The Rise and Fall of Disney Resorts 

"There is definitely a lack of care from the company" accurately describes the state of the Walt Disney Company as a whole.

I’m an ex cast member from the front desk of the Grand Californian. I still get nostalgic and misty-eyed in that lobby for its craftsmanship and whimsy… even with all the bad guest behavior I saw post-panini. That building has a soul, even if Disney leadership no longer does.

Old Disney giving nods to cultural history is so different than modern Disney thinking they are the only history worth celebrating.

I gotta say, the Eisner era hotels were campy and fun. Port Orleans is definitely a hit

My wife and I went to WDW almost every year from 1985 to 2019. This video is so nostalgic since we stayed at The GF, Contemporary, and Polynesian many times. The last year we went we began to notice the big changes that were occurring and it was disappointing to my wife who was a rabid Disney Fan. Then came Covid and my wife contracting Parkinson's and passing away in early 2022.This video shows all the things she really enjoyed are all gone now. In many respects I am glad my wife in not around to see these big changes since I know it would break her heart.

The 70's Polynesian Resort is my absolute favorite. Sitting by the fountains, the lobby that was so full of plants you felt like you could get lost in it! The natural materials of the furniture combined with the plants and water really did make you feel transported to a fantasy version of Polynesia. Even the bold color choices mimicked that intense variety of flora found on the islands. I feel like Disney has just turned everything down lately. Creativity is now beholden more than ever to the bottom line. I don't care how much the Polynesian's lobby fountain cost to run, I just care about how it made me feel. Walt didn't care about the cost of the gold leaf, he knew it looked right so he used it. Don't we all remember the first time we stepped into the Grand Floridian? The spectacle of it! All the wood, the height of the ceilings, the way the light pours throughout the seating area making you feel transported to somewhere out of time and place- somewhere magical. The modern W-style resorts are fine, but they're not magical and that's what I want from Disney. I want them to care like they used to. Ah, but I am old now, so maybe it's just time rolling on :)

For me, the "Disney Difference" was also the "Disney Discovery" - the thrill of exploring a park or resort and finding subtle little features that complement the setting's theme. Finding things like that always was a joy, both for discovering something secret, and for knowing that the makers had put such caring thought into placing them to be found, like treasure chests waiting to be unlocked.

The Eisner era is really the pinnacle for Disney resorts. He believed in an idea called entertainment architecture and this philosophy really shows in the Michael Graves designed Swan and Dolphin, which are truly remarkably designed resorts. It’s a shame Disney leadership today just slaps uninteresting minimalist designs onto the newer resorts and calls it a day. Also, interesting fact about Robert A.M. Stern, he helped design the nearby town of Celebration.

Eisner to Disney was Jobs to Apple. They had a vision, and they understood the finer details. letting the engineers and designs work together. Understanding a good product will result in people wanting it, and will pay for that experience. People don’t see the fine details on their own, but on the whole those fine details create an experience.

As someone who grew up going to disney when it was amazing and is seeing it all get destroyed, I love that youre not a sellout and don't sugarcoat it. I really wonder what is going to happen to this company in the next 10 years or so. How long can they keep this up? How sad that all they can do is shit all over people's memories and a place that really used to be special.

While Eisner was all about convincing guests to stay in the park by offering them unique experiences leagues above what they could get at a random Orlando Holiday Inn with a free shuttle to the Magic Kingdom, I think that modern leadership just started taking it for granted at some point that most guests would stay on property and so they don't feel the need to try as hard anymore.

My family's favorite resort has always been Wilderness Lodge. From the lobby aroma to the rustic ambiance, it's been our place to put up our feet and relax. In November 2023, my husband and I said our wedding vows right by the bubbling spring in that very lobby. Thank you for highlighting the magic of what real thematic resort stays used to be like in Disney World.

