The Resorts Gal Guide to Disney’s Contemporary Resort

Disney’s Contemporary Resort is one of the two original Disney Resorts. This deluxe resort hotel is an A-frame almost immediately next to Magic Kingdom Park. Fans of the resort will tell you that nothing beats staying in the main tower. When exiting your room, you can look over the interior balcony to see the Grand Canyon Concourse with the monorails coming through.

However, we have found a stay at the Garden Wing peaceful and private. So, you’ll want to weigh your options when deciding which portion of the resort works best for your family. This map of Disney’s Contemporary shows the resort’s layout, and you can see the difference between the Garden Wing and Tower.

A Note on Bay Lake Tower

In addition to the Tower and Garden Wing, another tower hotel makes up part of the resort. This tower is called Bay Lake Tower and is connected to Disney’s Contemporary via the Skyway bridge on the resort’s fourth floor.

Bay Lake Tower is a Disney Vacation Club Resort. When reservations become available, Disney Vacation Club members have a first-come, first-served choice of rooms. However, Disney also makes these rooms available on a cash basis to regular resort guests. Guests of Bay Lake Tower have access to all the resort amenities at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Additionally, they have a private pool area only available to Bay Lake Tower guests.

• Bay Lake Tower Review

Resort Benefits

Guests of Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Bay Lake Tower can participate in Disney’s early theme park entry, a perk extended to all Walt Disney World Resort guests.

Early Theme Park Entry: This perk allows resort guests to enter any Walt Disney World theme park 30 minutes before officially opening to the general public. This early entry provides several advantages:

1. Lower Crowds: Being among the first to enter the park allows you to experience popular attractions with shorter wait times. This will help you to check off must-see rides and experiences ahead of the crowd.
2. Photography Opportunities: If you love capturing the magic of Disney, the early hours provide a fantastic opportunity for photos in front of iconic landmarks with fewer people in the background.
3. Cooler Temperatures: Morning hours are often cooler, making outdoor activities more comfortable. But if you visit during cooler weather, don’t forget a jacket!

Extended Evening Hours: Disney Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resort guests, which includes those staying at Disney’s Contemporary and Bay Lake Tower, enjoy the privilege of spending extra time in select theme parks on specific evenings. During extended evening hours, these parks stay open later than their regular closing time, usually for an additional two hours.

This benefit offers several advantages as well:

1. More Ride Time: This allows you to enjoy additional nighttime rides and attractions when lines tend to be shorter.
2. Magical Nighttime Atmosphere: Disney parks take on a unique and enchanting ambiance at night, with beautifully lit landscapes. So you’ll have time to savor the nighttime magic for longer with fewer crowds. 
3. Less Rush: With extended hours, you can explore at a more relaxed pace.

Rooms

Below are the available room types for Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

Room options at Disney’s Contemporary include the following:

Main Tower Standard Room (Theme Park or Water View)-Tower rooms are typically the most popular guest rooms at Disney’s Contemporary. These rooms offer one king bed or two queen beds and an individual daybed. A sofa folds down to provide a single bed, which is more comfortable than a traditional sleeper sofa. A theme park view offers views of the Magic Kingdom. Guests can see the Magic Kingdom’s fireworks from their balcony each evening.

Garden Wing Standard Room (Resort View or Water View): Rooms in the garden wing often offer a garden view or a Bay Lake view. These rooms have a similar layout as the Tower rooms, with one king bed or two queen beds and an individual daybed. We do recommend upgrading to a water-view room at the Contemporary if you think you’ll spend a considerable amount of downtime in your room. Most guests with a water view should be able to see the Electrical Water Pageant pass each evening.

Garden Wing (1 Bedroom with Hospitality Access or 1 Bedroom Suite Access): This special suite is adjacent to the main building and sleeps up to seven guests. It has the following setup: 2 queen beds, a day bed, a queen sleeper sofa OR 1 king bed, a day bed, and a queen-size sofa bed. This room has views of the parking lot.

Garden Wing 1 Bedroom: This room sleeps up to five guests. It is similar to a standard room and has a king-size bed, a queen-size sleeper sofa, and a single bed.

Garden Wing Deluxe Room: This room sleeps up to four guests. However, it is significantly larger than a standard guest room.

Atrium Club Level (Standard Room or King with Water View, Resort View, or Theme Park View): Club level rooms are standard like the rest of the resort. Club-level guests will have access to the Atrium lounge, where they will have access to a continental breakfast, snacks, beverages, evening hors d’oeuvres, and desserts, among other things.

Other club-level suites include a 1-bedroom, a 2-bedroom, and a presidential suite.

Additionally, Bay Lake Tower offers the following room types:

• Deluxe Studio
• 1-bedroom villa
• 2-bedroom villa
• 3-bedroom villa

We have the following room tours available for Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Bay Lake Tower:

• Incredible Rooms at Disney’s Contemporary
• Tour a Two-Bedroom Villa at Bay Lake Tower

Most guest rooms at Disney’s Contemporary have a shower with a tub combination. However, on our last stay, our bathroom had a stand-alone walk-in shower.

