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

Nevermind, I see you went back and fixed that post. I was reading messages in my email and not on the TC web site... Doh!

Pulling my head out of my (cocktail) glass...

Cool stuff, thanks for posting. I would expect more renderings to be going up in the lobby to give people something to look forward to. And perhaps lessen the impact of all the construction walls.

My pleasure. :) Happy to contribute.

And yeah- the walls are quite bleak. As I mentioned in the other thread, I'll be up there next weekend…. I'll get a few more pics. Maybe of some of the less hectic spots of the resort. See what's still calm and original.

More photos! More information!

MICEAGE: Big changes and construction at Walt Disney World’s Polynesian Resort

[->>King Bushwich 33rd on Hulu.com

I'll be there tomorrow night, for dinner.

Sooooo depressing. :( But some good stuff to look forward to.

The following was reported by Deb Wills' team in the current AllEars® Weekly Newsletter.

AllEars® Weekly Newsletter
Walt Disney World News and Information
June 24, 2014 Issue #770

Great Ceremonial House Lobby: Now - December 2014. The atrium is being reimagined to highlight the cultural elements of Polynesia and provide more expansive views. At certain times of day, there may be some noise and alternative paths of travel may be needed throughout the Great Ceremonial House.

Capt. Cook's is undergoing a refurbishment with a grand reopening set for summer 2014. A temporary quick service location, located in the Great Ceremonial House, offers a similar menu to Capt. Cook's, but there are no self-serve Dole Whips. The temporary location is open 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. daily (that's 22 hours a day).

The Nanea Volcano Pool is scheduled to close July 26, 2014, and will not reopen until sometime in 2015. Several enhancements are scheduled, including a new aquatic playground with children's slides, a new hot tub, and a larger deck with more guest seating. As an alternative, resort guests are being notified that they will receive free, single-day admission to Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park. Transportation will be provided to the water park, where a dedicated Polynesian guest check-in will be available, at which you can receive your complimentary tickets and towels. The Polynesian's leisure pool will remain open during the Nanea pool refurbishment.

The previously announced Trader Sam's Grog Grotto will not open until 2015. However, a new food and beverage location, Pineapple Lanai kiosk, which will offer the popular Dole Whip, will open near the feature pool area at the Polynesian later this year.

(Edited to correct the bolding of certain type.)

[ Edited by: AceExplorer 2014-06-25 06:01 ]

Sounds like they are moving some dates around. Happy that the lobby will be done soon. It's a punch in the gut to walk in there and just see a blank wall.

The volcano pool is supposed to be closing today (Monday). Here's an update from MouseSteps.com that includes a bunch of photos, including some shots of the new water feature under construction in front of the resort ...
http://www.mousesteps.com/extra-features-mainmenu-64/parkresort-updates-mainmenu-65/1373-disney-s-polynesian-resort-construction-july-26th-2014-nanea-pool-closes-on-july-28th

Here's the latest from Tikiman:
http://www.tikimanpages.com/poly/news/item/213-pool-closure

Among the highlights:

• As of July 28, the Nanea (Volcano) pool closed to be renovated. ... The expected completion is in March but many expect it will be more like sometime in April 2015 that it reopens. The area that will soon be fenced off will be from the back of the Great Ceremonial House and run to part of the beach. Access to the boat launch will still be available from the west side of the Great Ceremonial House.

• While the pool is closed, guests will have access to Blizzard Beach Water Park for the length of their stay at the Polynesian Resort. Guests are not allowed to use the Grand Floridian pool.

• The east pool had a temporary bar set up for guests.

• The side wall of what was Wyland Gallery has been removed to make way for the walk-up order window for the Pineapple Lanai that will serve Dole Whips.

• The area outside the back of the Great Ceremonial House is closed and the stream being removed. This will be the location of the new activity area called the Gathering Place, where there will be entertainment, torch lighting, hula lessons and movies at night.

• The pool will be gated and only Polynesian Resort guests will be able to gain access. There was speculation that the beach would be on the other side of the gate, but the latest details seem to indicate the beach will be accessible outside the gate. The pool deck area will have a fence around it with one side of the Barefoot Bar being outside the fence to take orders to those not in the pool area.

