Not really sure how you openly sharing how you don’t care for the resort, aren’t bothered by the stylistic difference between a detailed effort and lack thereof, and will be staying there anyway isn’t an example of the trend I’m noting.
Not sure what you're getting at? I don't look at VGF nor do I really care about it. I can see what you mean by the boxiness of the DVC but prior to the pic I wouldn't even have been looking that way much. So using me as an example for the average is a bad idea. I am staying there simply to have my guys tick it off as a resort to stay in for DVC. Nothing more, nothing less.
My point is pretty much what I’m implying: the GF DVC has been a resounding success (and I can admit quite lovely on the inside), even though its location could have been picked with much greater care and the building could have contained the right exterior flourishes and scale to blend with the existing resort.
Um. No. Because that's in Tahiti. Literally where they are getting possible themes from. So I'd expect better at the original
I get your point now, but you misunderstood what I was saying. Ask me how I feel about nearly any other resort and I'd nitpick to death. I simply never bothered to look. It's glaringly obvious what they messed up on to me now. I literally never looked at the building much from afar.
Totally fair - I have that view etched in my head from the 90s and 2000s, and it’s one of the ‘lost’ things from all of WDW I miss most. RoE and the Great Movie Ride’s final montage are also on that list.
I did look at night but that wasn't quite the same view. I always looked at Polynesian or CR instead.
Your pictures are from 2 completely different spots. You can make anything look bad with a picture. The DVC building is off to the left of this picture.
Agreed on the lobby - while the waterfall was more unique, in a way I like it more than before. The waterfall ultimately had to go, and Poly needed the functional improvements of the new layout. Also agreed that not all change in the resorts is bad.
The angle isn't the point of the photo, and I also think your shot is either pre-villa building or from an extreme angle. Certainly not the boat docks or main beach.
Ok, from the Poly boat dock, I'll give you the view. Mine was from a completely different angle, showing a completely different view. I won't argue whether or not Disney could have done better with the placement and the exterior, as I agree that they could have done better. I don't really care for the bungalows either, but having them there doesn't ruin anything for me, though I don't think they should have been built at all.
GF may not have been there, but a resort was always planned for that plot. The master plan for that area was incredibly special, and modern Disney is insistent on completely trashing it in favor of more rooms.
Regarding the RR...there was a lot said about it when they first produced the artwork and the lack of style etc...There were those that said it was unfair to judge because it was just concept and the building would be very different... Well....it did turn out EXACTLY like the art, and just as disappointing. I stayed there last year, and while the room was very nice, the building as a whole is charmless and completely lacks any sort of theme whatsoever...It is as plain as any Marriott hotel anytown USA...Adding a few photographs of Walt on vacation is not a theme.
Can we just flood the higher ups inboxes with these two images? They have probably never even seen the damage they do. The GFV totally ruins the scale and the separation of story between the two resorts. But all upper Disney sees is $$$ on spreadsheets, not real life views. I wish they would plant some pine trees around the villa building, it would at least help take away the giant box feel and add some degree of space between the resorts. Sigh, this is just such a shame, and again I’m not against adding to the resorts, but the locations of both buildings are just annoying.
I have love hate with RR. The rooms and dining I really like, the cast are all super friendly. I don’t even reallly hate the look, I just hate that it ruins CBR. I wish they had built this where the pirate rooms are, I think it would have fit in that space, still see Epcot, be across from the main skyliner and be far enough removed from CBR’s main lagoon that it wouldn’t feel as disjointed. I wonder why they didn’t do it that way but the answer is most certainly $$$
The updated concept art, yes, it looks pretty close. The original? Nah that changed for the better - less 2 dimensional on the exterior. The theme to me is well done, just not one I like. The grounds though are pretty much awful to me. I dislike concrete and they have too much.
Our suite at the RR was very nice...huge even...and the view was great, but the whole resort kind of left everyone cold...It did feel like we were staying off property... but next to a skyliner station... there was nothing about the hotel that felt "Disney" there was no grand atrium, gorgeous lobby or engaging public spacers... A restaurant on the roof that looked the opposite way from EPCOT...but if you stand in the hallway next to the restrooms and look out the window you can see fireworks... Odd decisions all around. I am frightened that new POLY tower will be done by the same team
Once the Polynesian Palazzo is complete, you’ll pretty much have a Vegas-style mega-resort on that side of the lagoon, just scaled down for Central Florida.
I agree but WDW and particularly Poly as one of the original resorts relies heavily on nostalgia. If they did what you proposed a lot of Disney parks fans would be more upset than with what’s happening now. The GCH is fine for the resort it’s part of. It matches with the long houses, it’s a throwback to the 70s, it’s fun and does make me happy because of nostalgia. I can walk in and picture exactly how I felt as a little kid getting off of the monorail and entering for the first time. Sure, the water feature is gone, the furniture is updated and the view out to the pool and beyond is definitely different (nicer?) but it’s the same bones and that has some powerful nostalgia. Is it iconic or untouchable? Not in my opinion but many would probably disagree.
That's also fair - as cool as it would be to see that concept realized, there would be an insane uproar over what would be lost.
