News Refurbishment coming soon to Disney's Polynesian Village Resort - Moana details to be included

[JustInTime]

The concept art looks good to me!

 

[castlecake2.0]

This will be a huge improvement to the arrival experience compared to what we have now. I’m very excited to see this take shape. Also if you look at the cross beams on the roof it looks like they removed every other one, answering our question a few pages back.

 

[Riverrafter21]

The Instagram picture looks great, but I still have reserved optimism. Still time for them to pull the ball away...

 

[WDWFANSINCE81]

If they removed those beams they would be left with a square block of a building... the roof beam detail is the only real architectural flourish for the building and is visible from a great distance. I doubt they would touch these...unless there is a plan for something else added to the top...which I somehow doubt...Unless they plan on tearing the whole thing down and replacing it with the Aulani Lobby building, but that would be an incredible amount of money spent to replace it with something similar.

ahem....you were saying.....

 

[tirian]

Sounds good to me. Everyone needs to chill out. Let Disney Imagineering do its thing.

It’ll look like a box with cladding, but that doesn’t make it a disaster because it was previously a box with beams. Its success depends on the cladding.

I will miss the massive statement the old entrance made. During WDW’s early years, Condé Nast Traveler described the Polynesian as “more tiki than tacky,” specifically because of the impressively lush entrance and lobby fountain. Recent updates made it a decorated hotel and less of an evocative dreamscape, but this announcement is just a hotel entrance, not a bland Riviera tower or mismatched Epcot expansion.

Now we know how Disneylanders felt when the DL hotel replaced its gardens and waterfall with grass — and an elaborate pool with steel beams and a McDonald-land playground monorail.

 

[Magic Feather]

This update will be largely room-centric. Despite GCH updates being advertised, the majority of its work is around the monorail platform and porte-cochere. Its been in rough shape for a while.

The only other things that seem to be on the table is a very light refresh of the Moana Mercantile and *maybe* some work in Ohana.

Maybe the beams in the porte cochere/monorail station structure? I've been under the impression that it's needed help for a while.

Ahem

 

[DCBaker]

Also mentioned in the DPB post -

"While work is underway over the coming months, guests can still enjoy access to the Great Ceremonial House and its operating dining and retail outlets. "

A New Sense of Aloha Coming to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

Today we’re thrilled to share news of exciting changes coming to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. A favorite destination of guests and cast members since its opening on Oct. 1, 1971, this beloved resort hotel immerses you in an oasis straight

disneyparks.disney.go.com

 

[wdwmagic]

Also mentioned in the DPB post -

"While work is underway over the coming months, guests can still enjoy access to the Great Ceremonial House and its operating dining and retail outlets. "

A New Sense of Aloha Coming to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

Today we’re thrilled to share news of exciting changes coming to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. A favorite destination of guests and cast members since its opening on Oct. 1, 1971, this beloved resort hotel immerses you in an oasis straight

disneyparks.disney.go.com

More details on that at https://www.wdwmagic.com/resorts/di...-ceremonial-house-refurbishment-next-week.htm and https://www.wdwmagic.com/transporta...nfirmed-to-be-closed-through-to-july-2021.htm

 

[GimpYancIent]

It’ll look like a box with cladding, but that doesn’t make it a disaster because it was previously a box with beams. Its success depends on the cladding.

I will miss the massive statement the old entrance made. During WDW’s early years, Condé Nast Traveler described the Polynesian as “more tiki than tacky,” specifically because of the impressively lush entrance and lobby fountain. Recent updates made it a decorated hotel and less of an evocative dreamscape, but this announcement is just a hotel entrance, not a bland Riviera tower or mismatched Epcot expansion.

Now we know how Disneylanders felt when the DL hotel replaced its gardens and waterfall with grass — and an elaborate pool with steel beams and a McDonald-land playground monorail.

All this refurbishment centers around esthetics. Disney is known for attention to detail and Poly should look, well, like the Poly. My interest is in the food in short no Ohana eating experience no Poly on my list of places to stay.

 

[Flynnwriter]

Finally! A resort addition that looks like it enhances the resort. Let’s hope it still has the lush feeling of the islands.

 

[aladdin2007]

It sounds like, along with monorail improvements of course, they are maybe trying to fix the mess and unhappiness they made with the lobby last time? He goes on to say, "Enhancements will also be made to the lush gardens and fountains that have welcomed guests to the resort since opening day. whether that is directed to the inside or outside or both not sure, but maybe we will see better features return to the lobby? (im not a fan the chandelier in there and more of it they are going to add but thats minor opinion in the grand scheme of things, I guess.....)

lets all be glad there is not some giant Moana popping out of the rooftop in front!!

