ChrisFL said:
It decived in POP Century Legendary Years...shovels, concrete...etc.
And Disney has never quite forgave the "puny" general public for not showing the decency to show up in large enough numbers to keep those 6200 rooms at POP filled to 100.3% capacity.
I was there when they were building the complex...and the attitude by the mid level (which meant they were being told by the upper mid level) management was one of almost disdain when it became clear that the whole thing was gonna be shelved.
But it wasn't just for the travel downturn at the time...it was kinda a revulsion to the idea that people would just skip all stars to go to the 15 year newer pop if they had completed and opened according to plan (which is a big reason why the brakes were thrown on...and also was part of the thought process that lead to all star family suites, the
ddp, and of course free dining)
How DARE you not come if we build it?
I'm not even exaggerating (well...not so much)
Remember that it was the first Disney Hotel project to be put on hold due to lack of demand (already approved/ under construction) in the US...I can't stress what a black eye that was for them.
To have bulldozers moving and then have to eat crow was devastating to the Weiss regime in Orlando...who had basically followed the "people are stupid - they'll show up" in pretty much all things and had gotten away with it.
It's no coincidence that only DVC rooms have been constructed since...guaranteed to be 80% filled at all times...
We will never see another rack rate room ever constructed at a deluxe WDW spot again...nor likely a "moderate" either.
We might get AoA types...which are ambiguous lower end rooms priced at astronomical rates...
They'd sign for that in a second.