Disney's Polynesian Resort, Orlando, FL (hotel)

I was wondering about that...

here's more info on the newly-opened Boutiki shop, along with a link to some photos. (source: http://www.allearsnet.com)

It's not just the rooms that are getting renovated over at the Polynesian -- the resort's retail shops are also getting a
facelift. A new store, called BouTIKI, opened last Wednesday morning in the space formerly occupied by the Wyland Galleries.
Wooden statues scattered around the new shop, which features a variety of merchandise, were made in Bali and weigh up to 1,000 pounds each. Among its many items, BouTIKI sells the types of sundries and men's and women's fashions previously sold in the resort's other stores, like News from Polynesia and Polynesian Princess, which are both now closed. The Wyland Galleries is
currently in a temporary location down the hall from Captain Cook's Snack Company, but will eventually move into the former
News from Polynesia space. The pin kiosk previously located outside of News from Polynesia has been relocated, and plans are
for Captain Cook's to eventually expand as well.
For a few photos of the new shop (courtesy of Linda Mac), visit:
http://allearsnet.com/acc/g_poly.htm#shop

for all you Polynesian Resort fans, here's a chance to own a piece of the
Polynesian:

http://www.mousesurplus.com/news/index.html

I'll be at the Polynesian on Friday, July 29th (after a day at the parks with the kids). If anyone in the area wants to join me for a mai tai (or 2) please contact me directly.

:drink:

[ Edited by: Kenike 2008-06-15 15:32 ]

We went to dinner at the Polynesian on the 20th for my fiance's birthday. I took some pictures of Boutiki and I'll try to get them posted. They have some cute Stitch stuff for the Disney lovers and a few Tommy Bahama mugs. They have some cool tiki pedestals, with are not for sale, unfortunately.

I just found this out and wanted to share.

According to Boing Boing:

http://boingboing.net/2009/03/29-week/

in a pitch to get hosting help for a Polynesian Resort fan site, Cory Doctorow says:

"The Poly is one of my favorite hotels in the world. I wrote the middle chapters of 'Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom' on a lanai in the Roratonga [sic] long-house, listening to the distant howl of the wolves at the Haunted Mansion, the chug of the railroad, the crack of the Jungle Cruise drivers shooting the hippos, and the calls of the tropical birds all around (I made close friends with an ibis on that trip)."

Awesome! (By the way, the site he is looking to help, tikiman2001.net, is still alive and kicking a year and a half later.)

I came across this hand-painted watercolor and gouache rendering of Disney's Polynesian Resort at a flea market. From what I could research, it was done for a proposed reworking of the entrance in the mid-1980s that was never realized.

The full rendering.

Detail of the sign.

Detail of the entrance drive with Moais...

WOW. Haha!

I did notice some interior designers INSIDE the Polynesian when I was there a few weeks ago. Looks like the lounge area outside the Tambu Lounge might be getting new furniture!

Will be staying at the Polynesian in a couple of weeks. It will be my first time on the grounds in ~ 15 years and my first time staying there. Does anybody know if the Tangora Terrace survived the recent renovations?

Any suggestions from recent visitors?

Iolani:

The Tangaroa Terrace building is still there, but the TT itself is long gone. See Walter @ the Tambu lounge for classic Polynesian cocktails Thu-Sun. He's great.

Take time to explore the grounds, especially around dusk or later.

Ohana is tasty, as is Kona Cafe--the Tuna Poke from the Sushi Bar is really yum also.

There are a few cool things in Boutiki, including a Polynesian resort Aloha shirt, and a neat print of the entrance.

Also, be sure to check out the SHAG artwork and stuff @ the Main Street Gallery in MK.

Have a great trip! Maybe we'll run into you at Tambu! It's one of our favorite spots.

Aloha!

Scott

Piratiki: Thanks for the suggestions, especially regarding the Tambu Lounge. We're checking in Sunday and I hope to hit the Tambu that night for mai tais. Any recommended cocktails? If you see a brown hapa guy in a red and black reverse print or a Primo beer aloha shirt, come by and say, "Aloha."

