Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts IV

[PeterAlt]

Just watched this movie called The Island (2005), directed by Michael Bay. The movie takes place in the year 2019. Any way, I bet Disney got the idea of NextGen from that movie. In that movie, people wear wrist bracelets, which is for identity, credit, ect. It's a good movie, if you haven't seen it already. It was written by the same person who wrote Star Trek into Darkness and the cinematographer was the same person who did Avatar.

 

[ford91exploder]

Just watched this movie called The Island (2005), directed by Michael Bay. The movie takes place in the year 2019. Any way, I bet Disney got the idea of NextGen from that movie. In that movie, people wear wrist bracelets, which is for identity, credit, ect. It's a good movie, if you haven't seen it already. It was written by the same person who wrote Star Trek into Darkness and the cinematographer was the same person who did Avatar.

Oh Joy, Disney bases their next generation 'experience' (The Gulag) on a movie about a dystopian society in the near future. Agreed it is a decent movie

Also 'The Prisoner' from the 60's not far from where Disney wants to be replace 'The Village' with WDW, "Be Seeing you..."

 

[ford91exploder]

Just watched this movie called The Island (2005), directed by Michael Bay. The movie takes place in the year 2019. Any way, I bet Disney got the idea of NextGen from that movie. In that movie, people wear wrist bracelets, which is for identity, credit, ect. It's a good movie, if you haven't seen it already. It was written by the same person who wrote Star Trek into Darkness and the cinematographer was the same person who did Avatar.

Oh Joy, Disney bases their next generation 'experience' (The Gulag) on a movie about a dystopian society in the near future. Agreed it is a decent movie

Also 'The Prisoner' from the 60's not far from where Disney wants to be replace 'The Village' with WDW, "Be Seeing you..."

 

[ParentsOf4]

DVC plans for the Polynesian are being scaled back further. It appears that the Tahiti and Rapa Nui buildings (i.e. the buildings closest to TTC) will be converted to Studios. No 1 or 2 bedroom villas are planned. Such a straightforward conversion from cash to Studio room is the least expensive and fastest way to create DVC inventory.

In addition, 20 bungalows centered around Sunset Pointe are planned extending out over the Seven Seas Lagoon. Even though these reportedly will sleep only 8 (typical for a 2-bedroom villa), Disney intends to price these as Grand Villas, which normally sleep 12. Construction is supposed to start this month and is rumored to take about 2 years.

After opening in 2006, it looks like the Animal Kingdom Villas (AKV) DVC is on track to finally sell out in 2014. AKV is an absolutely beautiful resort but it appears prospective DVC buyers were turned off by its location, which is on the very most southwestern corner of WDW, far from everything except DAK and BB.

Meanwhile, the Villas at the Grand Floridian (VGF) DVC is scheduled to open in October. Preopening sales have been brisk and, with only 2.5 million points, VGF is one of the smallest DVCs ever built. If sales remain strong, it should sell out sometime in late 2014 or early 2015.

It appears Disney is trying to accelerate completion of the DVC at the Poly in order to provide DVC guides with WDW inventory to sell. After relatively slow sales for a couple of years, DVC sales in both the direct and resale markets rapidly expanded in 2013. Once AKV and VGF sell out, the only DVC property readily available will be Hawaii's Aulani.

Perhaps most revealing is what is not being openly discussed. By scaling back the Poly DVC, Disney almost certainly will follow up with another major WDW DVC property that will need to be in place once the small Poly DVC sells out. In the past, locations such as Fort Wilderness and Epcot have been mentioned but nothing definite yet.

Sadly, it appears WDW is slowly being converted from a theme park centered business into a timeshare centered business that happens to have some theme parks nearby.

 

[Clamman73]

I have been at WDW on Labor Day weekend in the past and I am always surprised by the lack of crowds. Probably due to most schools have started or going to start after labor day and locals not wanting to go due to the heat. We used to go all the time that weekend and it was great.