The Saratoga horses are like the entire history of the problem in microcosm. In a small corner of the lobby there used to be a series of profile illustrations of Disney's animated horses. It was a subtle and clever way to tie in the Disney IP to the resort. It was just as if they were celebrity horses who had raced at the resort. It was also unique because at the time a Disney hadn't started including many characters at all in the resorts, so having (mostly) obscure horse characters wouldn't even break the theme for more casual Disney fans. It was just a fun thng to notice as you walked by. Now they are just massive faux paintings that just scream "REMEMBER THE DISNEY HORSES!?" The horses bring it full circle from tasteful to overblown.

My first Disney experience was in 1978. My parents booked rooms at the Poly. If Disney ever hopes to truly compete with Universal, they need to find a way to recreate that experience. Ironically, "The Disney Shopping Village" was one of the smallest things you could do at the resort. Now, Its spirit dominates every aspect of all Disney experiences. (The original Haunted Mansion store above the Keelboats was amazing, however.)

Much of the problem is the emphasis on the DVC as a cash cow. Disney used to build engrossingly themed resorts that park visitors would WANT to stay in. But now the strategy is to slap up generic condo buildings with vague or highly diluted theming that DVC members HAVE to stay in. And then Disney sees no financial point in refurbishing the older resorts attentively, so IP overlays are used as a cheap, quick fix.

I was so disappointed that I didn’t have any fun RU-vid videos to watch tonight. Then suddenly, this pops up. Hallelujah!

Wilderness lodge is the GOAT resort. Stayed there a few weeks ago for my wife’s and my wedding anniversary. Took the bus to wilderness campground every day. It was so much fun yet so chill. Animal kingdom lodge used to be our favorite but now it’s changed!

I'm so glad you addressed the clown at The Boardwalk Hotel - I went on vacation there as a kid and absolutely LOVED that slide. While I was there, they asked if I wanted to be the first kid to go down the slide that day. They gave me a clown wig and nose and I went down the slide in it, then got a certificate signed by Mickey. They called it the "Keester Coaster Kid". It is a core memory of my childhood 😂

It's insaaaane much those IP driven changes infantilize and patronize the guests

This is an excellent video. I was aware of the decline of Disney in their movies and theme parks, but it’s not surprising that they have also failed in managing the resort hotels. This is what happens when you replace management that understood the vision and importance of creativity with businessmen only interested in profits. I’m not sure Disney can regain the trust of the consumer.

Your points about recent Disney resorts resembling Las Vegas faux opulence are spot on. Tragically, I think the Disney resorts are suffering from the same problems we saw with Epcot Center. For every person who genuinely appreciates the unique architecture, theming and contrast to Disneyland and Magic Kingdom, there are 100 people saying, "Where's Mickey? I paid thousands of dollars for my kids to see Disney characters!". Thus, we now have a dumbed-down EPCOT and "deluxe" resorts with IP shellac. I recently booked an early December trip at Animal Kingdom Lodge. That resort is still refreshingly unique although it too was a bit cheapened during the last renovation. I'm not sure why Animal Kingdom Lodge has been spared the blasphemy we see at other deluxe resorts. No doubt Disney executives are foaming at the mouth to slap Lion King kitsch throughout the buildings and pool areas.

I find it crazy that Disney world doesn't have a world class train, bus, and biking system. Those are things that Walt loved!

The Grand California Hotel remains my favourite Disney hotel - it just transports you so wonderfully to a different time and place. I wish Disney still made resorts like that...

I could not agree more with the idea that the Eisner era resorts were far superior in every way. That was golden age of disney and I’m so glad I got to experience it! I’m kind of heart broken about the cardboard scales back zero creativity required boxes of today. It doesn’t stop disney from charging truly laughably outrageous prices for their ordinary boring sleep boxes. I’d rather stay club level at Portofino Bay at universal. Which I never ever thought I would say. Thanks for this thoughtful incredible content!

