Something "easy" and local to you for consistent content perhaps? If you are trying to keep it theme park related, maybe start looking at hotels (or similar) around the major parks for the heck of it? We're not looking for "ADR" style content (unless you want to lol), but since you have a rating system now perhaps it might be useful in off the beaten places people stay at. If that all doesn't sound too appealing, then maybe just doing small road trips where you document the journey from start to finish and all the nuances along the way. I just want to emphasize something you can do often and repeat on a regular basis since it might be hard to flesh out this channel's content if you're limited to big budget hotels and extravagant destinations. So many TH-cam folks with over a million subscribers literally film in their house or living room for consistent content, would hate to see you limited in growth and scope just because you actually go outside unlike the rest of us mole people 😁 Best of luck anyway!
I think the bottleneck of this channel is always going to be the limitation of how many places I can actually film and review. So, naturally, the uploads on this channel are going to be significantly less than the main channel. BUT they will also be very high-quality, and bring a unique perspective and opinion to what I’m talking about. So there’s a trade off certainly.
They’ve been fairly desperately trying to get people to stay at the Galactic Starcruiser(Probably because of the boneheaded original price), so maybe you could work out a way to do a review of that?
Edna was always into fashion and this missed out on so many levels. And there are less expensive rooms that are nicer in World. My interior design professor would have flipped out.
Oh, I dunno. Given she doesn't even know how to sew a rip-able seam, easy release buttons etc, which is pretty much every cosplayer's 101, yet act all holier-than-though about capes (which again, can be made sturdy yet easily and quickly detachable if needed) ... I think this is fitting
I sorta see what you are saying. Texas we have something similar. Just the major difference is this at the time had a one of a kind monorail that went into the hotel to the park.
To be honest, that Edna Mode themed room looks very tacky. For that crap-load of money, I don't want Edna Mode looking over my shoulder when I'm trying to sleep. It feels like the majority of Disney's management is trying to be a real-life Mr. Krabs (as cliché as that sounds): not caring what they put out as long as they make lots of money.
That's the type of room where you ask for a different room because of how bad it is. You risk losing the view though and not receiving any comps for it though.
We stayed in the Garden Wing and the room was so disappointing. I blame the interior decorator, the rooms look that bad for what you are paying for, very uninspiring. No talent , no wow factor anymore with much of Disney.
Disney really missed an opportunity here. Mid-century modern is all the rave, and an Incredibles themed design would absolutely satisfy that aesthetic. Very disappointing.
That’s what I’m saying! The design of the original movie (even the second one) was gorgeous. And I feel like they missed an opportunity because Edna’s house is so classy.
@@nikkiskaleidoscope3053I was thinking the same thing!! All they needed to do was rewatch the movie ESPECIALLY the scenes where you walk through Edna’s home and there’s so many ideas right there
Like the trend in most of Florida. No need for designer, architect and any long term planing. It’s sad to replace red and white marble for uncaring generic off the shelf. Sounds like wasting money to have a quarterly report come off better.
@@scottmcguirk4848 And there are literally multiple bedrooms, sitting rooms, and other well designed rooms shown in the movie that they could have tried to copy paste. Instead of pictures of characters being the theme, using the same pictures hung in the living room from the movie? If its edna, she has a well shown front room that could be incorporated. Mid century modern always had distinctive chairs as far as I remember. This is sad
@@speurtighearnamacterik8230 No, it's just not. This is on brand for new Disney. Old Disney would have never let this happen, and would've given a better experience. Ask literally anyone that was there to experience it. This is cheap behavior on a whole new level for Disney. The CEO needs to get booted, and they need a complete staff overhaul. Company is dying fast outside of Disney+. Theme parks are going to shut down and turn into a Facebook meta VR experience that costs $300.
If nothing else you have to admire Disney's consistency in everything it does now. From their movies and tv shows, to the quality of the food and accommodations on their cruise ships, and now even the quality of their hotel rooms, everything is just a pale imitation of what it used to be. I'm grateful to have been a child of the 70's and 80's and to have been able to enjoy the "Disney Magic" that once was because I doubt we'll ever see it's like again.
Indeed. I went with my family to Disney World about 25 years ago, and grew up watching movies from the "Disney Renaissance." I haven't kept up much with current Disney movies/parks/etc., but am glad to have experienced what I did.
Yes, I got to experience Disney World's Contemporary around '74/'75 with my Mom and Dad, and The Polynesian in '93 for my Honeymoon and I'm so glad I got it out of the way. lol! Because you almost have to mortgage your house to get the same experience now. I checked it out the feasibility of going last year and it blew my mind what they were asking for! Never again.
If I wanted "beige with a Disney character's face slapped on random decor pieces", I'd go to Babies R Us, not a luxury hotel attempting to capture a very distinct theme, yet that seems to be the direction most of Disney's recent hotel renovations are going for
They must be catering to the poor tastes of aspirational wealth - always susceptible to the insipid - but currently influenced by Kardashian aesthetic misery/minimalism
You forgot my biggest gripe - the Contemporary is a convention hotel...yet the remodel removed the desk and chair in the rooms! The old version had a very helpful clear glass rolling desk that could be moved around the room. Great for when you want to work with coworkers on presentations. When I went last time (and I do mean LAST time) there was not even a table to type on my laptop. i ended up at the Contempo Cafe. Really awkward. another problem was the lack of storage. No dresser meant not a lot of storage. I ended up rolling my suitcase in and out of the underbed space to get clothes each morning and evening. I didn't even need to do that at the Holiday Inn Express. I now stay at the Royal Pacific hotel. You might want to check them out. Given the difference in cost, it easily justifies a Lyft every time you want to go between Universal and Tthe Contemporary if you are part of a convention there.
@@altarush I assume you're inferring that now that the pandemic has been downgraded to an epidemic it won't matter anymore, but a long-term result of the pandemic is that lots of people now work remotely full time. Although it's irrelevant anyway because a convention hotel should be able to host people working while meeting regardless, that's just poor planning.
I worked construction on the Magic Kingdom in 1970-71 and I was blown away by the superior quality of their construction materials. Guess that's all changed. I may have done the original cleaning of your $900 room before it left the factory.
If you were ever so inclined, I think a LOT of people would appreciate even a very simple no frills video of you talking about that experience! I’m in my late 20’s, and a lot of people around my age are deeply fascinated with early Disney park development history! Or you should approach defunctland or Jenny nicholson’s channels to ask if they’d like to share your words in a video where it was relevant!
I stayed on the 14th floor a month ago in a $2,000 a night suite that a friend payed for and I had the same feelings as you. We asked them to make up our (rock hard) sofa bed before we returned form the park and we were told later that evening that they couldn’t do that. The lack of service for that price was appalling. If you are use to staying in club level at the Ritz or four seasons, this would be laughable to you. The best part of the whole experience was the coffee bar
If you want good service, ride a train. I think congress screwed up Amtrak's food again, but there are other lands cruises in North America. Especially for disabled people Amtrak had really good service (except for the food... which used to be good! It's a shame). They don't really expect you to know how to take down and stow train beds anyway.
@@michaelp.3485 I'm not defending Disney's pricing here, but everyone always looks at this stuff backward. If parking was included, the price would be more expensive and the car lot would have lots of empty spaces as many who stay at Disney hotels didn't drive there to do so. Not charging each guest for parking does reduce the price for those who don't need a parking space.
@@JohnDoe-gy5dr Why would parking make it more expensive? This is the kind of room you'd at most pay 200$ a night for, in a major city in a nice hotel. So there's literally no reason not to include parking when you're asking nearly five times the price. Especially considering that these parking spaces cost Disney next to nothing.
Whenever we visited Disneyworld, we always stayed in the budget "All Star" resorts and then went on "magical mystery tours" taking buses to explore all the other hotels, felt we got the same experience out of all the public areas for no extra cost.
There are way way cheaper motels in Kissimmee on the Lynx bus line 7 days a week to Disney Transportation Center, the bus fare is only a couple dollars. Those all star resorts are depressing, with noisy old AC and never seem that clean yet are expensive as fuck. I don't get it.
@@francisnopantses1108 well, I last visited Disneyworld on a family vacation in 1999 when I was 13, so I can't say what's happened at the All-Stars since then!
I can't believe how cheap the furniture and room details look, especially for a Club level room. I can't imagine how anyone thought this was a good idea, but then this makes sense with Disney Parks and Resorts charging higher prices while trimming back the quality and upkeep of the whole experience.
It's basically the same interchangable furniture they designed all the other hotel renovations around. Think Target Home collection and you're just about there.
I have stayed in *much* nicer rooms and they did not even cost close to this much. Completely insane. Looks like the average 4 star hotel room and not their good rooms. Just slightly larger than normal.
That was exactly my thought seeing it! I stayed at the Art of Animation in 2013-ish, needing a budget room for an event and having never been to Disneyworld (I lived near Disneyland at the time and it's always been my park). It was extremely basic but perfectly servicable, though I thought it was "disney priced" for what you got. This $900 club service room looks no better than my cheap ass room did, with the very basic theming maybe even a little worse. I'm shocked!
We stayed at the contemporary club level last month. Much to our surprise we were upgraded to the presidential suite. Five balconies! All overlooking the magic kingdom. 2 bedrooms, dining room, kitchen, 3 bathrooms, 2 living rooms. Incredibly unattractive! (They need to fire that decorator!) Multiple faucets not working correctly. One of the balconies flooded and we had service repair people coming and going all through our take out dinner from steakhouse 71. Fireworks were awesome. Club area was worst we've ever seen at a disney resort, and we've stayed at almost all of them. Always seemed fully staffed but never able to keep the room cleaned or stocked. Thanks for sharing your experience. Ours was very similar, even in the presidential suite. It was a check off the bucket list, but one and done.
We stayed in the same room but on the lake side recently and everything worked without any problems thankfully but I was a little disappointed by the shower in the room I stayed in, although I will say the other two showers we had did look a lot nicer.
I guess a life of luxury means that if a faucet needs fixing, you just build a whole new bathroom. By the way, when (2:50) you complained that the bathroom had "no waterfall shower head" you showed a waterfall shower head."
As a lover of all things Disney for nearly 50 years, I agree with you 100% I got a room at Bally's on the Vegas strip that looked like that one for $60/night. Yes, I know it's Disney but that's a slap in the face. I stayed in a Skyloft two-story 1,400 sq. ft. Suite at the MGM Grand the size of a small house with a full-size living room, a sectional couch and 2 chairs, a giant tub, a massive dining table for 8, a stocked bar, a Espresso machine. Including my airfare and room service, I paid less than you did for that Disney room, WOW! Great video, thank you!
I’m not surprised by this at all. Anymore, I feel like Disney is just like “say it’s new, put some random IP on it, and charge them an exorbitant amount of money.” No effort, no care for immersion or putting on a show…honestly, Disney just isn’t Disney anymore.
Putting gawdy IP everywhere is cheap and cringe to me. Ruins the vibe in places where you could get classic "Disney" theming and attention to detail that isn't a cartoon.
@@darcymoon2109 Harry Potter at Universal essentially scared the hell out of Disney and they've been trying to chase that success ever since by making their own IP based park like Avatar or Galaxy's Edge
Right. All of the great percs of the past are gone. Everything costs extra, and TONS extra. Just can't justify visiting that park ever again, unless serious changes are made.
I follow a disney news channel and buddy wholey crap. The disney fans are not happy. They are laying into disney hard. The channel even embarrassed disney into cleaning the outside of space mountain because if you see the pictures it definitely went from white to "try and hide the nicotine stains off white".
Sadly, that how it feels and that is why I am unsure of wanting to go back to Disney World. I am personally more interested in the future developments of Universal Studios Florida, I think they maybe worth looking forward to.