However, this year schools aren't starting here in the northeast until next Monday since Rosh Hashanah is during the week, so figure it will be a last hurrah for some people this week.

 

[Nemo14]

Many schools here in RI started last week - the rest start Tuesday or Wednesday this week.

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

@ParentsOf4 , I really shouldn't have read that so early in the morning. It's depressing and I feel kinda sick. I hope they don't ruin the views from the poly but it sure sounds like that's exactly what they're out to do.


And I'll never understand building bungalows when you can't (and don't want to) go in the water beneath. Plus, bugs. Ugh.

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

However, this year schools aren't starting here in the northeast until next Monday since Rosh Hashanah is during the week, so figure it will be a last hurrah for some people this week.

Schools her still start on Tuesday.

WOOHOO!

Even though it'll make traffic in the morning a nightmare, I'll be happy to see the neighborhood kids doing something else besides play in the street with their headphones on so they can't hear cars coming. Gotta love technology, right?

 

[ParentsOf4]

@ParentsOf4 , I really shouldn't have read that so early in the morning. It's depressing and I feel kinda sick. I hope they don't ruin the views from the poly but it sure sounds like that's exactly what they're out to do.

And I'll never understand building bungalows when you can't (and don't want to) go in the water beneath. Plus, bugs. Ugh.

I hear where you are coming from. There are lots of photos on the Internet of the view from Sunset Pointe today. This is typical:

It looks like corporate Disney is going for a view that could end up looking something like this:

 

[WDWDad13]

I hear where you are coming from. There are lots of photos in the Internet of the view from Sunset Pointe today. This is typical:

View attachment 31178

It looks like corporate Disney is going for a view that could end up looking something like this:

View attachment 31179

Yeah except minus the crystal clear blue water

 

[71jason]

Meanwhile, the Villas at the Grand Floridian (VGF) DVC is scheduled to open in October.

Walked by the othrr night, not only do rooms appear to be completely furnished (curtains and all), most of the rooms even had TVs on! October makes sense. Will be an interesting Christmas at the resort with the influx of new people.

Sadly, it appears WDW is slowly being converted from a theme park centered business into a timeshare centered business that happens to have some theme parks nearby.

Not the worst business to be in when one of those theme parks is building a new Harry Potter land.

 

[PeterAlt]

Oh Joy, Disney bases their next generation 'experience' (The Gulag) on a movie about a dystopian society in the near future. Agreed it is a decent movie

Also 'The Prisoner' from the 60's not far from where Disney wants to be replace 'The Village' with WDW, "Be Seeing you..."

Funny that it is a DIStopian future. (Spelling and pun intentional)

 

[Nubs70]

Yeah except minus the crystal clear blue water

However, if a weir can be built across the MK facing side of the bungalows (like a very large intimate pool) and with very tight control of water levels in the Seven Seas Lagoon, the water under the bungalows could be treated and clarified to replicate something more appealing than Central Florida swamp water.

 

[WDWDad13]

However, if a weir can be built across the MK facing side of the bungalows (like a very large intimate pool) and with very tight control of water levels in the Seven Seas Lagoon, the water under the bungalows could be treated and clarified to replicate something more appealing than Central Florida swamp water.

That won't happen ...too much $$$ not enough payoff

 

[Nubs70]

Not really, could be done for a reasonable cost. Drive in a cassion wall, install piping, and slip form wall. The optics during construction would be absolutely horrible. Nothing like building resort accommodations on top of a substance that may kill you. Why not build a Love Canal resort while they are at it. Love Canal DVC - that would be a marketing challenge.

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

Not really, could be done for a reasonable cost. Drive in a cassion wall, install piping, and slip form wall. The optics during construction would be absolutely horrible. Nothing like building resort accommodations on top of a substance that may kill you. Why not build a Love Canal resort while they are at it. Love Canal DVC - that would be a marketing challenge.

