Tiki Central / Locating Tiki
Disney's Polynesian Resort, Orlando, FL (hotel)
|
E
EPCOTExplorer
Posted
posted
on
Thu, Jan 8, 2015 10:05 AM
The interior of the bungalows are more mid-century than tiki, in some ways. It's a lovely choice, regardless. |
|
HH
Hurricane Hayward
Posted
posted
on
Fri, Jan 9, 2015 12:41 AM
A new resort map has been released ...
|
|
E
EPCOTExplorer
Posted
posted
on
Fri, Jan 9, 2015 8:25 AM
Kinda digging the red on the roofs, despite it being much brighter than how the roofs look in person. They match the couches in the GCH, meanwhile. |
|
HH
Hurricane Hayward
Posted
posted
on
Fri, Jan 9, 2015 9:51 PM
Fans of the original Polynesian Village Resort, circa 1971, may want to make plans to be at The Hukilau in June 2015. More info to come soon. |
|
HH
Hurricane Hayward
Posted
posted
on
Sat, Jan 10, 2015 10:23 PM
According to "preliminary unconfirmed pricing information," expect to pay between $2,100 and $2,900 per night, depending on season, for one of the bungalows. |
|
E
EPCOTExplorer
Posted
posted
on
Mon, Jan 12, 2015 9:30 AM
raises eyebrows I'm thinking original sign on display..... ........or something more....? |
|
M
mikehooker
Posted
posted
on
Mon, Jan 12, 2015 10:51 AM
raises eyebrows Well, I guess we'll be staying elsewhere when we visit Sam's. |
|
HH
Hurricane Hayward
Posted
posted
on
Wed, Jan 14, 2015 12:37 AM
This is one of the six symposiums just announced for The Hukilau 2015 in June ... “Kevin Kidney & Jody Daily present: Prefeb Paradise.” The artists known for their retro-themed creations and collaborations with Disney take guests back to the 1970s for a virtual vacation at the resort once touted by Disney marketing as a “prefab paradise,” Walt Disney World’s original Polynesian Village.
Symposium tickets are $25. More info on the event here: Official site: http://www.thehukilau.com |
|
F
finky099
Posted
posted
on
Wed, Jan 14, 2015 11:28 AM
Cool! Wishing I could make the Hukilau this year EVEN MORE now. Maybe they'll find their way back to TO in August? :) :drink: |
|
HH
Hurricane Hayward
Posted
posted
on
Mon, Feb 23, 2015 6:23 PM
The latest update from Tikiman on Facebook: "From some information I got there is some indication that the pool will be ready by the end of March or beginning of April. I can't discuss the details of the info and I would not say they will finish the pool area by April but I will say that is the plan. If everything goes well and weather cooperates, you may see the pool area and Trader Sam's open by April 1." "I can't stress enough that there are always possibilities of it opening later but for now I believe they are shooting for April 1 and can accomplish that goal." |
|
M
mikehooker
Posted
posted
on
Mon, Feb 23, 2015 9:08 PM
I really hope there are no delays. The plan after our wedding at the Mai Kai on April 18 is to spend a couple days at the parks and stay at Cabana Bay but we haven't booked our rooms yet because the whole trip depends on whether or not Sam's will be open. |
|
K
kkocka
Posted
posted
on
Tue, Feb 24, 2015 10:05 AM
Mike, I would be sorely surprised if Grog Grotto wasn't open by then. I'd say you're safe. |
|
HH
Hurricane Hayward
Posted
posted
on
Sun, Mar 8, 2015 9:41 PM
Here's a full recap of all the latest news on construction, along with a bunch of photos of the new Great Ceremonial House and Trader Sam's construction ...
