When you visit Walt Disney World on vacation one of the most important questions is where you plan to stay. If you’re staying on Disney World property you have 32 different options, 22 of which are owned and operated by Disney World itself. Each one has a distinct look and theme, but somebody apparently has a problem with one of the original Disney World hotels because they are calling the Contemporary Resort the ugliest building in the state of Florida and wait just one damn minute.
Travel website Alot has a blog post that lists what it calls the Ugliest Building in Every State. What follows is exactly what it says on the tin, a list of 50 buildings with a picture and a small blurb of text explaining how each one is just hideous. I can understand the argument for many of them. There is certainly some unique architecture on display and unique doesn’t always mean loved, but I take serious issue with the idea that the Contemporary Resort is on this list. If they were talking about the inside of the recently refurbished Contemporary, that would be one thing, but they are apparently solely focused on the exterior.
To be sure, as with many of the other choices, the Contemporary Resort is a unique piece of architecture. The main tower is a massive A-frame that was built separately, while the actual hotel rooms were built off-site and then transported to the property and slid into place. The structure is also open in the middle, as the Walt Disney World Monorail track goes through it and the train stops inside the hotel to pick up and drop off guests. I call that functional architecture. It was the most convenient and fun way to get to the parks from a hotel for almost 50 years until the Disney World Skyliner opened. And the Monorail hasn't had the problems the Skyliner has seen.
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The Contemporary Resort was one of two hotels that opened alongside the Magic Kingdom in 1971, so the building is somewhat dated. It’s clear that whoever compiled this list is just not a fan of brutalist architecture, and that’s fine. The hotel doesn’t scream “vacation” the way other iconic Disney World hotels like the Grand Floridian or the Polynesian do. But the fact that there’s just no other building like the Contemporary isn’t a reason to call it ugly, it’s a reason to celebrate it for being a little bit different. And also the Monorail goes through it and I don’t care what you say that’s awesome.
I’m certainly no expert on Florida architecture, so I’m not the guy to argue what the ugliest building in Florida actually is. But even if we agreed that the ugliest building in Florida was on Disney World property I think there are other contenders. All-Star Sports?