I've always thought the cocktails are pretty legit there and found the mai tai and the zombies to be pretty good. Disney has that "standard cocktail menu" that is the same at many places in Disney but at the Tambu Lounge they know how to go off the menu to make some good stuff. Same at "Dad's Bar" in the 50's Prime Time Cafe.

Some additional advice for Iolani (if it's not too late) and any future visitors. My wife and I make three or four Disney trips per year and we never miss spending time at The Polynesian. The location is so convenient. You can walk from the Ticket and Transportation Center (just look for the path above).

The Magic Kingdom is just a short monorail ride away. Or take the boat from the Polynesian dock for a peaceful, scenic trip. At the end of the night, there's no better place to watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks than a secluded spot on the beach at The Polynesian. They even have speakers that pipe in the soundtrack. And be sure to stick around for the Electrical Water Pageant, a kitchy retro show that has run every night on Seven Seas Lagoon since the early '70s. The Polynesian offers a great view of this as well.

The best tropical drinks on the Tambu Lounge menu are the Back Scratcher and Lapu Lapu (see photo below). Disney infamously "standardized" most of the resort and bar menus recently but most still offer a few that are unique to that location. These are those.

Good advice on this thread on seeking out the right bartender. It's usually the only way to get a cocktail made the old-school way. The younger bartenders tend to go by the book and aren't aware of the classic recipes. At one time, the Tambu offered a Zombie, a Scorpion and other vintage drinks but there's no guarantee you'll be able to get these made for you correctly. They do make a very good Pina Colada, however, and the new menu is not as bad as it sounds.

In addition, if you're looking for a late-night or off-hours snack, the Tambu has a very good food menu. The Polynesian also has lots of other great food options that don't break the bank.

The Kona Cafe sushi bar is one of the best-kept secrets at Disney World. Fantastic sushi. The crab cake roll (above) is unbelievable. It's the same crab cake that they serve in the Polynesian restaurants, reconfigured into a sushi roll. I always have a hard time deciding between that and the shrimp tempura roll. And the Kona beer from Hawaii always goes down great with the sushi. Plus the desert offerings are also off the hook. The creme brulee and chocolate fondeu are both fantastic. And the best part: No reservations needed. Just show up after the dinner rush and you'll be fine.

The other must-do dining experience for us is breakfast at Kona Cafe. Advance reservations are usually necessary but it's also worth the wait if you don't. The Tonga Toast (deep-fried banana-stuffed sourdough bread, rolled in cinnamon sugar and served with Strawberry Compote) is legendary and the Macadamia Pineapple Pancakes are also highly recommended. Another breakfast option is yet another of the best-kept Disney secrets: The counter-service eatery Captain Cook's Snack Company. It also offers Tonga Toast and many other breakfast options. The other great features of Captain Cook's: It's open 24 hours and it has a self-serve Dole Whip machine. After a long, hot day in the parks, there's nothing like a refreshing Dole Whip. The only other place you can get one is the stand in the Magic Kingdom's Adventureland.

After breakfast and before heading to the parks, be sure to rent a boat and cruise around the lagoon. It's exhilarating and the views are fantastic. And by all means take the time to walk around all the grounds. Vintage Tikis, signs and architecture loom around every corner.

Needless to say, my wife and I love the resort and we haven't even had the pleasure of staying the night or enjoying the signature restaurants, 'Ohana and The Spirit of Aloha dinner show. We find that it's not necessary to break the bank to enjoy the great aloha but if you have the funds, by all means go all the way.

