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

[aladdin2007]

No, they no longer plan to take the whole thing down but as of today they plan on removing the water feature. I have no details yet on what they plan to put in its place. I would hope something worth seeing and not just trying to increase the floor space for check in lines. I don't want to guess or speculate on what they plan. I just report the information I get from good sources. We will all have to wait and see what they end up doing since many of their plans change at the last minute.

Thanks!! True with them it could change daily.

 

[CDavid]

time to start a save the polynesian campaign. its getting ridiculous the route they keep taking with things.

Who would have ever thought, even just a few years ago, that the Polynesian Resort would ever need saving? That Disney would have ideas - even just blue-sky proposals - along the lines of what has been suggested here was just unthinkable not very long ago, even in an age of "crimes against fiberglass" value resorts. Unbelievable.

 

[breakin2]

In what regard is the DVC component being cut?

 

[SirLink]

Hmmmm.... I swear it was on "The Disney Blog" yesterday in their article about the Imagination Redo... which was pulled from Murf's site. It was right at the end. I just went back to check it and it is gone.

Perhaps I imagined it??? Sorry if bad info.

No worries mate - was intrigued.

 

[TP2000]

Trader Sam's is an AWESOME tiki bar out at the Disneyland Hotel. I thought I heard that some of the first Adventurers Club props pulled out were sent there for decor. Certain drinks set off special effects, tiki gods on the walls chant, etc. On CriTiki it's ranked like number 12 for tiki related/themed places in the nation. Drinks are a little touristy (read weak), but it's a great place. (Have my Trader Sam's Rum Barrel in my office, right next to the one from Smuggler's Cove)

You have your facts down! Trader Sam's at the Disneyland Hotel is about the best hotel bar in the Disney Empire, anywhere. The drinks are too sugary sweet and watered down, and almost all of them involve mid-shelf rum in the recipe, but a place can't be 100% perfect I suppose.

The interior of Trader Sam's is fantastic, but I always sit out on the lanai where they have a talented Hawaiian combo play Polynesian classics. Also, the glow of the tiki torches makes an old man like me look better. (The giggling blonde in the video is not my date, but you get the idea)


TDO would be stupid to not clone Trader Sam's for the WDW audience. That said, the scale and scope of Trader Sam's at the Disneyland Hotel is probably all wrong for the massive WDW property. They'll need to upscale this by a factor of at least two, if not three, to make it work at WDW and prevent the need for MyMagic+ reservations booked 180 days in advance just to get a seat at the bar. And you have to be a DVC member and use 150 points to reserve a bar stool that sinks.

 

[ParentsOf4]

I respect that so many love the Polynesian but, to me, it feels like what it is: a 1960s imagined version of what a South Pacific hotel would look like to a bunch of middle-aged guys. Each time I visit, I expect to see Steve McGarrett (the 1970s version) to walk by. "Book 'em Danno."

I was hoping an extensive refurb driven by the DVC would finally bring the Poly into the 21st Century.

 

[Captain Neo]

Is the rumor true of a complete tear down and rebuild of GCH? The Polynesian has a distinct smell when I enter and I hope that is preserved whenever the new version opens.

 

[aladdin2007]

Is the rumor true of a complete tear down and rebuild of GCH? The Polynesian has a distinct smell when I enter and I hope that is preserved whenever the new version opens.

No tikiman said it would not be a complete tear down of GCH as was originally thought. Sounds like just internal changes but the building would remain.

 

[aladdin2007]

I respect that so many love the Polynesian but, to me, it feels like what it is: a 1960s imagined version of what a South Pacific hotel would look like to a bunch of middle-aged guys. Each time I visit, I expect to see Steve McGarrett (the 1970s version) to walk by. "Book 'em Danno."

I was hoping an extensive refurb driven by the DVC would finally bring the Poly into the 21st Century.

reminds me of the brady bunch I think thats maybe why I like it so much lolol,,,, but hey steve mcgarrett is awesome, the current one anyway, never really watched the old show. I can def see him and danno there maybe they should film there.

 

[Bocabear]

Those waterfalls are just too noisy and the sound is amplified by the atrium. Removal of the waterfalls is a step in the right direction. It would be nice if they replaced it with a play area for the children.

Ugh the lobby of the hotel does not need a play area for the children...there are play areas for the children everywhere...they don't need to play in the lobby. Speaking of annoying noise I can't even begin to imagine the screaming and shrieking that would spoil any attempt at a pleasant atmosphere. It would make a premium resort feel like All-Star Polynesia... yuck.

 

[kane47]

Totally disgusted with Disney's dismantling of what made it special. the finance people running the hotels need to be replaced. Havent stayed at the poly since they filled in the quite pool. Wont even stop there for dinner if they ruin the lobby!

 

[TP2000]

Ugh the lobby of the hotel does not need a play area for the children...there are play areas for the children everywhere...they don't need to play in the lobby. Speaking of annoying noise I can't even begin to imagine the screaming and shrieking that would spoil any attempt at a pleasant atmosphere. It would make a premium resort feel like All-Star Polynesia... yuck.

