Disney is going to scale back the Polynesian DVC plans in a big way.

[Tom]

Well that would make me want to buy a Poly DVC......

That's probably why they haven't hired me for their sales department

My wife and I have wanted to get Poly DVC ever since we bought in, but figured it would be a ways out. We were really excited when we heard about the initial plans, which included new DVC longhouses. Now, I'm pretty sure we won't be buying at the Poly. And it's going to be extremely difficult to book at 7-months given the short supply of villas.

 

[Master Yoda]

I never thought of that, but it makes complete sense. They pre-fabbed and installed the Treehouse Villas by crane. No reason why they wouldn't do that here. Heck, the rooms may be almost done and sitting in a warehouse somewhere right now.

Perhaps the boardwalk will be constructed out of steel and concrete, with a stamped surface like the theme park pavements. That would help them hold up a lot better.

I would expect concrete stamped to look like wood. At a minimum, I could see them using steel framing and Trex.

 

[Master Yoda]

I have never been over to the Poly beach. What does the water look like. I picture rooms over water where there is crystal blue water. I am having a hard time wrapping my brain around this. Hopefully they will have slip proof decking to walk on.

The water is brown. It is naturally that color from the tannic acid in the water from the trees, vegetation, etc. The only way they could make the water clear would be to somehow isolate it from the 7 seas lagoon essentially making it a gigantic pool.

Possible? Sure.

Expensive? Extremely.

Probable? I am going to go with no.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

This would not surprise me at all. Building over water, while possible, really sucks. Simple mundane tasks that you would never think about on land become major challenges on water.

I totally agree Yoda,

It would be fairly easy to bring in a large crane and just set the prefab rooms in place, something like they did with the rooms in the CR.

AKK

 

[tikiman]

I never thought of that, but it makes complete sense. They pre-fabbed and installed the Treehouse Villas by crane. No reason why they wouldn't do that here. Heck, the rooms may be almost done and sitting in a warehouse somewhere right now.

Perhaps the boardwalk will be constructed out of steel and concrete, with a stamped surface like the theme park pavements. That would help them hold up a lot better.

They are done building them. I have one in my back yard. I picked it up from Theme park Connection on Ebay.

 

[ryguy]

Are there plans to curb the watercraft traffic around the bungalows? What about the ferry boats horn? That sucker is pretty loud.

 

[flynnibus]

I have never been over to the Poly beach. What does the water look like. I picture rooms over water where there is crystal blue water. I am having a hard time wrapping my brain around this. Hopefully they will have slip proof decking to walk on.

What Disney thinks they look like when they look in the mirror...

What everyone else sees when they look at them...

 

[Blufusion]

I'm sorta new here on this site. But have been going to WDW from 1982 to the last visit in 2007 for just one day. I have always wanted to stay at one of the Premium Resorts and I did stay a few days at the CR in 1992. It was in need of major renovations and I still have my love for WDW. BUt I look at it now and it seems like a lot of things are going bad.

For me I got to go to Hawaii last year and I had the money to do the WDW trip I always wanted to do. But I needed a break from the stress of doing a theme park. We get great rates at Marriott thru my partner working there. We stayed 8 days at The Marriott Ko Olina resort. The last resort passed Aulani.
We had a villa and a rental car and our round trip airfare from Florida and a 1 hr helicopter ride over the island and the total cost was $4000.00 for all of it . We checked at doing the WDW trip and staying at The CR or at Aulani and the cost of just a regular room for just 6 nights would have been $1000.00 more than our whole trip.

I really love Disney World. But until they decide to add something new for adults and understand that the people like me and many other that started going to the World in what I call the Golden Age of WDW from 1981 to 1997. Then I refuse to pay those kind of rates. They in my opinion need to add to the parks. I will hopefully go back and do a 4 night stay at the parks in 2016. But ebven then If they haven added a Star Wars land to the studios. Then my Bucket list of doing and staying on property will be forgotten.