 

[Haymarket2008]

So the GCH will be largely unchanged. Sounds good to me.
I don’t dislike the new entrance. It has potential to be really beautiful. The monorail station has needed a facelift, so I get it.

 

[trainplane3]

It sounds like, along with monorail improvements of course, they are maybe trying to fix the mess and unhappiness they made with the lobby last time? He goes on to say, "Enhancements will also be made to the lush gardens and fountains that have welcomed guests to the resort since opening day. whether that is directed to the inside or outside or both not sure, but maybe we will see better features return to the lobby? (im not a fan the chandelier in there and more of it they are going to add but thats minor opinion in the grand scheme of things, I guess.....)

lets all be glad there is not some giant Moana popping out of the rooftop in front!!

"Enhancements" implies already existing. If it doesn't exist, like the old water features in the lobby, it won't be "enhanced".

 

[easyrowrdw]

It’ll look like a box with cladding, but that doesn’t make it a disaster because it was previously a box with beams. Its success depends on the cladding.

I will miss the massive statement the old entrance made. During WDW’s early years, Condé Nast Traveler described the Polynesian as “more tiki than tacky,” specifically because of the impressively lush entrance and lobby fountain. Recent updates made it a decorated hotel and less of an evocative dreamscape, but this announcement is just a hotel entrance, not a bland Riviera tower or mismatched Epcot expansion.

Now we know how Disneylanders felt when the DL hotel replaced its gardens and waterfall with grass — and an elaborate pool with steel beams and a McDonald-land playground monorail.

The fountain is gone, but it doesn't sound like the lush entrance is going anywhere. The gardens and waterfalls will still be there. The description says, "...a design inspired by colors, patterns and textures found throughout the resort" and that seems to be pretty accurate from the pictures. The cladding on the top mirrors that on the sides of the longhouses. The high peak is consistent with some of the entrances to the longhouses and the entrance and shades at the quiet pool.

To me it looks like an improvement from the existing look.

 

[wedenterprises]

Finally some Disney-worthy hotel design from Disney.

 

[DisneyJeff]

The fountain is gone, but it doesn't sound like the lush entrance is going anywhere. The gardens and waterfalls will still be there. The description says, "...a design inspired by colors, patterns and textures found throughout the resort" and that seems to be pretty accurate from the pictures. The cladding on the top mirrors that on the sides of the longhouses. The high peak is consistent with some of the entrances to the longhouses and the entrance and shades at the quiet pool.

To me it looks like an improvement from the existing look.

I agree. The Poly has always had one of the least attractive "approaches", that feeling you get as you are pulling up to the resort. To me, it felt like you were pulling up to the back door. Hopefully this renovation will fix that.

 

[castlecake2.0]

I agree. The Poly has always had one of the least attractive "approaches", that feeling you get as you are pulling up to the resort. To me, it felt like you were pulling up to the back door. Hopefully this renovation will fix that.

I was going to say it always felt like you were pulling up to the loading dock when you arrived lol

 

[Bocabear]

ahem....you were saying.....

I did say unless they were adding something more... And I think removing the top beams even in this art diminishes the bold skyline of the building. One small piece of concept art does not tell the tale... I like the patterned screens on the monorail station and the new facade gable...but those two things add literally nothing to the arrival experience as they cannot be seen on arrival... Yes it will look nice from the parking lot....But Honestly I would rather they spend the money on something that really matters to the guest experience...
Create a themed restaurant to match Trader Sam's, Re-do the Luau Cove making it a spectacular immersive setting, Add more detail and style to the guest areas...

 

[JustInTime]

Is the floating rock back? Last time we went it was gone.

 

[Doberge]

I saw this watercolor rendering on Genesis Studios website. They were hired by the architecture firm HHCP. HHCP apparently designed the American Adventure pavillion.

Obviously this rendering was of a more ambitious tower project, maybe related to the one @pheneix referrenced. It seems to fit the idea of a Grand Floridian sized building that has its own port cochere. Also, there's another equally sized building adjacent in background.

I thought it was interesting that the chandeliers in the porte cochere match the ones in the GCH, exactly as described in the blog about the GCH's updated porte cochere.

While this is not what's happening it's at least interesting to visualize what could have been, for better or worse.

Source: https://www.genesisstudios.com/portfolio-item/313069-hhcp-disney_polynesian-porte_cochere/