Contemporary Rumor

[wildernessDad]

I'll say one thing--if the artwork being circulated is accurate, they couldn't have chosen a blander design for the structure. They certainly won't lose any time working on exterior design.

It looks like a high-rise apartment complex. While the location is great, the style leaves something to be desired, I think.

 

[MarieA]

Do the additional DVC sales really justify giving up the $500+ per night (even more for a villa / suite) they could charge for 500-600 brand new cash rooms, many with a skyline view of the Magic Kingdom?

I have to add my 2 cents here for what it's worth. I don't think Disney would be foolish enough to build a tower full of suites that are not DVC at the Contemporary. My reason for this is simple - when all regular rooms are booked at the Contemporary the only rooms available are suites. Suites do not fill as quickly as regular rooms.

 

[spiceycat]

It looks like a high-rise apartment complex. While the location is great, the style leaves something to be desired, I think.

remember estate - location, location, location.

MK is walking distance!

I have faith that if this is a DVC resort. and DVD planning got a say in the plans - it will be nice. they haven't build a bad resort yet.

okay have the A, will shortly have the C, how many years before the south wing becomes the B....

 

[nuts]

My reason for this is simple - when all regular rooms are booked at the Contemporary the only rooms available are suites. Suites do not fill as quickly as regular rooms.

Your assumption may not be correct. From what I am hearing, the demand is in suites...which is the one area Disney lacks (at least at the deluxe end of the spectrum).

 

[spiceycat]

- when all regular rooms are booked at the Contemporary the only rooms available are suites. Suites do not fill as quickly as regular rooms.

yea but those are not in a NEW building - and I think those are just make over rooms.

the Polyn was built with suites - I don't think the Cont was.

WDW is like other resort areas.

the most expensive sell out first, followed by the cheapest (value) - then everything else.

besides this will give Disney an excellent place to put the people (if they have more than one ) that are visiting but need guards. It will be a separate building with the passageway connection to the Cont. These guests are used to paying top dollar.

If disney does this correctly - then yes it could be suites. but I still want a CRV!!! I have waited YEARS (since 2000) for this to be a CRV...
oh well. time will tell!

 

[pilferk]

The main reason that AKL was selected as the new DVC location is because of occupancy problems at the resort. AKL had over 1300 cash rooms prior to this conversion. I can't think of another deluxe that has more than 1000--most are in the 700-800 neighborhood. AKL simply couldn't fill its rooms.

I agree, it was one of the main reasons, but I think the fact that infrastructure for DVC was put in place when AKL was under construction, AND the fact they could have something to sell relatively quickly also were factors. With CRV, that would seem to not be the case. I think, more than anything, the occupancy issues played into the 5th and 6th floor conversion plans.

 

[pilferk]

Your assumption may not be correct. From what I am hearing, the demand is in suites...which is the one area Disney lacks (at least at the deluxe end of the spectrum).

Not having seen numbers, I find it hard to believe there is enough demand for 300+ MK suites (assuming the plans we've seen are what's getting built) on any given night. I've seen this point brought up before, and while I don't doubt that demand for the 20 something CR suites overwhelms supply, I find it tough to swallow that there is enough demand to account for THAT many more high priced suites. Maybe....but I just find it hard to believe.

 

[Olaf]

Your assumption may not be correct. From what I am hearing, the demand is in suites...which is the one area Disney lacks (at least at the deluxe end of the spectrum).

I agree, I've had many CM's tell me that the suites book out fast.

 

[pilferk]

I agree, I've had many CM's tell me that the suites book out fast.

I think THAT'S true....based on a very limited supply.

But the question is, does overwhelming demand for 20+ suites equate to being able to fill 300+ suites.?

 

[tvwalsh]

I don't understand why Disney won't use the AKV model and convert the south wing (or some other part) of the Contemporary resort to DVC so that they can legally start selling long before the new tower is built. Why would this not work?

 

[Olaf]

I think THAT'S true....based on a very limited supply.

But the question is, does overwhelming demand for 20+ suites equate to being able to fill 300+ suites.?

True, but do we know exactly what's going up there?

 

[MarieA]

Your assumption may not be correct. From what I am hearing, the demand is in suites...which is the one area Disney lacks (at least at the deluxe end of the spectrum).

We've stayed in the Contemporary many times so I'm speaking about personal experiences in the past. While trying to book at the CR the only rooms available (when the hotel was fully booked) were the suites. I can't imagine a tower full of suites selling out consistently especially with the cost of these rooms being $500+ per night.

My family loves the CR and hopes that CRV is going to happen. I guess we won't know what is going on until Disney makes an official announcement.

 

[pilferk]

True, but do we know exactly what's going up there?

As I said in my previous post, I'm assuming what's going up is what they filed plans for. Considering there's construction going on, and no new plans filed, I have to assume they're going to stick with those plans....else they would have had to submit new filings for approval and they'd be viewable online.

Is that the safest of assumptions? Maybe not....but right now it's all we have to go on. Considering that, and the "mock up" photo that's running around showing a building with the same look as the model we've seen, and the plans they've filed, it at least has some evidence to support it.

