News Contemporary Refurbishment--April to Sept 2021

[vikescaper]

I like The Incredibles but I don’t necessarily agree with the usage of the characters in the new rooms. I guess when I think of the Contemporary, I think of monorails and the Mary Blair mural and I would have rolled with those themes for the rooms. Granted, I’m not an interior designer or Disney, but it just seems like these rooms were a misstep.

 

[wdwfan22]

I think they did a great job with the lobby. Now it's time to move on to Chef Mickey's which is in need of a refresh.

 

[Disney Analyst]

It looks fabulous! Love how Steakhouse 71 looks.

 

[castlecake2.0]

It's time like this when you can tell two different teams had no coordination:
Lower Lobby=Mary Blair inspired with bits of history tossed about
Upper lobby=Some 90's-esque hellish and awkward area with 3 stores eating up space for weird reasons
Rooms=Incredibles with stickers in closets

What is the main theme of this place? There's no consistency.

The thing that annoys me with the retail is that Buena Vista Gifts looks empty half the time, like they don’t know what to stock it with, then they built the toy store in the middle which is nicely merchandised but totally obnoxious in its location. I would either a)reduce BVGs selling space by removing all the fixtures blocking the windows and focusing more on high end items, or b) remove BVG all together and make it a lounge overlooking bay lake.

also think they need to redo chef mickeys and contempo, they both look like mall food courts. The whole concourse area is advertising potential for what a Disney resort is for everyone passing by on the monorail, make it look good!

 

[eddie104]

I love how everything looks in the lobby from the furniture to the sign for Steakhouse 71. Personally I think the new look they are going for will match better with Incredibles themed rooms.

As far as the concourse area I’m pretty sure they have something planned for that area as well. Getting other areas done first were probably more priority for them.

 

[GimpYancIent]

The ultimate guest satisfying factor for any hotel or resort are the rooms. The guests do not live in the lobby, conduct business, pass through and do some interacting w others but the lobby is not where guests stay. As a guest if I want to stay in economy resort themed rooms I would stay at one of the economy resorts not the contemporary. The message being sent by the Contemporary refurb is to come see and enjoy the lobby no need to stay beyond a that.

P.S.: The Contemporary is an excellent monorail station.

 

[Skywise]

I'm mixed on the new lobby - I really love the 70s furniture and mural in front of the check in desks and think it sets a great retro vibe.
I'm mixed on the new Mary Blair on the giant column in the entrance. I didn't like what was there originally but I'm not sure I like this any better (and they could've left the 5 hooved goat off which I think is a cheap callback to the actual one JUST UPSTAIRS).
Don't like the new check in counters at all. Seems an odd mix with the other changes. The old ones were a better 70s vibe but if they're going to go through all the trouble they should just taken a page of old 60s mod airport counters with sweeping curves. But you're barely going to see those so ultimately it's a minor nit.
The steakhouse entrance is just... different. I liked the Wave entrance just because it was unique but I realize that can't survive with a retheming. This one doesn't make me go "wow" - it just looks like an entrance to a steakhouse. An interesting idea here would've been to go for a more intimate steakhouse experience and darken the lights here too but that's obviously not the theme they're going for.
(Although I just realized... it reminds me of a Ponderosa )

 

[Rose&Crown]

It looks like they’re possibly updating the flooring on the monorail platform maybe, but that’s it. Chef Mickeys is the main culprit, if they could get rid of the 90s purple clutter it would make a world of difference.

Ya it’s going to be jarring going from one to the other.

 

[WDWTrojan]

Amazing how they can get this so so right, but the Polynesian entrance so wrong.

 

[James Alucobond]

Amazing how they can get this so so right, but the Polynesian entrance so wrong.

Eh, I'd argue the Polynesian entrance is actually really close to being right with a few mind-boggling oversights in areas they usually nail. It's not like they miscalculated the entire project; there are just some bafflingly unfinished finishes.

 

[jmuboy]

Eh, I'd argue the Polynesian entrance is actually really close to being right with a few mind-boggling oversights in areas they usually nail. It's not like they miscalculated the entire project; there are just some bafflingly unfinished finishes.

The ballon lights are awful

 

[WDWTrojan]

The ballon lights are awful

The "sh@g carpet" thatching and the entire unfinished underside of the porté cochere are the worst offenders. The latter looking like an outdoor events pavilion at an underfunded city park.

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

The new Contemporary lobby is a home run - job well done by the team in charge. This is the design aesthetic that should have been used in the guest rooms. Hopefully they'll update the GC concourse to better match the lobby.

It's time like this when you can tell two different teams had no coordination:
Lower Lobby=Mary Blair inspired with bits of history tossed about
Upper lobby=Some 90's-esque hellish and awkward area with 3 stores eating up space for weird reasons
Rooms=Incredibles with stickers in closets

What is the main theme of this place? There's no consistency.

Unfortunately this. The lack of cohesion across the resort has always put me off from even considering staying there, especially compared to other wonderfully themed deluxes like Wilderness or AKL. As big a step forward as the new lobby is, the Incredibles rooms are just as big a step back in my opinion.

 

[GimpYancIent]

The new Contemporary lobby is a home run - job well done by the team in charge. This is the design aesthetic that should have been used in the guest rooms. Hopefully they'll update the GC concourse to better match the lobby.


Unfortunately this. The lack of cohesion across the resort has always put me off from even considering staying there, especially compared to other wonderfully themed deluxes like Wilderness or AKL. As big a step forward as the new lobby is, the Incredibles rooms are just as big a step back in my opinion.

Still has a really nice lobby now and it's a really nice monorail station in an original structure.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

10/10 aesthetic, absolutely nailed. Completely destroyed by the inclusion of the Incredibles characters.

 

[GimpYancIent]

10/10 aesthetic, absolutely nailed. Completely destroyed by the inclusion of the Incredibles characters.

A very economy room!

 

[castlecake2.0]

Feels too cold. The lobby has such warm colors, should have used those.

 

[Ponderer]

10/10 aesthetic, absolutely nailed. Completely destroyed by the inclusion of the Incredibles characters.

I can’t disagree more. The Incredibles is literally an extension of the whole Contemporary aesthetic, especially the stylized end credits they’re drawing from. (Heck, Incredibles 2 literally has the heroes saving an actual monorail.) It belongs.

My only comment is I wish the stylized window arch had a bit less bezel - as it is, it gives the room a little too much of a pod feel. Which I guess is actually on-theme, especially when you think about how the original concept of the Contemporary rooms was that they could be removable pods, but it makes the rooms feel a little smaller. But I love the sleekness overall.

 

[ToTBellHop]

This doesn’t anger me, honestly. Wonder if the DVC will adopt this aesthetic.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I can’t disagree more. The Incredibles is literally an extension of the whole Contemporary aesthetic, especially the stylized end credits they’re drawing from. (Heck, Incredibles 2 literally has the heroes saving an actual monorail.) It belongs.

My only comment is I wish the stylized window arch had a bit less bezel - as it is, it gives the room a little too much of a pod feel. Which I guess is actually on-theme, especially when you think about how the original concept of the Contemporary rooms was that they could be removable pods, but it makes the rooms feel a little smaller. But I love the sleekness overall.

I don't dislike the inclusion of the Incredibles because I think they're off-theme, I dislike the inclusion of the Incredibles because I dislike the Incredibles.