Hi Iris!
Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel! Thank you so much for reaching out to us! This is a great question. I've been fortunate enough to stay at both of these
Disney Deluxe Resort Hotels, and either way you're choosing between two very amazing locations right in the middle of the magic with direct access to the world famous
Walt Disney World Resort Monorail.
When it comes to viewing
Happily Ever After, the fireworks and laser light show hosted in
Magic Kingdom Park, both resorts provide excellent vantage points AND both allow you to see the action from the comfort of your own guest room. (Bonus points for viewing in jammies with a glass of wine.) However, if you want to see in the theme park, especially during the day time, my vote is for the Contemporary. This resort hotel is both physically closer to the magic but also consider the height of the main building; non-club level park view guest rooms start on the fifth floor and go up another six stories whereas the outer buildings at the Grand Floridian top out at four. So just on having a view of the inside of the theme park alone, I would say the Contemporary is the winner.
But allow me to add some other considerations. Here are some of the great perks I like about both of these resort hotels, specifically relating to the two room choices you mentioned.
Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa:
~ Children's pool has an Alice & Wonderland play structure with kiddie water slides.
~ Connected to
Disney's Polynesian Village Resort via a 10 minute walking trail. A really great option when you want to check out this other resort.
~ More dining options than the Contemporary, especially when adding those at the Poly accessible by walking trail after the Monorail has ceased operating for the night.
~ The Quick-Service dining location Gasparilla Island Grill is open 24 hours a day. (And so is the quick-service Captain Cooks at the Poly.)
~ This resort has a sandy outdoor area complete with deck chairs and fire pits where you can have a late night picnic or marshmallow roast while watching Happily Ever After, complete with the show music piped in.
Disney's Contemporary Resort:
~ When staying in the main building, you don't have to walk outside in the elements to get to your guest room.
~ There's a 10-minute walkway connecting this hotel to Magic Kingdom Park, complete with its own bag check.
~ This resort hotel is connected to Disney's Wilderness Lodge Resort and Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort via a 20 minute
complimentary water taxi.
~ You can watch the various monorails zoom in and out of the main building all day. Pro tip: Dine at Contempo Cafe for the best monorail watching.
~ If your room is on the north side of the building, you'll even be able to hear the music from Main Street U.S.A. during the day.
I hope these other considerations helped to make your Disney decision, Iris. If you think of any other vacation planning questions, we'll be hEAR. We're all ears!
~Kristen