We think adding intellectual property to the hotels cheapens them along with cheap furniture, rugs, ceilings, and wall coverings

One aspect of the Disney experience which has been lost in the past few decades is that Walt Disney saw American History itself as an IP in and of itself, something which is very much reflected in much of the early design of the parks. This is not something unique to Disney, as there were many non-Disney parks and attractions in the 1950s and 60s which celebrated American history and exceptionalism, it's just that Disney went above and beyond. As a big part of Disney's history, it's sad to see this aspect of Walt Disney's vision being cast aside in favor of more exclusively branded Disney IP.

I completely agree with this entire video. I still go to Disney World, probably always will, short flight, warm weather etc. It used to feel like a magical place, attention to detail, impeccable service. I used to go sometimes 2/3x a year now it’s once a year for a few days. It’s still convenient with the transportation and safety elements, but it’s not the experience it was once.

I have said the EXACT same thing about the Contemporary!!! It was always my dream Disney deluxe resort but after seeing the most recent renovation, I realized that I had missed my opportunity. Disney wants us to keep shelling out more money, while they continually cheapen the experience. No thanks.

Disney sorely needs a CEO much like Eisner, who had a grand vision and encouraged innovation.

Who would have the thought Eisner would be peak Disney

Raising prices and lowering standards surely works to raise stock price and uh...well...

What I love about your videos is that you are not a hater. You have a passion and a desire. Something that is lacking in current disney leadership. The earring imagineer said they have to justify what the money making aspect is first then present the aesthetic. I think what worked great in the past was Walt was a visionary and Roy was a realist as far as money was concerned. But they worked together to make something happen. My opinion is today it is only about making money. I understand, but that model is making people turn away.

Our week long trip to Disney 2 years ago, we rented an air b&b Two bedroom two bath townhouse for 1500 dollars for the whole week. It was 10 minutes away from the parks, freshly renovated and really nice. Staying on property would have cost us double in the cheapest possible hotel. Being on a budget it was a no brainer. Hell the townhouse was even Disney themed.

i still fondly remember when my parents took me to wilderness lodge for a week when i was a kid, it was so gorgeous and i was so happy when it was the first you brought up - so glad its still just as beautiful as it was a decade ago

Your Las Vegas comparison is spot on. Long comment, but bear with me: I fell asleep in Dad's lap near midnight on the porch of the Hospitality House around Christmas 1975, lulled by the Baroque Hoedown of the passing Main Street Electrical Parade. Worn out from a day of absolute wonder. A week in an east-side Contemporary Tower room in late '82 gave us views of the soon-to-open Spaceship Earth. I couldn't believe a hotel room could cost $120 (about $400 today), but it sure was worth it. The hotel itself, with its pools, water sprites, dining, video arcade, and watching the monorails from the 11th floor until 1am were almost as fun as the parks. We could buy stuff just by showing our resort ID and charge it to the room. It was easy to get anywhere, and it was all by launches, ferry, & monorail. We took the preview tour to the EPCOT Center monorail station, and I still have the souvenir book with concept illustrations of the pavillions. I think the only buses needed were for Lake Buena Vista. But they were the futuristic GMC buses that debuted in 1979 and even looked a bit like the monorails. It was all first-class, relaxing, and no stress. Age 17 and summer of 1987 found me as a MK cast member, when I was able to explore *everything* - spend unlimited time in the parks, see everything backstage, and learn how it all worked. The re-theme of If You Had Wings into DreamFlight was a huge shock that year, as Eastern Airlines dropped sponsorship and Delta picked it up. I think it was the first replacement attraction, in what would become an absolute flood of demolition and downgrades that were coming. There were other visits all through the 70s and 80s, but I think my last was around 1990, when the Grand Floridian was still new. The parks and hotels were still pretty much perfect, on theme, and in good condition. Fast forward to 2010, when I tagged along on a trip with my sister and her family. The trip was a nightmare to plan, with food plans, ID cards, and massive expenses. A cabin at Fort Wilderness was OK, but there was a lot of time spent on buses. Plain, noisy buses with cartoon wraps that ruined their aesthetics. Tomorrowland after dusk seemed dark and scary, dangerous, even. Cast members with lax grooming standards. Attractions with non-operable show elements. Continuous expansion, with no care or maintenance of existing attractions. Thoughtful & educational attractions replaced with the very worst, pandering IP overhauls. I've never visited Las Vegas, but the 2010 visit to WDW made me think why I never have and do not want to. Vegas has Disneyfied to a degree, and WDW has become as crass as Vegas. I began to work for Whole Foods Market in the mid-90s, when the entire South region consisted of 3 stores in NC and one in VA. Terrific company at the time. The CEO was limited to 32x salary of the lowest-paid employee, part-timers had benefits, each store had an in-house artist and creative freedom. Then Wal-Mart entered the grocery business. Gradually I saw Wal-Mart emulate Whole Foods, and as Whole Foods greatly expanded, the company became more like Wal-Mart. Benefits removed and eroded, weird non-sensical rules and policies implemented, benefits reduced/removed, and the company culture just diluted under massive expansion. I had long been seasonal by the time Amazon bought Whole Foods, and when it came time to work a shift to reset the seasonal status, things had changed so much that I didn't even bother. Disney/Vegas. You are on to something. I'm not sure it can ever be corrected.

