Posts Tagged ‘Disney’s Contemporary Resort’

The Magic Kingdom is setting the stage for a new holiday show, A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas, scheduled to be up and dancing for its debut during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.  Appearing on the Rockettower Plaza Stage, the interactive musical revue will feature the faces of Tomorrowland:  Stitch, Buzz Lightyear, and Mike Wazowski.

Many were hoping that Mickey’s Twas the Night Before Christmas Show, which lost its home when the Galaxy Palace Theater was demolished, would reappear on the Rockettower Plaza Stage, but the announcement of this new production seems to confirm the demise of that much-loved show.

Rehearsals start on November 2^nd and visitors staying at the Magic Kingdom resorts may be able to get an early preview of the music.  The rehearsal schedule for new shows and parades typically runs well into the early-morning hours. Guests of the resorts around the Seven Seas Lagoon can often step out onto their balconies in the wee hours and hear the sounds of music coming from the Magic Kingdom as cast members run through the productions.

Some of the most wonderful lights at Walt Disney World are found in the windows of Bayview Gifts at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

Years ago, during one of my earliest visits to Walt Disney World, I was certain that, while driving to Disney’s Contemporary Resort, I had seen a boat glide by on an overpass.  Each time I brought it up, I got strange looks from people and after a while, I began to think that I had misremembered.

Much later, while on the launch between Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and the Magic Kingdom, I was delighted to hear the explanation for that vivid memory from long ago:  a water bridge!  With an eye to keeping the vistas beautiful, Disney decided to put the water over the road rather than having a roadway over the water.  While there is a second water bridge in the EPCOT resort area, guests can actually cross over the one that connects Bay Lake with the Seven Seas Lagoon.

Most visitors never realize that they are passing over a busy road as they travel between the Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, and Disney’s Fort Wilderness.

All vessels cut their speed as they approach; a signal to passengers that the water bridge is just ahead.  So, next time you’re cruising the lake or lagoon, watch for the NO WAKE signs and take a moment to appreciate this engineering marvel.

The glass and steel entrance of The Wave restaurant on the first floor of Disney’s Contemporary Resort complements the minimalist décor of the lobby and registration desk.  An atmospheric lounge washed in underwater blues and a spacious bar with twinkling stars above are both attractive areas to have a drink, although the lounge functions more as a holding area for waiting guests during busy times.

There is an interesting wine list featuring selections from the major wine-producing countries of the southern hemisphere:  Australia and New Zealand, South Africa, Chile and Argentina.

Desserts are attractive presentations of three related selections: a trio of sorbets; three creamy concoctions including a cheesecake, a mousse, and a panna cotta.

The dining room itself suffers a bit from comparison to the other public spaces.  Without the gleam and glow of rippled glass, brushed metal, and colored lighting, it seems to announce the fact that it’s a windowless room.  Curvaceous ceiling sculptures and interesting chair backs reflect the theme but don’t mitigate the dungeon-like ambiance.

Review: Am I the only one who’s getting bored with the whole “sustainable fish” thing? It seems to be showing up on every Disney menu for both lunch and dinner.  I can promise you that I am far less interested in whether it’s sustainable than I am in what kind of fish will actually be on the plate.  It’s only been a little over one week since we dined at The Wave and, even after reviewing the menu, I cannot remember what I had for dinner.  It was that forgettable.  It may well have been something that swims and is being sustained.

What I do recall are the three attempts to get salt for whatever it was I ordered.  Condiments are removed from the tables for the evening meal and the first time I requested salt,  I was given an empty shaker without so much as a plug in the bottom.  The second container had the plug but no salt.  Finally, I did get a filled shaker but the meal was almost over.   Oh, and add me to the list of those who don’t like the cardboard straws.  The  milkshakes would have been so much more enjoyable with (gasp) plastic.  Otherwise, the service was excellent and the staff friendly and helpful.

While the food was tasty and well-presented, albeit unmemorable, I have trouble getting past the cavern concept – the main reason I’m not a fan of the wildly-popular Le Cellier.  Rather than seeming intimate and cozy, the room feels dark and dreary; exactly like something stuck in an unused corner on the ground floor of a building.  I’m perplexed by the decision to move the arcade up to the bright and busy concourse and place the restaurant here.  However, based upon the feedback of enthusiastic diners, and the crowds waiting to be seated the night I visited, I am, once again, in the minority!

Menus

Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Wine
Dessert

The Wave

Disney’s Contemporary Resort

Breakfast 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Lunch 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Dinner 5:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Lounge 12:00 noon to 12:00 midnight

There are children who visit Walt Disney World and depart utterly convinced that the monorail is one of the major attractions.  Disney’s amazing monorail system is only one of many modes of transportation around the property, but it’s surely the most interesting.

