This is disappointing to some of us who have stayed at the Comtemporary almost every year since it opened in 1971.
The new tower does overshadow the older one. Considering that the Contemporary used to be THE premiere deluxe hotel at WDW, it's a shame that it is now a shadow of what it used to be, and will become a shadow to the newer tower. Unfortunately, the Contemp's downfall started whe, the GF was built.
That being said, I stayed at the North GW in 2005 and it was badly in need or repair/refurb. The hallyway carpet was the same one from 1971, the A/C didn't work anywhere in the building, and everything we touched in our room seemed to fall apart. I guess this new tower is the reason why the NGW did not get any TLC.
The reasons why the Contemporary was considered so contemporary in 1971 was that the a-frame allowed the monorail to drive through the building, and the fact that the rooms were completed at a separate location, moved to WDW, lifted on a crane, and slid into place. That, in itself, is pretty cool, but I guess instead of doing that again, it's easier (and cheaper) to do an on-site refurb of the rooms.
Even though I now stay at the BC, the Contemporary will always have a special place in my heart. It's where I spent almost every summer (and my honeymoon) from 1971 till 2005, Viva le Contemporary!