I literally could not recognize the Boardwalk Hotel as the one from my childhood memories until you brought up that clown water slide. Way more memorable than what they have there now.

RIP Disney, you provided me and my family many memories when you use to care.

Imagine having Dali as an inspiration and ending up with the Gran Destino.

Stayed at the Polynesian since 1978. Loved the monorail going straight to the park. Completely unaffordable now

The prices are simply ridiculous. Even when having money to burn I wouldn't pay Disney resort prices. You can get so much more.

The only Disney resort I’ve stay at (so far) is the Grand Californian. It is such a beautifully designed hotel. I love everything about it. I wish Disney would go back to putting in the effort with their hotels, it makes such a difference.

I stayed at the Polynesian hotel in 2005. It had a massive fountain with tons of interior foliage. Its a shame how they removed that and scaled down the fountain. It looks so bare today.

It's wild to think about how much effort went into theming Disney's early iconic projects. Watching "Behind the Attraction", I was shocked how much research went into some of them... Imagineers actually going out into the field and immersing themselves in the culture and the land they were going to try to do justice to. Now instead of creating something original they just flip through the IP catalog and find something vaguely (or not at all!) related to the area, and slap it on there.

I’m glad this video hits some of my problems with Disney hotels today. They are too concerned about the budget and profit margins. Thats the real driver of Riviera and DVC Polynesian. Its cheaper to build standard looking buildings and theme them after the fact when they should be incorporating the theme INTO the structure itself. And I completely agree about the characters being shoehorned into places they don’t belong. It feels like another budget saving strategy to just decorate the room with characters then to actually theme the room properly. I could go on.

Fun stat: the average week vacation at a disney resort for a family of four is $25,000.

August 13, 1971 was my start date at diz. Food Division at the Contemporary. Dizney knew nothing about running hotel's. A very interesting time for me. Two of my best friends to this day come from Contemporary. Until New Years day 1972, when construction finished, my boss had 2 rooms allotted. He and his wife stayed in one, me in another. 16 to 18 hour days were normal. One 19 hour day. Such a grand place. It's sad to see whats become of it.

Thanks Poseidon, this is EXACTLY what I was looking for to end my friday night. Greeetings from Brazil

D23 needs to present real original proposals for the parks panel. And no, gutting existing attractions with interior replacements or only making half-ass IP based lands/attractions do not count. But sadly the days of pursuing original, timeless world-breaking ideas with healthy investments are long gone, which ended with Joe Rohde retiring.

