Polynesian Refurb

[Prince-1]

[quote="For what? All in the name of the all mighty dollar.[/quote]

Yes.

 

[awilliams4]

I'm really hoping GF DVC sells poorly because I'm of sick and tired of these tastelessly done DVCs that ruin the views from the Seven Seas Lagoon for short term $$$.

I'm buying! Adding this to our BLT and BCV contracts. We were doing VGF but now that Poly DVC news is out, we will wait.

 

[awilliams4]

Absolutely agree ( see my signature below..)

I have a hard time understanding why people want to be suckered into this time share racket when it ends up destroying that which they profess to love.


DVC is a horrid cancer on the Property known as WDW.
Buying into it only encourages more land on Property to be turned into expensive *apartment buildings* that clutter up and destroy the already present beauty and themed sight lines...all for the sole purpose of Disney making a buck.
That land was ment to hold more Parks and unique destination experiences for Guests...not to be utilized for time share rackets. When Wait talked about there being *enough land here to hold all of the ideas we could possibly come up with*, i am fairly certain he did NOT mean to pillage it out for time shares. Yeah i know...times have changed, and we all know the attitudes TWDC has had over the past decade or so...

Bay Lake Tower is the perfect example of what i mean by destroying visual sightlines.
The Contemporary Resort was gorgeous and sleek...futuristic looking even...when it stood on its own. DVC invades and now we have a ugly high rise tower next to it, like any you would find in a major city.
The view is now compromised..not to mention the theme..and the Contemp has lost it*s once pristine appearance.

Or how about that *high rise condo* next to the Grand Flo. Outrageous...

Soon to be ruining the view next to the Poly - two massive, five-story *apartment buildings*. Yay....NOT.

Oy vey.....
I despise DVC with a passion. Created for all the wrong reasons.

Suckered? We have had the best vacations ever since joining DVC 5 years ago. We have been to WDW each year the last 15 years (sometimes twice) and our Swan, Dolphin,Wilderness Lodge, All Star type visits were great and memorable but staying in 2 Bedroom Villas at the Beach Club, Jambo House, BLT, Hilton Head, Vero Beach and checking into a HUGE 2 Bedroom Villa for the (4) of us at Old Key West for the 1st time in 35 days blows away our previous visits. It just doesn't compare when staying in a large villa at a great resort.

If buying our 1st contract at the Beach Club 'encouraged' DVD to build Bay Lake Tower, Great! If our next set of contracts we purchased at Bay Lake Tower 'encouraged' DVD to build some Poly DVC, even better.

By the way, if you were to stay at Bay Lake Tower, you will find that while you are looking out your Family Room floor to ceiling windows out over Bay Lake or the Magic Kingdom, you may have a different opinion on the 'View'.

The Contemporary hasn't lost a thing except now families like us get to enjoy it too.

For those that despise DVC, I wonder if there isn't a hidden reason, other than their compromised views as they take the boat from the TTC over to the MK.

 

[COProgressFan]

For those that despise DVC, I wonder if there isn't a hidden reason, other than their compromised views as they take the boat from the TTC over to the MK.

Seriously, what would the "hidden" reason be?

 

[awilliams4]

Seriously, what would the "hidden" reason be?

I don't hate DVC so I don't know. But I do know that all 'reasons' to hate DVC that I have read about over the past 7-8 years or so just don't always add up.

 

[CDavid]

The Contemporary hasn't lost a thing except now families like us get to enjoy it too.

Well, the Contemporary did indeed lose the north garden wings, and certainly I'd argue Disney has a lack of respect for its own history (next victim looks to be the Great Ceremonial House). The real problem, though, is the wings were replaced by a tower which architecturally clashes with the A-frame next door. While it wouldn't have been my first choice on how to do it, I would have had no problem with DVC rooms built inside the gutted shells of the former garden wings, or perhaps a more complementary design taller-structure built farther (north) from the Contemporary.

The Polynesian DVC proposal has a similar problem. New (or gutted) 3-story DVC structures might be mostly fine so long as they don't go overboard. Five levels isn't nearly so bad as BLT, but probably still a bit much, with the larger problems being the loss of luau cove, changes to the GCH (water feature), and obstructed lagoon views.

I have no doubt the views from Bay Lake Tower are superb; I might even give the place a try one day, but neither do I think BLT was a good idea nor do I hate DVC.