Edna herself would probably be disgusted by her face plastered all over such an awful room and would likely make MASSIVE changes to make it truly worth the price. For a character so obsessed with high quality fashion standards and the care she puts into her work, this feels like an insult to her name.
@@doomsday9973 it going to start happening soon. Maybe in 2 to 5 years. Other theme parks all over the country are more relaxed and affordable. Not to mention universal is the best already.
I get absolutely blasted in the Ritz Carlton club lounge unapologetically and encouraged by the staff to do so. And I pay this much for a full corner suite with club level access there… I can’t wrap my head around this even if it is vaguely Edna Mode themed (that would be fun for about 5 minutes then I’d feel silly). For it to be Edna Mode themed for this much money, I want a giant 2 story open showcase penthouse style room (see the interContinental Toronto) like Edna Mode’s mansion. Not this awful room with a couple pictures of her?
I just found your channel. Your reviews are excellent. All others beat around the bush where I have to forward till the end to listen to an actual review while others sound too sponsored. You keep it real and straight to the point. I can actually watch and listen with complete interest from beginning to end. No fluff. You sound like the every day guy who lets everyone else know if the experience is worth it and that's what I want in these videos. New Subscriber.
The price of that hotel room is beyond ridiculous. I would expect a jacuzzi, plush carpeting, a temperpedic mattress, a massage therapist that gave the full spa service, a butler, valet parking, a personalized tour in a limousine around the entire park as well as the colors of ivory, teal and gold in the room along with a personal chef who prepared your meal right in front of you for the price you paid. That room is not worth more than $80/night if even that much. This is my personal opinion.
IMHO, it’s worth a little more than that, because the room itself is a low grade 4-star experience. $180 a night in the dead season, no more than $250 a night at peak season. With all of the amenities, we’re talking $550, and that had better include complimentary parking and discount vouchers on park dining or something. What you’re describing is a country club spa experience that company CEOs pay $10,000/mo for, lol
If we're talking low grade four stars, your prices would be on the high end even in well-known hotels in major cities like New York or Chicago. For those prices you can get some basic rooms in five star hotels.
@@mikeblatzheim2797 In what reality are you getting basic five star rooms for $180 - $250 a night in New York? The Mandarin Oriental is over $1,000 a night for a basic room.
@@carlover4239 I was referring to five star hotels generally, not specifically in New York. As for Chicago, there is the Pendry, which is a five star hotel and not that expensive.
This is like a microcosm of modern Disney right here: 1. Make something mediocre 2. Slap an IP on it 3. Charge an exorbitant amount for it 4. Rely on your company’s reputation and army of die-hard fans to sell it for you 5. Profit (for this quarter anyway)
Having spent a lot of time in Disney planning forums, it's amazing the level of just...complete detachment from reality I've seen over the years. Fans of Disney parks - the people who go back year after year after year - have a completely different standard for anything connected to the Disney parks than any reasonable first-time or infrequent visitor would have - even one splurging on a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Not unlike in NYC real estate, people will use proximity to something to justify staggeringly high prices and cuts to services. Yes, you have the Magic Kingdom right there, and EPCOT with monorail transfers, as well as the food offerings and services of the other two monorail resorts. But at WDW that still leaves fully 50% of the parks, as well as Disney Springs and the water parks, a long ride away on the same buses people staying at the All Star Resorts are using. I think, based on the proximity/ease of access to two parks (especially MK), you could justify $600 a night if you view it based on what the rates are in the other on-property hotel categories. It's the club level element here that's truly a joke. A few years ago, I would watch on message boards as people justified it by calculating the potential savings for a family of four if they were to use the club lounge for their daily breakfasts. But based on what's offered, I don't see how that could be much of a factor given how families who aren't, you know, shockingly well-off (or just reckless with vacation spending), will bring all kinds of pre-packaged items like cereal and granola bars, supplemented with fruit and maybe a quick service side or two. You're not getting a *good* breakfast from the club level lounge, you're just getting *a* breakfast. What I hadn't realized was how sad the alcohol (another frequently-cited club level justification) and other food offerings were, nor how small and sad-looking the actual space was. The guestroom itself is, of course, a complete joke, and my standards are *not* high. I love when Disney works in its IPs, but the Edna Mode 'theme' screams cost-cutting measure (coughCheapekcough). The view is undeniably fantastic, but how much value are you getting out of that when so many families are in the parks literally all day, including when the fireworks are actually going off? (And how much of an upcharge was it for a Theme Park View vs Garden View or whatever the lower category is?) At WDW, I will never not stay on property. I like the 'Disney bubble'. I like the resorts' theming. I like the standard of quality and the wonderful cast members. But you could never convince me to stay club level, even if I could do so for half of what you paid, nor would I particularly want to stay at the Contemporary at all, for most of the reasons you've named. The unique, retro A-frame building is a novelty that's nice to visit, then move on from...via a long, long bus ride, if your ultimate destination is about 60% of Disney property.
I just dont understand how Disney is making so many poor choices. I understand that money talks, but that's been the case since the inception of commerce... but did everyone just lose all of their good taste in the past 7 years??? How did the idea of an Edna Mode themed room get through enough people to become a reality??? Even the idea of an Incredibles-themed area at all is baffling, but who actually desires a stay in the Edna Mode room???? Like you look at the gorgeous view and fireworks and you feel a sense of genuine beauty and awe, then turn around to the corny barely furnished hotel theme. Don't get me wrong, staying in the Edna Mode Room would make me laugh, but they cant seriously believe it was a good design choice lol
People continue to pay for it so why would they change? Nothing is going to change until people aren't willing to pay those kinds of prices for what you get.
Of course by theming you mean a few pictures on the wall. Replace those with Simba, Mufasa and Scar pictures and you call it a Lion King themed room. IF that's the level of effort they are putting into it, why have it as a themed room at all. Also, at that price I want fresh flowers in the room, some greenery on the balcony. Anything to make me forget I'm in a bland grey box.
Poor choices and bad decisions have been made by current Disney management. They lack Walt Disney's unique vision and creativity that built the Disney empire. One only needs to recall Disney's political lobbying in 2021 to place sex education into the Florida public school curriculum for five-year-old children to see a good example of the current management's loss of focus on Walt's formula for entertaining.
I live pretty close to Disney. The high prices have kept me away, Disney stopped long ago being “The Happiest Place on Earth.” When a guy I was dating recently suggested we spend the weekend at Disney, I told him, “I don’t like you THAT much.” I’m not cheap but If I’m gonna spend that kind of money, the relationship gotta be a sure thing.
You guys should see Tokyo Disney toy story themed hotel. It’s insanely detailed and very well thought out. Makes these rooms look even worse and more embarrassing.
Tokyo Disney is by far cheaper than any US based Disney resort, I want to say park admission is maybe a little more than half that at a Disney park. And cost of rooms at like the only hotel on property is relatively cheap compared to US Disney resort hotels whether you're east or west coast. Disney does what it does because it knows it can get away with it, and it doesn't try to hide it and people still accept it.
That's sad, considering that the entirety of Tokyo Disney isn't actually owned or operated by Disney--they just license their IP to a Japan-based resort company.
Considering this room should be worth $400 max in my opinion, I could NEVER justify the convenience of a 15-minute walk to Magic Kingdom costing the same as four tickets to the park itself.
In the summer of 2019 I had a Disney World vacation. You could get a room at the Contemporary for 300-400. These new prices are crazy. I am priced out of Disney.
Wow! The architecture of this property is stunning. It’s a shame that Disney can’t theme the lobbies and the rooms to match this hotel’s amazing midcentury modern design!!
The overhead view of the lobby reminds of what the overhead view of a convention looks like.....various exhibiters in a row, they all look different because they are all showing different products. There is nothing cohesive about the lobby at all. The only 'cool' thing about it is that the monorail goes through the building.... and that's 1980s impressive,
the original furniture was very 70s, the dressers were molded plastic drawers that stacked. The color palette matched the giant Mary Blair murals, lots of warm colors, orange, red, yellow. They updated it in the late 90s in jewel tones on asymmetrical furniture, it was pretty ugly then, amazed they could make it worse.
That room reminds me so much of ‘90s era Courtyard hotels. Which is absolutely fine, but I can’t imagine paying $900+ for it, no matter how convenient the location.
The ground floor honestly looked like a shopping mall thoroughfare. 😂 There was another comment saying they’d pay $200 max for the room Jake stayed in and I have to agree. It looked like a La Quinta Inn decided to theme one of their rooms after a Disney property and thought that would cut it.
I really think they could go whole ham on the mid century modern, it has the architecture to fit and I think a luxurious mid century mod is something that can stay luxurious and stylish with upkeep. Done right, I think it can be more timeless. it may not be "contemporary" but the theming is already inconsistent and for a luxury market I think a good quality design may be worth more than some halfway done Incredibles tie in
I agree.. i think Contemporary could actually do an early century modern or art deco look and be WAY classier and luxurious than this. And it would stay true to the Contemporary theme without needing to redo the hotel every 5-10 years
I stayed at the Contemporary in the garden wing during Covid for an insane deal. It had the “older” rooms and I would take that styling over whatever this was. It felt premium, and while outdated, I still felt like I was getting my $400 worth. Disney has been cheaping out where they think guests “won’t notice” at the cost of the true Disney magic.
How many days did you stay? I would love to see photos of this older room. Knowing that this is oneof the older hotels think they would want to keep something . . .old about it
@@somethingsomething404 It definitely is for Disney Deluxe Resorts during the 2020s, especially before the resort-wide cost-cutting of the last couple years. Even when I went to WDW in the early-2010s finding one of those rooms for $400 would have been considered a bargain
I stayed at the Polynesian resort for $228 a night in the DVC area during Covid when the resort was being refurbished. It was deserted, it was quite eerie but wonderful!
I love your ratings system. Easy to follow and about as fair as a system can be, I hope to see you do this with more of the Hotels at Disney, Universal ones as well. Great Video!
My wife is an avid fan of Disney and I'm an avid fan of my wife, so I have supported her in her many trips to Disney over the years. I've been telling her for years now that the Disney she loved 10+ years ago just doesn't exist anymore. This is further proof. The thing that gets me is that my wife and her equally avid friends just accept this crap without seeming to ever really notice. It doesn't stop at just the rooms either. I'll skip the long list of other declines in the parks, experience, etc. as most people paying even just a small amount of attention have probably noticed as well. But, from a pure business standpoint, I can see why Disney really has no motivation to change. There just seems to be no end of people willing to accept this. Every year my wife has to explain to me some new stupid and inconvenient thing that we have to do or put up with yet we're still there with countless others with me looking around wondering why.
@@Flynn1982x I understand and respect if you want to give me 100 different Disney related examples as to why you disagree. I really don't think it's your place to scold and lecture me on a personal level though.
@@Flynn1982x Oh knock it off. The world doesn't need your bad attitude towards people. My wife and I have a great time whenever we're together. We both happily and cheerfully accompany each other wherever -- including Disney. This seems to be a concept you can't conceive of.
@@Flynn1982x Then why are you commenting on this? if you read the book, didn't like it, doesn't want to criticize and only leave this kind of garbage is literally waste of bandwidth and youtube storage, WHY are you commenting on this?
My family and I stayed at the Contemporary many times over the last 20 years with AP discounts, and our trip in February was the last one for a while. You’re right. The room refurbs are embarrassingly bad for a hotel that pretends to be this caliber, the Grand Canyon Concourse is a complete mess, and the resort is nowhere near the Deluxe level Disney pretends it is. Even little things were frustrating, like a coffee shop that closes by 11 am every morning. Plus the water sports and boat launches have been shut down indefinitely! Combined with the complete headache of Genie+, everyone in my family agreed that current Walt Disney World is like a spoof of “real” Disney, and you have to bury your head in the sand to pretend it’s still magical. We did not renew our APs.