Here are a few links to more information:

Polynesian Resort restaurants on the Disney Food Blog
http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/polynesian-resort-restaurants/

Tambu Lounge review (and recipes) on Party Through the Parks
http://www.partythroughtheparks.com/polynesian/2010/9/11/tambu-lounge.html

And the granddaddy of them all ...
Tikiman's Unofficial Polynesian Resort site
http://www.tikimanpages.com/tiki/

To everyone who enjoys the vintage 40-year-old Polynesian or anyone who still hasn't had the pleasure of visiting this slice of history, heed Tikiman's warning:

"Do I think at some point Disney will totally redesign the Polynesian to be more modern and more like the new resort in Hawaii, I believe that will happen at some point. The feeling around the resort is that something big is being planned but nothing is for sure. At this point I think you need to enjoy what is there and remember that nothing lasts forever."
http://www.tikimanpages.com/tiki/news/186-news-and-rumors

[ Edited by: Hurricane Hayward 2011-07-28 10:16 ]

Thanks, everybody for the advice and tips. We had a great time at the Polynesian and I was pleasantly surprised by the overall experience and atmosphere.

Here are a few pictures of carvings not yet posted in this thread or on Critiki's site. Not the best camerawork, but they were all taken under the influence of Walter's mai tais as well as the endless jugs of Ku'ulei's Punch.

A bunch of tikis, tucked under the northeast staircase in the Great Ceremonial House:

I was pleasantly surprised to find some (very large) Maori carvings. This is the only one with a decent photo:

Next to the large Maori panel hung this massive Tapa. Unlike any other works in the resort, this one had a decent description of tapa and its uses, but unfortunately no history of the piece on display:

As everybody noted, the old Tangaroa Terrace building exists, but its interior is barren. I asked the staff at the Kamehemeha Club if they could arrange for me to poke around the Tangaroa to take pictures, but they said that other than the laundromat and children's clubhouse now in the building, the rest of the space is stripped and the original artwork distributed around the resort. They reported that many of the works in the Hawaii Longhouse came from the old Tangaroa. Here are a few:

The really big guy in the lounge:

And a couple of fun Papuan style carvings that remain on the Tangaroa's exterior:

Numba 1, 2, 3, (and I think 7) are all classic pieces from the house of O.A., Whittier, CA :D

Let's hope Kevin Kidney's newly designed Polynesian Resort Tiki mugs some day see the light of a kiln. For more info:

http://miehana.blogspot.com/2011/07/finally-florida.html

I hope the pictures look okay I have not yet quite figured out how the sizing works for pics on here. These are a bunch of pics I took of my (so far) one and only trip to Walt Disney World in 2009. As you might imagine I took a crap load of pics at the poly. I was only able to get there at night, I would have liked to get some day pictures too. And yes, I am very much like a Japanese tourist on vacation: I have to take a picture of everything. :wink:

Be forewarned here comes a whole mess of pictures!

Freakishly bizarre scary toon tiki.





Another kinda bizarre tiki, but cool.

Interior shot tiki boutique.

Is it just me or are these tiki like clown scary?




It's like a velvet painting I swear.



Little blurry sorry hard to take at night, but love the longhouse.


I REALLY hate flash pictures... but I was forced to do it later.


Yes, even the trashcans are themed. :)

The dreaded sucker of life and color: the flash.



Meanwhile...back inside...


I was pleasantly surprised to see this... know why?

Yep, it's the original opening day mascot tiki for poly still around.

Tapa painted ceiling tiles? But of course! Love the Disney details!


I fell in LOVE with this rug inside the Ohana's restaurant.

More 60's feeli'n Ohana goodness.



Me in the obligatory picture taking spot. :)

Yes, there are tiki torches around.

Believe it or not that is not ALL the pics I took of the poly, I just sorted out the better ones. Thank goodness for digital cameras I would have spent a fortune in developing film. Well this concludes our tour of the Polynesian resort if you enjoyed your trip my name is Tigertail, if not it's George. Be sure to head in the right direction when leaving or you may enter headhunter country and that is a terrible place to beheaded. :)

Some major breaking news on the Polynesian. Tikiman is reporting on his site that the Great Ceremonial House will most likely be gutted and that longhouses are being converted into DVC rooms.

