I stayed in Disney's Contemporary Resort for $809 a night, and my lake-view room minutes from Magic Kingdom was mostly worth it

The resort has a pretty distinct and unique look at first glance with its metal frame and many windows. 

According to a 2010 Yesterland interview with Disney historian Jim Korkis, the steel frame of the resort was constructed first and the individual rooms were then inserted into the A-frame buildings' open slots.

Blair, who worked on It's a Small World, designed the iconic nine-story Grand Canyon Concourse mural located in the atrium of the resort. It features her signature style of magnificent color theory and modernist design.

The Contemporary was recently updated and debuted a new mid-century modern look in 2021.

The lobby has plenty of space for lounging and features art by Blair and has a unique rendering of the Monorail on the wall. The furniture is fantastic for fans of mid-century modern design.

The lobby is home to one of Disney's Monorail stops. The single rail train line spans over 14 miles and carries guests between Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Ticket and Transportation Center, and several Disney resorts.

During my stay, I never waited long for the Monorail to arrive. Although the line got fairly long during peak travel times, cars seemed to arrive every 10 minutes or so. It was great to be able to travel to other resorts so conveniently.

Main Tower rooms are located directly in the open-air lobby so I was worried about the noise levels during my stay. Fortunately, my room was quiet throughout my trip. 

The room comes with two queen-size beds. I found plenty of outlets surrounding the beds and I liked the reading lights built into the bed frame.

It also has a mini fridge, safe, Keurig coffee machine, and ample space for storage underneath the beds. The bathroom has a double vanity, large shower/tub combination, and products from Disney's toiletry brand H20+. The toilet area is behind a separate pocket door.

The room is filled with touches inspired by the 2004 Disney movie "The Incredibles." I loved the subtle theming in the closet.

The pull-out couch was really comfortable for sitting and the orange upholstery seemed to be in great shape.

The side table was really attractive but not large enough for my husband and me to eat a meal on it. I missed having a desk and would keep this in mind before booking a room here if I was trying to get work done during my stay.

Still, I was excited about our view of Bay Lake. 

The view from my balcony was wonderful and I was able to watch the Electrical Water Pageant each night.

The pageant has been around since the 1970s and involves a cavalcade of floats making its way across Bay Lake and The Seven Seas Lagoon. In it, classic Disney songs play and the screens on the barges light up with aquatic creatures and characters.

The show stops in front of The Grand Floridian, The Polynesian, The Contemporary, The Wilderness Lodge, and Fort Wilderness. Each of these resorts has public areas to view the floating parade from, but it was extra special to be able to watch from my own hotel room.

Artwork that combines "The Incredibles" and the Contemporary can be found on each floor near the elevator and on the walls next to hotel rooms. I thought what I saw looked nice. 

Located in the lobby of the resort is Chef Mickey's, a character breakfast and dinner buffet. In my opinion, it's pretty expensive at more than $30 per child and $50 per adult. I've heard the food isn't that great and character dining isn't a priority for me, so there are other places I'd rather visit.

Nearby is Contempo Café, a quick-service location that offers breakfast, lunch, dinner, and grab-and-go snacks and beverages. There are a couple of great items on the menu here, like the lemon-grass chicken bánh mi and the grilled tofu bowl.

The café is open until 11 p.m., which is nice because sometimes the food options around the Magic Kingdom resort area feel limited, especially later in the day. Plus it's always great to find a meal that includes vegetables after a long park day.

The area also has Outer Rim, a standard hotel bar offering beer, wine, and cocktails. I don't think it has any specialty items worth traveling out of your way for, but the service is usually great.

Steakhouse 71 is located on the first floor of the resort. The modern eatery offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It also has a lounge serving up an abbreviated menu throughout the day. 

Photographs of the Disney World construction process and early years of the park line the corridor leading to the dining space. The restaurant itself is full of nods to the 1970s in an ode to the decade the resort opened. Guests can also order nostalgic menu items, such as Walt's Prime Rib Hash.

Located on top of the resort, California Grill is a fine-dining restaurant that typically serves a prix-fixe menu. Reservations are highly recommended but guests can stop at the desk located on the second floor to inquire about the walk-up wait-list or bar availability. 

Those who get bar seating can order from an a la carte menu featuring the restaurant's greatest hits like sushi, wontons, and pizza.

California Grill also has platforms where you can get an incredible view of Disney World's fireworks. This restaurant is a very special place to view the show because the interior lights dim and music from the show is played.

The resort has even more to explore on the ground floor and atrium including a coffee shop, market, and gift store.

Fantasia Market sells snacks, beverages, and alcohol as well as some souvenirs. It's convenient to have a place to pick up some last-minute items without having to leave the resort.

Bayview Gifts had a lot of merchandise to choose from, including some resort-specific items like bathrobes, Christmas ornaments, and Chef Mickey's aprons. This store receives a lot of great items that can be somewhat hard to find, so it's always worth a stop during your trip if time allows.

The Contemporary has two pools — the feature pool has a 17-foot-high curved waterslide and the Bay Pool is considered the quiet one at the resort. The area also has a hot tub.

Compared to other Disney Deluxe resorts, this pool area feels basic at best to me, so if that's an aspect that's important to you, consider choosing a different property. Seating is somewhat limited at both of these pool areas and I've found shaded areas are next to impossible to secure, so be prepared to arrive early if you're hoping for a great lounge spot. 

It's great to be able to walk out of Magic Kingdom and be poolside in 15 minutes, but these resort pool areas just don't feel deluxe to me. I've also never seen a server walking around taking drink orders, something I've experienced at every other deluxe Disney resort I've stayed at. 

Near the pool, there's also a billiards table, volleyball area, and a sandy beach lined with Adirondack chairs and a perfect view of the Electrical Water Pageant. 

The Sand Bar offers both a walk-up bar and window. In my opinion, the menu here is extremely limited and somewhat disappointing, especially compared to what I've seen at other deluxe resorts. You can find a hot dog, cheeseburger, and garden salad — that's about it.

The cocktail menu offers the typical drinks found at Disney properties. 

Guests can rent pontoon boats for personal use, book a guided bass fishing excursion, or reserve a private fireworks cruise.

The fireworks cruise typically fills up ahead of time, so be sure to plan ahead if that's a priority for your trip. The booking window currently opens 60 days prior to travel dates.

The resort is connected to the park by both a walkway as well as the aforementioned Monorail.

The direct access to Magic Kingdom via the walkway is unmatched. This access saves guests time by allowing them to avoid crowded Monorail, boat, or bus lines at the end of their park day.

I traveled with my husband during this trip and the close proximity to Magic Kingdom was perfect for us. I was able to rope drop the park when it opened in the morning, leaving him to sleep and meet up with me later in the day. 

There's also a bus stop at the hotel and guests can ride to Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Disney Springs, Typhoon Lagoon, and Blizzard Beach.

Although the price point is hard to justify due to the somewhat limited on-site dining options and the mediocre pool situation, the resort's convenience of direct access to Magic Kingdom is hard to beat.

The Contemporary is far from my favorite resort, but I do believe it's a great choice for a split stay or to just cross it off your bucket list.