The Contemporary or Fort Wilderness cabins?

[texascop]

We had initially booked a cabin at Fort Wilderness because part of our party was going to be in an RV. Well, their plans fell through, so we're now looking at other options. We can keep our reservations at Fort Wilderness or we can look at other resorts. The last time we stayed at the Caribbean Beach resort and were happy with it, but we've done our time at a mid-level resort. We want something a little nicer.

The pros with Fort Wilderness are the sizes of the cabins. They seem very roomy and would allow us to cook out from time to time, thus saving on some of the food bill. The cons are that we'd have to use the dreaded buses to and from the park. I remember how packed the buses were last time and how rude people were in not allowing me to sit with my sleeping child.

The pros with the Contemporary are the monorail, monorail and monorail. The ease of getting to the park on the monorail is a huge plus with us. The negatives are that the rooms appear smaller and you can't cook out.

Any feedback on which resort you feel is better would be much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Pioneer Hall]

Just a note about the Contemporary Monorail. While convenient, it is the first stop after the Magic Kingdom. This means that you have to make 3 stops before you get to the Magic Kingdom. Fort Wilderness has direct busses, which are very convenient.

 

[dr_teeth90210]

We had initially booked a cabin at Fort Wilderness because part of our party was going to be in an RV. Well, their plans fell through, so we're now looking at other options. We can keep our reservations at Fort Wilderness or we can look at other resorts. The last time we stayed at the Caribbean Beach resort and were happy with it, but we've done our time at a mid-level resort. We want something a little nicer.

The pros with Fort Wilderness are the sizes of the cabins. They seem very roomy and would allow us to cook out from time to time, thus saving on some of the food bill. The cons are that we'd have to use the dreaded buses to and from the park. I remember how packed the buses were last time and how rude people were in not allowing me to sit with my sleeping child.

The pros with the Contemporary are the monorail, monorail and monorail. The ease of getting to the park on the monorail is a huge plus with us. The negatives are that the rooms appear smaller and you can't cook out.

Any feedback on which resort you feel is better would be much appreciated. Thanks!

The Contemporary is an awesome resort!

It has some of the largest standard rooms on Disney property. The average Contempo room is 436 sq. feet. The cabins are 504 sq. feet. That's only a difference of 68 square feet. So size wise, you have nothing to worry about.
The Contemporary rooms do have a small fridge which is great for water, soda, etc., but sadly no microwave or stove to cook with. Then do you really want to be cooking after a long day at the theme parks?

Now if privacy is a big issue then you might want to go with the cabins seeing how the cabins technically have two different sleeping areas( the bedroom and the family room).

Fort Wilderness does have more recreational options than any other resort on property but I rank it last as far as transportation is concerned. If you stay at FW you'll have to take a minimum of two busses to get to any theme park( with the exception of MK which you can take a bus to the dock and then a boat to mk ). If you do decide to stay at the cabins then I recommend using your own vehicle or renting a golf cart.

Both resorts are great but given your needs I think you would be much more pleased with the Contemporary.

 

[Nicole]

I just got back from a 6-night stay at the FW Cabins. Yes they are roomy but the inconveniences of getting to/from the parks are considerable. It took us 75 minutes to get back to our cabin from the MK at closing on a not-busy day.

I would stay at the Contemporary unless you plan to cook several meals. There are a lot of recreational options as was mentioned but they are hard to get to. We didn't even LOOK at the main pool because the only way to get there from our cabin was walk quite a long way or ride a bus to one spot then change to a second bus. We didn't want to spend $47 a day for a golf cart (okay, my DH would have wanted to but that wasn't in the budget) and so we didn't do any swimming this time, or visit the main gift shop.

The best thing about the cabins was the quiet, but you pay a price in convenience. As for riding the monorail to the Contemporary, if you are going to MK I say walk, it takes maybe five minutes, if not take a bus or drive your own car.

 

[jesserin]

As for riding the monorail to the Contemporary, if you are going to MK I say walk, it takes maybe five minutes, if not take a bus or drive your own car.

Exactly. And at the end of the day when you are exhausted - you are the first stop the monorail makes - getting you home much sooner than the cabins... if you really want something nice - spoil yourself and do the Contemporary - after all you're on vacation!

 

[William Marsden]

The pros with Fort Wilderness are the sizes of the cabins. They seem very roomy and would allow us to cook out from time to time, thus saving on some of the food bill. The cons are that we'd have to use the dreaded buses to and from the park. I remember how packed the buses were last time and how rude people were in not allowing me to sit with my sleeping child.

Any feedback on which resort you feel is better would be much appreciated. Thanks![/quote]


One option you may consider if you want both roominess and deluxe accomodations is going to one of the Vacation Club Villas. You could get a one bedroom unit with a kitchen and have the advantages of Fort Wilderness plus stay at a deluxe resort. Don't let the rack rate scare you off. You can "rent" vacation points from a DVC member and stay for around $250.00 a night Sun. - Thurs. I bet you can't stay at the Contemporary for that price.
If you stay at the Wilderness Lodge Villas, you can ride the boat to the Magic Kingdom which is nearly as convienent as the monorail. If you stay at the Beach Club or Boardwalk Villas you can take a boat to both Epcot and MGM Studios. If you don't care about the view, the Boardwalk Villas have standard view rooms that are a little cheaper then the WLV or BCV. You also get a jacuzzi tub which is great after a long day in the parks.
However, there are a few caveats. The "point" rates are more than twice as much if you're staying Friday and Saturday. Housekeeping only changes your linens once a week unless you pay more for their service. It can be a long hike to the elevators at the Boardwalk. Also, there is some trust required on both sides of the transaction. You don't deal with Disney reservations. You deal directly with the DVC member who makes the reservation for you. That said, I've never heard of a transaction that went really sour between a patron and a DVC member. My family is planning on staying at the Boardwalk Villas for our next WDW trip. It seems to be the perfect place for us.
All of this posting may be a pointless if you're leaving soon because the vacation villas fill up quickly and you may not be able get a reservation. I also understand if you have your heart set on staying at a monorail resort. If you really want to stay at the Contemporary, try to nab one of the newly refurbished rooms. I haven't stayed at one but they look unbelievable. (The Polynesian has soom gorgeous renovated rooms also). Most importantly, HAVE A GREAT TIME!

 

[Yellow Shoes]

Remember that the advantage of the monorail only really applies to trips to MK. You will take the monorail to Epcot, but you will need to transfer.

Transportation to AK and the Studios is still by bus.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Stayed at the cabins twice, never had a problem with the buses on the resort or to the parks. Its a nice boat ride to the MK. You can always jump on the boat to the Comtemp and walk the rest if the mood takes you.

Found the atmosphere of the resort the friendliest of all we have stayed at.