Problem again, cost. Why on earth would they invest so much money into cleaning, treating, and lets not forget maintaining only a small portions of the body of water? Granted those dvc rooms would be $$$$$$ but still... I just don't see them doing it. Plus it would make the rest of the water look even grosser than it already does!

@ParentsOf4 I'd love to see that style bungalow but again it's a ruined view without the pristine, swim able water underneath.

 

[GoofGoof]

DVC plans for the Polynesian are being scaled back further. It appears that the Tahiti and Rapa Nui buildings (i.e. the buildings closest to TTC) will be converted to Studios. No 1 or 2 bedroom villas are planned. Such a straightforward conversion from cash to Studio room is the least expensive and fastest way to create DVC inventory.

In addition, 20 bungalows centered around Sunset Pointe are planned extending out over the Seven Seas Lagoon. Even though these reportedly will sleep only 8 (typical for a 2-bedroom villa), Disney intends to price these as Grand Villas, which normally sleep 12. Construction is supposed to start this month and is rumored to take about 2 years.

After opening in 2006, it looks like the Animal Kingdom Villas (AKV) DVC is on track to finally sell out in 2014. AKV is an absolutely beautiful resort but it appears prospective DVC buyers were turned off by its location, which is on the very most southwestern corner of WDW, far from everything except DAK and BB.

Meanwhile, the Villas at the Grand Floridian (VGF) DVC is scheduled to open in October. Preopening sales have been brisk and, with only 2.5 million points, VGF is one of the smallest DVCs ever built. If sales remain strong, it should sell out sometime in late 2014 or early 2015.

It appears Disney is trying to accelerate completion of the DVC at the Poly in order to provide DVC guides with WDW inventory to sell. After relatively slow sales for a couple of years, DVC sales in both the direct and resale markets rapidly expanded in 2013. Once AKV and VGF sell out, the only DVC property readily available will be Hawaii's Aulani.

Perhaps most revealing is what is not being openly discussed. By scaling back the Poly DVC, Disney almost certainly will follow up with another major WDW DVC property that will need to be in place once the small Poly DVC sells out. In the past, locations such as Fort Wilderness and Epcot have been mentioned but nothing definite yet.

Sadly, it appears WDW is slowly being converted from a theme park centered business into a timeshare centered business that happens to have some theme parks nearby.

I still think scaling back at Poly has more to do with lack of parking and facilities over lack of interest. The original plans posted by tikiman would have added a significant number of rooms while taking out one section of the parking lot. They would have had to either build a garage (perhaps only a 2 level structure, but still expensive) or potentially taken over a section of the MK lot which had its own challenges. Now by simply replacing existing rooms with DVC villas they are taking a page out of the Bay Lake Tower play book. Very little additional capacity at the resort means no changes to anything else are necessary. It's a cheap way to expand DVC into a popular resort. Our insiders are always reporting that occupancy at the deluxe resorts is way down. Makes sense to convert unused rooms to DVC which almost always runs at or very close to full occupancy.

As for the bungalows, they are more of a novelty than a functional part of the resort. The profile should be low and if done right add to the Polynesian feel of the place. I dont think they will obstruct views too much. If they want to charge 3 bedroom villa prices for them I'm sure I'll never stay in them, but I think they are a neat little addition anyway.

 

[merry68]

DVC plans for the Polynesian are being scaled back further. It appears that the Tahiti and Rapa Nui buildings (i.e. the buildings closest to TTC) will be converted to Studios. No 1 or 2 bedroom villas are planned. Such a straightforward conversion from cash to Studio room is the least expensive and fastest way to create DVC inventory.

In addition, 20 bungalows centered around Sunset Pointe are planned extending out over the Seven Seas Lagoon. Even though these reportedly will sleep only 8 (typical for a 2-bedroom villa), Disney intends to price these as Grand Villas, which normally sleep 12. Construction is supposed to start this month and is rumored to take about 2 years.

