lynnkatherine
Member
I would be so disappointed if this happens. Part of the appeal of the Polynesian is the longhouses, the way they are laid out....their low profile next to the GCH. I am just sick about this.
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Goodbye Poly?
- Thread starter jrriddle
- Start date
I would be so disappointed if this happens. Part of the appeal of the Polynesian is the longhouses, the way they are laid out....their low profile next to the GCH. I am just sick about this.
Kamikaze
Well-Known Member
Beuford
Member
I don't get the gripe with the rooms, they are so much bigger than anywhere else and just as clean. What is wrong with them? They don't smell different, same beddings as other deluxe, bigger, am I missing something? Maybe I have been staying at a different poly all these times, :shrug:
I would be so disappointed if this happens. Part of the appeal of the Polynesian is the longhouses, the way they are laid out....their low profile next to the GCH. I am just sick about this.
I'm not saying I love it, I'm just OK with it. Lets face it they will eventually have to add some sort of increased capacity to the Poly some day. And there is not a lot of room to build more long houses. I would rather see this than Aulani Towers with no long houses.
I would like to see Four Season Bora Bora like suites out on the water as part of the Poly.
sweetpee_1993
Well-Known Member
Perhaps everything old will be new again:
When I read the article linked in the first post this is EXACTLY where my brain first went. What's the only way to add more rooms on a small footprint? You build up. Do I think it would look exactly like that artist's rendering? No. Do I think it could be done in a way that embraces the theme with the result being immersive while still paying homage to it's predecessor? Absolutely. And if anyone can pull that off, I believe it would be Disney. Now whether Disney will spend what it takes to do it right and do it completely is another story... :lookaroun Let's hope for the best.
I think the Contemporary shares a lot of the same issues that the Polynesian's GCH does. These old spaces are trying to encompass a lot of things that they weren't initially designed for. The Grand Canyon Concourse of the Contemporary is an excellent illustration. I remember passing thru that space on the monorail and it being a vast, open, uncluttered, mind-blowing space. It truly felt like a Grand Canyon. Think of how it looked to stand down there and gaze around and upward?! Holy smokes! Now the space is sectioned off with Chef Mickeys, the Contempo Cafe, the Fantasia shop. It all clutters things up and makes the face feel less-vast. Heck, there's so much there that it pulls attention away from the grand murals that contributed a lot the original theming. The Polynesian's GCH is also suffering for the lack of space to accommodate the resort offerings expected today. Times were different when these spaces were constructed. I remember being in the Poly's GCH when my grandparents stayed there way back in the 80s and things seemed very different then. The space was huuuuge. It wasn't crowded with people the way it seems nowadays. The overall feeling of the theming was the same. Only it felt more grand. Times are different now. If money were no object I'd venture to say that both these resorts would be well-served to be completely leveled and done again. Of course the old-school people who dislike major change would have heart attacks over the thought of it. Heck, it puts a lump in my throat to think of the original Contemporary tower and Poly GCH not being there anymore. The part of me that loves and adores these 2 very special resorts wants to see them be as incredible as I remember. They could be so much more. It just takes a willingness for Disney to do it and for us to let go and embrace the changes as what we all stand to gain vs. what we will lose. Your memories will never be erased. Love what you've had. Embrace the future. Change is not a bad thing. Both these resorts have endless possibilities in their themes. I'd love to see them reimagined into something even better for generations to come!
Its the last resort that we have not stayed at that I really want to. Have wanted to ever since I was a kid. Have wandered around the public areas of the resort and had breakfast a number of times there and it is the most well themed resort in my opinion. Better than Wilderness Lodge, and I really like it there. Would be a shame to see a complete rebuild, but sometimes progress demands new and better memories to be made.
ChrisM
Well-Known Member
I won't comment on the look, but the comment about the smell is 100% dead-on accurate.
The GCH absolutely stinks. It has some horrid mildew/mold funk. I'm not sure how anyone can possibly not notice it. It's disgusting.
I thought maybe that was authentic islander smell. :shrug:
Condorman
Active Member
That's okay. You won't be missed.
Oh, the irony......
disneygirl1024
Well-Known Member
My children and I were visiting the Poly to eat at Ohana this past May 2011 and we all thought that the poly was a beautiful place. I didnt think it smelled bad.
Beuford
Member
I like the smell created by the water fountain in the lobby. Smells better than many of the people I have had to sit next to on a monorail lol. I must say in all the posts about resorts over the years, I have never seen such a love/hate about a resort like this one. I wonder why? Price, age of guests, location, theme? I'm drowning here someone help, why such differences in opinions?