 

[awilliams4]

Go ahead call me a hater....see if I care. It isn't that I hate the people that buy DVC....I couldn't care less. I don't like the fact that they exist at all. Those who buy them would still come to WDW. Weather it is a savings or not is up for debate. What I don't like is as some of you have mentioned and I will take a step further. It has stripped some of the resorts of their charm....their nuances...some of its attraction. Removing the waterfall at Poly is removing an icon of the resort. Who dosnt stop and look at the fauna when visiting there? Who dosnt like the sounds of the water? Removing the luau? really? sure it is a little dated now, but it wouldn't take much effort ( hear me TDO) to do something wonderful with it.....heck you could tie in something with Alani to it. I have seen the show MANY times and love it. Where else on property can you get a show, dinner and some drinks? The entire Luau area? What a beautiful part of the resort. All sacrificed for a relatively few when compared to the n umber of guest who enjoy these areas. Hater? No I don't hate the people who buy DVC....I don't even hate DVC.....I hate TDO for this and other stupid lamebrain ideas. For what? All in the name of the all mighty dollar.

The Luau is just being moved. Many shows have had to be canceled due to inclement weather so they are doing something to deal with that.

 

[Epicpilot]

Question for the DVC haters: Would you also be against adding non-DVC rooms to a resort? Or is this just a class thing? The Poly ain't exactly cheap.

Well, the problem is with DVC is the rooms are much larger, requiring larger building to house them. What this does is cause is cause a resort that had short long buildings that created a much more realistic feel to be over shadowed be DVC buildings that are 2 times the size of the old buildings. If disney were to add normal buildings that fit in with the old buildings to create more rooms, they would not ruin the feeling of the Poly.

 

[COProgressFan]

The Luau is just being moved. Many shows have had to be canceled due to inclement weather so they are doing something to deal with that.

I hope the luau remains and trying to remain optimistic at this point.

However, the thought of an indoor luau just seems really wrong to me!

 

[Epicpilot]

Well, the Contemporary did indeed lose the north garden wings, and certainly I'd argue Disney has a lack of respect for its own history (next victim looks to be the Great Ceremonial House)

The GCH was going to have to be torn down anyway. The GCH was built with asbestos and does not reach regulations So the DVC was just an opportunity to replace it and will need to have some kind o reconfiguration for check-in and a new monorail station to handle the new extra capacity.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Well, the problem is with DVC is the rooms are much larger, requiring larger building to house them. What this does is cause is cause a resort that had short long buildings that created a much more realistic feel to be over shadowed be DVC buildings that are 2 times the size of the old buildings. If disney were to add normal buildings that fit in with the old buildings to create more rooms, they would not ruin the feeling of the Poly.

Bingo!
Because they want to maximize capacity, as they have done previously with BLT and GF DVC, aesthetic understanding of how the Polynesian Resort works is thrown to the side. It was originally called the Polynesian Village resort and the low and semi uniform scale of the buildings served to establish the south seas island theme.
I want to make it clear that I'm not opposed to DVC, or more specifically Disney selling resort timeshares, I'm opposed to the folks running DVC wanting to pack as many timeshares as possible to the point where they disregard theming. There is a difference between theming and decoration and just because something looks "Polynesian-y" does not mean it works with the whole.
I know folks want to own part of the "magic" of the Polynesian, but what if that means the forces that be create a Polynesian that is far less MAGICAL.

This is Part 1...

 

[Figments Friend]

I'm not sure I'm a "DVC Hater" but in general I think DVC has brought some harm to the WDW resort overall, and is symptomatic of a shift in the Disney's overall strategy and business plan. And to answer another poster's comment, there generally isn't any hate toward the buyers of DVC, they are paying customers like the rest of us. And I don't think class has anything to do with it. The Poly has become outrageously overpriced, DVC or not. You can be sure the DVC prices will be right up there with whatever the GF points turn out to be.

That said, I don't have a major problem with adding rooms so long as they fit in with the existing character of the resort. In my opinion, building a 5 story building where the luau cove currently sits (and toward the TTC beach) does not fit the existing character of the Poly, which consists of 2 and 3 story longhouses.

I also do not think the BLT fits with its surrounding, nor does the giant GF DVC, which appears taller than the main building of the resort, overpowers the wedding pavilion and eliminates nearly all of the secluded beach. I do remember when it was called the Grand Floridian Beach Resort.

Agree with everything posted above. Well stated...exspecially the 2nd and 3rd paragraphs.
Part of the negative feelings some have towards DVC comes from the issue of the added buildings not matching the parent Resort they are being placed next to. Most of the more recent additons have shown a serious lack of this which makes them stick out like a sore thumb visually.