But, the good news is: "There will be a few different stages and those that want the resort to remain the same and those that want something totally new will get a little bit of both, but Disney has some huge surprises for everyone."

Trader Sam's anyone?

I have a full report on my blog ...
http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2012/06/08/major-changes-in-store-for-disneys-polynesian-resort/

TikiTi in LA is a must!

An update with a link to an amazing flickr stream:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/aloha75/8306294900/in/photostream/

It looks like the information that the Kamehemeha Club staff gave me was wrong. This photo stream is from September 2011 (just a few months after I was told that there was nothing left in the building) and includes some wonderful photos from the current interior of the Tangaroa Terrace. I'm now officially miffed. The carvings and panels are great. And look at that tile work.

If anybody is heading there and is able to get into the terrace, take some shots, please! :)

Lots of news over the past few months on changes at the Polynesian Resort, so I tried to wrap it all up in one comprehensive blog.

Perhaps most interesting are the reports that Trader Sam's will be coming to the Polynesian as part of the upcoming refurbishments.

Also included is a recipe for the Backscratcher, the famous cocktail of the Tambu Lounge.

http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2013/07/31/trader-sams-enchanted-tiki-bar-one-of-many-changes-likely-coming-to-disneys-polynesian-resort/

We're spending a week there in just a week from now, I'll post some updated photos when we get back!!!

Lots of action at the Polynesian these days. Disney is finally announcing dates and details on the DVC renovations, but still no confirmation of Trader Sam's. Here's my blog on the latest news:
http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2014/02/17/disney-world-announces-refurbishment-schedule-for-polynesian-resort-but-no-word-on-trader-sams/

The highlights:

• The Great Ceremonial House will be refurbished from March through December. Restaurants and shops will probably close as work progresses. Capt. Cook's (home of the Dole Whip) will be the first to close. The huge water feature is likely to be replaced. Or, as Disney says, "reimagined to highlight the cultural elements of Polynesia and provide more expansive views."
• Reliable sources say Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar is expected to be completed by February 2015.
• DVC construction is expected to continue until at least late 2015.

Follow my blog or the Tikiman Pages website (and Facebook page) for updates.

Here are the latest updates from Tikiman:

http://www.tikimanpages.com/poly/news/item/199-april-update

http://www.tikimanpages.com/poly/the-resort/dvc/item/191-disney-vacation-club

Construction is coming along nicely. They are keeping things VERY quiet about this resort. I understand the lobby of the hotel will be demolished (that's right, no more waterfall and palm trees) and I only hope they make up for it by doing something very special elsewhere.

There has been some new artwork released. The lobby concept looks good despite the loss of the waterfall and garden, and it looks like Trader Sam's has been confirmed. My only question is WHY DEAR GOD DO THEY SHOW CHILDREN IN THE TIKI BAR LOOKING AT ALL THE BOOZE ON THE WALL!?!?!?! I'm hoping they create a policy by which all children must be escorted out of the bar after a certain hour.

http://www.insidethemagic.net/2014/05/trader-sams-grog-grotto-announced-for-disneys-polynesian-village-resort-part-of-walt-disney-world-hotel-upgrades/

[ Edited by: Doc Aikane 2014-05-02 08:37 ]

For the past several months Disney has been selling various props from the Polynesian Resort. Wall sconces, mirrors, dinnerware and signs seem to make up most of the material being listed.

Here's The Atomic Grog's comprehensive update on all the changes coming to Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, including Trader Sam's Grog Grotto ...
http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2014/05/05/say-aloha-to-trader-sams-grog-grotto-at-disneys-polynesian-village-resort/

tikilongbeach: I believe most the stuff being sold is old furniture from the guest rooms that have been refurbished. But you never know what will pop up on Theme Park Connection: http://theme-park-connection.mybigcommerce.com/search.php?search_query=polynesian&x=44&y=10

Doc Aikane: Actually, I don't beleive Disney World restricts children from any of its 70+ bars and lounges, though it is unusual to see them sitting at the bar itself. In my experience, the parents are typically very responsible. But really, what better way to get the young ones started in a life of Tiki?

