News New Polynesian Resort DVC villas building to open 2024

[DCBaker]

A couple photos from earlier today as the next section starts to go up.

 

[Bocabear]

No, the customers want modern, luxury feeling resorts with minimal theming. Just like Las Vegas has spend the last 10 years removing the theming. That is not what people want except for a few Disney uber fans.
Just like for years, people called Wilderness Lodge dated. Or Beach Club dated, or Grand Floridian dated. Or even Pop and All-Stars tacky, or Dixie Landings stuck in the past. They want a modern new feeling, not a theme from 30 years ago.
And so, until the paying guests want ultra-immersive Disney will give them modern with a touch of theming on the back wall of the closet and the drawer liners.

I don't believe that is true at all...I think they like repeating that...but customers still want the classic Disney Resorts to continue to carry their themes... Modernize materials in the rooms, but guests appreciate the theme... three hotels on the monorail loop...people are choosing to stay at one over the other usually for the preferred theme... not because one looks like a Fairfield Inn...and if there was a resort on the Monorail line that was just a plain Marriott hotel and prices were all equal, i bet the original theme properties would still be the majority choice... WDW is known for it's theme design... this is the thing that made them different... The Disney Difference...

 

[Phicinfan]

I don't believe that is true at all...I think they like repeating that...but customers still want the classic Disney Resorts to continue to carry their themes... Modernize materials in the rooms, but guests appreciate the theme... three hotels on the monorail loop...people are choosing to stay at one over the other usually for the preferred theme... not because one looks like a Fairfield Inn...and if there was a resort on the Monorail line that was just a plain Marriott hotel and prices were all equal, i bet the original theme properties would still be the majority choice... WDW is known for it's theme design... this is the thing that made them different... The Disney Difference...

I agree with both in that I am sure there are die hard Disney fans and patrons that long to a return of what Disney used to do. But I also agree there is a fairly large portion that are looking for a more modern look as well.

I laugh at everyone here who keeps stating this looks like Holiday Inn or Fairfield inn, do any of you travel alot like I do? I go to Disney every other year or so and nothing they have done ever looks on par with that mess.

 

[GimpYancIent]

I agree with both in that I am sure there are die hard Disney fans and patrons that long to a return of what Disney used to do. But I also agree there is a fairly large portion that are looking for a more modern look as well.

I laugh at everyone here who keeps stating this looks like Holiday Inn or Fairfield inn, do any of you travel alot like I do? I go to Disney every other year or so and nothing they have done ever looks on par with that mess.

Disney management is diligently, purposefully even aggressively working to achieve that low standard though.

 

[Phicinfan]

Disney management is diligently, purposefully even aggressively working to achieve that low standard though.

Sorry, I don't agree. I am heading back to WDW in Sept. I want to see if I can walk through some of the Boardwalk redo and such. But I have stayed at Wilderness Lodge since their redo and love what they have done and it is no where close to "holiday Inn" status.

I will add, I love some of the more subtle IP stuff they are doing now, vs. Mickey and Minnie staring at me while I am in bed.

but that is just me.

 

[Bocabear]

In its defense you can’t really match the contemporary resort’s highly unified theme of retro 1950s modernist design mixed with 70s hippie art project mixed with The Incredibles mixed with a motel style annex wing mixed with depressing 1960s style concrete jungle water park.

It's not really 50s retro at all, but late 60s Modernist architecture...and any area with a plaza is not a "Concrete Jungle"...the grounds of the resort are landscaped and pleasant. I hate the garden wings, so I will agree with you there.
The Bay Lake Tower has grown on me... and it is also our DVC home resort. As a child, the Contemporary was always my favorite... the wow factor of the monorail and the soaring concourse... I think if they remodel the convention center and give that section some of the architectural style of BLT, it could help unify the overall look and make it look more cohesive... Though I hate thinking about losing the Michael Graves addition... It never quite melded with the original design.
If anything, resort-wide they should lean into the 60s-70s Modern aesthetic and bring back some of the original details... The acrylic trees in the concourse, the brighter pops of color... and get rid of the mickey Ears shop in the middle of the concourse...

 

[Disstevefan1]

As long as we all understand they are building DVCs like the Polyday Inn like they are because it's the cheapest, fastest way to do it.

Theming costs extra.

 

[Phicinfan]

Now saying that as well, I am at Contemporary in Sept. and not really looking forward to the Incredibles look. But having never stayed at Contemporary before, I can't really compare

 

[scottieRoss]

I don't believe that is true at all...I think they like repeating that...but customers still want the classic Disney Resorts to continue to carry their themes... Modernize materials in the rooms, but guests appreciate the theme... three hotels on the monorail loop...people are choosing to stay at one over the other usually for the preferred theme... not because one looks like a Fairfield Inn...and if there was a resort on the Monorail line that was just a plain Marriott hotel and prices were all equal, i bet the original theme properties would still be the majority choice... WDW is known for it's theme design... this is the thing that made them different... The Disney Difference...

And again, you are just making up things. Do you have anything to back up what you are saying?

