Subsonic Radio

I know the Contemporary is undergoing massive changes with the building of the new tower. Also the grand concourse has just gotten totally redone. However, I noticed this at the end of my stay while on the bus to MK from my resort. It appears as if Disney changed the entrance sign to the Contemporary. I no longer saw the red sign that used to be there (and I believe was there July 6). I took this picture on July 11.

Was I seeing things or did this just happen overnight?

That sign has been there, and is probably older than the red one. You're looking in the wrong spot; the red sign is somewhere else. Don't ask me where, I wasn't out front the Contemporary often....

Can someone who has stayed there before tell me what the huge draw to the Contemporary is? I've never stayed there, so maybe it's one of those "you just have to go there to know" sort of things, but to me, it looks like exactly what it is - what the people in 1980 thought the future would be like. I know they've done a ton of updates to it on the inside, but the exterior kind of bothers me. Of course, I'm not saying it's wrong - just looking for some insight.

spodie wrote:Can someone who has stayed there before tell me what the huge draw to the Contemporary is? I've never stayed there, so maybe it's one of those "you just have to go there to know" sort of things, but to me, it looks like exactly what it is - what the people in 1980 thought the future would be like. I know they've done a ton of updates to it on the inside, but the exterior kind of bothers me. Of course, I'm not saying it's wrong - just looking for some insight.

I think that is a very personal choice as to why people like it so much. For me (and I've only stayed there once):
- very large rooms
- proximity to MK
- ease of getting to Epcot via monorail transfer (quicker than a bus often times)
- views on the MK side (castle, fireworks, etc.)
- cheapest of the 3 MK resorts

JWG wrote:

spodie wrote:Can someone who has stayed there before tell me what the huge draw to the Contemporary is? I've never stayed there, so maybe it's one of those "you just have to go there to know" sort of things, but to me, it looks like exactly what it is - what the people in 1980 thought the future would be like. I know they've done a ton of updates to it on the inside, but the exterior kind of bothers me. Of course, I'm not saying it's wrong - just looking for some insight.

I think that is a very personal choice as to why people like it so much. For me (and I've only stayed there once):
- very large rooms
- proximity to MK
- ease of getting to Epcot via monorail transfer (quicker than a bus often times)
- views on the MK side (castle, fireworks, etc.)
- cheapest of the 3 MK resorts

All great reasons!! And while it is lacking in the 'theme' arena, it is very nice inside and also has Chef Mickey's and other good dining options. But I have not yet stayed there, too rich for my blood.

Len90 wrote:I know the Contemporary is undergoing massive changes with the building of the new tower. Also the grand concourse has just gotten totally redone. However, I noticed this at the end of my stay while on the bus to MK from my resort. It appears as if Disney changed the entrance sign to the Contemporary. I no longer saw the red sign that used to be there (and I believe was there July 6). I took this picture on July 11.

Was I seeing things or did this just happen overnight?

I think the red sign is further 'back' than that. Like ... that shot is closer to the MK bus entrance, and you would have passed the red sign further away from the MK. I think? It looks like there's too much parking lot in your picture for it to be far enough from MK to be where the red sign is.. unless they moved it. I remember hearing they were tearing up that paver-bricked walkway area with the trees in front of the Contemporary - that's about where the sign is/was as I recall. Were the trees still there?

spodie wrote:Can someone who has stayed there before tell me what the huge draw to the Contemporary is? I've never stayed there, so maybe it's one of those "you just have to go there to know" sort of things, but to me, it looks like exactly what it is - what the people in 1980 thought the future would be like. I know they've done a ton of updates to it on the inside, but the exterior kind of bothers me. Of course, I'm not saying it's wrong - just looking for some insight.

The redone rooms on the inside are absolutely gorgeous; very richly updated. It's the only hotel bed I've ever slept in that was more comfortable than my own bed. Having the monorail right there is really cool, ,too. The cincher for me, though, was the view of the MK. We were on the furthest end away from the MK and it was still like you could reach out and touch Space Mountain and the castle. I could hear the TTA spiel from the balcony in the morning. I've had MK view from the Polynesian too, and it can't hold a candle to what you get from the Contemporary.

The outside is still a little cold, I agree, but then I don't spend much time looking at the outside of the resort I'm staying at.

I believe the red sign was on the other side of the street. I personally thought that was new since the red sign was no where to be seen.

We are at WDW now (July 13-August 8, 2008) and were told by cast members that both of the new towers will be DVC!

DDDoherty wrote:We are at WDW now (July 13-August 8, 2008) and were told by cast members that both of the new towers will be DVC!

FOUR WEEKS at WDW!?!?!?!?! Wow, that's awesome! How do you pull that off!?!

Captain Schnemo wrote:History alert!

That was great! Thanks Schnemo.

350 DVC points (less than a cost of a new car for a lifetime of WDW vacations) gets us Sunday - Thursday for 5 weeks. We then either pay cash for weekends, go to my brother and sister-in-laws across state for the weekend, find alternate lodging, or use left-over points. Yes we are SPOILED and love it. This is our fourth straight year of at least 21 nights on property. Last year was our record - 33 nights at the Boardwalk!

DDDoherty wrote:We are at WDW now (July 13-August 8, 2008) and were told by cast members that both of the new towers will be DVC!

Both? The name is Kingdom TOWER. And all the pictures and schematics I've seen only show one.

johno

Captain Schnemo wrote:History alert!

I tried to have my house built this way, I can't understand why no one agreed.

Is anyone surprised that this didn't work? Build a huge steel and concrete structure on a swamp and expect that settling won't happen?

Cool concept though.

jcodirewolf wrote:

DDDoherty wrote:We are at WDW now (July 13-August 8, 2008) and were told by cast members that both of the new towers will be DVC!

Both? The name is Kingdom TOWER. And all the pictures and schematics I've seen only show one.

johno

We'll be going over there and the DVC office in the next week and will ask. The cast member said there will be two new towers...

DDDoherty wrote:

jcodirewolf wrote:

DDDoherty wrote:We are at WDW now (July 13-August 8, 2008) and were told by cast members that both of the new towers will be DVC!

Both? The name is Kingdom TOWER. And all the pictures and schematics I've seen only show one.

johno

We'll be going over there and the DVC office in the next week and will ask. The cast member said there will be two new towers...

Two towers, interesting. On the south side of the Concourse, with all the reconfiguration, is there an open spot on the outside wall for another walkway like they did for the tower being built on the north side?

-Matt