Aloha!

Be sure you take a good look at the "tiki" carpeting currently in the lobby of the Polynesian Resort. There are mouse ears integrated into the design, and this carpet may not survive the lobby remodel, although it may survive longer in other parts of the resort like in the concierge lounges, etc.

I think we should also view and take photos of the carved wood and the tikis which are still to be found in the grand lobby. Some of these items may not survive. The artist depictions of the remodel seem to show a less "busy" design aesthetic, so the carpet, the tile, and the carvings may all become toned-down quite a bit. But we seem to be picking up glass floats and other items of interest in the new design.

What's funny is that some of the woodwork above the shops are featured pretty prominently. If that remains, maybe the oceanic arts stuff can stay, too.

Yeah, I hope they keep those. From the artist depictions I'm thinking they're going to "slim down" the carvings and go with a neater and more "trim" look. That seems to be the trend in upscale hotels around the world. Hawaiian luxury hotels on my last trip were still very "organic" looking but not as dark and "brown" as the Polynesian is. I would not be surprised to see more and brighter lighting along with lighter floor and wall coverings.

Agreed. The swaths of dark, dark brown on the supports will probably be updated, and for good reason. I love the Poly, but there are certain textures and fixtures that need to go.

(I must admit that I'll miss the wall of mirrors and the light up glass flowers that are attached to it. Those scream VINTAGE, to me. )

I went yesterday to check it out in more detail and take some final pictures. There were three walls up around the fountain, and the fourth is expected to go up today. Up close, the fountain looked tired and old. The plants were not stellar and fresh either. I went back at night and the lighting was also sort of spotty. It looked much better from a distance. Quite a few people were taking photos in front of it and enjoying it.

I noticed the "mirror wall" for the first time that I remember, and I saw the "vintage" lights you mentioned, and I took a photo. They are pretty cool, definitely vintage to the point that they look out-of-place. Later when I saw your post I was glad that I walked around to that very quiet part of the wall and noticed them. I'll post my Memorial Day 2014 photos soon, it'll take a while to compose that post.

The weather was very stormy that afternoon, but it never made it to the Polynesian. The pool was closed for a while due to lightning danger. It was kind of funny to drive in when it was pouring heavy rain at other parks on property. There were ominous dark clouds in the background of many of my outdoor photos, it was kinda neat.

I ran into a tiki bartender friend of mine from St. Augustine who was there also to walk around and check it all out one last time. We had a drink at Tambu before calling it a night. I've never ordered their Backscratcher before, so it was my first. Bartender Walter took good care of us. There was the usual festive crowd at Ohana and around the bar. If only they knew what changes were coming to the resort.

There's nothing more atmospheric and transportive than wandering the Poly when dark clouds roll overhead and a warm, summer, sultry breeze sweeps the place. :)

Glad you got pictures. It's the end of an era for a big part of Walt Disney World history and some tiki culture, too.

[ Edited by: EPCOTExplorer 2014-05-27 04:57 ]

Yup, I think the transformation will be huge. When they "update," they don't mess around.

I went into the King Kamehameha Club lounge and took photos of the carvings there. The stair railing alone is noteworthy for its whimsy. The whole resort is chock full of carvings. One big loss I'm hoping won't be lost is all the carved wood at the shop entrances. Also, I understand the upstairs shop will be updated quite thoroughly whereas the downstairs shop was fairly recently redone and may remain pretty much as it stands. That's good, because it's very nice. The level of detail in the downstairs shop was amazing, and I took quite a few photos in there. I was "nerdy camera guy" for an hour or so in the shop taking pictures of all kinds of interesting design elements. I even took "secret" photos of the flooring and carpet in other parts of the Grand Ceremonial House because I'm guessing that much of the "loud" Disney carpet will be replaced, but I'm not sure if the stone flooring will survive. As I was taking photos, I kept thinking of how cool many of these design elements would look in home tiki bars. I can't wait to get those pics up for others to see and maybe draw inspiration for some of their own spaces. I know I'm going to be using the pics to help influence some of my home bar decorating in the future. It really is inspirational to go to the Polynesian Resort as I'm sure the Aulani resort in Hawai`i is as well. We may end up seeing some Aulani-esque things show up here in the Polynesian.

