In materials / construction/ energy efficiency. We have as a culture, have been predicting the Jetsons are right around the corner since the 60s . They are not.
20 years is not that long. As far as building code that pushes Disney renovate rather than rebuild. But let’s be honest BWV is 25 years older than RR and there were not wild differences.
OK, well that's wholly inaccurate, but ok. I guess they're both multi-story and both located in Florida...
I could spend 40 hours explaining the differences in the Codes between 1996 and 2019, but that would bore everyone. As someone involved in the design, construction, performance testing and subsequent investigation of structures here in the US, just because they aren't using replicators in the restaurants, a transporter to get you from your hotel to the parks, or other manifest changes to the appearance or functionality of the facility, doesn't mean the changes aren't there.
It's the changes that you can't see that are the ones that require the greatest modification and/or replacement to maintain code-compliance. As I stated (I thought clearly) previously, the issues will relate to energy efficiency of HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems, building envelope (roofing, fenestration, and exterior cladding) and other weather-resistive elements, and integration of whole-building smart technology, etc. Throw in the smart functionality as it relates to the occupants and the changes will be even more pronounced. We are already seeing smart integration in new hotels built all over the world, both in building operation systems and in guest services and front-facing amenities.
As to the societal changes between 1996 and today: how many people had cell phones in 1996? You couldn't even buy the first Blackberry until 1999. How many of us had high-speed internet versus that 9600 baud dial up modem, WiFi everywhere we go, electrical vehicles, driverless vehicles? Even your average car has smart cruise control, lane control, and collision avoidance today.
In 1996, how many of us walked into the house and said "Hey Google" or "Hey Alexa" and got any response whatsoever, never mind controlling our lights, our heating and air conditioning (and now humidity), playing music, starting the coffee pot, locking or unlocking our doors, etc. Want to check your fridge inventory and order food? No problem. How about doing all that from the office or your car (and while you're at it, closing the garage door you accidentally left open)? In 1996, you were lucky if you could get an audio baby monitor ( I know, I think we bought them all), never mind a camera. Now our homes are filled with cameras inside and out (arguably not a good thing) and we can scare away porch pirates using our doorbell. Touch screens, 3D holographic images, the list goes on and on. Want to watch a movie? In 1996, you probably still used a combination of VHS tapes and maybe a brand-new DVD player (you'd have to wait until 2003 for a fancy new BlueRay). Now, we stream all of our entertainment and almost no one keeps hard media. We've gone from 5" drives to 3.5" floppy disks to ZIPP drives to CD/DVD drives to no external drives at all. Today you can buy a micro SD card that has 2 TB of storage, equal to 1,456,354 floppy disks or 2,996 CDs.
It's not the Jetsons, but it sure isn't the Flintstones either (which is what 1996 looks like technologically in 2022). To suggest that the past 25 years has not been a watershed period for technological advancement ignores just how remarkably different things are today versus the 1990's. Construction technology is advancing at the same pace.
I'd argue 20 years is a VERY long time.
