CR construction next year?

[triplefigs]

Anyone heard anything new about the proposed CR construction? Any guesses as to how long the construction would last? We LOVED our trip there last week, and we've booked again for Christmas 07.

 

[Lynne M]

People have heard all sorts of rumors from CMs about upcoming changes at the Contemporary, but no one on these boards can say for sure what's going to happen. Sometimes the CM gossip is right, sometimes it's not, and I personally wouldn't change any trip plans until Disney formally announces something, or until someone at the CR sees construction beginning.

But, it's likely that more information about what's going to happen at the CR should be announced by the end of this year, and that should give you plenty of time to adjust your plans if you want to.

If it's just a matter of moving shops and restaurants, I'd GUESS that it'd be done by the end of 2007. If the DVC rumors about the 15-story tower are true, there'll be construction at the CR for years.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Anyone heard anything new about the proposed CR construction? Any guesses as to how long the construction would last? We LOVED our trip there last week, and we've booked again for Christmas 07.

When I was at the Contemporary in August I was told by several Cast Members that the Concourse Steakhouse & the Food & Fun Center would be switching places sometime in 2007, however they could not tell me excatly what month this renovation would start. I guess you can also include the arcade moving into the Fantasia store because I assume once the Food & Fun Center closes, the arcade will also close.

 

[DannyDisneyFreak]

When I was at the Contemporary in August I was told by several Cast Members that the Concourse Steakhouse & the Food & Fun Center would be switching places sometime in 2007, however they could not tell me excatly what month this renovation would start. I guess you can also include the arcade moving into the Fantasia store because I assume once the Food & Fun Center closes, the arcade will also close.

The 2007 Birnbaum guide book said that the Food & Fun would be moving but with no word on CS. Here was the thread on it:
http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1231659

I just purchased the Birnbaum '07 guide to WDW. The restuarant section confirms that the Contemporary snack bar will be moving to the fourth floor concourse.

"Snack Bar: After leaving its first floor home of 35 years, the Contemporary resort snack bar has moved up in the World...All the way to the fourth floor, beside Chef Mickey's. This spot serves light fare around the clock."

Also the Concourse Steakhouse is no longer listed as a restuarant option at the Contemporary either in the resort section or restaurant section.

Another interesting note, the last ticket price increase is not included in the '07 guide. The one day ticket is still listed at $63. I thought I read that one reason WDW increased the ticket prices in August was so the guidebooks would contain the correct prices for 2007. Guess Not!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I can't comment on what the Birnbaum guide said as I have not purchased it. I am only saying what I was told by several Cast Members, that the Concourse Steakhouse is included in this move. Besides if you think logically if the Food & Fun Center is moving, where is it moving to? To me that would mean they are moving to old location of the Concourse Steakhouse & the Concourse Steakhouse is moving to where the Food & Fun Center is.

 

[DannyDisneyFreak]

I can't comment on what the Birnbaum guide said as I have not purchased it. I am only saying what I was told by several Cast Members, that the Concourse Steakhouse is included in this move. Besides if you think logically if the Food & Fun Center is moving, where is it moving to? To me that would mean they are moving to old location of the Concourse Steakhouse & the Concourse Steakhouse is moving to where the Food & Fun Center is.

I agree, that has been the rumor that they will "flip flop" locations, but I was just commenting that as far as confiming the rumors the guide book has only confirmed the F&FC move not the CS, it may be possible that the CS will be rethemed and I would almost bet renamed, because no longer being on the concourse level the old name would be silly.

 

[crmaster]

On the morning of 1st October the North garden wing, bid farewell to its last guest. The construction fence has gone up, and it will stay there for at least 3 years, what is going to replace it, i wont say for now. However it will be as tall as the tower building and as nice. You decide if you choose to take my word or not. But i do have all the answers

 

[2Xited4Disney]

Well that explains why when We there 9/29-10/2 we were upgraded to the Tower from the Garden view... I guess I am compelled to believe in you anways you are apparently the "Contemporary Resort Master" : )

 

[Lewisc]

On the morning of 1st October the North garden wing, bid farewell to its last guest. The construction fence has gone up, and it will stay there for at least 3 years, what is going to replace it, i wont say for now. However it will be as tall as the tower building and as nice. You decide if you choose to take my word or not. But i do have all the answers

Posters who claim to be in the know say those plans have been canceled and the present plan is to just rehab the N wing, the same rehab that was previously done to the S wing.

There have been threads that showed the architectural rendering of the new tower, which was going to be DVC.

I'd say if you were high enough to really know , as opposed to just posting rumors that are around, you wouldn't be posting.

Posters who know construction say the fence that's up isn't the type of fence that would be put up if the wing was going to be demolished.

 

[mitros]

On the morning of 1st October the North garden wing, bid farewell to its last guest. The construction fence has gone up, and it will stay there for at least 3 years, what is going to replace it, i wont say for now. However it will be as tall as the tower building and as nice. You decide if you choose to take my word or not. But i do have all the answers

I am truly not trying to be funny, or a wisenheimer or anything, but how do you ...."have all the answers"?

 

[MJMcBride]

I am truly not trying to be funny, or a wisenheimer or anything, but how do you ...."have all the answers"?

Its easy to have all the answers when you make them up.

 

[jade1]

On the morning of 1st October the North garden wing, bid farewell to its last guest. The construction fence has gone up, and it will stay there for at least 3 years, what is going to replace it, i wont say for now. However it will be as tall as the tower building and as nice. You decide if you choose to take my word or not. But i do have all the answers

At least you saved your "one" post for a good one. Heres hoping you are right!

 

[minnie61650]

Just a little interesting info I read on another forum.

A guest just returned from WDW and said that an eight foot fence had been placed around the North Wing and that there were water booms in the lake.

The water booms would suggest demolition to me or some rather extensive repair work on the structure of the North Wings.

I know the fence is standard during refurbishment's but the water booms in the lake have peeked my interest.


After reading about the water booms I did a little research and dug up (no pun intended) this old rumor from mouseplanet.com.
Maybe there is still some hope for a CR DVC even if it is on a smaller scale.

From a June 26 rumor:

http://mouseplanet.com/articles.php?art=wd060626mg

............What we've heard is a variation of an even older rumor, that the North Garden Wing of the Contemporary Resort would become a DVC resort. Now, prior rumors had indicated that the South Garden Wing would be converted to DVC lodgings, while still others indicated that a new DVC resort would be built on the current site of the Contemporary's tennis center. The South Garden Wing has already been refurbished into upgraded hotel accommodations. The tennis center is not in danger due to Reedy Creek Improvement District zoning regulations, which preclude new construction that close to the water. In fact, the North Garden Wing location cannot host new construction due to those same rules.

However, refurbishment of the Contemporary Resort is officially scheduled for completion this summer, yet no work has been done to date on the North Garden Wing buildings. The new reports indicate that the North Garden Wing buildings will be gutted down to the steel superstructure. (They can't remove the steel, because then it would be "new construction" and would violate the zoning laws. The old structures would be grandfathered in as existing structures being "renovated.") They'd then add two floors to the top and rebuild the interiors as DVC lodgings.
---------------------------------------
This rumor always made more sense to me than a 14 story modern tower.
I think the timeline would be correct because it will would most likely take a year to gut the existing structure. It might take about 2 more years to add two floors to the top and rebuild the interiors as DVC lodgings.
I do not see a CR DVC being built in stages so I think the timeline might be correct.
----------------------------------------
Or maybe Disney did get the variances they need and will build the tower.

Time will tell.
I am still hoping.

 

[asianway]

Reedy Creek is a shell company owned by Disney. They will rubber stamp whatever WDW wants. I think whatever happens, we will not see anything as ridiculous as gutting the North garden Wing to bare steel.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Reedy Creek is a shell company owned by Disney. They will rubber stamp whatever WDW wants. I think whatever happens, we will not see anything as ridiculous as gutting the North garden Wing to bare steel.

I agree 100% with that statement.

 

[minnie61650]

Reedy Creek is a shell company owned by Disney. They will rubber stamp whatever WDW wants. I think whatever happens, we will not see anything as ridiculous as gutting the North garden Wing to bare steel.

It would not be ridiculous to gut the North garden Wing to bare steel if it gets Disney what Disney wants.

There are some zoning restrictions that are state or federal mandated that even Reedy Creek may not be able to ignore such as building too close to the water. Wetlands are others.

DH is a commercial builder (he owns his own business)and I am somewhat familiar with zoning laws.
Sometimes as long as one original wall remains the building can be "grandfathered" in.

Believe me I live the Lakes area of SE Michigan and I see it happening all the time.
People will pay $500,000 for an old home on the lake and tear it down (save one wall) and will build a huge new multimillion home in its place.

That is why the mousesavers.com article sounds plausible to me.

JMHO

 

[asianway]

The quote from mouseplanet says nothing about federal or state zoning restrictions, merely that Reedy Creek Improvement District restrictions would be holding it back.

I agree if higher governments get involved, that type of thing MIGHT happen; however, it is not going to be Reedy Creek that blocks the path of DVC development.