Here's the rehab notice that Disney has posted on their web site:

As it says, remember to ask your Mommy and Daddy for permission to call if you are under 18! ha...

[ Edited by: AceExplorer 2014-05-27 06:24 ]

The use of glass and lighter wood is certainly from Aulani, but also has roots in Animal Kingdom Lodge, too. They have a similar set up, over there. Imagineer Joe Rhode designed, I think.

Here are my Memorial Day 2014 photos taken at Disney’s Polynesian Resort – the final day the central water feature was visible to guests. I focused mostly on the ground floor – I think that’s where the greatest amount of changes will be seen.

These will likely either be too many, or too few, photos for folks. Please bear with me if you find these too repetitive, boring, or otherwise not interesting. Since the resort will undergo some fairly major changes, I thought this level of effort was worthwhile especially for readers many years from now and readers who live far from Florida and who may not have been here before.

This resort is a haven for those seeking inspiration for home tiki décor and design. You need bar ideas? They’re here. You need ceiling or wall texture ideas? They’re here. Tiki / island style stenciling? Check. Color schemes? Check. Tapa cloth patterns? Yup.

Visiting the Disney resorts is free but it's definitely not encouraged by Disney at all. They really make you have a reason for going there. For example, to dine at a specific restaurant, to meet other guests, to check in, to drink at the bar(s), etc. Once you're in you can take free Disney busses, boats, monorails to your heart's content. If you're into architecture and design, you can have a grand time exploring the resorts and talking to the castmembers and enjoying the food and drinks. Bring a camera.

Now onwards to a little “mini travelogue” as we look at Disney’s Polynesian Resort ahead of the unfolding refurbishment!

Memorial Day 2014 – the main entrance to the resort with the monorail station above the portico.

We’ll be seeing many more of these signs in the near future.

There are a few of these smaller figures to be found throughout the resort. I think these were sculpted for Disneyland by artist Blaine Gibson. Some of these are used in the Tiki Room pre-show at Disneyland.

The main entrance. Not too grand – until you get inside.

This colorful door mat welcomes you into the Grand Ceremonial House.

Ah, the fountain, water feature, plant thingy, whatever you call it…

Up close, it’s actually very tired looking. Even the plants look somewhat neglected and not as lush and tropical as originally envisioned.

The ceiling above the water feature is interesting to see. I’m sure there will be many changes here to the ceiling, the lighting, and much more.

The “Boutiki” is whimsical with lots of color and many interesting carvings. Yet side-by-side with the rest of the Grand Ceremonial House, it’s a bit out of place at the moment. It has been fairly recently refurbished and upgraded, so much of this may stay in the new incarnation of the Grand Ceremonial House.

Some close-ups of the detailed carvings.

Looking behind me, you can see the walls on the second level blocking all views of the water feature.

And below the sign, more carvings and plants.

The shop is full of many large carvings and intricate display cases and fixtures.

This is one of the most whimsical things to see - a tiki outside the window peeking inside, and a tiki inside trying to hide from the tiki on the outside.

You like carved columns? They got ‘em!

Four of these guys sat atop each of the arms of a merchandise rack. The level of detail in the store, and the amount of custom fixtures, is amazing. This is the modern Disney style of design – saturate the shopper with a cohesively designed look and feel and make shopping interesting and fun. (Lots of home tiki bar design ideas are to be found in here!!! That’s one of the reasons I took so many pictures.)

