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

[James Alucobond]

I think that this is a massive improvement regardless, but there are four things that seem like they would have been easy to do that would have made it even more successful.

1. Stain or finish the surface of the main monorail platform.
2. Pick a different color for the underside of the roof.
3. Clad the pillars in something to mitigate their obviously concrete appearance.
4. Use rope netting for the light spheres rather than the ugly black nylon netting.

I’m probably an idiot, but I still have hope that something will happen on points 3 and 4 because the concept art looks pretty different, but yeah. I still prefer it to what was there before.

 

[Skywise]

seems like something a nice mall in Honolulu might do.

Well that's definitely the Disney of today...

 

[Little Green Men]

It's amazing how bad that looks other than the landscaping, which is very nice. It looks like you're walking into a warehouse.

Not even remotely

 

[Little Green Men]

Yep, everyone does get an opinion, and nearly everything we talk about is subjective. But this is one time that I honestly do not understand how anyone can look at all the concrete and metal and think it looks good. It really does look like a warehouse.

Nope looks wooden and far superior to the old version

 

[networkpro]

Not even remotely

I'd agree. I've been visiting the Poly during its construction over the last year and it's essentially the same. The new monorail platform was needed as the old one had structural issues and being made with so much wood exposed to the weather for 50 years was long overdue.

 

[Little Green Men]

I'd agree. I've been visiting the Poly during its construction over the last year and it's essentially the same. The new monorail platform was needed as the old one had structural issues and being made with so much wood exposed to the weather for 50 years was long overdue.

Yep. Compare both versions it’s clear which is better

 

[TrojanUSC]

Yep. Compare both versions it’s clear which is better View attachment 586349View attachment 586350

It's certainly bigger and flashier, but the underside of the roof + the concrete columns + the bright concrete on the monorail platform all contribute to a somewhat industrial appearance.

 

[Little Green Men]

It's certainly bigger and flashier, but the underside of the roof + the concrete columns + the bright concrete on the monorail platform all contribute to a somewhat industrial appearance.

I mean it’s painted white, better than 70s Brown everywhere imo

 

[TrojanUSC]

I mean it’s painted white, better than 70s Brown everywhere imo

There's nothing Hawaiian about anything being painted white. The "70s Brown" was because it was wood. Look at Aulani, no white concrete or light beige corrugated metal there.

 

[networkpro]

Yep. Compare both versions it’s clear which is better View attachment 586349View attachment 586350

Surface treatments don't address structural issues. Slapping a new coat of paint on something just makes it look shiny.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

I gotta say that comparison is far less flattering to the new entrance than it should be. Personally, while the new one is grander in scale, I honestly prefer the original one as it looks kind of charming and fits the retro Polynesian vibe of the hotel. That's not to say it shouldn't have been replaced and a grander entrance couldn't have been better and wholly appropriate. This one is just such a poor quality job by the standards of Disney resorts.

 

[Epcot82Guy]

I don't follow - you're saying that the Poly is in a higher class than Royal Pacific merely because it charges more? Or that the Royal Pacific is really a "moderate" resort?

I was talking about price point. That, from a $$ perspective, the Universal Deluxe hotels map to the Disney Moderate hotels (price wise). From an offerings standpoint, I do think Disney still does placesetting and environment better at most of their Deluxes. But that's starting to wane. And the price point is not even close between the two, let alone with the Express Perk.

 

[LittleBuford]

I interpret the somewhat modernised feel as deliberate—they're going for a more streamlined look rather than something that tries to pass itself off as an actual wooden structure. Based on the pictures, I like what I'm seeing overall, though I can certainly understand where some of the negative assessments are coming from. The only thing that I find really objectionable is the netting in which the spheres are suspended.

 

[Archie123]

Yep. Compare both versions it’s clear which is better View attachment 586349View attachment 586350

New version is such an improvement over the old one.

 

[MrHappy]

New version is such an improvement over the old one.

Not even debatable.

 

[dark530]

The unstained concrete is just odd and kinda jarring. You only really see that in the parks when its temporary work.

I think we need to remember though that this structure was built to 2021 building code, not 1971. I'd be surprised to find out the old station wasn't a huge fire trap with all that wood. I'd imagine when push came to shove, they value-engineered away the cladding in favor of structural integrity. The ceiling is more meh. I honestly don't think a ton of people look up. Its going to be low maintenance and fireproof.

...and remember, when they build that DVC tower on the luau site, they're gonna need the monorail station to hold a lot more people.

 

[lazyboy97o]

The unstained concrete is just odd and kinda jarring. You only really see that in the parks when its temporary work.

I think we need to remember though that this structure was built to 2021 building code, not 1971. I'd be surprised to find out the old station wasn't a huge fire trap with all that wood. I'd imagine when push came to shove, they value-engineered away the cladding in favor of structural integrity. The ceiling is more meh. I honestly don't think a ton of people look up. Its going to be low maintenance and fireproof.

...and remember, when they build that DVC tower on the luau site, they're gonna need the monorail station to hold a lot more people.

There is nothing in the EPCOT Building Code, Florida Building Code or Florida Fire Prevention Code that prohibits the use of wood or any of the many ways to create the impression of wood. It also doesn’t prohibit scenic paint or even just brown paint.

 

[dark530]

There is nothing in the EPCOT Building Code, Florida Building Code or Florida Fire Prevention Code that prohibits the use of wood or any of the many ways to create the impression of wood. It also doesn’t prohibit scenic paint or even just brown paint.

Not sure why you're referencing EPCOT? Suppose I wasn't clear in what I was saying. If you look at the pictures, they certainly *did* paint the steel and concrete supports brown. Not cladding was probably cost cutting. I'm saying that as far as I can tell, the structural members for the old station were wood. By converting to steel and concrete they got a stronger, safer structure. We just don't build things like we did 50 years ago, mostly for good reason.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Not sure why you're referencing EPCOT? Suppose I wasn't clear in what I was saying. If you look at the pictures, they certainly *did* paint the steel and concrete supports brown. Not cladding was probably cost cutting. I'm saying that as far as I can tell, the structural members for the old station were wood. By converting to steel and concrete they got a stronger, safer structure. We just don't build things like we did 50 years ago, mostly for good reason.

The EPCOT Building Code is the building code adopted by and enforced by the local authority having jurisdiction. Not using wood had nothing to do with codes. A new wood structure would have met the same structural and combustibility requirements. Big advances have been made in wood engineering and treatment in the past 50 years.

 

[Little Green Men]

There's nothing Hawaiian about anything being painted white. The "70s Brown" was because it was wood. Look at Aulani, no white concrete or light beige corrugated metal there.