I don't think it's outsourcing either that's the problem. Disney gives the outsourcer a budget to use and they are restricted on what they can do and stay in budget. The theming that we all want, and what Disney should have, cost money. It's obvious Disney does not want to pay for it anymore.
The beige carpet on the other hand is not a Budget error, but more than likely the designer did not realize that that stairwell is so heavily used that the carpet will get destroyed quickly. There again, maybe it is a budget issue. The designers should have done a walk-through of the hotel before they started the makeover and should have realized how much traffic both steps. See. Maybe there was no budget for an on-site inspection.