Disney World rushes to finish Polynesian Village Resort renovations, Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto Though an official announcement has not yet been made, fans of Disney World’s Polynesian Village Resort are salivating at the prospects of the long-awaited Tiki bar Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto opening as early as the end of March. |
|
HH
Hurricane Hayward
Posted
posted
on
Sun, Mar 22, 2015 12:13 AM
New merchandise announced on the Disney Parks Blog ... Looking forward to the mugs, pins, and of course the Trader Sam's aloha shirt. |
|
HH
Hurricane Hayward
Posted
posted
on
Mon, Mar 23, 2015 10:11 AM
The Poly Tiki just went up today ... |
|
K
kkocka
Posted
posted
on
Mon, Mar 23, 2015 11:40 AM
Today is an official open house for cast members to tour the entire resort (renovations + Trader Sam's Grog Grotto). |
|
HH
Hurricane Hayward
Posted
posted
on
Tue, Mar 24, 2015 12:33 AM
Lots more photos (and video) of the Poly Tiki here: Plus a ton more photos of the bungalows: |
|
E
EPCOTExplorer
Posted
posted
on
Tue, Mar 24, 2015 6:53 AM
Tiki Shrug looks good. I really like him. It's a shame that the falls are gone, though. THAT was the optimal thematic centerpiece for the resort. WDW lost a lot of charm when they removed that bit of history. |
|
HH
Hurricane Hayward
Posted
posted
on
Sun, Mar 29, 2015 12:59 AM
Interesting back story on the Poly Tiki, aka Tiki Shrug. Perhaps we should be calling him Maui. This is courtesy of Steve "Tikiman" Seifert (http://www.tikimanpages.com) From a 1972 Disney document: “The folklore of Polynesia contains no more colorful adventures than those of Maui. His exploits are told and retold across the island world, from Hawaii to Bora Bora to New Zealand. Maui, born of the gods, lived among the people of the South Seas. His pranks and tricks provided the islanders with a constant source of new tales. How he discovered the secret of making fire, and taught it to his people, and happiest tale of all, how Maui achieved his greatest feat, capturing the Sun! Legends say Maui snared the Sun with a specially woven net, refusing to release it until he secured a promise that the Sun would pursue his course across the sky more slowly. This of course meant more daylight for all. For all who live in Polynesia. So now you know why people of every Polynesian Village remember “The mischievous one” the playful god of the people….Maui” According to Seifert: In Hawaii, a Maui Tiki typically holds the sun over his head, so that may explain the sun around the head of the Poly Tiki. It also explains something that was not described in the Disney story. The signs around the resort have four Tikis around them. The legend of Maui was that Maui was actually four brothers who each had the name of Maui. The youngest of the four brothers was the prankster. The youngest was also the one who discovered fire and pulled up the islands and harnessed the sun. Maui was a demi-god of all of Polynesia and not just a Hawaiian legend. The story of Maui can be different across the islands of Polynesia because of the distance between them all. Not only was Maui a legend but a real human and an ancestor of the first King of Hawaii, Kamehameha. There are many interesting stories of Maui and his supernatural powers as well as the real person that this was based on. For us it puts a name to the face that will greet us as we walk into the Great Ceremonial House. |
|
K
kkocka
Posted
posted
on
Sun, Mar 29, 2015 1:52 PM
|
|
KK
Ken Kanaka
Posted
posted
on
Mon, Mar 30, 2015 12:08 PM
Jim -- thanks for posting this. I was chatting last week on Twitter with Steven Miller of Disney's merchandise development group about the possible origins of the Polynesian's logo mascot. I thought he looked like the Oceanic Arts New Guinea shield that hangs outside the Kona restaurant and he countered that it reminded him of Disneyland's Maui from the Enchanted Tiki Room garden. That sparked a memory so I went back through my files and found the 1972 card, which I had mistaken for one of those slips of paper that you often get when you buy a tiki statue. Thanks to him, I was able to put two and two together and finally determine that it was a card handed out to guests and the mystery of Maui's identity was finally solved. How in the heck everyone at Disney managed to forget his name, we may never know. Get the latest information about tiki events, products, and music at Tiki Talk: the enchanted tiki blog [ Edited by: Ken Kanaka 2015-03-30 12:09 ] |
|
E
EPCOTExplorer
Posted
posted
on
Mon, Mar 30, 2015 3:35 PM
GoAwayGreen, that you? :) It'll be interesting to see if Disney starts to use his real name in merch. They're using this little fellow quite heavily, now. It'd be nice to see 'Maui' pop up on some merch or official descriptions. |
|
K
kenbo-jitsu
Posted
posted
on
Mon, Mar 30, 2015 4:29 PM
Okay. If you say so.
|
|
E
EPCOTExplorer
Posted
posted
on
Mon, Mar 30, 2015 7:05 PM
^^^ Speaking of the old sign, didn't they say it would pop up again once the refurb was complete? |
|
KK
Ken Kanaka
Posted
posted
on
Tue, Mar 31, 2015 10:35 AM
kenbo-jitsu, that's exactly the New Guinea bowman's shield that I thought was the inspiration. It was the discovery of the card that was handed out to guests that kkocka posted the photo of that sealed the deal. It's possible both were used as the inspiration. Enjoy music from The Crazed Mugs, including "Find Forbidden Island," the latest release. [ Edited by: Ken Kanaka 2015-03-31 10:36 ] |
|
M
MaukaHale
Posted
posted
on
Tue, Mar 31, 2015 12:20 PM
Then should this be called a "Maui Bowl"?
|
|
E
EPCOTExplorer
Posted
posted
on
Wed, Apr 1, 2015 5:30 AM
MERCH!!!!
