On a recent episode of the DIS Unplugged, Pete asked us which Magic Kingdom resort was our favorite. My answer stemmed from a two-night stay to celebrate my birthday last June at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

As a little girl, I watched with wonder as the monorail I was riding in cut through the vast A-frame structure. I saw it in the distance on approach, and was awed at the fact that we could travel right through it. It was The Jetsons come to life. To this day, I stand by the window and wave to the people filling the Grand Canyon Concourse as the monorail I’m in glides through the Contemporary. It’s simply magical.

Last year, the planets aligned, and my husband and I had the opportunity to stay at the Contemporary for two nights. I couldn’t believe that we were actually getting to stay there; to check in and take the elevator up to our floor was a dream.

Over the last seven years, I’ve spent a good amount of time at the Contemporary. The large, squishy, velveteen couches on the second floor have been my home base for writing projects throughout the years. If I had bunch of research and writing to do, and the timing worked out, I would leave the office and head over to the Contemporary. The couches are just outside of the Ballroom of the Americas on the second floor, and, except for the occasional conference, it’s super quiet. The electrical outlet is right behind my favorite couch, and there’s food upstairs at Contempo Cafe or outside at the pool counter service location, The Sand Bar (I recommend the Fried Chicken Quesadilla).

So, to get to go upstairs and stay for two nights? Well, that was a dream come true. The rooms, as you’ll find at both the Contemporary and Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, are larger than rooms in the newer resorts.

We were on the eighth floor, and our room overlooked everything that you see in the back of the resort: the pools, the marina, the sand volleyball court, and Bay Lake Tower. Each of the rooms in the main building has a balcony, which was perfect for a morning cup of tea.

Speaking of morning tea, watching the water transportation come to life on Bay Lake each morning was fantastic. From our balcony, we could watch the first boats make their way across the lake to pick up guests heading to the Magic Kingdom from Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness.

The sun rose, and the resort slowly woke up as cast members started prepping the pool for guests, and began working to ensure that the landscaping was perfect for the day.

Being able to head downstairs to meet up with our kids for my birthday dinner at The Wave was wonderful. If you haven’t been able to stop by The Wave on one of your vacations, please do. It has something for everyone. My youngest is vegan, and they adapted a dish with great care, and The Wave’s Braised Beef Short Rib is sure to be met with applause by the meat-eaters in your group. Not to mention the Bacon and Eggs appetizer. Mi amor.

I know that things will be different when the parks and resorts reopen. It’ll be a “baby steps” kind of moment for us all. The Electrical Water Pageant will be taking a time out during the first phase of reopening, and each guest staying at the Contemporary will need a park reservation before he or she heads out on that fabulous short walk to the Magic Kingdom.

I am so thankful to have had the chance to make the memories that we did this time last year. Getting to stay at the Contemporary Resort was a bucket list item, and it’ll be something that I never forget.

So, what about you? Which Magic Kingdom resort is your favorite? Do you have a bucket list Disney resort that you’d like to stay in? Please share in the comments section below.