Yes, I think this would be the perfect hotel to lean into WDW nostalgia like they did with the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim.
Could even set up one of those Art on Demand kiosks like at Riviera to sell the artwork seen around the resort.
I agree this would be ideal and I would love a Mary Blair-styled remodel. But if I'm the beancounter wanting a popular IP that I can sell to kids, Incredibles is retro, and I feel like it fits in better than most choices. It's set in the 60s. It even has a raised train in the 2nd movie similar to the monorail. To me, the Incredibles movies feel similarly to pictures of Tomorrowland in the 60s. I liked the look and feel of the test area, but I can see why others would not.
Remember the Contemp. was originally sold as a futuristic looking resort. Having the monorail run through the middle, the architectural style, the rooms that were supposed to be slid in and out whenever there was a change needed, all set up a theming of the future and what was to hopefully come. Mary Blair's mural contribution fed off of the Grand Canyon look to the vast open inside area which also works but says nothing for futuristic theming. We can have both, Incredibles inside some floors and Blair in others.
I’m interested to know how you got selected for this. I would love to do that someday when I’m there! And I know you can’t share too much, but they were really that bad?! I am not a fan of the use of IP in the resort rooms...my resort room is an escape from the park with tasteful Disney touches. It makes me nervous what they’ll do at the Grand Floridian because the other two monorail resorts are going the IP route.
I will be honest I do not know if it was the fact that we stay at the Contemporary every year, or shear luck/randomness, but we were approached after checking in at the front desk by two very nice castmembers who asked if we would be willing to take 30-40min to help with a market study they were doing. We of course said yes, and then they informed us it would be to look at and provide comments on new Contemporary room designs. That afternoon we were brought up up a room in the corner of one of the floors and after signing an NDA, shown around the room.
I was in agreement with you up until this, but I get the point that you're making. Any IP is going to appeal to some fans and not to others.
I honestly almost went back and changed it before I wrote it, but I decided to leave it as a) I was writing this during my lunch break and didn't have a ton of time, and b) i think it gets across the point i was trying to make.
I understand. Nothing wrong with someone not liking princesses, or Incredibles, or even Mickey for that matter. Seems like the Tiana and pirate rooms were a way to get more cash out of guests and are sold as if they are preferable. I could see beancounters being interested in some Incredibles rooms at Contemp, Moana or Stitch rooms at Poly, etc. as a way to raise room rates. But due to covid, I'm sure they are taking extra hard looks at ways to minimize operational costs - making all bedding the same, for instance, so it doesn't require sorting. I'm not in hospitality, so I'm purely guessing at all of this.
Hey, that's extra counter space!
I agree with alot of that. The other part of this that strikes me as odd is they are starting this changeover with the theme park rooms Now at I guess I can understand the timing now, as with no fireworks these rooms have less of a demand, but the Contemporary Theme Park views (besides being amazing) already have a build in preferable upsale feature, the view. If anything I would have though you could have used lake view or even garden room view rooms to roll out the new OP features, in order to give those rooms some upsell potential.
Getting them done before they bring back fireworks is my guess.
Likely true. Plus I know we are not as upset/concerned with having to move out of our reservation at this time b/c there are no fireworks. Its a good opportunity to be doing work on those rooms to be sure.
This is such sad news to me. I guess it is possible that they took the feedback they received and changed the design of the model room I saw, but I doubt it. At least I doubt they changed it drastically from what the sample was. Obviously personal taste plays a big part in my thoughts of the new room, but it will really make me question going back there, or changing to another hotel. I will be interested to hear other peoples thoughts when the new rooms are debuted.
