Contemporary Concourse Refurb

[maelstrom]

YES!! That's what I remember hearing. We went and ate at Chef Mickey's once and we had a CM talk about that exact idea. I was under the impression the lighting was still in use. However, every time we went through the CR at night, I never saw it. I was hoping that we weren't being flibbed to.

THANKS!!

I don't know about lighting but I'm pretty sure that the balconies were actually painted different colours.

 

[vonpluto]

The nature of the restaurant going into the first floor is still somewhat of a mystery. We don't know whether it will be a move of the Concourse Steakhouse verbatim (with an obvious name change, of course), or something else entirely. One of the rumors we've heard is that it might be a sports bar-type thing.

A couple of questions:
Is it a given that the new retaurant will be on the ground floor?

From the picture, the construction walls cordon off the center area and not the shops. Is this just phase one, something new in the center, then alter some or all of the shops?

Work on the second floor. Could some of the shops or the restaurant be relocated there? Thinking of the old Gulf Coast Room restaurant.

Thanx
Frank

 

[maelstrom]

Here are a couple of pictures I found of the Contemporary in years past for those interested.

 

[fredtom]

A couple of questions:
Is it a given that the new retaurant will be on the ground floor?

From the picture, the construction walls cordon off the center area and not the shops. Is this just phase one, something new in the center, then alter some or all of the shops?

Work on the second floor. Could some of the shops or the restaurant be relocated there? Thinking of the old Gulf Coast Room restaurant.

Thanx
Frank

I can't believe someone else remembers the Gulf Coast Dining Room! I've tried to tell my wife about it from remembering going there a couple of times in the 70's long before we met.


"An Adventurer's life is best!" :lol:

 

[wannab@dis]

Yeah, that is Contemporary. :lookaroun



I'm liking the new look a LOT better.

Edit: Image of new room from AllEars

 

[CaptainMichael]

I'm liking the new look a LOT better.

Biiiiiiiiiiiiiig difference!:lol:

 

[Figment1986]

I wonder how much construction is going to be going on around the 20th of this month....

(and how High I will be...)

 

[marni1971]

I don't know about lighting but I'm pretty sure that the balconies were actually painted different colours.

They were - during a `90s rehab. Kind of like a pale rainbow hue moving down from the top floor. I can`t find a pic right now though. Anyone?

 

[800Miles2Magic]

That picture will take you back. I remeber Poly and the contp. having those pictures on the walls in the late 70's early 80's. Some showed an airport and hotels that never were built, and even Big Thunder Mt years before it was built. How I would LOVE to get my hands on one of those pictures.

 

[Horizons78]

the conventioneers are not happy with the current situation of no bar or restaurant not surrounded by children.

I guess nobody read my post. I've stayed their as a vacationing guest and as a conventioneer. I was in the tower not even a month ago on the Chef Mickey end and the noise from breakfast was irritating as a vacationer. We were on the 10th floor - and it was a problem. As a conventioneer it would cross the line from irritating to a complaint. As I stated in my previous post, I love to defend Disney as there are so many who do look for every item to nitpick.

Im used to the constant worry on here everytime something changes, but the fact that people are concerned about moving the arcade to where fantasia is.... i question if you guys would be worried no matter what the plans were. this change makes sense in every way. right now the resort is a mish mash of everything... and also is a horrible use of space..

Again - Im a Disney defender - not a hater. But how can you justify a blanket statement such as this move making sense in every way? If they don't do a great job of insulating the sound from the game room when it is moved then they will have a bigger problem on their hands than they do now. I've stayed in the tower plenty of times over the years for the view and the service but if it gets significantly louder I can't see spending deluxe dollars for value resort noise. Sorry

 

[maelstrom]

That picture will take you back. I remeber Poly and the contp. having those pictures on the walls in the late 70's early 80's. Some showed an airport and hotels that never were built, and even Big Thunder Mt years before it was built. How I would LOVE to get my hands on one of those pictures.

Very few of them are still out there. I'm always on the lookout myself.