Boo, hiss! The leading edge of the concealment wall around the water feature. It was expected to completely encircle the fountain and allow demolition to begin on or around the day after Memorial Day. (Tuesday, May 27th, 2014)

Detail of the Boutiki sign along with some of the painted ceiling pattern.

Photo spot! Pose with the big carving! This is directly across from.....

This is the rumored location of Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto – directly underneath Ohana. The next few pictures will attempt to show how much space is being devoted to this new attraction.

The space appears like it would be quite large.

Corner view, by the restrooms and the stair case leading up to Ohana.

View towards the rear door of the lobby.

Some of the wall detail which is very likely going to be removed. This would look good in any home tiki bar!

The ceiling again? Yup. We’ll have to see what interesting things they do to the ceiling.

Part of the lobby has become a plain corridor now. You used to be able to sit in those chairs and relax and enjoy the beautifully landscaped waterfalls.

I suspect this Disneyfied tiki carpet will also disappear. Here’s a photo for those who have never seen this before – it’s definitely colorful.

The rear doors of the Grand Ceremonial House.

The path leading towards the pool and Seven Seas Lagoon white sand beaches.

The back side of what will likely become Trader Sam’s downstairs. Note that Ohana occupies the upper level here.

Ah, the volcano, the slide, and the pool. Not many cast members knew that this was also going to be closed for refurbishing in the near future.

It’s nice, but surprisingly small compared to what other resorts around the globe build and operate these days.

No doubt about it, the volcano is also pretty tired looking. I’m sure it was the cat’s meow back when it first opened to resort guests.

I moved on into the King Kamehameha Club lounge. The carvings in this upscale environment were typically whimsical as Disney likes to do.

This guy stood guard but was no match for my tenacity. I was on a photo safari and was gonna get my photos!

Ah, the stilt houses. These next few photos were taken from the windows of the King Kamehameha Club. People are already talking about how expensive these will be a night. Current prices are between $300 and $450 a night, I think. Will these be for the public guests to rent, or will they be Disney Vacation Club only?

Since we’re going to be looking at these things for the next 40 or 50 years, let’s never forget that the roofs are built on the ground and then lifted onto the frames. This, folks, is future Disney trivia! Your dog will be impressed.

Construction does appear to have halted. Over the past couple months I have not seen much progress. I wonder what’s going on?

Back in the club, there are many more carvings to look at.

The views are nice from this bi-level concierge lounge.

Another detail of the carvings on the stair cases.

And back out to the pool and volcano.

Ah, the bar!

Don’t miss the great views from the boat dock.

The stilt houses are an eyesore at the moment. Let’s hope they look really spiffy when completed.

I took the boat and caught this view of the glass windows of the King Kamehameha Club.

Construction is not pretty…

After a busy afternoon exploring some other resorts, the sun set and I went back to the Polynesian to take night time photos. These people probably didn’t know that they would never see this fountain again in the future.

The check-in counter will be redone as well. It’s also pretty tired looking.

The Boutiki shop looks grand at night. Definitely very colorful, beckoning all to come in.

More night photos of the water feature.

Look how dark the ceiling is. I wonder if this will be more brightly lit later? It’s kind of a black hole, definitely in need of updating.

One of the corner “conversation pits” – there are several areas like this in the Grand Ceremonial House, and they’re generally warm and inviting. I’m not sure they will be this relaxing and toned-down in the new design.

That shop is definitely eye-candy.

And a photo giving you a sense of how odd the partial curtain wall looks around three sides of the waterfalls.

More “Polynesian” carpet. That won’t stay. Gotta have a photo of that as well.

The “honu” turtles are integrated into the carpet design.

That shop just kept drawing my attention…

Did I mention it was colorful and inviting?

And some final photos of the lobby and the water feature.

I wanted to stay longer, so I took another carpet photo.

And a flooring photo. I’d be surprised if these stay in the new design.

