Disney's Contemporary Resort - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Disney's Contemporary Resort (formerly the Contemporary Resort Hotel and informally referred to as The Contemporary) is a deluxe resort at the Walt Disney World Resort

Walt Disney World Resort

Walt Disney World Resort , is the world's most-visited entertaimental resort. Located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida ; approximately southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States, the resort covers an area of and includes four theme parks, two water parks, 23 on-site themed resort hotels Walt...

. It opened on October 1, 1971. The resort is owned and operated by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts is the segment of The Walt Disney Company that conceives, builds, and manages the company's theme parks and holiday resorts, as well as a variety of additional family-oriented leisure enterprises...

.

Disney's Contemporary Resort is located in the Magic Kingdom Resort Area, adjacent to the Magic Kingdom

Magic Kingdom

Magic Kingdom Park is one of four theme parks at the Walt Disney World Resort located near Orlando, Florida. The first park built at the resort, Magic Kingdom opened Oct. 1, 1971. Designed and built by WED Enterprises, the park's layout and attractions are similar to Disneyland in Anaheim, California...

and Bay Lake.

History

The Contemporary Resort was one of the two resorts located on property when Walt Disney World opened in 1971. The Contemporary Tower, the most prominent of the resort's four stand-alone buildings, was built as an A-frame

A-Frame

An A-frame is a basic structure designed to bear a load in a lightweight economical manner. The simplest form of an A-frame is two similarly sized beams, arranged in a 45-degree or greater angle, attached at the top...

with outer walls which slope inwards around an inner atrium. This design was a collaboration by Disney, the United States Steel Corporation, and Los Angeles architect Welton Becket

Welton Becket

Welton Becket was an architect who designed many buildings in Los Angeles, California.Becket was born in Seattle, Washington and graduated from the University of Washington program in Architecture in 1927 with a Bachelor of Architecture degree .He settled in Los Angeles in 1933 and formed a...

.
Before the deluxe became a resort catogory in 1984, Disney's Contemporary Resort was, ironicly, considered a campground.

To construct the building, steel frames were erected on site and modular pre-constructed rooms, designed by California architect Donald Wexler, were lifted into place by crane. Most of Disney's Polynesian Resort

Disney's Polynesian Resort

Disney's Polynesian Resort is a Disney owned and operated AAA Four-Diamond Award–winning resort located at the Walt Disney World Resort. It began operation on October 1, 1971 as one of Walt Disney World Resort's first two on-site hotels. The resort has a South Seas theme, and originally opened...

was also built this way.

Before the construction of Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is a AAA Four Diamond Award–winning, Victorian themed luxury hotel and spa located at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. The property opened on June 28, 1988 as the Grand Floridian Beach Resort. The name changed to Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa...

, Disney's Contemporary Resort was once considered Disney's flagship resort.

Renovation

Between 2005 and 2009, Disney completed an extensive renovation of all guest rooms and many public areas throughout the resort. The decor changed little through the hotel's history, but has been replaced with a more modern design and sleek furnishings.

In the lobby of the Contemporary Resort, the front desk and sitting area were updated to complement the new design of the hotel, and new lighting and modern furnishings were added. The Wave, a new table service restaurant, was constructed in the place of a former quick service restaurant and arcade.

Guest rooms of the resort received a major update with modern design. New carpeting, beds, headboards, marble bathroom tile, flat-panel televisions and more were added. As part of the major construction at the Contemporary Resort, the north wing of the hotel was demolished to make way for a separate Disney Vacation Club resort at the Contemporary complex that opened in 2009.

The Grand Canyon Concourse was updated with new tile and carpeting, along with a new arcade for resort guests. The Concourse Steakhouse was removed to make way for a new quick-service restaurant. A new gift shop was built in an open area between existing shops and opened on November 21, 2007. This is the "Fantasia Gift Shop" that was formerly located under the Monorail station, where the new arcade is currently located. Large Mickey Mouse

Mickey Mouse

Mickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...

ears flank both sides of the store.

