PRICE:
Frommer's Highly Recommended

If location is one of your priorities, it's hard to beat this Disney resort, which is right beside the Magic Kingdom, and one of only three resorts on the monorail system (the Grand Floridian and Polynesian are the others). The Contemporary offers great views of the Magic Kingdom and Seven Seas Lagoon from its west side and Bay Lake on its east. This 15-story concrete A-frame (with two newer garden wings) dates to WDW's infancy, though it's been renovated to bring it into the modern era. Guest rooms were redecorated from top to bottom in 2006 and the resulting improvements brought the resort in line with the others in its class and category. The redecorated rooms reflect an upscale Asian/retro look that should appeal to adults (the flatscreen TVs are fabulous and the color scheme is very appealing), and those with kids in tow will appreciate the rounded corners, kid-proof locks on the sliding doors (remember how high up you are here), and breakables placed high above a little one's reach. The pool is far less spectacular than most (it is, however, large and has a wading pool for toddlers with a small beach area off to the left). On the plus side, the rooms can fit up to five people instead of the usual four (though space will be tight). Kid-friendly facilities include a playground with a good-size sandbox and a pretty decent arcade. The best views are from upper floors of the tower (9th floor and up), where the rooms are a tad quieter than those on the lower floors, which are exposed to noisy public areas and the monorail (which runs right through the hotel). Come here for dinner at Chef Mickey's or the California Grill, but if you have only very young kids you may be better off checking into accommodations elsewhere.

Facilities:3 restaurants; food court; 2 lounges; 2 outdoor heated pools, kids' pool; 6 lighted tennis courts; fitness center; Jacuzzi; watersports equipment; arcade; concierge; WDW Transportation System; transportation to non-Disney parks for a fee; business center; limited Wi-Fi access (fee); salon; 24-hr. room service; babysitting; laundry service; valet; concierge-level rooms.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Walt Disney World & Orlando 2008, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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