Contemporary Resort
Retreat to this cutting-edge Disney Resort hotel and explore top-notch dining, breathtaking views, and gorgeous pools. Whether you're staying in the iconic A-frame Contemporary tower or the neighboring Garden Wing, you have the convenience of walking to the main gate of Magic Kingdom or catching the Resort Monorail as it gracefully passes through the tower.
Pros:
multiple fantastic dining options, including character dining on site
closest resort to MK
walking distance to MK
monorail resort
adult only pool
firework/theme park view rooms
character dining (only character dining out of parks serving all 3 meals with characters)
5 people rooms
two nice gift shops
Cons:
not the most exciting pool
not heavily themed
Bay Lake Tower is a little outdated
Dining
Steakhouse 71 - Table service restaurant available for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It’s a favorite.
Steakhouse 71 Lounge - savor a cocktail and cuisine in a nostalgic setting inspired by the early days of Walt Disney World Resort.
California Grill - award-winning culinary experience with an epic view. dinner only
California Grill Lounge - bar service and dinner available, as space allows.
Chef Mickey’s - character-filled buffet breakfast or dinner
Contempo Cafe - grab breakfast, lunch, or dinner at this quick service restaurant.
Contemporary Grounds - grab a coffe, pastry, or smoothie from this convenient coffee counter.
Cove Bar - private pool bar for DVC members and Bay Lake Tower guests.
Outer Rim - bar service lounge with beautiful views of Bay Lake.
The Sand Bar - quick service pool side bar and lounge.
Recreation
Pools
Feature Pool - heated for all weather, 17-foot-high curving water slide, poolside cabanas,
Bay Lake Pool- leisure pool, water playground nearby
Campfire - Gather ‘round as the sun goes down for some old fashioned family fun as you roast marshmallows by a crackling fire.
Movies Under the Stars - Watch your favorite Disney films at complimentary screenings on the lawn by Contemporary Courtyard.
The Game Station - Score big with a variety of video games at this arcade on the 4th floor of the Contemporary Tower.
Basketball - full-sized basketball court nearby
Cabana Rentals - relax in luxury beside the Bay Pool
Fishing - Enjoy a guided bass-fishing excursion—perfect for both amateur wranglers and seasoned fishermen!
Motorized Boat Rentals- Captain your own adventure when you rent a motorboat from Boat Nook Marina.
Volleyball - Have fun with a beach volleyball match on the lakeside court.
Tennis - complimentary tennis racquets and balls are available at the Community Hall
Jogging Trails - a jogging path loops around Bay Lake Tower and the South Garden Wing for a jaunt
Specialty Cruises - Charter a private watercraft and set sail on a relaxing specialty cruise from one of the Walt Disney World marinas.
Electrical Water Pageant - A night time water parade - watch whimsical water creatures cruise the lagoon to electronic Disney tunes
Fitness Center- Olympiad Fitness Center - a full-service facility with exercise equipment
History
Disney's Contemporary Resort is situated within the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, and was inaugurated on October 1, 1971. This hotel is one of the original properties at the complex, alongside Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, and is currently categorized as a deluxe-priced resort. Notably, it is positioned next to the Magic Kingdom theme park and is recognized by its distinctive A-frame main building.
The Contemporary Tower, the most notable of the resort's three standalone buildings, was constructed with an A-frame design featuring outer walls that slope inward around an inner atrium.
Within the Contemporary Tower, you'll find many of the resort's essential facilities, such as the resort registration and guest service concierge. The main hall, known as the Grand Canyon Concourse, is housed in the main tower and hosts various restaurants and shops. Additionally, 383 guest rooms are situated along the outer walls of the Contemporary Tower. The Walt Disney World Monorail System passes through this building's interior, with a monorail station present for resort guests.
In June 2021, Disney Parks Blog revealed that the rooms had been revamped to blend monorail themes with characters from The Incredibles.
Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort, a segment of the Disney Vacation Club, is a 15-story extension that officially opened on August 4, 2009. It is positioned on the former site of the demolished North Garden Wing rooms and shares design elements with the original resort. Bay Lake Tower has its own concierge desk and online check-in desk for guests who prefer to check in directly at Bay Lake Tower. A skyway connects its fifth floor to the main tower's fourth floor.
On November 17, 1973, the Contemporary was the site of what would become one of the most famous press conference statements in modern American politics, where President Richard Nixon declared, "I am not a crook."