Great honest review, and for that price, I would expect free Park entry, and a private staff served bar on your exclusive floor. The room itself also looks basic in my eye as a Brit, looks on Par to a Travelodge with a touch of Disney. They off good cheap basic no frills accommodation here on the UK. Not what I would expect from the Disney brand however.
I thought that too, I am not a massive fan of travelodge but prefer it to Holiday Inn (worst one I stayed in was in Bournemouth and was seriously overpriced).
It looks like the kind of room you book because you don't care about the room as long as the bed is comfortable because you plan on spending no time there at all other than sleep time.
I think we can all agree that a lethal combination of greed and technology has turned Disney into the shallow, anxiety ridden, depressive and superfical state its in today.
This was a very good and honest review. Many Disney fans are brain washed into the Disney way and that is very sad to see. That room stay is not worth 900 plus dollars per night. You want a view of the theme park area take a picture of the park and hang it on the window for your view..... Disney is become such a joke...... What would Walt be saying now........
It’s really sad to me to see what the club level has turned into having worked at the resort front desk including covering the club level areas in the early 2000s. The lounge on the 14th floor was an actual lounge and not what looks like the McDonald’s it is today. The snacks and evening options were exclusive, changed daily, and were made by various kitchens in the resort. Any alcohol was included and if we didn’t have what you wanted we would find a way to get it. The rooms were understated and had luxury materials. The concierge would basically do anything for you within reason, and would contact you before your stay to make sure we have everything you needed and wanted to do.
I'm not sure there's a better example of new Disney vs old Disney as turning a beautiful, themed, relaxing seating area into yet another soulless retail wallet-grab. I know it sounds silly of me, but I am so sad how people who go to Disney now won't get to experience the quiet it used to have. The focus on atmosphere above profits. This isn't an issue at only the Contemporary. The lobby of the Polynesian was a sight to behold! You wanted to stay there, to linger and wonder what was around the next corner. The fountain would lull you into this other world. What does modern Disney offer? Dated particle board furniture, echo-filled shopping gauntlets and aging concrete. It's depressing.
I was born in '97 and luckily enough through family connections and DVC membership, have been to Disney more times than I can count and am very fortunate for my experiences. The Polynesian Hotel was such a cool hotel when I was a kid! I always wanted to stay there and was lucky to once or twice. But after the renovation, it lost some of its magic for sure (maybe also because I was older.) But you're totally right. The Contemporary was even cooler back in the day. I'm only 25 but over the last 10 or so years, i've really started to detest the company that used to give me so much joy as a child. It's so blatantly obvious they don't care about anything except money and control. Just off the top of my head, having the soda machines at the hotels only work when you buy an overpriced mug that works with the technology to dispense the soda (no longer buying one and bringing it around to multiple hotels/parks/visits), the whole FIASCO that FastPass has turned into, butchering & rushing the 3 new Star Wars films, etc. etc. etc.
My mother worked as an assistant manager in the Contemporary Hotel when it first opened in October 1971. It was possible to have a room for $21 a night. The Tower Building was the only building then, and I remember how utterly awesome and futuristic the place seemed to me then (I was 12). It is still one of the unique hotels of the world, even if its upgrades have not kept pace. I am utterly shocked at the rates Disney is getting away with nowadays. If the Tower Building is fully occupied (and the hotel is almost always booked solid every day of the year!), its 1,077 rooms alone (not including its three other buildings) can generate $750,000 of revenue a night. The whole hotel has to be taking in a million-five. They better be saving and investing half of that! Enjoy yourself, Mickey and Minnie. The hotel business is notorious the world o'er for its peaks and valleys. A severe reckoning is coming, not just for Disney, but for all of Orlando.
This is the most underrated travel channel on TH-cam from the high quality video/editing to the excellent voice overs in each video and of course all the great informative content. Thrilled it came up on my recs
I would love for it to go full 70s and embrace being “dated”. I mean really, really dated. Like stepping back in time. I would love to go to a hotel that takes me back in time.
that’s how disney resorts are supposed to feel! they’re themed! they’re supposed to make you feel like you’ve stepped into another time or even another world. but lately disney execs have gotten it in their heads that they want to “modernize” everything and it sucks the magic right out. they’ve literally been un-theming things.
@@MisterMikeTexas Disney is all about bringing the future to the present, by that I mean future prices marketed now. That means you sir will get 2070s prices, enjoy the fun!
The rooms at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim are also somewhat underwhelming and overpriced but at least they have a Disneyland theme, and while the decor is somewhat dated it doesn't feel cheap.
The fact that they made a beautiful, striking example of 70s architecture into something indistinguishable from a modern day Hampton Inn is insane. This is how I felt when I went to see Hyatt Regency Atlanta, designed by John Portman. The atrium was still breathtaking but the room was dirty, looked like a motel, and left a LOT to be desired.
Disney’s respect for their customers is a joke. From their content, parks and hotels, they provide a sub-par product for way too much money and assume everyone will pay.
Your assessment is spot on. The price and value for this place is ridiculous at best. And this is coming from a Disney fanatic who has stayed at all levels of resort on her trips. Yes, Contemp has the monorail. Yes, you can walk over to MK. But for $900+/night? There are countless other hotels on property that have the same (if not sightly less) ways of transportation to the parks for a fraction of the cost for a room. I’m not taking into account the Club level, because let’s be real and admit that no amount of product in the lounge is going to offset that price hike. Maybe if Club level came with free Genie+ and resort parking, now THAT would be something for a family to actually consider, it wouldn’t eliminate or neutralize the cost of the Club level room but it would narrow that gap. Also, who decorated that room? 😂 That is such a disgrace of a “renovated” room, I’d of asked for my money back or another room immediately. Especially after seeing the themed Incredible rooms that are available. Come on, Disney!
Another Fair detailed intelligent analysis....thank you. I do NOT think Disney is charging for "convenience" .....they're charging because they're disney....they have grown a "EFF YOU PAY ME" attitude over the past decades....but in so many instances they no longer have the talent or intelligence to deliver on what they promise. As you said in one of your other videos, disney has been marketing to the rich for some time now....and REALLY seem to have a disdain for the average family, the average middle or lower class families. They're like a iron toothed monster that consumes and devours with no compassion or pity. This room was "nice"....just NICE....the insult comes with the OUTRAGEOUS PRICE which is THE ONE DEFINING CHARACTERISTIC of disney now days....and you're SO On Point....it's INSULTING THREE PICTURES on the wall (which isn't a "theme", it's ADVERTISING) does NOT constitute a "themed" room disney nauseates me
Couldn’t agree more. We paid $278 per night for a Savannah room at Animal Kingdom Lodge in 2018 renting points. That was great value. With todays prices across the WDW resort, I won’t be staying on property there again. Couple of ideas, do a club level room at Royal Pacific or Portofino at Universal as a comparison and maybe club level at Disneyland Hotel or the Grand Californian.
They weren't club level rooms, but my family did a split stay at the Portofino and then AKL a few years back and the AKL won by a mile. Portofino was nice and we had an amazing room with a great balcony view, but it just fell short. It came down to interactions with the front desk/staff which were much better with ALK and cleanliness of common areas. Disney properties tend to get worn out between renovations but never completely beat and/or dirty. At Portofino there were huge digs in the walls in hallways and such several times in the four days we stayed I saw spilt food in common areas just sitting and overflowing garbage cans. Also saw an electrical outlet in a common area that was missing a switch plate that was just weird. To be fair, in my opinion the theming at AKL is unbeatable by anything at Universal or Disney. That said, Portofino was still great and I would put my experience there above my latest stay at the Disney Boardwalk Inn.
Why anyone would go to Disney is beyond me. I took my family there last January and stayed in one of their resorts. The stay was over priced, rude service, long lines at the park, and my kids even said that they were disappointed at how Disney is now. This company is more about cheating their customers out of money than making ALL of their customers feel happy.
I worked at the Contemporary Resort Hotel back in the late 1980s. Was a busboy at the local restaurant there. I recognized it from 8:45. Yes, looks exactly the same. And, back then there was an area that all the waiters and workers would slip on, going in and out of the kitchen. It was dangerous. I told the managers and bosses. All they needed was some anti-slip pads on the floor. However, nothing was done. Eventually, a worker there, friend of mine, slipped and broke her foot. At that time, I just quit. The "magic" was over even before it had begun. Nice video.
Growing up, this was the hotel I always wanted to stay at, but we never visited WDW. While maybe I missed out back then, I"m glad to know I'm not missing anything today. Though I wouldn't go to a Disney property today if the trip was free.
Jake, you consistently knock it out of the park on every video you do, thanks so much for the high quality content, so much work and research into everything. I really also enjoyed how this was a non biased review of Disney, not the usual everything is amazing content from the usual vloggers. Thanks again for all the great videos.
Yes, ditto. Always excellent and fair reviews. As I mentioned yesterday, I don't even travel but I am taken by these Travel videos and look forward to them. Thanks
I stayed there with my grandmother when I was only 5 years old in the late 90s. She was dying of breast cancer, and I remember holding her soft hand while waiting for the monorail to take us to magic kingdom. I love you grammy Grace
They charge that much cause they know they can get away with it. We've stayed at a few of the on-site Disney resorts and for what we paid we have never been wowed.
Sadly, people still pay it, esp families that save up to go once a year for a week/weekend. They're losing money hand over fist by the look of things, but I suspect they don't think that'll be a long term trend. I also suspect they're wrong, and the more they continue to do stuff like this, the less people will go. Especially with Sea World, Lego Land, Universal all right nearby and Tampa/St Pete/Clearwater a 90 minute drive with Busch/other smaller family areas
The astronomical price is not justified for this room. I would rather be in the four seasons or Ritz Carlton and drive to the parks then pay $900 for a mediocre hotel. I am really disappointed with Disney 🤦🏾♀️ ! Thank you for this review!
Several years ago I was thrilled to get upgraded at the Wilderness Lodge to a Club level room. It was my first and only time staying on Disney property and I couldn’t believe my luck… then I walked into the room and deflated. It was one of the worst rooms I’ve ever stayed in and didn’t even approach Holiday Inn levels of quality. The furnishings were particle board and plastic, with scratches and other signs of heavy wear all over it. The mattress sagged in the middle so much there was no way to not roll into the center unless you clung to the edge. The walls were paper thin, to the point where I could hear people simply walking down the hallway even if they weren’t speaking. The bathroom was small and the shower head janky. The “club lounge” offered far fewer snacks than shown in this video. The whole experience of the room was just really sad.
Every time I've slept in a Disney room it's been a stressful experience. The beds are hard, the rooms are ridiculously small, and everything seems tacky and a bit grimy somehow. I've been in Hyatts at convention rates that were much, much, much nicer than any Disney hotel. I'd rather stay in a central Florida motel; the room will be larger and smell cleaner, and the breakfast is free.
