I feel like one of the things that they seem to be more focused on with room rehabs these days is functionality over theme. I have stayed in the new YC rooms. On my computer screen I thought that they looked very 'meh', but when we stayed there we really liked them. The theme is there, but just extremely toned down. It seems to me that way more thought is being placed on developing a more 'user-friendly' room. In the YC rooms, there are so many outlets and phone/device charging ports that an entire traveling circus could stay in one room and everyone could find a charging port. The beds are completely open underneath to allow for more storage in the rooms. There is also more of a focus on drawers and cabinet space for stowing things away. And, one small addition I loved was the placement of a corner shelf between the queen bed and the wall - the spot of the bed I always occupy (there was never a good place for my phone except on the floor which I hated). One nice touch we saw when we toured the new Copper Creek rooms at the SS model was a storage space designed for shoes. It really seems that a more utilitarian approach is being looked at. Also, the TV screens are HUGE, so you could pretty much watch them from the hallway if you wanted.
Hard flooring as opposed to carpets - I assume - are easier to clean and maintain. Additionally, a more sparsely themed room should prove easier to clean on the whole. Apparently, the lack of runners at the foot of the beds are no longer there since people seem to enjoy stealing them. I would imagine that more than just runners have been stolen - did you ever see some items for sale on eBay that most likely were pilfered from Disney rooms? As always, we can thank fellow vacationers for some of these issues.
In the end, I imagine that a more basic room with less themed items is both easier to clean/maintain, while also providing less specifically themed items for folks to walk away with. You can't walk away with a Disney themed runner/pillow/picture/etc., if it is no longer truly themed (or no longer in the room!). It would be like stealing a runner from a Hilton or Marriott I suppose.
feisty is fun lol. But I'm not fond of the sterile look the hotels seem to be going for. I like some aspects of the update. It seems the charm of rooms is being zapped away at WDW. I think the old look was a bit dingy and due for an update but they can do better.