It's kinda sad to say. Even I as a person that loves what WDW was in 1982 and what I saw with EPCOT Center and what they started with on the Studios. I was just happy with that. WDW did not need the Animal Kingdom. It seems they are trying to be everything to everybody. Unfortunately they are making a lot of Guest consider them just another over priced 6 Flags. To be honest I would rather stay at Fort Wilderness and camp out. At least there it is more laid back and you can actually meet and become friends with your fellow campers. I guess I will go back to hawaii and save me all the money I would have spent on a room at Disney and actually enjoyed the Real and not Made up Disney "Magic" . Not trying to be rude or dissing anyone that loves going there or owns a DVC . But this is what happened when Disney started becoming a Timeshare company.

 

[tikiman]

Are there plans to curb the watercraft traffic around the bungalows? What about the ferry boats horn? That sucker is pretty loud.

First of all, awesome Avatar.

I would guess they would have something to keep boats from getting near the rooms. As far as the Ferry is concerned it is actually closer to the end rooms at Tahiti than it will be to the bungalows so it will not be any more of a problem than it is now.

 

[willtravel]

What Disney thinks they look like when they look in the mirror...

What everyone else sees when they look at them...

NOW THAT'S WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT. The top photo, I mean. If I want to and could afford a timeshare again like that, maybe I would buy. But with that type of setting. But at WDW? For me.....

 

[AmongMadPeople]

Are there plans to curb the watercraft traffic around the bungalows? What about the ferry boats horn? That sucker is pretty loud.

Beyond that, what about the Electrical Water Pageant every night? It's loud. Maybe inside it won't be much worse than any rooms are are close to the water.

That's probably why they haven't hired me for their sales department

My wife and I have wanted to get Poly DVC ever since we bought in, but figured it would be a ways out. We were really excited when we heard about the initial plans, which included new DVC longhouses. Now, I'm pretty sure we won't be buying at the Poly. And it's going to be extremely difficult to book at 7-months given the short supply of villas.

Your wife disagrees.

 

[MOXOMUMD]

Beyond that, what about the Electrical Water Pageant every night? It's loud. Maybe inside it won't be much worse than any rooms are are close to the water.

I don't see anything changing for the EWP.

 

[DougK]

I don't see anything changing for the EWP.

I certainly hope not! There is no good reason to change (as in "get rid of") the Electrical Water Pageant!

 

[Tom]

I certainly hope not! There is no good reason to change (as in "get rid of") the Electrical Water Pageant!

I think the discussion of the EWP was more along the lines of it's proximity to the new villas, compared to how far it is from the rooms currently. They may just alter its path a bit, so it's further out in the lagoon when it's speakers are aimed at the Poly.

 

[DougK]

I think the discussion of the EWP was more along the lines of it's proximity to the new villas, compared to how far it is from the rooms currently. They may just alter its path a bit, so it's further out in the lagoon when it's speakers are aimed at the Poly.

Perhaps I overreacted but generally most "changes" at WDW the past 10 years equate to "closings", "value engineering", "cost savings", and "eliminations".

Which reminds me that someday when they get rid of the nighttime show at EPCOT they will call it "eliminations"!

 

[Ralphlaw]

I'm sorta new here on this site. But have been going to WDW from 1982 to the last visit in 2007 for just one day. I have always wanted to stay at one of the Premium Resorts and I did stay a few days at the CR in 1992. It was in need of major renovations and I still have my love for WDW. BUt I look at it now and it seems like a lot of things are going bad.

For me I got to go to Hawaii last year and I had the money to do the WDW trip I always wanted to do. But I needed a break from the stress of doing a theme park. We get great rates at Marriott thru my partner working there. We stayed 8 days at The Marriott Ko Olina resort. The last resort passed Aulani.
We had a villa and a rental car and our round trip airfare from Florida and a 1 hr helicopter ride over the island and the total cost was $4000.00 for all of it . We checked at doing the WDW trip and staying at The CR or at Aulani and the cost of just a regular room for just 6 nights would have been $1000.00 more than our whole trip.

