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

Tinkwings

Pfizered Fairy
Premium Member
In the Parks
No
Old Hickory Furniture was who made the original stuff at the WL.... they made the original furniture for the Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone National Park that is still in use today. I hope they used them for some of their stuff, but I remember seeing the plaques on each piece, in both the lobby and rooms, quality stuff.

Old Hickory Furniture History
 
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Scuttle

Well-Known Member
With any refurbishment project at the hotels what I fear most is the design team that brought us the "Enchanted Rose Lounge" being in charge of the Poly renovation. The last refurbishment removed a lot of what was iconic about the Great Ceremonial House... If this design firm is involved in the next renovation, the Polynesian is going to look a lot more like a Hampton Inn with framed Moana prints and the same modern furnishings you can see at any hotel in the US.
The excuse with the destruction of Mizner's Lounge was that "people don't want so much theme"...If that is truly the case, then no one would be staying at the Disney hotels... People stay more for the charm and immersion as well as the convenience....
Adding Moana seems a little pointless to me, but at least it fits theme...I am just hoping their interpretation of theme is not the way they interpreted Beauty And The Beast's French Rococo design at the Grand Floridian.
I hope this doesn’t end up like the Royal Pacific redo. They killed the charm of the lobby.
 

tired_photog

Active Member
We just got an email, we were planning on checking in on June 16 and the email said it was unavailable. They said they will contact us four weeks out with our options. Should we wait or try to rearrange?

I decided to reach out to Disney today rather than wait for them to contact me 4 weeks out for our December stay. They offered us Bay Lake Tower or Saratoga Springs. They said nothing else was available so we went with BLT. Not thrilled with it but didn’t have much choice. I would recommend contacting Disney sooner rather than later.
 

zero creativity

Active Member
I decided to reach out to Disney today rather than wait for them to contact me 4 weeks out for our December stay. They offered us Bay Lake Tower or Saratoga Springs. They said nothing else was available so we went with BLT. Not thrilled with it but didn’t have much choice. I would recommend contacting Disney sooner rather than later.
Was it at the same price?
 

FeelsSoGoodToBeBad

Well-Known Member
We saved $225 overall. However we are only staying Dec 31st & Jan 1st. Originally booked a week but cut it down to just 2 nights because of the reduced offerings at the parks. Possibly just staying 2 nights is the reason they gave us so few options?

That doesn't feel like any real "savings" considering the inconvenience of having to change your original reservation and the shortened duration of your trip, but I didn't do the actual math and am not intimately familiar with the going rates at either of the resorts during the multitude of seasons now.

I guess what I'm wondering is: Had you waited until THEY contacted YOU, would there have been greater savings offered?
 

Magic Feather

Well-Known Member
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.
 

tired_photog

Active Member
That doesn't feel like any real "savings" considering the inconvenience of having to change your original reservation and the shortened duration of your trip, but I didn't do the actual math and am not intimately familiar with the going rates at either of the resorts during the multitude of seasons now.

I guess what I'm wondering is: Had you waited until THEY contacted YOU, would there have been greater savings offered?

I guess savings wasn’t my biggest priority since we’re going during one of the most expensive weeks of the year. I kind of knew what we were getting into.

Location and amenities were my main concern. My biggest problem with BLT is the size of the studios. Major step down from the Poly which have some of the largest rooms on property. But it’s only for 2 nights so we’ll suck it up.

I’m curious to hear what resort options other people who are staying longer are offered.
 
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FeelsSoGoodToBeBad

Well-Known Member
I guess savings wasn’t my biggest priority since we’re going during one of the most expensive weeks of the year. I kind of knew what we were getting into.

Location and amenities were my main concern. My biggest problem with BLT is the size of the studios. Major step down from the Poly which have some of the largest rooms on property. But it’s only for 2 nights so we’ll suck it up.

I’m curious to hear what resort options other people who are staying longer are offered.
The only reason we're going the week before Easter is because of school vacations. Oh, how I LONG for the days when I could take my kids out of school and save some money at WDW! *sigh* We're a family of 5 (three teens) so are somewhat limited on what accommodations will work for us. I've considered some of the studios and even 1 or 2 BRs in the past, but just haven't been able to justify the price given the size of them.

