Contemporary or grand Floridian

thestevied

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jun 16, 2008
so we're coming from England and are planning an 8 night stay. We have been many times before but never stayed on a monorail resort. It's between these two as we've seen some fairly good prices and really want something new. Is there much separating them? Is it easy to get to magic kingdom from the grand Floridian in the morning? Any advice on where to stay?

Thanks!
 
Hi. We are also from the UK we have to say we adore the Grand. Being on the monorail and it has some lovely shops and restaurants and one of our favourite pools. We are DVC owners so we stay mostly in Villas but have stayed in the Grand Hotel as well. It would get my vote every time!
 
I have stayed at both and the GF wins hands down, in every way. The GF is a luxurious, gorgeous bright resort that has a great vibe and I wish we could stay there every time. There were some nice things about the CR (the rooms were lovely), but the resort itself felt drab and sterile to us, and it's noisy with the monorail running through it, the pool is not as nice, the slide is not as fun, and we didn't care for the quick service restaurant compared to GF's. Lots of people love the walking path between CR and MK, and it's easy and nice to have, no doubt, but I preferred access to GF's boat which is just a single stop from MK as an alternative to the walking path, especially after a long day of being on my feet (CR doesn't have boat access). I promise, if you can swing it, a stay at the GF is something you won't regret, especially when compared to CR!
 


Hi. We are also from the UK we have to say we adore the Grand. Being on the monorail and it has some lovely shops and restaurants and one of our favourite pools. We are DVC owners so we stay mostly in Villas but have stayed in the Grand Hotel as well. It would get my vote every time!
Thanks. It's a hard decision! I've always wanted to stay at contemporary but agree the grand Floridian is beautiful. If it's easy getting around we may choose that. It's about £400 cheaper too
 
We have stayed at both and prefer the GF hands down.

The CR was just very sterile for us. I mean, yes, having the monorail going through it is cool. The walk to MK is awesome. Other than that though, there was nothing really "special" about it for us. We were in a tower lake view room (TPV wasn't available, and may have made a difference). It was just...a nice hotel.

Now, we loved EVERYTHING about the GF. The resort is beautiful, and we loved our room decor. We had great CM experiences and loved the courtyard pool. I just have nothing bad to say about the GF. It's wonderful. :cloud9:
 
We have stayed at both and prefer the GF hands down.

The CR was just very sterile for us. I mean, yes, having the monorail going through it is cool. The walk to MK is awesome. Other than that though, there was nothing really "special" about it for us. We were in a tower lake view room (TPV wasn't available, and may have made a difference). It was just...a nice hotel.

Now, we loved EVERYTHING about the GF. The resort is beautiful, and we loved our room decor. We had great CM experiences and loved the courtyard pool. I just have nothing bad to say about the GF. It's wonderful. :cloud9:
I'm beginning to think my mind is made up. £400 less and you're right, apart from the walk to the aspect I think the grand Floridian has more appeal.
 


The CR has never appealed to me personally. While I enjoy the restaurants there, it is somewhat sterile and can be loud and crowded. We stayed at the GF and it was very peaceful and quiet. It's a very short and scenic boat ride to MK, and the monorail is fun too. While the fireworks viewing is not as good at the GF, you can enjoy them from the boat dock easily. Also, you can visit the CR for a nice meal very easily if you want to check it out as well. I hope you have a lovely trip!
 
I prefer the GF, but there are many things I like about the CR.
For transportation....monorails break down and boats are docked in rain, but your legs always work! We adored walking back to the resort when the crowds all headed for and overwhelmed the monorail, ferry and busses. The rooms at CR are huge and the AC is incredible. The rooms are classy and modern, though not terribly themed. Food options are great (CG is my fave on property) and the lobby smells like heaven. The biggest downer about CR is the pool, if that matters to you. It's nothing special, and has no shade whatsoever.