"I think the best comparable is maybe a bathroom out of a nice Sheraton hotel" which is irony because the WDW Dolphin is a Sheraton and you get more bang for your buck thanks to its cheaper pricing, location between Epcot and DHS you could get to via Friendship Boat or walking, restaurants like Picabu and Shula's, and you get some of the same things as those staying in Disney-owned resorts like early theme park entry. Stayed there in August 2011 and I enjoyed the balcony view I had of the Tower of Terror. 0:06 Imagine an alternate timeline where the monorail did stop at the Persian Resort and go through Tomorrowland before stopping at Magic Kingdom as shown here by the yellow line...the monorail ride would've definitely been more enjoyable
Thank you, I 100% agree with your review on contemporary and riviera. I have been saying for years, why would anyone spend that much on any Disney deluxe resort, yet everyone always raves about the rooms. My favorite has always been the Port Orleans, the theming is great, but even those are getting way too expensive. My grandson loves the contemporary, so every year for his birthday we go to Bay Lake Tower and watch the fireworks, since I have points to throw away. I’m hoping he outgrows it soon, since I would rather rent my points out and save the money for his college. We are lucky we live close now. I can’t wait to hear what you think about Poly and the Grand, since I don’t like them much either. It just blows my mind what people will pay for a trip to Disney, so many other resorts around the area that far far out beat Disney, yet people will pay those prices. If they stop paying, Disney would fix up the resorts. But if you think the resorts are bad in what you see, you should see behind the scenes, Disney has not updated one thing in 50 years, the CM bathroom showers, have walls full of no tiles, leaks that run down the length of halls , and broken furniture to sit on after you cleaned 18 resort rooms.
Years ago my girlfriend dragged me to Disney Orlando and it sucked. We showed up at about 1:30pm and checked into the hotel. We were told it was not ready. An hour and half later went back to find a dirty room. Went to the desk and they told us the room would not be ready until after 6pm. Now we rented the room for 24 hours and were told checkout was no later than 12 noon. So we had to kill all this time doing other things and then go back to a semi-clean room. Simply I went to Disney as a kid and loved it but that was in the 70's. This time around as an adult I was rather unimpressed at the high costs, low quality, over crowded park with really rude people.
I would have loved to see this hotel styled in a 1950's futuristic retro style. Disney could have done so much more. I think they are losing some of that pixie dust, and need a change of management. The reason people go to Disney is for the experience.
Honestly, looking at the rooms I was like "Oh that isnt that bad for like a mariott, if its like $200 or $150, it kinda looks nice on camera" and then you see the comparable rooms at the fancy hotels, and its night and day. The crystal glasses really sell the photo, and it generally looks more welcoming, less like its in a showroom and more like somewhere I'd actually want to stay.
Being FL residents and AP holders, we've stayed at the Contemporary twice in the Garden Wing. For our discounted price, the perks of big rooms (big compared to Value and Moderate rooms), smaller resort crowds, and proximity to the MK and Epcot were a win for us. Same thing for the 2 times we stayed at the Poly. I did the math, and for our family, Club Level could be an alternative option for feeding us breakfast, dinner, and snacks. We ended up not doing it as we chose to eat in the fun-themed restaurants. But that's me sleuthing around for the best deal. For a club-level theme park view room at the Contemporary, if they want to charge that much at rack room rate, it's insulting not to deliver to their guests. Disney has come to behave as if we should be grateful to overpay for the privilege of being in the Disney bubble.
@ 1:12. Says he thought old rooms looked a bit dated and needed more moving . Me looks at old room and thinks it looks nice and warm and very classy leading to conclusion Jake has zero taste of a typical young person.
My wife and I last stayed here in 2016 when we got married and got a free hotel stay for one day anywhere, so we chose here. And the balcony is top tier, with everything else lackluster for the price. You nailed it. Sad to see the design language clash even further with each new remodel. Hopefully, they can pull it together; I really like the overall architecture.
I guess the obvious answer is they charge what people are paying. While the rooms fill at that rate, there is no incentive to change. Excellent review!
This is the kind of thing which puts me off ever going to DisneyLand - it all seems like just a massive cash grab to rip ppl off as much as Disney can get away with.
Every club level is slightly different with what they offer for food & drinks. Wilderness Lodge has draft beer, bottled alcohol and other drinks in their cooler 24/7. Club level is only $50-$100 extra per night (not per guest) so for a family of 4 being able to eat breakfast in clublevel pays for itself. We also stock up on water bottles before going to the park. Contemporary & Floridian are my least favorite deluxe resorts. They are too expensive and too dated. I don't mind the incredible re-theme, but I too would have expected the the red & blue rooms in club level. I had never seen pictures of the the new rooms you showed. I would have been so disappointed.
Bravo for this review! I’m a lifelong fan of WDW and there was better service in the 80s, when I was a kid, than there is today. It’s a joke what Disney expects from its guests in more areas than this, and guests just keep on coming. Universal is catching up fast and has already exceeded in some ways. And The Incredibles theming for such a high dollar space is ridiculous. A legacy hotel space like Contemporary should be mid century modern with classic Disney characters as they were drawn in that era, in wall art, etc.
I’ve never been able to go to Disney and especially not as a kid because we couldn’t afford it, but this looks like a regular hotel room I’ve stayed in, for the price of something that my parents or I could never justify
I went to Disney World when I was 12. A friend and his family went in an RV and stayed at the campground. My parents covered what it cost for me to go. I had a decent time but have no desire to go back. I think people let their love of Disney IP cloud their judgment on the experience. As a kid I had a more exciting time at Dorney Park or Six Flags (much better rides). As an adult I don't want to vacation at a place where it feels like my wallet is the customer.
Years ago we took both of our kids to Disney, my wife called the hotel several times to make sure they had our room the last time being minutes before we loaded the plane. After we arrived at the hotel they went on to tell us that we did not have a room because the hotel was packed full of teenagers for a cheerleading competition, eventually they gave us one of their suites. After getting the key card we went up the elevator and after we stepped off the elevator it looked like a frat party on the entire floor, all of the parents/guardians were down in the pool/bar leaving 100’s of kids running, screaming not to mention each door was propped open with different songs blaring from their boom boxes. We were stepping over kids to get to the end of the hall where our suite was. When we got to our door it lead us to a breezeway and to another locked door that was our suite, if it weren’t for that breezeway we would’ve heard all of that noise.
I was truly enamored with this hotel as a kid- simply bc the monorail went through it. In my mind it was the ultimate Disney experience. As an adult we explored the resort before booking a room & my disappointment knew no limit. It has to be the most over rated/over priced room on property.
Looks like a freaking $150 a night room. Like for real. Just a normal strip hotel. That's nutssss. And like who the heck approved adding Incredibles (a children's cartoon basically) to high end hotel room décor? That's even more nuts. As someone who lives in Florida in a city with over 200 lakes... a "lakefront" view doesn't do much for me, haha. I literally got cheaper 3 room, 2000 square foot luxury suite in The Luxor in Vegas for HALF that price. Though a lot was compt.
God this is just depressing. Disney World will always be part of my core memories, but I can’t justify going any more. It seems like each new step the company takes is in a different wrong direction. Very disheartening to see the legacy of Walt, one of my first great heroes, squandered like this.
Thanks for watching everyone! I don’t have any future travel currently planned, so please let me know what you would like to see me review next!
Something "easy" and local to you for consistent content perhaps? If you are trying to keep it theme park related, maybe start looking at hotels (or similar) around the major parks for the heck of it? We're not looking for "ADR" style content (unless you want to lol), but since you have a rating system now perhaps it might be useful in off the beaten places people stay at. If that all doesn't sound too appealing, then maybe just doing small road trips where you document the journey from start to finish and all the nuances along the way. I just want to emphasize something you can do often and repeat on a regular basis since it might be hard to flesh out this channel's content if you're limited to big budget hotels and extravagant destinations. So many TH-cam folks with over a million subscribers literally film in their house or living room for consistent content, would hate to see you limited in growth and scope just because you actually go outside unlike the rest of us mole people 😁
Best of luck anyway!
Your Disney cruise video was fantastic. Would love to see reviews of other cruise lines in the same format!
I think the bottleneck of this channel is always going to be the limitation of how many places I can actually film and review. So, naturally, the uploads on this channel are going to be significantly less than the main channel. BUT they will also be very high-quality, and bring a unique perspective and opinion to what I’m talking about. So there’s a trade off certainly.
They’ve been fairly desperately trying to get people to stay at the Galactic Starcruiser(Probably because of the boneheaded original price), so maybe you could work out a way to do a review of that?
@@SagittariusAyy I don’t think I could part way with that much money
The irony of Edna being the theme for a room she wouldn't even spit in.
#nocapes
shit in*
"She wouldn't even spit in" is great, I need to write that down.
Edna was always into fashion and this missed out on so many levels. And there are less expensive rooms that are nicer in World. My interior design professor would have flipped out.
Oh, I dunno. Given she doesn't even know how to sew a rip-able seam, easy release buttons etc, which is pretty much every cosplayer's 101, yet act all holier-than-though about capes (which again, can be made sturdy yet easily and quickly detachable if needed) ... I think this is fitting
edna would flip her shit if she found out this was her themed room.
She'd crush some souls for sure for that room ;)
Exactly she'd cleanse it with fire
So true!!!! She would despise it
No capes!!!
Lol very true 😂
The sheer cost of a Disney vacation in general continues to blow my mind.
the Star Wars hotel is (or was?) $5000 for 2 nights
@@louiearmstrong that wasn't a hotel, it was a LARP
A vacation only a white collar criminal or a billionaire could afford.
@@louiearmstrong and it was a massive failure
@@francisnopantses1108 Or the guy who made this video lol.
I can't get over how it looks like an airport.
I've been to better motorway service stations then that :(
Which is pretty much how all of the 80's felt. Including the linger feel of cigarette smoke in all the upholstery. /shudder
Airport meets hospital.
@@UlshaRS Is that what a tone indicator or whatever they're called is?
I sorta see what you are saying. Texas we have something similar. Just the major difference is this at the time had a one of a kind monorail that went into the hotel to the park.
To be honest, that Edna Mode themed room looks very tacky. For that crap-load of money, I don't want Edna Mode looking over my shoulder when I'm trying to sleep. It feels like the majority of Disney's management is trying to be a real-life Mr. Krabs (as cliché as that sounds): not caring what they put out as long as they make lots of money.
That’s Bob Paycheck for you. 💁🏼♀️
That's the type of room where you ask for a different room because of how bad it is. You risk losing the view though and not receiving any comps for it though.
Further evidence: Avengers campus- six flags quality at Disney price.
We stayed in the Garden Wing and the room was so disappointing. I blame the interior decorator, the rooms look that bad for what you are paying for, very uninspiring. No talent , no wow factor anymore with much of Disney.
nobody asked
Disney really missed an opportunity here. Mid-century modern is all the rave, and an Incredibles themed design would absolutely satisfy that aesthetic. Very disappointing.
That’s what I’m saying! The design of the original movie (even the second one) was gorgeous. And I feel like they missed an opportunity because Edna’s house is so classy.
@@nikkiskaleidoscope3053I was thinking the same thing!! All they needed to do was rewatch the movie ESPECIALLY the scenes where you walk through Edna’s home and there’s so many ideas right there
The Ace Hotel in Toronto, ON is an example of this aesthetic done well. And those rooms are SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper than Disney's.
@@SamFerro Someone probably did, and thought "...but that would cost money"
as an interior designer, they did not renovate that room. they hung up 3 pictures of edna mode and put some vinyl decals above the bed.
also, the lower tier rooms look better than the club level!
Like the trend in most of Florida. No need for designer, architect and any long term planing. It’s sad to replace red and white marble for uncaring generic off the shelf. Sounds like wasting money to have a quarterly report come off better.
@@scottmcguirk4848 Same in other states tbh
@@scottmcguirk4848 And there are literally multiple bedrooms, sitting rooms, and other well designed rooms shown in the movie that they could have tried to copy paste. Instead of pictures of characters being the theme, using the same pictures hung in the living room from the movie? If its edna, she has a well shown front room that could be incorporated. Mid century modern always had distinctive chairs as far as I remember. This is sad
total fools paying for this 1970's digs !
