Beach Club Resort - 20 Month Refurb

[ford91exploder]

I agree wholeheartedly. But that is the reality of Disney and many (most) others, unfortunately. When a new resort is planned, a ton of money is allocated to that project. Designers are allocated to the project for a year or more. For a refurb, the budgets come from different places, and they are only what is necessary. And the people working on them may have multiple projects on their plate at once. Nature of the beast. I do agree the Poly has not been held to the standard it should be when it comes to the changes made there. There are others who think the same within WDI as well, and there is a desire to rectify the problem in future refurbishments to come (which is starting with the current work being done).

With regards to the recent work, some of the problem is money, and some is just choice by designers - there's just not as much care put into the projects as in the past, and some of the work is outsourced. And it's not just refurbs: if you look at the Grand Floridian Villas - I think they're beautiful, but sterile. Without being on the Disney property and with the Mickeys scattered throughout, that building could be any hotel, anywhere. That's a choice that was made as a compromise in the design process - they went with high-end hospitality grade choices, as opposed to going with more custom choices that may have happened in the past. Part budget, part design.

If a park attraction gets a major refurbishment, should we also expect a lesser, cheapened experience? Should we expect it? No. Does it happen? Absolutely. Sad but true.

That said, I don't think the recent refurbishments have been that bad, but everyone has their opinions.

The problem with the GF is they went with furnishings which are appropriate for a $200-300 room, Not a room that rents for nearly 1K per night. But it's really just a $200-300 room no matter what Disney charges.

I've STAYED at the Hotel Del Coronado which was the inspiration for the GF and it's rooms are FAR nicer and better priced than the GF oh and the SERVICE is also worthy of a world class hotel.

http://www.hoteldel.com

Also notice ALL the popcorn lights work - guess this is just another non-profit organization


So no it's just about TDO being CHEAP and milking the guests.

 

[ford91exploder]

Will they finally get the mold out of the bathrooms by Cape May that has been there since at least Fall '11?

No the mold is a resort amenity brought to you by poor mousekeeping at WDW

 

[Next Big Thing]

I can't believe they still charge regular rates at the Poly during that refurbishment. If this one is anything like that one, anyone would be mad to book a room while the refurbishment is going on.

They don't. Poly has actually been greatly discounted pretty much everywhere.

 

[articos]

Will they finally get the mold out of the bathrooms by Cape May that has been there since at least Fall '11?

Yes. Public areas will be addressed as well. Also, this is inexcusable.

 

[ford91exploder]

They don't. Poly has actually been greatly discounted pretty much everywhere.

I'm puzzled by the intersection of Poly Rooms and Discounted, 457 bucks for a 'standard view' room in a resort with no functioning pool and construction anywhere does not meet my definition of Discounted especially since the rooms quality wise are on a par with the average Hilton Garden Inn which charges oh about $250 night pretty much everywhere

 

[BrerJon]

I'm puzzled by the intersection of Poly Rooms and Discounted, 457 bucks for a 'standard view' room in a resort with no functioning pool and construction anywhere does not meet my definition of Discounted especially since the rooms quality wise are on a par with the average Hilton Garden Inn which charges oh about $250 night pretty much everywhere

$457 is the discounted rate??? I thought around $500 was standard rack rate for the Poly. Please tell me it isn't normally more than that!

 

[StarWarsGirl]

If it's announced it is probably happening, I'm guessing and only guessing it's a De-Furbishment like what's happening at WL where the theming is being removed from the rooms in favor of the new "One Resort" color scheme where everything is off white or beige and is no longer themed to a single resort in order to allow 'Economy of Scale' in purchasing.

Blech

In the case of BC, a refurb is desperately needed. The entire design just feels very dated. Beaches and Cream needs to be bigger (and serve hot food as carry out), gift shop needs an update, lobby furniture needs to be replaced...just is in dire need.