• Once the main pool is completed, the east pool will close to be renovated and a permanent bar and grill will go in.

A very unexpected gift from friends. I've been told these may date back to the late '70s or early '80s ...

Meanwhile, at the Polynesian, they've gussied up the construction area in the GCH:
http://www.wdwmagic.com/resorts/disneys-polynesian-resort/gallery/08aug2014-polynesian-resort-lobby-construction-walls/21549.htm

But from the photos I've seen on Tikiman's Facebook page, it appears to be getting pretty ugly out at the closed pool and the beach. The bungalows are coming along, however, and are now getting paint, windows, etc.
https://www.facebook.com/Tikimanpages/photos_stream

A small detail, but notable:

The original name will also be in the delightfully vintage font that graced the Polynesian Village in the 70s.

http://cdn.wdwmagic.com/imgstore/ElementGalleryItems/resorts/Fullsize/Disneys-Polynesian-Resort_Full_21526.jpg;width=1280

That's the temporary map they're using this summer, right?

Yep, but it's got the new name!

The Disney blogosphere is all atwitter about the re-opening of Captain Cook's. Nothing to get too excited about. Tikiman has all the latest news here:
http://www.tikimanpages.com/poly/news/item/214-captain-cooks-and-dvc-news

There was some grumbling about the menu, but my thought is that they may be waiting for the opening of Trader Sam's and the new GCH refurb is completed before rolling out any major menu upgrades.

Makes sense. Digging those new travel posters. Lovely art.

!!! The new Polynesian Village sign has arrived! Ironically, it’ll have a waterfall.

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @EPCOTExplorer

[ Edited by: EPCOTExplorer 2014-09-04 05:46 ]

[ Edited by: EPCOTExplorer 2014-09-04 05:47 ]

Nice. I was wondering what they were building in that narrow strip out in front of the main portico. Some of their land is really tough to develop. If they were to build the resort from scratch today, I'm sure it would have less "charm" than it does now and it would be laid out better in relation to the Transportation & Ticketing Center and the roads which service that part of the World. The configuration of the roads and the parking areas up front just doesn't do much to help the grandeur and first impression of this resort. The now-gone huge water feature in the center of the main lobby helped in that regard. It will be missed. I expect the new sign will be nicely lit and decorated, but its location won't lend itself well to having people hang around long to enjoy whatever it's going to look like.

Hmmm... I'm going to have to take some "after" photos to see how they align with my "before" photos from a couple months ago.

Oh, this isn't at the main portico/Monorail station. This is at the front gate, by the guard house. Don't know what's happening to the area you described... yet.

Thanks for that info. I'm not sure when I'll be down there next, and I'm curious as to what that front construction work will turn into.

I'll be back in October... and I'll hopefully see what's up. :)

Just got back from visiting there. Man, it's almost entirely walls at this point - I can't imagine how angry guests who are paying to stay there would be. I was annoyed and I was just walking through it.

Got a look at their new lake "bungalows"(i.e. the swanky huts built on stilts out over the water). They look amazing to stay in, but I've got to agree with AceExplorer - they definitely clutter up the view from the beach.

Also got to visit the Pineapple Lanai Dole Whip stand. They're offering some pretty cute plastic "tiki sippers" and "tiki bowls" for a couple bucks extra with your dole whips. Not amazing quality, but for an extra $4 each, I couldn't resist.

Some updates from Tikiman on his website:
http://www.tikimanpages.com/poly/news/item/217-october-update

He includes a blueprint for Trader Sam's and a design for a lighting fixture for the Great Ceremonial House:

More photos like the one above on his Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/Tikimanpages

Also check out my latest report on Trader Sam's and the new Polynesian Tiki mugs that are based on icons around the resort:

http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2014/10/07/trader-sams-grog-grotto-design-merchandise-revealed-during-mahaloween-event-at-disneyland/

Looks great. And that blueprint for Sam's is REALLY intriguing... are those THREE rooms that I see? Separated from the main bar?