Twelve Mark VI six-car trains transport up to 364 guests each, over more than 14 miles of track on three lines, at speeds of 15 to 40 mph.  The Resort Line travels in a circuit around the Seven Seas Lagoon with stops at the Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, the Ticket and Transportation Center, Disney’s Polynesian Resort, and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa.  The Express Line ferries passengers between the Magic Kingdom and the Ticket and Transportation Center, while the EPCOT Line provides service between the Ticket and Transportation Center and EPCOT.  Guests staying at the “monorail” resorts near the Magic Kingdom can hop on the monorail directly from their hotels, and travel around the Resort Line or change trains at the Ticket and Transportation Center to get to EPCOT.

Each train is named according to the color of its stripe:  Monorail Red, Monorail Silver, Monorail Purple, etc.  The stripes on Lime and Coral have “deltas” along their length to distinguish them from Green and Pink.

Elaborate safety systems ensure that trains remain a specified distance from each other, and a train will be brought to a stop until the one ahead has moved away.  There are emergency evacuation plans for every eventuality, and the Reedy Creek Fire Department even has a fire truck which is specially designed for monorail rescue.  There are also custom tow-tractors to move trains from the beam.

Although pre-recorded commentary about upcoming stops, passing landmarks, and special events is narrated by a different cast member, the famous phrase, “Please stand clear of the doors…..” still features the original voice of Jack Wagner.

Carrying more than 50 million passengers each year, the Walt Disney World monorail is one its most recognizable symbols.

Vacationers may not realize that Walt Disney World is one of the premier meeting and convention centers in the country.  There are six resorts with convention facilities: Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Boardwalk Inn, Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts, and Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort; offering more than 600,000 square feet of meeting space which can be configured to suit nearly any requirement.  For 2009, five Disney Resorts have garnered Gold Key and Gold Tee Awards from Meetings and Conventions magazine.

Businesses and groups can take advantage of Disney’s legendary creative resources to assist them with every aspect of their event, including program development, technical services, entertainment, theming and décor, photography, videography, special tours and theme park experiences, even speakers from the Disney Institute.  With thousands of guest rooms, complimentary transportation, and a diverse range of entertainment options unavailable anywhere else on earth, Walt Disney World offers meeting solutions for every budget.  Whimsical World Travel specializes in arranging imaginative programs for small groups.  We’ll be happy to put together a proposal for your special event which includes accommodations of ten to fifty rooms.

If you are looking for uniquely personal service at Walt Disney World, head for the fourteenth floor of Disney’s Contemporary Resort.  There are two concierge floors at this resort:  the twelfth floor Atrium Club, and the fourteenth floor Tower Club.  The Tower Club has an entirely different ambience from its busy and far larger cousin two levels below.  Because it is the only accommodation floor which is completely closed off from the concourse, it is a calm and secluded oasis.

There are only sixteen units on the entire floor, so each guest is assured of exceptional individual attention from the dedicated concierge staff.  There are no extended waits to speak with a staff member about a dining reservation; you won’t have to fight long lines during the food service periods.  You are part of an elite and fortunate few who will also enjoy the most spectacular view of the Magic Kingdom’s fireworks to be found, outside of the park.  All balconies are party-sized, much deeper than those of the rooms below, and feature chairs, tables, and chaises longues.  Upstairs at the California Grill, dozens of diners will be jostling for sightlines on the crowded balcony, but you can stretch out on your chaise, petit fours and a glass of champagne in hand, and enjoy the show!

With such a small number of units available, reservations are often difficult to come by, particularly during the busier holiday seasons.  Available accommodations include eleven one- and two-bedroom suites, two king-bed rooms, and only three of the standard queen-bed rooms.  If the Tower Club at Disney’s Contemporary Resort sounds like the perfect “home” for your next Walt Disney World vacation, be sure to make your plans early.

Perhaps the single most magical Disney gift is the Electrical Water Pageant. Never included in any “must-see” list and not designed to lure guests into the parks, the stores, or any revenue-producing venue; its sole agenda is to surprise and delight.

Each night, it makes its charming way across the water, visiting each of the Magic Kingdom resort hotels in turn, silently floating in the dark until it suddenly bursts into a whimsy of colorful shapes and cheerful music. It consists of a number of floats with lighted images including King Triton, a sea serpent, turtles, and dolphins leaping from the water. At the end of each little show, all the barges turn into stars and flags in an All-American finale.

It can often be glimpsed from the monorail, and is an unexpected amenity of rooms with a water view at the Contemporary, Grand Floridian, Polynesian, and Wilderness Lodge. All guests can catch the show from the water’s edge at any of these resorts as well as from Fort Wilderness, and many of the resort restaurants.

Keep an eye on the water if you’re around the Magic Kingdom area some evening – this small parade is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

Electrical Water Pageant

Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake

Nightly – check locations for times