Island Tower at Polynesian Villas & Bungalows

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

Not December stay for me… but I will definitely be on the morning bookings open to try and grab a room for next summer… chances aren’t looking good with only 40 rooms though!

Pro-tip is to book a longhouse (if you haven’t already), at opening of Tower booking try to get a WL for a new reservation of one room type that cancels if it doesn’t book at 30 days, and then immediately after that try to modify your existing longhouse reservation to WL a tower room of a second type that will stay on WL all the way to 7 days (assuming you plan to travel or bust and would be happy staying in a longhouse).

 

[Mai Ku Tiki]

Pro-tip is to book a longhouse (if you haven’t already), at opening of Tower booking try to get a WL for a new reservation of one room type that cancels if it doesn’t book at 30 days, and then immediately after that try to modify your existing longhouse reservation to WL a tower room of a second type that will stay on WL all the way to 7 days (assuming you plan to travel or bust and would be happy staying in a longhouse).

Would be helpful to have point charts, like...NOW!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Interesting to compare the lobby renderings to the second floor plans. Eg, this rendering of the lobby looking up at the second floor, which is seemingly just a pretty open area outside the second floor elevator lobby. Granted nothing in this building is all that great a distance given the compact nature of the site, but looks like that bank of rooms on the pool end of this floor has a bit of a circuitous - although likely lovely - route for access.

 

[BrianLo]

Interesting to compare the lobby renderings to the second floor plans. Eg, this rendering of the lobby looking up at the second floor, which is seemingly just a pretty open area outside the second floor elevator lobby. Granted nothing in this building is all that great a distance given the compact nature of the site, but looks like that bank of rooms on the pool end of this floor has a bit of a circuitous - although likely lovely - route for access.

View attachment 882547

View attachment 882549

The third floor will also be open to a portion of the lobby where the turquoise water wall is. Quite interested to see how that plays out.

I actually think one of the most desirable places to stay might be the third floor in the "North" wing. Not only are you closer to the elevators, you also have the Samoa garden and then can walk into an open air lobby.

I guess the trade off with floor 7/8 is inherently more centralized and higher views, with loss of the green space. But if it was up to me I think a third garden would have been nice.

 

[BrianLo]

I have my eye on these two green columns of rooms as well. Could be duo studios also set back from the hallway. Particularly with the building offset up top in yellow.

I would be a bit surprised if they only built 6 premium view duo Studios. If Duo studios are pushing into the 40's, I'm a buyer.

 

[ehh]

Does nothing in these filings help our resident point chart engineers with their predictions?

I still feel pretty good about my predictions from back when cash rates were released (https://www.disboards.com/threads/i...illas-bungalows.3945907/page-72#post-65535344). I don't think the info release Friday has too much of an impact on what the points charts will be.

Except I neglected to include an entire room view category in my original post a couple months ago

Updated with Preferred View Penthouse and pts/wk figures:

• Standard View Duos - ~15.75pts/night - 110pts/wk - .73x SV Deluxe Studios
• Preferred View Duos - ~17.4pts/night - 122pts/wk - .8x
• Theme Park View Duos - ~19.5pts/night - 136pts/wk - .9x
• Standard View Deluxe Studios - 21.7pts/night - 152pts/wk - 1x (existing)
• Preferred View/Lake View Deluxe Studios - 25.8pts/night - 181pts/wk - 1.19x (existing)
• Theme Park View Deluxe Studios - 31pts/night - 217pts/wk - 1.43x
• Standard View 1BR - 43pts/night - 304pts/wk - 2x
• Preferred View 1BR - 51.5pts/night - 361pts/wk - 2.37x
• Standard View 2BR - 59pts/night - 413pts/wk - 2.7x
• Theme Park View 1BR - 62pts/night - 434pts/wk - 2.86x
• Preferred View 2BR - 70pts/night - 490pts/wk - 3.23x
• Theme Park View 2BR - 83pts/night - 581pts/wk - 3.82x
• Preferred View Penthouse 2BR - 105pts/night - 735pts/wk - 4.87x
• Theme Park View Penthouse 2BR - 125pts/night - 875pts/wk - 5.76x
• Bungalow 2BR - 147pts/night - 1028pts/wk - 6.76x (existing)

All the above is my guess for 'average week' over the course of the year, which ends up being fairly close to Season 4.

I will say I am fairly disappointed by the internal layout of the Penthouses--the interior space is barely any larger from the normal 2BR, just rearranged, despite a full extra 'bay'. A lot of the extra space went to the balcony, which is cool, but I'm not sold yet, especially based on the cash rates.