I'm not sure about those dividers on the blueprint. It might just be for design purposes. Here's another that appears to show one big room:

And another that shows what looks like quite a bit of patio seating:

My guess is that the opening date will somehow need to be synched up with the completion of the pool, which is probably what is causing the estimates to be pushed back toward next summer.

A few over the wall shots from @AtDisneyAgain on twitter:

Looks like some rockwork was added. Note the model of the tiki off to the side.

Floats are going in!

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B4cyw5rCUAQc7A4.jpg

I couldn't get any shots behind the curtain at the work in the Great Ceremonial House lobby, but I took a variety of shots on Wednesday ...

Parking lots are being used as staging areas for construction.

A view of the pool area from the second floor of the GCH.

The volcano is apparently being downsized.

A shot of the entire resort from the beach at the Grand Floridian.

A Dole Whip at the new Pineapple Lanai helps me forget the construction just a little.

Dole Whip shirts and glasses in the Boutiki.

A Shag print and other cool Adventureland merch makes me forget a little bit more.

Enchanted Tiki Room merch by Kevin & Jody is still available.

After a few Backscratchers at the Tambu Lounge: "What construction?"

Next to Capt. Cook's, the future site of Trader Sam's Grog Grotto is totally walled off. The latest report calls for a late March opening.

Meanwhile, Disney has announced new details on the DVC villas and bungalows:
http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2014/12/new-details-announced-for-disneys-polynesian-villas-and-bungalows/

Lobby should be open thursday or friday, from what I hear.

On 2014-12-16 00:28, Hurricane Hayward wrote:

Next to Capt. Cook's, the future site of Trader Sam's Grog Grotto is totally walled off. The latest report calls for a late March opening.

Fingers crossed for no delays... would be a nice stop after the Mai Kai wedding in April before heading back home.

The DVC Central site, which is considered pretty authoritative, is reporting that the bungalows are tentatively scheduled to begin accepting guests (both cash and Disney Vacation Club) on April 1. DVC sales will likely start the second week of January.

So it appears that a late March opening of Trader Sam's would coincide with this schedule.

On 2014-12-18 00:28, Hurricane Hayward wrote:
So it appears that a late March opening of Trader Sam's would coincide with this schedule.

Oh man, I'm going to be at WDW March 30 - April 3...please please please please please please

The new lobby was unveiled today ...

Credit: WDW News Today

Photos:
http://wdwnt.com/blog/2014/12/photos-new-lobby-at-disneys-polynesian-village-resort-unveiled/

Video (walk through):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZMW7bkBcl8&feature=youtu.be

Video (dedication ceremony):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYggWeLMsBU&feature=youtu.be

While not officially finished, the lobby is now functional. It will not be considered complete until the spring, when the entire remodel of the hotel is finished.

I love the lighting. Can't wait to see it at night. The artwork is pretty cool. The water feature is underwhelming, but I guess I'll wait to see it with the Tiki on top before I pass judgement.

The lobby looks cool. Any news on when Trader Sam's Grog Grotto will be opening? Everything I have read says 2015 --but not specific dates.
We are heading to Disneyworld in the middle of March and I'm really hoping it will be open by then.

I'm hearing from TikiMan that is probably the end of March ....Two weeks after I'm in Orlando.

Damn.

A boatload of photos from Mouse Steps ...
http://www.mousesteps.com/extra-features-mainmenu-64/parkresort-updates-mainmenu-65/1493-disney-s-polynesian-village-resort-lobby-opens-with-new-look-smaller-water-feature-dvc-bungalows-to-open-april-1-2015-photos-video

Some nice stuff, but also a lot of "restrained", aka bland, hotel decor. Especially the waterfall. In the olden days that would have been a tall tropical habitat of plants and Tikis - I mean this is DISNEY! - but this little knob there in the middle of the huge space reminds me a bit of Stonehenge in "Spinal Tap" :)

Another bunch of photos from Inside the Magic:
http://www.insidethemagic.net/2014/12/walt-disney-world-unveils-new-polynesian-village-resort-lobby-look-with-more-seating-smaller-waterfall/

Sven, you're not the first person to make the Spinal Tap analogy regarding the fountain. I read somewhere that the Tiki won't be placed on top until the official completion of the DVC units around April 1 (and hopefully Trader Sam's opening).