When I was a kid, my grandma and grandpa took me and my younger cousin to Animal Kingdom Lodge to eat at Boma. (This was the only time I ever got to go into a Disney hotel as my grandma has always opted to rent a house for a week instead with our big family. It’s a shame.) Anyway, I was transfixed by the resort. Not only was the food delicious, but Copper Creek going outside the building and seeming to go on forever (I never got to see where it led, so I was making assumptions) was amazing. Afterwards, we of course checked out the animals which was a treat and the cast member there was nice. It is easily my favorite Disney resort with Contemporary being second. As for the character chaos, I agree with you for most of them. Incredibles is the most random Disney IP to bring into Contemporary which makes it worse, the Mad Hatter water structure contrasts with the formal appearance of Grand Floridian, and the paintings of Disney rides in various hotels, like the Boardwalk where they don’t belong, clashes. Honestly, I think pretty much all of the IP placement in the hotels maybe excuse Beauty and the Beast and Mary Poppins Returns is terrible.

People who see hotels like Riviera and don't see the downgrade in quality, are either blind or just shilling.

This is the best theme park channel on RU-vid, hands down.

The lobby of the riviera hotel looks so similar to the double tree across from Universal Orlando. My first memories of Disney World were my sister and I taking a boat from the Wilderness campground to the Contemporary and then hopping on the monorail to just go visit all the hotels. Our parents had a pop up camper they got for cheap so the Campground was all we could afford. We didn’t have park tickets but we didn’t need them. The hotels themselves held so many secrets, details, arcades, food, just overall things to do. Wilderness Lodge, to me, is Disney hotels at their best. The hidden mickeys, the geyser, the totem poles, the 7 layer magic brownies, the smells. So damn much packed into a perfectly themed experience. You nailed it, the new hotels are just shallow Las Vegas style opulence.

This man ain't scared to call disney out on their truest of bull

Solid observations. We got to check off a bucket list item and stay at the Contemporary several years ago - pre-IP-update. It was nice. Glad we did it. Will likely never do it again. The thing is - it felt like a nice hotel... anywhere in the world. That's an experience we can get anywhere in the world. If I'm spending that kind of money on a resort, then I want to feel like I've been swept away somewhere special. Lush. Wilderness and Animal Kingdom lodges match that vibe. What I'm seeing Disney build now... as the essay points out... is a hotel. Not an experience.

For me, Disney begun It’s “theming mess”when they decided to buy all these brands, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, etc… Classic Disney is ONLY and simple Disney!

When my parents took my sisters and I to Disney World in 1995, we stayed at the Beach Club and I loved it.

I actually worked at the Port Orleans French Quarter recently on a College Internship Program. I really loved my time! The theme was very interesting!

OMG. You use my term. Resort hopping. That is our favorite thing to do. Since we live in West Palm Beach, two hours away, we will spend all Saturday going from resort to resort. Using different types of transportation. Parking for free at Disney Springs. Ending our evening walking around Disney Springs. Just an absolute wonderful day so much fun. Completely free. We never even think about going to the parks themselves. Although it is always tempting to go to Epcot around the world,. Ha ha ha resort hopping. The most fun weekend possibly have. Almost free. Except for your food and drinks.and great exercise.

Oh man, this video evokes so much sentimental emotions! Stayed at Coronado Springs in 2007, Animal Kingdom Lodge in 2008, honeymooned at Disney World in 2009/2010 for new year and stayed at the All Star Music resort, but snuck into the pool and jacuzzi at the wilderness 😊 Good memories! Took our family back in 2017 and actually stayed at the Wilderness Lodge and it was the most magical vacation we’ve ever had. ❤ Probably my favorite resort of all time. It’s so sad to see Disney joining the “sad beige” bandwagon. So many of the resorts have been castrated; they better not change the Wildweness😢

Cost is a huge reason why I view Disney World as a once in a lifetime experience. I went as a kid and was happy with no urge to go back as an adult. What my Disney fan friends spend at a Disney World trip rival my family’s international travel budget. Luckily my wife isn’t a huge Disney fan. I still like Disneyland + California Adventure since it’s smaller and does not define an entire vacation.

