News New Polynesian Resort DVC villas building to open 2024

[ToTBellHop]

Same cadence as VGF2.

I suspect if people let them getting away with this at VGF, they’ll keep doing it.

Maybe some folks are happier it’s not 50 years? Most people aren’t planning vacations for the next 50 years by the time they can afford DVC. I bought a resale 6 years ago at Boulder Ridge for $80/point. Perfectly happy to let that expire in 20 years.

 

[pdude81]

I will be curious to see if people balk at the current prices for only 41 years at VGF. That will probably influence their decision here.

They sold a not insignificant amount of points at $250 or so leading up to this, but still much much less than Riviera at in the ballpark of $201 with incentives. Hard to tell, the market for this is.

 

[UNCgolf]

Looks like a relatively nice apartment complex.

Modern Disney is such a weird company that seems to turn its nose up at the idea of theming on projects like this, while going to the other extreme of high-priced, full immersion on another. Even there, though, they cut corners on things like obscuring the plain concrete building that serves as their "star cruiser" from arriving guests. There doesn't seem any direction or real feel for their product or market at all, and certainly no "Disney difference."

It looks like they're going to have some wood (or faux wood?) touches along with some Polynesian patterns etc. if you zoom in to the concept art, but the overall building does look remarkably similar to several apartment complexes built near me in Atlanta over the past 5 years.

 

[Jeff4272]

Is DIsney trying to take WDW private? Seems to me like this is early stages of a "DVC members only" vacation destination.

 

[peter11435]

I don't think this concept art is really that similar to the original concept.

Not that I'm suggesting they should be building the original concept either.

The design is different. But the concept of modern tower is the same. If anything I would say this one has more appropriate finishes and details than the original proposal.

 

[peter11435]

Not theming them allows them the option to outsource them later with more ease. That is the long game here.

There are a few reasons why they are currently going tall, modern, and more bland. Future outsourcing is not one of them.

 

[UNCgolf]

The design is different. But the concept of modern tower is the same. If anything I would say this one has more appropriate finishes and details than the original proposal.

That's fair.

I think it's good that they didn't build the original proposal, though, so this seems like a step backwards.

Also, that's definitely a TS restaurant on the top floor where they can pipe in the fireworks music just like at the California Grill.

 

[el_super]

There are a few reasons why they are currently going tall, modern, and more bland. Future outsourcing is not one of them.

To fall back on something I said about the dinner show... in this era of Diversity and Inclusion, you can't really promote "Polynesian Culture" as just being tiki torches and thatched roofs. I know it's way too early to tell (and I will probably be disappointed regardless) but it would be nice to see them adjust to something more akin to the Aulani method of polynesian storytelling then the old tropes.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

It looks like they're going to have some wood (or faux wood?) touches along with some Polynesian patterns etc. if you zoom in to the concept art, but the overall building does look remarkably similar to several apartment complexes built near me in Atlanta over the past 5 years.

This could be going up in the middle of Melbourne, Australia and is really giving me flashbacks of the apartment building boom going on there when I left! Even the use of wood is not that uncommon... if they are indeed using wood. They also produced concept art that made it look like they were using wood for the port cochere at this very resort, and all they did was paint the steel and concrete brown.

I have no doubt this will include some nods to theming. As with the inconsistent and minimal theming on the Riviera, though, you can see on some balconies they try and make the railings look as if they are wood, but on most they're just glass like a regular apartment building.

 

[Imhere]

Pretty!!!

I can't wait for someone to purchase $50,000 worth of points so I can rent them and stay here for the price of CBR.

 

[ToTBellHop]

That's fair.

I think it's good that they didn't build the original proposal, though, so this seems like a step backwards.

Also, that's definitely a TS restaurant on the top floor where they can pipe in the fireworks music just like at the California Grill.

Yes. And the resort needs a signature. ‘Ohana’s prices for noodles don’t actually make it a signature restaurant.

 

[marni1971]

Bob.

 

[Skywise]

To fall back on something I said about the dinner show... in this era of Diversity and Inclusion, you can't really promote "Polynesian Culture" as just being tiki torches and thatched roofs. I know it's way too early to tell (and I will probably be disappointed regardless) but it would be nice to see them adjust to something more akin to the Aulani method of polynesian storytelling then the old tropes.

How about the fact that you're promoting a fantasy vision and not the real thing? But then I guess it's too difficult for tik tok'rs these days to distinguish between fantasy and reality.

 

[peter11435]

Also, that's definitely a TS restaurant on the top floor where they can pipe in the fireworks music just like at the California Grill.

Idk.. it also very closely resembles the layout of a grand villa like those at BLT, Kidani, and Saratoga.

 

[Jeff4272]

If it's part of the existing Poly DVC, then i wonder if this building will have no studios and only 1, 2 and 3 BR villas

 

[GCTales]

Compared to some of the original Poly concept art?

While it certainly has more theming than Reflections, a drug rehab resort had... it definitely changes the style of the Poly.

 

[Notes from Neverland]

Remember - Chapek said he's not sure if Disney can fund the E-ticket in California or the (mostly) cheap Mary Poppins attraction in Epcot. But a bland tower that will surely not help capacity issues but makes money...green light.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Time to start putting up the yard signs around WDW!

(maybe this is just an Australian thing when new apartment buildings go up in the suburbs!)

 

[Jeff4272]

Someone mentioned earlier, but the Contemporary Garden Wing opposite BLT will be the next project based on the criteria for this building.......on monorail and existing infrastructure

 

[UNCgolf]

Idk.. it also very closely resembles the layout of a grand villa like those at BLT, Kidani, and Saratoga.

Good point. I think it'd be hard for them to resist another rooftop restaurant though.