I can understand the desire the build where people seem to want to stay, just make the new additions look like they have always been a part of the Resort...not just tacked on in a inferior designed way.

 

[dvcnut]

The real problem, though, is the wings were replaced by a tower which architecturally clashes with the A-frame next door. While it wouldn't have been my first choice on how to do it, I would have had no problem with DVC rooms built inside the gutted shells of the former garden wings, or perhaps a more complementary design taller-structure built farther (north) from the Contemporary.

The Polynesian DVC proposal has a similar problem. New (or gutted) 3-story DVC structures might be mostly fine so long as they don't go overboard. Five levels isn't nearly so bad as BLT, but probably still a bit much, with the larger problems being the loss of luau cove, changes to the GCH (water feature), and obstructed lagoon views.

Are you an architect? I'm fairly certain that WDW hired professional architects with significant knowledge and experience when designing/building BLT and the new GFVs.

The thing about Disney is...not everything that they've "imagined" has come to fruition. Wasn't there supposed to be Asian, Mediterranean, Persian, and Venetian hotels around Bay Lake? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_never_built_Disney_attractions

If things stayed the same in Disney...it would become stagnant and people (dare I say) might lose interest. Just because something changes doesn't make it wrong.

 

[Epicpilot]

Sorry, accidental post...

 

[Tom]

Your friend did an awesome job. So many memories there. While we can't afford to stay at the Poly any more on any kind of regular basis we still visit the lobby every time we are at WDW. It would be a shame to lose the water feature just so they can build more stores for DVC members and more gift shops. I really hope they see how unpopular that decision would be and they figure out another way to update the GCH without removing it's heart and soul.

He's in his 70s now (I think) and has become a good friend over the years since we've gone to church together and we're both heavily involved in the church's festival. He owned a landscape company in Florida many years ago, and submitted a bid and proposal for the feature when Disney was enlisting initial contractors for the Florida Project.

His design won, and he told me last year (after I found this out after all these years knowing him) that Disney put he and his family, along with many of the other small firms that won contracts for components of the project, up in a local hotel. In his words, "My wife and kids and I were waiting in our room for a Disney representative to come around and issue us our contracts, and then in walks Mr. Disney himself. He was so great, and even stayed and played with the kids and took some pictures."

My jaw dropped. Now, I have not been able to confirm if he meant Walt or Roy. I would really need to line up the dates, since it seems as though Walt was probably gone by the time they were getting to that level of detail. I imagine it was Roy, but Tom (my friend) is in failing health and struggles to carry on conversations for too long because of lung issues.

He did say that he kept a photo from the interaction, but his ex-wife has it from when she cleaned him out after the divorce. He's been trying to get it, and lots of other things back for years. I hope he does - that would be a priceless picture...even if it is Roy

 

[jmuboy]

My quick feedback - this DVC addition does not bother to me as much as the BLT did (I still think BLT should have been 1/2 the size and matching u shaped additions build on both garden wings. Symmetry kept and room count for DVC kept. Win-Win). Anyway, back to Poly. If the exteriors of the new DVC wings look like the current buildings I will be ok. What I do not like is that the towers for DVC will be 5 stories. If they could lower them by maybe just one floor and keep them 4 floors each then they might fit better.

With the changes how many "regular/non DVC rooms will remain"

I wonder how many new DVC rooms will be created in the Tahiti conversion and 2 new longhouses (T Houses I guess they need to be called now)

 

[GoofGoof]

My 2 cents on this topic. Full disclosure up front, I am a DVC owner so obviously not a hater. I respect the opinions of those that don't like DVC. I totally understand it. If you aren't an owner and have no plans to buy in then you have no reason to like this plan. The cash rates for the DVC rooms will be outrageous and just like BLT they are taking away standard hotel rooms to build more DVC rooms. Disney building DVC in general has no appeal to you because it doesn't benefit you. I get that and that is why I don't take anti-DVC comments personally. People are entitled to an opinion, love it, hate it or who cares.

It's my opinion that if Disney never built any DVC rooms they would have still expanded some if not all of the hotels in question. Disney is cashing in on the prime locations of these hotels. The economics make better sense to build taller buildings to fit in more rooms (DVC or hotel rooms). They could have done this with regular rooms anyway. Is it a certainty that the buildings would have looked the same or been as tall? No, but we don't know that they wouldn't. Until the Poly DVC is built I will reserve judgement on its design and fit with the resort. GFV seems a bit crammed in IMHO. i have no issue with it being taller. As far as BLT goes, I think it fits in well and is a nice compliment to CR. The modern look and high rise nature of it fit the theme of the resort. Again, that's just my opinion.

