News New Polynesian Resort DVC villas building to open 2024

[Disney Analyst]

I can’t find the video. Link??

I think they took it down.

 

[BrianLo]

Sizewise, how does the lobby compare to the original poly? Hopefully not as small as Riviera’s.

A lot bigger than RIV, bigger than VDH, a lot smaller than the lodges. More spacious than Grand Floridians DVC tower, but obviously not vertically.

I’d say very “adequately” sized, but unlike the main cash sites there isn’t a ton off it. Just an entrance to the Restaurant. Technically speaking for an offshoot DVC attached to a resort with a pre existing lobby, it’s on the bigger end of things. Maybe similar size to Kidani but with again a bit less verticality.

 

[HairyChest]

A lot bigger than RIV, bigger than VDH, a lot smaller than the lodges. More spacious than Grand Floridians DVC tower, but obviously not vertically.

I’d say very “adequately” sized, but unlike the main cash sites there isn’t a ton off it. Just an entrance to the Restaurant. Technically speaking for an offshoot DVC attached to a resort with a pre existing lobby, it’s on the bigger end of things. Maybe similar size to Kidani but with again a bit less verticality.

Is there a giftshop/store?

 

[BrianLo]

Is there a giftshop/store?

I don’t think so. Not that we saw.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

So I just toured the island tower!

The building and facilities are ready, there’s just a bit of outdoor work remaining. Landscaping particularly facing the monorail side and then they are putting in the remaining pathway work under the tree like exit structure on the lagoon side.

It’s very, very nice. Still on the beige end of things, but there is a lot of aqua marine notes woven throughout. The lobby also has giant green plant cylindrical structures and the paddles for lack of a better term overhead do have some colour splashed into the characters.

Artwork is beautiful and understated; less Disney characters smattered around. Maybe they are hidden but it doesn’t jump out to me. The only real prominence is Moana elements that you’ll notice mostly on the feature wall when you approach that all the characters (sans Moana) are etched into it. Only the giant crab is really evident from the main level.

Really nice finishing. Everything is textured. Tiles in the lobby are pretty. There’s four conceptual artwork of Poly, including the classic original tower design on the second level. Pool deck is the most phoned in feature; whereas everything outside of the pool deck is textured or some of the pathway is styled after lava pocketed rock.

The water feature in the restaraunt is an infinity feature. So constantly flowing over. The restaurant is going to be super popular.

The pocket gardens are really, really nice and probably will have to stay limited to the Island Tower guests only until the end of time. I think people who don’t love the tower will like the pocket gardens. They feel the most original Poly with a lot of indoor plants and more colour. They’ve made a big deal of the views and begrudgingly they are amazing views. A lot of the less desirable infrastructure like the transit authority, Tron or roadways etc happens to be fortuitously blocked out by the barrier island and it’s basically just the castle well aligned. I mean there’s probably a reason the Wedding pavilion is where it is.

I don’t think anyone dug in will change their minds, but this is definitely not a resort where quality is inherently lacking. Nor is it sterile white. There’s no ambiguity which building you are in (unlike looking at the renovated Boulder, vero etc, that all kind of look the same with different soft good elements splashed in).


View attachment 830150

Sorry, still no photos until opening.

Sounds like riviera…

Which blows.

 

[BrianLo]

Sounds like riviera…

Which blows.

Quite aesthetically different interior, probably the most that I’ve seen them do since everything recently has been very white and pretty character centric. But the same other complaints as RIV will no doubt be what everyone walks away with next week.

You will not like it. I don’t mean that in an accusatory way. Only fence sitters might be swayed. I wouldn’t mind the design principles for Aulani’s refurb with a splash more beyond blue and brown.