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

Skywise

Well-Known Member
Here's are some clearer views of it:

Polynesian-Village-Resort-0714.jpg


POLY_GuestRoom.jpg


I like the headboards and Tiki lamp, but the rest is headache-inducing.
I like most of it but the bedspreads - which remind me of the new headache inducing wallpaper.
 

GimpYancIent

Well-Known Member
It's Disney! If characters are not your thing, well, Disney is not the place to stay. My interest is class if you want to lay claim to a DELUX rating then give it that level of class / style. As of now what is shown may get a moderate / mid level rating at best. In short WAY OVERPRICED! for what is there.
 

Weather_Lady

Well-Known Member
Too much Moana for me. The Poly was always my dream resort to do a week long stay at, but not anymore. I'm so tired of IPs being EVERYWHERE!!!! Yes, it's Disney. Yes, I expect a great deal of IPs around the property. But why does it have to be in every. single. resort?

I'm surprised to see this particular point of view, only because it's been my feeling over the last few years that the resort rooms are getting more and more watered down and lacking in Disney references.

However, if your dream is to stay at the Polynesian but you don't care for the new design of the standard rooms, I encourage you to look at renting DVC points to stay in a Polynesian DVC studio. At current rental rates (e.g., David's Vacation Rentals), a Poly studio (which is beautifully decorated and appointed, and has no IP-based theming other than a small, stylized mermaid picture in one bathroom suggestive of the mermaids from Peter Pan, and a second piece of art that's only visible if you fold down the Murphy bed) will cost you $200/night LESS than a standard room at the Polynesian at rack rate, and includes a kitchenette with sink, microwave, toaster, etc., and two bathrooms (1 full, 1 3/4). We stayed in one 3 years ago and it was, by far, our favorite Orlando hotel room ever in terms of decor, space and convenience.
 
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GimpYancIent

Well-Known Member
I'm surprised to see this particular criticism, only because it's been my feeling over the last few years that the resort rooms are getting more and more watered down and lacking in Disney references.

However, if your dream is to stay at the Polynesian but you don't care for the new design of the standard rooms, I strongly encourage you to look at renting DVC points to stay in a Polynesian DVC studio. At current rental rates (e.g., David's Vacation Rentals), a Poly studio (which is beautifully decorated and appointed, and has no IP-based theming other than a small, stylized mermaid picture in one bathroom suggestive of the mermaids from Peter Pan, and a second piece of art that's only visible if you fold down the Murphy bed) will cost you $200/night LESS than a standard room at the Polynesian at rack rate, and includes a kitchenette with sink, microwave, toaster, etc., and two bathrooms (1 full, 1 3/4). We stayed in one 3 years ago and it was, by far, our favorite Orlando hotel room ever in terms of decor, space and convenience.
Three years ago and you have not been back since? Don't want to ruin the memories?
 

Weather_Lady

Well-Known Member
Three years ago and you have not been back since? Don't want to ruin the memories?

We've been back to WDW since -- in February 2020, in fact, just before COVID changed everything. We just didn't stay at the Polynesian, which had been a bucket list splurge for us, even at DVC rental rates. ;) For our last visit, we stayed in a DVC studio at Jambo House at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, which was also pretty fantastic!

We're planning a combination WDW/Universal trip this coming August, split between the Hard Rock Hotel and CBR. (I know we'll sweat our you-know-whats off, but we've been cooped up so long we are determined not to care!) We booked CBR with the "2 ticket days free" promotion, but just between you, me and the gatepost, we couldn't help but notice that the "2 ticket days free" is also available for the new Polynesian standard rooms, and since our stay at WDW will only be four nights, and we're thinking this will probably be our last onsite stay (that's a whole other topic), we just might make it a blowout and go back to the Polynesian...)
 
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lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member

dreday3

Well-Known Member
I think Riviera is a good example of Disney integrated in rooms w/out being over the top. Just some great artwork. Around the entire hotel actually.

Gran Destino has many complaints that there is no Disney to be seen, which I disagree with. It's there and if you don't want over the top Disney, this would be the place.

