PHOTOS - Disney reveals new lobby design and Trader Sam's lounge for the Polynesian

[crispy]

Disney better watch out. Rumor has it that the fire gods are angry over this. Bad move, Disney, bad move.

 

[wdisney9000]

My god I hate this.

I'm sorry, but every piece of concept art I see for the lobby redesign makes me hate it more.

And I kinda want to set those people with strollers (and socks with sandals) on fire.

here u go

 

[wdisney9000]

 

[note2001]

View attachment 53904

Haha!

Don't take it out on the children, it's not their fault grandpa has no fashion sense.... says the gal who has to wear crocks with socks (short ones!) in July/august or suffer blisters. Sigh... I'm going up in flames, I know.

On second thought, Grandpa there might have a leg condition and need to wear compression socks. Hmmm... Disney's now depicting medical needs folk in their design drawings. Scooters will be next!

 

[Slowjack]

This is concept art they released to the public. That suggests the purpose is to get the public to approve of their design. Specifically, the audience is their future guests, many of whom like to wear shorts and knee-high socks on their vacation. Seeing someone like themselves in the art makes them more likely to approve of it.

I understand your point, but if the idea is to get public approval, I still think it's a mistake to include this level of "realism." Lots of people do wear dark knee-socks with sneakers, but then others don't like seeing that, so that's a wash. The general rule for good concept art, I think, is to present an idea in the best possible light and let people project themselves into it. I've seen lots of for-public-consumption Disney concept art over the decades, and until recently, it hasn't shown the tourists in this way, and that always seemed to work fine before. I've never hunted for the guy who looks like me.

Or look at it another way -- this is also Disney showing guests what it thinks of them. Even if this depiction is accurate for some, why show guests this way?

 

[note2001]

I understand your point, but if the idea is to get public approval, I still think it's a mistake to include this level of "realism." Lots of people do wear dark knee-socks with sneakers, but then others don't like seeing that, so that's a wash. The general rule for good concept art, I think, is to present an idea in the best possible light and let people project themselves into it. I've seen lots of for-public-consumption Disney concept art over the decades, and until recently, it hasn't shown the tourists in this way, and that always seemed to work fine before. I've never hunted for the guy who looks like me.

Or look at it another way -- this is also Disney showing guests what it thinks of them. Even if this depiction is accurate for some, why show guests this way?

My first impression of these pictures was not of the change in the fountain, but of how it was a depiction of what the Artist thought of the tourists, and how we're all toting young children along with us, while dressed poorly. (I don't think I've ever seen that many children in the Poly lobby at one time.) For the Trader Sams pics, it was no better with their goofy faces and poses.

My impression now is that they're trying to make the atmosphere being presented more casual. I'm surprised they didn't show someone at the front desk in pajamas.

 

[kkocka]

Imagine somebody that walked into the Poly for the first time that day: "Gee, Honey! This lobby is gonna be great once they finish building that big waterfall behind that wall there!"

You wouldn't have liked how the Disneyland Hotel looked mid-renovation then. I got married there as they were working on the Frontier Tower, but fortunately one of them had been completed. They took out the waterfalls and the path that took you under them, perfect for what would have been wedding shots. But I gladly throw that under the bus as the renovations were absolutely awesome. It also brought us Trader Sam's.

The sad reality is that you can't do something as big as this overnight. You have to work day to day and sucky as it is, people have to see it. Its how most things at Parks & Resorts go - by now we should be accustomed to the process.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

You wouldn't have liked how the Disneyland Hotel looked mid-renovation then. I got married there as they were working on the Frontier Tower, but fortunately one of them had been completed. They took out the waterfalls and the path that took you under them, perfect for what would have been wedding shots. But I gladly throw that under the bus as the renovations were absolutely awesome. It also brought us Trader Sam's.

The sad reality is that you can't do something as big as this overnight. You have to work day to day and sucky as it is, people have to see it. Its how most things at Parks & Resorts go - by now we should be accustomed to the process.

I wasn't commenting on the walls, per se, but the mismatch of expectations versus reality. If I walked in to the Poly lobby for the first time and saw the walls up, but could still hear an obviously large fountain/waterfall behind it, my expectation would be that they were installing or repairing said feature... not ripping it out to replace it with some lovely carpet. The DLH renovations are similar, but I think the balance of what was lost and what was gained is much closer than what we'll get here.

