Contemporary Family Suites

[zulaya]

Did anyone else read the AllEarsNet Newsletter "All Ears Hears"...

Here's the copy from the pertinent part...

... from T.B.: When I was driving on property the other day in
the "Service Vehicles Only" area between Magic Kingdom and the Contemporary, the construction entrance sign for the
Contemporary North Wing area said "Contemporary Family Suites Construction Entrance."

Could be to throw us off...could be true...if true...probably busts the DVC bubble.

 

[Pennyguy23]

This was posted a few weeks back. I hope it isn't true

 

[Dis13]

I thought I read in another thread/story that "suites" was painted over

 

[Dis13]

Found it... posted by Asianway over on the Rumors board...
"In other news, they painted over Suites on the Construction Parking sign so now it just says Construction Parking for Disneys Contemporary."

So there's still hope!

 

[robinb]

Thank goodness there is still hope! CRV is my dream resort .

 

[DVC Grammy]

IF the actual building is similar to that in the drawings, IMHO, I can't see 14/15 floors of "family suites" at the CR!
Think about the total capacity and the kind of price tag those would have at the CR!
Is there that much of a clamor for multi-room accommodations that can't be met at either the DVCs or the value suites, plus a few at CR?

I guess I'm one of those that see this as a "red herring".

 

[tjkraz]

IF the actual building is similar to that in the drawings, IMHO, I can't see 14/15 floors of "family suites" at the CR!
Think about the total capacity and the kind of price tag those would have at the CR!

Actually, the facility isn't as large as most people seem to think. Rumor is that the top two floors are all 3-bedroom suites. Most of the first floor can also be eliminated due to support facilities. That leaves us with 12 or 13 floors of rooms. According to the plans, there are only about 21 rooms per floor, for a total of approximately 300 rooms. Of these, many would be Studio-style rooms which would Disney is having no problem renting at the CR tower right now.

With the CR being a big convention destination, it's certainly conceivable that guests would be willing to pay $500-600 per night for a suite. Some may just want the plush accommodations...others may bring the family along to their conference...

I guess I'm one of those that see this as a "red herring".

I don't see it as a red herring so much as yet another indication that even Disney was undecided about the final ownership of the property for a significant period of time. While I think the odds are high that they will actually be DVC rooms, my sense is that the decision was made much more recently than most people believe.

 

[Starr W.]

Article yesterday in the Wall Street Journal, that businesses are making employees "bunk together" for conferences(well then the Cont. suites would work out great) or are only covering $x per night for accomodations and if you stay in a room with a kitchen cutting back on how much you reimbursed for dining on a trip(ie go to the store and eat in the room ala DVC).

With timeshares/vacation clubs being the "hot ticket" in the resort industry right now(when I start hearing it 2x per day on CNBC, you know something is going on), I'll put my money on it being CRV, not the "family suites" at the Contemporary.

 

[tjkraz]

Article yesterday in the Wall Street Journal, that businesses are making employees "bunk together" for conferences(well then the Cont. suites would work out great) or are only covering $x per night for accomodations and if you stay in a room with a kitchen cutting back on how much you reimbursed for dining on a trip(ie go to the store and eat in the room ala DVC).

And yet Disney has been successful charging upward of $400 per night for the hundreds of convention accommodations already at the CR. Meanwhile Hilton is building hundreds of rooms under the "Waldorf Astoria" shingle just around the corner, with connected conference space.

I have no doubt that the WDJ article is correct, but those organizations aren't the type Disney is looking to attract. There are solutions for every budget.

With timeshares/vacation clubs being the "hot ticket" in the resort industry right now(when I start hearing it 2x per day on CNBC, you know something is going on), I'll put my money on it being CRV, not the "family suites" at the Contemporary.

As I said, I do agree. However, with Disney's amazing sales numbers at such out-of-the-way locations as SSR and AKV, it's not like the program NEEDS a CRV. If Disney felt they could consistently turn a profit on a couple hundred suites at the CR, there's absolutely nothing keeping them from building villas elsewhere. This isn't an either / or situation.

 

[BCV23]

DVCGrammy, I agree with you completely.

I suspect the decision to build CRV was made some years ago just as AKV was obviously planned for years.

 

[DebbieB]

I don't see it as a red herring so much as yet another indication that even Disney was undecided about the final ownership of the property for a significant period of time. While I think the odds are high that they will actually be DVC rooms, my sense is that the decision was made much more recently than most people believe.

I agree. I think the reason they have not made an announcement is because they have not made a final decision on the mixed use.

 

[rantnnravin]

as much as i want CRV myself, i'm thinking that the "painting over" of the "Suites" nomenclature was simply to accomodate the workers who are refurbishing the interior of the main building within the same parking facility as those working on the new structure.

