We have seen a lot of trends take over Disney World in 2024 so far.
Many fan favorites have made their return this year, like the Disney Dining Plan, Cast Member pin trading, and all-day park hopping. Genie+ is even changing and turning into Lightning Lane Multi and Single Pass. All of these are exciting changes, but there is one Disney World hotel trend that is hard to get behind.
Disney World has been around for over 50 years, which means it needs some TLC every now and then. Not only do the rides at Disney World get refurbished and updated, but the hotels as well.
It has been a recent trend for Disney World hotels to shy away from their original Disney roots and become a little more bland. Many people have started to compare Disney World hotels that have been renovated to just generic everyday hotels like a Hilton or a Marriott. While there is nothing wrong with these hotels, they are not Disney hotels, and when people choose to stay at a Disney World hotel, they want to feel like they are at Disney World.
Many hotels across the Disney World property have been updated over the last few years, and some of these updates were much needed. The rooms at Pop Century and the All-Stars needed some serious love, and we think that these refurbishments turned out great. The rooms are more modern, have more space, and still have hints of Disney throughout. It also helps that when you walk out of your room, you have giant statues outside of each building that are so essentially Disney.
Other hotel renovations have not been taken as well. For example, at the BoardWalk Inn, a new coffee shop was added to the hotel’s lobby.
Carousel Coffee serves Joffrey’s Coffee and has an assortment of pastries, snacks, and quick breakfast eats.
Fans were expecting better theming for this new coffee spot and were left disappointed. While this is a great addition to the resort, it looks like a coffee shop that can be found anywhere.
The BoardWalk Inn rooms have also been updated recently. These rooms are sleek and more modern but still have the feel of the classic BoardWalk Inn rooms. There is some Disney artwork on the walls, but if you were to take away the artwork, it would be a room that could be in any hotel.
Some hotel renovations have added more Disney touches to the rooms. For example, the Contemporary Resort rooms underwent a big overhaul and received an Incredibles theme.
Some fans were unsure how they felt about this as the rooms are now very Disney-themed, but the Contemporary is an opening-day hotel, so it can seem as if Disney is taking away a part of history. We think this was a good meet-in-the-middle as the 2021 lobby renovation at this hotel paid homage to the hotel’s modern, sleek roots and added colorful, classic Mary Blair-inspired artwork.
The Contemporary’s neighbor, Bay Lake Tower, is set to begin refurbishments later this year. We will have to wait and see how these refurbishments turn out as Bay Lake Tower is a fan-favorite resort, especially for Disney Vacation Club Members who get to enjoy a Villain’s Lair at the Top of the World Lounge.
More recently, fans have expressed concern about Disney World’s soon-to-be newest hotel, the Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Villas and Bungalows, which is set to open this December.
The Polynesian Village Resort is also an opening-day resort with a lot of history. Each of the different hotel buildings has a similar look and only a few floors. The rooms have been updated and include elements from Moana.
The Bungalows that are on the water even match the vibe of the normal hotel buildings, but the new Island Tower is different. The Polynesian does not have any high-rise buildings, and this new tower has fans who are concerned that it will look out of place compared to all the other buildings.
Disney recently shared an inside look into these new rooms inside the Tower. There are a lot of cool new elements, like a dishwasher inside a studio room and recycled materials that makeup parts of the carpeting and rugs in the room. While these efforts are great for sustainability, fans were left disappointed with the design of the room.
While there is some Disney-inspired artwork, it once again does not look like it will have that Disney feel. We do not want to jump to conclusions quite yet since we have not gotten to experience it for ourselves yet, but we will make sure to update you when we visit in December.
We are glad that Disney is updating the resorts to keep up with the times, but sometimes, we wish they would keep those Disney touches that we know and love.
Disney World Hotel Trends that Give Us The Ick
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I go to Disney every 2 or 3 months and I never noticed this with the rooms. I usually do Yacht and Beach Clubs, and I don’t mind the ‘lack of theme’, but they are themed to my satisfaction. They look like I am in a sea side resort. I am ok with not sleeping in a room that looks like I am in the middle of Magic Kingdom. It helps me relax a bit. Pictures and a mickey here and there is fine for the rooms, but not too much! Atleast the beds are super comfortable, the showers are very nice and the balconies overlook the water or the beautiful atmosphere so I can relax a bit from a long day at the park.
Like some of the EPCOT updates, these resort renovations seem to follow the plans of non-Disney fans that are unfamiliar with Florida weather or topography.
I agree with the article and the two other comments. The Disney magic is not only gone from the rooms but from the hotels themselves. The prices are not cheap. But the rooms and decor certainly are what I can find in cheaper hotels anywhere.
The new beds in the refurbished DVC rooms are too high! I understand the benefit of the extra space under the beds, but not every DVC member is 25 years old (or 40…) and some of us are rather short (!). Universal hotels have normal-height beds, but DVC beds require a leap some of us can’t take.
The Disneyworld rooms look sterile and colorless. They eliminated bedspreads and the beds look unmade/unfinished. We’re staying at the Yacht Club soon, I hope the room looks welcoming and “Deluxe”.