 

[ryguy]

I think most of us here embrace change. I think everyone will agree that the new rooms are a big step up. The lobby needs work and we know that. The big problem with the contemporary is that it has a huge identity crisis. This all stems from adding the convention center. When they added business clientel it went from a family friendly hotel to a more business oriented hotel which rubs most people on vacation the wrong way. For example, when I am sporting my flops, speedo, and towel and I am standing next to a bunch of stiffs in suits on the elevator I feel like a loser. :lookaroun I am on vacation to get away from that atmosphere. For some reason the other convention hotels can get away with but the contemporary doesn't. Every body mingles to much and it makes for everyone feeling uncomfortable. I find it funny they are thinking of adding DVC that should make this hotel completely disfunctional. I am in the corner of making this a family focused hotel since its so close to the happiest place on earth. Right now its a waste of prime real estate, do you think the suits who are there for work really care about the location of this hotel? Or care about the fireworks or the monorail flowing through the concourse? I bet not. Eliminating the convention center would solve a lot of problems unfortunately that will never happen. To sum it up, I miss the 80's version of the contemporary.

 

[CTXRover]

I'm not worried. They've classed up the rooms a lot and finally gave them a reason to be called "deluxe". I have a tough time believing that the rest of the changes to the lobby and concourse area wouldn't follow the same desire to class up the resort some more. The concourse feels out of place and dated when compared to the new rooms and hallways, so changes were inevitable.

As for the arcade in the concourse, its an ideal location. The biggest concern is noise. The early morning parties they have at Chef Mickey's is already annoying, so I too worry about more noise from young kids and teenagers in an arcade. However, some have said it is being placed where the Fantasia shop is, right? I'm sure with some appropriate remodeling of the shop (which has a roof) and placing doors that close at the entranceways, sound from the arcade itself can be limited to almost zero. As with every big change, memories will be lost, but new ones will form. It can't stay in the 80's, early 90's forever. Its called the "Contemporary" afterall.

 

[drnilescrane]

One thing I hope they do in the concourse is replace the structure that BVG is housed in - that diamond lattice roofing is horrible and has to go.

Merf, do you have any more pics from your recent trip, such as on the second floor?

 

[mousermerf]

Some floating around, just havent had the time to photoshop yet.

Not sure i i got the second floor - nothin to really see there. There's like a 4ft gap around the escalators and that's it. As you go up/down you get a glimpse over the wall and i could see them taking off the wall covers and carpet, but nothing else. The wall near the California Grill check-in was stripped bare.

 

[mousermerf]

Just a comment - as much as i love the plexiglass trees in orange and red, my favorite version was the wooden garden and trellis look.

 

[cornnibblitz]

Can someone please report on the status of the Outer Rim Lounge? We're visiting in a little over a week and love the lounge. Will it be open, and if so, will it be surrounded by noisy construction? Ambiance is everything...

 

[ryguy]

I am totally for a refurbishment, I am just saying I like the feel of the hotel from the 1980's rather than the 90's to the present version. The vibe in the hotel now is a little to stuffy and formal for a vacation atmosphere. If they could somehow seperate the two crowds (business vs vacation) I think it would help the Contemporary a great deal. Maybe a name change could help out. I mean if they can change Dixie Landings why not the Contemporary. I think the word contemporary is hard to live up to and constantly presents challenge's to the designers. My idea of contemporary is probably different than yours, so there will always be people saying this hotel isn't very "contemporary".

 

[maelstrom]

I am totally for a refurbishment, I am just saying I like the feel of the hotel from the 1980's rather than the 90's to the present version. The vibe in the hotel now is a little to stuffy and formal for a vacation atmosphere. If they could somehow seperate the two crowds (business vs vacation) I think it would help the Contemporary a great deal. Maybe a name change could help out. I mean if they can change Dixie Landings why not the Contemporary. I think the word contemporary is hard to live up to and constantly presents challenge's to the designers. My idea of contemporary is probably different than yours, so there will always be people saying this hotel isn't very "contemporary".

I too think the hotel used to have a much better feel. As for a name change, how about Disney's Trendy Ikea Loft.

 

[ryguy]

Disney get rid of a bar? I would doubt that very seriously. I think a bar is a must for business travelers.