News The game arcade is set to return to Disney's Contemporary Resort

[Rteetz]

This, however, may be. But unless someone has seen the actual numbers for what the revenue from registration vs the cost to produce the event, we can't be certain.

Anecdotally, my father is a runner and he went to do the marathon once, and I think they went to the parks one day out of 4. So at least for him, the marathon was an enticement to spend $$$ he would not have otherwise.

I wonder if all the cheerleading and youth sports are loss leaders? I could see that being the case. Those events bring a lot of bodies to the swamp.

I don’t have specific numbers but I know someone who does and they have told me that runDisney makes next to nothing on actual races. This is why they have started doing more virtual races as this makes them actual money. runDisney has to pay for practically everything when it comes to races even renting out the parks to have the races run through them.

 

[Monorail_Red_77]

Afraid the Poly no longer has an Arcade last I checked. GF has a very small Arcade.

The All Star Resorts also have arcades still. Along with AoA and Pop.

 

[briangaw]

I think Port Orleans Riverside also still has an arcade as well.

 

[Walt d]

The Poly still has an arcade?

I think they're missing out on a good revenue stream here - maybe make something similar to the current trend of retro arcade bars.
They also need to put Wreck it Ralph in there!

Yes pac man...

 

[Surfin' Tuna]

Fingers crossed they bring back the Tron Legacy pinball machine

Also those coin op massage chairs too...Those were nice...

Good news!
Four pinball machines - Tron, Star Wars, Pirates, and The Avengers
Three massage chairs

It was a good Monday all around!

 

[jbolen2]

Good news!
Four pinball machines - Tron, Star Wars, Pirates, and The Avengers
Three massage chairs

It was a good Monday all around!

Any pictures of what all’s in there?

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Good news!
Four pinball machines - Tron, Star Wars, Pirates, and The Avengers
Three massage chairs

It was a good Monday all around!

 

[Surfin' Tuna]

Any pictures of what all’s in there?

I started to take a picture, but I got sidetracked playing the games. I'm a failure, but I think it was most of the same games. None of them were new, so I am guessing a lot of them game back from storage.

There were four skee-ball games, one air hockey, fruit ninja, doodle jump, several driving games, two big kid and one little kid basketball games, the fishing game with the reels, one of the dancing games, the game where you hit the blue lights as they light, a star wars game (looked like the landspeeder or similar/didn't play), 2 pacman/galaga games that weren't working, a tank driving game (also not working), a photobooth, several of the penny pressing machines that actually press quarters, a Typhoon roller coaster simulators ride, and others.

I should have taken pictures...

 

[fngoofy]

I’m looking. I know I have photos somewhere. Still have the drawn picture of me from the late seventies from the contemporary arcade where they had the artists. I had so much hair back then.

Here is a shot with the Mousketeers from 1978 and then a shot from 1991, right before it closed.

 

[Kman101]

Surprised it's not going to be a themed bar

 

[DisneyDebRob]

Here is a shot with the Mousketeers from 1978 and then a shot from 1991, right before it closed.
View attachment 362962View attachment 362963

Thanks for making me miss it even more.

 

[threvester]

Here is a shot with the Mousketeers from 1978 and then a shot from 1991, right before it closed.
View attachment 362962View attachment 362963

It actually closed many years after 1991..in the 2000s sometime..the wave opened in 08

 

[DisneyDebRob]

It actually closed many years after 1991..in the 2000s sometime..the wave opened in 08

It wasn’t even close to what it was in it’s glory days.

 

[wdwjmp239]

Lots of grainy photos online. Memory is fading fast of the good old Fiesta Fun Center!
View attachment 362043

This was my jam when this game was located in the old game center. The Tower of Power. My younger bro and I used to empty the machine out and give the tickets we won to some unsuspecting kid right before we left. I'll never the forget the last time we were here and we gave some 6 year old walking around at least a combined total of 900 tickets to him. His eyes lit up like a Christmas tree! Hey...we made some kid happy....we were good like that!

 

[HauntedPirate]

I remember spending some time, and more than a few dollars, in the Fiesta Fun Center, or whatever it was called in 1991. That place was nirvana for gamers back in the day!