The rooms at BCV for one are horribly outdated. They have not replaced the sofa beds with the ones that are in every other DVC I've stayed in within the past two years (even Hilton Head got room renovations not too long ago). They are far more comfortable and do not have the bar down the back. The whole room feels outdated. Carpet is wearing. They removed the glass from the cabinets like they were going to refurbish...over a year ago. The rooms are so bad at BCV that we stayed longer our last trip at BLT than at BCV even though we much prefer the location of BC and Stormalong Bay over the Contemporary pools. I'm very excited that they are doing something to the hotel. As long as they don't touch Stormalong Bay, I can't see them making anything worse than it currently is.

 

[BrerJon]

Based on the bits and pieces that are slowly coming out from behind construction walls, the poly refurb is an upgrade.

If you really love Pizza-Hut, and hate watching fireworks from the beach, then I guess you could say that.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

I understand your point, and certainly hope you are correct and the Beach Club refurbishment

With the state that BC is in, a refurbishment can't possibly make it worse...provided that they leave Stormalong Bay alone

 

[ford91exploder]

In the case of BC, a refurb is desperately needed. The entire design just feels very dated. Beaches and Cream needs to be bigger (and serve hot food as carry out), gift shop needs an update, lobby furniture needs to be replaced...just is in dire need.

The rooms at BCV for one are horribly outdated. They have not replaced the sofa beds with the ones that are in every other DVC I've stayed in within the past two years (even Hilton Head got room renovations not too long ago). They are far more comfortable and do not have the bar down the back. The whole room feels outdated. Carpet is wearing. They removed the glass from the cabinets like they were going to refurbish...over a year ago. The rooms are so bad at BCV that we stayed longer our last trip at BLT than at BCV even though we much prefer the location of BC and Stormalong Bay over the Contemporary pools. I'm very excited that they are doing something to the hotel. As long as they don't touch Stormalong Bay, I can't see them making anything worse than it currently is.

I've seen the rooms at WL, They threw a coat of paint on the cabinets, put down some cheap laminate flooring removed the theming from the room and replaced the unique bedclothes with off white ones which are distinctly inferior to those at the average Hampton Inn.

Six months out - The paint is bubbling off the cabinets and the laminate has already worn through, I don't pay MF's at THAT resort but I'd be VERY angry if I did.

Extensive travel is part of my job I've spent some years with more hotel nights than at home nights, I know the good/bad/ugly in hotels and unfortunately Disney since about 2008 or so has been on the Bad/Ugly side of the hotel ledger and the new stuff is making it WORSE not better.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

I've seen the rooms at WL, They threw a coat of paint on the cabinets, put down some cheap laminate flooring removed the theming from the room and replaced the unique bedclothes with off white ones which are distinctly inferior to those at the average Hampton Inn.

Six months out - The paint is bubbling off the cabinets and the laminate has already worn through, I don't pay MF's at THAT resort but I'd be VERY angry if I did.

The BCV rooms, as I have said, are currently so bad that they cannot get any worse.

I have not stayed at Wilderness Lodge since BLT opened and we bought over there, so I'm not going to argue with you about how they did over there. However, the renovated the rooms at Hilton Head, which we often call the "step child" because it gets so little put into it, and they did a fantastic job with the rooms. Replaced all of the furniture, added HDTVs and Blue Ray players, completely replaced the cabinetry in the kitchen and the appliances, redid the floors, repainted and redesigned parts of the room, and they still have the same theming and charm that they previously did. But they felt more modern and everything was nicer, including more comfortable furniture.

My point is that Disney is completely capable of doing a decent refurbishment. Also, with the state that BC is currently in, as I have said, it would be pretty difficult for them to do anything to make it worse. I am just extremely happy to hear that something is being done over there

 

[raymusiccity]

Beach Club will have a rolling 250 rooms out of order through late Summer 2015 and the Yacht Club will start after that and also go 250 rooms at a time. Boardwalk Inn will also have 200 rooms out of order in 2016. Add to that the Swan will have 600 rooms completed by end of this year and in 2015 they will do the remaining 150 in that building and take 750 rooms out at the Dolphin for renovation. LOTS of work getting the product in the Epcot Collection back up to current industry standards.

