Welcome to the next stop on Magical Blogorail Green. Today we are discussing Resort choices for larger families! I’ll be covering both Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Bay Lake Tower Villas in my post. Larger families can relax in the space provided at Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Bay Lake Towers. With room options ranging from standard rooms that sleep 5 to Grand Villas for 12 you simply can’t go wrong. And, the added dining and entertainment options, plus easy access to Magic Kingdom, you simply can’t go wrong.
Accommodations
Disney’s Contemporary Resort features the second largest standard resort rooms of any Walt Disney World Resort hotel, coming in only slightly behing the Grand Floridian. At 437 square feet, they feature 2 queen-size beds and a daybed, making them a great size for a family of 5; they can also accommodate an additional child under the age of 3. Additionally Disney’s Contemporary Resort has a handful of 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom suites that can sleep a party up to 10, plus an additional child under 3.
Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort also features fantastic accommodations for larger families. While the studios only sleep 4, the 1-bedroom villas can sleep 5, the 2-bedroom villas can sleep 9 and the grand villas can sleep a party as large as 12. All villas can also accommodate an additional child under the age of 3. 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom units are particularly fantastic because they feature a full-kitchen and additional bathrooms.
Dining
Disney’s Contemporary Resort has great dining for families of all ages and sizes. The resort features everything from quick-service to signature dining, with 4 restaurants plus a coffee bar, snack lounges, a poolside bar and room service.
Among the dining options are the famous Chef Mickey’s Fun Time Buffet and California Grill. Chef Mickey’s is the only character meal location on Walt Disney World property to feature the Fab 5 in it’s entirety, and is one of the most coveted dining reservations to achieve. Chef Mickey’s is a great character dining option for all ages, and includes enough menu variety to satify the Mac ‘n Cheese palatte as well as the more seasoned diner.
Likewise, California Grill is a highly popular signature dining location that features “California cuisine” including fresh sushi, steaks and my personal favorite, the Sonoma Goat Cheese Ravioli. If your dinner reservation lines up just right you can even take in Wishes fireworks from Magic Kingdom, complete with dimmed lights in the dining room, and piped in music in both the dining room and out on the observation deck.
Additional dining options include The Wave…of American Flavors, Contempo Cafe, The Wave Lounge, California Grill Lounge, Sand Bar, Contemporary Grounds coffee bar, Outer Rim lounge and Cove Bar.
Entertainment
Looking for something fun for younger children to enjoy on their own? Disney’s Contemporary Resort is one of many Walt Disney World Resorts to offer the Pirate Adventure Cruise on select mornings each week. Children between 4 & 12 can set sail on their very own Pirate adventure in search of buried treasure. My son, Connor, took part in this at Caribbean Beach and had an absolute blast. And it is quite affordable for a Disney event!
Sailing on select nights from Disney’s Contemporary Resort is the Pirate & Pals Fireworks Voyage, a unique sailing on Bay Lake that includes a special view of Wishes Nightime Spectacular from the lagoon. Families will enjoy snacks and drinks, pirate tales, a pirate host and special appearances by some of Disney’s famous pirate characters. This fun fireworks cruise is a perfect addition to any Walt Disney World vacation, and an extra convenience if you are already staying at Disney’s Contemporary Resort!
To book Disney’s Pirate Adventure Cruises and Pirate & Pals Fireworks Voyage you can call 407-939-7529.
Disney’s Contemporary Resort also features 2 heated pools with slide, interactive water features for little ones, a leisure pool, private cabanas for rent, personal watercraft rental, a private beach and much more. There is always something going on!
Thank you for joining Magical Blogorail Green this month. We will be back in next month with all new loops and themes. Keep checking in with our blogs in between loops to keep up to date with newest posts, photos and stories. If you are looking for more Disney magic, you can make your way over to The Magical Blogorail website to see all our members and their blogs, as well as all our previous loops.
Here is the map of our Blogorail should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:
- 1st Stop – Disney with Babies, Toddlers, & Preschoolers – Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
- 2nd Stop – For the Love of Disney – The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
- 3rd Stop – Saving Up for Disney- Disneyland Resort
- 4th Stop – The Disney Chef – Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
- Final Stop – Disney Mamas – Disney’s Contemporary Resort & Bay Lake Tower (You are here! Welcome!)
The Contemporary is my “one of these days” resorts. I’ve never seen the back side, though… I never realized how pretty it was, actually. Thanks for the great tips!
I have to say that the Contemporary hasn’t ever had much appeal to me. I guess it’s the “contempary” look that just doesn’t seem welcoming at first glance. But, having stayed at Bay Lake Towers last spring (with Melissa and Drew), dining at Chef Mickey’s, and just generally hanging out there for fun, it’s really starting to appeal to me more. We may have to give this resort a try one of these days!
I agree with Heidi. I was never all that interested in the Contemporary compared to other themes – except for our every-trip visit to Chef Mickeys 🙂 Once we stayed at Bay Lake Towers, though, we fell in love with it!
My favorite feature of the Contemporary is the walk to the Magic Kingdom. Can you get any easier than that!? And if your dogs are barking at the end of the night, it’s just one short stop. If you have an extended family with little kids, the Contemporary is THE place to be!
We loooooved walking to Magic Kingdom! It’s so fast! In fact, we determined that it was a closer walk from The Contemporary to Magic Kingdom than from the lobby of Kidani Village to our room there!
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We have stayed in both and love the option of having the day bed and the fold out chair. And I have slept in the chair – it is VERY comfy.
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