Disney’s Contemporary Resort, an iconic Walt Disney World building, has been named the ugliest building in Florida by Alot Travel in their list of ugliest buildings for each state, and has additionally made their top 25 overall list. Alot Travel says these buildings range from the “depressingly boring to the truly bonkers.”
Disney’s Contemporary Makes Top 25 Ugliest Buildings List
“Disney World is usually spot on when it comes to designing things,” Alot Travel states, “but what in the world were they thinking when they created the iconic (and ugly) Contemporary Resort? It looks like a futuristic Aztec pyramid, which is not something you would normally associate with Mickey Mouse.”
In addition to being one of the ugliest buildings, it’s also one of the loudest, since a monorail runs right through the middle of it.
Though Alot Travel considers the Contemporary the ugliest building in Florida, Orlando locals may have been able to think of another candidate — the infamous Majesty Building, known colloquially as the I-4 Eyesore, about 35 miles down the road.
Other buildings on the list include the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Veer Towers in Las Vegas, the Denver Art Museum, a Kentucky Fried Chicken location in Los Angeles, and multiple government buildings across the country.
None are worse than the Kaden Tower in Louisville, apparently, as that structure took the top spot, with the Salt Lake City Courthouse not far behind. Disney’s Contemporary Resort ended up at #24.
Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Disney’s Contemporary Resort opened with Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort on October 1, 1971. The A-frame building was designed in collaboration between Disney, the United States Steel Corporation, and architect Welton Becket. Famously, pre-built rooms were slid into place on the resort’s steel frame.
Some notable American history also took place here — during the Watergate scandal and clamors for impeachment against President Richard Nixon, he stated his famous “I am not a crook” line at a press conference in the Contemporary.
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.
This occurred in November, 1973. Nixon would eventually resign the following year, in August.
Back in 1959, he made another notable Disney appearance when he was Vice-President, attending a ceremony for the expansion of Disneyland Park with three brand-new attractions. The Matterhorn Bobsleds, Submarine Voyage, and Disneyland Monorail all debuted June 14 that year.
Two Monorail tracks run through the center of Disney’s Contemporary Resort. The Express Monorail takes guests on a scenic view of the resort during its voyage from the Transportation and Ticket Center to Magic Kingdom, while the Resort Monorail stops at a station inside.
An additional building, Bay Lake Tower, was later constructed and opened in 2009. In 2021, rooms of Disney’s Contemporary Resort were overhauled with Incredibles theming.
What do you think of Disney’s Contemporary Resort being considered the ugliest building in Florida? Would you consider it one of America’s ugliest, or is it a little misunderstood? Let us know in the comments.
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