Island Tower at Polynesian Villas & Bungalows

[NY Pirate Princess]

I just don't see Disney giving up valuable real estate for fireworks viewing areas. Are we totally convinced these are not construction material related openings that will be closed in last for room construction?

 

[Tatebeck]

Since they are still there on the latest renderings, I don't think they will be closed off to become rooms.

 

[Kailunkat]

Really feel like the portals are fireworks viewing areas. Upper floor is windows along hallway.

Do you mean the circled area would let out onto a viewing platform? Because if they did THAT I could actually excuse the horrible flat roofs instead of the longhouse style. That would actually be awesome.

@DonkeyHoTay thank you for posting the photos!

 

[Cabius]

I've updated my expectations: I think they'll include a bunch more information about the PIT in the D23 keynote so they can pad that out. It's close enough, what's a few more weeks? Yes, your marketing launch gets a little bit lost in the crowd of new announcements, but you're also building a large and eager audience, and you can sort of attach the excitement of the whole panel to launch -- you want to own a piece of the magic for all the new stuff we're building!

 

[QueenofPrideRock]

My favorite view, second only perhaps to the infamous dumpster view at the Swolphin. (Dolphin? Swan? Can't remember which, specifically!)

 

[NY Pirate Princess]

Since they are still there on the latest renderings, I don't think they will be closed off to become rooms.

I looked at the pool renderings which prominently feature the portals. I stand corrected.

With the huge light fixtures and greenery features, I am guessing these are pineapple growing rooms.

Someday we will know.

 

[zavandor]

My favorite view, second only perhaps to the infamous dumpster view at the Swolphin. (Dolphin? Swan? Can't remember which, specifically!)

BRV has an infamous dumpster view too.

 

[supercarrie]

I've updated my expectations: I think they'll include a bunch more information about the PIT in the D23 keynote so they can pad that out. It's close enough, what's a few more weeks? Yes, your marketing launch gets a little bit lost in the crowd of new announcements, but you're also building a large and eager audience, and you can sort of attach the excitement of the whole panel to launch -- you want to own a piece of the magic for all the new stuff we're building!

DVC also typically has a kiosk there, and I wouldn't be surprised to see some concept art for it at the booth. They are definitely pushing the Cabins hard now, though!

 

[Electron_si]

BRV has an infamous dumpster view too.

We stayed on the cash side and I seem to recall a dumpster view as well but it was also a fireworks view from MK as well so we didn’t complain.

 

[accm]

Blog Mickey has some updated photos of the Island Tower at Polynesian Village and Bungalows.
https://blogmickey.com/2024/07/new-...wer-dvc-at-disneys-polynesian-village-resort/

Any thoughts on the trellis and what they are putting up?

to me that trellis looks more like framing than an actual trellis. It's also on both sides of the wall, and from a safety point of view, I can't see them having what's essentially a ladder inside of a balcony.

It looks to me like it's shallower at the bottom, and then fans out at the top, so I'm guessing it gets covered in some sort of architectural finish

 

[bookbabe626]

I haven’t read the whole thread, so maybe someone has already mentioned this, if so, apologies.

When you drive by in the later evening, they seem to have lights on in most villas and you can get a pretty good look at the progress. We drove by a couple nights ago, and you could see that they’ve installed most of the kitchens at least on the floors I could see into. Sadly, we were in a really speedy Lyft, so I couldn’t get him to pull over so I could get a better look or take pics.

Neat to see the progress though. I’d love to see pics if anyone happens to be in the neighborhood after park close and can stop to take pictures.

 

[maui22]

Interesting to see Kidani construction January 5, 2009....less than 5 months before opening (May 1, 2009).
https://www.mousesteps.com/2009/01/05/cr78/

When Kidani opened, the entire resort did not open. They spent several more months finishing the resort. You can see some very unfinished areas in the photos for the article back then.

In the case of Island Tower, it appears they are attempting to complete and open the entire resort.