Hopefully they'll get the measurements of that correct and we'll get a 12-foot Tiki, not a 12-inch Tiki.

My new wife and I went to Walt Disney World for the first time for our honeymoon this past September, and the underwhelming nature of a lot of hotel lobbies was something I noticed.

The absolute best hotel we saw (but sadly didn't stay at) was Wilderness Lodge, which nailed the National Parks Rustic aesthetic and had lots of interesting spaces and amenities. It actually helped inspire us to finally go to Yellowstone for our vacation next year. The second best was where we stayed, at the Port Orleans French Quarter. The theming and atmosphere was fantastic.

The Grand Floridian was gorgeous, but a bit sterile. I love Victoriana even more than Tiki, and get what they were doing, but after the initial "WOW" wore off it seemed like a rather overpriced and underwhelming hotel. The Contemporary was... what it was. I assume the main appeal is location and nostalgia.

The Polynesian we saw mid-construction, so we couldn't make a fair assessment of it at the time. Seeing this new lobby, though, doesn't surprise me one bit... Attractive, nice textures and fabrics and art on the walls, but not a lot of thematic depth. I'd expect to see something similar in any relatively nice hotel. It would still be worth visiting to go to Spirit of Aloha and Trader Sam's, but I still wouldn't be able to justify the expense of staying there when something like French Quarter is much more affordable and more successful as a themed space.

EnchantedTikiGoth, you have some good points, especially about the Grand Floridian. I too consider it somewhat sterile, at least the lobby. The grounds are well-done and the restaurants stellar. During the holidays, the lobby becomes quite a bit warmer with the addition of the massive tree and gingerbread house. Here's a shot from my trip earlier this month:

Wilderness Lodge is great, but my favorite is hands-down Animal Kingdom Lodge ...

It's also the newest of the deluxe resorts, so you have to take that into account. No matter how much they refurbish the Poly and Contemporary lobbies, they're stuck with structures that are more than 40 years old. But you can see that the intent of the new Great Ceremonial House design is to open up the space much like the two lodges.

And I've heard that you can now clearly see the castle in the Magic Kingdom from inside the GCH, which I'm sure is no accident. A large part of the premium price you pay for those deluxe resorts, besides the larger rooms and amenities, is the close proximity to the parks. I'm a fan of Port Orleans, and the price is certainly much better, but it's quite a haul from the parks.

Thanks for the gorgeous photos!

On 2014-12-26 01:14, Hurricane Hayward wrote:
EnchantedTikiGoth, you have some good points, especially about the Grand Floridian. I too consider it somewhat sterile, at least the lobby. The grounds are well-done and the restaurants stellar.

That was one of the things for us: besides the lovely Queen Anne-style architecture and Victorian beachfront resort idea, it didn't seem to have a whole lot of "there" there, especially after we had already been staying at French Quarter and seen Wilderness Lodge. We didn't try the restaurants, because slapping the words "fine dining" on something does not, in itself, make us want to eat there.

But you can see that the intent of the new Great Ceremonial House design is to open up the space much like the two lodges.

And that makes a lot of sense. If Disney's emphasis is on open, hotel-like spaces rather than thematically rich spaces, then the renovations fit in well with that. I just happen to prefer the thematically rich spaces. I think the blend works best at Wilderness Lodge, whose real-life models have lobbies like that (i.e.: Old Faithful Lodge, Many Glacier and Glacier Park Lodges) as an intrinsic part of their architectural statement, then filled with interesting smaller spaces and artifact replicas, then complimented by well-done exterior spaces. French Quarter doesn't even need much of a lobby to speak of, because of what is in keeping with the theme. That said, I'm not exactly sure what you WOULD do with the Polynesian then. I haven't been inside a whole lot of Tahitian royal assembly halls.

