PHOTOS - Polynesian Resort DVC construction

[MinnieM123]

PHOTOS - A look at the temporary Captain Cook's now open at Disney's Polynesian Resort

Thank you for posting the pictures. What surprised me, was that even if this is a temporary location, why would they not include the Dole Whip machine? When I think of the Polynesian, Dole Whips and Tonga Toast (not together though!) always come to mind. I'm sure the patrons of Captain Cook's will be disappointed; hopefully, this temporary location won't last too long.

 

[Wrangler-Rick]

Thank you for posting the pictures. What surprised me, was that even if this is a temporary location, why would they not include the Dole Whip machine? When I think of the Polynesian, Dole Whips and Tonga Toast (not together though!) always come to mind. I'm sure the patrons of Captain Cook's will be disappointed; hopefully, this temporary location won't last too long.

I'm guessing that they didn't want to spend the time and money to run water and drain lines to hook-up the unit.

 

[Hoop Raeb]

Not sure if this has been posted anywhere here yet but just saw it on Twitter.

 

[Bolt]

Not sure if this has been posted anywhere here yet but just saw it on Twitter.

So aggressive. I love seeing the love happening here. All my childhood memories of WDW were here.

 

[jdmdisney99]

Not sure if this has been posted anywhere here yet but just saw it on Twitter.

At least Kona Cafe will be open so I can get me some Tonga Toast this week!

 

[dgp602]

Any reports today on possible walls going up around the water feature? I thought I heard it reported yesterday that the water was drained from the fountain and CM's were reportedly seen around the fountain throughout the day taking pictures.....

 

[PhotoDave219]

Not sure if this has been posted anywhere here yet but just saw it on Twitter.

Well at least theyre having some sense of urgency.

 

[wdwmagic]

Any reports today on possible walls going up around the water feature? I thought I heard it reported yesterday that the water was drained from the fountain and CM's were reportedly seen around the fountain throughout the day taking pictures.....

There are no walls up in the lobby area as of April 18 2014.

 

[flyerjab]

Just curious, but if the transformation of pre-existing deluxe buildings into DVC units at the Poly is found to be a success in terms of filling out total room capacity for this particular resort, is this something that TDO will look into for the other resorts? Is this something that could be scheduled for a wing at The Yacht Club? Or one or more buildings at the Grand Floridian after the separate DVC building sells out?

@ParentsOf4 always seems to report such horrendous capacity issues within WDW, I am now wondering if this is a future alternative. Or, will they simply build so many additional DVC resorts, that at some point in the not-to-near future, the cost of staying in the deluxe WDW resorts will be lowered?

 

[MarkTwain]

Just curious, but if the transformation of pre-existing deluxe buildings into DVC units at the Poly is found to be a success in terms of filling out total room capacity for this particular resort, is this something that TDO will look into for the other resorts? Is this something that could be scheduled for a wing at The Yacht Club? Or one or more buildings at the Grand Floridian after the separate DVC building sells out?

@ParentsOf4 always seems to report such horrendous capacity issues within WDW, I am now wondering if this is a future alternative. Or, will they simply build so many additional DVC resorts, that at some point in the not-to-near future, the cost of staying in the deluxe WDW resorts will be lowered?

I still don't understand why WDW considers this practice desirable in the first place. I would assume that these rooms being converted, which presumably don't cost more to maintain than any other room on property, are a huge and consistent money-maker for Disney. It's the Polynesian, I'm sure these each of these rooms make hundreds (if not closer to a thousand) dollars a night and almost never go unoccupied. So why they are essentially giving away a lifetime of profits to DVC owners?

 

[Wrangler-Rick]

I still don't understand why WDW considers this practice desirable in the first place. I would assume that these rooms being converted, which presumably don't cost more to maintain than any other room on property, are a huge and consistent money-maker for Disney. It's the Polynesian, I'm sure these each of these rooms make hundreds (if not closer to a thousand) dollars a night and almost never go unoccupied. So why they are essentially giving away a lifetime of profits to DVC owners?

The people in charge now won't be there in a lifetime...

 

[Nick Pappagiorgio]

I still don't understand why WDW considers this practice desirable in the first place. I would assume that these rooms being converted, which presumably don't cost more to maintain than any other room on property, are a huge and consistent money-maker for Disney. It's the Polynesian, I'm sure these each of these rooms make hundreds (if not closer to a thousand) dollars a night and almost never go unoccupied. So why they are essentially giving away a lifetime of profits to DVC owners?

They are only converting one building (Tahiti), which while it has good water views is pretty far away from the GCH. They are tearing down Rapa Nui which I would bet has the "cheapest" rooms in the place considering it has no water views and a meh location right on the parking lot. So I see your point on Tahiti (looks like a pretty good building) but I bet they will have a net gain tearing down RN to make way for a bigger building that people are locked into.

 

[jt04]

They are only converting one building (Tahiti), which while it has good water views is pretty far away from the GCH. They are tearing down Rapa Nui which I would bet has the "cheapest" rooms in the place considering it has no water views and a meh location right on the parking lot. So I see your point on Tahiti (looks like a pretty good building) but I bet they will have a net gain tearing down RN to make way for a bigger building that people are locked into.

Agreed.

 

[tikiman]

There are no walls up in the lobby area as of April 18 2014.

Many of the GCH projects have been delayed but are still planned.

 

[tikiman]

They are only converting one building (Tahiti), which while it has good water views is pretty far away from the GCH. They are tearing down Rapa Nui which I would bet has the "cheapest" rooms in the place considering it has no water views and a meh location right on the parking lot. So I see your point on Tahiti (looks like a pretty good building) but I bet they will have a net gain tearing down RN to make way for a bigger building that people are locked into.

They are not taking down Rapa Nui. It is already in the process of converting the rooms. Now they are adding Tokelau to the list of being converted. They have already informed the staff that does housekeeping on Tokelau that they will be reassigned. Those 3 longhouses will become DVC.

 

[Nick Pappagiorgio]

They are not taking down Rapa Nui. It is already in the process of converting the rooms. Now they are adding Tokelau to the list of being converted. They have already informed the staff that does housekeeping on Tokelau that they will be reassigned. Those 3 longhouses will become DVC.

Sorry, I had some old intel.

 

[tikiman]

Sorry, I had some old intel.

No need to be sorry. Originally they were going to only convert Tahiti and build a new building where Rapa Nui is but that changed a while ago.

 

[thehowiet]

They are not taking down Rapa Nui. It is already in the process of converting the rooms. Now they are adding Tokelau to the list of being converted. They have already informed the staff that does housekeeping on Tokelau that they will be reassigned. Those 3 longhouses will become DVC.

That's a shame about Tokelau. The room we had there back in June looked pretty good after the refurb they had done. That was my second favorite longhouse after Hawaii.

At first I was a bit bummed about the changes coming to the Poly, but with the way the prices keep going up I doubt we'll be staying there again anyway.

As always, thanks for sharing the latest info @tikiman

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

They are not taking down Rapa Nui. It is already in the process of converting the rooms. Now they are adding Tokelau to the list of being converted. They have already informed the staff that does housekeeping on Tokelau that they will be reassigned. Those 3 longhouses will become DVC.

THREE whole buildings just for DVC?

I don't have a Poly map available ATM - does anyone know what % of the overall resort is now dedicated to DVC?

 

[tikiman]

THREE whole buildings just for DVC?

I don't have a Poly map available ATM - does anyone know what % of the overall resort is now dedicated to DVC?

I think with Tokelau its about 42%