Contemporary Resort | Concierge Review

I visited the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida for my birthday this year along with a friend (whose birthday is one day before mine) and her daughters. This was my first trip without my family (although we consider these friends family), and I was beyond excited to experience Disney in a whole new way! Our all-girl trip was the perfect birthday celebration for me, and the accommodations were out of this world!

I have to start by saying the Contemporary Resort is one of my favorite places to stay "in the World." It has flair, nostalgia, and the best location, location, location for me and my money. You are within walking distance of the Magic Kingdom (there's a foot path to guide you), and you're the first stop on the monorail when leaving the Magic Kingdom. But I have always said that for me, a stay at the Contemporary isn't worth the money without the Magic Kingdom view. I don't usually care what our view is when we stay at Disney with two exceptions: The Animal Kingdom Lodge and the Contemporary Resort. I want to wake up seeing that castle and go to bed watching the fireworks! This trip did not disappoint!

Check-In

Upon check-in, we were greeted at the door and taken up to a separate check-in desk on the 12th floor, the Atrium level. Once there we were helped right away. Our magic bands were activated, and our room was ready and waiting for us. 

We were also given a card with a number to call or text any time we needed something, so our personal concierge service extended to us in the parks! This was a perfect Disney touch, and it worked! We made dining arrangements for a princess meal while on the fly. So Disney.

The Lounge

We were given a quick tour of the lounge area upon check-in. There was always a cast member on duty there, and every request we made was readily handled. There were snacks and drinks conveniently available whenever we were there. We had breakfast in the lounge each morning, and the kids were delighted to have cookies and milk when we came back in the afternoons. I was delighted to see the wine and cocktails before we went back to the parks in the evenings! Beverages were available all day, and they even provided us with small water bottles to take into the parks (upon request). The full schedule of offerings in the lounge are as follows:

7:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.  coffee, pastries, fruit, cereal

11:30 a.m - 4 p.m.  cookies, chips, beverages

5:00 - 7:00 p.m.  hot item samples, children's corner, crudites, cheese tray, beverages, wine, beer

8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.  cordials and desserts

Our Room

We were treated with a box of chocolates upon our arrival. One even had the image of the resort screen printed on it! There were 5 of us, and we all fit quite comfortably in the room with the exception of the bathroom. Five girls and no counter/vanity space in the bathroom was a challenge to say the least! We improvised and used one sink aa a counter and one as a sink. Since the sinks are wide and almost flat, we just used it as extra storage and used one sink!  The bathrooms are incredibly large and look very cool and contemporary, but they are not so functional. That bathroom is one of the biggest drawbacks I see in the room. And apparently, I'm not alone. Several other reports on the resort have mentioned them as well.

The beds were quite comfortable, and I even had the daybed to sleep in. The bed itself was very comfortable, but the vent was blowing directly on me at night. I would request an extra blanket right off the bat if you are sleeping there, and sleep so your head is toward the balcony!

I've included a floorpan of the room (courtesy of Your First Visit) so you can see how everything is laid out.

Perhaps because we were at the end of the hall (and far away from the wireless point?), but the wireless access in our room was spotty at best. I found that the signal was quite strong in the lounge, and there were plenty of tables and sofas to work from and download our Memory Maker photos each day. 

What more can I say but that the view was worth every penny! It's the number one thing I'm paying for. Waking up to Cinderella's castle and seeing the fireworks each night were a dream come true! And nothing is better than seeing the fireworks, complete with music from your balcony, and then cozying up in your bed without fighting through a crowd to get home.

Overall, the experience was really special. Would I do this every time? Probably not. But for a special occasion this was definitely memorable and a great way to plus the magic! I loved all the special attention and Disney magic associated with being on Club Level. 

Amy Harrison is a Disney loving mom of three with a passion for all manner of DIY projects, and a constant craving for Dole Whips.  You can contact Amy at amy@wishdrawals.com to book your Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort stay or any Disney vacation!