Island Tower at Polynesian Villas & Bungalows

[mkatsy]

This makes sense for the change in the artist rendering. I wonder if they were originally planning for the full service be on the second floor and QS on the main floor? Guessing we will never know.

Not sure if Disney still allows this, but in 2022 we could order takeout from Kona Cafe via the mobile app. If they allow this at this new tower restaurant, it will help.

Any licenses for anything in the portal windows? If they were to serve liquor in any of them, wouldn't Disney likely have filled at the same time?

I’ve never seen a separate license for any “club level” anything anywhere. I wonder if falls under the catering license for the wedding and events

 

[Jwaire]

I am sticking with what I have said all along - those are purely ornamental viewing areas, something to add wow factor to the design.

Everyone wants new sit down restaurants, bars, lounges, etc. However, you have to keep in mind their most expensive costs are always labor.

You should be hoping for the basics. Like a quick service restaurant that's open more than 10 hours per day and a dedicated check in/bell services.

This is going to be treated just like Bay Lake Tower and if you've been here long enough, you remember what a mess that was when it opened. No front desk and no bell services. No place to refill your mug either.

Let's hope they learned their lesson.

 

[Mikey15]

268 keys at an average occupancy of 5 (and I think that’s being generous: duo studios exist, and not every 2bd will actually have 9 guests staying) is adding ~1,340 guests to the resort on any given night.

As one of the people who has never stayed at Poly but has dined at Ohana and Kona a lot, something tells me a big chunk of dining demand at the resort is thousands of Haole like me. As long as the tower has a new quick service and something like Bar Riva at Riv that doesn’t attract ADRs, I think they’ll be good.

Poly’s current problem is ADRs filled up by us not staying there, increasing demand at Captain Cook’s. But the beauty of the monorail loop is there are a lot of other options nearby.

 

[Roughians_satchel]

People can say until they are blue in the face “it’s a done deal” and my retort is : it’s a very straightforward document. I’ll offer to fill it out, drive over to celebration so they can notarize it, and I’ll send it to the DBPR myself. What’s the hold up? If it were a done deal, it’d be done …. and another day goes by … and it’s not.

This is for them to sell points - but maybe they don't care about selling points this year? Can it "open" in December just on cash bookings with nothing declared DVC?

 

[hockeydad21]

I am sticking with what I have said all along - those are purely ornamental viewing areas, something to add wow factor to the design.

I hope you are correct, but that’s a lot of money for Disney to leave on the table, which is why I have a hard time believing they’ll be no charge viewing areas. The bigger “viewing areas” can essentially fit 4 studios in them. That’s well over a million dollars in yearly revenue if we’re talking cash bookings. There’s 3 of these large viewing areas, and then a few smaller ones. It just seems odd for Disney to leave easy money on the table

 

[DVCsloth]

“T

But, RIV is less desirable….

Primarily because of resale restrictions IMO. Personally, the only way I would possibly prefer the tower over Riviera is if it was a separate association.

 

[Genie+]

I hope you are correct, but that’s a lot of money for Disney to leave on the table, which is why I have a hard time believing they’ll be no charge viewing areas. The bigger “viewing areas” can essentially fit 4 studios in them. That’s well over a million dollars in yearly revenue if we’re talking cash bookings. There’s 3 of these large viewing areas, and then a few smaller ones. It just seems odd for Disney to leave easy money on the table

Cash room is a nice way to look at it.

DH and I were talking about these and did a quick ballpark napkin math.

*None of these details are correct* - Just an idea of how quickly the money could add up:

4 boxes that each fit 4 studios x avg 20pts/nt x 365 days/yr x $200pp direct with good incentives

16 x 20 x 365 x 200 = over $20 million. That’s alot of money for DVD to give up in contract sales, but otoh in the big picture just a fraction of the $100s of millions Poly Tower will sell out. Still, to leave money on the table for something that won’t generate revenue in any way? I’m very curious what these are!

 

[AstroBlasters]

Primarily because of resale restrictions IMO. Personally, the only way I would possibly prefer the tower over Riviera is if it was a separate association.

The only way? You prefer the lobby in the Riviera to the renderings of Poly Tower? You’d rather be close to Caribbean Beach than The Grand Floridian? You wouldn’t want a room or restaurant with a perfectly framed view of the castle, fireworks, the monorail, boats, and the contemporary? Does Riviera have boats that go to a theme park? If the weather gets bad, you’d rather try to get back to Riviera than Poly?

 

[DVCsloth]

The only way? You prefer the lobby in the Riviera to the renderings of Poly Tower? You’d rather be close to Caribbean Beach than The Grand Floridian? You wouldn’t want a room or restaurant with a perfectly framed view of the castle, fireworks, the monorail, boats, and the contemporary? Does Riviera have boats that go to a theme park? If the weather gets bad, you’d rather try to get back to Riviera than Poly?

The main reason I will not buy into the tower is because I don't want to compete with however many millions of points are going to have access at 11 months. I actually much prefer the Skyliner to the monorail, don't really spend much time watching the firework shows although I've seen some pretty great views of them from my room at Riviera. We spend more time at Epcot now that the family is older. I think the new tower looks spectacular but, like I said no way if it's the same association. I'm not putting the Polynesian down, it's obviously a very special resort, but I'll pass on this for sure.

 

[Mai Ku Tiki]

It was dead last September. We could just walk in and sit down most days except during the dinner rush (5-7). Less people than Captain Cook's, so it just depends on the time of year.

Underrated restaurant in my opinion. I would love another option at the tower though, but quick service should be first. Captain Cook's is so small.

