Why Didn't Disney Build a Hawaiian Themed Hotel Instead?

[Stevek]

Themed restaurants always do well if the food is decent. If they were smart they would put Jock Lindsey's Hanger Bar in Disneyland's Aladdin's Oasis. A nice Indiana Jones themed restaurant.

Which I thought I recently read isn't doing great...they actually added a DJ to the outside patio? Was pretty empty on our only visit back in May. That being said, I think it's very cool inside.

 

[Stevek]

I was going to post something similar to this. Part of what makes the Poly so great is not only being on the water but the openness of the grounds gives the feeling of being at a resort in Hawaii (sort of, but probably as close as you are going to get in central Florida). I think being crammed in the space they are putting this hotel would have less of a Hawaii feel and more of a cheesy island-themed restaurant. They can recreate that kind of lush feeling in a small area like Adventureland where things like sight lines can be controlled but I don't think there is the space to do it properly for something like a hotel.

I think that if they had enough trees surrounding the site, they might be able to pull it off...in fact, I'm pretty confident they could IF they really wanted to. I just don't think they will invest in something like that right now at least.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

I read somewhere that the new hotel is themed to 'water', whatever that means. The abstractness of this idea intrigues me, and it could be fabulous if done right. The concept art gives me hope.

 

[DanielBB8]

Tiki theme is almost dead. Don The Beachcomber is rumored to be closing soon. Hawaii theme could still be popular, but not to carry an entire hotel or restaurant.

 

[Phroobar]

Which I thought I recently read isn't doing great...they actually added a DJ to the outside patio? Was pretty empty on our only visit back in May. That being said, I think it's very cool inside.

Its not doing well because no one gets the theme. They hear 40s music and they won't go in. Stupid tourists. If it was next to an Indy ride people would get the connection.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

I don't agree about tikis. Most people only know that from the bird show.

I'm not that familiar with the new hotel design, but I recall it looking like some modern Abu Dhabi airport or something.

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

^^^ Yes it does.

 

[dweezil78]

I don't agree about tikis. Most people only know that from the bird show.

I'm not that familiar with the new hotel design, but I recall it looking like some modern Abu Dhabi airport or something.

The rumored name is Disney's Abu Dhabi Airport Inn Resort & Spa. For a complete immersive experience, guests who are caught kissing will have their tongues chopped off. (And later turned into a souvenir Mickey ears to take home!)

 

[Rich T]

Why is this new upcoming hotel look so much like the child of the Disneyland Hotel and Florida's Contemporary Resort? It should have instead taken Californians love of Tiki culture to a new level. A 50s inspired Hawaiian resort. Would have been a nice companion to the others. What a missed opportunity.

Dude. I love tiki culture as much as the next old Boomer, but--
This Hotel is going to be a huge part of the main entryway into the parks zone. It's not just a hotel, it's a complete re-do of that section of Downtown Disney. It's going to be the park's big statement to arriving guests. Does Disney want to say, "Welcome to Disneyland Resort, home of all things Tiki"? No, this hotel has to be far more all-purpose than that. It has to be adaptable to festivals. It has to appeal to everyone, not just the people who would choose the Polynesian at WDW from a list of many different themes. I'd love a Tiki Culture hotel in DLR, but not in that location.

 

[Casper Gutman]

I read somewhere that the new hotel is themed to 'water', whatever that means.

It means the roof leaks.

 

[kkocka]

Tiki theme is almost dead. Don The Beachcomber is rumored to be closing soon. Hawaii theme could still be popular, but not to carry an entire hotel or restaurant.

Sorry but I hugely disagree. Yes Don's is closing, but that's due to land owners being greedy and jacking up rent to put condos in its place. That particular Don's isn't even an original nor owned by the family, so while it sucks that the name is disappearing, the history and value of it pales in comparison to other venus across the nation like the Mai Kai or even Smuggler's Cove. The revival is still alive and well and new places are being built all over. I think things will certainly reel back a bit and the strong will survive, but I think its popularity is so far at a peak.

