TrainsOfDisney
Well-Known Member
Hard to tell until I see it in person - it’s not particularly bad but similar to the pastel costumes on Main Street it seems a little too bright and bold. But style wise it looks right.
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Refurbishment coming to Disney's Grand Floridian Resort lobby
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
Casper Gutman
Well-Known Member
We always hear about guests rejecting theming in general and the Victorian ambiance of the GF as stuffy and outdated, necessitating the Hilton inspired makeover. But… is there the slightest evidence of this? Was occupancy declining? Anything?
James Alucobond
Well-Known Member
First of all, this is very, very far from a Hilton makeover. One particular set of lighting fixtures is bad, the desk layout/arrangement is more contemporary, and some of the furnishings are overly modern (though many are still appropriate, e.g. the conference table at bell services). It is otherwise more of the same, just leaning more into floral patterns rather than stripes, which is still appropriate for the period. It's still jewel tones even if color-shifted a bit. The bar is leaning on the same architecture as the original birdcage and even borrows additional details from the elevator in the copied cornice panels. Honestly, not much is different; check-in is the worst offender as with pretty much every recent redo due to the obsession with divided desks and tablet-holders wandering about.
That said, while I've not seen numbers or anything, I would hazard a guess that they are incentivized to keep the hotel at least somewhat broadly appealing given that it's both the de facto wedding hotel and the de facto "fanciest" hotel. If the style ceases to be perceived as opulent and instead looks dated, it potentially endangers its functional identity. They seem to struggle with this less for the resorts that sell a certain place (i.e. Polynesian, Animal Kingdom Lodge, Wilderness Lodge) rather than a certain time (i.e. Grand Floridian, Old Key West, Saratoga Springs). The "place" ones tend to be artificial, idealized versions of themselves anyway (akin to Main Street), so there's more tolerance for fantasy and anachronism.
Supernova
Active Member
The site who should not be named has just posted much clearer photos which gives a better look at the colour and overall design.
There’s also a new mural on the elevator which looks really gorgeous and is a definite upgrade on the previous one
jah4955
Well-Known Member
Like the "Gordon Ramsay ’60s-Themed British Pub?" concept art they released today? Nothing in it looks particularly '60's to me
jah4955
Well-Known Member
Is it way too foolhardy to think they could be done early enough to still do the gingerbread house after all (although they specifically said it ain't happening this year)?
LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
I don't think Disney Imagineering had any hand in that design. I agree it's bad!Like the "Gordon Ramsay ’60s-Themed British Pub?" concept art they released today? Nothing in it looks particularly '60's to me
castlecake2.0
Well-Known Member
They start prepping for that in July usually so I don’t think it’s coming this year
jah4955
Well-Known Member
Makes sense...thank you...was being hopeful since the MK transforms between Halloween & Christmas within a couple days lol
KDM31091
Well-Known Member
I hate the CMs hovering with ipads. It feels unwelcoming. Just let me approach the desk if I need to.
The design of the new desk could be worse for sure, but some of the fixtures scream "modern" and don't make sense. That said, it's not just Disney - restaurants, hotels, etc across the country are redesigning to extremely boring, modern designs and all look the same. A Wendy's and a Taco Bell are indistinguishable now. Themed design seems to be going away. That said, Disney is the one place where it would be nice to keep what used to really set them apart, great theming.
I understand if they went truly period with the theming people would complain it was dated so I don't know what the right answer is... but making everything super bland is not.
The design of the new desk could be worse for sure, but some of the fixtures scream "modern" and don't make sense. That said, it's not just Disney - restaurants, hotels, etc across the country are redesigning to extremely boring, modern designs and all look the same. A Wendy's and a Taco Bell are indistinguishable now. Themed design seems to be going away. That said, Disney is the one place where it would be nice to keep what used to really set them apart, great theming.
I understand if they went truly period with the theming people would complain it was dated so I don't know what the right answer is... but making everything super bland is not.
KDM31091
Well-Known Member
Don't think it's coming at all, ever. That bar will take up too much space and add too much crowding. I really doubt it's coming back, but would love to be wrong.
castlecake2.0
Well-Known Member
I think people are overestimating how much space the bar actually takes up
James Alucobond
Well-Known Member
The bar itself actually takes up slightly less space than the birdcage (floor space, not volume), though it takes up slightly more if you include the seating area. However, it’s worth noting that opposite the bar, they actually added equivalent space by eliminating the bump-out behind the elevator that originally mirrored the birdcage platform. The real thing to watch out for will be how much additional traffic it generates. The idea that the physical space is now more limited is based on absolutely nothing.
Stripes
Premium Member
New Furniture & Carpet Installed for Grand Floridian Lobby Reimagining
Walt Disney World is in the process of installing new furniture as part of the Grand Floridian lobby reimagining, and we have a first look!
blogmickey.com
Is that a hidden Donald?View attachment 887227
New Furniture & Carpet Installed for Grand Floridian Lobby Reimagining
Walt Disney World is in the process of installing new furniture as part of the Grand Floridian lobby reimagining, and we have a first look!
WorldExplorer
Well-Known Member
Can the answer be that when people book a 600+ dollars per night hotel they look at what they're buying so they don't show up at the themed resort and start whining that it's themed?
Go to the Marriot or buy points to stay at the Polyday Inn next door.
jah4955
Well-Known Member
idk....it looks like it'll be a challenge to keep clean?View attachment 887227
New Furniture & Carpet Installed for Grand Floridian Lobby Reimagining
Walt Disney World is in the process of installing new furniture as part of the Grand Floridian lobby reimagining, and we have a first look!
Casper Gutman
Well-Known Member
The furniture seems like a massive downgrade over the absurdly comfortable overstuffed chairs and sofas that used to occupy the space, which is now organized more like a bar than a lobby.View attachment 887227
New Furniture & Carpet Installed for Grand Floridian Lobby Reimagining
Walt Disney World is in the process of installing new furniture as part of the Grand Floridian lobby reimagining, and we have a first look!
James Alucobond
Well-Known Member
The armchair and sofa count is actually roughly the same. There's just more furniture in total now, with a lot more four-seater tables. I generally reserve my feelings for sofas until I've tried sitting in them, though I'll definitely agree that the seat-ottomans are never to my liking. Kind of wish those were something else.
Still, I'm happy the styling at least is better here overall than the furniture in the outbuilding lobbies, which sometimes trended more modern than what's on display here.