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Planning Your Resort Day at the Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World

Posted by: Rebekah Tyndall Burkett April 30, 2019

When you book a Walt Disney World vacation, you’re in for a magical experience unlike any other. Not only will you be experiencing all of the fun the four parks at Disney World have to offer—from attractions and shows to rides and nighttime spectaculars. You’ll also be staying on Disney property at one of Disney World’s fabulous resort hotels. And the hotels offer quite the getaway—just by themselves. If you’ve chosen Disney’s Contemporary Resort, you might even find it hard to want to leave the hotel. With all there is to do at the Contemporary, you might just forget there’s a whole world of fun just outside your hotel room.

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1. Spend a day enjoying the pools!

If you’re looking for something to enjoy at the resort hotel with the whole family, Disney’s Contemporary Resort pools are the perfect spot. The resort has two pools—both of which are located just along the shores of Bay Lake. The main pool has a 17-foot-high winding waterslide. There are also two whirlpool spas. There’s a water playground just for the kids as well. Bay Pool is welcoming to Guests of all ages—from kids to adults—and juts out over Bay Lake. If you’re looking for a great time in the sun with a little more privacy, there are several cabanas that are available for rental to Guests of Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

2. Chef Mickey’s

During your stay at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, be sure to enjoy breakfast or brunch at Chef Mickey’s Restaurant. Chef Mickey’s Fun Time Buffet is one of Disney World’s most popular character dining experiences, so you’ll want to be sure to book your dining reservations as early as possible—up to 180 days in advance. The restaurant serves breakfast, brunch and dinner on an all-you-care-to-enjoy buffet. Options on the buffet include all kinds of American food—and there’s plenty to make sure you don’t go away hungry! In addition to the great food and service, Guests get to hang out with Mickey and the gang while enjoying their meals. The Fab Five make their rounds to visit Guests at their tables. They sign autographs and pose for pictures too! Don’t miss the fun! Book your dining reservation up to 180 days in advance via the My Disney Experience app or by calling (407) WDW-DINE.

3. California Grill

California Grill restaurant at Disney’s Contemporary Resort is one of the most elegant and exciting dining venues at the Walt Disney World Resort. The atmosphere is classy, but not stuffy. Elegance surrounds Guests as they dine on dishes inspired by California and the Pacific Coast. Enjoy selections such as brick oven-fired pizzas, seafood like salmon and scallops, beef fillet, chicken and California-inspired sushi choices. Desserts like peppermint crème brulee, carrot cheesecake, apple crostata and warm Valrhona chocolate cake even make it possible for you to taste the magic at California Grill. The panoramic views of Seven Seas Lagoon and Cinderella Castle are some of the best views of any Disney World restaurant. Sip and savor from a list of over 300 wines—many of them from California.

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4. See the fireworks

Each night, weather permitting, Magic Kingdom displays a breathtaking nighttime fireworks spectacular. The spectacular can be seen from most any vantage point inside the park. But some people choose to see it from a completely different vantage point—high in the sky. One of the most exciting places from which to see the fireworks is from the California Grill restaurant. Be sure to book your dining reservation near the time of the fireworks display so that you can be there as the lights are dimmed and the music from the fireworks spectacular is pumped into the restaurant. If you can’t get a dining reservation during the time of the spectacular, you can still enjoy a meal at California Grill and keep your receipt so that you can re-enter the restaurant and enjoy watching the fireworks from the observation deck. Don’t miss this exciting experience!

5. Wave of American Flavors

Another fabulous restaurant at the Contemporary Resort is Wave of American Flavors. This table-service restaurant serves all kinds of American fare for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In the morning at breakfast, Guests can either order a la carte items from the menu or choose a buffet-style breakfast. Lunch and dinner menus at Wave of American Flavors include burgers, crab cakes, sandwiches, pasta, seared gnocchi, noodle bowls, beef short ribs and more. Dessert choices include items like sorbet, crème brulee and the Chocolate Flight, which is a trio of tiny chocolate desserts. Book your dining reservation up to 180 days in advance by calling (407) WDW-DINE.

6. See the mural designed by a Disney genius.

Mary Blair was an artist and an animator who was inducted into the Disney Legends group in 1991, 13 years after her passing. She was instrumental in drawing concept art for Disney films like Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Song of the South and Cinderella. She was also very important in the designing of characters for long-standing Disney attractions such as the It’s a Small World attraction and even the party scene inside the attraction at the Mexico pavilion at EPCOT. While you’re staying at the Contemporary Resort, don’t forget to enjoy the 90-foot-tall mural in the resort hotel’s Grand Canyon concourse. It was created for the opening of the Contemporary Resort in 1971 and it’s just as intriguing now as it was back then!

7. Go fishing!

As a Guest of Disney’s Contemporary Resort, you—along with other Guests at the Walt Disney World Resort—have the option of booking a guided bass fishing excursion. The excursions take place on a 21-foot Sun Tracker pontoon boat. Up to five Guests can enjoy these excursions, which can be booked for two hours or four hours. (Additional hours can be booked in person.) One to two Guests can enjoy an excursion on a tournament-style NITRO bass fishing boat. Excursions include an experienced guide, a rod and reel, tackle and either live or artificial bait, among other things. To reserve a date for a fishing excursion, call (407) 939-BASS up to 180 days in advance of your visit.

About Rebekah Tyndall Burkett

Rebekah grew up in Forney, Texas and lives just outside of Dallas. She’s been a Disney superfan since childhood, experiencing the magic at Walt Disney World for the first time at the age of 11. Journeys to Neverland are at least a yearly occurrence for her, her husband and her four children (the Fab Four). When they go to the parks, they stay in Florida for three weeks at a time. Rebekah loves exploring the history of the parks, the genius behind the Magic in the person of Walt Disney, and she is intrigued by all things Disney World and Disney Imagineering. When in the parks, Rebekah and her husband Scott make the most of their time by enjoying every minute with their Fab Four, by delving deeper into Walt’s vision for the parks and into the history behind the Walt Disney World Resort, and by photographing the many different types of architecture at Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and on the World Showcase at EPCOT. When she’s not in the parks, Rebekah is excitedly setting travel dates and planning her family’s next adventure to their happy place deep within the Sunshine State. On breaks from planning her next trip, Rebekah is a writer, journalist and children’s author, penning children’s books about kids with special needs that she affectionately calls “believement-achievement” stories. Her hobbies include creative writing, paper crafting and interviewing Imagineers. She is also an advocate for Autism Awareness and for children with developmental disabilities of all kinds.