 

[BrianLo]

I still feel pretty good about my predictions from back when cash rates were released (https://www.disboards.com/threads/i...illas-bungalows.3945907/page-72#post-65535344). I don't think the info release Friday has too much of an impact on what the points charts will be.

Except I neglected to include an entire room view category in my original post a couple months ago

Updated with Preferred View Penthouse and pts/wk figures:

• Standard View Duos - ~15.75pts/night - 110pts/wk - .73x SV Deluxe Studios
• Preferred View Duos - ~17.4pts/night - 122pts/wk - .8x
• Theme Park View Duos - ~19.5pts/night - 136pts/wk - .9x
• Standard View Deluxe Studios - 21.7pts/night - 152pts/wk - 1x (existing)
• Preferred View/Lake View Deluxe Studios - 25.8pts/night - 181pts/wk - 1.19x (existing)
• Theme Park View Deluxe Studios - 31pts/night - 217pts/wk - 1.43x
• Standard View 1BR - 43pts/night - 304pts/wk - 2x
• Preferred View 1BR - 51.5pts/night - 361pts/wk - 2.37x
• Standard View 2BR - 59pts/night - 413pts/wk - 2.7x
• Theme Park View 1BR - 62pts/night - 434pts/wk - 2.86x
• Preferred View 2BR - 70pts/night - 490pts/wk - 3.23x
• Theme Park View 2BR - 83pts/night - 581pts/wk - 3.82x
• Preferred View Penthouse 2BR - 105pts/night - 735pts/wk - 4.87x
• Theme Park View Penthouse 2BR - 125pts/night - 875pts/wk - 5.76x
• Bungalow 2BR - 147pts/night - 1028pts/wk - 6.76x (existing)

All the above is my guess for 'average week' over the course of the year, which ends up being fairly close to Season 4.

I will say I am fairly disappointed by the internal layout of the Penthouses--the interior space is barely any larger from the normal 2BR, just rearranged, despite a full extra 'bay'. A lot of the extra space went to the balcony, which is cool, but I'm not sold yet, especially based on the cash rates.

Can you help orientate me what’s the difference between the views? It seems like the rooms basically face one of two ways other than a small strip on the end.

 

[ehh]

I still feel pretty good about my predictions from back when cash rates were released (https://www.disboards.com/threads/i...illas-bungalows.3945907/page-72#post-65535344). I don't think the info release Friday has too much of an impact on what the points charts will be.

Except I neglected to include an entire room view category in my original post a couple months ago

Updated with Preferred View Penthouse and pts/wk figures:

• Standard View Duos - ~15.75pts/night - 110pts/wk - .73x SV Deluxe Studios
• Preferred View Duos - ~17.4pts/night - 122pts/wk - .8x
• Theme Park View Duos - ~19.5pts/night - 136pts/wk - .9x
• Standard View Deluxe Studios - 21.7pts/night - 152pts/wk - 1x (existing)
• Preferred View/Lake View Deluxe Studios - 25.8pts/night - 181pts/wk - 1.19x (existing)
• Theme Park View Deluxe Studios - 31pts/night - 217pts/wk - 1.43x
• Standard View 1BR - 43pts/night - 304pts/wk - 2x
• Preferred View 1BR - 51.5pts/night - 361pts/wk - 2.37x
• Standard View 2BR - 59pts/night - 413pts/wk - 2.7x
• Theme Park View 1BR - 62pts/night - 434pts/wk - 2.86x
• Preferred View 2BR - 70pts/night - 490pts/wk - 3.23x
• Theme Park View 2BR - 83pts/night - 581pts/wk - 3.82x
• Preferred View Penthouse 2BR - 105pts/night - 735pts/wk - 4.87x
• Theme Park View Penthouse 2BR - 125pts/night - 875pts/wk - 5.76x
• Bungalow 2BR - 147pts/night - 1028pts/wk - 6.76x (existing)

All the above is my guess for 'average week' over the course of the year, which ends up being fairly close to Season 4.

I will say I am fairly disappointed by the internal layout of the Penthouses--the interior space is barely any larger from the normal 2BR, just rearranged, despite a full extra 'bay'. A lot of the extra space went to the balcony, which is cool, but I'm not sold yet, especially based on the cash rates.

Eh, I'll shoot my shot and do a ful points chart...

Here's a how a points chart could look like by borrowing patterns from other resorts (VDH, VGF, and RIV) about the new rooms:

Blue are new, and my guesses. Black text is existing PVB points chart. For the most part, the above points chart matches my guesses for pts/wk in the quoted post above, except for TPV Deluxe Studio, which I shaded up a bit in the granular points chart.

