After staying at every Magic Kingdom Resort hotel, one Disney expert shares why Disney’s Contemporary Resort is the one they wouldn’t book again — plus when it is worth it.

Along with different levels of Disney World Resort hotels (Deluxe Villas, Deluxe, Moderate, and Value), you also have different areas of the resort to choose from when you’re staying. Two of the most popular areas are the EPCOT Resort area (which is within walking distance of EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios) and the Magic Kingdom Resort area (where you can walk, take the monorail, or a boat to Magic Kingdom). When it comes to the Magic Kingdom Resort area, I’ve been lucky enough to experience each of the options, and I have a few clear frontrunners – and one that I personally would avoid booking again.

Disney Contemporary Resort Overview

Disney’s Contemporary Resort is one of the original hotels at Walt Disney World, opening alongside Magic Kingdom in 1971. This Deluxe Resort is famous for its A-frame design, where the monorail runs directly through the building’s atrium, something you won’t find anywhere else on property.

Guests can stay in:

• The main tower (with theme park views)
• The Garden Wing rooms (quieter, more tucked away)
• Bay Lake Tower next door (a Disney Vacation Club property)

On paper, it checks a lot of boxes: prime location, iconic design, and strong dining options. But compared to other Magic Kingdom resorts, it falls short for me.

Why I Choose Other Magic Kingdom Resort Area Hotels Instead of Disney Contemporary Resort

Let’s get this right out of the way: in no way is Disney’s Contemporary Resort a bad hotel – quite the opposite! As a Deluxe Resort at Disney World, you’re getting great amenities, excellent dining, and a quick walk to the most popular park at the resort. However, when you’re paying a premium price for a Magic Kingdom area hotel on the monorail, I personally would choose Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort or Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa over the Contemporary – here’s why.

The Noise Level

The A-frame design of the Contemporary is incredibly unique, giving you the chance to literally walk out your hotel room door and see the monorail go whizzing by. But, honestly? It also leads to quite a bit of noise. While the majority of the noise can be blocked out within your hotel room, I find that even just walking around, you can hear everything. The loud noises of Chef Mickey’s, the monorail, Contempo Cafe, and the gift shop are all on the main level, with noises that echo throughout due to the high-ceiling design. While this is a problem you could end up having with any hotel room that faces the lobby, I find that it’s particularly prevalent (and particularly loud) at the Contemporary.

Photo by Cliff Wang

If you want to still get the benefits of the Contemporary with less noise, you do have the option of staying in one of the garden wing rooms off of the main building, or in the adjacent Bay Lake Tower. Both will still give you the benefits of staying at the Contemporary Resort without being quite so in the middle of the action.

Theming

Much like Tomorrowland, the theming of the Contemporary is hard to keep up with as the idea of contemporary and futuristic is, well, always changing! While the Contemporary Resort has done a great job with constantly updating (including with newish Incredibles-themed rooms), I can’t say it’s a theme I enjoy as much as the Victorian elegance of the Grand Floridian or the island vibes of the Polynesian.

The experience of The Incredibles rooms is fun for Pixar fans, and there will always be something particularly cool about seeing the monorail right outside your hotel room. But, it’s an experience I find I can get enough of simply by visiting rather than staying there for a full trip. Speaking of which…

I’d Rather Visit Than Stay

There’s no doubt that the Contemporary Resort is worth a stay. Here you’ll find fun character dining at Chef Mickey’s, rooftop dining with excellent views of the fireworks at California Grill, and a look at one of the original Magic Kingdom resorts. However, because it’s connected to the monorail, I’ve found more enjoyment from staying at one of the other monorail loop resorts and simply booking a night for dinner or early morning breakfast versus a full-time stay.

Fireworks from California Grill. Photo by Laurie Sapp

California Grill is a great date night spot to consider, and one of my favorite places to watch the fireworks from, making it an ideal spot to book a late-night dinner for one night. Or, you can enjoy any meal of the day at the downstairs Steakhouse 71, which will give you a little peek into photos from Walt Disney’s history. And, of course, kids will love getting to meet the Fab Five with a classic character meal at Chef Mickey’s. All of this can be achieved with a reservation, versus a full hotel stay.

When to Consider Disney Contemporary Resort

Now, while the Contemporary Resort is not my top Magic Kingdom hotel pick, it may very well be yours! These are a few reasons you may want to consider the Contemporary Resort for your next stay.

Distance to Magic Kingdom

Far and away, one of the biggest perks of the Contemporary Resort is its location, with an easy walk over to Magic Kingdom. While the Grand Floridian and Polynesian Village Resort both have their own walking path that leads to the park, the quickest of the three is from the Contemporary, especially if you’re staying at Bay Lake Tower.

Along with being an easy walk to the park, staying at the Contemporary can give you some truly spectacular views of the park itself! For our stay at Bay Lake Tower, we had a view of the fireworks from our room, allowing the whole family to enjoy a late night viewing from our porch. We also had a really unique view of Tomorrowland, which looked especially cool at night with a fully light up TRON Lightcycle / Run!

Bay Lake Tower

Because of its short walkability to the Magic Kingdom, Bay Lake Tower is a great option to consider at the Contemporary. It offers a slightly quieter experience than staying in the main building, yet you get all the benefits due to its connection to the Disney Contemporary Resort. While the rooms seemed a bit outdated when we stayed, they’re currently in the process of being redone, which will certainly make it one of the top picks for DVC members and those renting DVC points.

Photo by Mike Billick

Bay Lake Tower will offer you superior views, firework viewing, easy transportation, and all of the amenities of Disney’s Contemporary Resort in what I consider a more enticing package.