Walt Disney World Resort offers so many choices for guests in their on-site accommodations, it can be difficult to decide which is right for you. Let's take a look at two Deluxe Resorts that I have stayed in recently.
Disney's Contemporary Resort and Disney's Yacht Club Resort are both Deluxe level resorts with spacious rooms, 2 queen beds (plus a possible daybed), multiple dining options onsite, elaborate swimming pools with slides and multiple transportation options for visiting the theme parks.
Both resorts also have large convention spaces attached to them which can mean that a lot of business people are guests. This can make it feel a little less like a family vacation space and more like a work meeting space.
Location and Transportation
Disney's Contemporary Resort is located in the Magic Kingdom® resort area with a walking path to Magic Kingdom® and the monorail to Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Disney's Polynesian Resort, the Ticket & Transportation Center and, the Epcot® monorail line (currently down for refurbishment). All other destinations may be reached by Disney Bus Transporation.
Yacht Club Resort is located in an area known as the Epcot® Resort Area. From Yacht Club and it's sister resort, Beach Club, guests can walk to both Epcot® and Hollywood Studios. There are also Friendship Boats to those parks. In addition, guests can use the Epcot® Skyliner station to access the other resorts on the Skyliner line. Animal Kingdom® and Magic Kingdom® are accessed by Disney Bus Transportation.
Rooms
Both resorts have spacious accommodations featuring two queen beds, and some rooms with an additional daybed.
Contemporary's rooms are a whopping 394 square feet and were last refurbished in 2013. These rooms still have carpeting, a style that has been eliminated in favor of hard surface flooring more recently. I found the rooms to be quite comfortable, with the exception of the bathroom set up. The sinks are notorious for being quite awkward to use. There is little counter space for guests to use. I also don't like the shower and sinks being in the same space. It makes it difficult for two people to get ready at the same time unless you are very comfortable with each other.
Last updated in 2017, Yacht Club rooms are 381 square feet and have that new, hard surface flooring. Personally, I prefer this bathroom set up. You have a large double vanity with storage underneath and a separate room for the shower and toilet. My family of four can comfortably share this bathroom without tripping over each other.
I stayed in the Garden Wing at The Contemporary Resort. I am not sure if all guests understand that these are separate buildings from the Tower and you must walk outside (though it is covered) to get to the Tower building for all dining, shops and to access transportation. I prefer the Yacht Club set up where it's all inside one building.
Both rooms were comfortable, though the Yacht Club room wins out for me. I prefer the cleaner feel of the flooring over carpeting, the bathroom set up and being in one large building.
Pools
The Contemporary Resort has a nice, Mickey shaped pool with a slide and a small splash area for younger guests. There is a pool bar and an adjacent 'quiet pool.' I find this pool to be the least impressive of all the Deluxe Resorts.
Yacht Club, on the other hand, has what is widely regarded as the BEST pool complex at Walt Disney World Resort. A 3 acre complex, Stormalong Bay has two water slides, including the incredible Flying Jib slide, a sandy bottom area, a lazy river and a beach for kids to play on. There's also a kids pool called Shipwreck Pool. Perfect for families! Hurricane Hanna's Waterside Bar & Grill serves up poolside food and drinks.
In addition, Yacht Club has a quiet pool with a hot tub for guests who want a more sedate atmosphere.
Dining
Both Contemporary and Yacht Club offer multiple dining options, from quick and casual to signature dining experiences.
* NOTE: Some dining experiences are not currently available as Disney continues a phased reopening.
Contemporary dining choices include Contempo Cafe, The Wave, and, the fabulous California Grill.
Yacht Club has The Market at Ale & Compass, a grab n go/quick service option, Ale & compass Lounge and Restaurant, plus Crew's Cup Lounge, and The Yachtsman. And, since Yacht Club and Beach Club blend almost seamlessly, guests can also easily access Beaches & Cream Soda Shop, Cape May Café, and the incredibly disappointing Martha's Vineyard (seriously, don't bother).
So, while Yacht Club has more choices, and some are quite good, I have to say that California Grill's quality evens things up a bit for me.
The Upshot
Overall, I enjoy both of these resorts and selecting the right one for you depends on your particular family. If pool time is really important to you, then I would choose Yacht Club. If you plan to spend more time at Epcot® and Hollywood Studios®, again, I would choose Yacht Club.
On the other hand, if your children are young and you don't want to chase them all over Stormalong Bay, and you plan a lot of Magic Kingdom® time, then I would recommend The Contemporary Resort.
Honestly, you can't really go wrong with a deluxe resort at Walt Disney World. They are all special in their own way.
Mary Graham is a Certified Travel Associate. She has expertise in theme parks, cruises, river cruises, land vacations, all-inclusive resorts and more! Reach her via email mary@tripsbymary.com or call 919-817-4081.
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