This is exactly the way to go. It seems similar to the major, recently completed refurb at Port Orleans, Riverside. They draped entire buildings containing multiple units without impacting the look or functionality of the resort. I'm trusting Beach Club will go as smoothly with the same outstanding results.

 

[articos]

I've seen the rooms at WL, They threw a coat of paint on the cabinets, put down some cheap laminate flooring removed the theming from the room and replaced the unique bedclothes with off white ones which are distinctly inferior to those at the average Hampton Inn.

Six months out - The paint is bubbling off the cabinets and the laminate has already worn through, I don't pay MF's at THAT resort but I'd be VERY angry if I did.

Extensive travel is part of my job I've spent some years with more hotel nights than at home nights, I know the good/bad/ugly in hotels and unfortunately Disney since about 2008 or so has been on the Bad/Ugly side of the hotel ledger and the new stuff is making it WORSE not better.

This is not painting, it's much more extensive, bringing the resort up to today's standard.

 

[ford91exploder]

$457 is the discounted rate??? I thought around $500 was standard rack rate for the Poly. Please tell me it isn't normally more than that!

Standard view room was $930 last holiday season, GF broke the 1K barrier, When you can get club level rooms in the Orlando Hilton(s) for $300 or so, There is NO justification whatever for these prices.

 

[ford91exploder]

This is not painting, it's much more extensive, bringing the resort up to today's standard.

Which is far lower than the standards 20 years ago, I admire you defending the indefesible

 

[articos]

Which is far lower than the standards 20 years ago, I admire you defending the indefesible

hehe. Thanks. I'm not defending, just saying what's happening. You're comparing what they did with Lodge which was a refresh & paint to what they're doing here, which is gutting rooms which haven't been touched since opening. I don't think it's as bad as you do, but I do agree the standards are definitely not where they were. Or should be.

Standard view room was $930 last holiday season, GF broke the 1K barrier, When you can get club level rooms in the Orlando Hilton(s) for $300 or so, There is NO justification whatever for these prices.

I completely agree with you here, though. The prices they get away with for the deluxe product is insane, and I don't know how or why people pay them. The product itself - in only some of the deluxe resorts - is worth $150-300, not including the premium for being on the property. Tack on another $75-100 for being on-site, and that still doesn't add up to $900. Per night. Crazy.

 

[Next Big Thing]

I'm puzzled by the intersection of Poly Rooms and Discounted, 457 bucks for a 'standard view' room in a resort with no functioning pool and construction anywhere does not meet my definition of Discounted especially since the rooms quality wise are on a par with the average Hilton Garden Inn which charges oh about $250 night pretty much everywhere

I've seen it lower than that, down to $325 at one point.

Still, it's obviously not worth it at the moment (although they are giving guests free admission to Blizzard Beach every night of their stay). My point was, when I had seen it at $325, that was pretty much 50% of rack rate (which is sad in itself).

 

[alissafalco]

They don't. Poly has actually been greatly discounted pretty much everywhere.

Um, yes they do!. I don't know where you are getting this information but when I just checked yesterday their rooms were NOT discounted at all.

 

[alissafalco]

I've seen it lower than that, down to $325 at one point.

Still, it's obviously not worth it at the moment (although they are giving guests free admission to Blizzard Beach every night of their stay). My point was, when I had seen it at $325, that was pretty much 50% of rack rate (which is sad in itself).

That rate is always what the rate is in September & january for value season. Nothing new.

 

[Next Big Thing]

Um, yes they do!. I don't know where you are getting this information but when I just checked yesterday their rooms were NOT discounted at all.

Maybe not anymore, but they were down significantly over the summer months. As I said above, I looked into it one day just out of curiosity and would've been able to book for $325 had I been stupid enough.