CR...worth it?

[copcarguyp71]

I know I will probably get a mixed bag of responses but ever since I was nine years old and we stayed at the Dutch Inn (now the Grosvenor) when I caught sight of the contemporary resort I knew I wanted to stay there someday. Well, at 40 years old with a DD (9) I am thinking that maybe the time has come. Previously we have stayed at the BC, WL and POFQ but I am wondering if the additional cost of the contemporary is commensurate with the quality of the resort.

I realize being next door to MK is a huge plus but I guess I am wondering mostly if the quality of the resort itself merits the extra cost. If we are going to do it then we will go big as this may be a once in a lifetime stay (I always say that) but I am thinking that we would do a tower room with MK view. We are planning our stay the first half of October and either six or seven nights. Not really interested in a split stay at another resort as once we are settled we get dug in and packing up and moving seems like too much of a loss in terms of time and energy that we could spend having fun:sohappy:.

 

[captainkidd]

As you said, matter of opinion.

Quick story. I've never been a fan of the exterior or public areas of CR. It feels like any other fancy Hilton in a big city to me. And the ballrooms and conventions don't help. However, Magic Kingdom is our favorite park, and CR is the only monorail resort we haven't stayed at. So, when I was there last month, I went there and asked the front desk if I could see one of the Tower rooms. They kindly obliged. I LOVED the view of the MK. However, I HATED the room. No ceiling fans. The least amount of drawer space I've ever seen at a Disney Resort. A gigantic ugly desk. Ugly furnishings on top of the TV. The TV is directly in front of the bed closest to the entrance as opposed to being in between the 2 beds. The bathroom looked like a medical lab, with no shelf space, and sinks that leaves no where for water to go.

That was enough for me. Chef Mickey's is fun to go to, but I won't stay there. So many nicer places to stay at Disney.

 

[flynnibus]

I would say 'no' - at it's core it still feels like a regular hotel that has a cool monorail going through one part of it.

If I'm going to spend deluxe money, I would want a unique experience/setting. Poly, WL, AKL all offer that over the CR IMO.

CR was king back in the day when it was about resort amenitities.. the marina, large pool, sports, etc. But now no one cares about those things on their WDW vacation. Book a unique experience in a property that is far different from your normal hotel stays would be my advice.

 

[disney magic 06]

I've never stayed there and have no desire to. I've eaten at the restaurants and drunk at the bars but find the place soul-less and stark. I just don't like the feel or atmosphere of it at all. In future I will only visit for California Grill.

 

[whitney37354]

We stayed at CR-TPV, Atrium CL. We enjoyed it, but our credit card balance has been paying for it ever since! It was nice to walk to MK, monorail to EPCOT. We were able to get back from any park in the afternoon for a break before hitting the parks again at night. It was nice to watch the fireworks from our balcony instead of fighting the crowds. DH said ours was a once in a lifetime trip, so we went all out with DlxDP & waterpark too.

I want to stay at each WDW resort at least once: two down, many to go. DD & I are itching to go back, but finances mean we can't for a few years. If you can swing it, I'd say go for it.

 

[phlydude]

I would agree - it was a hotel that was modern when it was designed and built. It is stark by contrast to other newer properties and the theming is non-existent.

Of the 3 MK monorail hotels, I would rank them:
1 - Poly
2 - GF
3 - Contemp

I just think the Poly is so much nicer with it having the beach and the direct across views of the MK. Plus, I tend to like the tropical feel that makes it feel like a tropical vacation as opposed to a themed property.
GF is nice but turn of the century is not up my alley. I feel that if I am in the Poly and wearing shorts and a Hawaiian shirt, all is right with the world.

That being said, my all time favorite resort is the Wilderness Lodge - just the grand nature of the lodge hall is enough to make me happy! Plus the boat launch to the MK and Contemp make getting around pretty easy (monorail access at either stop via a 10 minute boat ride - there are worse ways to start your day!) and the reduced cost makes it nice to have deluxe type accommodations at just a hair above moderate prices.

 

[copcarguyp71]

Thanks everyone. Sounds like I should get in the old time machine and take a trip back to 1983 if I wanted an experience that felt worthwhile staying there. I guess it is just one of those childhood dreams that ultimately is not worth living out .

Oh well then I guess BC or AKL might be the next runners-up. I would like to stay at the Poly but due to the fact that many years ago I stayed there with a girlfriend it is kind of taboo with DW...I get it and understand her feelings. There again if I could go back in the time machine and not go with her things would be different.

Note to self: Perfect time travel ASAP!!!

 

[HouCuseChickie]

While I have yet to splurge for the tower (i.e. only stayed garden wing), we LOVE the Contemporary. My girls (3 & 5) even asked to stay there again. I offered them everything from a royal room at POR, BC, Poly, AKL, and even a return trip to WL and they said they wanted CR again. We actually really liked the rooms and while it doesn't have a strong theme like other resorts, it actually feels like Disney b/c it's that first memory of most people's first trip to WDW. I saw someone noted the lack of ceiling fan in the rooms, but that's not really something I seek out in a hotel room. The convenience obviously was great as well. I know lots of people on here are anti-CR, but we obviously really enjoyed it.

 

[BrittanyRose428]

I'm going to disagree with most of the posts so far... I just stayed there over the summer with a bay lake view and LOVED it.

 

[flynnibus]

I don't think anyone is saying the place is bad - it's just not very unique given the price you pay. I mean the pictures you posted could be of a W hotel anywhere in the world or a high end hilton... even the lower end aloft hotels.

 

[BrittanyRose428]

Very true, its a very toned down theme compared to other WDW deluxes.

 

[copcarguyp71]

Lack of themeing and reduced drawer space are probably the deal breakers here. I think if it was just DW and me that I would pop for a four day weekend to try it out and say we did it but to invest seven nights in what looks like a stuffy room from a 9 year old DD point of view seems silly to me.

 

[captainkidd]

Lack of themeing and reduced drawer space are probably the deal breakers here. I think if it was just DW and me that I would pop for a four day weekend to try it out and say we did it but to invest seven nights in what looks like a stuffy room from a 9 year old DD point of view seems silly to me.

The drawer space was absurd. It was practically non-existant. Another deal breaker for us is that the laundry room is only in the Garden Wing. There's none in the Tower. We go for 2 weeks, so we like to do laundry.

 

[EvilQueen-T]

we stayed there once for the same reason(s) you've stated. we were club level with a mk view for a late august stay a few years ago. i hated those square sinks...splash splash splash (cool design element yes, practical with kids...um no). it was certainly a more adult feel but to me it was like staying at a hilton with the benefit of the monorail. speaking of the monorail it was crowded trying to get on as everyone leaving the mk was still on it so we tended to walk instead. liked eating at the california grill and the wave. for us, i'm glad we did it once but not my first choice for a repeat in this resort category.

 

[Cactusspade]

I too disagree with the earlier post that stated he hated the rooms. We stayed there last year and loved it. The rooms are by far the nicest on property.