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Agreed on the lobby - while the waterfall was more unique, in a way I like it more than before. The waterfall ultimately had to go, and Poly needed the functional improvements of the new layout. Also agreed that not all change in the resorts is bad. Agree to disagree on the bungalows, but...

Totally fair - I have that view etched in my head from the 90s and 2000s, and it’s one of the ‘lost’ things from all of WDW I miss most. RoE and the Great Movie Ride’s final montage are also on that list. On that note, add Poly’s pre-bungalow lagoon view to the list. And the lava rocks/stream...

My point is pretty much what I’m implying: the GF DVC has been a resounding success (and I can admit quite lovely on the inside), even though its location could have been picked with much greater care and the building could have contained the right exterior flourishes and scale to blend with the...

Not really sure how you openly sharing how you don’t care for the resort, aren’t bothered by the stylistic difference between a detailed effort and lack thereof, and will be staying there anyway isn’t an example of the trend I’m noting.

This is why Disney’s getting away with quality cuts: because to most people, including their captive audience paying big bucks for timeshare, the details and care of the past don’t matter. No one can tell me there’s not a clear difference between these two vistas: Enjoy the GF, though! I...

That’s a fair point, but they also clearly didn’t take sightlines from Poly in mind when designing the villa building. Its flat boxy shape and obstruction of the main building are hideous. (Coming from someone who knows the inside is perfectly nice)

In my ‘armchair imagineering’ days (back when I was a lot more optimistic about what could happen at WDW), I always thought north of the existing resort/convention center would be a perfect spot for GF’s DVC expansion. Was horrified they chose the main GF beach - miss this view so much...

Oh I agree - there’s some shared DNA between each of these towers (many have already noted the links between this, Reflections, and the DLH project), but some are worse than others. My issue with Poly is more breaking up the separation between it and GF. Had they taken the opportunity to place...

The Poly tower isn’t that ugly, at least based on the art. It’s certainly a step up from Riviera or Swan Reserve. It’s also nice they left gaps in the building for some Polynesian quirks, rather than saturating every inch with rectangular villas. Still, it’s certainly blander than the...

This is a rabbit hole most people aren’t going to get into at that level, as the majority of us aren’t living our lives to ‘spite the other.’ We just want a better society, and sometimes that requires calling out people (or entities) for their actions. Using the Pelosi example, her portfolio is...

Agreed - these tactics certainly aren't limited to "the progressive playbook," and some past examples are quite shameful. I don't believe today's protestors will earn the same infamy.

On the bright side, at least someone told us when Cosmic Rewind should be open! (If that turns out to be wrong…) Your points are all spot on - clearly Chapek knows a thing or two about ‘extracting value’ from consumers, which is probably the last thing most consumers want to perceive. The...

Crazy how this controversy has blown up across the aisle - it's created a bigger mess for Chapek than Pixar Pier, Scarlett Johansson or Web Slingers. Frankly, he deserves it.

Fair enough - the real indicator will be if that rumored MK-adjacent hotel ever happens. I just can’t imagine Disney is cool with those guests forever settling on the Four Seasons, considering the very blatant effort to extract value from them in other forms.

It seems like Disney is working to offer this level of service, but mainly for an existing base of Golden Oak + Club 33 members. Club level is the next best thing, and by at least one account (Tom Bricker's update on the status of club level at WDW resorts), Disney has stepped up their...

The Polynesian tower very well could, if it contains a true signature restaurant (I have to imagine it will, as that's been one of the biggest strikes against Poly for decades) and higher-end amenities (infinity pool with fireworks view is a good start). As for GF, the marble floor lobby was a...

Seems like these new builds—Riviera based on the rooms, but also GF resort studios & Poly tower—are meant to win back some of those high rollers who were lost to the Ritz-Carlton, Waldorf, and especially the Four Seasons. A Poly tower could absolutely do this, assuming the rooms skew more...

Seriously. I've been to Hawaii six times (Maui x3, Kauai x2, Oahu x1) as well as French Polynesia, and one of the least appealing aspects of Hawaii was seeing the ugly high rises of Honolulu, condos of Kihei, timeshare towers of Ka'anapali, etc. Felt like I could've been back in Boca Raton or...

This. I don't hate DVC being added to the deluxe resorts by any means, but how things have fallen since Boardwalk (the exception that started the rule, with both sides purpose-built as a cohesive whole). Boulder Ridge, BCV, and AKV all worked as extensions, even if Kidani has some exterior...

Oh, that's really the highest praise I have for this concept: that the interior won't suck. Saw Tom Bricker's take that this tower is also reminiscent of the new Disneyland Hotel DVC, in addition to Reflections. These structures shouldn't look like rip-offs of each other, yet here we are.