Guest rooms feature the following amenities: a dresser with storage, a mini beverage cooler, a hairdryer, a closet, an iron with an ironing board, a makeup mirror, a Keurig-style coffee maker with accompaniments, a flat-screen television, and other standard hotel amenities. Rooms have either a standard balcony or a Juliet balcony. Standard guest rooms are approximately 400 square feet.

Laundry rooms with washers and dryers are available in the Garden Wing section of the resort. For dry cleaning laundry service, you’ll need to drop off any items with bell services before 9:00 a.m.

Grand Canyon Concourse

If you’ve heard of Disney’s Contemporary, you’ve likely heard of the Grand Canyon Concourse. The resort’s interior is said to have been so large when it was built that it resembled the size of the Grand Canyon.

So, the Grand Canyon Concourse became the common name of the resort’s fourth floor. It’s where you’ll find dining, gift shops, and additional lobby or lounging areas. However, the Contemporary does have a formal lobby on the first floor.

During its construction, artist Mary Blair was commissioned to design a series of murals for the Grand Canyon Concourse. These murals and colors used were modeled after the Grand Canyon. They are works of art that stand up to 90′ tall and took approximately 18 months to complete.

Restaurants

Disney’s Contemporary Resort has plenty of dining options. We have a summary of each restaurant below. But you’ll likely want to read our resort dining guide for specifics. (Disney’s Contemporary Restaurants List)

Outer Rim: This location serves as the resort’s lounge on the Grand Canyon Concourse. The menu includes beer, wine, and specialty cocktails.

Steakhouse 71 Lounge: This lounge is adjacent to Steakhouse 71. It has a large bar and several alcove areas offering multiple seating arrangements.

California Grill Lounge: When seating is available, guests can visit the California Grill Lounge. However, seating is limited, and you must request access on the resort’s second floor.

Contempo Cafe: This location is the resort’s primary quick service. It serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner and also accepts mobile ordering. You can expect sandwiches, salads, chicken nuggets, flatbreads, and similar items.

Contemporary Grounds: If you’re looking for a specialty coffee beverage, Contemporary Grounds is an excellent stop. This coffee shop is off the resort’s 1st-floor lobby.

The Sand Bar: Out by the main pool, the Sand Bar serves as the pool bar and resort’s secondary counter service. This location has sandwiches, quesadillas, nachos, and various ice cream novelties. (An Afternoon Lunch at the Sand Bar)

The Cove Bar: Guests of Bay Lake Tower have access to the Cove Bar at the Bay Lake Tower pool. However, guests of the Contemporary do not have access to this poolside bar.

Steakhouse 71: Steakhouse 71 is the resort’s standard table service restaurant. It serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You’ll want to secure advanced reservations for this location, especially for breakfast and dinner. We consider this restaurant a not-so-hidden gem.

Chef Mickey’s: This character meal is available for breakfast and dinner. Characters include Chef Mickey, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, and Pluto. Chef Mickey’s is a buffet and the only character dining experience at the Contemporary. Guests can watch the monorail glide by overhead while they dine.

California Grill: This signature dining location is one of the most upscale restaurants in all of Walt Disney World. Guests sitting near the window can take in Magic Kingdom views in the distance. Currently, California Grill has a prix fixe menu where guests select from an appetizer, entree, and dessert for one price.

Rapid Fill Mugs are available at Disney’s Contemporary. We have a separate guide to refillable mugs for Disney’s Contemporary. It details the location of refill stations along with the current price and drink options.

Recreation

Disney’s Contemporary offers tons of recreational activities. From its pools to sports courts, guests can spend entire days enjoying all the resort has to offer. Its vast backyard is the resort’s best-kept secret.

The Feature Pool: While most resorts have a “feature” pool, the Contemporary’s pool is called the Feature Pool. It’s a beautiful pool with whirlpool spas, a water feature, a 17-foot-high waterslide, and plenty of lounge chairs.

Splash Area: Adjacent to the Feature Pool, the Contemporary has a water playground for smaller children. This area sits outside the fenced pool, allowing kids to splash in the various sprinklers.

The Bay Lake Pool: This pool is considered the resort’s leisure or quiet pool. It sits in a separately fenced area and appears to be floating on Bay Lake. This pool has a separate hot tub.

Bay Cove Pool: This private pool is only for guests of Bay Lake Tower.

Related: The Pools at Disney’s Contemporary Resort

Private Cabana Rentals: Cabana rentals are available at the Feature Pool and the Bay Lake Pool. We have an article that discusses renting a poolside cabana at Disney World.

