Disney's Contemporary Resort

We got a pretty good price for a Garden Wing room (in transparency I think it ended up being about $450/night for the room) and ended up loving this hotel. The Garden Wing and the rooms were decent sized, comfy and quiet. Walking to Magic Kingdom (10 minutes) and taking the monorail to Epcot (20 minutes) were absolutely worth the price. If our 4yo had napped, we would have been able to use the Extended Evening Hours at MK on Wednesday, but we didn't make it that late. Next time we go we would stay here again. Every single cast member we interacted with was fantastic. I was so impressed by them all. We learned that you can compliment them in the WDW app so we would note their names/where they were from if we had a particularly memorable interaction. Our meal at Steakhouse 71 was excellent. The main pool was perfect for young kids. Our 4yo loved the water slide and went on it over and over again (as did all the other kids at the pool!). The splash pad looked great for the littler ones. They had towels and life jackets available and a good amount of chairs and umbrellas. There were three lifeguards there at all times. Many posts/reviews complain about the Garden Wing’s distance from everything v main tower, but honestly the walk is negligible. (For context, main tower rooms were at least $200 more per night during our stay). Also, I would assume staying in the main tower would be loud if your room opened to the monorail/restaurants. We got lucky one night and were finishing up dinner just as the fireworks started, so we went out on the observation deck to watch them. They played the music and it was a great little bonus! A few minor challenges - 1. We asked for connecting rooms and the rooms were one number apart but around the corner from each other, so not connected. 2. Our room wasn’t cleaned one day and we had to request clean towels several times. 3. Joffreys here is very, very slow and it was hard for the staff to keep up with demand during the morning rush. Tip: If you (like us) look forward to nice cocktail or glass of wine after a long park day, order food from the Contempo Cafe and grab a table in the "Outer Rim" bar. They have a great cocktail menu and service was fantastic. We set up our daughter with the tablet/headphones, and she watched Frozen while we relaxed. Read less

I first saw this resort in 1978 and said someday I’ll stay there. I finally did….and it was worth it. The resort and rooms were great. Clean. The staff were extremely friendly and helpful. The monorail was a convenient way to get to the parks. Easy access to your rooms with your wristband. The Contempo Cafe had good food for a somewhat decent price. We didn’t eat at Chef Mickey’s because the price there was outrageous. It would have cost me over $200 for my family to eat there once. But the Contempo Cafe had good food so we ate there. The room had a great view. There was a water show we watched every night from our balcony. The pool water was a little warm but still a good place to relax. The resort is a little pricey but we were celebrating a special occasion so we didn’t mind. It was also cute to see our names on the TV when we got to our rooms. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay here. Read less

I’ve stayed at most of the Disney resorts on both coasts. This is by far the worst of the lot. The newly remodeled rooms are built with cheap materials and composite board, which was falling apart. The closet was coated in sawdust from the disintegrating wood. The room was not thoroughly cleaned on arrival, with white pills left on a shelf next to the closet. The air conditioning did not work well and the rooms were humid and hot. The hallways were grungy, with broken/moldy ceiling tiles and scuffed walls. The cafeteria was consistently filthy, with trash and food coating the floors and tables. The pool is simple and unthemed, but enjoyable. Overall, we did enjoy the design of the room and the furniture was comfortable. The location is the best at Disney World, with Magic Kingdom a short walk away. Bus service was better than previous years. However, this hotel does not justify its “deluxe” price tag. Read less

I booked this resort for a nice weekend with my family as this is my and my mothers favorite resort. Prior to my arrival I spoke a few times with Disney Signature Services about the trip, arrival time, whos coming, celebrations, and any requests. I put in a request for a specific room, but it wasn't guaranteed, completely understand. I arrive a little bit after check in time, I was brought up to the concierge desk on the 14th floor where I was met by Jim. We get to our room and its a handicap accessible room with a theme park view (I paid for standard view). He claimed this was an "upgrade" but the room lacked many amenities and when I mentioned I requested a room with the sleeper sofa, he claimed there weren't any on the 14th floor (lie #1), and said there was no request on my reservation (lie #2). Finally, after going back and forth he saw my request and he moved us down to the 12th floor with a water view and a sleeper sofa. The Club Level lounge on the 12th floor is lacking everything. Had to hunt cast members down for silverware, cups, plates, basically everything as it seems they are employing the least amount of people possible. The parks were great, we had a blast everywhere else, but the hotel. I have another trip that I was going to spend at the contemporary, but I changed that reservation as quickly as possible. I have stayed at basically every hotel at Disney from Deluxe club level to the cheapest room I can find and this was the absolute worst experience I've had at a Disney resort. Steer clear, save your money and stay at Poly or Grand. Read less