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

[castlecake2.0]

For comparison: This is what they are actually capable of:
View attachment 577082View attachment 577083
I am looking at it from a materials used perspective, not from an outward design perspective. Steel girders do not give me that sense of being in a structure based in the polynessiean region. The old entrance did, the Aulani entrance does. If only Joe were still around to fix this

Those are all beautiful I agree. I’ll wait to see what everything looks like when the whole project is finished. It’s still mostly a construction zone.

 

[UNCgolf]

To be fair, the vast majority of hotels compare unfavorably to AKL's Jambo House! On property, only Wilderness Lodge holds a candle to it.

Say what you will about Disney's hotel service standards, but the design of the Lodge's common areas isn't just good by Disney standards, it really is world class. A rare instance where WDW got something truly special.

I agree; AKL is truly special.

That's not an excuse for the new work at the Polynesian to look like it's metal and concrete, though -- Disney can easily do better.

 

[UNCgolf]

Those are all beautiful I agree. I’ll wait to see what everything looks like when the whole project is finished. It’s still mostly a construction zone.

The part we are complaining about is finished, though -- or at least that's the indication.

I certainly hope it's not, but I can't imagine they'd have it open for guests if they were planning to do anything else.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Yes the new porte cochere structure has much better lines than the old...(which was wood)... Problem is the actual finished doesn't look either "Polynesian" or Deluxe, both of which this hotel is supposed to be.
It is not merely a utilitarian structure to cover arrivals from the elements, It is also a guest's first impression of the Resort. More care needs to be taken with the final details.
Yes! The new structure is great, just finish it in an appropriate manner. Details really do matter especially when you are making a first impression.

Indeed. The first impression of a Disney resort shouldn't be steel and concrete obviously painted brown to look like wood. That goes against their entire brand.

Those are all beautiful I agree. I’ll wait to see what everything looks like when the whole project is finished. It’s still mostly a construction zone.

I guess... but are they really going to cover the whole structure in scaffolding to paint it at this point?

 

[Adventureland Veranda]

I agree; AKL is truly special.

That's not an excuse for the new work at the Polynesian to look like it's metal and concrete, though -- Disney can easily do better.

Yeah I thought there would be more detail, but we'll see the finished product soon. Hopefully details are added to the concrete posts. They remind me of a parking garage.

 

[castlecake2.0]

Indeed. The first impression of a Disney resort shouldn't be steel and concrete obviously painted brown to look like wood. That goes against their entire brand.


I guess... but are they really going to cover the whole structure in scaffolding to paint it at this point?

I’m not sure, that’s why I’m going wait and see what the whole project looks like

 

[Amused to Death]

The new porte cochere is... fine(ish).

Poly:View attachment 577033

The underside looks like the inside of a room at your typical Public Storage facility.

 

[ImperfectPixie]

The underside looks like the inside of your typical Public Storage facility.

I agree.

 

[Skywise]

Just to keep in perspective, this was the previous drop off area.
View attachment 577061

And I still like it better. So keep that in perspective.

 

[Skywise]

For comparison: This is what they are actually capable of:
View attachment 577082View attachment 577083
I am looking at it from a materials used perspective, not from an outward design perspective. Steel girders do not give me that sense of being in a structure based in the polynessiean region. The old entrance did, the Aulani entrance does. If only Joe were still around to fix this

None of Disney's resorts seem to compare favorably to the Universal resorts. Part of that is because the Universal resorts were built/ran by a third party and part of that is because the resorts are far newer than almost all the resorts in WDW. But these refurbishments with the Contemporary and the Polynesian don't seem to want to close that gap at all.

Here's the port cochere for the Royal Pacific Resort

To be fair they're not done with the poly port cochere yet (I hope) - but there's a day and night difference between these 2 designs but the price point is exactly the same!

 

[castlecake2.0]

And I still like it better. So keep that in perspective.

In wasn’t trying to be rude

 

[UNCgolf]

None of Disney's resorts seem to compare favorably to the Universal resorts. Part of that is because the Universal resorts were built/ran by a third party and part of that is because the resorts are far newer than almost all the resorts in WDW. But these refurbishments with the Contemporary and the Polynesian don't seem to want to close that gap at all.

Here's the port cochere for the Royal Pacific Resort
View attachment 577146

To be fair they're not done with the poly port cochere yet (I hope) - but there's a day and night difference between these 2 designs but the price point is exactly the same!

Actually the Royal Pacific is usually much cheaper than the Polynesian. Sometimes $200+ less per night.

 

[James Alucobond]

To be fair they're not done with the poly port cochere yet (I hope) - but there's a day and night difference between these 2 designs but the price point is exactly the same!

Unless they've changed their minds significantly since the concept art was created (which is still displayed in the lobby, mind), I should think it will improve markedly. The pillars look like they have a veneer that emulates carved wood details in the artwork, and there are obviously many colorful decorative panels still to be applied to the station itself. I do hope that they will still be treating the underside of the roof here in some way, but I think it's pretty unfair to judge at this point. It's still in pieces surrounded by a mud pit.

 

[jmuboy]

Unless they've changed their minds significantly since the concept art was created (which is still displayed in the lobby, mind), I should think it will improve markedly. The pillars look like they have a veneer that emulates carved wood details in the artwork, and there are obviously many colorful decorative panels still to be applied to the station itself. I do hope that they will still be treating the underside of the roof here in some way, but I think it's pretty unfair to judge at this point. It's still in pieces surrounded by a mud pit.

Those orbs in a net look ridiculous. Why not use bouys like the lobby?????
The rest I can accept as ok by modern Wdw standards

 

[JoeCamel]

Actually the Royal Pacific is usually much cheaper than the Polynesian. Sometimes $200+ less per night.

at least, it is the low price option for the deluxe class and I love it there but not so much since the overstuffed lobby was replaced.

 

[jmuboy]

There's so many vloggers at this point that you can search something Disney parks related on YouTube and there's bound to be a video about it from the past week or so. Port Cochere linked below

I am also hoping we get a lot of palms trees here once done

 

[James Alucobond]

Those orbs in a net look ridiculous. Why not use bouys like the lobby?????

I kind of hope those are just placeholders or something, though that may be too optimistic. It just seems odd that they'd pick a completely different fixture here when other outdoor areas like this at the resort do use the same rope netting and glassy orbs from the lobby (see: Tokelau's entrance, for example).

 

[UNCgolf]

at least, it is the low price option for the deluxe class and I love it there but not so much since the overstuffed lobby was replaced.

I stayed there in 2017 and loved it. It was a great hotel.

 

[Splashin' Ryan]

The timeline of this whole project always seemed off to me. It was announced when everything in the parks and other resorts was still cut due to covid like construction expenses etc but this massive project was approved?
Was it possible they had to budget cut the project in order for it to be greenlighted therefore resulting in the subpar underside of the drive-through? Or did they just think they would save time by not theming the underside?
I have a really hard time believing that they will theme the underside more considering the lamp ball thingys are already up.

 

[lazyboy97o]

The timeline of this whole project always seemed off to me. It was announced when everything in the parks and other resorts was still cut due to covid like construction expenses etc but this massive project was approved?
Was it possible they had to budget cut the project in order for it to be greenlighted therefore resulting in the subpar underside of the drive-through? Or did they just think they would save time by not theming the underside?
I have a really hard time believing that they will theme the underside more considering the lamp ball thingys are already up.

The three monorail resorts were long ago approved to get updates for the 50th anniversary. The monorail station at the Polynesian Village was not going to last much longer.