Rumors are that the luau show will be moved to an indoor location and still exist. No clue if that will actually happen. Building DVC does not require any changes to the GCH so I would say that renovation is mutually exclusive to Poly DVC.

One last thing about DVC that sometimes is overlooked is that the villas are condos not studio hotel rooms. It is a different experience than just staying in a hotel room. It's not for everybody and many people would say who really cares, but for people who prefer timeshare condos (having a kitchen and a separate bedroom) to hotel rooms it has a lot of appeal. Someone earlier stated that the owners would come to WDW anyway and that may be true for some, but others may have chosen to stay in a condo offsite. The point is Disney is providing a type of accommodations that has demand. DVC is not just a way to try to save money on a studio room. Some people do use it that way, but not all.

 

[rkelly42]

I for one do not hate DVC, nor am I a DVC member, but I like others have stated, wish they would make a better transition between the resorts and the new DVC resorts or additions. BLT, which I am sure has great views, does stick out like a sore thumb. The new Grand Floridian DVC again sticks out like a sore thumb. I really wish they could make everything flow better around the lagoon and I really hope that they will not go with a 5 story DVC addition to the Poly. I do not mind them adding DVC to the Poly, but I hope they will do it with the idea of keeping the feel of the resort. As for the GCH it could use a lot of work and I hope they do keep he water feature and work around it.

 

[Figments Friend]

Suckered? We have had the best vacations ever since joining DVC 5 years ago. We have been to WDW each year the last 15 years (sometimes twice) and our Swan, Dolphin,Wilderness Lodge, All Star type visits were great and memorable but staying in 2 Bedroom Villas at the Beach Club, Jambo House, BLT, Hilton Head, Vero Beach and checking into a HUGE 2 Bedroom Villa for the (4) of us at Old Key West for the 1st time in 35 days blows away our previous visits. It just doesn't compare when staying in a large villa at a great resort.

If buying our 1st contract at the Beach Club 'encouraged' DVD to build Bay Lake Tower, Great! If our next set of contracts we purchased at Bay Lake Tower 'encouraged' DVD to build some Poly DVC, even better.

By the way, if you were to stay at Bay Lake Tower, you will find that while you are looking out your Family Room floor to ceiling windows out over Bay Lake or the Magic Kingdom, you may have a different opinion on the 'View'.

The Contemporary hasn't lost a thing except now families like us get to enjoy it too.

For those that despise DVC, I wonder if there isn't a hidden reason, other than their compromised views as they take the boat from the TTC over to the MK.

I am glad that you feel you are getting a valuable return on your investment.
I can respect that opinion, and i agree that there is no beating rooming in a larger Resort.

If folks want to buy into it...that is their own personal choice. Nothing wrong with that, we all like to approach our vacation time differently.
My issue is that lately DVC is making a bad habit of encroaching too much in areas with buildings that are not being properly designed to match what pre-exsiting Resort they are being attached to.

Very little thought seems to be put into matching the exteriors of the new DVC buildings with the host-Resorts already pre-determined design scheme. If this was done, it would make the buildings a better fit thematically and make them more visually tolerable.

The insides of these newer properties are of course lovely. No debate there. I have visited quite a few of them.
They are attractive, but to me they look just like any other high-end hotel in any inner city.
This is WDW.
It should be more then this, exspecially for the DCVs who are paying so much yearly for the right to stay there.

The problem i see is that Disney needs to create building designs that blend into their surroundings better.
Make them less *high rise condo* looking...and more *themed, unique Resort* looking.
Keep it classy and all......but keep the buildings on par thematically with what is already present, exspecially at these already iconic Deluxe Resorts.

I would say this is one of my bigger concerns/issues with currant DVC.
Purely a design standpoint, as well as for other deeper reasons i already got off my chest in a earlier post.


I seriously hope the two 5-story buildings being added to the Poly are going to look better then what is over at GF. I would LIKE to think Disney will jazz them up in a similar tropical ambiance instead of just building another *apartment complex*.

 

[Figments Friend]

I hope the luau remains and trying to remain optimistic at this point.

However, the thought of an indoor luau just seems really wrong to me!

Perhaps they will create a indoor venue that is similar to the *outdoor* themed interiors like the Sci-Fi Cafe at DHS or the Mexico Pavillion over at EPCOT?

Night sky...twinkling stars....palm trees swaying in the artificial breezes...lighting effects to create that eternal sunset or evening..or both...

Not the same...i know...but it would solve the problems with the weather cancelling performances.