Dolphin Resort Lobby Renovation
Dolphin Resort Lobby Renovation | Lake Buena Vista, Florida
While in full operation, DPR renovated the existing lobby of the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel. In addition to renovating the lobby itself, a new lobby bar and Grab & Go Coffee shop was added, the existing fountain was renovated, two new restrooms were added and the existing Starlight Lobby was renovated. This work required constant communication between DPR, hotel staff, and DPR’s subcontract team to ensure that the work could proceed without posing any safety threats to guests while limiting disruption to hotel operations.
Project Scope
The work in the main lobby consisted of a combination of both high and low work. The high work extended more than 60’ from the floor of the lobby. It began with removing the existing “Circus Tent” fabric that covered the ceilings and walls of the atrium, refinishing and painting the existing drywall, and re-working the existing fire protection system for the lobby. Once the finishes were updated, a new 40’ chandelier was installed above the existing lobby fountain. The 56,000-lb chandelier hangs 989 strands of crystals (just short of 20,000 crystals).
The low work in the atrium consisted of adding a new bar, renovating the existing fountain, adding new metal “portals” between several sets of columns, replacing a large section of floor tile, and removing the existing latticework around the existing walls and columns. The HVAC system was also upgraded while this work was being performed. A series of full height partition walls were installed, finished, and painted to match the existing walls within the space. This allowed guests to walk safely around the atrium to access the other areas of the hotel while work was going on inside.
Concurrent with the work inside the atrium, a new Grab & Go coffee shop was added to the hotel. The work was coordinated with the hotel and construction team so the new glass walls and doors from the lobby space were installed prior to any of the work occurring within the lobby atrium itself. DPR expedited the demolition of existing conditions and the replacement of the perimeter walls, doors, and new exterior entrance, allowing the work within the Grab & Go construction area to be performed without disruption to hotel staff, guests, and other construction activities.
The Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel Lobby Renovation project was a huge success due to the efforts of the entire team. To ensure quality, safety, and schedule control, DPR self-performed 17% of contracted work, including temporary construction, drywall, ACT, and specialties. The construction team worked together to plan the execution of the work with the cooperation of the hotel ownership and operations staff to perform this major renovation with minimal disruptions. The work was performed safely, with no major safety incidents or accidents, efficiently and effectively. It is a project that DPR and our entire subcontract team can be proud of and will showcase for years to come.
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