Can we agree that Disney isnt the same anymore?
No matter where you look it feels off.
It’s sadly not
That hurts. Walt’s turning in his grave.
@@speurtighearnamacterik8230 No, it's just not. This is on brand for new Disney. Old Disney would have never let this happen, and would've given a better experience. Ask literally anyone that was there to experience it. This is cheap behavior on a whole new level for Disney. The CEO needs to get booted, and they need a complete staff overhaul. Company is dying fast outside of Disney+. Theme parks are going to shut down and turn into a Facebook meta VR experience that costs $300.
Always a hitch
member when they did friends for change lol😊
If nothing else you have to admire Disney's consistency in everything it does now. From their movies and tv shows, to the quality of the food and accommodations on their cruise ships, and now even the quality of their hotel rooms, everything is just a pale imitation of what it used to be. I'm grateful to have been a child of the 70's and 80's and to have been able to enjoy the "Disney Magic" that once was because I doubt we'll ever see it's like again.
Indeed. I went with my family to Disney World about 25 years ago, and grew up watching movies from the "Disney Renaissance." I haven't kept up much with current Disney movies/parks/etc., but am glad to have experienced what I did.
Japan's Disney parks still have it, because they're not run by Disney.
Yes, I got to experience Disney World's Contemporary around '74/'75 with my Mom and Dad, and The Polynesian in '93 for my Honeymoon and I'm so glad I got it out of the way. lol! Because you almost have to mortgage your house to get the same experience now. I checked it out the feasibility of going last year and it blew my mind what they were asking for! Never again.
*its like (it's =it is) 😊❤
Disney was at its low point in the 70s and early 80s though
If I wanted "beige with a Disney character's face slapped on random decor pieces", I'd go to Babies R Us, not a luxury hotel attempting to capture a very distinct theme, yet that seems to be the direction most of Disney's recent hotel renovations are going for
They must be catering to the poor tastes of aspirational wealth - always susceptible to the insipid - but currently influenced by Kardashian aesthetic misery/minimalism
There’s a thought-provoking article in The Juggernaut about how the world is becoming less colorful. We need to combat it
@@willfeen I think it's become less colorful because of behemoth corporations....(among other reasons)
You forgot my biggest gripe - the Contemporary is a convention hotel...yet the remodel removed the desk and chair in the rooms! The old version had a very helpful clear glass rolling desk that could be moved around the room. Great for when you want to work with coworkers on presentations. When I went last time (and I do mean LAST time) there was not even a table to type on my laptop. i ended up at the Contempo Cafe. Really awkward. another problem was the lack of storage. No dresser meant not a lot of storage. I ended up rolling my suitcase in and out of the underbed space to get clothes each morning and evening. I didn't even need to do that at the Holiday Inn Express. I now stay at the Royal Pacific hotel. You might want to check them out. Given the difference in cost, it easily justifies a Lyft every time you want to go between Universal and Tthe Contemporary if you are part of a convention there.
Oh god I didn’t even think of that!
That sounds like awful timing for COVID-19 when so many guests might be bringing remote work, yikes
Not anymore it won’t.
A newish Holiday inn express is better
@@altarush I assume you're inferring that now that the pandemic has been downgraded to an epidemic it won't matter anymore, but a long-term result of the pandemic is that lots of people now work remotely full time. Although it's irrelevant anyway because a convention hotel should be able to host people working while meeting regardless, that's just poor planning.
This room looks like an airport hotel room. $1000 for it is criminal.
Room: $180/night
Same Room but Disney™: $970/night
* Same room but with the Magic® of Disney's Storytelling© crafted in painstaking details by Walt Disney Imagineers™ with Renowned World Class Service© from Disney Cast Members™ who will bring Stories that only Disney can tell to Life and create Memories© that will last you for a lifetime
@@NopWorks You can not honestly be defending this hotel.
@@peteandrews9793 i know sarcasm is hard to tell on the internet, but, come on XD
@@peteandrews9793 bruh
What.. I went several years back and could literally walk to Universal Studios.. it was less than 300 a week and it was a really nice room. lol
I worked construction on the Magic Kingdom in 1970-71 and I was blown away by the superior quality of their construction materials.
Guess that's all changed.
I may have done the original cleaning of your $900 room before it left the factory.
If you were ever so inclined, I think a LOT of people would appreciate even a very simple no frills video of you talking about that experience! I’m in my late 20’s, and a lot of people around my age are deeply fascinated with early Disney park development history! Or you should approach defunctland or Jenny nicholson’s channels to ask if they’d like to share your words in a video where it was relevant!
I would love to see a video of you talking about that. I think you would be extremely interesting
Duuuuuuude do what Hi no name is saying
Bro…so you literally helped build Walt Disney World?
You’re a legend, I kneel 🙇♂️
I stayed on the 14th floor a month ago in a $2,000 a night suite that a friend payed for and I had the same feelings as you. We asked them to make up our (rock hard) sofa bed before we returned form the park and we were told later that evening that they couldn’t do that. The lack of service for that price was appalling. If you are use to staying in club level at the Ritz or four seasons, this would be laughable to you. The best part of the whole experience was the coffee bar
If you want good service, ride a train. I think congress screwed up Amtrak's food again, but there are other lands cruises in North America. Especially for disabled people Amtrak had really good service (except for the food... which used to be good! It's a shame). They don't really expect you to know how to take down and stow train beds anyway.
You got suckered in.
Wow they have some cojones. Please tell me neither your nor your friend will patronize anything Disney again!
The kicker is you spend $970 a night, and Disney still charges you an additional resort parking fee.
Not if you don’t park there lol.
@@chrisd6736no shit
@@chrisd6736Not the point.
@@michaelp.3485 I'm not defending Disney's pricing here, but everyone always looks at this stuff backward. If parking was included, the price would be more expensive and the car lot would have lots of empty spaces as many who stay at Disney hotels didn't drive there to do so. Not charging each guest for parking does reduce the price for those who don't need a parking space.
@@JohnDoe-gy5dr
Why would parking make it more expensive? This is the kind of room you'd at most pay 200$ a night for, in a major city in a nice hotel. So there's literally no reason not to include parking when you're asking nearly five times the price. Especially considering that these parking spaces cost Disney next to nothing.
$1000 a night but parking is extra??? 🤪
I know right?
Whenever we visited Disneyworld, we always stayed in the budget "All Star" resorts and then went on "magical mystery tours" taking buses to explore all the other hotels, felt we got the same experience out of all the public areas for no extra cost.
There are way way cheaper motels in Kissimmee on the Lynx bus line 7 days a week to Disney Transportation Center, the bus fare is only a couple dollars. Those all star resorts are depressing, with noisy old AC and never seem that clean yet are expensive as fuck. I don't get it.
@@francisnopantses1108 well, I last visited Disneyworld on a family vacation in 1999 when I was 13, so I can't say what's happened at the All-Stars since then!
I can't believe how cheap the furniture and room details look, especially for a Club level room. I can't imagine how anyone thought this was a good idea, but then this makes sense with Disney Parks and Resorts charging higher prices while trimming back the quality and upkeep of the whole experience.
Like someone bought all the "ultra bottom dollar bargain bin deals" at IKEA. Even they have better quality furniture mostly.
It's basically the same interchangable furniture they designed all the other hotel renovations around. Think Target Home collection and you're just about there.
Must. Maximize. Shareholder. Value...
I have stayed in *much* nicer rooms and they did not even cost close to this much. Completely insane. Looks like the average 4 star hotel room and not their good rooms. Just slightly larger than normal.
@@SuperChaoticus They're not doing a very good job of that.
That room looks more like what I'd expect from a studio/budget room in a themed resort like Art of Animation.
That was exactly my thought seeing it! I stayed at the Art of Animation in 2013-ish, needing a budget room for an event and having never been to Disneyworld (I lived near Disneyland at the time and it's always been my park). It was extremely basic but perfectly servicable, though I thought it was "disney priced" for what you got. This $900 club service room looks no better than my cheap ass room did, with the very basic theming maybe even a little worse. I'm shocked!
Shoot, my room at the All Star resorts (ten years ago granted) was almost as good as that!
@@narutosbelievin Yes, definitely looks like the kind of room you would find at one of the Value Resorts. Not worth the price.
It’s like a “dorm room” meets a “jail” meets an “airport” 😮
contemporary is so dark, the rooms and scaffolding cut so hard into the natural light it always feels a little disconcerting in there.
Agreed. I’ve stayed in Hampton Inns for $120 that look like this room - minus the Mode pics of course!
TSA cells lol
I would pay $200 max for that room.
I wouldn't even stay there
250, final offer
I’d pay $400 no more because of the view
@@midgie1166 it reminds me the Hyatt regency hotel at Olando international airport, and I wouldn't stay there either
I'd honestly rather just stay at a normal Marriott room.
Even the cheapest are nicer than this. This is a joke.
We stayed at the contemporary club level last month. Much to our surprise we were upgraded to the presidential suite. Five balconies! All overlooking the magic kingdom. 2 bedrooms, dining room, kitchen, 3 bathrooms, 2 living rooms. Incredibly unattractive! (They need to fire that decorator!) Multiple faucets not working correctly. One of the balconies flooded and we had service repair people coming and going all through our take out dinner from steakhouse 71. Fireworks were awesome. Club area was worst we've ever seen at a disney resort, and we've stayed at almost all of them. Always seemed fully staffed but never able to keep the room cleaned or stocked. Thanks for sharing your experience. Ours was very similar, even in the presidential suite. It was a check off the bucket list, but one and done.
At least you got the upgrade for your one and done 👍
We stayed in the same room but on the lake side recently and everything worked without any problems thankfully but I was a little disappointed by the shower in the room I stayed in, although I will say the other two showers we had did look a lot nicer.
How the hell is everyone getting upgraded to these crazy fancy rooms 😅
I guess a life of luxury means that if a faucet needs fixing, you just build a whole new bathroom.
By the way, when (2:50) you complained that the bathroom had "no waterfall shower head" you showed a waterfall shower head."
As a lover of all things Disney for nearly 50 years, I agree with you 100% I got a room at Bally's on the Vegas strip that looked like that one for $60/night. Yes, I know it's Disney but that's a slap in the face. I stayed in a Skyloft two-story 1,400 sq. ft. Suite at the MGM Grand the size of a small house with a full-size living room, a sectional couch and 2 chairs, a giant tub, a massive dining table for 8, a stocked bar, a Espresso machine. Including my airfare and room service, I paid less than you did for that Disney room, WOW! Great video, thank you!
I’m not surprised by this at all. Anymore, I feel like Disney is just like “say it’s new, put some random IP on it, and charge them an exorbitant amount of money.” No effort, no care for immersion or putting on a show…honestly, Disney just isn’t Disney anymore.
Putting gawdy IP everywhere is cheap and cringe to me. Ruins the vibe in places where you could get classic "Disney" theming and attention to detail that isn't a cartoon.
@@UnimpressiveG I can’t believe they made an avatar land. An avatar land! Ridiculous.
It's because they know they've got millions of Disney fans lining up to pay whatever price they ask for comodified nostalgia.
@@darcymoon2109 Harry Potter at Universal essentially scared the hell out of Disney and they've been trying to chase that success ever since by making their own IP based park like Avatar or Galaxy's Edge
@@justnoel4088 Except no one wants to be in that world haha
“It comes with perks…. Ehhh… sort of.”
That to me pretty much sums up Disney lately.
Right. All of the great percs of the past are gone. Everything costs extra, and TONS extra. Just can't justify visiting that park ever again, unless serious changes are made.
I follow a disney news channel and buddy wholey crap. The disney fans are not happy. They are laying into disney hard. The channel even embarrassed disney into cleaning the outside of space mountain because if you see the pictures it definitely went from white to "try and hide the nicotine stains off white".
