News New look lobby coming to the Walt Disney World Swan

[build_it]

I'm glad to see they aren't ripping out or covering up the key original designs. I am a little disappointed in some of the choices... mostly the main lobby entrance. I've always appreciated the varied uses of circles in the design and the play of the stripes that accentuate them. Some of that is going away with these more subtle tones and angular lighting fixtures.

And more white.... looks like they went to a certain flowering tree home line for inspiration. At least I don't see any shiplap.

I'm guessing it was one of M/SPG standard design contracts. Not a surprise, just not the fun/edginess I would have wanted for these very recognizable post modern pieces. It could be much, much worse, so I'll take what I can get.

 

[Rteetz]

A little random and may be unknown, but we have have received construction pins at both Caribbean and Coronado and love them. What is the criteria for Disney to do these during construction? Is there a criteria? The only other Resort I have found to do this is WL. Any insight would be interesting and would love to hear it.

They seem to only do it for major construction. General refurbs don't tend to get them. Like Pop didn't do pins for their room refurbs.

 

[Biff215]

Even if Disney does have the final say, did anyone here actually believe that they would turn it down? Look at Disney’s own renovations as of late. They probably encouraged this design.

Personally I don’t mind any of these updates by the way. They might seem less Disney or boring, but we also can’t continue with 80’s and 90’s designs just because we’re nostalgic. Give it another decade and they’ll change again.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

I would actually like to know how much design oversight they have...because maybe I'm wrong.
Do they have veto power over everything, or just the ability to challenge a design choice that would lower the resort quality? Those would be very different things. I'm honestly asking, because that would make a difference.

Michael Eisner picked the hotels’ architect and Disney oversaw the design process. According to the article below, Disney has ”creative control” over the resort. They very much approved of these changes, even if it was a rubber stamp.

https://www.nytimes.com/1990/04/08/magazine/disney-deco.html

It’s funny how all these changes go against Graves’ design intent.

At the Swan and Dolphin, Michael Graves brazenly forgoes the visual cues normally associated with luxury hotels - mirrors and crystal chandeliers (Continued on Page 42) - in favor of water splashing down a waterfall made of mammoth clamshells, the last and largest shell supported by two sliver-thin Dolphin sculptures, ''the fillets,'' he calls them. The hotels are rife with joy and mischief - comic but functional works of architecture that say to the public, ''Take my building . . . please.''

 

[Horizons '83]

Michael Eisner picked the hotels’ architect and Disney oversaw the design process. According to the article below, Disney has ”creative control” over the resort. They very much approved of these changes, even if it was a rubber stamp.

https://www.nytimes.com/1990/04/08/magazine/disney-deco.html

It’s funny how all these changes go against Graves’ design intent.

The changes aren’t that stark. I typically agree that most changes recently haven’t been great, but this is a needed change in a dated lobby, most of the same elements that were built in original are still present.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Even if Disney does have the final say, did anyone here actually believe that they would turn it down? Look at Disney’s own renovations as of late. They probably encouraged this design.

Personally I don’t mind any of these updates by the way. They might seem less Disney or boring, but we also can’t continue with 80’s and 90’s designs just because we’re nostalgic. Give it another decade and they’ll change again.

It’s not about nostalgia. This isn’t about keeping the entire hotel exactly the same as it was in ‘91. No one wants crappy CRT TVs or other outdated amenities. Amenities should be separate from, in this case, art direction.

This a significant work of architecture and the lobbies and common spaces ought to be protected from aesthetic changes which alter the design intent.

But, overall, Disney has little respect for art, including the theme park artform pioneered by the company, at this point, so this is absolutely consistent with their worldview.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

The changes aren’t that stark. I typically agree that most changes recently haven’t been great, but this is a needed change in a dated lobby, most of the same elements that were built in original are still present.

You’re right, this isn’t like what Disney did to the Poly grand ceremonial house in terms of making permanent structural changes to the physical character of the space. Thankfully, as stated earlier, these changes are mostly cosmetic and can be reversed.