News Refurbishment coming soon to Disney's Polynesian Village Resort - Moana details to be included

CaptainAmerica

Premium Member
I have to wonder how the ability to travel impacts Disney. Part of the appeal of Disney theming, at least for my grandmother, was to be able to experience a little bit of a place she'd never be able to go to (or at least a perception of that place). Now we have planes that can go halfway around the world in a single flight. I've been to Hawaii multiple times and have the ability to go to Polynesian islands. Most of the resorts at WDW are fashioned after places I have traveled to. So what makes someone stay at one vs. another?
Ab-so-lutely.

Since going to Aulani, I have zero desire to stay at the Poly, which is like Aulani except fake and just generally worse.
 

Skywise

Well-Known Member
One thought about the bathrooms - I’m surprised with the reworks that they didn’t go for zero entry altogether which would be both modern and turn all the rooms wheelchair accessible.

The cons to that are no soaking tub for “mom” and maybe that it’d be too difficult to bathe children...
 

Heath

Active Member
The animation will be popular but I’ll always prefer the dark kitschy rooms of old Disney past which felt more legitimate escapism. Those benches at foot of bed look nice but people will be walking into them in the dark when the go to bathroom lol. Not good idea to have bench less height than bed. People feel the corner with their hands and will turn into the bench. Heard my father recently yell in the middle of the night. He turned corner of bed and walked into bench and about broke his leg. I made the mistake of putting one at the foot of our guest bed. I’ve tripped and stubbed my toe several times myself. Liability nightmare.
 

jaxonp

Well-Known Member
How about more luxury at those prices and beautifully appointed updated rooms in the style and manner the resort was designed? How's that for the Disney touch?

Ah yes, merchandise. Disney+. Synergy. ::shudders::


EDIT: And side note, if you think this is a luxury room... Maybe at Disney but step out into the real world and you'd be shocked.

I'm staying at the Andaz in Maui next week. Does that count?
 

Sir_Cliff

Well-Known Member
Welp i showed my non Disney fan hubby. Poly is his favorite hotel. (When I say not a fan I mean he likes going but doesn’t read anything about wdw or know what changes there are to prices, food and hotels). He’s bummed. I know people are saying it’s not so bad but I is a massive change for the hotel Aesthetic. Some people may like the change but it is a change for sure. Even the light fixture is moana And the couch looks Plastic. Oh and the curtains. 😬 Moana is in my top 3 Disney films so I am happy to see her around but I think the design team missed on this. Seriously just another nail in the coffin of subtle theming and immersive experiences.
I can understand this reaction. I also like Moana and am also obviously a Disney fan, but I don't want to feel like I have booked into a hotel for children.

I'm more of a fan of the modern, minimalist design in some of the renovated resorts than others in that I think they balance theming with having a modern, appealing, and functional interior. I think I am alone in that, though! Here I actually quite like the bathroom, beds, and most of the furniture. All of the obvious Moana images on the walls and in the light fittings, though, make it seem a bit... not for me.

Yet another little thing that makes me think the whole Disney experience is becoming something I'm not that interested in.
 
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jaxonp

Well-Known Member
Rooms needed to be updated for $400 a night. The new rooms looks good, but consistent with "less Disney" and more "Industry Standard"

There is such a disconnect here. The message form many is that Moana is too much does not equal "less Disney". What is industry standard? Current trends??
 

aladdin2007

Well-Known Member
Could it have hurt them to put Tiki Maui, the mascot of the resort, anywhere in the room? I’m not seeing it in the pictures. Could be wrong, but.....really?

I agree would have been nice to have some connection like that like it use to, I remember they were selling the table lamps for awhile and I regret never buying one....with that said while Im not on board for moana princess rooms,,,I do like what I see....especially the bathrooms.....what I dont like is the fluorescent lighting they are adding in rooms across property.

In my dream world I would have loved the polynesian to be the enchanted tiki room resort with all the kitsch as possible lol, but thats not more relevant more disney more whatever chapeks broken record is stuck on....but I think the photos of these rooms are beautiful as such, but not worth some of the prices maybe....I love seeing the photos pop up of previous rooms at the resort and how the place has looked over the years, would love a table book with all that.
 

UNCgolf

Well-Known Member
There is such a disconnect here. The message form many is that Moana is too much does not equal "less Disney". What is industry standard? Current trends??

I think part of the issue is that different people mean different things when they say "more/less Disney" (which is why I never say that).

Some people mean characters/IP when they say that; other people mean intricate/detailed theming regardless of characters because that was originally one of the differentiators for Disney parks/resorts.
 

CaptainAmerica

Premium Member
...other people mean intricate/detailed theming regardless of characters because that was originally one of the differentiators for Disney parks/resorts.
But as I've already proven by posting the old hotel room photos from several different iterations over the years, those people are full of crap. The rooms were no more intricately themed in 1972 than they are in 2021.
 

Sir_Cliff

Well-Known Member
How about these? The fact is, the hotel rooms have ALWAYS been a product of their time and they date quickly. That's why they're refreshed every 7 years.

View attachment 537431

View attachment 537429
I think I am one of the few on here who agrees with you on supporting the recent updating of hotel rooms while really disliking the solution in this case to include cartoon characters in the design.

For me, the update of the Yacht Club rooms is a good example of how to keep the same atmosphere while moving from dated to more modern interiors that are evocative rather than literal representations of the theme:

yacht-club-beds.jpg


room-yacht-club-resort-hotel-disney-world-719.jpg


I think I'm alone on that, though, as most seem to find the latter style too generic.
 

dreday3

Well-Known Member
I think I am one of the few on here who agrees with you on supporting the recent updating of hotel rooms while really disliking the solution in this case to include cartoon characters in the design.

For me, the update of the Yacht Club rooms is a good example of how to keep the same atmosphere while moving from dated to more modern interiors that are evocative rather than literal representations of the theme:

yacht-club-beds.jpg


room-yacht-club-resort-hotel-disney-world-719.jpg

LOVE this update. Love it. (as I'm sure doesn't come as much of a surprise to anyone...)
 

CaptainAmerica

Premium Member
For me, the update of the Yacht Club rooms is a good example of how to keep the same atmosphere while moving from dated to more modern interiors that are evocative rather than literal representations of the theme:

yacht-club-beds.jpg


room-yacht-club-resort-hotel-disney-world-719.jpg


I think I'm alone on that, though, as most seem to find the latter style too generic.
Absolutely. That first photo is horrifying.
 

TikibirdLand

Well-Known Member
I think I am one of the few on here who agrees with you on supporting the recent updating of hotel rooms while really disliking the solution in this case to include cartoon characters in the design.

For me, the update of the Yacht Club rooms is a good example of how to keep the same atmosphere while moving from dated to more modern interiors that are evocative rather than literal representations of the theme:

yacht-club-beds.jpg


room-yacht-club-resort-hotel-disney-world-719.jpg


I think I'm alone on that, though, as most seem to find the latter style too generic.
If I only had those two to chose from, the latter one would be it. The first one looks like a kids room (a fun one, but a kids room!)
 

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