 

[ehh]

Can you help orientate me what’s the difference between the views? It seems like the rooms basically face one of two ways other than a small strip on the end.

I'm not bold enough to make guesses for the numbers of each rooms with the info we have

But based on VDH's aggressive use of "Preferred" and the PVB descriptions on the cash bookings, I think:

• Everything directly facing the Seven Seas Lagoon is Theme Park View, even lower floors
• 'Endcap' rooms facing the Wedding Pavilion and the longhouses are Preferred View
• Higher floors facing the parking lot + monorail are also Preferred View
• Lower floors facing the parking lot + monorail are Standard View

Where the cutoff is between higher/lower floors is a mystery to me.

 

[N_kwi]

I’ve been reading these posts all day and you’re all amazing. But seriously what the heck Disney, can we just get some sales/booking info so we can all decide if we’re buying direct and prepare for the madness when we try to book? Currently on day 15 in Poly ROFR for my first ever DVC contract at but also really want to buy direct and losing my sanity quickly. Excuse my outburst thank you all for so much information, this has been such an exciting thread to follow today! Can’t wait to see this in person!

 

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

Eh, I'll shoot my shot and do a ful points chart...

Here's a how a points chart could look like by borrowing patterns from other resorts (VDH, VGF, and RIV) about the new rooms:

Blue are new, and my guesses. Black text is existing PVB points chart. For the most part, the above points chart matches my guesses for pts/wk in the quoted post above, except for TPV Deluxe Studio, which I shaded up a bit in the granular points chart.

I would defer to @ehh’s knowledge and wisdom over my own for everything relating to DVC resorts, and this looks generally right to me, but I could see them wanting to discount standard a little more (especially since there are so few of them) and tuck a few more points in the bigger TPV categories. Especially since, if those categories don’t sell out, they can sell them as expensive hotel suites with “the best views in all of WDW.” On the other hand, if they are designating 80% of the lagoon side as TPV, maybe they don’t want to be quite as aggressive asking people to pay $1000/night purely in dues for a TPV 1 bedroom.

 

[Kailunkat]

Pro-tip is to book a longhouse (if you haven’t already), at opening of Tower booking try to get a WL for a new reservation of one room type that cancels if it doesn’t book at 30 days, and then immediately after that try to modify your existing longhouse reservation to WL a tower room of a second type that will stay on WL all the way to 7 days (assuming you plan to travel or bust and would be happy staying in a longhouse).

I'm sorry... I didn't follow this at all! Can you explain that one again in small words and layman's terms for those of us who are new to this?

 

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

I'm sorry... I didn't follow this at all! Can you explain that one again in small words and layman's terms for those of us who are new to this?

I can try! What I was thinking is that you want to use Poly points to lock in a longhouse (assuming you’re a family of 5 or less) so that if your waitlist never clears, you aren’t homeless for your WDW visit.

However, at the opening day/second of poly tower bookings opening (“room drop”), it’s probably slightly easier/faster to get through new booking reservation rather than modifying your longhouse studio booking that you made in step 1, so (step 2) try for a new booking, if you get it, great, cancel your longhouse! If not, continue to complete the booking as a waitlist reservation (you’ll have priority over people slower than you if others cancel or new points get declared and more rooms enter the association)—that WL should be set to expire before 30 day penalty.

Step 3 (immediately after step 2) go to your longhouse studio booking and try to modify it to the tower— it probably won’t be available, so waitlist a different but still acceptable category. This waitlist can hang out until 7 days (because if it clears you’re already using the points and heading to WDW so you don’t have to worry about the cancellation penalty).

Does that make more sense?

 

[MerlinandtheMouse]

Sheesh, go to the Olympics for a few days and you miss everything…

Does anyone know if when we can start booking (during poly owners window), we’d be able to use other resort points to book a stay within 7mo? Or will they make it so you have to use Poly points at first? I always seem to be well out of Poly points lol

 

[Mikey15]

Unit 88F - 9th floor (penthouse 2BRs)

4 guest elevators on one side.
2 service elevators on the other side.

• Lagoon side
  • Terrace lookout area that appears anyone can go to since it's off the hallway.
  • Studio
  • 2BR penthouse.
  • Studio
  • Terrace lookout area that appears anyone can go to since it's off the hallway.
• Monorail side
  • Duo studio
  • 2BR penthouse
  • Duo studio
  • There appears to be a roof terrace that anyone may be able to access here.