Resort

The Contemporary Tower houses most of the resort's key facilities, including resort registration and the guest service concierge. The main hall, named the Grand Canyon Concourse, is also located in the main tower and houses restaurants and a variety of shops. Approximately 500 guest rooms line the outer walls of the Contemporary Tower.

The Walt Disney World Monorail System

Walt Disney World Monorail System

The Walt Disney World Monorail System is a public transit system in operation at the Walt Disney World Resort.The Walt Disney World Resort currently operates twelve Mark VI monorail trains on three lines of service. The monorail system opened in 1971 with two routes and with Mark IV monorail trains...

runs through the inside of this building and a monorail station is located here for resort guests. Adorning the concourse walls is a multi-story mosaic designed by Mary Blair

Mary Blair

Mary Blair , born Mary Robinson, was an American artist who was prominent in producing art and animation for The Walt Disney Company, drawing concept art for such films as Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Song of the South and Cinderella...

. One three-story wing flanks the south side of the tower and houses an additional 250 rooms. A convention center was added to the resort and opened on November 11, 1991, with more than 90000 square feet (8,361.3 m²) of convention space.

In October 2007, the resort received designation in the Florida Green Lodging Program.

Guest rooms

Tower rooms are located in the original A-frame building, through which the monorail runs. The south garden rooms are detached from the A-frame as a separate wing. Some parts of tower have views of the Magic Kingdom and others have a view of Bay Lake. As one of the original resorts on property, the Contemporary Resort has some of the largest guest rooms in Walt Disney World, matched only by Disney's Polynesian Resort

Disney's Polynesian Resort

which also opened in 1971.

Standard tower guest rooms contain two queen beds or one king bed, a day bed/couch, a sitting table, a credenza

Credenza

A credenza is a piece of furniture that became very fashionable during the second half of the 19th century. Often made of a burnished and polished wood decorated with marquetry, a central cupboard would be flanked by symmetrical quadrant glass display cabinets...

with a TV and a coffee maker, a small refrigerator, bathtub and dual sinks, and a closet. The Contemporary Resort also offers suites, as well as two levels of concierge

Concierge

A concierge is an employee who either works in shifts within, or lives on the premises of an apartment building or a hotel and serves guests with duties similar to those of a butler. The position can also be maintained by a security officer over the 'graveyard' shift. A similar position, known as...

(sometimes referred to as "club") service on the 12th and 14th floors.

Disney announced that the entire 14th floor of Disney's Contemporary Resort will be converted to a health-and-wellness theme, complete with a private yoga studio, custom-designed menus, and concierge services, to attract health-conscious travelers. Guest rooms will be outfitted with amenities such as bamboo floors, low-allergen pillows and mattresses, exercise equipment, and massage tables. The suites are expected to open by November 2011.

Dining

There are several restaurants in the Contemporary Resort's main building.

The California Grill — A full-service dining restaurant located at the top (15th floor) of the Contemporary Resort's tower, formerly the Top of the World restaurant. The California Grill offers views of the Magic Kingdom, the Seven Seas Lagoon, Bay Lake, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort, and Disney's Polynesian Resort. In addition, it offers a view of the Magic Kingdom's fireworks shows.

The Wave — The resort's newest dining facility, located on the main lobby level. It offers casual table-service dining featuring American cuisine. It replaced the Concourse Steakhouse, which was originally located on the Grand Canyon Concourse.

Chef Mickey's — A buffet located on the Grand Canyon Concourse that features appearances from Disney characters. Chef Mickey's is open for breakfast and dinner, and offers views of the monorail entering the resort. Children's items include Goofy's pizza, "Mickeyroni" and cheese, and other novelties. An adult buffet includes pot roast, steak, potatoes, and more. Breakfast items include eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, Mickey shaped waffles, and more. A dessert bar is available to all.

