contemporary resort » Walt Disney World Blog

Valuing Our Bay Lake Tower DVC Purchase

Feb 112013

Since late December we have been planning a potential Disney World vacation, as outlined in a recent article. The final decision of where or whether to stay with Disney this year is not finalized. However we did make a big decision by purchasing shares of the Bay Lake Tower DVC resort. Today I will lay out how we personally valued the purchase. I hope you will find it useful in valuing your own DVC membership. Bay Lake Tower or Boardwalk Villas? The toughest decision to make was where we wanted to own. The Contemporary resort has long been a favorite of our family, and we love the placement along the monorail. Our first several trips to Disney World were all spent at monorail resorts, and

Your First Night at Walt Disney World

Disney World Parks, Resorts of WDW 3 Responses »

Mar 152012

A discussion came up on one of my favorite Walt Disney World resort blogs yesterday. The question was what to do on the first night at Walt Disney World if you don’t plan on burning a park hopper ticket on the theme parks. Makes sense. Most people arrive at 5 pm or later. By the time the bags are unpacked, there isn’t enough time left to justify burning a ticket for the theme parks. Since the original poster planned on checking in at one of the monorail resorts, I’ll take the same angle. I am assuming it was a long trip. Whether by plane, train, or automobile, I’m probably a little frayed from the journey. What I need is a good meal and some laid

Disney’s California Grill

Restaurants of WDW No Responses »

Mar 042012

The California Grill is one of the flagship restaurants of the Walt Disney World resort complex. Sitting high atop the Contemporary Resort on the 14th floor, the California Grill offers breathtaking views of Cinderella’s Castle and The Seven Seas Lagoon. It offers one of the best views of The Magic Kingdom fireworks display. The opposite side of the restaurant offers a view of Epcot Illuminations. But what keeps guests returning is the top notch menu and incredible food. Featuring California inspired cuisine and fresh sushi, the California Grill consistently ranks among the top restaurants in central Florida. The prices are not for the budget conscious, but I can honestly say we have always gotten our money’s worth the many times we have visited this masterpiece

Disney’s Contemporary Resort

Resorts of WDW No Responses »

Feb 092012

Disney’s Contemporary Resort opened on October 1, 1971 as the flagship resort of the new Walt Disney World resort in Florida. The original design was a collaboration project between U.S. Steel and famous architect Welton Beckett (Santa Monica Civic Center, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center). Since 1971, several more luxury resorts have opened to feed the demand for additional resorts on property. But to this day, the Contemporary remains one of the most popular Disney resorts, and a living vision of Walt’s Promise of Progress City. The Contemporary’s main building is the unmistakable A-frame tower which can be seen from several miles away. The Disney monorail system runs through the A-frame into what is known as the Grand Canyon Concourse. This magnificent building houses the