 

[DisneyFreak]

Fond memories in the Contemporary arcade. Back in my teenage years we were down there with friends of the family. We were staying at Poly and they were at Grand Floridian. Me and their two sons (one same age as me the other a couple years younger) jumped on the monorail one night and went to the Contemporary arcade. Back then it was open extremely late or 24hrs, can't remember which. Either way we lost track of time and missed the last monorail and bus. We were outta cash and options so we started walking back to our resorts. We were about to the TTC when we got picked up by the Mickey Police who in turn drove us back to our resorts. Ah, good times!

 

[wdwjmp239]

Fond memories in the Contemporary arcade. Back in my teenage years we were down there with friends of the family. We were staying at Poly and they were at Grand Floridian. Me and their two sons (one same age as me the other a couple years younger) jumped on the monorail one night and went to the Contemporary arcade. Back then it was open extremely late or 24hrs, can't remember which. Either way we lost track of time and missed the last monorail and bus. We were outta cash and options so we started walking back to our resorts. We were about to the TTC when we got picked up by the Mickey Police who in turn drove us back to our resorts. Ah, good times!

I think anyone who was a gamer back then used to make their pilgrimage to the Contemporary. It was always busy!

 

[Trails End]

I'd prefer they kick it old school and put the arcade back in the basement where the Wave restaurant currently is.
They used to have a theatre, an arcade, and few tables and chairs and a counter service that looked like it was right out of a 1970s bowling alley.

Games of choice were Lunar Lander, Asteroids, and Space Invaders.

I am with you. I remember checking in with my parents as a teen at fort wilderness and the first thing my brothers and I did was hop on a boat to the contemporary straight to the arcade. Q-Bert and Burgertime. Bring them back!!!

 

[Kman101]

Going a bit off topic but I wouldn't mind a revamp of the Chef Mickey/Wave/shopping area ... minus touching the mural, of course

 

[Almac97]

View attachment 361933

Fingers crossed they bring back the Tron Legacy pinball machine. Many a memory I have playing after pool time with my boys.

I was thinking the same thing!
Hoping for a couple of pinball machines, I love them!
BTW, are there any left at WDW?
Where?!

As someone who fully admits to my addiction to pinball (I have 6 machines myself, and 2 of my close friends have a combined 30+), I figured I'd chime in here with some info as I too would like pinball at Disney... but won't hold my breath. But there are alternatives!

1) I always heard (especially at DisneyQuest) that the pinball machines were in subpar condition. Pinball is an awesome hobby, but one that consumes money, space, and time. Operators of arcades know this and have to weigh that against video and redemption machines which are far less likely to break down. Though there are some great locations, many places that have pinball don't know how to care for them, or find the care bothersome. There once was a Star Trek pinball I believe at Islands of Adventure that was notorious for how worn down it was.

2) If you really do have a fondness for pinball, it's a very exciting time for the hobby. A decade ago, the only manufacturer around was in danger of going belly up. Thanks to barcades and just retro things becoming cool again (see Captain Marvel fight scene with Space Invaders machine), there are about a half dozen companies producing arcade quality machines, many of which are purchased by home collectors like myself.

3) If a pinball AND Disney fanatic, there's a fair amount of Disney/Marvel/Lucas titles from which to choose. Stern Pinball over the past ~decade has made machines for the aforementioned Tron, Pirates of the Caribbean, Guardians of the Galaxy, Deadpool, Spiderman, Avengers, Avatar (eh, almost "Disney"), Ironman, X-men, and Star Wars. There's also a company Jersey Jack Pinball which has made one of the most fantastic works of pinball art in The Wizard of Oz Pinball (see pics below and say you don't want to play that!) and also has released their crazy own Disney POTC machine which has a rocking ship w/ mini-playfield, and is reportedly about to launch Willy Wonka this Friday at the Midwest Gaming Classic.

4) If you decide that home ownership is not your cup of tea for any of the reasons mentioned above in (1), there are still many places to play around the country, and even in Orlando when visiting Disney. If you have an off day or a rain day, check out The Pinball Lounge in Orlando which I believe has 32 machines and even more importantly, ownership that cares about their cleanliness and condition.

TLDR: Even if Disney doesn't return to pinball operating, there are probably many locations around where you live, companies that will sell directly to you if you want to get into the hobby, leagues to join, and even decent spots around the WDW/Orlando area.