 

[CastAStone]

It's not really 50s retro at all, but late 60s Modernist architecture...and any area with a plaza is not a "Concrete Jungle"...the grounds of the resort are landscaped and pleasant. I hate the garden wings, so I will agree with you there.
The Bay Lake Tower has grown on me... and it is also our DVC home resort. As a child, the Contemporary was always my favorite... the wow factor of the monorail and the soaring concourse... I think if they remodel the convention center and give that section some of the architectural style of BLT, it could help unify the overall look and make it look more cohesive... Though I hate thinking about losing the Michael Graves addition... It never quite melded with the original design.
If anything, resort-wide they should lean into the 60s-70s Modern aesthetic and bring back some of the original details... The acrylic trees in the concourse, the brighter pops of color... and get rid of the mickey Ears shop in the middle of the concourse...

I agree that they would greatly improve the Contemporary if they did this. It would be awesome.

 

[CastAStone]

As long as we all understand they are building DVCs like the Polyday Inn like they are because it's the cheapest, fastest way to do it.

Theming costs extra.

I don’t know how you can look at a company that spends $450M on a roller coaster and say they build on the cheap but you do you.

 

[JD80]

A couple photos from earlier today as the next section starts to go up.

View attachment 730857View attachment 730858

I'm love watching the construction process. It's like a giant lego kit. It's pretty awesome.

 

[Disstevefan1]

 

[JD80]

I don't believe that is true at all...I think they like repeating that...but customers still want the classic Disney Resorts to continue to carry their themes... Modernize materials in the rooms, but guests appreciate the theme... three hotels on the monorail loop...people are choosing to stay at one over the other usually for the preferred theme... not because one looks like a Fairfield Inn...and if there was a resort on the Monorail line that was just a plain Marriott hotel and prices were all equal, i bet the original theme properties would still be the majority choice... WDW is known for it's theme design... this is the thing that made them different... The Disney Difference...

This is just silly nonsense. "classic Disney Resorts"? What does that mean. What is classic?

1970s

• Contemporary
• Poly
• Fort Wilderness

1980s

• Grand Floridian
• CBR
• Swan

1990s

• Dolphin
• Yacht & Beach
• Port Orleans
• OKW
• All-Stars
• Wilderness Lodge
• Boardwalk
• Coronado

2000s

• AKL
• Beach club
• Pop
• Saratoga
• Bay Lake Tower

2010s

• Art of Animation
• Gran Destino
• Riviera

What do you consider classic and not classic?

Also if a plain Marriot was on the monorail and priced like a plain Marriot, it would be booked full before any of the other hotels.

 

[Bocabear]

This is just silly nonsense. "classic Disney Resorts"? What does that mean. What is classic?

1970s

• Contemporary
• Poly
• Fort Wilderness

1980s

• Grand Floridian
• CBR
• Swan

1990s

• Dolphin
• Yacht & Beach
• Port Orleans
• OKW
• All-Stars
• Wilderness Lodge
• Boardwalk
• Coronado

2000s

• AKL
• Beach club
• Pop
• Saratoga
• Bay Lake Tower

2010s

• Art of Animation
• Gran Destino
• Riviera

What do you consider classic and not classic?

Also if a plain Marriot was on the monorail and priced like a plain Marriot, it would be booked full before any of the other hotels.

It would never be priced like a plain Marriott on the monorail line... and the Hotels we are discussing are all MUCH more expensive than a standard Marriott hotel...
If you like generic hotels that is great... That is your opinion... We come to these boards to talk about our observations and opinions...

The original Disney hotels all had themes, and people have loved them for 50+ years...
I do not care for the new trend to remove the themes... feels like a downgrade to me... and to all of the people that I personally know...who are also fans of the original Disney resorts...and DVC owners. I am basing my personal opinions on things I personally see and the people I interact with...

 

[John park hopper]

The whole point of staying in WDW is the theme that's what makes WDW ---WDW. My kids loved it and I loved it.

 

[CastAStone]

The generic hotels on the Tokyo Disneyland monorail command roughly half the rate of the themed ones and are much easier to book (although they do tend to sell out when it’s not a pandemic)

 

[build_it]

I personally find the simplification of design boring and mundane. It seems to be what Disney is going for these days. Maybe that’s supported by guest satisfaction surveys (flawed) or maybe it just saves them money. I personally prefer something that has an identity and makes a statement. Swan, Dolphin, contemporary, original Poly, Wilderness Lodge, AKL, all have a specific sense of place and design. Even pop, music, etc can’t be found elsewhere. Don’t see that in these new additions Swan+, Poly tower, Destiny, etc.

I think comparing these new towers to a Holiday Inn isn’t fair to Holiday Inn. We stayed at one in the French Quarter that was much more interesting than any of these new additions. And definitely more affordable to stay at.

 

[JD80]

It would never be priced like a plain Marriott on the monorail line... and the Hotels we are discussing are all MUCH more expensive than a standard Marriott hotel...
If you like generic hotels that is great... That is your opinion... We come to these boards to talk about our observations and opinions...

The original Disney hotels all had themes, and people have loved them for 50+ years...
I do not care for the new trend to remove the themes... feels like a downgrade to me... and to all of the people that I personally know...who are also fans of the original Disney resorts...and DVC owners. I am basing my personal opinions on things I personally see and the people I interact with...

What trend to remove the themes? The last resort was the Riviera was themed pretty well for what is was trying to accomplish.

 

[Doberge]

Here's my contribution of my Tokelau room looking straight at the tower. Surprisingly I enjoyed my stay despite the tower in my view.