Another case of "don't know what you have til it's gone". I wish more people realized how great we have it at certain points in history. 😊

That slow fade in of the music then you talking a couple seconds after. Never gets old 🤤🤤🤤🤤

Such a shame that all disney is now is IP acquisition and IP vomit, both without any understanding.

Wilderness Lodge was incredible. My GFs terminally ill grandmother stayed there for a few weeks. They upgraded her to the Presidential Sweet on the house. Great experience.

Ahhh right on time for d23

I had the chance to stay at Boardwalk Villas as a teenager (I believe they are now taken over by DVC). It was amazing to be able to stroll into Epcot’s tour of countries every night, regardless of what park we’d been to, eat in a different country, and listen to live music (Britain had a Beatles tribute band, Italy had classical musicians, Mexico had mariachi bands). My dad was a very frugal person but he was always very generous on vacation. It was an incredible memory from my childhood, seeing WDW for the first time. As a mom of young kids we got to stay in Art of Animation (Cars Land) and it was quite nice, except I do remember doing a LOT of walking and bus riding (this was before Skyliner), and then as a mom with teen agers we stayed in Caribbean Beach with the new Skyliner. It was tremendous. We’d come back from a day at the parks and swim in one of the smaller pools near our room (not the main pool) and had it basically to ourselves. One of the things I really appreciate about your channel is how many wonderful memories it triggers. Your analysis is always interesting and I share your nostalgia for old Epcot. It was a magical place to visit as a young person. On this most recent trip I dragged my teen agers to every classic animatronic show possible (American Adventure, Carousel of Progress, Hall of President) I could squeeze in. I am worried they will go away.

Only stayed in one of these once, the Wilderness Lodge, but what an amazing trip it was. Truly an incredible hotel imo.

Regarding Art of Animation “I would like to see something for the first half of the century.” Oooh … like an Art Deco hotel showcasing early film and animation? I like that idea.

My Dad adored the Polynesian specifically because he loved being stationed in Honolulu in the Navy. He always said it was the closest he would ever get to bringing his family to Hawaii. The Wilderness lodge has a fireplace that is absolutely breathtaking. We went during Christmas. So finding ourselves eating hot chocolate and cookies, relaxing in front of the fire, in rocking chairs, finding all the animal engravings was the ultimate vacation experience. A fun fact: back when people actually lived in their RVs in Wilderness Resort... at Christmas the residents did a Christmas golf cart parade. Completely guest led, you had to know someone to be invited. They would decorate their golf carts in Christmas decor, play music on their cart and it was a parade through the resort rv park. One of the coolest experiences i ever had at Disney World. We learned about it because I struck up a conversation with the woman seated next to me on the plane. She told me about it and wrote down the info with her official invite.

Love him or hate him, Eisner did a decent job making or having a hand in helping create the resorts

Ironically I was actually supposed to go to a Disney resort with my mom today. She’s going there for a business thing and she just invited me to come along and hang out at the hotel. I would’ve gone but I hurt my ankle

You are exactly right about how Eisner had a strategic vision for the Disney resorts, so it is upsetting to see the "de-theming" of the Disney resorts; the Contemporary and Riviera hotels are the best examples of this. Wonderful, in-depth analysis as usual!

We spent 2 weeks at the Contemporary in March of 1977 and to this day, those memories bring a smile to my face. I wish I could find more video and/or images of the hotel back at that time but as they say, "You can't go back". :)

I was lucky enough to stay in all of the hotels before their themed IP remodels. I agree that Disney doesn’t understand what people will actually pay for and that the IP’s for the most part actually diminish, the rooms value. I loved staying at the contemporary resort but wouldn’t stay there again because the hotel rooms look so cheap. For reference, look at the way the TWA hotel at JFK was redesigned. it embraced its mid century design and it’s an impressive and gorgeous space.

