And The Walls Will Come Tumbing Down

[BroganMc]

Wow. I've only been a DVC member since May but it sure looks like I joined at a good time. Everything is happening so fast now.

Thanks for the tidbits Sammie! Keep them coming if you have them.

I'm most interested in Contemporary because I have a brother who swears by the place. He's actually going to pay cash for a Tower room this Fall when he could get a cheaper member's discount at SSR. (My dad and I did the super nice thing of adding all my siblings to our contract and therefore gifting them membership. They just haven't figured out how to use it yet.) A Contemporary Villa may see him finally dipping his toe in the DVC pond.

 

[Sammie]

Does anyone have any idea of how long asbestos containment would take for a building the size of the North Wing? That will determine when the actually take down begins.

 

[BCV23]

Does anyone have any idea of how long asbestos containment would take for a building the size of the North Wing? That will determine when the actually take down begins.

Sammie, see 2goofee's post...#33. The razing has started.

 

[mckryan]

I'm going in a couple of weeks, and I promise to bring back pictures!

 

[MinnieGirl33]

I truly think the project there will be a joint venture between Resorts and DVC. I think that is why we keep seeing the Contemporary Suites mentioned.

I agree. Especially since there has been no official DVC announcement, it would appear that Parks & Resorts would be the ones paying for whatever it is that they are actually doing right now (asbestos removal? prep for demo? whatever). Why would they agree to have those expenses come out of their budget if they weren't going to get a return on it later.

 

[dwelty]

The Contemporary North Wing "is" being demolished. I know, I know some are going to say, duh well that is obvious. Believe me nothing at Disney is obvious.

.

Great, maybe they can take the whole resort down. That is the ugliest resort on WDW property! Just as long as they move the California grill someplace else.

 

[unixadm]

Great, maybe they can take the whole resort down. That is the ugliest resort on WDW property! Just as long as they move the California grill someplace else.

I doubt you will see that.....the Contemporary and Polynesian were the original resorts back when WDW opened and were part of the originial design by Walt Disney. That would be like knocking down the castle......I just can't see that happening.

I have wonderful memories of my first trip to WDW in the '70's and seeing the "cool looking" hotel with the monorail going through it. I wanted to stay there back then, but it was way too expensive for my parents...We did eat breakfast there that is still a great memory. I stayed there many years later with my family. Sure, it could use a bit of a face lift, but don't knock it down!

 

[lenshanem]

I agree. Especially since there has been no official DVC announcement, it would appear that Parks & Resorts would be the ones paying for whatever it is that they are actually doing right now (asbestos removal? prep for demo? whatever). Why would they agree to have those expenses come out of their budget if they weren't going to get a return on it later.

Do you guys mean something like WL / VWL or BC / BCV? Or are you thinking of a different arrangement?

 

[spiceycat]

different - general VWL and BCV are for DVC members and guest - just a few paying guest through CRO.

this resort may be half and half - half for the DVC member and half for paying guests.

of course since DVC pays for itself. WDW might be removing the building - not the resorts. and the expensives go directly to the bottom line - maintence.

then the entire building could still be a DVC.

but the WDW resorts definitely need more suites. Now if they need them at the Cont is the question. Since the new rehab is a big hit - I really think the hotel could fill up half the building.

I do believe these suites will be different - most of the suites only have kitchennett not a full kitchen. I really think all of these will have a full kitchen - simply because later on if the CR sells out quickly - then DVC might get the rest of the building and it would make it easier to resell if the units contained the full kitchen.

of course if the Cont can rent them for rack rates - then DVC getting them might not happen.

 

[lenshanem]

Interesting.

Personally I have no need for a full kitchen. I'm not going be cooking on vacation. The kitchenette serves me fine, we typically eat only breakfast and snacks in the room, maybe a sandwich once in awhile.

 

[crazy4wdw]

I believe the wings were not original construction. From what I understand, the wings were added onto the original hotel after opening. Only the tower is the original hotel, so really, the new crescent shaped tower is only another alteration to the original resort.