I still don't see the Poly rooms as in your face Moana.

Honestly, all the rooms I look at pictures of, none of them (outside of Little Mermaid rooms, Cars, etc.) seem all that in your face with Disney.
 
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Animaniac93-98

Well-Known Member
Not sure if I posted this here already, but still worth a listen.

As the saying goes @lazyboy97o "you can lead a horse to water..."

But I enjoyed listening to it. Two things in particular stand out:

Bob is clearly against the trend of plastering IP over the hotels, saying explicitly that Eisner never told them to make the hotels "more Disney" and what made them "Disney" was the quality and story of the experience in and of itself.

Also the story about the development of Grand Floridian. People have made criticisms of Riviera that it's just a Marriott style hotel BUT THAT'S ALMOST WHAT REALLY HAPPENED WITH GRAND FLORIDIAN. It was at one point going to BE a Marriott property owned and built by them with a simplified design and budget. It was Eisner who restored the Victorian theme and budget thinking that's what people expected from WDW. Now Disney fans are happy with the watered down Marriott approach that goes against decades of WDW design and management philosophy because...it has pictures of Disney IP here and there.

That's what happens when you spend 15+ years of marketing conditioning your guests to think a certain way. What a shame. It's not like these same people wouldn't be equally as happy with a hotel that took a different design approach. As they would say "I don't care"
 

Skywise

Well-Known Member
Not sure if it's the lighting or image processing - but the photos on Tikiman's facebook pages make the rooms look MUCH better
 

dreday3

Well-Known Member
There's nothing wrong with a Marriott hotel or room. Entirely deserved reputation for quality.

I just expect more from Disney. And a $500+/night rack rate.

I can't disagree with expecting more from a hotel that charges that much a night - but for me I'd like more in the way of amenities, dining, perks, - although I think the rooms at GF need to be updated...
 

tirian

Well-Known Member
As the saying goes @lazyboy97o "you can lead a horse to water..."
That's what happens when you spend 15+ years of marketing conditioning your guests to think a certain way. What a shame. It's not like these same people wouldn't be equally as happy with a hotel that took a different design approach. As they would say "I don't care"
The #1 issue affecting many enthusiastic fans: they think the marketing hype is Disney. Over the years on multiple forums, I’ve encountered many people who call themselves fans but refuse to watch the “old” stuff made during Walt’s lifetime. They also have no appreciation for classic attractions.

You don’t have to love everything, but if you don’t appreciate classic Disney at the very least, you’re not a Disney fan. You’re a fan of Disney Conglomerate Marketing. You’ve been had by slick sales pitches, not by sincere creative content. If you think it’s not Disney without cartoons slapped on everything, you’re blinded by the last decade of toy sales. Disney was much, much more than princess toons from the 1940s through early 2000s. There’s no way to say this without sounding harsh, but please understand I mean this in a very honest, kind way.
 

dreday3

Well-Known Member
The #1 issue affecting many enthusiastic fans: they think the marketing hype is Disney. Over the years on multiple forums, I’ve encountered many people who call themselves fans but refuse to watch the “old” stuff made during Walt’s lifetime. They also have no appreciation for classic attractions.

You don’t have to love everything, but if you don’t appreciate classic Disney at the very least, you’re not a Disney fan. You’re a fan of Disney Conglomerate Marketing. You’ve been had by slick sales pitches, not by sincere creative content. If you think it’s not Disney without cartoons slapped on everything, you’re blinded by the last decade of toy sales. Disney was much, much more than princess toons from the 1940s through early 2000s. There’s no way to say this without sounding harsh, but please understand I mean this in a very honest, kind way.

I'm not sure I understand - you are equating liking the new style of hotel rooms with not being a classic Disney fan?
 

BoarderPhreak

Well-Known Member
I'm sure the new beds ARE comfortable... But they don't LOOK it. And all the charm of a white slab in a morgue. But this is the trend at Disney resorts these days; trying to look "modern."

It also seems Diz went with LED lighting (yay!) but chose a cooler color temperature where a warmer one would be more fitting (thus the "unsaturated" look of the promo pix.
 

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