I went to Hollywood Studios for the first time earlier this year, right at the top of January. My neighbor and his girlfriend are both airline pilots based out of Orlando, and they found out about my plan to go to HS. They told me that if I picked them up from the airport the night before my tickets, they would pay for us to stay at a hotel for the night to get into the park early. We stayed at the All-Star Movie Resort, one of their lower-end hotels. But you know what? I LOVED it. The massive Toy Story statues, the huge 101 Dalmatians, the endless spots for photos and all the trivia everywhere… It was genuinely a really fun night before the trip to the park. Now granted, I’ve never stayed on Disney Property before that, so I have nothing to compare it to, but I for sure see your comparison to Vegas. Hell, in the movie “Casino,” Ace says that with the destruction of the Tangirs, the fictional stand in for the Stardust Hotel and Casino, the “old way” had been lost in Vegas. It became “like Disneyland.” Sad to see the decay of architecture with soul and its sacrifice on the altar of modernity and minimalism has affected Disney so badly.

Thanks for making this. Themeing is so important and facinating. I found myself zoning out several times because your video got my creativity going. You have become one of my favorite themepark youtubers. right up with Defunctland and Yesterworld.

I work at a Disney hotel on property, but it's not owned or operated by Disney. I think it's one of the best places to stay. It's small, so you're at the bus within a few mins from your room, it's walking distance to Disney Springs, there's hourly, trackable-by your-phone shuttles so no standing around wondering when the bus arrives, plus 2 free drinks at check in (yes, alcoholic) and my favorite part...free solid coffee in the lobby every morning. Plus the lightning lane and early entry benefit. Find me 1 Disney resort with all this for way cheaper.

The contemporary really grew on me. First I really disliked the optics of it. Now it is my favorite Hotel in Orlando

lol my sister's been taking her kids resort hopping, without actually having any reservations, and then just to disney springs to get a taste without the high price tags. I told her she's now a fully fledged Floridian. 🤣

As a Disney World local, can 100% say that the resorts are a major reason we spend the majority of our time over at Disney rather than Universal. The theme parks are fun in their own right, but the surrounding resorts are what makes the property special and so re-visitable!

As someone who has lost interest in Disney long ago this was a pretty cool look into a side of the company I hadn't really explored. This video has given me a newfound respect for the attention to detail that Disney used to have and unfortunately has also reinforced my distaste for current Disney and their lack of care to those finer details in all their dealings.

The Pixar Pier hotel was the Pan Pacific for decades. It wasn’t a purpose built Disney hotel. We used to stay there in the 90s so we could walk to the Disneyland hotel and use the monorail.

We stayed at Coronado Springs and the Floridian in 2002 and 2008 and liked them both. The spa at the Floridian was fantastic.

Disneys been failing and falling from grace rapidly these past 5 years. Bob iger is the worst CEO in existence. The magic is gone and it’s all about $$$

I absolutely cannot believe there wasn’t more pushback on the Riviera when it opened. This is like something that needs a DCA style redo, since it has absolutely no character.

I have an extremely trying day of work ahead of me today. Very grateful to have a Poseidon entertainment video to watch while i get ready

The Caribbean Beach was our go-to when I was a kid. Stayed there 3-4 times in the 80's and 90's. It is a shame that the food court is gone, that was fantastic. I remember the Grand Floridian when it was new and it was spectacular. All of the 90's ABC shows had a 'we're going to Disney World for shenanigans' episode after Disney bought them. They all stayed at the Grand Floridian. The Polynesian was a favorite, as it was easier to get on the monorail vs the TTC. In the mid-80's it had a full luau for adults. It is a shame that so much of this is gone and not replaced with something on par.

A couple other examples of Disney stripping down the great detail at their resorts: Sterilizing the food court at Port Orleans French Quarter, which had amazing large scale Mardi Gras themed elements hanging from the walls and ceilings. Stripping away all the African theming in the halls at Animal Kingdom Lodge... such as the drum lights and the heavily detailed molding.

