News New Polynesian Resort DVC villas building to open 2024

[Chef idea Mickey`=]

You need to spend a bit more time at Riviera. The grounds, rooms and food locations are quite evocative. But I did qualify my post with ‘nice’ for a reason. It is themed, but apparently not enough for many tastes. Had the massing been better pulled off I don’t think there would even be much debate left.

Also you need to broaden your comparisons beyond Marriott, it’s not even accurate. There’s no ambiguity that Poly Island Tower and Riviera can be mistaken for one another. So why accuse them all of being Marriotts.

I think this resort can be seen both ways. It's star shine shelf is at night, in day it evokes as just Disney-inspired rather than setting off that you are somewhere. That isn't the case how it looks at night to me.

 

[Casper Gutman]

I will say that Riveras's quick service downstairs is probably in the top 3 QSR's in all of WDW. It's only downfall was that it was freezing in there! In MAY!

The QS is excellent and the grounds of the Riviera are beautiful and quite nicely themed. The BUILDING, however, is a mess inside and out. It fails to evoke any kind of theme at all - even the pictures in the hall are all over the place thematically.

 

[mattpeto]

At least from the original art work, the exterior somehow is a downgrade for me.

That was a pretty low bar.

 

[John park hopper]

Man that is a waste of existence to hope to live long enough to see something primarily fail. Surely you value more things than hate watching.

Has nothing to do with hate just a figure of speech. Point being not one new resort in years but they can build DVC in lightning speed

 

[TheCoasterNerd]

As someone who just got back from a week on Oahu, and visited the Polynesian Cultural Center along the way, this looks great! Very fitting if they're going for a modern Polynesian look. I don't understand the hate, it looks nice. And it looks better than half the "luxury hotels" in Hawai'i.

 

[rle4lunch]

The QS is excellent and the grounds of the Riviera are beautiful and quite nicely themed. The BUILDING, however, is a mess inside and out. It fails to evoke any kind of theme at all - even the pictures in the hall are all over the place thematically.

We stayed there once to get it off our DVC bucket list of trying each resort. It was very nice, clean, etc. But it also felt really sterile and thematically hollow.

 

[Epcot82Guy]

They’re really not. The Island Tower started as an HHCP project but I believe this final iteration ended up with HKS, who also did Destino and Riviera. Reflections, now Lakeshore Lodge, is a WATG project. Gensler did do the Swan Reserve, but that wasn’t actually a Disney project. So even if they did do the Island Tower that’s only one of these recent hotels.

Ah - my apologies. I understood Gensler was Disney's primary partner for DVC at this point. I knew the did Swan Reserve. And, you are right - it's Disney "approved" by that relationship, but actually a Marriott (Tishman still?) project.

Thanks for the clarification!

 

[Casper Gutman]

We stayed there once to get it off our DVC bucket list of trying each resort. It was very nice, clean, etc. But it also felt really sterile and thematically hollow.

I used to try and stay at every Disney resort at least once but, after Art of Animation, the new hotels were so utterly soulless there wasn’t any point anymore. Fortunately (?), that’s also when rates began to become insanely expensive, so it all worked out!

Posters defending this by likening it to modern island hotels seem to be missing the entire point of a Disney resort (just like Disney!) The Lodges, Floridian, Port Orleans, the original Polynesian - these were FANTASIES. They didn’t look or feel like any other resorts anywhere else in the world. Where’s the fun in paying gobs of cash to stay in a hotel with the same subdued, minimalist aesthetic found in any other upscale hotel? We used to get public spaces like those found at the Wilderness or pre-refurb Orleans, now we get subtle wave motifs.

 

[Tha Realest]

Ah - my apologies. I understood Gensler was Disney's primary partner for DVC at this point. I knew the did Swan Reserve. And, you are right - it's Disney "approved" by that relationship, but actually a Marriott (Tishman still?) project.

Thanks for the clarification!

Gensler and WDI have been engaged in an unofficial exchange program. Until very recently, WDI’s president was a longtime Gensler employee. Whether they are the contractor on a particular project is irrelevant - their soulless corporate inoffensive design choices, desaturated of any color or whimsy, are all over many major projects over the last few years.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Gensler and WDI have been engaged in an unofficial exchange program. Until very recently, WDI’s president was a longtime Gensler employee. Whether they are the contractor on a particular project is irrelevant - their soulless corporate inoffensive design choices, desaturated of any color or whimsy, are all over many major projects over the last few years.

One employee does not an “exchange program” make. If anyone is having an “exchange program” and making Gensler their go-to firm it’s Universal.

 

[Epcot82Guy]

I used to try and stay at every Disney resort at least once but, after Art of Animation, the new hotels were so utterly soulless there wasn’t any point anymore. Fortunately (?), that’s also when rates began to become insanely expensive, so it all worked out!

Posters defending this by likening it to modern island hotels seem to be missing the entire point of a Disney resort (just like Disney!) The Lodges, Floridian, Port Orleans, the original Polynesian - these were FANTASIES. They didn’t look or feel like any other resorts anywhere else in the world. Where’s the fun in paying gobs of cash to stay in a hotel with the same subdued, minimalist aesthetic found in any other upscale hotel? We used to get public spaces like those found at the Wilderness or pre-refurb Orleans, now we get subtle wave motifs.