@@jaysonovo4778 Chasing that dollar til the end of time.
Sadly, that how it feels and that is why I am unsure of wanting to go back to Disney World. I am personally more interested in the future developments of Universal Studios Florida, I think they maybe worth looking forward to.
Edna herself would probably be disgusted by her face plastered all over such an awful room and would likely make MASSIVE changes to make it truly worth the price.
For a character so obsessed with high quality fashion standards and the care she puts into her work, this feels like an insult to her name.
Disney’s business model is supply and demand…
“We supply it at our price, and for some reason, people will demand it”
Until attendance starts taking a hit Disney won’t change. Their stock however is in absolute free fall
@@doomsday9973 it going to start happening soon. Maybe in 2 to 5 years. Other theme parks all over the country are more relaxed and affordable. Not to mention universal is the best already.
@@doomsday9973just another reason why Disney Adults suck
@@mr.x2567 yes they do
Go woke, Go broke...
I get absolutely blasted in the Ritz Carlton club lounge unapologetically and encouraged by the staff to do so. And I pay this much for a full corner suite with club level access there… I can’t wrap my head around this even if it is vaguely Edna Mode themed (that would be fun for about 5 minutes then I’d feel silly). For it to be Edna Mode themed for this much money, I want a giant 2 story open showcase penthouse style room (see the interContinental Toronto) like Edna Mode’s mansion. Not this awful room with a couple pictures of her?
Imagine getting blasted at a Disney lounge 😅 parents would absolutely hate it
@@VaunShiz knowing Disney, the drinks would be 1% abv to save money but also charge $23 a drink.
People shouldn’t get drunk
I'd go for the Uncle Remus room myself.
Free bootleg liquor and those clean cotton sheets.
@@VaunShiz You have not seen people at Epcot. I mean drinking around the world is like 90% of the reasons to visit Epcot.
I just found your channel. Your reviews are excellent. All others beat around the bush where I have to forward till the end to listen to an actual review while others sound too sponsored. You keep it real and straight to the point. I can actually watch and listen with complete interest from beginning to end. No fluff. You sound like the every day guy who lets everyone else know if the experience is worth it and that's what I want in these videos. New Subscriber.
The price of that hotel room is beyond ridiculous. I would expect a jacuzzi, plush carpeting, a temperpedic mattress, a massage therapist that gave the full spa service, a butler, valet parking, a personalized tour in a limousine around the entire park as well as the colors of ivory, teal and gold in the room along with a personal chef who prepared your meal right in front of you for the price you paid. That room is not worth more than $80/night if even that much. This is my personal opinion.
It's a 10/10 opinion. Valid, logical, and overall sane.
IMHO, it’s worth a little more than that, because the room itself is a low grade 4-star experience. $180 a night in the dead season, no more than $250 a night at peak season. With all of the amenities, we’re talking $550, and that had better include complimentary parking and discount vouchers on park dining or something.
What you’re describing is a country club spa experience that company CEOs pay $10,000/mo for, lol
If we're talking low grade four stars, your prices would be on the high end even in well-known hotels in major cities like New York or Chicago. For those prices you can get some basic rooms in five star hotels.
@@mikeblatzheim2797 In what reality are you getting basic five star rooms for $180 - $250 a night in New York? The Mandarin Oriental is over $1,000 a night for a basic room.
@@carlover4239
I was referring to five star hotels generally, not specifically in New York. As for Chicago, there is the Pendry, which is a five star hotel and not that expensive.
This is like a microcosm of modern Disney right here:
1. Make something mediocre
2. Slap an IP on it
3. Charge an exorbitant amount for it
4. Rely on your company’s reputation and army of die-hard fans to sell it for you
5. Profit (for this quarter anyway)
apple:
Nintendo..... except at least their offerings are normally good still.
And yet the fans will still pay. Although I have noticed a slow drop in park attendance
@@Dullahan161nah Disney lemmings will pay forever, no matter how high the price gets. Hence why they can get away with it
Having spent a lot of time in Disney planning forums, it's amazing the level of just...complete detachment from reality I've seen over the years. Fans of Disney parks - the people who go back year after year after year - have a completely different standard for anything connected to the Disney parks than any reasonable first-time or infrequent visitor would have - even one splurging on a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Not unlike in NYC real estate, people will use proximity to something to justify staggeringly high prices and cuts to services. Yes, you have the Magic Kingdom right there, and EPCOT with monorail transfers, as well as the food offerings and services of the other two monorail resorts. But at WDW that still leaves fully 50% of the parks, as well as Disney Springs and the water parks, a long ride away on the same buses people staying at the All Star Resorts are using.
I think, based on the proximity/ease of access to two parks (especially MK), you could justify $600 a night if you view it based on what the rates are in the other on-property hotel categories. It's the club level element here that's truly a joke. A few years ago, I would watch on message boards as people justified it by calculating the potential savings for a family of four if they were to use the club lounge for their daily breakfasts. But based on what's offered, I don't see how that could be much of a factor given how families who aren't, you know, shockingly well-off (or just reckless with vacation spending), will bring all kinds of pre-packaged items like cereal and granola bars, supplemented with fruit and maybe a quick service side or two. You're not getting a *good* breakfast from the club level lounge, you're just getting *a* breakfast.
What I hadn't realized was how sad the alcohol (another frequently-cited club level justification) and other food offerings were, nor how small and sad-looking the actual space was. The guestroom itself is, of course, a complete joke, and my standards are *not* high. I love when Disney works in its IPs, but the Edna Mode 'theme' screams cost-cutting measure (coughCheapekcough). The view is undeniably fantastic, but how much value are you getting out of that when so many families are in the parks literally all day, including when the fireworks are actually going off? (And how much of an upcharge was it for a Theme Park View vs Garden View or whatever the lower category is?)
At WDW, I will never not stay on property. I like the 'Disney bubble'. I like the resorts' theming. I like the standard of quality and the wonderful cast members. But you could never convince me to stay club level, even if I could do so for half of what you paid, nor would I particularly want to stay at the Contemporary at all, for most of the reasons you've named. The unique, retro A-frame building is a novelty that's nice to visit, then move on from...via a long, long bus ride, if your ultimate destination is about 60% of Disney property.
I just dont understand how Disney is making so many poor choices. I understand that money talks, but that's been the case since the inception of commerce... but did everyone just lose all of their good taste in the past 7 years??? How did the idea of an Edna Mode themed room get through enough people to become a reality??? Even the idea of an Incredibles-themed area at all is baffling, but who actually desires a stay in the Edna Mode room???? Like you look at the gorgeous view and fireworks and you feel a sense of genuine beauty and awe, then turn around to the corny barely furnished hotel theme. Don't get me wrong, staying in the Edna Mode Room would make me laugh, but they cant seriously believe it was a good design choice lol
People continue to pay for it so why would they change? Nothing is going to change until people aren't willing to pay those kinds of prices for what you get.
Of course by theming you mean a few pictures on the wall. Replace those with Simba, Mufasa and Scar pictures and you call it a Lion King themed room. IF that's the level of effort they are putting into it, why have it as a themed room at all. Also, at that price I want fresh flowers in the room, some greenery on the balcony. Anything to make me forget I'm in a bland grey box.
I think Disney is not hiring talented people anymore and it is beginning to show.
@@candycottrell6469 If all they offer is very mediocre pay and the occasional flogging no wonder they don't get quality people ;)
Poor choices and bad decisions have been made by current Disney management. They lack Walt Disney's unique vision and creativity that built the Disney empire. One only needs to recall Disney's political lobbying in 2021 to place sex education into the Florida public school curriculum for five-year-old children to see a good example of the current management's loss of focus on Walt's formula for entertaining.
Love seeing these! We need more big, non-Disney specific content creators calling out Disney for how cheap their product has become.
So true
I live pretty close to Disney. The high prices have kept me away, Disney stopped long ago being “The Happiest Place on Earth.”
When a guy I was dating recently suggested we spend the weekend at Disney, I told him, “I don’t like you THAT much.”
I’m not cheap but If I’m gonna spend that kind of money, the relationship gotta be a sure thing.
You guys should see Tokyo Disney toy story themed hotel. It’s insanely detailed and very well thought out. Makes these rooms look even worse and more embarrassing.
Tokyo Disney is trying way harder, and doing a better job of preserving real Disney history, than Disney world.
Tokyo Disney is by far cheaper than any US based Disney resort, I want to say park admission is maybe a little more than half that at a Disney park. And cost of rooms at like the only hotel on property is relatively cheap compared to US Disney resort hotels whether you're east or west coast. Disney does what it does because it knows it can get away with it, and it doesn't try to hide it and people still accept it.
It seems Disney's idea of theming is a few pictures on the wall. By that standard most toddler's bedrooms these days far exceed the Disney standard.
@@justinm2697 Toddlers are stupid
That's sad, considering that the entirety of Tokyo Disney isn't actually owned or operated by Disney--they just license their IP to a Japan-based resort company.
Considering this room should be worth $400 max in my opinion, I could NEVER justify the convenience of a 15-minute walk to Magic Kingdom costing the same as four tickets to the park itself.
In the summer of 2019 I had a Disney World vacation. You could get a room at the Contemporary for 300-400. These new prices are crazy. I am priced out of Disney.
Even $300 is nuts
That room is a $150-$200 max room. That price is insane!!
Wow! The architecture of this property is stunning. It’s a shame that Disney can’t theme the lobbies and the rooms to match this hotel’s amazing midcentury modern design!!
The overhead view of the lobby reminds of what the overhead view of a convention looks like.....various exhibiters in a row, they all look different because they are all showing different products. There is nothing cohesive about the lobby at all. The only 'cool' thing about it is that the monorail goes through the building.... and that's 1980s impressive,
I think they used to match the theming, but have since “modernized” it, much to their detriment
Yes! You pay to stay at the Contemporary Resort, not the Incredibles motel.
Check out the old pictures of the lobby area, it'll make you cry, it was so fantastically themed. Those beautiful glass trees, why oh why Disney 😭
the original furniture was very 70s, the dressers were molded plastic drawers that stacked. The color palette matched the giant Mary Blair murals, lots of warm colors, orange, red, yellow. They updated it in the late 90s in jewel tones on asymmetrical furniture, it was pretty ugly then, amazed they could make it worse.
Charging 1000 a night for a motel 6 room and still charging parking? Nope
That room reminds me so much of ‘90s era Courtyard hotels. Which is absolutely fine, but I can’t imagine paying $900+ for it, no matter how convenient the location.
The ground floor honestly looked like a shopping mall thoroughfare. 😂
There was another comment saying they’d pay $200 max for the room Jake stayed in and I have to agree. It looked like a La Quinta Inn decided to theme one of their rooms after a Disney property and thought that would cut it.
Sorry but I'm 100 percent sure that laid out sushi has given more than a few people food poisoning
I really think they could go whole ham on the mid century modern, it has the architecture to fit and I think a luxurious mid century mod is something that can stay luxurious and stylish with upkeep. Done right, I think it can be more timeless. it may not be "contemporary" but the theming is already inconsistent and for a luxury market I think a good quality design may be worth more than some halfway done Incredibles tie in
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the exterior style more International than Mid-Century Modern?
I agree.. i think Contemporary could actually do an early century modern or art deco look and be WAY classier and luxurious than this. And it would stay true to the Contemporary theme without needing to redo the hotel every 5-10 years
I stayed at the Contemporary in the garden wing during Covid for an insane deal. It had the “older” rooms and I would take that styling over whatever this was. It felt premium, and while outdated, I still felt like I was getting my $400 worth. Disney has been cheaping out where they think guests “won’t notice” at the cost of the true Disney magic.