Those mugs... spectacular. |
|
T
Thortiki
Posted
posted
on
Wed, Apr 1, 2015 9:30 AM
Are these mugs available NOW/or will be and only with specific drinks etc. ? Thanks! |
|
L
LoungeShark
Posted
posted
on
Wed, Apr 1, 2015 10:30 AM
And what's the details on the mugs? I just read today that the pearl mug at the Grotto is plastic? So any info people have on pricing, quality, etc. would be appreciated (especially if you were to include pictures). And if you don't mind and it's not obvious from any pictures, etc. - let us know which ones actually say Trader Sam on them and if the Grotto version is the exact same kind as the West Coast version or not. Dang, I'm needy with all these questions...but there's a reason. I probably won't make it to Grog anytime soon BUT I have a co-worker going there potentially in the next week and I'd like to know what I should have them get me and how much it might cost. So any assists with all this will get you tons of mana. Mahaloz! |
|
F
finky099
Posted
posted
on
Wed, Apr 1, 2015 12:29 PM
The mugs in EpcotExplorer's post are not Grog Grotto specific. They are for the Poly. I don't think they are serving drinks in them at Sam's either, right? |
|
E
EPCOTExplorer
Posted
posted
on
Wed, Apr 1, 2015 1:34 PM
That's correct. Not yet, anyway. The mugs in my pic haven't been released yet. As for the quality- only one- the pearl- is plastic. The rest are tiki farm quality and made of a great glazed ceramic. |
|
HH
Hurricane Hayward
Posted
posted
on
Mon, Apr 6, 2015 11:21 AM
Last week, I had the opportunity to tour Disney's Polynesian Villas & Bungalows prior to the grand opening. Coming soon: I'm working on several stories and photo galleries from the media event, plus my first taste of Trader Sam's Grog Grotto. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward) ... FYI, it seems like they're no longer using that old Maui story in reference to the logo Tiki. I asked the GM about it, and he referred me to the PR folks, who got back to me later and said there's no official story. Perhaps they're working on a new back story. When I toured the bungalows, we were told that there may be a plan to offer lamps featuring the Tiki (see below) to the general public. We were able to interview Kyle Barnes, the Imagineer who oversaw the entire Polynesian refurbishment. Someone asked about the logo Tiki, and he said: "He's the mascot. Right now he's called the Polynesian Tiki. We'll see if he gets a name. We want the most befitting name possible." So I asked if he's a Maui Tiki, and he said: "He is, but he's very abstracted." So perhaps there's a plan to name him and give him a new story, it just hasn't been done yet. Note: There's a separate, ongoing thread on Trader Sam's here: |
|
HH
Hurricane Hayward
Posted
posted
on
Thu, Apr 9, 2015 10:10 PM
Here's my story, plus a couple links to the photo gallery:
|
|
D
djmont
Posted
posted
on
Mon, Nov 9, 2015 4:19 PM
Just got back from a week at the Poly. A most pleasant trip. There's still some construction going on, but I suspect it will be done before too much longer. |
|
HH
Hurricane Hayward
Posted
posted
on
Thu, Dec 24, 2015 12:28 AM
The latest updates on The Atomic Grog ... Torch lighting returns to Polynesian Village Resort, construction continues There have been many milestones in the massive renovation of Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort over the past two years: the unveiling of the new lobby at the Great Ceremonial House, the opening of Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto, and the launch of the Bora Bora Bungalows and new Disney Vacation Club timeshare units. But perhaps the most symbolic moment occurred in November with the return of the resort’s ceremonial torch-lighting ceremony.
Disney is continuing work on revamping the resort’s second pool to serve the DVC guests. The Oasis Pool is not expected to open until spring 2016. One of the A-framed buildings under construction will be a bar and grill, according to Polynesian Resort expert Steve “Tikiman” Seifert. This will bring the number of bars at the Polynesian to four, joining Trader Sam’s, the main pool’s Barefoot Bar, and the resort’s original watering hole, Tambu Lounge. Early birds note that the Tambu is now open and serving its full drink menu at 9 a.m. Seifert posted on his site that this appears to be a test, but it may become permanent. Food won’t be served there until 5 p.m., and closing time remains midnight. Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto and the outdoor Tiki Terrace continue to open at 4, but new closing hours have been in effect since November: 1 a.m. on Sundays-Thursdays and 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Seifert reports on his Polynesian Resort website that maintenance work is also ongoing on the exterior of the longhouses, many of which date back to 1971. They all received an extensive interior refurbishment prior to the resort’s overhaul. More from Tikiman: |
|
H
Hamo
Posted
posted
on
Mon, Mar 19, 2018 9:14 PM
Since the start of the year, the RetroWDW Podcast has released several interesting episodes detailing the planning, building, and early days of the Polynesian Village Resort, and also spoke to a few previous Cast Members. Episode 36: Polynesian Dreams – Part I |
|
T
TabooDan
Posted
posted
on
Mon, Feb 4, 2019 9:19 AM
I saw this on YouTube and thought some of you might be interested. It's a 15 minute video or so of the history of the Polynesian Village. Some nice shots. Mahalo, TabooDan [ Edited by: TabooDan 2019-02-04 09:32 ] |
|
H
Hamo
Posted
posted
on
Tue, Jan 21, 2020 10:48 PM
Aunty Kau’I, a fixture at Disney’s Polynesian resort, has died |
. 
