Left: Construction of Disney’s Contemporary Resort in November of 1970. While Howard moved into a new role in purchasing before the resorts’ completion, he and the visionaries he worked alongside - like John Hench, Mary Blair and many others - were instrumental in the completion of the project. To complete these one-of-a-kind properties, more engineers and specialized experts were eventually brought in to help finish the construction and open the hotels alongside Magic Kingdom Park on October 1, 1971. If you step into the lobby at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, you’ll find Mary Blair’s original mural on display as well as new design elements inspired by her unique artwork, and the design accents at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort continue to draw inspiration from Polynesia, which inspired Howard’s own designs. We know how much guests love the rich theming and storytelling of our Disney Resort hotels and we continue to find ways to honor that legacy while bringing new magic to life to enjoy during their stays. “I always had respect for Mary, and for John for letting her be creative in her own way and do her own thing,” Howard said. Right: Mary Blair stands in with the tiles that make up her mural. Left: Mary Blair’s iconic mural in the lobby of Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Louis where she sat drawing the iconic mural that still graces the lobby of Disney’s Contemporary Resort today. He learned on the go while traveling the country to hire hotel staff, all the while monitoring the production of the hotel rooms in the steel plant, ordering appliances and everything in between.Īlong the way, Howard met a number of cast members who inspired him and his work, including two Disney Legends and Imagineers: John Hench, a Disney studio artist-turned-Imagineer, and the famous artist Mary Blair, whom he first met in a jet hangar in St. He had no roadmap for his entirely new role as the first hotel planning manager for Disney, so it was up to him to create it.

Right: Disney’s Contemporary Resort under construction.įor the next two years, Howard worked feverishly to get everything up and running. Left: John Curry, John Hench, and Richard Irvine inspect the Contemporary Resort model in 1969. With detailed engineering plans from United States Steel Corporation and grand visions from WED Enterprises (now Walt Disney Imagineering) in hand, Howard moved to Florida to make the designs a reality. “I addressed the letter to Roy because it was the only name in the company I had.”Īfter being brought onto the team by John Curry (Disney’s first-ever hotel executive) as a hotel planning manager, Howard was assigned the monumental task of bringing the iconic Contemporary Resort and Polynesian Village Resort to life. “Everything about the project was so interesting,” he recalled. Little did he know that would be the first step in an incredible journey. On his flight back to the U.S., Howard was inspired by what he read about the newly announced plans to build Walt Disney World in Central Florida and in a moment of ambition, decided to write his letter to Roy.

He had just helped open two hotels in Santiago, Chile, and was looking for his next challenge in the hotel industry. Howard’s Disney story began in 1968 when he penned a letter to Roy Disney himself asking to join the Disney team. As someone who grew up staying at Walt Disney World Resort hotels, I’ve always been dazzled by the way they welcome you into the story with their immersive theming and expert-level attention to detail, so imagine my excitement when I had the opportunity to sit down with Howard during the 50 th Anniversary celebration and hear firsthand about how our earliest Disney resort hotels were brought to life. One of these inspiring minds behind the magic is Howard Roland, a former cast member who played a major role in building the first two resort hotels at Walt Disney World: Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.

While the 18-month event will soon be coming to a close, we’re continuing to celebrate the lasting impacts cast members have made at Walt Disney World for more than 50 years. Disney and the creation of fan-favorite attractions and transportation vehicles by retired Walt Disney Imagineer and Disney Legend Bob Gurr. Throughout the 50 th Anniversary celebration of Walt Disney World, we’ve been sharing some of our favorite memories from the resort’s history, like the dedication of Magic Kingdom Park by Roy O.

Walt disney word resorts president