 

[asianway]

I wasn't commenting on the walls, per se, but the mismatch of expectations versus reality. If I walked in to the Poly lobby for the first time and saw the walls up, but could still hear an obviously large fountain/waterfall behind it, my expectation would be that they were installing or repairing said feature... not ripping it out to replace it with some lovely carpet. The DLH renovations are similar, but I think the balance of what was lost and what was gained is much closer than what we'll get here.

DLH got the shaft in 99 when DTD annexed the space that ESPN & Rainforest sit on.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

DLH got the shaft in 99 when DTD annexed the space that ESPN & Rainforest sit on.

That's probably true, but you have to admit that it's funny how the hotel has migrated westward without any single building being moved.

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

here u go

View attachment 53903

My hero.

 

[Communicore]

Somehow I think the DLH is still the better renovation than this Poly defurb. DLH kept some of their 60's-ness even though the 50's buildings were torn down. That new pool is awesome too.

 

[montyz81]

I wonder if there are other powers that force this change. Perhaps this water feature is creating too much mold in the GCH and now the Board of Health is clamping down on Disney. This might be out of there control. FYI: I suspect the smell we all take in includes some mold spores.

 

[psherman42]

I was going over to MK this evening, parked at the TTC, and took the resort monorail over to the Polynesian one more time. The entire upstairs is (obviously) all enclosed but still not the downstairs. However, the only side with water running was the side facing the main entrance into the Great Ceremonial House. I took some pictures but they're on my phone and I'm lazy and they're heartbreaking for me to look at tbh.

And this may make me sound like a pathetic loser but I love the smell of the Polynesian lobby, even if it is coming from mold...

 

[Cosmic Commando]

I wonder if there are other powers that force this change. Perhaps this water feature is creating too much mold in the GCH and now the Board of Health is clamping down on Disney. This might be out of there control. FYI: I suspect the smell we all take in includes some mold spores.

I don't think that would surprise anyone, really. The disappointing thing for me isn't what's being taken out, but what is replacing it (pretty much nothing). It's probably possible to design a good sized water feature that scatters less water into the air. If they did something like a signature fish tank filled with Polynesian fish instead of a little Tiki desk fountain, I don't think people would be nearly as upset.

 

[Deena Al Doseri]

No more Water Fall !!! Seriously !!!! That was the most beautiful feature of the hotel ! How commercial can you get?!!




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Everybody'sGotALaughingPlace!WaltDisneyWorld:1989,1992,1995,1997,1999,2006(ED),2008,2011,2012(DL),2013

 

[Kman101]

I think they've underestimated the appeal of the original lobby fountain. I've seen so many trip reports or just people in general saying how the Poly is a dream resort, that they go out of their way to stop and see the fountain ... where's that draw going to be in the future? Trader Sam's? I'm looking forward to the Grog Grotto but that shouldn't be the one thing that draws in guests. It's called ambience. What will make the Poly any different from all the other generic hotels after these changes? But we gave you the name back! So misguided.

 

[prberk]

I was going over to MK this evening, parked at the TTC, and took the resort monorail over to the Polynesian one more time. The entire upstairs is (obviously) all enclosed but still not the downstairs. However, the only side with water running was the side facing the main entrance into the Great Ceremonial House. I took some pictures but they're on my phone and I'm lazy and they're heartbreaking for me to look at tbh.

And this may make me sound like a pathetic loser but I love the smell of the Polynesian lobby, even if it is coming from mold...

Please post them anyway, when you become un-lazy.

 

[prberk]

I think they've underestimated the appeal of the original lobby fountain. I've seen so many trip reports or just people in general saying how the Poly is a dream resort, that they go out of their way to stop and see the fountain ... where's that draw going to be in the future? Trader Sam's? I'm looking forward to the Grog Grotto but that shouldn't be the one thing that draws in guests. It's called ambience. What will make the Poly any different from all the other generic hotels after these changes? But we gave you the name back! So misguided.

I think they made a mistake when they ordered the sign for the name change. They accidentally ordered "Disney's Polynesian Village Resort," but they meant to order "Disney's Embassy Suites Resort." But it would cost too much to send the new sign back. So, we get the Poly name with an Embassy Suites lobby.

 

[note2001]

I think they made a mistake when they ordered the sign for the name change. They accidentally ordered "Disney's Polynesian Village Resort," but they meant to order "Disney's Embassy Suites Resort." But it would cost too much to send the new sign back. So, we get the Poly name with an Embassy Suites lobby.

I've never stayed at an Embassy Suites, so searched web images for some pictures to compare. My search results are showing far nicer fountains than what is depicted by Disney for the new Poly lobby. (BTW, Embassy Suites, I love the whale tail fin fountains in Anchorage, Alaska!)