View attachment 882433

It’s interesting to me (between this and the 2nd floor plans) how they’re not only leaning into plenty of Duos, but also making them available in the lower view categories.

Here’s two on the 9th floor, but facing the golf course (Preferred view?) and not 7SL. On the 2nd floor pool wing there’s two facing the monorail/parking lot, so maybe Standard view? Maybe on higher levels the same angle would be Preferred and not Standard, but absent the point charts I’d say there may be some real affordable rooms (AKV Value style) coming soon to the monorail loop? If you just want to “stay at the Poly” and enjoy the resort but don’t care what your room faces, that’d be enticing.

 

[Kailunkat]

I can try! What I was thinking is that you want to use Poly points to lock in a longhouse (assuming you’re a family of 5 or less) so that if your waitlist never clears, you aren’t homeless for your WDW visit.

However, at the opening day/second of poly tower bookings opening (“room drop”), it’s probably slightly easier/faster to get through new booking reservation rather than modifying your longhouse studio booking that you made in step 1, so (step 2) try for a new booking, if you get it, great, cancel your longhouse! If not, continue to complete the booking as a waitlist reservation (you’ll have priority over people slower than you if others cancel or new points get declared and more rooms enter the association)—that WL should be set to expire before 30 day penalty.

Step 3 (immediately after step 2) go to your longhouse studio booking and try to modify it to the tower— it probably won’t be available, so waitlist a different but still acceptable category. This waitlist can hang out until 7 days (because if it clears you’re already using the points and heading to WDW so you don’t have to worry about the cancellation penalty).

Does that make more sense?

Awesome - yes thank you!

 

[Ronferr80]

Literally the most bizarre aspect to this entire project is the 10th floor penthouse 2 bedroom. Why the heck would they make its balcony that much smaller than the one below it?

Sorry if I missed it but where are you seeing pics or different sizes of the balconies? I'm curious to see what you mean

 

[hockeydad21]

Sorry if I missed it but where are you seeing pics or different sizes of the balconies? I'm curious to see what you mean

Floors 9 and 10 have what we assume are four total 2 bedroom penthouses. The odd part is floor 10’s 2 bedroom penthouse’s main balcony is about half the size of floor 9’s balcony, and so floor 10 has a direct view onto the oversized balcony below. It’s just an odd setup given this was a blank canvas to work with.

 

[maui22]

It’s interesting to me (between this and the 2nd floor plans) how they’re not only leaning into plenty of Duos, but also making them available in the lower view categories.

Here’s two on the 9th floor, but facing the golf course (Preferred view?) and not 7SL. On the 2nd floor pool wing there’s two facing the monorail/parking lot, so maybe Standard view? Maybe on higher levels the same angle would be Preferred and not Standard, but absent the point charts I’d say there may be some real affordable rooms (AKV Value style) coming soon to the monorail loop? If you just want to “stay at the Poly” and enjoy the resort but don’t care what your room faces, that’d be enticing.

I noticed that too. I was thinking those duo studios standard view low floor were perfect for DW and I during F&W/MNSSHP trips.

 

[ehh]

I would defer to @ehh’s knowledge and wisdom over my own for everything relating to DVC resorts, and this looks generally right to me, but I could see them wanting to discount standard a little more (especially since there are so few of them) and tuck a few more points in the bigger TPV categories. Especially since, if those categories don’t sell out, they can sell them as expensive hotel suites with “the best views in all of WDW.” On the other hand, if they are designating 80% of the lagoon side as TPV, maybe they don’t want to be quite as aggressive asking people to pay $1000/night purely in dues for a TPV 1 bedroom.

As someone who would want to stay in the TPV rooms, I hope they don't discount Standard to the detriment of TPV

In my guesses, TPV 1BR and 2BR points charts are already more than 17% and 15% (respectively) higher than any other 1BR and 2BR in the DVC system (fwiw, 2nd place is Aulani Ocean View, just barely beating out VGF Lake View).

Reading that last sentence to myself makes me feel that they're too high already.

Gut feelings aside, there's a decent chance that my guesses are a complete whiff for TPV--they're based on the TPV::Lagoon View ratio at VGF's Resorts Studios, which is possibly too aggressive. Not sure how DVC interprets the booking data from TPV at VGF and if they think that applying it to 1BR/2BR will be well received.

In general, my points chart guess is essentially pure math except for the Duos, which was a lot of hand tweaking to make the numbers fit. If I were to hand tweak some of the 1BR/2BR/Pent views, I would first tweak Season 7 to have a stronger 'weekend bias' and squeeze a few points from S7 into the other seasons.