Contempo Cafe — A quick-service eatery serving lighter fare and snacks, located on the Grand Canyon Concourse, in the location formerly occupied by the Concourse Steakhouse. Contempo Cafe is often open late into the evening. This is the permanent replacement for the Food & Fun Center, previously located on the main lobby level, which has since been converted to The Wave restaurant.

The Sand Bar — Located alongside the main pool, The Sand Bar offers a variety of food from burgers to ice cream sandwiches. A cocktail bar serves alcoholic beverages.

Bay Lake Tower

Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort is a 15-story major addition that officially opened on August 4, 2009. Although construction had been underway for a considerable time, the fact that the addition would be part of the Disney Vacation Club

Disney Vacation Club

Disney Vacation Club is a vacation timeshare division owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company. It allows buying real estate interest in a DVC resort. Disney Vacation Club's President is Claire Bilby....

was not officially announced until September 16, 2008. Sales of ownership interests (timeshares) at the resort started September 28, 2008 to existing Disney Vacation Club members and on October 5, 2008 for new members. The resort has not yet sold out, and is still being actively marketed by Disney Vacation Development. Contracts are also available via the secondary resale market. Ownership interests at Bay Lake Tower expire January 31, 2060.

Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort is the second Disney Vacation Club offering in the Magic Kingdom Resort Area, following The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge

The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge

The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge is a Disney Vacation Club Timeshare resort at the Walt Disney World Resort. Announced in 1998, the property first accepted guests in November 2000. The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge are adjacent to Disney's Wilderness Lodge, whose design is based on the...

which opened in 2000.

The tower contains 295 Disney Vacation Club units consisting of 148 dedicated two-bedroom units, 133 lock-off two-bedroom units (which can be booked together as a two-bedroom unit, or booked separately as either a deluxe studio unit or a one-bedroom unit), and 14 three-bedroom Grand Villa units. There are no dedicated studios or dedicated one-bedroom units in Bay Lake Tower. Each villa is assigned to one of three booking categories: Magic Kingdom View, Bay Lake View, or Standard View; with the relative cost or number of required Disney Vacation Club points assigned accordingly. Although the Magic Kingdom can be seen from some standard and Bay Lake view rooms, the premium views of the park are assigned the Magic Kingdom view category. Standard view rooms tend to be lower-level rooms that overlook either the parking lot or a service area. The remainder of the tower is assigned the Bay Lake View category, with views primarily of either Bay Lake or the pool.

Non-members of the Disney Vacation Club may also stay in Bay Lake Tower villas on cash reservations made through the Walt Disney World central reservation office or web site, or via a travel agent.

The tower shares many design features with the original Contemporary Resort, tying it into the overall theme and feel of the resort, yet has a unique rounded-horseshoe shape that sets it apart. It features its own pool, water feature play area, pool bar, and bocce court in the courtyard at the center of the horseshoe. Guests staying in Bay Lake Tower are welcome to use the Contemporary Resort’s other pools and recreational facilities, but only those with a room in Bay Lake Tower may use its features. Access to the Bay Lake Tower pool area is key card controlled. The tower also has a Community Hall featuring games and family activities, and its own guest laundry room. Front desk, concierge, valet, bell services and transportation are shared services provided through the main resort. Bay Lake Tower does not have its own separate check-in area. It is connected to the main Contemporary Resort complex via a sky bridge. This affords guests in Bay Lake Tower villas the opportunity to use the resort's restaurants, amenities, and transportation.
The Top of the World Lounge, named in homage to the original name of the California Grill Restaurant which sits atop the Contemporary Resort's main tower, is on the 15th floor of Bay Lake Tower. The Top of the World Lounge offers drinks and a small food selection, and provides an excellent vantage point for Magic Kingdom fireworks. The lounge is reserved exclusively for use by Disney Vacation Club members currently staying in a Bay Lake Tower villa through their membership. A Disney Vacation Club membership card and current room key indicating a Bay Lake Tower room number must be shown in the lobby for access to the Top of the World Lounge’s elevator.
Bay Lake Tower was built in the former location of the north garden wing rooms.

External links

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