I really love Disney World. But until they decide to add something new for adults and understand that the people like me and many other that started going to the World in what I call the Golden Age of WDW from 1981 to 1997. Then I refuse to pay those kind of rates. They in my opinion need to add to the parks. I will hopefully go back and do a 4 night stay at the parks in 2016. But ebven then If they haven added a Star Wars land to the studios. Then my Bucket list of doing and staying on property will be forgotten.

It's kinda sad to say. Even I as a person that loves what WDW was in 1982 and what I saw with EPCOT Center and what they started with on the Studios. I was just happy with that. WDW did not need the Animal Kingdom. It seems they are trying to be everything to everybody. Unfortunately they are making a lot of Guest consider them just another over priced 6 Flags. To be honest I would rather stay at Fort Wilderness and camp out. At least there it is more laid back and you can actually meet and become friends with your fellow campers. I guess I will go back to hawaii and save me all the money I would have spent on a room at Disney and actually enjoyed the Real and not Made up Disney "Magic" . Not trying to be rude or dissing anyone that loves going there or owns a DVC . But this is what happened when Disney started becoming a Timeshare company.

Sorry to hear it. Unfortunately, my first trip wasn't until 2003, so I missed out on the apparent golden age. But I indeed do wonder what was different in the golden age? Was it truly better? Were the cast members friendlier? Were the hotels somehow better?

Quite honestly, I wonder if it's just a nostalgia thing. For example, I have nice memories of many places: my old grade school and high school, my old college, a zoo I went to as a kid, and dozens of other places. I've been back to some of them since, and I am usually astounded at how mediocre they actually are.

Although I have nothing to compare it to, many of the years of the golden age did not have (from what I understand) Animal Kingdom, abundant onsite hotels, fastpass, as much healthy/unique dining, Soarin', changing scenarios in Star Tours, Toy Story Mania, Buzz Lightyears spin, Monsters Laugh Floor, Agent P adventures, Keys to the Kingdom adventures, a new Fantasyland, Rock & Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror, Lights Motors Action, Star Wars and other special weekends and festivals, Magical Express, etc . . . I, for example, greatly miss the Jeremy Irons narration at Spaceship Earth and the fun narration on the blue line, but they probably weren't as great as I remember them in the windmills of my mind.

I wondered long and hard about DVC before buying in, but my family and I now love it. Our 1 bedroom villas are far roomier than standard rooms, some with 2 bathrooms, and a washer & dryer to cut down on the need to pack so much. In 3 years, we've done 25 nights, mostly in 1 bedrooms, and we've only paid about $2,100 in maintenance dues, which means we spent about $84 a night. I could sell my Baylake points tomorrow for the about the same price I bought them at.

I like the place now, a lot, but I indeed do wish I could have seen the place in the golden age of 1981 to 1997. I just truly wonder why so many people thought it was so great them and so mediocre now. Perhaps you could enlighten me.

 

[tikiman]

Sorry to hear it. Unfortunately, my first trip wasn't until 2003, so I missed out on the apparent golden age. But I indeed do wonder what was different in the golden age? Was it truly better? Were the cast members friendlier? Were the hotels somehow better?

Quite honestly, I wonder if it's just a nostalgia thing. For example, I have nice memories of many places: my old grade school and high school, my old college, a zoo I went to as a kid, and dozens of other places. I've been back to some of them since, and I am usually astounded at how mediocre they actually are.

Although I have nothing to compare it to, many of the years of the golden age did not have (from what I understand) Animal Kingdom, abundant onsite hotels, thrill rides at Disney MGM Studios until the later years, fastpass, as much healthy/unique dining, Soarin', changing scenarios in Star Tours, Toy Story Mania, Buzz Lightyears spin, Monsters Laugh Floor, Agent P adventures, Keys to the Kingdom adventures, a new Fantasyland, Rock & Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror, Lights Motors Action, Star Wars and other special weekends and festivals, Magical Express, etc . . . I, for example, greatly miss the Jeremy Irons narration at Spaceship Earth and the fun narration on the blue line, but they probably weren't as great as I remember them in the windmills of my mind.

