Disney's Contemporary Resort, originally to be named Tempo Bay Hotel and previously the Contemporary Resort Hotel, is a resort located at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. Opened on October 1, 1971, the hotel is one of two original properties located at the complex alongside Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, and is currently listed as a deluxe-priced resort. It is adjacent to the Magic Kingdom theme park, and is identified by its A-frame main building.
History
The Contemporary Resort is one of two resorts located on property when Walt Disney World opened in 1971.
The Contemporary Tower, the most prominent of the resort's three stand-alone buildings, was built as an A-frame with outer walls which slope inwards around an inner atrium. This design was a collaboration by Disney, the United States Steel Corporation, and Xerox Tower architect Welton Becket. To construct the building, steel frames were erected on-site and modular pre-constructed rooms, designed by California architect Donald Wexler, were lifted into place by crane. Most of Disney's Polynesian Village Resort and the Court of Flags Resort were built the same way, except rooms were stacked instead of slid in.
In 2006, Disney filed plans for a project on the site of the Contemporary Resort's North Garden Wing. Bay Lake Tower ultimately contained 281 timeshare units. In preparation for the future sale, Disney incorporated a condominium association for the property on January 9, 2007, that would manage the units. The project was officially unveiled on September 16, 2008. Timeshares began on September 28, 2008, to existing Disney Vacation Club members and on October 5, 2008, for new members.
In 2005, Disney began an extensive renovation of the Contemporary Resort, and it was completed in 2009. As part of the construction, the North Garden Wing of the hotel was demolished to make way for a separate Disney Vacation Club resort that opened in 2009. At the same time, the Bay Lake Tower began construction. Disney's Racquet Club was demolished by January 30, 2007, while the North Wing itself was demolished between January 31 and April 6, 2007. Construction on the new building continued through 2007, without Disney announcing what was actually being built. The Bay Lake Tower opened in 2009.
Richard Nixon's 1973 press conference
On November 17, 1973, the Contemporary was the site of what would become one of the most famous press conference statements in modern American politics, where President Richard Nixon declared, "I am not a crook." Nixon, whose job approval rating had been declining steadily for over a year due to the on-going Watergate scandal, made the statement during an appearance at the Associated Press Managing Editors Association annual convention, at which he held a live one-hour televised press conference. Following an earlier question on Nixon's taxes, Nixon addressed claims that he profited from his public service, stating "I've earned every cent. And in all of my years of public life I have never obstructed justice ... People have got to know whether or not their President is a crook. Well, I'm not a crook. I've earned everything I've got." Less than one year later, facing almost certain impeachment and removal from office, Nixon announced his resignation in a national speech on August 8, 1974, which became effective the following day.
Layout
Main building
Rooms and facilities
The Contemporary Tower houses most of the resort's key facilities, including resort registration and the guest service concierge. The main hall, named the Grand Canyon Concourse, is located in the main tower and houses restaurants and shops. 383 guest rooms line the outer walls of the Contemporary Tower. The Walt Disney World Monorail System runs through the inside of this building and a monorail station is located here for resort guests. Adorning the concourse walls is a multi-story mosaic designed by Mary Blair. One three-story wing flanks the south side of the tower and houses an additional 250 rooms. A convention center was added to the resort and opened on November 11, 1991, with more than of convention space. In October 2007, the resort received designation as part of the Florida Green Lodging Program.
In June 2021, Disney Parks Blog announced the rooms had undergone a redesign blending monorail motifs with Incredibles characters.