At Gf, the rooms were somewhat recently redone very nicely, there are no bad views, the pools are great and dining options abound. Transportation wise-as long as the monorail is running, getting to MK is fine in the A.M., but on your way back, you have to ride to the CR, TTC and Poly, not to mention, when you're tired, you have to hike up a pretty big incline to the monorail station. When we've stayed at the Grand, we've monorailed to the MK and boated back to the resort.
 
I'll be the outsider and say the Contemporary. We love it, and will admit that the GF is absolutely breathtaking, but we think CR is a better value for our money.
 
We've stayed at both. I was never interested in the Contemporary due to the theming, but it was always my DH's dream to stay there. So we stayed there for the first time over Thanksgiving with a tower theme park view. I LOVED it! The view alone makes it worth it. Waking up every morning to the sights and sounds of MK opening up was awesome. But what was even better was watching the MK fireworks from our balcony with cupcakes from Contempo Cafe while wearing our PJs! Then, once they were over, we just hopped into bed. It was great! I don't think I'd stay at the contemporary without that view, though.
 
WE love both resorts equally, but in different ways. Of course, the TPV from the tower in the CR is amazing and the walk to/from the MK is a wonderful convenience. The one thing not mentioned yet is the fact that you get to stay in the main building where everything (including the monorail stop) is all under the one roof. No running through rain or suffering under the sweltering sun every time you want anything. Lots of shops and restaurants just downstairs.

The GF is wonderful as well and has very pretty grounds. The atmosphere around the resort is elegant Victorian. The Boat ride to/from the MK is very nice, and the monorail can be quick and convenient to go to the MK. Also, the pools are much nicer than those at the CR.

Either would be a great choice. However, people more reliably enjoy the GF, so it may be your best bet.
 
Definitely recommend the GF between the two.I never thought I'd say anything bad about any of the WDW resorts...ever. BUT, the CR is the one resort my family has requested we not return to...
 
I'm beginning to think my mind is made up. £400 less and you're right, apart from the walk to the aspect I think the grand Floridian has more appeal.

I think that both are pretty darn sweet, but my preference is the Grand. My DH loves the CR, and when we were younger, he always chose it. Of course there was only the CR and the Poly to choose from back then! LOL!!!!

I find the Grand to be incredibly inviting and relaxing, so if you plan to enjoy meandering around those stunning grounds, want to enjoy the lobby and the entertainment there, and love beautiful pools, I woudl say the GRand is for you.
 
We have stayed at the CR before and loved it! We also have always wanted to try the grand :) For our May trip we are doing a split trip between the two! CR for 4 nights followed by 4 nights at the Grand ❤️
 
I think that both are pretty darn sweet, but my preference is the Grand. My DH loves the CR, and when we were younger, he always chose it. Of course there was only the CR and the Poly to choose from back then! LOL!!!!

I find the Grand to be incredibly inviting and relaxing, so if you plan to enjoy meandering around those stunning grounds, want to enjoy the lobby and the entertainment there, and love beautiful pools, I woudl say the GRand is for you.

The CR has a fine location but better experienced as a visitor. GF just has an ambiance like no other property at WDW. The PV is a close second. At the GF is seems like most everyone has their "happy face" on. One warning though...once you stay at the GF, you will be spoiled. Still hate the room rates but not enough to go elsewhere. PS. I hear there are some better deals floating around on a seasonal basis.
 
The CR has a fine location but better experienced as a visitor. GF just has an ambiance like no other property at WDW. The PV is a close second. At the GF is seems like most everyone has their "happy face" on. One warning though...once you stay at the GF, you will be spoiled. Still hate the room rates but not enough to go elsewhere. PS. I hear there are some better deals floating around on a seasonal basis.

LOL! I love it. My DD and DSIL prefer the Poly and on their last stay were pretty surprised that my then 15 YO DGD announced she was a Grand Girl, just like her Nana!!! LOL!!!
 
The CR is far and away our favorite resort. GF has zero appeal to me. The CR is super high energy (inside the atrium) and super zen outside. Seriously, I could wander the grounds all tranquil and lovely all day. Great amenities. Great pool. Great service. And you cannot beat that easy walk to MK.

GF is just too stuffy.
 

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