I love my kiddos, but am really looking forward to the day my DH and I can travel to WDW by ourselves without feeling guilty we didn't bring them along. *quick calculation* Gee....only 6 years to go.... *another sigh* 😝
 

rowrbazzle

Well-Known Member
The only reason we're going the week before Easter is because of school vacations. Oh, how I LONG for the days when I could take my kids out of school and save some money at WDW! *sigh* We're a family of 5 (three teens) so are somewhat limited on what accommodations will work for us. I've considered some of the studios and even 1 or 2 BRs in the past, but just haven't been able to justify the price given the size of them.

I love my kiddos, but am really looking forward to the day my DH and I can travel to WDW by ourselves without feeling guilty we didn't bring them along. *quick calculation* Gee....only 6 years to go.... *another sigh* 😝
Point rentals can be a big savings on the one and two bedrooms. Well, the one bedrooms often times wind up similar to the discounted prices Disney offers. The two bedrooms are a better deal via rental though. Of course that's still expensive.

If you did consider it I'd go with an owner rather than a service. After how some of the services treated their "customers" during the shutdown, I'd never do business with them. Mouseowners.com is full of DVC owners and many rent points.
 

aladdin2007

Well-Known Member
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.

good its not a full gut then and or tall tower going up....relieved.
 

Figments Friend

Well-Known Member
I can't believe anyone would pay money to stay there. Guess I'm a snob because I have no desire to ever stay there. The room refurb looks like a college dorm with furniture you would find in a hospital room.

Agree.
The refurbished rooms are very bland, generic, and 'dorm like '.
I miss the fun themed decor of the days of yore.

When I visit WDW , All Star Music has been where I typically stay since 2000.
Primary reason was it was the least expensive Resort to stay in for years.
Rooms were typically $69 a night, later on $89.
This has of course changed over the last few years with the agressive price increases, but it is still usually where I choose to stay on Property for budgetary reasons.
The last couple of times I was there, the refurbs were happening.

One time, I was placed in a brand new room...and although it was kind of nice being one of the first to use it ( that 'new paint / new furniture smell! ) I was disappointed that all of the fun decor was gone.
Except for one framed character print above the bed, the interior was stripped of anything that visually told you it was a 'Disney Resort room '.

Last year I stayed at 'Music' again, but this time in a different building that had not started the room refurbishments yet.
It was such a nice surprise to unlock the door and see those colorful walls and playfully themed 'original' interior decorations!
I really miss that, and the now current 'generic' look of the rooms is a real turn off for me.

Trying out another option this time around.....

-
 

Tinkwings

Pfizered Fairy
Premium Member
In the Parks
No
Oh, I always took such blankets to be decorative, regardless of their size. I tend to just remove them from the bed.

ETA: I think the foot-of-the-bed blankets provide a cleaner and classier look. But I realise that's subjective.

Yes they were not very functional but gave the eye a break from the white abyss that the new bed look is......softened it a bit. I can think of non Disney resorts with very thin white duvets and a very thin blanket at foot of bed and I prefer a bit of weight even with AC on.....
I was just thinking looking at the new rooms there could be more balance in some of the detailing....who knows maybe it will evolve a bit, there are so few pictures out there right now.....;)
 

ImperfectPixie

Well-Known Member
Yes they were not very functional but gave the eye a break from the white abyss that the new bed look is......softened it a bit. I can think of non Disney resorts with very thin white duvets and a very thin blanket at foot of bed and I prefer a bit of weight even with AC on.....
I was just thinking looking at the new rooms there could be more balance in some of the detailing....who knows maybe it will evolve a bit, there are so few pictures out there right now.....;)
I'm right there with you on weight...it drives my husband bonkers and he folds my heavy blanket so it's all doubled up on me. I miss the heaviness when we're away from home, but fortunately I'm usually tired enough when we're away that falling asleep isn't an issue unless I'm cold.
 

britdaw

Well-Known Member
By the way when they finish All Star Music and Sports, every Moderate and Value will have been renovated in the las 4 years. It’s resorts like Poly, Contemporary, and GF that have now been waiting the longest.
Really? It seems like every time I turn around I'm reading about a refurb being done to one of those 3 hotels.... (GF, Poly, and Contemporary)
 

CastAStone

5th gate? Just build a new resort Bob.
Premium Member
Really? It seems like every time I turn around I'm reading about a refurb being done to one of those 3 hotels.... (GF, Poly, and Contemporary)
Poly rooms last refurbed 2013, Contemporary rooms 2013, Grand Flo 2014. All 3 have had common area refurbs since then and Poly had a DVC build out as well, but the only older rooms on property are All-Star Music and All-Star Sports, the former of which was actively being refurbed when the COVID closure struck and the latter of which was to start as soon as ASMu finished.
 

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