I stayed in the CR North Wing in January 1972, just three months after WDW opened in October 1971. The wings were an origninal part of the resort. During the first few years of operation, the north wing was called "Bayshore" and the south wing was called "Lakeside". Each building of the Contemporary (Towers, Bayshore, Lakeside) had its own check-in desk. When you pulled up to the security gate, you were directed to one of the three buildings.

 

[minnie61650]

The Contemporary North Wing "is" being demolished. I know, I know some are going to say, duh well that is obvious. Believe me nothing at Disney is obvious.

The reason, expansion to the Contemporary. Now whether that means DVC or not, is yet to be seen.

It could and then again it could not. It could be suites for the Contemporary resort and expansion for the new much expanded restaurants and shops.

Or it could be a combination DVC/Resort project.

Truly if I get anything I can share that is definite I will. Right now all that is definite is expansion is such that the North Wing is being removed.

Sammie,

This is great news!
I am hoping at least part of the new section will be DVC.

At the very least with a new section to Contemporary there should more
Handicapped Accessible rooms with roll in showers. As far I know the CR tower only has 1 HA room with a roll in shower and that is located on the 12th floor in the Atrium Club.

It breaks my heart with a fellow DIS'ner posts on the resorts board or disABILITIES board asking where the CR tower HA rooms with roll in showers are located (hoping for a room with a MK view) and I have to reply that there is only 1 room on the club level and that it often booked a year in advance.

Thanks for posting the great news.
Please keep us updated.

 

[spiceycat]

Sammie,

the very least with a new section to Contemporary there should more
Handicapped Accessible rooms with roll in showers. As far I know the CR tower only has 1 HA room with a roll in shower and that is located on the 12th floor in the Atrium Club.

It breaks my heart with a fellow DIS'ner posts on the resorts board or disABILITIES board asking where the CR tower HA rooms with roll in showers are located (hoping for a room with a MK view) and I have to reply that there is only 1 room on the club level and that it often booked a year in advance.

Thanks for posting the great news.
Please keep us updated.

DVC will definitely put in several handicapped units. they plan on current DVC members getting old (not happening). If it is a DVC - hope so!!!!

 

[Longhairbear]

I just read on another site that a poster has seen pics taken yesterday of the north wing. They say the roof, and a few of the walls are down in the pics. Pics are not online yet from what I read.

 

[LIFERBABE]

I stayed in the CR North Wing in January 1972, just three months after WDW opened in October 1971. The wings were an origninal part of the resort. During the first few years of operation, the north wing was called "Bayshore" and the south wing was called "Lakeside". Each building of the Contemporary (Towers, Bayshore, Lakeside) had its own check-in desk. When you pulled up to the security gate, you were directed to one of the three buildings.

Very interesting and thank you for sharing!

Sammie, thanks for the info! I still believe CRV is a go. I just hope they save that little playground! LOL!

 

[lenshanem]

I also read a post today on another website that said they were given a map yesterday of the Contemporary and the North wing is not on it, only the South.

 

[Tink-n-Belle]

WoW!!! That is so exciting!! I do hope it has some DVC rooms!!

Thanks for the information.

 

[BuzzLightyearDad]

allearsnet has pictues of the walls going down

 

[maciec]

allearsnet has pictues of the walls going down

Could you please post the link? I can't find it on allears.

 

[La2kw]

I stayed in the CR North Wing in January 1972, just three months after WDW opened in October 1971. The wings were an origninal part of the resort. During the first few years of operation, the north wing was called "Bayshore" and the south wing was called "Lakeside". Each building of the Contemporary (Towers, Bayshore, Lakeside) had its own check-in desk. When you pulled up to the security gate, you were directed to one of the three buildings.

Yes, I must have confused the buildings that were added to the Poly after opening, as well as the new Convention Center added to the CR. That's interesting about the different check-in desks.