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

kkocka

kkocka

Active Member
Bocabear said:
I would agree...If the interior were more imaginative no one would notice that the exterior looked plain
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Hah, yes as pointed out above the theming is not a concern on the inside so much as the embarrassment of service and running of the shows (though that runs outside as well). I'm curious what everybody's expectations are/were with the patio? The furniture is similar to what they have at Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar and Tangaroa Terrace at the Disneyland Hotel. I can't see rattan furniture or whatever outside. I understand the Polynesian Village Resort is themed, but you can't very well find functional + flashy patio furniture at any Walt Disney World Resort. It's the same reason why Uh Oa isn't animated inside - the constant repairs and replacements would be costly.
 
Jon81uk

Jon81uk

Well-Known Member
ford91exploder said:
I did while the poly may be thematically correct for a Polynesian styled hotel. It no longer evokes the south seas because FL does not have the beautiful weather and natural waterfalls. WDW was designed by brilliant set designers who understood what elements were needed indoors and out to evoke the desired feelings. Now we have a hotel decorated in a thematically correct manner but no longer evokes the feeling of BEING in Polynesia as the hotel once did.
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I can't find it now but it's somewhere near the top of this thread but there was an interview with the guy who built the original waterfall in the lobby. Wasn't Imagineer designed, was almost an afterthought really and it's shocking it lasted 40 years from what was said in that article!
 
Sage of Time

Sage of Time

Well-Known Member
kkocka said:
Hah, yes as pointed out above the theming is not a concern on the inside so much as the embarrassment of service and running of the shows (though that runs outside as well). I'm curious what everybody's expectations are/were with the patio? The furniture is similar to what they have at Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar and Tangaroa Terrace at the Disneyland Hotel. I can't see rattan furniture or whatever outside. I understand the Polynesian Village Resort is themed, but you can't very well find functional + flashy patio furniture at any Walt Disney World Resort. It's the same reason why Uh Oa isn't animated inside - the constant repairs and replacements would be costly.
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I'm perfectly fine with both lanai's furniture. Something with a bit more texture WOULD be nice, but I am not about to nitpick.
 
ford91exploder

ford91exploder

Resident Curmudgeon
kkocka said:
I have zero problems w/the outside furniture. It needs to be functional and hold up in various weather conditions. Really, the patio isn't the problem - it's what's going on inside.
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Yet Disney was able to do Thatched umbrellas at the Dawa bar in AK, Those seem to hold up well but once again Joe Rohde was in charge of AK as opposed to some random dude or dudette with with their freshly minted MofA in 'Design'.

I think this speaks to the lack of IMAGINATION in Imagineering these days...
 
ford91exploder

ford91exploder

Resident Curmudgeon
kkocka said:
Hah, yes as pointed out above the theming is not a concern on the inside so much as the embarrassment of service and running of the shows (though that runs outside as well). I'm curious what everybody's expectations are/were with the patio? The furniture is similar to what they have at Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar and Tangaroa Terrace at the Disneyland Hotel. I can't see rattan furniture or whatever outside. I understand the Polynesian Village Resort is themed, but you can't very well find functional + flashy patio furniture at any Walt Disney World Resort. It's the same reason why Uh Oa isn't animated inside - the constant repairs and replacements would be costly.
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Well the Original Rattan furniture at the Poly held up pretty well, As to Uh Oa there was a time when WDW would take the operational expenses as necessary for a good show.
 
kkocka

kkocka

Active Member
ford91exploder said:
Yet Disney was able to do Thatched umbrellas at the Dawa bar in AK, Those seem to hold up well...
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As I've only been to Animal Kingdom once, and am not a Florida local, I can't speak to Dawa Bar. The only thing I could possibly say is that the parks get more of a premium, detailed, experience in everything rather than a hotel's bar patio. Much more traffic etc at the parks vs one hotel.

ford91exploder said:
I think this speaks to the lack of IMAGINATION in Imagineering these days...
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Yes and no. On the surface we're probably 100% correct. What we see is what we get, and what we're getting is not necessarily top shelf experience. That said, it doesn't necessarily mean that behind doors in Glendale are designers and managers who don't pitch those things or can't see a more inspiring creative direction. I'm sure budgets play a big part in projects down to the simplest umbrella choice.

ford91exploder said:
As to Uh Oa there was a time when WDW would take the operational expenses as necessary for a good show.
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Maybe you're right. Again I can't speak from experience as I'm on the west coast. From my point of view, imagine how often rides are shut down midday or how often animatronics break down: if Disney won't fix a bobbing Brer Bear (CA's Splash Mountain) for months (or years at this point?) which gets a large number of guests going through daily, why would they invest the time and money to come in and repair an inanimate Uh Oa because she's broken down yet again? I've not seen effects break down at Trader Sam's ETB but I've been there when the sinking stools' hydraulics are busted and they're all to the floor and it was a bummer.
 
Sage of Time

Sage of Time

Well-Known Member
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New zombie glaze coming just to TSGG!
 
kkocka

kkocka

Active Member
ford91exploder said:
the thing I like best no obvious BRANDing.
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On the bottom where it belongs. The awful pearl, and the rum flights, are the only ones w/visible branding. The mai tai's print rubs off so I'm not counting that.

This damn zombie, though...I'm struggling whether or not I want a 4th zombie (original blue, mahaloween beige/blue, current beige/green/orange). Additionally I wonder how the size of this one compares to the others, as each variation has turned out slightly smaller than the previous one.
 
chiefs11

chiefs11

Well-Known Member
Speaking of the souvenir glasses/mugs.. word on here (last week?) was that they ran out of some of them. Any news on that? I really want that set of shot glasses from the rum flight. And that zombie head looks awesome...do they have those there now? Gonna be there in a couple weeks!
 
kkocka

kkocka

Active Member
The new mugs (original to Grog Grotto that is) went out while I was there - so no rum flight mugs nor mai tai glasses. The Nautilus wasn't and isn't for sale still. Plenty of Polynesian Pearls though!

I don't know about the current zombie, Uh Oa, and Krakatoa mugs but they're all from The Disneyland Hotel so I wasn't interested.
 

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