After opening in 2006, it looks like the Animal Kingdom Villas (AKV) DVC is on track to finally sell out in 2014. AKV is an absolutely beautiful resort but it appears prospective DVC buyers were turned off by its location, which is on the very most southwestern corner of WDW, far from everything except DAK and BB.

Meanwhile, the Villas at the Grand Floridian (VGF) DVC is scheduled to open in October. Preopening sales have been brisk and, with only 2.5 million points, VGF is one of the smallest DVCs ever built. If sales remain strong, it should sell out sometime in late 2014 or early 2015.

It appears Disney is trying to accelerate completion of the DVC at the Poly in order to provide DVC guides with WDW inventory to sell. After relatively slow sales for a couple of years, DVC sales in both the direct and resale markets rapidly expanded in 2013. Once AKV and VGF sell out, the only DVC property readily available will be Hawaii's Aulani.

Perhaps most revealing is what is not being openly discussed. By scaling back the Poly DVC, Disney almost certainly will follow up with another major WDW DVC property that will need to be in place once the small Poly DVC sells out. In the past, locations such as Fort Wilderness and Epcot have been mentioned but nothing definite yet.

Sadly, it appears WDW is slowly being converted from a theme park centered business into a timeshare centered business that happens to have some theme parks nearby.

ITA.

It just becomes more and more obvious to me that the Theme Park division is the unwanted child of the big corporate family.

 

[ParentsOf4]

I still think scaling back at Poly has more to do with lack of parking and facilities over lack of interest. The original plans posted by tikiman would have added a significant number of rooms while taking out one section of the parking lot. They would have had to either build a garage (perhaps only a 2 level structure, but still expensive) or potentially taken over a section of the MK lot which had its own challenges. Now by simply replacing existing rooms with DVC villas they are taking a page out of the Bay Lake Tower play book. Very little additional capacity at the resort means no changes to anything else are necessary. It's a cheap way to expand DVC into a popular resort. Our insiders are always reporting that occupancy at the deluxe resorts is way down. Makes sense to convert unused rooms to DVC which almost always runs at or very close to full occupancy.

As for the bungalows, they are more of a novelty than a functional part of the resort. The profile should be low and if done right add to the Polynesian feel of the place. I dont think they will obstruct views too much. If they want to charge 3 bedroom villa prices for them I'm sure I'll never stay in them, but I think they are a neat little addition anyway.

So many good points to comment on! Where do I start?

Yep, I agree that parking played an important factor in the first down scaling of the Poly DVC. Recall that they considered expanding on the west side (around Luau Cove) and building into the parking lot on the east side (near TTC). However, the most recent information suggests they are rushing the Poly DVC. 1 bedroom and 2 bedroom villas are popular among DVC members. However, these lengthen the conversion process. That they are going only with studios suggests they are accelerating the Poly DVC construction to fill an inventory gap they anticipate once VGF sells out. VGF is small and its inventory is going to be gone relatively soon. I'm sure Disney doesn't want a lot of DVC guides standing around with nothing to sell.

Typical for WDW in recent years, the only things they build quickly are stores and DVCs.

Yes, great point about the conversion from cash to DVC. Deluxe Resort occupancy rates are down. It's why we've seen recent examples of cash rooms being converted to DVC. AKV, BLT, and now the Poly. WDW is actually reducing its inventory of Deluxe Resort rooms. It seems a lot of "guests" don't like paying $400/night for an ordinary hotel room. Go figure.

Regarding the bungalows, I can't imagine them not negatively impacting the current ground level views. Sure, if I'm up a floor or two at the Poly I should be able to see over them but, from ground level, I suspect it will be impossible to not notice them.

With the Poly DVC scaled back, it's sure to sell out relatively quickly. It's small now, like VGF. Corporate Disney is going to want to sell something else and as long as "guests" are willing to take out high interest rate loans to finance them, Disney is more than willing to accommodate them.

 

[71jason]

I realize it was never confirmed ... but safe bet the Trader Sam's clone was cut in the downsizing as well?