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Building Name:                                              Disney Contemporary Resort

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Address:                                                          4600 World Dr, Orlando, FL 32830

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Link to location on Google Maps:                Disney's Contemporary Resort - Google Maps

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Year Built:                                                        Opened October 1, 1971

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Architect of Record:                                       Welton Becket & Associates

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Design Architect:                                            Don Wexler (designed prefabricated guest rooms), WED Enterprises (now Walt Disney Imagineering), United States Steel Corporation

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General Contractor:                                       United States Steel

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Other Contributors:                                       Mary Blair (Mural Artist)

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Noteworthy Architectural Features:             The large A-frame structure creates a large interior atrium that the property monorail passes through.  Modular, pre-constructed rooms were lifted into place using a crane.­­

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How to Visit:                                                   The hotel does not currently have formal tours available, but persuasive visitors may be able to persuade employees at the guest services counter to show you around.  To fully experience the hotel it would be best to book a stay or visit the hotel for dinner or drinks at one the restaurants or lounges within.  Access may be limited or restricted due to COVID-19.  Contact the venue for details.

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Architectural Style:                                         Modern

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Website:

Disney's Contemporary Resort | Walt Disney World Resort (go.com)

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Related Links:

Disney's Contemporary Resort Construction (1970-1971) - YouTube

Histories of Disney’s Contemporary and Polynesian Resorts | Disney Parks Blog (go.com)

https://youtu.be/NCzUujNSj_8

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Description:

 

Almost fifty years after opening, Disney’s Contemporary Resort Tower remains an icon on the landscape of Walt Disney World.  With its distinctive “A” frame structure and monorail trains passing through the soaring Grand Concourse graced with 90-foot tall tile murals by artist/animator Mary Blair, the Contemporary Resort Tower is still a one of kind among hotels. The prefabricated construction process used to build its nearly 500 guest rooms was perhaps even more innovative than its architectural form.

 

Disney’s Contemporary Resort opened with the Magic Kingdom on October 1, 1971.  The design and construction were a collaboration of WED Enterprises (Disney), the United State Steel Corporation, Welton Becket (architect) and Don Wexler (designer of the prefabricated guest rooms).  Construction started with the erection of the nearly 200’ tall concrete central elevator core followed by an ‘A’ frame of structural steel forming the two long sloping sides of the hotel.  Large steel trusses span across the Grand Canyon Concourse ten floors below.

 

Disney’s Contemporary Resort Tower was the first large scale commercial use of pre-fabrication to build hotel rooms.  US Steel purpose-built a factory approximately three miles from the hotel site to fabricate guest room modules for the tower as well as those for the nearby Disney’s Polynesian Resort.  The prefabricated rooms, complete with finishes, furniture and bathrooms were raised by cranes and slipped into the steel “A” frame structure.  While the guest room interior design has changed several times over the years, the original guest room modules remain in place.