 

[spiceycat]

the plans that were send to supplies and sub contractors - definitely say Contemporary resort Suites. not DVC.

but time will tell!!!

 

[tjkraz]

...just as AKV was obviously planned for years.

Well, I'm going to disagree there, too. There's little doubt that AKV was a VERY hastily developed concept. The fact that DVC started selling points before they even had model rooms open to the public or promotional materials to offer speaks volumes about that project. Last I heard Imagineering still has not signed-off on the final room concept for Kidani Village (i.e. they're still making changes to the models), so that's really not a project that received a lot of attention before being approved and announced.

SSR was projected to sell for much longer than it ultimately will. Some original estimates had it selling for 10 years...instead the points will be gone in about 4 1/2 years. By many accounts the next WDW resort in line was the Contemporary. However, a combination of SSR's early sell-out and indecision over ownership of the new CR rooms threw the timetable off. DVC needed a filler resort and converting rooms at AKL was the project with the shortest timeline. (It didn't hurt that AKL had its own occupancy problems, either.)

So that brings us to where we are. The only thing we don't know with complete certainty is whether DVC ultimately won the battle for the CR. It sure looks like they did, but then we suddenly get signage and paperwork that say "suites" instead of DVC.

With 450+ units at AKL to sell, plus the ever-present rumors of a DL resort and off-site announcements, there is still plenty of time for DVC to start work elsewhere on WDW property for the follow-up to AKL.

 

[BCV23]

Well, I'm going to disagree there, too. There's little doubt that AKV was a VERY hastily developed concept. The fact that DVC started selling points before they even had model rooms open to the public or promotional materials to offer speaks volumes about that project. Last I heard Imagineering still has not signed-off on the final room concept for Kidani Village (i.e. they're still making changes to the models), so that's really not a project that received a lot of attention before being approved and announced.

SSR was projected to sell for much longer than it ultimately will. Some original estimates had it selling for 10 years...instead the points will be gone in about 4 1/2 years. By many accounts the next WDW resort in line was the Contemporary. However, a combination of SSR's early sell-out and indecision over ownership of the new CR rooms threw the timetable off. DVC needed a filler resort and converting rooms at AKL was the project with the shortest timeline. (It didn't hurt that AKL had its own occupancy problems, either.)

So that brings us to where we are. The only thing we don't know with complete certainty is whether DVC ultimately won the battle for the CR. It sure looks like they did, but then we suddenly get signage and paperwork that say "suites" instead of DVC.

With 450+ units at AKL to sell, plus the ever-present rumors of a DL resort and off-site announcements, there is still plenty of time for DVC to start work elsewhere on WDW property for the follow-up to AKL.

I think you have supposition on top of supposition here.

The size and location of the deluxe rooms at AKL speak to those rooms having been designed to be DVC all along as does the fact that the road has always extended beyond the entrance to AKL...a wide divided road not likely to be have designed for CMs only. Others have posted over the years that AKL was designed to have a DVC component. Certainly we don't know that for a fact but then neither do we have any way to determine whether SSR was expected to sell out in 2, 4 or 10 years. If indeed sales have picked up enough to bring AKV online sooner than anticipated, that could explain why WDI had not completed the room design. On the other hand, WDI could have been a bit busy with other things as well. We really don't know.

You say the only thing we don't know with complete certainty is whether DVC won the battle for CR. Who knows if there was a battle over CR. Seems unlikely to me frankly. I say we know none of these things with any certainty. We're all just guessing.

And my guess remains with DVC Grammy.

 

[tjkraz]

All of the hard information in my post (#14) came from reliable sources and details have been confirmed by multiple individuals.

But feel free to believe whatever you wish.

 

[spiceycat]

I still think if this was going to be anything but a DVC resort - then why hasn't Disney announced it.

they are pretty good about announcing new things or additions. so why haven't they?

as far as suites not being able to be filled. Not sure about that.

we both know that Disney would research this. As badly as I want a CR DVC - this was the first WDW resort and I can believe that some top executives want it to stay at WDW resort - not become a DVC, too.

although it would be great for DVC to have a monrail resort!!!

Oh I do own at VWL and I would kept it regardless. the CR and VWL are too very different resorts.

 

[BCV23]

All of the hard information in my post (#14) came from reliable sources and details have been confirmed by multiple individuals.

But feel free to believe whatever you wish.

Sorry, I don't think any of your info is hard. In my experience with WDW, those who actually know anything don't reveal anything.

And it is not a matter of believing. As I said it is all just guesses.

So you continue to guess away.

 

[asianway]

The info on All ears is erroneous, there are two signs, and neither of them ever said "family" on them. It was Disneys Contemporary Suites, later modified to simply Disneys Contemporary.

 

[nuts]

In my experience with WDW, those who actually know anything don't reveal anything.

Spot on! Even my source is VERY quiet on this one.