News New Polynesian Resort DVC villas building to open 2024

[Haymarket2008]

So many thoughts.

They couldn’t have at least included some of the Polynesian’s design language and iconography?

 

[wdwmagic]

Is this the first official confirmation we're getting that a restaurant will be in there, or did I miss something earlier?

I believe it was previously mentioned, or at least strongly assumed. But details have been rather scarce so far.

 

[fgmnt]

Man, this thing is just going to loom over me like a plague if and when I am ever on the loop again. So disappointing.

 

[aladdin2007]

I don’t think it looks bad. But you could have plopped this down next to the airport and it could easily be confused for an Embassy Suites.

Exactly what I was about to type. glad I saw your thought first. Spot on. Its a monstrosity through and through and all they have to spin with it is the views of the Magic Kingdom, over and over, its all they got. They didn't even try to design this so it would blend in, its downtown Orlando plopped on top of Disney World proper. Epic shame.

 

[eddie104]

You can tell when people hate a project because no updates…

 

[James Alucobond]

You can tell when people hate a project because no updates…

It was posted four pages ago.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Tianna’s Polynesian Adventure Tower?

I’ll show myself out.

Synergy!

 

[Epcot82Guy]

The interior design is nice - but it's very contemporary. Other than a few minor cues in the physical decor, it could easily be in any major city. It even reminds me a bit of the Swan Reserve. I don't mind that at all. I just don't know how it meets Disney's standards. It feels very outsourced, to someone with no reference to the original resort besides "Polynesian" and a story board.

Riviera is still the worst offender to me. But, this is akin to putting a Miami-esque condo tower next to Grand Floridan and then using orange and white accents to decorate it. They can be thematically tied and nice on their own. But, the whole is worse than the sum of its parts.

This seems to be the hallmark of current Disney design. Make it nice, trendy or popular and put it where you want. As long as you make a basic attempt to tie it together, "theme"...

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

But you could have plopped this down next to the airport and it could easily be confused for an Embassy Suites.

That’s quite hyperbolic. As someone who has stayed in lots of Embassy Suites on the drive to WDW, yeah that does not look like an Embassy Suites.

 

[Tha Realest]

I seem to be one of the few who doesn't love the interior design here.

On the positive side, it matches the general design of the building in that it seems like a generic (albeit upscale) modern apartment or office building with some wood finishes and vaguely Polynesian flourishes. That, to me, is also the downside. The stone floors and wooden beams that give the Polynesian and Aulani their charm are absent, let alone touches like the murals from Aulani. It's not ugly as such, just sterile.

The Gensler Effect, or Bouza’s Folly.

 

[Tha Realest]

Cash rack rates on 1 bedrooms at the least desirable DVCs are around $1K/night. I can’t imagine what this is going to go for. Sheer hubris.

“what this is going to go for” and “what guests actually wind up paying” aren’t exactly the same thing. I have no doubt they’ll try and charge GF Main Lobby prices for Home2PolynesianSuites but we’ll see how many takers they get after the holidays fizzle out.

 

[eddie104]

I find the interior more pleasing than the exterior. Yes it’s contemporary but that’s not totally a bad thing.

It actually reminds of recent remodel they did to the Kona Cafe.

It was posted four pages ago.

Sorry I didn’t realize because I just skipped to the very end and posted.

Riviera is still the worst offender to me

I find the hate for this hotel to be ridiculous as it’s probably the least offensive new addition Disney has built recently.

I love the exterior and interiors including the rooms as well.

 

[TheIceBaron]

If these rooms don’t sell, will they learn? I could be mistaken but I didn’t think Riviera sold as well as anticipated.

 

[DisneyOutsider]

FWIW, lobbies in DVC buildings are always a bit muted/toned down, with the emphasis and money being spent on the accomodations and surrounding amenities.

This looks to be the most substantial lobby they've ever built for a DVC building besides Aulani.

 

[MouseEarsMom33]

I've been ok with the outside of the building since the announcement. If someone showed me the interior pictures without any context, I would have never guessed it was the Polynesian tower. Maybe it will look different in real life, but I feel it is missing so much of the theming and colors that makes the Polynesian special. Hopefully the rooms will be better. I was likely going to add on points at Polynesian. Now, I'm not so sure.

 

[DisneyOutsider]

If these rooms don’t sell, will they learn? I could be mistaken but I didn’t think Riviera sold as well as anticipated.

You don't think they'll sell? I think they'll move these rather quickly, at least compared to other recent DVC declarations.

Riviera got off to a slow start and there's no denying the timing with COVID played a big role in that, but it has actually been selling very well in recent months.

 

[Zummi Gummi]

If these rooms don’t sell, will they learn? I could be mistaken but I didn’t think Riviera sold as well as anticipated.

I would imagine these rooms, with their view and location, will sell rather quickly. But that's just my guess.

 

[TheIceBaron]

You don't think they'll sell? I think they'll move these rather quickly, at least compared to other recent DVC declarations.

Riviera got off to a slow start and there's no denying the timing with COVID played a big role in that, but it has actually been selling very well in recent months.

I don’t know if they will or not. It’s is a prime location, just not sure if the market they are targeting for this tower cares about the Marriott style of it.

 

[CastAStone]

Is this the first official confirmation we're getting that a restaurant will be in there, or did I miss something earlier?

It was plainly obvious in the original concept art, but they never put it in writing that I can recall.

 

[TheIceBaron]

I would imagine these rooms, with their view and location, will sell rather quickly. But that's just my guess.

I’d wonder how big of a price difference is between lagoon view and parking lot view.