Lobby to close at Disney's Contemporary Resort as refurbishment of the main tower continues

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Contemporary Resort lobby overview- July 2021

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Posted: Monday June 28, 2021 8:08am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Beginning July 16 2021, most of the first-floor lobby at Disney's Contemporary Resort will close to guests as the resort's refurbishment continues.

Contemporary Resort lobby overview- July 2021

During the work on the first-floor lobby, the front desk will be unavailable to guests, with check-in relocating to a temporary front desk on the second floor or outside at the lobby entrance. The Wave restaurant will also close on July 16 as it is redeveloped into a new dining experience.

The lobby was last refurbished in 2007 with a new look

When complete, the new lobby will feature a new free-flowing layout with improved seating and an enhanced check-in experience. In addition to layout changes, the lobby will include a collection of modern art pieces and historical, behind-the-scenes photographs of Disney's Contemporary Resort in development and under construction.

The reimagined lobby is planned to reopen to guests in late September 2021.

Construction scrims cover all of the rooms in the Grand Canyon Concourse

Inside the new-look 2021 Contemporary Resort rooms designs

Alongside updates to the lobby, Disney is also in the middle of a significant refurbishment to the Contemporary Resort guest rooms, which will see an all-new design featuring the Incredibles.

Inside the new-look 2021 Contemporary Resort rooms designs

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UNCgolfMar 21, 2022

I was wondering if they were trying to go for a mid-century modern feel, but if so, they didn't really succeed. They'd have been better off with a desk that looked something like this: Regardless, in the grand scheme of things, it's incredibly minor and the overhaul was still well done, especially compared to other places at WDW.

SkywiseMar 21, 2022

I'm kind of torn on the desks. I think they're going for a late 60s aesthetic where everything was curves and rounded but the new desks don't really match that retro-style so it's kind of a fail for me there. OTOH they're kinda cool looking but I think the original desk (before the retheme) would've worked just fine in the new decor. Also love "that other site that shall not be named" thought that the rounded corners were done for 'safety reasons' :facepalm:

UNCgolfMar 21, 2022

I just mean the overall shape, not the quality of the materials. I think the rounded desks look bizarre -- they should have upgraded the desks but kept the rectangular shape.

ToTBellHopMar 21, 2022

They looked awful up close. Very IKEA.

UNCgolfMar 21, 2022

In general they did a good job with the Contemporary lobby (especially compared to what they did to the rooms and what they've done to other resorts overall), but I think the rectangle desks looked a lot better than these rounded ones.

Disney4familyMar 21, 2022

The new desk design reminds me of this. And what happened to the iconic scent in the lobby??? Did the new, cheap, uncomfortable, plastic furniture on the other side of the lobby take over the scent? They really destroyed this hotel, from the operation room style, bright lights that make the main area now glow orange (from the horrible new carpet) to this. I always thought "deluxe" meant luxurious, elegant or high quality, not plastic, cheap and tacky.

castlecake2.0Mar 21, 2022

The lobby has received a few updates this week, assuming they either ran out of time or materials last year. The cheap looking vinyl-ish “hardwood” at the check in desks and Steakhouse71 entrance has been replaced with actual hardwood. The desks have also been replaced with a new more stylish looking desks with a bit more flaire to them. The other site has pics ;)

zappleOct 12, 2021

The Wave was a 1 credit. The prices are lower than I was expecting, they’re about what they were before.

JoeCamelOct 12, 2021

The menu pricing suggests it is aimed at conventioneers with an expense account. Not absurd to make HR question but at the upper end for hotel meals at a convention. Not aimed at the premium deluxe monorail resort patrons at all. DDP is 2 meals here?

WDWTrojanOct 12, 2021

Looks like a (much) nicer version of the Mousketeeria employee dining room.

NickWildeOct 12, 2021

TBH the Wave always felt like eating in someone's dank basement to me, so I think this is a bit of an improvement. Does it match up to standards for a premium restaurant? No, not really. But it's certainly an improvement over its predecessor.