Disney's Contemporary Resort and Bay Lake Tower
Disney's Contemporary Resort and Bay Lake Tower
Disney’s Contemporary Resort opened in 1971 as one of the original Walt Disney World Resorts. This was then joined by Bay Lake Tower (DVC Resort) in 2009. The two are connected by a sky bridge.
They are two of the most iconic and luxurious resorts and offer modern aesthetics, great dining experiences and prime access to Magic Kingdom. The Monorail passes directly through the main resort building, making it an architectural marvel!
Recently renovated rooms include Incredibles themed décor for a modern Disney touch.
Rooms
Disney’s Contemporary Resort & Bay Lake Tower offer both standard and deluxe rooms, club-level rooms and Disney Vacation Club villas.
The Contemporary standard resort rooms sleep up to 5 guests. They offer theme park, water, resort or garden views with a modern, sleek design and subtle Incredibles theming.
You will find DVC studios at Bay Lake Tower with theme park or resort views which sleep up to 4 guests. There are also a range of other DVC room types such as 1 bedroom villas (sleeping up to 5 guests), 2 bedroom villas (sleeping up to 9 guests) and 3 bedroom grand villas (sleeping up to 12 guests).
Club-Level rooms provide access to a private concierge service - Atrium Club/Tower Club, an exclusive lounge with complimentary food and drinks and added amenities. The lounge here has a balcony which overlooks the Magic Kingdom fireworks and has the music piped in so you can enjoy watching these in a more relaxed setting.
Dining
The Contemporary Resort is home to some great dining options. They have a good mix of signature dining, character dining and quick service restaurants.
California Grill (Signature Dining Restaurant)
A signature restaurant offering excellent views and one of the best fireworks dining experiences at Walt Disney World Resort.
Features a lively onstage kitchen where chefs combine the very best of global flavours in deliciously inventive ways.
Steakhouse 71 (Casual Table Service Restaurant)
Serving delicious breakfast, lunch and dinner menus at this stylish but casual steakhouse.
The menu here offers a nod to Walt Disney himself and features some of his favourites such as Prime Rib Hash & Filet Mignon.
Chef Mickey’s (Character Breakfast and Dinner Buffet)
This huge restaurant is right in the middle of the Contemporary Hotel so you can see the monorail passing through.
Dine with Mickey and his friends in this lively venue where guests are encouraged to dance along to the music and join in the fun!
Contempo Café (Quick Service)
Open from 6:30am to 11pm - grab food quickly from a diverse menu including salads, sandwiches and chicken strips.
Situated on the Grand Canyon Concourse so you can dine next to the 90 ft Mary Blair mural and watch the monorails pass by.
The Sand Bar (Poolside Bar and Quick Service)
Located next to the Pool in the Contemporary Resort - offering cocktails, beers wine and more.
Food options here include things like hot dogs, burgers and quesadillas.
Cove Bar (Poolside Bar and Quick Service)
Located next to the Pool at Bay Lake Tower - offering drinks and snacks such as hot dogs, salads and more.
Top of the World Lounge (DVC Member Exclusive Lounge)
Exclusive lounge serving drinks and food (with several bookable dining experiences such as dessert parties).
Spectacular views across to Magic Kingdom and a great spot to watch the fireworks away from the crowds.
Pools and Amenities
This resort sits right on the shores of Bay Lake and has some absolutely gorgeous views over Walt Disney World.
The main Feature Pool is heated and has great views of the marina and white sand beaches. It has a 17 foot high exhilarating waterslide for all to enjoy. It also has a futuristic water playground nearby and there are family-friendly poolside activities offered at this resort such as pool games, trivia and more. There is a smaller and quieter Bay Lake Pool which is open to all ages but loud noises and splashing are gently discouraged!
Exclusive Bay Cove Pool available for Bay Lake Tower guests with a brilliant pool, waterslide and whirlpool spa.
Recreation activities available at this resort include movies under the stars, poolside cabana rentals, resort campfire activities with free marshmallows to roast each evening, fishing, boating and a fitness centre. There is also a Convention Centre here which hosts many corporate events.
Bay Lake Tower has a special DVC lounge (Top of the World Lounge - now rebranded as a Villains Lair). Any DVC member (eligible for Membership Extras) can visit this on a first-come, first-served basis. You do not need to be staying at Bay Lake Tower to experience it. This also has a great view of the Magic Kingdom fireworks so can get very busy at this time. You can guarantee yourself a spot by booking onto a dining experience such as the Wicked Wind Down or the Enchantment at the Top Dessert Party.
Transportation
This resort is absolutely perfect people planning on spending a lot of time in Magic Kingdom as it is just a short walk away from the park itself (around 5 minutes).
You also have monorail access to Magic Kingdom if you do not wish to walk, EPCOT and the other monorail resorts. There are regular complimentary buses to the other Walt Disney World parks and Disney Springs.
Boat transportation across the lake to Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness Resorts is also another relaxing option available.
Is Disney’s Contemporary and Bay Lake Tower Resort the one for you?
✔ Prime Location: Hands down the best Resort for quick and easy walking access to Magic Kingdom
✔ Luxury Accommodations: Modern, upscale theming in resort with gorgeous views across Bay Lake
✔ Exclusive Dining: California Grill is one of the best dining options for the Magic Kingdom fireworks and the DVC lounge here is a big plus point.
Who Should Stay Here?
This is ideal for families who want the convenience of being able to walk (and push strollers) directly into Magic Kingdom
Business travellers who want to be close to the on-site convention centre
Adventures x Paradise Review
The reason we would choose to stay at this Resort time and time again is the location. Being this close to Magic Kingdom is brilliant (especially on busy days or party nights when huge crowds are looking to use the buses/monorail/boats). Being able to just stroll back and be in your bed within 10 minutes of leaving Magic Kingdom is a huge win! The recently refurbished rooms with an Incredibles theme have added more to this resort which was previously sometimes criticised for not having great theming.
TOP TIP - Visit the Top of the World DVC lounge here even if you’re not a guest at this resort. This lounge is free for DVC members eligible for Membership Extras and is a perfect place to watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks (without having to pay for a meal at California Grill which offers a similar view and experience!)