My final view of the fountain and the lobby.

The forecourt/portico water features.

On 2014-05-29 20:51, AceExplorer wrote:

There are a few of these smaller figures to be found throughout the resort. I think these were sculpted for Disneyland by artist Blaine Gibson. Some of these are used in the Tiki Room pre-show at Disneyland.

All of the figures from the Tiki Room garden were designed and sculpted by Rolly Crump. If I recall, Blaine Gibson was too busy at the time so Rolly had to learn to sculpt and do them himself.

Thanks for the pics!

Joshua, thanks for the update, I think you are correct. I vaguely remember hearing that in an interview with Rolly Crump a few years ago. And I recall that Bob Gurr also was also tossed unusual creative assignments when the company was in a pinch. It seems that Walt Disney was not afraid to challenge his talented resources.

WONDERFUL, wonderful shots of my favorite resort.

And yes, Rolly Crump did the ORIGINAL Tiki Room sculpts that were replicated for the Polynesian. I've heard tell that Oceanic Arts replicated them on a smaller scale for the Florida property. Something interesting is that Uti was "flipped" in translation. The original version had her right arm aloft. Poly's version has it to the left. I've got a blog post on her:

http://bit.ly/1bkT4zX :)

As for the other carvings found around the resort: Oceanic Arts did a lot of the original work. The signs, the statues, the wall hangings are all done by them in the 70s. Dunno about the Boutiki stuff- I suspect that was done in house by WDI, as the they were added in 1999-2001.

The same goes for the Volcano Pool. That's not original, the first iteration was much more organic and flowing.

http://epcotexplorer.tumblr.com/post/39262327598/polynesian-pool-artwork-from-the-1969-walt

As for changes… I could see the carpet changing, yes, but the stonework will stay, according to the art. And I would suspect that the 'black hole' of the roof/ceiling will be brightly lit to show off the new japanese floaters they'll have up there.

It'll look great. A shame to lose history, but it'll be a nice new look. I'm sad, but excited.

[ Edited by: EPCOTExplorer 2014-05-30 18:18 ]

thanks for all the pictures, Ace! I really enjoyed them. After the renovation I'd love to stay there.

AceExplorer: Mahalo for all the great photos! I'm glad someone is documenting the transition. It will be interesting to see how they blend the new features in with the old. I think you're correct in assuming that everything that's become old and tired looking will be falling by the wayside.

My pleasure, sir! I think Disney is firmly connected to what a world-class resort entails, so I expect, and look forward, to a huge across-the-board upgrade here. As stated elsewhere, there will be some downsides in the form of less access to currently open areas like the beaches and the pools, but that's fair to those paying resort guests who expect some privacy and control in a high-end resort. And with higher average occupancy due to Disney Vacation Club offerings, the resort will need to work hard to avoid congestion and maintain a peaceful and relaxed ambiance.

There really are many nice textures, patterns, and architectural features in the current incarnation of the resort. I tried to capture some of that in my photos, and I may post more images later.

One thing resort guests will have a hard time dealing with is the new and more congested look of the Seven Seas Lagoon waterfront. The bungalows over the water, especially, intrude into what was once, to me, a much more open and aesthetically pleasing vista. I went to the Grand Floridian to take pictures across the lagoon and it was amazing to note how much more busy the Polynesian waterfront will look when they are finished. There was a certain elegance in the simplicity of the old waterfront which I will miss.

New art! From a wall by Ohana. Looks like new decor for Captain Cook's, and A-Frame entrances for the DVC wings.

Dig that floater lamp, too.

All images from Twitter user @Schmoofy

[ Edited by: EPCOTExplorer 2014-06-03 17:49 ]

[ Edited by: EPCOTExplorer 2014-06-03 17:51 ]

Aaand there are a few more images on Schmoofy's page, but they aren't art. Just general construction, if you are interested. :)

Yer link to the page didn't come across... Really, yer gonna make me Google? heh...