ChrisM
Well-Known Member
It think it's largely a question of taste and preference:
To some people the idea of a pacific island is the essence of what a vacation is all about - tropics, palm trees, that laid back islander vibe. It also has some unique dining opportunities, has lovely grounds, and is ideally situated on the lagoon to look directly across to the Magic Kingdom and is not just on the monorail but also adjacent to the TTC.
To others it's just a kitschy, supremely tacky stereotype of the pacific islands, hopelessly trapped in the 70's ideal of a tropical vacation - like that Hawaii sequence of "Brady Bunch" episodes come to life. The GCH smells, the dining sucks, the rooms are dark, and the whole place is annoyingly spread out.
sweetpee_1993
Well-Known Member
Very good question!
I think for me there's even a love/hate thing for me alone. I love the nostolgia of the Poly because it's always been a part of WDW and is deeply embedded in my childhood memories there. My grandparents stayed there which is also huge considering my grandfather passed 6 years ago and is still quite the gaping wound in the family. I love the coziness. I love the beauty of the garden areas. I hate how closed-in and over-filled the GCH feels nowadays. It detracts from the peacefulness that used to be a constant in that space. I hate the darkness inside the rooms. Even with the sliding door open it feels sorta dark the further away you get from it. I hate the bedspreads but then I hate all bedspreads now that I'm spoiled to duvets. I hate that it's near impossible to get a reservation at Ohana and it's getting more difficult to get one at Kona. I wish the rack rates weren't so high which has a lot to do with supply/demand. I hate that the pool is so small. Mid-day on hot days the volcano pool can be reminiscent of the cruise ship pools: couldn't wedge another kiddie in there with a tub of Crisco and a shoe horn.
I love the Poly dearly but it's not high on my list of places to stay currently. This could, however, change. Never say never. I've learned the silliness of speaking in absolutes. Even if they changed the Poly completely I'd still likely stay again just to see what it's like. If they don't change it there's a possibility I'd stay there again because the rest of my family hasn't stayed there and there's interest. I think I'd only stay there in it's current state if it was cooler-weather months just to decrease the possibility of the pool overcrowding. :wave:
LaughingGravy
Well-Known Member
I'd still pay more if I could get the room John Lennon was in when his was the last of the signatures to the document breaking up the Beatles.
But, I bet they refurbished it by now. Heck, I'd still pay if it was an honest guarantee. May Pang is still alive. I bet she could verify.
But, I bet they refurbished it by now. Heck, I'd still pay if it was an honest guarantee. May Pang is still alive. I bet she could verify.
disneyflush
Well-Known Member
This post is awesome on a large number of levels.
Pioneer Hall
Well-Known Member
If they were to do this project right, then I wouldn't mind seeing it happen. Something in the style of the original plans with the new innovations and design of Aulani would probably be really nice. It would give them the ability to add to one of the most popular resorts and add the DVC they are longing for. I have a feeling that the grounds would still have the nice tropical feel that they currently have.
slappy magoo
Well-Known Member
Based on all the additional weight that would result from "building up," I wonder if the area could stand it. I know that there are other places around the water where they laid steel pilings only to have them sink. I'm guessing that wouldn't be an issue with the Poly as the weight is currently distributed, but what if there was suddenly a lot more tonnage?
It may need a good heavy overhaul, but that doesn't mean it needs to be torn down. I think doing so would mess with the original vision for the area. But a nice heavy refurb could do it some good...
Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if it was announced as the next DVC once the GF is done. It would be the only monorail resort left to not have ....
Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if it was announced as the next DVC once the GF is done. It would be the only monorail resort left to not have ....
MissMorrow
Active Member
I can't imagine that the Poly is going anywhere Isn't one of the most popular resorts on property?
While I'm a diehard YC/BC person, I've always liked the Poly. It's probably my second favorite Disney resort so I can't say I would be happy if they tore part or all of it down to build yet another monstrosity around the lake. For me it's all the about the tropical atmosphere and nostalgia aspect of the resort, not the rooms or the food, which I don't care for. I feel like I have been transported to somewhere far away when I am there, being totally immersed in the environment. And I don't feel like I'm at a tacky 70's tropical motel that smells :shrug:
While I'm a diehard YC/BC person, I've always liked the Poly. It's probably my second favorite Disney resort so I can't say I would be happy if they tore part or all of it down to build yet another monstrosity around the lake. For me it's all the about the tropical atmosphere and nostalgia aspect of the resort, not the rooms or the food, which I don't care for. I feel like I have been transported to somewhere far away when I am there, being totally immersed in the environment. And I don't feel like I'm at a tacky 70's tropical motel that smells :shrug: