Forever Contemporary

One of two original resorts to debut with Walt Disney World on October 1, 1971 (Disney's Polynesian Resort was the other; Fort Wilderness opened that November), Disney's Contemporary Resort was built to stand as a futuristic beacon on the edge of Tomorrowland. Nearly four decades later, the structure still manages to look both "contemporary" and timeless.

Originally referred to as the Contemporary Resort Hotel, the resort's unique A-frame structure was designed by Welton Becket and Associates with Walt Disney Imagineering and built in cooperation with U.S. Steel. The framework of the hotel went up first, and then rooms constructed off-site were trucked to the property and lifted into slots in the structure using enormous cranes (contrary to popular rumor, they can't just slide out again).

While the design of the Contemporary Resort has retained its appeal over the years, the sheer popularity of the hotel can be attributed to three things: location, location, location. Rooms are literally within walking distance of the Magic Kingdom. Of course, another key element of the Contemporary Resort came with the design decision to have the Monorail run straight through the atrium of the hotel. To this day, heads turn in fascination as the sleek trains glide silently through the Grand Canyon Concourse.

For as much as Disney's Contemporary Resort is the same as it was in 1971, significant changes have come to the property's guest facilities and interior (we'll take a look inside tomorrow). The pool has evolved from a simple rectangular offering to the sophisticated multi-pool space we see today, complete with fountains, a water slide and a quiet adult area. Look closely enough, though, and you'll still find the occasional outdated design, like the Sand Bar and Marina building that hangs on to its last makeover from the early-90s. It can be tough to remain contemporary, as styles sometimes change faster than renovations can keep up.

Disney's Contemporary Resort has kept up with the times in other ways, though, by expanding its facilities to the north and west. The Contemporary Resort Convention Center, opened in 1991, added 90,000 square feet of meeting space to the hotel. Designed by Gwathmey Siegel and Associates of New York, the convention center features clean lines and shapes, meant to echo the look of the nearby A-frame tower.

The latest addition to Disney's Contemporary Resort is the Disney Vacation Club property, Bay Lake Tower. Opened in 2009, it added 295 villa-style rooms to the hotel on the site of one of the original garden wings. Just as with the convention center expansion, the design of Bay Lake Tower was done to complement the resort's main tower building.