Do the GF Villas ruin the Poly > GF walk view now?

[Seabean]

When we've stayed at either the Poly or GF, one of the great things was the walk between the two resorts, especially the views. Will the new GF Villas ruin this?

Now I realize the GF Villas are still under construction and obviously look bad right now, but even when they're done, it feels as if the great view of the GF main building while walking from the Poly... as seen in this pic from Spring 2011 below... is now a thing of the past.

This is over, right?

 

[akl-fan]

I think it will look a little overcrowded but I don't think it will look unpleasant - just different. Still a gorgeous place to vacation.

 

[Seabean]

Yes, it's just sad to me that this great walk and view will be mostly gone.

Here's some pics of the Villas under construction, and you can see it obliterates the pathway on the GF side of the chapel:

http://newgfvandbwvdtdwork.shutterfly.com/pictures/9#22


(I'm trying to find aerial views of the path before construction - for comparison sake)

 

[BCV23]

I agree with akl-fan. The walk will still be beautiful just different.

We used to vacation at the Polynesian every year and I remember being sad when construction of the GF began. Ruined that peaceful view of the lagoon I thought. In time, I came to love the GF, its restaurants and the lovely walk. Change is part of WDW.

 

[huntconn]

I agree. No matter how much the DVC folks love these new places, I think they take away aesthetically from the SSL/BL areas. The "space" between the resorts keeps being reduced until it will all be one big ring of resorts all the way around the lagoon. If they eventually add a Poly DVC building (which Im sure they will do it's just a matter of "where") over by the luau area, there will be little space between the GF and Poly.

 

[DVC4FUN]

While being a DVC member I am excited to have a DVC in GF I also was a bit dissapointed to see they were taking out that area. Wish they could have put the DVC building on the other side of the resort closer to MK. But then it would be a bit far from the main theme pool. I haven't seen it in person yet so I can't see from that perspective but the new building also looks very close almost on top of the pool in the pictures. I am really looking forward to it and being able to stay there (using my SSR points ) though.

"They paved paradise to put up a...... DVC resort"

 

[Seabean]

one big ring of resorts all the way around the lagoon

LOL, it'll be like a HUGE version of crescent lake (BWI/BC/YC)


But there's a good point... maybe it would have been better if it were built on the other side of the GF (with another new pool) as well as the inevitable Poly DVC on the opposite side to preserve that walkway. Oh well.

 

[sndral]

I'm guessing they put the new ediface where they did because they already had grading/environmental wetland permission type stuff done for that area (the Wedding pavilion is right there) whereas the far side is still pretty pristine isn't it?
In regards to the lack of a new pool and distance from the original resort - w/ AKL and BLT they added new pools and AKL Kidani is quite a distance away from Jambo so it's a bit disappointing that they'll be cramming more guests into the existing pools, CS restaurant and onto the monorail @ GF, IMO.
My first stay @ AKL was before Kidani was built, and in my subsequent stays @ AKL I didn't notice any impact on the CS restaurant, Mara, I did feel that the bus situation is definately worse for those staying in Jambo now, v. before there was a Kidani.
I'm glad I was able to stay @ GF before the DVC units opened there so I have a sense of 'what it once was.'

 

[spiceycat]

But there's a good point... maybe it would have been better if it were built on the other side of the GF (with another new pool) as well as the inevitable Poly DVC on the opposite side to preserve that walkway. Oh well.

okay could be wrong - but though that part was GF already fill in to the lake and monorail.

kept in mind Disney wants to sell these things - besides compared to where BLT is - the new DVC GF resort is not in a great place (my opinion)

it won't have the views of the MK that the GF has. Where BLT has better views of the MK than CR (my opinion)

now if you are talking behind the monorail - on the other side - that is where the creek is located. until they quit doing the EWP each night - that creek is definitely staying.

 

[Sammie]

It looks so much better than what the Swan and Dolphin did that area.

 

[Seabean]

I'm glad I was able to stay @ GF before the DVC units opened there so I have a sense of 'what it once was.'

This is how I'm starting to feel. (and good point about how crowded the pools are going to become because they didn't build any new one to handle the new crowd)

Anyone else have any links to any other good pics of this area pre-construction?

 

[Seabean]

Here's an aerial view of the path before construction with the path highlited in green (this is from a website showing running paths at WDW)

 

[BCV23]

It looks so much better than what the Swan and Dolphin did that area.

So agree, Sammie.

Seabean, I felt the way you do when the GF was built. Before that, the view from the Polynesian was just lovely. Ditto when the wedding chapel was built. It really ruined the walk for me for a bit. By the time the feature pool at the GF was added I was more used to change.

 

[DVC4FUN]

I don't know about the pools becoming over crowded once VGF are completed. Though I haven't stayed at GF myself I have walked around the place several times and everytime I've been the feature pool had hardly anyone in it and a couple times noone. I saw more people in the other large pool than the feature pool next to which dvc is building. So idk have others seen the feature pool already crowded? I know obviously once VGF are completed there will be more people at that feature pool especially since it will be right next to it. But I am not sure it will be adding huge crowds.

 

[Seabean]

everytime I've been the feature pool had hardly anyone in it and a couple times noone. I saw more people in the other large pool than the feature pool next to which dvc is building.

That's been our experience too.. the feature pool always has the smaller crowd compared to the courtyard pool.

Is it possible the zero-entrance feature pool will eventually be walled off and become the GF villas pool?

And the courtyard pool will be for the GF hotel guests?

Are CR Bay lake tower and CR Hotel guests allowed to use each others pools?


And could this be why the GF courtyard pool is getting a zero-entrance recontruction?

 

[Sammie]

everytime I've been the feature pool had hardly anyone in it and a couple times noone. I saw more people in the other large pool than the feature pool next to which dvc is building.

That's been our experience too.. the feature pool always has the smaller crowd compared to the courtyard pool.

Is it possible the zero-entrance feature pool will eventually be walled off and become the GF villas pool?

And the courtyard pool will be for the GF hotel guests?

Are CR Bay lake tower and CR Hotel guests allowed to use each others pools?


And could this be why the GF courtyard pool is getting a zero-entrance recontruction?

Guests staying at the CR do not have access to the BLT pool. It is very small.

I feel sure that both pools at the GF will be available to both DVC and nonDVC guests.

I guess it always possible though.

 

[Seabean]

I wanted to resurrect this year-and-half old thread to answer this question:

Do the GF Villas ruin the Poly > GF walk view now?

And the answer is definitely YES.

I'm not all that bothered since in the time that has passed, the BWI has become our favorite place to stay, but we finally got to eat at Ohana's (O-hurry-ya's) and do the walk between the Poly and the GF for the first time in a few years.

Looking at the 2011 picture at the start of this thread ... Yea... the GF DVC totally obliterates the view. It's HUGE.

After you walk past the Chapel, and begin to go past the DVC building you get to see the back-side service area stuff. Great. As you continue to walk past the building you really start to notice how HUGE it is. It's actually BIGGER than the main GF building! Whoever commissioned this thing obviously had dollar signs in their eyes.

One saving grace... as you walk on the path behind this DVC building... the speakers on the light poles are playing music. What kind? The exact same kind of old-school jazz music you hear on the Boardwalk