News New look lobby coming to the Walt Disney World Swan

MinnieM123

Premium Member
Not sure if I like the new design. Hoping it may look different in person.

Sometimes, too, when I see a new lobby design photo without people in it, the vibe can be completely different. Once I see guests walking through there, I might have a change of opinion.
 

the.dreamfinder

Well-Known Member
I appreciate how these redesigns aren’t making structural changes to these spaces. It’s nice to see changes made that can be easily reserved once PoMo is appreciated again.
 

DisneyNittany

Well-Known Member
Best bang for your buck on property. Love staying there and the redesign looks great.

Agreed. My wife and I are both Marriott/SPG folks with our work travel, so we always stay at Swan & Dolphin. Price (and reward's points) are location can't be beat, especially for the quality of stay and service that you receive.
 

Flynnwriter

Well-Known Member
Wow! Michael Graves just shot out of his grave! More pedestrian interior design of the moment from third tier interior design firms. Keep going Disney, and you’re going to end up with someplace that looks like every place.
 

shernernum

Well-Known Member
Wow! Michael Graves just shot out of his grave! More pedestrian interior design of the moment from third tier interior design firms. Keep going Disney, and you’re going to end up with someplace that looks like every place.
And this would be Disney's responsibility why?
 

Flynnwriter

Well-Known Member
And this would be Disney's responsibility why?
Well, this hotel, while not Disney-owned, had creative oversight by Disney to maintain a quality Resort Hotel standard that would be in-line with other 4 star properties on-site. Very few guests know that these hotels are not "Disney" resorts, but they still should reflect the Resort's creative intent overall.
 

shernernum

Well-Known Member
I'm pretty sure that if Disney tried to force them into keeping a particular design feature, that would be in violation of the lease agreement. "maintaining a quality Resort hotel standard" is a pretty broad area that Marriott/SPG have to work within. I'm sure Disney isn't really paying that much attention to this, which may be symptomatic of issue within TDO as a whole, but doing the Disney, sky is falling hyperbole on every topic, especially when the issue isn't one caused by Disney just makes it difficult to maintain credibility as fans when Disney does do something they need to be called out on.
 

Flynnwriter

Well-Known Member
I'm pretty sure that if Disney tried to force them into keeping a particular design feature, that would be in violation of the lease agreement. "maintaining a quality Resort hotel standard" is a pretty broad area that Marriott/SPG have to work within. I'm sure Disney isn't really paying that much attention to this, which may be symptomatic of issue within TDO as a whole, but doing the Disney, sky is falling hyperbole on every topic, especially when the issue isn't one caused by Disney just makes it difficult to maintain credibility as fans when Disney does do something they need to be called out on.
You make it really difficult to hold back. It seems there are two camps here: 1) Disney fans that can't stand critical thought about anything Disney and 2) Disney Fans who can look at something and differentiate between "quality" and sub-par. It seems that if the second group (myself included) point our anything negative, the first group goes on defense, blindly trying to discredit or silence anyone who points out anything "bad." I don't have a "the sky is falling" attitude at Disney World, yet. But I do see a blatant pattern of bad projects with dubious taste done by outside firms (and inside sometimes). The sky may not be falling, but don't be surprised if someday you look up and realize there's not enough sky left to remember what it once looked like.
 

shernernum

Well-Known Member
You make it really difficult to hold back. It seems there are two camps here: 1) Disney fans that can't stand critical thought about anything Disney and 2) Disney Fans who can look at something and differentiate between "quality" and sub-par. It seems that if the second group (myself included) point our anything negative, the first group goes on defense, blindly trying to discredit or silence anyone who points out anything "bad." I don't have a "the sky is falling" attitude at Disney World, yet. But I do see a blatant pattern of bad projects with dubious taste done by outside firms (and inside sometimes). The sky may not be falling, but don't be surprised if someday you look up and realize there's not enough sky left to remember what it once looked like.

Disney screws up.... a lot. I was not disputing that. However, the only point is, call out Marriott/Starwood if you don't like what they are doing with Swan and Dolphin, because this is their call and I doubt that anything they are doing violates any license agreement they have with Disney or that Disney really can have much influence over this as long as the hotel remains consistent in "luxury" with the standards of other similar level properties.
Leave the "keep it up Disney" to things they actually have direct control over, because if we believe they listen at all to the fan community (which is of course entirely debatable), then blanket statements about everything, even things they don't directly control, just become noise, which they can ignore. Want to complain about generic updates to the Yacht Club, the destruction the the Wilderness at the Lodge, the IP invasion of EPCOT...etc. I think that's a different story. I realize this may sound like semantics, but in the era of clickbait and "fake news" I really do think it's important if fans want to actually get their point across.
 

the.dreamfinder

Well-Known Member
Disney has to sign off on any changes at Swolphin.

They’re also involved in the developemen of that ugly glass cube proposed to go between the two resorts.
 

Horizons '83

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
Well, this hotel, while not Disney-owned, had creative oversight by Disney to maintain a quality Resort Hotel standard that would be in-line with other 4 star properties on-site. Very few guests know that these hotels are not "Disney" resorts, but they still should reflect the Resort's creative intent overall.
I disagree with you here. The main elements that made these hotels great are still there. I mentioned earlier that they are keeping the beauitful mural and swan fountiains and the addtions they are making are welcome and appropriate. The lobbies disperatly needed some updating.
 

shernernum

Well-Known Member
Disney has to sign off on any changes at Swolphin.

They’re also involved in the developemen of that ugly glass cube proposed to go between the two resorts.
I would actually like to know how much design oversight they have...because maybe I'm wrong.
Do they have veto power over everything, or just the ability to challenge a design choice that would lower the resort quality? Those would be very different things. I'm honestly asking, because that would make a difference.
 

Missing20K

Well-Known Member
My guess is a third party interior design or architecture firm did the design for Marriott/Starwood and Disney just signed off on it. My reasoning being that the renderings shown do not have any Disney copyright mark, nor show any "entourage" (fancy architect speak for people and stuff). Disney renderings virtually always show people enjoying the space and kids with balloons and an employee or two.

As for the actual design.....I'm excited to watch the Golden Girls go to Disney special to hype the new Mary Poppins ride. ;) I think the Dolphin re-design was much more successful.
 

Deano77

Member
A little random and may be unknown, but we have have received construction pins at both Caribbean and Coronado and love them. What is the criteria for Disney to do these during construction? Is there a criteria? The only other Resort I have found to do this is WL. Any insight would be interesting and would love to hear it.
 

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