Table Games: Several table games and other recreation opportunities are available near the pool area. Disney’s Contemporary has a peaceful backyard with plenty of room to lounge and relax.

Arcade: The Game Station is the Contemporary’s arcade. It’s located on the Grand Canyon Concourse next to Fantasia Gift Shop.

Olympiad Fitness Center: The Olympiad Fitness Center is located on the 3rd floor of Disney’s Contemporary. This gym offers aerobic machines, weight machines, free weights, and a sauna.

Marina: Contemporary’s Boat Nook Marina offers motorized boat rentals. Learn more about these special boat rentals on Disney.com.

Shuffleboard: Two shuffleboard courts are available at Bay Lake Tower.

Sports Courts: The resort also has a basketball and tennis court on the opposite side of Bay Lake Tower. Check with the recreation area inside Bay Lake Tower for equipment. A volleyball court is also available on the Contemporary’s white sand beach.

Running Trails: Disney’s Contemporary has a running trail that circles both the Contemporary and Bay Lake Tower. You can jog along the trail and take in scenic views of the lake. Every so often, you’ll encounter a blue sign with Mickey that lets you know you’re on the right track.

Transportation

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The following forms of transportation are available at Disney’s Contemporary Resort:

• Monorail
• Disney Bus Service
• Walkway to Magic Kingdom

Guests of Disney’s Contemporary can take the resort monorail to and from the Magic Kingdom, the Polynesian, the Grand Floridian, and the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC). Guests will also use the monorail station at the TTC to board a separate monorail line to Epcot. See Is It Faster to Walk or Monorail from Contemporary to Magic Kingdom?

Bus transportation is provided from the resort to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney Springs, and Disney’s water parks. Guests often have to take a transfer bus to a water park. Signage at the bus stop will indicate how to reach the water parks. For more details, see Disney’s Contemporary Bus Schedule with Travel Times.

During their stay at the Contemporary, guests can walk to and from Magic Kingdom. The walk between the two destinations takes approximately 10 minutes, and guests must cross one road along the way. (Walking from the Contemporary to Magic Kingdom)

Boat service is provided from Disney’s Contemporary to Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground. This service runs after 3:00 p.m. until typically around 10:45 p.m. each evening. You’ll want to check the exact hours during your visit. They’ll be posted at the dock. This service is known as the Blue Flag launch.

We have an entire guide to using transportation at Disney’s Contemporary. You might also like a copy of our Contemporary transportation map. It highlights where you can locate the transportation options available at the resort.

Gift Shops

Disney’s Contemporary has three resort gift shops, all located on the resort’s Grand Canyon Concourse. Bay View Gifts is the primary resort gift shop, where you’ll find resort-branded merchandise.

Seasonal

Disney’s Contemporary has seasonal offerings throughout the year. If you’re visiting during the Christmas holidays, a gingerbread display is erected toward the back lobby area of the Grand Canyon Concourse. An Easter display featuring eggs decorated by cast members is available in early Spring.

• Easter Egg Display at Disney’s Contemporary
• Gingerbread Castle at Disney’s Contemporary Resort

What We Love About Disney’s Contemporary Resort (And Don’t)

Disney’s Contemporary is somewhat of a controversial Walt Disney World Resort. It has a modern design that some consider dated and cold. However, other guests love the resort and look forward to its unique amenities.

While it is not our top-rated hotel, it’s within our five favorite deluxe resorts. We love that the resort sits on Bay Lake and has an expansive green space that consists of pool areas, private tables with chairs, loungers, and a white sand beach.

One can easily marvel over the spacious room to roam directly behind the resort. You might feel exhausted from the heat or crowds at the Magic Kingdom during your vacation. A 10-minute walk back to the Contemporary will feel like you’ve been transported worlds away from the busy hustle and bustle.

At night, guests can escape the crowds and watch fireworks from various places at the resort if desired. But if you want to be up close and personal, you can secure a spot in the park. After the fireworks, you can slip out and take the uncongested walkway back to the hotel as the masses leave. You’ll be back in minutes while thousands of guests wait for transportation to other destinations.

As far as negatives go, we don’t have many with this resort. However, you might want to know that the Contemporary has ballrooms, a business center, and a convention center. So it is likely that a large convention might be going on during your stay. It is also just as likely that you’ll never be aware of it. Most of these events are held in out-of-the-way areas the general public doesn’t access.

It is also essential to consider whether you want to be in the Tower or the Garden Wing. If you dream of staying in the classic Contemporary Tower, that is likely your best choice. However, we adore the Garden Wing if you value privacy and don’t mind a few minutes more walking. You might like to read our review of the Contemporary Garden Wing to learn more about this specific hotel area.

Read More About Disney’s Contemporary

We hope you enjoyed our overview of Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Below are a few other articles related to the hotel, nearby resorts, and transportation options in the immediate area.

Disney’s Contemporary Photo Gallery

Here are a few more photos of the resort.