 when i was younger and always dreamed of taking my kids "one day". That 1 day will be May 14-18. Bedtime with our son is checking off the "Countdown to Disney Calendar"!!!Thanks for all your replys and I will keep in touch during trip!!!!