And I've heard that you can now clearly see the castle in the Magic Kingdom from inside the GCH, which I'm sure is no accident. A large part of the premium price you pay for those deluxe resorts, besides the larger rooms and amenities, is the close proximity to the parks. I'm a fan of Port Orleans, and the price is certainly much better, but it's quite a haul from the parks.

That makes sense too, though I honestly didn't feel it was THAT far from French Quarter to three of the four parks (the outlier being Animal Kingdom). WDW had better bus service than my city :)

Yay Disney! One of my favourite subjects :D

[ Edited by: EnchantedTikiGoth 2014-12-26 09:22 ]

Saw the new lobby on Friday.

It's not bad.

It's just not very good.

The Polynesian has lost it's organic feeling and how it emulated the tiki establishments of the 50s and 60s by bringing the outside INSIDE so as to provide for controlled escapism. It's a shame. I'll miss the resort lobby that I fell in love with and the lobby that lasted nearly 45 years.

EPCOTExplorer, let's hope the imagineers make up for the so-so design with Trader Sam's. It seems like they were going for functionality over the "wow factor" as discussed above, which is a shame.

EnchantedTikiGoth, I've heard the new DVC rooms at the Grand Floridian are a step above the rest, but of course they come at a hefty price. My favorite whimsical touch may be another new addition, the Alice in Wonderland themed water play area located off to the DVC side of the resort. We'll be eating at Narcoossee's on our next visit, but staying at French Quarter.

Yes, I agree about the theming of the Wilderness Lodge. Check out the lobby of the nearby DVC wing if you get a chance. Also, they offer free tours on Saturday mornings:
http://www.extrawdwmagic.com/?p=7483

But I digress. This is a thread about the Polynesian. So let's mourn the original lobby with this flashback photo from a trip in December 2010 ...

Check out the lobby of the nearby DVC wing if you get a chance.

I'm also a train nerd, so we definitely went over to see the Carolwood room :)

I actually think that Sam's will be the saving grace of the whole project. The original Sam's is utterly fantastic- I can only see them improving upon the original, honestly.

On 2014-12-27 09:52, EPCOTExplorer wrote:
I actually think that Sam's will be the saving grace of the whole project. The original Sam's is utterly fantastic- I can only see them improving upon the original, honestly.

I'm torn on that one because I love Trader Sam's and I'm a HUGE 20,000 Leagues/Jules Verne fan, but we're not planning on going back to WDW. It'll be awesome, but unless we win a contest of the lottery, my chances of seeing it for myself are slim. I'm going to have to sweet talk my friends who go down there more regularly to pick up at least the Nautilus mug for me.

I hope we see the effort in Trader Sam's. I'm going in November of this year so I'm also hoping it open by then. In the meantime, I think its time to put together a collage of all my old lobby family pictures!

Trader Sam's should be open by March/April. :)

New concept art and details released today on Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows, including the name for what's likely to be the most-sought after DVC units ... Bora Bora Bungalows.

Current DVC members can buy into the bungalows and "deluxe studios" beginning Jan. 12. General sales will begin Feb. 9. The first phase is scheduled to open April 1.

Each of the 20 bungalows will sleep eight and feature two bedrooms, two full bathrooms, a kitchen, washer and dryer, and large dining and living room spaces. Private decks will include a plunge pool and plenty of room to watch the Electrical Water Pageant and Magic Kingdom fireworks, complete with the soundtrack pumped through an individual sound system.

Also released, concept art of the new Lava Pool ...

http://wdwnt.com/blog/2015/01/new-concept-art-and-details-on-disneys-polynesian-village-resort-dvc-sale-date-announced/

http://www.wdwmagic.com/resorts/the-villas-at-disneys-polynesian-resort/news/07jan2015-disney-vacation-club-bora-bora-bungalows-and-deluxe-studios-at-disney%27s-polynesian-village-resort-begins-sales-next-week.htm

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-disney-polynesian-timeshare-20150107-story.html