400 per night is an insane deal to you? For a low floor outdated room?
How many days did you stay? I would love to see photos of this older room. Knowing that this is oneof the older hotels think they would want to keep something . . .old about it
@@somethingsomething404 It definitely is for Disney Deluxe Resorts during the 2020s, especially before the resort-wide cost-cutting of the last couple years. Even when I went to WDW in the early-2010s finding one of those rooms for $400 would have been considered a bargain
@@somethingsomething404I’ll never understand some people.
If the regular price was $2,000 and she paid $1,000, in these minds, that’s a bargain!
I stayed at the Polynesian resort for $228 a night in the DVC area during Covid when the resort was being refurbished. It was deserted, it was quite eerie but wonderful!
I love your ratings system. Easy to follow and about as fair as a system can be, I hope to see you do this with more of the Hotels at Disney, Universal ones as well. Great Video!
My wife is an avid fan of Disney and I'm an avid fan of my wife, so I have supported her in her many trips to Disney over the years. I've been telling her for years now that the Disney she loved 10+ years ago just doesn't exist anymore. This is further proof. The thing that gets me is that my wife and her equally avid friends just accept this crap without seeming to ever really notice. It doesn't stop at just the rooms either. I'll skip the long list of other declines in the parks, experience, etc. as most people paying even just a small amount of attention have probably noticed as well. But, from a pure business standpoint, I can see why Disney really has no motivation to change. There just seems to be no end of people willing to accept this. Every year my wife has to explain to me some new stupid and inconvenient thing that we have to do or put up with yet we're still there with countless others with me looking around wondering why.
@@Flynn1982x I understand and respect if you want to give me 100 different Disney related examples as to why you disagree. I really don't think it's your place to scold and lecture me on a personal level though.
@@Flynn1982x Oh knock it off. The world doesn't need your bad attitude towards people. My wife and I have a great time whenever we're together. We both happily and cheerfully accompany each other wherever -- including Disney. This seems to be a concept you can't conceive of.
Im a goddamn engineer, and we're boring, but holy hell those themed interior reeks of budget cuts, lack of creativity and attraction.
@@Flynn1982x Then why are you commenting on this? if you read the book, didn't like it, doesn't want to criticize and only leave this kind of garbage is literally waste of bandwidth and youtube storage, WHY are you commenting on this?
>I'm an avid fan of my wife
Very nice wording, my good sir. 10/10
My family and I stayed at the Contemporary many times over the last 20 years with AP discounts, and our trip in February was the last one for a while. You’re right. The room refurbs are embarrassingly bad for a hotel that pretends to be this caliber, the Grand Canyon Concourse is a complete mess, and the resort is nowhere near the Deluxe level Disney pretends it is. Even little things were frustrating, like a coffee shop that closes by 11 am every morning. Plus the water sports and boat launches have been shut down indefinitely! Combined with the complete headache of Genie+, everyone in my family agreed that current Walt Disney World is like a spoof of “real” Disney, and you have to bury your head in the sand to pretend it’s still magical. We did not renew our APs.
My husband and I have been watching your videos for years, Jake! Loving the well-deserved shade being thrown in this video. 😂
Great honest review, and for that price, I would expect free Park entry, and a private staff served bar on your exclusive floor. The room itself also looks basic in my eye as a Brit, looks on Par to a Travelodge with a touch of Disney. They off good cheap basic no frills accommodation here on the UK. Not what I would expect from the Disney brand however.
I thought that too, I am not a massive fan of travelodge but prefer it to Holiday Inn (worst one I stayed in was in Bournemouth and was seriously overpriced).
It looks like the kind of room you book because you don't care about the room as long as the bed is comfortable because you plan on spending no time there at all other than sleep time.
Free park entry? LOL
I think we can all agree that a lethal combination of greed and technology has turned Disney into the shallow, anxiety ridden, depressive and superfical state its in today.
......ok
@@MyEcho4 It's objectively true, Disney is creatively bankrupt.
And yet, people will still begrudgingly pay these prices anyway
@@Poever Not begrudgingly, but very happily!
A much easier word for that is “capitalism”
This was a very good and honest review. Many Disney fans are brain washed into the Disney way and that is very sad to see. That room stay is not worth 900 plus dollars per night. You want a view of the theme park area take a picture of the park and hang it on the window for your view..... Disney is become such a joke...... What would Walt be saying now........
It’s really sad to me to see what the club level has turned into having worked at the resort front desk including covering the club level areas in the early 2000s. The lounge on the 14th floor was an actual lounge and not what looks like the McDonald’s it is today. The snacks and evening options were exclusive, changed daily, and were made by various kitchens in the resort. Any alcohol was included and if we didn’t have what you wanted we would find a way to get it. The rooms were understated and had luxury materials. The concierge would basically do anything for you within reason, and would contact you before your stay to make sure we have everything you needed and wanted to do.
Now that sounds like a $900 price tag would be worth it.
This sounds like what I'd consider reasonably to pay $900 for.
I'm not sure there's a better example of new Disney vs old Disney as turning a beautiful, themed, relaxing seating area into yet another soulless retail wallet-grab.
I know it sounds silly of me, but I am so sad how people who go to Disney now won't get to experience the quiet it used to have. The focus on atmosphere above profits. This isn't an issue at only the Contemporary. The lobby of the Polynesian was a sight to behold! You wanted to stay there, to linger and wonder what was around the next corner. The fountain would lull you into this other world.
What does modern Disney offer? Dated particle board furniture, echo-filled shopping gauntlets and aging concrete. It's depressing.
I was born in '97 and luckily enough through family connections and DVC membership, have been to Disney more times than I can count and am very fortunate for my experiences.
The Polynesian Hotel was such a cool hotel when I was a kid! I always wanted to stay there and was lucky to once or twice. But after the renovation, it lost some of its magic for sure (maybe also because I was older.) But you're totally right. The Contemporary was even cooler back in the day.
I'm only 25 but over the last 10 or so years, i've really started to detest the company that used to give me so much joy as a child. It's so blatantly obvious they don't care about anything except money and control. Just off the top of my head, having the soda machines at the hotels only work when you buy an overpriced mug that works with the technology to dispense the soda (no longer buying one and bringing it around to multiple hotels/parks/visits), the whole FIASCO that FastPass has turned into, butchering & rushing the 3 new Star Wars films, etc. etc. etc.
❤❤❤😊❤😊❤
1:06 I utterly lost it at the “HOLY” 😂
My mother worked as an assistant manager in the Contemporary Hotel when it first opened in October 1971. It was possible to have a room for $21 a night. The Tower Building was the only building then, and I remember how utterly awesome and futuristic the place seemed to me then (I was 12). It is still one of the unique hotels of the world, even if its upgrades have not kept pace. I am utterly shocked at the rates Disney is getting away with nowadays. If the Tower Building is fully occupied (and the hotel is almost always booked solid every day of the year!), its 1,077 rooms alone (not including its three other buildings) can generate $750,000 of revenue a night. The whole hotel has to be taking in a million-five. They better be saving and investing half of that! Enjoy yourself, Mickey and Minnie. The hotel business is notorious the world o'er for its peaks and valleys. A severe reckoning is coming, not just for Disney, but for all of Orlando.
This is the most underrated travel channel on TH-cam from the high quality video/editing to the excellent voice overs in each video and of course all the great informative content. Thrilled it came up on my recs
Agreed
$970!??? Almost a thousand per night!?? I would never pay more than $200/night for ANY hotel!!
If you wouldn’t pay more than $200 a night for any hotel, then you should not be watching videos about premium/luxury accommodations.
Disney is the epitome of corporate greed. How do people justify paying these outrageous prices?
I would love for it to go full 70s and embrace being “dated”. I mean really, really dated. Like stepping back in time. I would love to go to a hotel that takes me back in time.
that’s how disney resorts are supposed to feel! they’re themed! they’re supposed to make you feel like you’ve stepped into another time or even another world. but lately disney execs have gotten it in their heads that they want to “modernize” everything and it sucks the magic right out. they’ve literally been un-theming things.
Let's include the 70s prices, too!
@@MisterMikeTexas Disney is all about bringing the future to the present, by that I mean future prices marketed now. That means you sir will get 2070s prices, enjoy the fun!
The rooms at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim are also somewhat underwhelming and overpriced but at least they have a Disneyland theme, and while the decor is somewhat dated it doesn't feel cheap.
The fact that they made a beautiful, striking example of 70s architecture into something indistinguishable from a modern day Hampton Inn is insane. This is how I felt when I went to see Hyatt Regency Atlanta, designed by John Portman. The atrium was still breathtaking but the room was dirty, looked like a motel, and left a LOT to be desired.
Disney’s respect for their customers is a joke. From their content, parks and hotels, they provide a sub-par product for way too much money and assume everyone will pay.
Your assessment is spot on. The price and value for this place is ridiculous at best. And this is coming from a Disney fanatic who has stayed at all levels of resort on her trips. Yes, Contemp has the monorail. Yes, you can walk over to MK. But for $900+/night? There are countless other hotels on property that have the same (if not sightly less) ways of transportation to the parks for a fraction of the cost for a room. I’m not taking into account the Club level, because let’s be real and admit that no amount of product in the lounge is going to offset that price hike. Maybe if Club level came with free Genie+ and resort parking, now THAT would be something for a family to actually consider, it wouldn’t eliminate or neutralize the cost of the Club level room but it would narrow that gap.
Also, who decorated that room? 😂 That is such a disgrace of a “renovated” room, I’d of asked for my money back or another room immediately. Especially after seeing the themed Incredible rooms that are available. Come on, Disney!
Yup! Spot on.
Another Fair detailed intelligent analysis....thank you.
I do NOT think Disney is charging for "convenience" .....they're charging because they're disney....they have grown a "EFF YOU PAY ME" attitude over the past decades....but in so many instances they no longer have the talent or intelligence to deliver on what they promise.
As you said in one of your other videos, disney has been marketing to the rich for some time now....and REALLY seem to have a disdain for the average family, the average middle or lower class families.
They're like a iron toothed monster that consumes and devours with no compassion or pity.
This room was "nice"....just NICE....the insult comes with the OUTRAGEOUS PRICE which is THE ONE DEFINING CHARACTERISTIC of disney now days....and you're SO On Point....it's INSULTING
THREE PICTURES on the wall (which isn't a "theme", it's ADVERTISING) does NOT constitute a "themed" room
disney nauseates me
The disdain for regular folks has become stronger. Republicans and Christians are second class citizens in Disney's eyes.
Couldn’t agree more. We paid $278 per night for a Savannah room at Animal Kingdom Lodge in 2018 renting points. That was great value. With todays prices across the WDW resort, I won’t be staying on property there again. Couple of ideas, do a club level room at Royal Pacific or Portofino at Universal as a comparison and maybe club level at Disneyland Hotel or the Grand Californian.
Oh, a Universal comparison would be really interesting!
They weren't club level rooms, but my family did a split stay at the Portofino and then AKL a few years back and the AKL won by a mile. Portofino was nice and we had an amazing room with a great balcony view, but it just fell short. It came down to interactions with the front desk/staff which were much better with ALK and cleanliness of common areas. Disney properties tend to get worn out between renovations but never completely beat and/or dirty. At Portofino there were huge digs in the walls in hallways and such several times in the four days we stayed I saw spilt food in common areas just sitting and overflowing garbage cans. Also saw an electrical outlet in a common area that was missing a switch plate that was just weird. To be fair, in my opinion the theming at AKL is unbeatable by anything at Universal or Disney. That said, Portofino was still great and I would put my experience there above my latest stay at the Disney Boardwalk Inn.