 

[tjkraz]

Interesting to see Kidani construction January 5, 2009....less than 5 months before opening (May 1, 2009).
https://www.mousesteps.com/2009/01/05/cr78/

When Kidani opened, the entire resort did not open. They spent several more months finishing the resort. You can see some very unfinished areas in the photos for the article back then.

In the case of Island Tower, it appears they are attempting to complete and open the entire resort.

If anything, Kidani was probably deliberate. Tourism was very slow in 2009 due to the Great Recession.

This was Grand Floridian DVC building 5 months before opening:

 

[DonMacGregor]

View attachment 875883

That place looks like a Residence Inn off the interstate. Why does everything look so gray? What's that metal thing in the middle? Is it a spaceship or something? It sure looks ugly. I hope they plan on covering it with something. If that's at Disney, they sure have lost all the magic and given up on any kind of theming...

 

[RivShore]

That place looks like a Residence Inn off the interstate. Why does everything look so gray? What's that metal thing in the middle? Is it a spaceship or something? It sure looks ugly. I hope they plan on covering it with something. If that's at Disney, they sure have lost all the magic and given up on any kind of theming...

Yeah, that thing in the middle looks like an ancient Roman war machine used to breach the walls of Massalia. At this point maybe they should just repurpose it as the Romanworld section of the original Westworld,

 

[maui22]

If anything, Kidani was probably deliberate. Tourism was very slow in 2009 due to the Great Recession.

This was Grand Floridian DVC building 5 months before opening:

View attachment 875883

Thanks Tim!

That's a great example of why everyone should wait to see what a resort looks like when completed before judging the Island Tower @PVB. Impossible to know at this point.

Even artist renderings or room images we have seen may not reflect the finished product.

Around 4-8 weeks before PVB opened, Tikiman posted Iger and the VIPs toured the bungalows. They did not like some things so the design team had to make modifications and the construction workers had to make those changes.

 

[MerlinandtheMouse]

That place looks like a Residence Inn off the interstate. Why does everything look so gray? What's that metal thing in the middle? Is it a spaceship or something? It sure looks ugly. I hope they plan on covering it with something. If that's at Disney, they sure have lost all the magic and given up on any kind of theming...

Truly, nothing was more annoying then the hoard of people who came out (regular people and social media influencers alike) ripping the tower and how gray and prison-like it was when it was literally in its earliest phase…sorry for the terrible analogy, but honestly, does a baby come out fully grown with all its hair and makeup done? I swear sometimes people let logic and rational leave their brains when they want to join the hate train for something. At least let Disney show you a terrible POV video of the finished product before tearing it down.

 

[DonMacGregor]

Truly, nothing was more annoying then the hoard of people who came out (regular people and social media influencers alike) ripping the tower and how gray and prison-like it was when it was literally in its earliest phase…sorry for the terrible analogy, but honestly, does a baby come out fully grown with all its hair and makeup done? I swear sometimes people let logic and rational leave their brains when they want to join the hate train for something. At least let Disney show you a terrible POV video of the finished product before tearing it down.

That Poly tower looks just like this dump here. Absolutely ZERO theming, everything is gray and unimaginative and there's even an ugly concrete parking structure with what looks like some kind of desert landscape in the background. Brown dirt everywhere, no pools, nothing.

 

[Electron_si]

That Poly tower looks just like this dump here. Absolutely ZERO theming, everything is gray and unimaginative and there's even an ugly concrete parking structure with what looks like some kind of desert landscape in the background. Brown dirt everywhere, no pools, nothing.

I’ve really grown to appreciate your comments in this thread lol.

I feel like people are losing their minds with each picture update and it’s almost making things worse.

I was a commercial construction PM for a while so I can appreciate how things change quickly towards the end of the project.

 

[CarolynFH]

That Poly tower looks just like this dump here. Absolutely ZERO theming, everything is gray and unimaginative and there's even an ugly concrete parking structure with what looks like some kind of desert landscape in the background. Brown dirt everywhere, no pools, nothing.

View attachment 875915

NM. The quoted code for the photo answered my question! I’m happy to know I recognized Aulani.