Contempo Cafe Lighting Review

[jcb]

I don't remember whether Kevin's review of the Contempo Cafe said whether he (et. al) visited at night or during the day.

I was there tonight but fortunately, for me, I was having dinner at Chef Mickey's (now I like Chef Mickey's but that is beside the point as this is not a food review).

Short of the lighting used at night on highway construction sites (which at least serves some useful purpose), I have never seen lighting as garish as that in the Contempo Cafe. Nothing could look appetizing in this lighting.

Here are a few quickly snapped photographs but they just don't do the horror justice. Notice how, in the darkest one, the lights still glow beyond the resolvable ability of my camera. (Compare them to the globe lights in the background.)

If you can take it, there are a few more at my picasa album.

My favorite part, however, was that now that there is no wall between Chef Mickey's and Contempo Cafe (as there was with the Concourse Steakhouse), some diners (grown men - not kids) at the Contempo were "prairie dogging" whenever the characters would come into the north side of the Chef Mickey's dining area. Now, it is a free country, but really.

 

[sandyh67]

Yikes!
That lighting might bring on a migraine for me

 

[mikelan6]

That looks so cheap. Come on Disney, you can do better.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

Decidedly unappealing.

Thanks for the pics, Jack.

 

[jcb]

And I had such high hopes - I really like the CR.

 

[CinderellasSister]

That is a little scary looking. Disney could have done a better job than that!

But why is no one waving to the monorail??

 

[simonkodousek]

Wow, that is probably the most stark and bland looking restaurant I've ever seen. We'll definitely pass CC and head to Chef Mickey's instead.

 

[Timon-n-Pumbaa Fan]

I arrive on Wednesday night. I don't mind the look of it at all. No, it's not going to win any awards, but I don't expect it to either. It's a CS restaurant. It's placement isn't completely ideal, but someone thought that it needed to be where it is. Who knows, it might have been an issue of plumbing or something that would have cost them more had they built it elsewhere. I am just glad to have a CS restaurant that serves hot food open at the resort for our stay. Traveling with my MIL who has mobility and other issues makes it more necessary just to have the food rather than worrying about the design of the restaurant.

Do I think that they could have done better in a perfect world? Yes, but even Disney magic doesn't completely trump reality.

 

[ADP]

I arrive on Wednesday night. I don't mind the look of it at all. No, it's not going to win any awards, but I don't expect it to either. It's a CS restaurant. It's placement isn't completely ideal, but someone thought that it needed to be where it is. Who knows, it might have been an issue of plumbing or something that would have cost them more had they built it elsewhere. I am just glad to have a CS restaurant that serves hot food open at the resort for our stay. Traveling with my MIL who has mobility and other issues makes it more necessary just to have the food rather than worrying about the design of the restaurant.

Do I think that they could have done better in a perfect world? Yes, but even Disney magic doesn't completely trump reality.

You sure can't argue these points. Disney Parks are notorious for building attractions, restaurants, etc using existing infrastructure. It's a HUGE cost savings for them.

I guess the not so positive reviews we've been hearing about this place probably have to do with the $300 to $400 per night price tag of the resort. If you pay that much per night you expect very nice resort amenities; restaurants included.

I plan on stopping in next week to check it out.

 

[jcb]

Please understand, I was not imposing a value judgment on the decor of the Contempo Cafe - people's taste do differ. While I would not have selected that "look" (not in a million years) I recognize that it is the Contemporary and some people have taste, some don't.

Now, picking who gets to decide what is good taste and not good taste, well, that's the rub.

My point was that the lighting was unbearably harsh. Under this lighting, even HGTV approved decor would look bleached.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I personally don't see what the big deal is about how it looks and it's location. For the longest time I read that no one liked the Food & Fun Center because of their location, so I thought with the Contempo Cafe being on the 4th floor that people would like that a lot better. So in the end let's try to remember it's a counter service and nothing more then that and if the food is ok that's the most important thing.

 

[jcb]

CR4L, I would completely agree with you if they would just lower the candlelight pumped about by the lights by half.

I'll be very interested in your opinion when you see it this weekend.

Hope you have a great trip.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

CR4L, I would completely agree with you if they would just lower the candlelight pumped about by the lights by half.

I'll be very interested in your opinion when you see it this weekend.

Hope you have a great trip.

Thank you and I can't wait to go there because I am looking forward to it.

 

[SoScary'09]

I'm excited too, but I've gotta say....I think I might need to prepare some eye protection if I'm gonna eat there 0_0 Kinda reminds me of the flourescent lighting in a grocery store. But hey, maybe bright is just the way of the future? lol ^_^

 

[nedac]

I ate there last month. It was delightful! We sat there for hours watching the monorail... a defnite perk! Everything was going great... then... we got grandma's test results... uh oh






Seriously, I did eat there last month. Not overly impressed, though I went there for a quick bite, not for the atmosphere. Going in for a review, I would have never even thought anything positive could come of it. Its simply a place to eat... nothing more.