I wondered long and hard about DVC before buying in, but my family and I now love it. Our 1 bedroom villas are far roomier than standard rooms, some with 2 bathrooms, and a washer & dryer to cut down on the need to pack so much. In 3 years, we've done 25 nights, mostly in 1 bedrooms, and we've only paid about $2,100 in maintenance dues, which means we spent about $84 a night. I could sell my Baylake points tomorrow for the about the same price I bought them at. I like the place now, a lot, but I indeed do wish I could have seen the place in the golden age of 1981 to 1997. I just truly wonder why so many people thought it was so great them and so mediocre now. Perhaps you could enlighten me.

I don’t know that the parks were better in the past, other than they might have been cleaner and things seem to get fixed. Resorts have improved with some of the amenities but in other cases things have been reduced or taken away. Cast Members are the biggest change over the years and I don’t mean to sound like I am blaming them. Instead of having long time Cast Members who knew the resort inside and out and were motivated to do a good job you now have turnover that does not allow many to even get to know the resort. They work them long house for little pay and even less motivation. It is hard to find a CM who is truly happy. Many of them put on a smile for you but most stories I hear of how they really feel they are under paid, overworked and underappreciated along with taking all the stuff grumpy guests throw at them. I am told over and over that gone are the days when they had management that motivated them. I think that is the biggest thing missing from the good old days.

 

[flynnibus]

Quite honestly, I wonder if it's just a nostalgia thing.

Quite honestly, no.

 

[Ralphlaw]

I don’t know that the parks were better in the past, other than they might have been cleaner and things seem to get fixed. Resorts have improved with some of the amenities but in other cases things have been reduced or taken away. Cast Members are the biggest change over the years and I don’t mean to sound like I am blaming them. Instead of having long time Cast Members who knew the resort inside and out and were motivated to do a good job you now have turnover that does not allow many to even get to know the resort. They work them long house for little pay and even less motivation. It is hard to find a CM who is truly happy. Many of them put on a smile for you but most stories I hear of how they really feel they are under paid, overworked and underappreciated along with taking all the stuff grumpy guests throw at them. I am told over and over that gone are the days when they had management that motivated them. I think that is the biggest thing missing from the good old days.

I can understand that. Perhaps it's lousy management, but there's probably more to it. For example, everyone now knows that Disney looks great on the resume'. This means that many more hordes of people are applying to work there, including the truly ambitious who aspire to 6 figure incomes. This means that Disney can hire lots of people on the cheap, who get their experience and probably move on for well-paying jobs somewhere else. With crowds of people applying, why pay a lot? That's especially true with the internship program, bringing hundreds or thousands of free workers every year. Why pay an employee a living wage when some ambitious college student will gladly do your job for free?

Also, the skyrocketing cost of health insurance probably means that many CMs aren't taking home as much pay as they deserve. So much is syphoned off toward health insurance.

It's unfortunate that so many of them aren't happy, yet they keep coming to work, probably because it's been a dream to work there. With that being said, most bosses will simply say, "If you're not happy, then quit." And yet they stick around, unhappy and underappreciated. Or maybe I'm all wrong about this.

And also that golden age of 1981 to 1997 was pretty much during the Eisner years, which so many people lambast on these boards. I'm just sayin' . . .

 

[djlaosc]

And also that golden age of 1981 to 1997 was pretty much during the Eisner years, which so many people lambast on these boards. I'm just sayin' . . .

People on here tend to divide the Eisner years into something like 1984-1994 (with Frank Wells alive) & 1995-2005 (after Frank Wells died) - they don't seem to complain about 1984-1994 that much, so they are only really complaining about 1995-1997 in the Golden Age/Eisner overlap - and even then, it was apparently a slippery slope (so 1995-1997 was better than 2002-2005)