Why anyone would go to Disney is beyond me. I took my family there last January and stayed in one of their resorts. The stay was over priced, rude service, long lines at the park, and my kids even said that they were disappointed at how Disney is now. This company is more about cheating their customers out of money than making ALL of their customers feel happy.
A private driver is arguably more convenient than a monorail or a 15 minute walk...
Please keep doing these Disney reviews!!!! I love them so much!!!!
I worked at the Contemporary Resort Hotel back in the late 1980s. Was a busboy at the local restaurant there. I recognized it from 8:45. Yes, looks exactly the same. And, back then there was an area that all the waiters and workers would slip on, going in and out of the kitchen. It was dangerous. I told the managers and bosses. All they needed was some anti-slip pads on the floor. However, nothing was done. Eventually, a worker there, friend of mine, slipped and broke her foot. At that time, I just quit. The "magic" was over even before it had begun.
Nice video.
Growing up, this was the hotel I always wanted to stay at, but we never visited WDW. While maybe I missed out back then, I"m glad to know I'm not missing anything today. Though I wouldn't go to a Disney property today if the trip was free.
Jake, you consistently knock it out of the park on every video you do, thanks so much for the high quality content, so much work and research into everything. I really also enjoyed how this was a non biased review of Disney, not the usual everything is amazing content from the usual vloggers. Thanks again for all the great videos.
I really appreciate it, thanks John!
Yes, ditto. Always excellent and fair reviews. As I mentioned yesterday, I don't even travel but I am taken by these Travel videos and look forward to them. Thanks
I stayed there with my grandmother when I was only 5 years old in the late 90s. She was dying of breast cancer, and I remember holding her soft hand while waiting for the monorail to take us to magic kingdom. I love you grammy Grace
What a beautiful memory. I'm sorry for your loss, but glad you have that little light to hold on to.
❤
Stayed there in 1970s. $2000 for a week for a family of four covered all expenses, including meals. Boy am I old.
They charge that much cause they know they can get away with it. We've stayed at a few of the on-site Disney resorts and for what we paid we have never been wowed.
Sadly, people still pay it, esp families that save up to go once a year for a week/weekend. They're losing money hand over fist by the look of things, but I suspect they don't think that'll be a long term trend. I also suspect they're wrong, and the more they continue to do stuff like this, the less people will go. Especially with Sea World, Lego Land, Universal all right nearby and Tampa/St Pete/Clearwater a 90 minute drive with Busch/other smaller family areas
The astronomical price is not justified for this room. I would rather be in the four seasons or Ritz Carlton and drive to the parks then pay $900 for a mediocre hotel. I am really disappointed with Disney 🤦🏾♀️ ! Thank you for this review!
..."than"...
It is the new Disney: declining quality, sky high prices...and endless advertising for their products.
Several years ago I was thrilled to get upgraded at the Wilderness Lodge to a Club level room. It was my first and only time staying on Disney property and I couldn’t believe my luck… then I walked into the room and deflated. It was one of the worst rooms I’ve ever stayed in and didn’t even approach Holiday Inn levels of quality. The furnishings were particle board and plastic, with scratches and other signs of heavy wear all over it. The mattress sagged in the middle so much there was no way to not roll into the center unless you clung to the edge. The walls were paper thin, to the point where I could hear people simply walking down the hallway even if they weren’t speaking. The bathroom was small and the shower head janky. The “club lounge” offered far fewer snacks than shown in this video. The whole experience of the room was just really sad.
Every time I've slept in a Disney room it's been a stressful experience. The beds are hard, the rooms are ridiculously small, and everything seems tacky and a bit grimy somehow. I've been in Hyatts at convention rates that were much, much, much nicer than any Disney hotel. I'd rather stay in a central Florida motel; the room will be larger and smell cleaner, and the breakfast is free.
"I think the best comparable is maybe a bathroom out of a nice Sheraton hotel" which is irony because the WDW Dolphin is a Sheraton and you get more bang for your buck thanks to its cheaper pricing, location between Epcot and DHS you could get to via Friendship Boat or walking, restaurants like Picabu and Shula's, and you get some of the same things as those staying in Disney-owned resorts like early theme park entry. Stayed there in August 2011 and I enjoyed the balcony view I had of the Tower of Terror.
0:06 Imagine an alternate timeline where the monorail did stop at the Persian Resort and go through Tomorrowland before stopping at Magic Kingdom as shown here by the yellow line...the monorail ride would've definitely been more enjoyable
Thank you, I 100% agree with your review on contemporary and riviera. I have been saying for years, why would anyone spend that much on any Disney deluxe resort, yet everyone always raves about the rooms. My favorite has always been the Port Orleans, the theming is great, but even those are getting way too expensive. My grandson loves the contemporary, so every year for his birthday we go to Bay Lake Tower and watch the fireworks, since I have points to throw away. I’m hoping he outgrows it soon, since I would rather rent my points out and save the money for his college. We are lucky we live close now. I can’t wait to hear what you think about Poly and the Grand, since I don’t like them much either. It just blows my mind what people will pay for a trip to Disney, so many other resorts around the area that far far out beat Disney, yet people will pay those prices. If they stop paying, Disney would fix up the resorts. But if you think the resorts are bad in what you see, you should see behind the scenes, Disney has not updated one thing in 50 years, the CM bathroom showers, have walls full of no tiles, leaks that run down the length of halls , and broken furniture to sit on after you cleaned 18 resort rooms.
Years ago my girlfriend dragged me to Disney Orlando and it sucked. We showed up at about 1:30pm and checked into the hotel. We were told it was not ready. An hour and half later went back to find a dirty room. Went to the desk and they told us the room would not be ready until after 6pm. Now we rented the room for 24 hours and were told checkout was no later than 12 noon. So we had to kill all this time doing other things and then go back to a semi-clean room. Simply I went to Disney as a kid and loved it but that was in the 70's. This time around as an adult I was rather unimpressed at the high costs, low quality, over crowded park with really rude people.
Maybe as a kid you just did not notice it wasn't clean lol
I would have loved to see this hotel styled in a 1950's futuristic retro style. Disney could have done so much more. I think they are losing some of that pixie dust, and need a change of management. The reason people go to Disney is for the experience.
This looks like a dirt-cheap Hilton room with some framed posters on the wall. Truly embarrassing,
Honestly, looking at the rooms I was like "Oh that isnt that bad for like a mariott, if its like $200 or $150, it kinda looks nice on camera" and then you see the comparable rooms at the fancy hotels, and its night and day. The crystal glasses really sell the photo, and it generally looks more welcoming, less like its in a showroom and more like somewhere I'd actually want to stay.
Being FL residents and AP holders, we've stayed at the Contemporary twice in the Garden Wing. For our discounted price, the perks of big rooms (big compared to Value and Moderate rooms), smaller resort crowds, and proximity to the MK and Epcot were a win for us. Same thing for the 2 times we stayed at the Poly. I did the math, and for our family, Club Level could be an alternative option for feeding us breakfast, dinner, and snacks. We ended up not doing it as we chose to eat in the fun-themed restaurants. But that's me sleuthing around for the best deal. For a club-level theme park view room at the Contemporary, if they want to charge that much at rack room rate, it's insulting not to deliver to their guests. Disney has come to behave as if we should be grateful to overpay for the privilege of being in the Disney bubble.
Is it really worth it compared to what you could get by a trip some place wirh culture like Europe
@@jameskeefe1761facts
@ 1:12. Says he thought old rooms looked a bit dated and needed more moving . Me looks at old room and thinks it looks nice and warm and very classy leading to conclusion Jake has zero taste of a typical young person.
My wife and I last stayed here in 2016 when we got married and got a free hotel stay for one day anywhere, so we chose here. And the balcony is top tier, with everything else lackluster for the price. You nailed it. Sad to see the design language clash even further with each new remodel. Hopefully, they can pull it together; I really like the overall architecture.
I guess the obvious answer is they charge what people are paying. While the rooms fill at that rate, there is no incentive to change. Excellent review!
This is the kind of thing which puts me off ever going to DisneyLand - it all seems like just a massive cash grab to rip ppl off as much as Disney can get away with.
Every club level is slightly different with what they offer for food & drinks. Wilderness Lodge has draft beer, bottled alcohol and other drinks in their cooler 24/7. Club level is only $50-$100 extra per night (not per guest) so for a family of 4 being able to eat breakfast in clublevel pays for itself. We also stock up on water bottles before going to the park.
Contemporary & Floridian are my least favorite deluxe resorts. They are too expensive and too dated. I don't mind the incredible re-theme, but I too would have expected the the red & blue rooms in club level. I had never seen pictures of the the new rooms you showed. I would have been so disappointed.
Bravo for this review! I’m a lifelong fan of WDW and there was better service in the 80s, when I was a kid, than there is today. It’s a joke what Disney expects from its guests in more areas than this, and guests just keep on coming. Universal is catching up fast and has already exceeded in some ways. And The Incredibles theming for such a high dollar space is ridiculous. A legacy hotel space like Contemporary should be mid century modern with classic Disney characters as they were drawn in that era, in wall art, etc.
Man, I’ve paid for rooms that were like $96-115 that looked like that. Yet Disney charges $970+?! Yeesh!
I’ve never been able to go to Disney and especially not as a kid because we couldn’t afford it, but this looks like a regular hotel room I’ve stayed in, for the price of something that my parents or I could never justify
I went to Disney World when I was 12. A friend and his family went in an RV and stayed at the campground. My parents covered what it cost for me to go. I had a decent time but have no desire to go back. I think people let their love of Disney IP cloud their judgment on the experience. As a kid I had a more exciting time at Dorney Park or Six Flags (much better rides). As an adult I don't want to vacation at a place where it feels like my wallet is the customer.
I’ve stayed in rooms with the same quality for around 100$, but with way more perks
Years ago we took both of our kids to Disney, my wife called the hotel several times to make sure they had our room the last time being minutes before we loaded the plane. After we arrived at the hotel they went on to tell us that we did not have a room because the hotel was packed full of teenagers for a cheerleading competition, eventually they gave us one of their suites. After getting the key card we went up the elevator and after we stepped off the elevator it looked like a frat party on the entire floor, all of the parents/guardians were down in the pool/bar leaving 100’s of kids running, screaming not to mention each door was propped open with different songs blaring from their boom boxes. We were stepping over kids to get to the end of the hall where our suite was. When we got to our door it lead us to a breezeway and to another locked door that was our suite, if it weren’t for that breezeway we would’ve heard all of that noise.
I was truly enamored with this hotel as a kid- simply bc the monorail went through it. In my mind it was the ultimate Disney experience. As an adult we explored the resort before booking a room & my disappointment knew no limit. It has to be the most over rated/over priced room on property.
Great video and review! Disney’s prices are beyond outrageous.
Looks like a freaking $150 a night room. Like for real. Just a normal strip hotel. That's nutssss. And like who the heck approved adding Incredibles (a children's cartoon basically) to high end hotel room décor? That's even more nuts. As someone who lives in Florida in a city with over 200 lakes... a "lakefront" view doesn't do much for me, haha. I literally got cheaper 3 room, 2000 square foot luxury suite in The Luxor in Vegas for HALF that price. Though a lot was compt.
If I'm spending that money, you're absolutely right. I'd be looking at the JW, Ritz or Waldorf and paying a driver to bring me to the park.
I think the Ritz has caught on as their prices are twice as much as Contemporary right now.
God this is just depressing. Disney World will always be part of my core memories, but I can’t justify going any more. It seems like each new step the company takes is in a different wrong direction. Very disheartening to see the legacy of Walt, one of my first great heroes, squandered like this.