What's up with De-theming the Resort Rooms?

I'm in the opinion that the rooms are losing their luster.
To me, the Values are always 'in your face' theming. The Moderates are themed but elegantly so. The Deluxes had far less in terms of room theming and more with theming in the rest of the resort (pool, lobby, etc.).
Now, it seems that Disney is painting all levels of resort with the Deluxe theming, calling it classy and slapping a higher price because of it.

My favorite rooms are the Royal Rooms because they are fabulously themed (Like the AoA rooms) but much more elegant and queen beds. When I go to Disney ... when I PAY for Disney, I want the Disney touch, a way that keeps me in the Disney bubble. With Disney trying to go more towards current hotel trends, they lose their unique luster that enticed me to stay in the bubble in the first place and remind me that there is an IHOP just down the way.
 
Lately it seems that every time a resort gets refurbished, the theming of the room becomes very subtle. For example, Beach Club, Yacht Club, Coronado Springs, etc. The trend seems to be towards room décor that is rather plain and stark, with little noticeable theming unless you look really hard, and even then there isn't much. I understand that this new type of less-themed room décor has its fans, but I will miss the themed carpets, themed lamps, and a myriad of other themed aspects of the décor that seem to be going away as each resort is redecorated. For me, the themed rooms were the primary incentive to stay on property, and if this trend continues, I may start to stay more in offsite hotels, where the prices are more reasonable for what you get. Why are they toning down the theming of the WDW resort rooms?

I stay at on-site hotels for the benefits of staying there such as the Disney transportation. I couldn't care less about "hidden mickeys" in the carpets or bedspreads.
 
I really loved the room theming of the past. Although I think that the current 'clean lines' instead of theming looks fine, I do agree that Disney is losing something here. It IS possible to keep a modern, on trend look and still maintain a more individual and unique room decor at each resort. Where is the Disney imagination of the past? The designs are fine and tasteful (whatever that means, because style is a matter of personal preference. What is tasteful to one (Buckingham Palace) is overdone to another; and what is bland and boring to one (POP Century) is elegant to another.)

The magic of Disney is the ability to combine the immersive experience in a themed, while lovely, relaxing room. It does feel like it is being lost to the ordinary, but nice, category.

My opinion only, of course.
 
We stay at POFQ for it being on property, the boat to DS and not needing to rent a car. I have never needed the in room theming but I am a less is more person regarding furnishing. The Disney immersion for me is not seeing a multiple chain restaurants and drug stores on my trip to the park from the hotel.

I agree. Staying off site takes away the magic that keeps us coming back year after year. Watching the guy smoking at the bus stop outside the McDonalds doesn't make me think "vacation".
 


I prefer the new decor as well. I always felt like I had to wear flip flops in the rooms because I didn't want my feet on the dirty carpet. Carpet retains so much dirt and bacteria so I love the new laminate flooring. Same for the comforters. We would always remove the comforters from our beds so now Disney is saving me a step!
 
I'm in the opinion that the rooms are losing their luster.
To me, the Values are always 'in your face' theming. The Moderates are themed but elegantly so. The Deluxes had far less in terms of room theming and more with theming in the rest of the resort (pool, lobby, etc.).
Now, it seems that Disney is painting all levels of resort with the Deluxe theming, calling it classy and slapping a higher price because of it.

My favorite rooms are the Royal Rooms because they are fabulously themed (Like the AoA rooms) but much more elegant and queen beds. When I go to Disney ... when I PAY for Disney, I want the Disney touch, a way that keeps me in the Disney bubble. With Disney trying to go more towards current hotel trends, they lose their unique luster that enticed me to stay in the bubble in the first place and remind me that there is an IHOP just down the way.

I pay for Disney hotels to have the proximity, amenities and transportation. The themes are nice but that isn't ever a factor in any way.

Taking away bedspreads and carpets - items that retain bacteria and bed bugs - isn't exactly a deal breaker for me. And I don't consider it "de-theming."
 


I like the look of the new Pop rooms. The upgrade to the bathroom is really nice with a barn door instead of a curtain, plenty of shelves and a wand shower along with a regular shower head.

I also like the way the new Yacht Club rooms look. The Mickey lamps were adorable in the old room, but the furnishings were very outdated. The new look is very nice, in my opinion.
I am a fan of clean, modern looks. We stayed at YC just before the reno and it was definitely looking outdated. I miss the YC headboards, though. Those were so cool. That's the kind of theming I will miss. I like to take pics of my kids sleeping on vacation and some of them I can't remember where we were. The beds are so generic. I will always know where those YC sleeping pics are from.

