Island Tower at Polynesian Villas & Bungalows

[CastAStone]

Disney may need to add direct bus service to Magic Kingdom, especially during busy times. I think the monorail will be extremely overcrowded. It's going to be awfull for GF as well. Pretty sure the monorail cars are very near their serviceable lifespan. Early morning and closing will most likely be an issue. I think Polynesian will be a little too far of a walk for most. It's going to be a beautiful addition, but they are going to have some transportation issues to address.

The easier, faster, and cheaper solution would be to increase ferry service, bigger boats and/or more frequent, direct launches.

 

[MagicDVC]

The easier, faster, and cheaper solution would be to increase ferry service, bigger boats and/or more frequent, direct launches.

Agreed, maybe direct boat service or use the larger boats that go to WL and FW. Those would be great to not having to collapse strollers.

 

[MarkNC2Disney]

Agreed, maybe direct boat service or use the larger boats that go to WL and FW. Those would be great to not having to collapse strollers.

We’ve only experienced friendship boats (which are great) on recent trips.

Feel like they need to expand the docks at MK too. Boats often have to wait their turn, slowing everybody down.

 

[pinkxray]

I like the new tower and rooms look very pretty. Reminds me of a spa. I could see the bathroom being at the spa in Aulani.

I will definitely try to switch there at 7 months at least once, but I do typically pick BLT or VGF for the walkways to MK. I am really interested in how Disney increases transportation and what the pools will look like on a hot day.

 

[Sandisw]

I fear this too, but my hope is they make the points chart high enough on the tower deluxe studio side that it pushes people towards booking longhouses.

Also, this makes me really happy to have an 11 month booking window knowing my family will be in a 1bedroom for the next 12+ years

I definitely think one will need to own to get them and I think to might even be tough for the first few years even for owners until enough are declared….assuming we don’t find out that some 2 bedrooms are dedicated in the lower categories.

But, at least I know buying in doesn’t make sense for us because I don’t like the longhouses enough to be shut out of the tower.

The times we want to stay, we will plan for whatever view is left!!!

 

[Stormalong Smiths]

In addition to more/larger boats, I'd be perfectly happy if they added a handful of parking lot trams to shuttle guests on the walkway from Poly around to Contemporary (or at least to the MK) and back. Not sure how difficult this would be to accommodate, but the more transportation options the better, IMO.

 

[Chovy]

We love the skyliners and I’d really love to see a Magic Kingdom area expansion. They are so quick and fun.

 

[Jwaire]

I predict we get no expanded transportation options.

You can walk, wait for a boat or wait for a monorail. They don't care if you make it rope drop or park opening or if you have a long wait going back to your resort at night.

 

[CastAStone]

I predict we get no expanded transportation options.

I predict we get no expanded transportation options at first, and then when it’s a total nightmare they scramble to figure something out.

They’re probably thinking that since they cut off SOG from the Poly monorail it’ll be fine now.

 

[MarkNC2Disney]

I predict we get no expanded transportation options at first, and then when it’s a total nightmare they scramble to figure something out.

They’re probably thinking that since they cut off SOG from the Poly monorail it’ll be fine now.

That’s exactly it.

 

[Jwaire]

I predict we get no expanded transportation options at first, and then when it’s a total nightmare they scramble to figure something out.

They’re probably thinking that since they cut off SOG from the Poly monorail it’ll be fine now.

Best they'll do, maybe, is stop the shared boats. But even last December, when it was crowded, they still had the Poly boats going to Grand Floridian too. We had to wait for two boats before we could board.

They just don't care anymore.

The monorail will never come back to its full capacity because of the new safety measures they put in place. That's why you see it "holding" all the time. It's not efficient anymore at all.

It was also closed after the Christmas Party, which I thought was an odd choice. But ok.

 

[Cfabar1]

I think direct boats will happen, or more frequent boat rides.

I think the pools issue is terrifying. The poly pools are already filled, and one more pool in the Island Tower isn't going to make enough of a difference. GF really needs a pool expansion or an additional pool added to that resort separately. Now, adding in pool crashers that will likely turn up there, I think it will be bad at both Poly and GF....

 

[DonMacGregor]

Best they'll do, maybe, is stop the shared boats. But even last December, when it was crowded, they still had the Poly boats going to Grand Floridian too. We had to wait for two boats before we could board.

Last week they had the Poly boats going directly to and from MK, no stops at GF. I rode over on a mostly empty boat and came back on a relatively full one 3 or 4 hours later.

 

[CWTC]

I think the pools issue is terrifying. The poly pools are already filled, and one more pool in the Island Tower isn't going to make enough of a difference. GF really needs a pool expansion or an additional pool added to that resort separately. Now, adding in pool crashers that will likely turn up there, I think it will be bad at both Poly and GF....

Agreed - we were at VGF last month and finding chairs was hard (I saw several people circle around and leave). I’ve seen several posts on facebook suggesting that people at the poly tower go to the GF pools which will problematic.

 

[MyDogTink]

Last night the resort monorail from MK was leaving the last car empty for CR. The penultimate car wasn’t operational. CM at monorail said CR line was dangerously long as the line was down the elevator. I suggested that they reserve cars for all resorts, especially GF, and he said GF isn’t a safety issue.

 

[Jwaire]

Last week they had the Poly boats going directly to and from MK, no stops at GF. I rode over on a mostly empty boat and came back on a relatively full one 3 or 4 hours later.

If leaving the Poly, you wouldn't be stopping at the GF as it's MK-GF-Poly.

But if they were going direct at park close to Poly from MK, that would be encouraging.

 

[Jwaire]

Agreed - we were at VGF last month and finding chairs was hard (I saw several people circle around and leave). I’ve seen several posts on facebook suggesting that people at the poly tower go to the GF pools which will problematic.

If they've got kids, they're more likely to go the Volcano pool. I wouldn't worry about GF.

I say just pool police both!

 

[OKW Lover]

The monorail will never come back to its full capacity because of the new safety measures they put in place. That's why you see it "holding" all the time. It's not efficient anymore at all.

What new safety measures caused this?

 

[Jwaire]

What new safety measures caused this?

The accident that killed the cast member a few years back. They keep so many extra feet away from each other now and you'll see them holding waiting for the other monorail to leave the station.

 

[OKW Lover]

The accident that killed the cast member a few years back. They keep so many extra feet away from each other now and you'll see them holding waiting for the other monorail to leave the station.

That was quite a few years back now. 2009 IIRC. I don't think the holding issue goes back that far.