Disney's Contemporary Resort

Disney's Contemporary Resort was one of the three original accommodation choices when Disney World first opened its doors in 1972, with the Polynesian Resort and Fort Wilderness. The monorail, which takes guests directly to the Magic Kingdom, passes right through the hotel. Rooms at Disney's Contemporary Resort are either in the main Tower or in one of the Garden Wings. The resort is a "futuristic" style, reminiscent of 1970s and 80s style space age furnishings. Many rooms have balconies or patios.

Location, Location, Location

Disney's Contemporary Resort has always had a fabulous location going for it. The monorail goes right thought the resort, and you can see Cinderella's Castle and Space Mountain from many of the rooms. On the other side, guests enjoy Bay Lake and the Electrical Water Pageant. You can even walk (or jog) over to the Magic Kingdom, something you can't do from any other resort. This can really come in handy at the end of a long day, when lines for the monorails and buses pile up.

Now guests have another reason to choose the Contemporary: restyled rooms. Forget the bright colors and bold patterns. The new style is smart and sleek, reminiscent of a hip boutique hotel like the W. Dark, rich woods, marble and dramatic lighting are everywhere, with not a Mickey head in sight.

New Room Design

Before the redesign, guest rooms in the Contemporary Resort had, ironically, a dated look. The bright colors and bold patterns were inspired by 1950s and 1960s contemporary art. The new rooms, completely redesigned, are more in line with the hip, sleek style popular in boutique hotels in recent years. Colors are muted with rich woods offset by marble countertops and white duvet covers. More dramatic lighting complements the new look. Very comfortable beds are now topped with white duvet covers and feather pillows.

A built-in desk with a glass top, ergonomic chair and separate, rolling extension lets business travelers do their work comfortably from anywhere in the room. It also makes a good base of operations for vacationers. The TV armoire has been replaced with a custom-built cabinet, with shelves and dramatic lighting. Televisions have been replaced with 32" LCD flat panel TVs, built into the new cabinets.

The sleek look continues into a very modern bathroom, with a tub/shower combination and a separate toilet room. My only real complaint with the new rooms are the sinks. They take up nearly all of the counter space, leaving precious little space for anything you may want to keep dry (like cosmetics, clothes or a hairdryer). There was, however, counter space underneath the sinks, and the lighted vanity mirrors were a plus.

Disney's Bay Lake Tower

A new building with Disney Vacation Club villas, constructed adjacent to Disney's Contemporary Resort, will have studio and one- to three-bedroom suites overlooking Bay Lake and the Magic Kingdom, or the Contemporary Resort. Pictures of Disney's Bay Lake Tower (Reviewed May 2007)

More About Disney's Contemporary Resort

Pictures of Disney's Contemporary Resort
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Disney's Contemporary Resort is located: walking distance from the Magic Kingdom.
4600 North World Drive, Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830
Phone: (407) 824-1000; Reservations: (407) 939-7429
Web site: Disney's Contemporary Resort
See Disney's Contemporary Resort on a map of Disney World Hotels

^{As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary accommodations for the purpose of reviewing those services. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy.}