I do like the new Pop look. Not the colors I would have chosen (I love orange and blue together, but some of the yellow is not my favorite) but I don't think it looks too sterile. I don't think that artwork above the beds can be mistaken for anything but Disney.

I thought the old (and in some cases current) Pop and All Star rooms were quite uninspiring. The bathroom in All Star Sports is downright off putting. I would probably prefer just about anything to what is there now (but I would still stay there as opposed to off-site for the general resort theming and amenities).

The furniture in the values has never been what I would consider quality. In value resorts, I expect cheap furniture, updated or not.
 
It doesn't really make a difference to me. I'll be in a refurbed Beach Club room for the first time in a couple of weeks, after many trips in the old-themed Beach Club rooms. I can still feel like I'm in the Beach Club because of the overall theme and feel of the resort, even if my room looks different. The only thing I am nervous about is the hardwood floors - I hope those don't make the sound bounce around all over the place and possibly come in more from the neighboring rooms. But we'll see.
 
I've even noticed wood floors in some of the resorts....which is actually something I like! I think the themed carpets are cute and everything but it looks nicer with wood flooring and I'm sure it's easier to clean! I've also noticed the bedding has changed to mostly white linens with a comforter at the foot of the bed..which is also something I like. I do feel sorry for the kids because they don't get to see some of the really cute stuff in the rooms that we enjoyed. I had also stayed at POFQ before the re-model and think it looks way better too! it just used to be too over done...now it's more subtle but still a beautiful resort to stay at.

I love the wood floors... carpet in hotel rooms is gross, because there's no way those carpets are shampooed frequently enough. It's so much easier to mop and disinfect flooring. I have little kids, and it's impossible to keep them off the carpet. We just wash hands FREQUENTLY! IMO, I think all hotel rooms should be carpet free.
 
Wow. I just looked at a site with pictures for POFQ. I liked the transition bedding with white linens and French Quarter runner. Simple white linen is just, so, simple.
 
It doesn't really make a difference to me. I'll be in a refurbed Beach Club room for the first time in a couple of weeks, after many trips in the old-themed Beach Club rooms. I can still feel like I'm in the Beach Club because of the overall theme and feel of the resort, even if my room looks different. The only thing I am nervous about is the hardwood floors - I hope those don't make the sound bounce around all over the place and possibly come in more from the neighboring rooms. But we'll see.
The Beach Club rooms still have carpeting. It is the Yacht Club rooms that are removing the carpet as part of their refurbishment. :)
 
All you have to do is look at the Disneyland Hotel to see that you can have a blend of "themed" and "clean" at the same time without going all AoA, but also not those somewhat sterile all white POP rooms. The DLH is "Classic Disney," and yet the newer room refurbs are around 5 years old. They were able to make the resort rooms look new and vintage, Disney fun and nouveau clean, all at the same time without painting the entire room stark white or plastering Mickeys on every facet of every corner. So it is possible to retain a clean line feel to a Disney resort room without going Full Ikea.
 
All you have to do is look at the Disneyland Hotel to see that you can have a blend of "themed" and "clean" at the same time without going all AoA, but also not those somewhat sterile all white POP rooms. The DLH is "Classic Disney," and yet the newer room refurbs are around 5 years old. They were able to make the resort rooms look new and vintage, Disney fun and nouveau clean, all at the same time without painting the entire room stark white or plastering Mickeys on every facet of every corner. So it is possible to retain a clean line feel to a Disney resort room without going Full Ikea.


DLH is a different class of hotel though. I don't feel like its fair to compare to pop.

I also don't know if we can really say is Pop is that sterile and disneyless unless someone has stayed in those rooms. Did I miss something? I thought the remodel was in progress?
 
Disney should have looked at the Argonaut Hotel in San Francisco for inspiration. The hotel is nautical themed but the theming looks contemporary, sophisticated, and high end.

1.1348790400.argonaut-hotel.jpg

90201622.jpg
 
Disney should have looked at the Argonaut Hotel in San Francisco for inspiration. The hotel is nautical themed but the theming looks contemporary, sophisticated, and high end.

1.1348790400.argonaut-hotel.jpg

90201622.jpg

Is it still a kimpton?? Love the pics! My sf "life goal" is to stay there sometime- I ate in the restaurant and LOVED the theme, but have yet to convince family or friends that it would be worth staying in FW for that.

Come to think of it, I'd be totally okay if kimpton took over the Wdw hotels. They do a much better job of theming than Disney does.:laughing:
 

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