I agree. I will say, I'm not 100% against the idea of modern hotels. Many Disney guests want that. The "Grandma's Living Room" complaint of Grand Floridian is a genuine thing in guests. The issue I have is that Disney is now slapping them onto the more immersive resorts. If it wasn't in the direct view of Wilderness Lodge where it impacts that theme, having a modern tower or lodge by the lake is not a problem. It's something a good amount of guests want. But (as with many modern Disney decisions), it is an issue when it comes at the detriment of the legacy Disney Parks/Resorts approach. As you say, it pulls you out of the fantasy.

It's also frustrating because I don't think these are mutually exclusive. Classic and unique hotels can have modern, luxury rooms that call back to the theme. But, they are housed in unique, iconic architecture.

 

[BrianLo]

The QS is excellent and the grounds of the Riviera are beautiful and quite nicely themed. The BUILDING, however, is a mess inside and out. It fails to evoke any kind of theme at all - even the pictures in the hall are all over the place thematically.

This is a good take I agree with. It’s certainly a mixed offering with a generous grade thanks to its new transit lines.

Posters defending this by likening it to modern island hotels seem to be missing the entire point of a Disney resort (just like Disney!) The Lodges, Floridian, Port Orleans, the original Polynesian - these were FANTASIES.

I will say I stayed in a game lodge earlier this year that I’m still a bit confused who inspired whom (DAK/the lodge). But that’s a case of both being amazing experiences. Obviously the Grand Flo is the hotel del Coronado inspired and the other grand is a mish mash; there is more opulence in the Canadian Fairmont’s.

Poly is a complete and utter fantasy.

 

[Ayla]

As someone who just got back from a week on Oahu, and visited the Polynesian Cultural Center along the way, this looks great! Very fitting if they're going for a modern Polynesian look. I don't understand the hate, it looks nice. And it looks better than half the "luxury hotels" in Hawai'i.

The Polynesian "Cultural" Center is neither Polynesian, nor cultural.

 

[TheCoasterNerd]

The Polynesian "Cultural" Center is neither Polynesian, nor cultural.

While this may be true, I was using as an example of the fact that I've just been to the place this is based on. And while the PCC may not be entirely accurate, the architecture is at least somewhat accurate. And my point is, at least in Oahu, the Island Tower would be perfectly fine.

 

[HauntedPirate]

While this may be true, I was using as an example of the fact that I've just been to the place this is based on. And while the PCC may not be entirely accurate, the architecture is at least somewhat accurate. And my point is, at least in Oahu, the Island Tower would be perfectly fine.

Ha'waii does not equal Polynesia, it encompasses a much larger area. If they called this "Disney's Hawaiian Tower", you'd have something.

 

[Bocabear]

The Polynesian "Cultural" Center is neither Polynesian, nor cultural.

I believe it is actually owned by the Mormons... you know, the missionaries that stripped the islands of their culture...now own a cultural center....

 

[Ayla]

I believe it is actually owned by the Mormons... you know, the missionaries that stripped the islands of their culture...now own a cultural center....

Correct. It is a money funnel for the LDS church, complete with white missionary revisionist history. For good measure, they threw in some cultural appropriation, too.

 

[JD80]

Hey, I was trying not to be hyperbolic here. Stripping away the ancillary things, it really looks like an airport terminal hotel, many of which also have integrated transit. YMMV if you see the resemblance or not.

I understand the allure of Contemporaries location and that the contemporary largely informed US airport design in a big way.

It’s just probably bottom of my deluxe list, but that’s the nice part about our opinions. I also don’t really like WDW’s current monorail system and prefer the Skyliner. But major points to its short walk, even if the Grand Flo walk is more scenic.

Let's derail this thread. Skyliner >>>> monorail.

 

[JD80]

I used to try and stay at every Disney resort at least once but, after Art of Animation, the new hotels were so utterly soulless there wasn’t any point anymore. Fortunately (?), that’s also when rates began to become insanely expensive, so it all worked out!

Posters defending this by likening it to modern island hotels seem to be missing the entire point of a Disney resort (just like Disney!) The Lodges, Floridian, Port Orleans, the original Polynesian - these were FANTASIES. They didn’t look or feel like any other resorts anywhere else in the world. Where’s the fun in paying gobs of cash to stay in a hotel with the same subdued, minimalist aesthetic found in any other upscale hotel? We used to get public spaces like those found at the Wilderness or pre-refurb Orleans, now we get subtle wave motifs.

So only your opinion counts?

 

[Epcot82Guy]

While this may be true, I was using as an example of the fact that I've just been to the place this is based on. And while the PCC may not be entirely accurate, the architecture is at least somewhat accurate. And my point is, at least in Oahu, the Island Tower would be perfectly fine.

I think that's the point, actually. If you put Grand Floridian along one of the primary stretches of Floridan beach, it would stand out as a unique, grand icon. (Much like the Del does in California.) Similarly, if you put any of the lodges in their respective locations, they would stand out as a unique icon. Aulani, while having some typical characteristics, stands out. By this same measure, the Contemporary (meant to be a modern luxury hotel) would also stand out as being something strange and unique in most modern cities outside of some equally quirky hotels (often tied to airports and other transportation hubs).

Island Tower would fit in fine in Oahu. Same with Riviera in most any resort city. That's the issue. It's not about recreating a modern hotel that would fit in the chosen location.

Don't get me wrong - I think many people share your view. That they want a nice hotel that would match the location. I just think that is going to get dated much more quickly. (Take a look at Hotel Plaza Blvd.) And, it is not what made Disney World resorts unique for 45 years prior. Again, as a standalone property, that's one thing. When it invades the escape of the main Disney resorts, that's what creates the push back.