I've stayed at every luxury Disney resort that Florida has to offer. The Wilderness Lodge is by far my favorite. I've stayed there at least 10 times.

I'm kind of insulted, in a half joking way, that you wrote off the Golf Resort in under 10 seconds. While it may not have been architecturally significant in a Contemporary way, the Golf Resort (and later Disney Inn) was Disney World w/a personal touch and the most quiet you could get in the 70's & 80's at WDW. I spent most of my pre-teen & teenage years at the GR/DI and the cast got to know us..we were that frequent of visitors. It was an amazing place...and honestly, there were (and may still be) some fantastically cool design touches throughout the resort but because of it's subtlety and understated cool...it never got the press that the Monorail Hotels got. But, if you played golf and wanted to be away from it all...the Golf Resort was the spot and all you had to do was hop on a Green Flagged Bus to get into the action. As for the Poly...I like how you broke out multiple pictures of the Tangaroa Terrace (The birth place of Tonga Toast) and the Papeete Bay Verandah. So many memories there...and so many great meals...served in half pineapples! or Cold Apple Soup. Those were the days. Finally, I do think it's funny that certain folks idolize Eisner as this god of Disney...when those of us that grew up there in the 70's and 80's HATED (and still do) him. He took an amazing location for vacation and did that most Florida of things...over developed it. I mean the guy took Walt's promise to never develop the southern part of the property and put Animal Kingdom there. And now look at that area. Crikey. You wouldn't have Iger if it weren't for Eisner...and too many people give Eisner too much credit but he turned WDW into a giant tacky gift shop that started the slide into IP garbage everywhere...and the loss of a place where kids had their thing...and adults had theirs as well. I will give him props, however, for his love of REAL architecture and the TDO building, Swan/Dolphin etc. Those are essentially museum pieces of architecture by Graves & Isozaki.

I like how I'm having Disney IP shoving commercials pushed at me while watching this. Pretty well proves the point.

Been watching you since you started man love seeing you keep growing thanks for staying honest 🫡

What a great video. 2/3rds of the way through the video, you hit on the difference between Disney Imagineering yesterday & today. Intense attention to detail & thematic depth. That is what used to make Diseny special. Today, all they care about is slapping existing Disney IP on something. As you pointed out, you can really see that difference in the changes/updates made in the Boardwalk resort. Sadly, until there is a complete change of leadership, that attention to detail & themeatic depth is not returning any time soon.

5:28 My family and I stayed in the Atlanta Hyatt hotel in 1975; on our way to Disney. Still remember the glass elevators; thought that was SO cool at 8 yrs old.

The price to stay vs the slowly eroding quality and service has us turning away from a stay at WDW resorts

I always look forward to your videos. Especially the one's that expose Disney's greed. Whether pointing it out is intentional or not I enjoy people who aren't scared to point out the not so niceties of the most magical place on earth.

Bravo, one of your finest videos yet, articulately pinpointing what many of us who have known the resorts since the '80s-'90s have long sensed. In due course, I look forward to hearing your take on the latest D23 announcements, including what IMO can only be described as the final thematic destruction of MK Frontierland. Thanks again.

I spent a week at Grand Californian and it's one of my favorite Disney experiences. I also did my Disney College Program at Disneys Animal Kingdom Lodge. I was working as a bell service dispatch. Really cool. Got to drive the limo golf carts between the two buildings and the luggage transfer van around WDW. Great memories.

The resorts are a pretty strong launching point for a discussion of how some people tend to talk about what it means for something to "be" or "feel" Disney. I see a number of people in various online discussion spaces say things like "if you're going to Disney, you expect to see Disney characters", and fair enough to a certain degree on that, but I think stuff like resorts themed around times, places, nations, etc. and done *in the Disney style of design* is what really counts as "what is Disney". When those themes are muted in favor of blander spaces and familiar characters are slapped on to get people to do the DiCaprio "hey, I know that one!" point meme, a lot of "what is Disney" is lost.