Thank you!

The current trend of 21st century parents who insist their children be constantly entertained (and loudly) at the expense of everyone else around them is abhorrent. Teach the children how to behave politely in public for the 8 minutes you'll be in the lobby, or else don't take them to $400 a night deluxe hotels.

And if you are a parent who can't teach your child how to behave in public for even short stretches of time, just throw in the towel and plug them into an addictive tablet video screen of some sort to silently veg out until they finally move out of your basement 25 years later. But don't ruin themed lobbies of deluxe hotels in the process, please.

 

[ChrisM]

I respect that so many love the Polynesian but, to me, it feels like what it is: a 1960s imagined version of what a South Pacific hotel would look like to a bunch of middle-aged guys. Each time I visit, I expect to see Steve McGarrett (the 1970s version) to walk by. "Book 'em Danno."

I was hoping an extensive refurb driven by the DVC would finally bring the Poly into the 21st Century.

Bingo. It's the very definition of kitsch. So, so brutal.

But hey, to each their own.

 

[hlmclem722]

I hear that the plans for the DVC at the Polynesian is still to start this year and finish by 2015 or 2016 but they are not going to do as much as was in the original design. Also major changes to the GCH and addition of Trader Sams. I hope to have more I can share soon.

Thank you for the info. Do you have a time frame of when the GCH might be completed?

 

[Computer Magic]

The water feature works just fine. It is high maintenance and there are times it is down to have the pumps and filters worked on but it is fully functioning. When we were there in May it was turned off one night during our whole stay.

I think you hit the nail on the head on why it's going. The high maintenance, downtime and perhaps parts hard to find. My business removed a nice water window last year for the same reason

 

[Clever Name]

Bingo. It's the very definition of kitsch. So, so brutal.

But hey, to each their own.

To bring the Polynesian Resort back to life they need to have Mr. Roarke and Tattoo greet guests as they arrive. Tattoo could exclaim to Mr. Roarke, "Boss, de monorail, de monorail!" as the guests arrive. Of course, if they arrive by bus Tattoo would say, "Boss de bus, de bus!" or "Boss, de car, de car!" or "Boss, de ECV, de ECV!" as appropriate.

Mr. Roarke would then grant the wish of every Poly guest by allowing them to time travel back to any time from 1971 until 1985 and enjoy all WDW attractions in that era. Naturally, by granting them this fantasy they would learn that the present day WDW is much better in every respect than the time travel version. People seeing Horizons would understand why that boring attraction was closed.

 

[ShookieJones]

Just because I have had my site for so long does not mean I am the only one who knows about the Polynesian. Someone can come along and pick up where I left off.

True, but its a sad day seeing a positive, enthusiastic dude like you getting his spirit broken by what seems to be a WDW resort wide bad decision festival now permeating into of all places the poly lobby.

 

[ShookieJones]

I respect that so many love the Polynesian but, to me, it feels like what it is: a 1960s imagined version of what a South Pacific hotel would look like to a bunch of middle-aged guys. Each time I visit, I expect to see Steve McGarrett (the 1970s version) to walk by. "Book 'em Danno."

I was hoping an extensive refurb driven by the DVC would finally bring the Poly into the 21st Century.

Is it wrong, that your absolutely right and I still love the he!! outta that place the way it is?

For the record I loved Hawaii 5-0 and thought Steve McGarret was BA......hmmm I'm starting to make a connection....

 

[Belowthesurface]

Well, since Disney did a great job with the design and visual intrusion of BLT and GF DVC... this will be terrible.

 

[GoofGoof]

I always have a hard time buying into the whole budget different branches thing. Mainly because when it comes to this sort of thing, I'm not very bright.

I know it's a finance thing, and I run into this answer all the time at my company when I'm trying to get projects approved.

However - in my feeble little mind, I have this picture in my head that all that money that's coming in profit wise is all going to the same bank account. Then these budgets are made in anticipation of the upcoming fiscal year and then the monies allotted from the giant pile to these different branches --- and I get that, but it all seems so virtual to me!

I still have this vision that it's all still stacked up in the same pile and when it comes time to do something with it, they just say, "don't touch that part of the pile we need to use that to bolster our herd of cash cows"

when they could just as easily say, We better start doing something for these poor b*stards with that stack of money, let's fix the Yeti.

Again this stuff is all made up in the little world that I live in, so no need to explain what the reality is.

Think of it this way: Disney sold 5.7 million Bay Lake Tower points. If you assume an average of $110 per point that's 627M. It cost them $140M to build. Profit before sales and DVC overhead costs $487M. More than enough money to pay for the entire Fantasyland Expansion. Without DVC profits it is possible Disney would spend even less on WDW parks (I know it doesn't seem possible, but it actually is). The main thing hurt by DVC expansion is the deluxe resorts.

On the Poly DVC front, that sucks but isn't all that surprising I guess. I wish for once we would hear a great rumor and the reality would actually exceed our expectations and blow us away instead of disappointing. Trader Sams at Poly would be cool though.