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

Dude. I love tiki culture as much as the next old Boomer, but--
This Hotel is going to be a huge part of the main entryway into the parks zone. It's not just a hotel, it's a complete re-do of that section of Downtown Disney. It's going to be the park's big statement to arriving guests. Does Disney want to say, "Welcome to Disneyland Resort, home of all things Tiki"? No, this hotel has to be far more all-purpose than that. It has to be adaptable to festivals. It has to appeal to everyone, not just the people who would choose the Polynesian at WDW from a list of many different themes. I'd love a Tiki Culture hotel in DLR, but not in that location.

Ah, location. That helps explain it. I guess the everyday world of modern architecture has no appeal to me, so I think differently than that.

 

[Ismael Flores]

I really like that the new hotel seems to be a modern take on the Disneyland Hotel. We've been increasingly losing "Disneyland" as a brand, and this is a step back towards that. While there was nothing inherently "Disney" about the original DLH, it became an integral part of the DLR's identity. I think this new place can do the same.

After seeing Pixar Pier it would be easy to imagine them building a budget WDW style resort here, with big static characters and cheesily themed rooms, so I'm very happy with what we're getting.

I would be worried that they would put something as ugly as the toy story hotel they built in Shanghai

What in the world were they thinking? Did they actually think people would connect the design element to a giant board game like the hotel directory makes it appear to be?

 

[Darkbeer1]

https://www.ocregister.com/2018/04/...r-says-the-tiki-restaurant-will-close-sunday/

>>
That finally came on Friday: Don the Beachcomber, a Huntington Beach landmark tiki restaurant is closing at the end of business on Sunday, April 15 .


“Even though we have strived to stay in business throughout these years, we are saddened to inform everyone that we will be closing our doors … due to increasing rent obligations,” said an announcement signed by owner Delia Wu Snyder and her staff. “It has been a difficult journey to come to this decision.”<<

 

[lazyboy97o]

I would be worried that they would put something as ugly as the toy story hotel they built in Shanghai

What in the world were they thinking? Did they actually think people would connect the design element to a giant board game like the hotel directory makes it appear to be?

The design isn’t supposed to be a board game and does not at all relate to Toy Story. That hotel was supposed to be the Tomorrowland Hotel.

 

[Ismael Flores]

The design isn’t supposed to be a board game and does not at all relate to Toy Story. That hotel was supposed to be the Tomorrowland Hotel.

was that the originally idea? Because it is actually called toy story and has giant toy story characters at the entrance and rounds. The hotel directory even has it drawn out to look like a board game.

If it was originally designed to be tomorrowland hotel someone was smoking some good pot when they change the theme but kept same design

 

[The Mur]

Disney did build a huge Hawaiian themed hotel; it just happens to be in Hawaii

 

[lazyboy97o]

was that the originally idea? Because it is actually called toy story and has giant toy story characters at the entrance and rounds. The hotel directory even has it drawn out to look like a board game.

If it was originally designed to be tomorrowland hotel someone was smoking some good pot when they change the theme but kept same design

I’m aware that it opened as the Toy Story Hotel, but it’s architecture was designed when it was supposed to be the Tomorrowland Hotel.

 

[Practical Pig]

I’m aware that it opened as the Toy Story Hotel, but it’s architecture was designed when it was supposed to be the Tomorrowland Hotel.

Do you have a link to this backstory for that very strange structure? I'm not doubting, but I'm very curious.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Do you have a link to this backstory for that very strange structure? I'm not doubting, but I'm very curious.

You can see it in this snip of the resort master plan. 明日世界 is Tomorrowland. 酒店 is hotel. 明日世界酒店 Is Tomorrowland Hotel, the label that appears on the now Toy Story Hotel. I’m not sure of the story behind why it changed.

It's an early version of the park (that had the outdoor, dueling Pirate Ship Stuntshow, covered entry arcade, Tron version of Rock n Rollercoaster, etc.). The whole pad in question has changed shape.