News Beaches & Cream closing Aug 5 for refurb and expansion

[Disney Analyst]

Looks great.

 

[WDWTrojan]

The remodel is PATHETIC and another sign someone is hellbent on making Disney Resorts look like everyplace else. Gone is the time, place and story of The Beach Club. Now we are given HGTV pendant lights from every other place and Disney famed prints that tell us some designer remembered that they had to incorporate Disney into the place. Sad and amateurish.

"No need to make it look old, we'll just put a picture of an old car. That should remind people of what we want them to feel." - design team

 

[Ariel1986]

I do think it looks less tacky and more space is good- are there any booths though? They really should of added some booths and not put the glass at the bar to help it keep some of the old feel.

 

[networkpro]

The remodel is PATHETIC and another sign someone is hellbent on making Disney Resorts look like everyplace else. Gone is the time, place and story of The Beach Club. Now we are given HGTV pendant lights from every other place and Disney famed prints that tell us some designer remembered that they had to incorporate Disney into the place. Sad and amateurish.

Sad to see yet another harangue lamenting the increased capacity for a popular location.

 

[RobWDW1971]

Sad to see yet another harangue lamenting the increased capacity for a popular location.

You’re right! Now if we could get all of those stupid cars out of Sci Fi Diner just think of all the increased capacity!

 

[networkpro]

You’re right! Now if we could get all of those stupid cars out of Sci Fi Diner just think of all the increased capacity!

Apples and potatoes.

 

[WDW Monorail]

The remodels of bars, lounges and restaurants lately have all been very well done.

 

[RobWDW1971]

The remodels of bars, lounges and restaurants lately have all been very well done.

You look at those pictures of this remodel and that ceiling and call that “well done”? OK....

 

[WDW Monorail]

You look at those pictures of this remodel and that ceiling and call that “well done”? OK....

It’s a typical drop ceiling. Nothing wrong with it. Very easy to repair if there is an issue.

 

[RobWDW1971]

It’s a typical drop ceiling. Nothing wrong with it. Very easy to repair if there is an issue.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is 2019 WDI’s guiding principle.

 

[WDW Monorail]

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is 2019 WDI’s guiding principle.

Engineers are like minded.

 

[peter11435]

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is 2019 WDI’s guiding principle.

You realize almost every building at WDW in the 70’s and 80’s had a standard drop ceiling. Including the majority of Epcot Center. Take a look up across many of the latest additions. WDI uses less standard drop ceilings now than ever before.

 

[RobWDW1971]

You realize almost every building at WDW in the 70’s and 80’s had a standard drop ceiling. Including the majority of Epcot Center. Take a look up across many of the latest additions. WDI uses less standard drop ceilings now than ever before.

If you think that design represents an acceptable standard for Disney quality and themeing in context of 2019 standards, then I fully understand your position.

Was just in Vegas last week and went through about two dozen new dining locations - glad the Vegas architects/interior designers aren’t using the “well, it’s better than what we used to build here in the 1970’s” standard.

 

[networkpro]

You realize almost every building at WDW in the 70’s and 80’s had a standard drop ceiling. Including the majority of Epcot Center. Take a look up across many of the latest additions. WDI uses less standard drop ceilings now than ever before.

But where would the outrage build from if not from the drop ceiling? Honestly, lots of folks would wail and lament about the slightest thing such as the number of sprinkles on their sundae, the Pantone shade of their ice cream, or the composition of their disposable napkin.

The Disney management saw the demand for additional seating (queue up the FUD on the addition of ADRs to this location) to meet demand (and thats even with another Parlor across at the Boardwalk) and addressed it with additional seating.

Remember it only had three booths, 5 small tables, and maybe 10 seats at the counter prior to the expansion.

 

[RobWDW1971]

Remember it only had three booths, 5 small tables, and maybe 10 seats at the counter prior to the expansion.

We remember, it was called “an intimate, themed setting”.

 

[peter11435]

We remember, it was called “an intimate, themed setting”.

One that no longer worked for its location and demand.

 

[peter11435]

If you think that design represents an acceptable standard for Disney quality and themeing in context of 2019 standards, then I fully understand your position.

Was just in Vegas last week and went through about two dozen new dining locations - glad the Vegas architects/interior designers aren’t using the “well, it’s better than what we used to build here in the 1970’s” standard.

I said nothing about the ceiling design in the new beaches and cream being good enough. It’s a downgrade from what was there and that’s not acceptable. I was referencing your laughably misinformed comment regarding 2019 WDI.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

I'm in the camp that leans toward preferring the refurbed version to what was there before. One thing that I think people don't take into account sometimes is that the approach to theming - though, obviously, intended to invoke a much earlier time - also corresponded to the aesthetic sensibilities of the late-1980s/1990s. The tendency at the time was more toward these bright colours, layering on iconography, etc. and, to me, places like Beaches and Cream as well as the old Caribbean Beach Resort food court very much looked of that era.

The colours, tile, openness, etc. of the refurbed version are a lot fresher and more appealing, at least to me. Same goes for the refurb of the CBR lobby and foodcourt.

I'm not sure the biggest issue is whether the style is over the top or not, or minimalist or not. IMHO the issue is that this is off the shelf style. There isn't anything they installed that I can run out and source myself. Drop in ceiling tile to somewhat resemble a pressed tin ceiling, a cluster of pendant lights, the tile - I could probably find all of this (or something very similar) in short order.

Older WDW designs featured something unique that you weren't likely to be able to find or see anywhere else. Example: Ice cream cone lights. Tacky to some, loved by others, but not something you just picked up on-line or at a store. I think that is the issue.

This is the main reservation I have about a lot of the recent refurbs: all of the fittings look like stuff you could go out and buy if you really wanted to. That does take away from the uniqueness that these Disney locations used to have and makes them seem more interior designed than imagineered.

 

[RobWDW1971]

I said nothing about the ceiling design in the new beaches and cream being good enough. It’s a downgrade from what was there and that’s not acceptable. I was referencing your laughably misinformed comment regarding 2019 WDI.

Ah, your defense of WDI is that what they actually built is unacceptable. I get it now, was confused. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[peter11435]

Ah, your defense of WDI is that what they actually built is unacceptable. I get it now, was confused. Thanks for clarifying.

The point was that you shouldn’t judge the entire organization based on a single project.