 

[carolina_yankee]

I don't understand why Disney won't use the AKV model and convert the south wing (or some other part) of the Contemporary resort to DVC so that they can legally start selling long before the new tower is built. Why would this not work?

They could have, but that ship sailed when the did the refurbishment of the South Wing just a year or so ago. Besides, that would have left hotel rooms only in the Tower, which would have knocked the Contemporary out of the affordable range for many people. While all 3 monorail resorts are deluxes, there are still varying price ranges which don't put them out of the range of many travelers.

I think the fact the Shades of Green had the North Wing during their refurbishment also indicates the Contemporary may have had a problem filling rooms at the lower price points, though. Maybe one wing of hotel rooms was enough, thus the new Tower where the North Wing was for a different room configuration.

Dirk

 

[Olaf]

As I said in my previous post, I'm assuming what's going up is what they filed plans for. Considering there's construction going on, and no new plans filed, I have to assume they're going to stick with those plans....else they would have had to submit new filings for approval and they'd be viewable online.

Honestly, I haven't been following the whole thing, but 300+ suites? Are studio sized-rooms considered suites?

 

[pilferk]

Honestly, I haven't been following the whole thing, but 300+ suites? Are studio sized-rooms considered suites?

That's rather my point.....



Remember, the projected/filed building is 15 floors. There was, somewhere (anyone remember exactly where) a filed general floorplan for 1/2 a floor that was approx 10 units....though I can't find it now, it's buried in one of the threads on the subject....so the projection was "about 300 rooms".

We're not sure what those units actually entailed (could have been a 1 BR suite + studio suite connecting) because, from what I remember, there wasn't quite that much detail involved.

Oh, and for those still looking for proof that "something" is going in:

http://my.sfwmd.gov/cmsdk/content/i...pliance/061106-23_ConstCommenceNot_125772.pdf

It's definitely the contemp suites being built...with an estimated construction time table of 32 months.

 

[Black Vette]

I was at the Contemporary resort on Sunday May 5, 2007 and I asked 7 different people that work there if the construction taking place on the west side of the property was going to be a new DVC resort, and all 7 said yes in one way or another. One person working the Monorail line went into detail saying it was going to be a 10 story building with a "C"shaped structure for the Disney Vacation Club offering lake views of Bay Lakes and Magic Kingdom Views for the fireworks. The resort will have a covered walkway between the 2 buildings for easy monorail access and will be open in the next 2 years. WOW!
So when I got home I did a little more research and looked at the Reedy Creek work Permits filed with the county. And on the permits, the projected site is call the "DVC At The Contemporary" and "The Contemporary Suites". What has been rumor for so long really looks to be a reality in the next 2 years.Although nothing has been announced by Dinsey, the permits say it all. I expect Disney will announce this resort within the next 12 months.

 

[tjkraz]

And yet if one wanted to play devil's advocate...

Oh, and for those still looking for proof that "something" is going in:

http://my.sfwmd.gov/cmsdk/content/i...pliance/061106-23_ConstCommenceNot_125772.pdf

It's definitely the contemp suites being built...with an estimated construction time table of 32 months.

Note that the document simply says "Contemporary Suites" with no mention of DVC. Permits filed for the new AKL facilities use the name "Disney's Vacation Club at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge." I believe I have seen a couple of documents for this project that reference DVC, but most do not. And with regard to those that do mention DVC, are they more or less current than others?

Also, DVC has always used the term "Villas" when referring to its units, not "Suites."

One person working the Monorail line went into detail saying it was going to be a 10 story building with a "C"shaped structure for the Disney Vacation Club...

And yet all of the documents posted on-line display a 15-story structure.

...and will be open in the next 2 years.

Not according to the documents linked by pilferk.

Most Cast Members read the Internet just like you and me and they are repeating rumors that come from here...not from some sort of highly-placed inside source.

I have no idea whether the building will be for DVC or not but there sure is enough contradictory information to raise doubts. For the most part, I think people are just choosing to believe what they want to believe.

 

[3DisneyKids]

As always, remember that these are RUMORS regardless of what the CMs say. Many CMs are not very knowledgeable about DVC.

Yes, just about every CM at the CR is saying that DVC is being built...then again, one CM was going on so much about the new DVC there that he said, "But if you are interested, you better buy fast b/c the first 7 floors are already sold out."

See what I mean? No clue about how DVC works. This completely kills any credibility of any CM report about how DVC is definitely coming to the CR, imo.

I hope it does come...and I think it WILL...but in time (2+ years out).

And again...please, not that c-shaped thing. I will likely add on there, but I am so not a fan of that design.

 

[pilferk]

And yet if one wanted to play devil's advocate...

Note that the document simply says "Contemporary Suites" with no mention of DVC. Permits filed for the new AKL facilities use the name "Disney's Vacation Club at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge." I believe I have seen a couple of documents for this project that reference DVC, but most do not. And with regard to those that do mention DVC, are they more or less current than others?

Also, DVC has always used the term "Villas" when referring to its units, not "Suites."

Note my very careful phrasing in my OP. I didn't say it was DVC....only that it was some sort of "comtemp suites". The debate as to what function that building will end up filling stays open, for sure, but the debate on whether they're building a "suites building" or a parking lot, for example, is pretty much over.