Bring back 24/7 quick service while they're at it.

If it's true that Tangaroa Terrace at PVB is being renovated, it's a perfect venue for a new dining option. That is what it was years (decades ) ago... Closed in '96.

 

[AwfulWaffle]

Primarily because of resale restrictions IMO. Personally, the only way I would possibly prefer the tower over Riviera is if it was a separate association.

then it would have restrictions too so there's that...

 

[AstroBlasters]

then it would have restrictions too so there's that...

I think RIV fans have convinced themselves that restrictions are a good thing… like Stockholm Syndrome… we’ll call it Riviera Syndrome….

I kid…. I kid…. I wish VGC was a restricted resort so I could use my points there within 7m….

 

[Crescent_Lake]

This is for them to sell points - but maybe they don't care about selling points this year? Can it "open" in December just on cash bookings with nothing declared DVC?

Interesting question and personally I think the answer is yes. I'm mildly toying with the idea of buying in but I am 100% planning to book a cash reservation the day bookings open. I know others who are thinking the same way.

 

[DVCsloth]

I think RIV fans have convinced themselves that restrictions are a good thing… like Stockholm Syndrome… we’ll call it Riviera Syndrome….

I kid…. I kid…. I wish VGC was a restricted resort so I could use my points there within 7m….

Sorry not following the VGC scenario. I never liked the idea of restrictions. We bought Riviera in spite of the restrictions. Love the resort and the access to Epcot and HS. We like to alternate between BCV and Riviera, so I book at 11 months and check at 7 months at BCV. We stay in 1br's so we usually can modify when we want to.

 

[dvc lover 1970]

Resale restrictions kept us away from RIV - although we might look to pick up small contract on resale for the right price. Agree RIV is beautiful - but restrictions are awful. Our family also prefers epcot to MK, but in terms of resorts, GF is the best resort in my opinion.

 

[maui22]

Everyone wants new sit down restaurants, bars, lounges, etc. However, you have to keep in mind their most expensive costs are always labor.

You should be hoping for the basics. Like a quick service restaurant that's open more than 10 hours per day and a dedicated check in/bell services.

This is going to be treated just like Bay Lake Tower and if you've been here long enough, you remember what a mess that was when it opened. No front desk and no bell services. No place to refill your mug either.

Let's hope they learned their lesson.

Agree.

BLT at least had a refillable mug station at the pool bar from the start. None of the tower rendering seem to have anything like this at the tower pool. If there isn’t anything like this on the first floor of the tower, it means guests will have to go to Capt Cooks. At least the Poly quiet pool had a refillable station (very convenient for Tokelau, not far for Moorea or Pago Pago).

We stayed at BLT summer of 2022. The pool being so small resulted in the water being 100+ degrees. Family decided Contemporary pool was better because they could at least cool off from Florida summer heat. BLT pool didn’t used to be this way, but seems to have been less maintained around 10 years after opening.

I fear the Poly tower pool will have the same problem because it is so small. Not sure it will have enough protection (buildings/trees) from the sun that the Poly quiet pool has.

 

[maui22]

If it's true that Tangaroa Terrace at PVB is being renovated, it's a perfect venue for a new dining option. That is what it was years (decades ) ago... Closed in '96.

We went to Tangaroa Terrace for breakfast every morning when we stayed there in the 80s. We were in the longhouse now called DVC Moorea. It was by far more convenient than the GCH from that side.

One downside to that location is no views so it needs to be themed well. Personally, I think they should convert it to a larger Trader Sam’s. Inside would be themed so people don’t care. Add an outside area with live music. Trader Sam’s is popular enough for the larger space. Moving it would also move many from the GCH lobby and Capt Cooks to Tangaroa Terrace. Giving GCH a break. Tangaroa Terrace is also closer to TTC for people to walk over.

 

[mkatsy]

This is for them to sell points - but maybe they don't care about selling points this year? Can it "open" in December just on cash bookings with nothing declared DVC?

Oh yes, absolutely it can. It is built on hotel land and can function as a hotel in perpetuity. It only becomes a timeshare when they declare it as such.

 

[Frugal Fairy Tales]

The main reason I will not buy into the tower is because I don't want to compete with however many millions of points are going to have access at 11 months. I actually much prefer the Skyliner to the monorail, don't really spend much time watching the firework shows although I've seen some pretty great views of them from my room at Riviera. We spend more time at Epcot now that the family is older. I think the new tower looks spectacular but, like I said no way if it's the same association. I'm not putting the Polynesian down, it's obviously a very special resort, but I'll pass on this for sure.

Isn’t it better to compete at 11 months instead of 7 months?

 

[Genie+]

Yeah the weird thing with Poly Tower same association is in some way it rewards resale and penalizes previous direct.

Somebody can buy loaded $50 resale (100pts VB), trade into the swanky new tower for a few years, strip the future years, only pay 2 years of high dues, then sell. It’s not likely VB dips to $25pp within 3 years. Use 4 or 5 years of points, pay 2 or 3 years worth of dues, get half your buy-in back. Cheap contracts have small broker commissions. Flipping $150pp contracts much more painful there.

Direct RIV, AUL, and VGF buyers likely considered direct as an advantage for booking new builds - less trading competition. They are not all restricted resorts but buying them direct meant booking new restricted resorts. The reality is so far it has made little difference, and Poly Tower will be just as hard for them to book at 7 months than any resale trading in. For RIV, the have the albatross of being a single resort resale and the less new builds that join them in that, the more albatrossy their albatross gets.