Polynesian Resort: New Lobby vs Old Lobby?

[916chipndale]

The thing that bothered me is they took out a lot of trees outside the doors at the back of the lobby.

This is also the thing that actually bothers me most. Once you left the GCH you felt like you were in a tropical paradise, well the Polynesian islands. Now instead of a nice little stream that trickled down towards the pool and all the landscaping that surrounded it we have a patchy grass field.

But hey, you can see Cinderalla's Castle from the lobby now! Well, the tip of it if you squint hard enough.

 

[JACKNAG]

old lobby for me , I' remember when I was a kid in 1972 seeing it for the first time. It was magical!

 

[eliza61]

I really miss the old lobby, this one is nice but let's face it, its no different than any other hotel in the Caribbean.

That's the problem I'm having, everything it seems Disney does is so generic. Seriously, it looks like I could have designed it and I have no design skill whatsoever

 

[MissionMouse]

Prefer the waterfall lobby and I would also say the PR shoreline has also lost its Polynesian charm too. Looks like an industrial shoreline now with the boxy DVC cabins crammed into most of the shorelines murky lagoon water. It was nicer to see palm trees, white sand with the longhouses.

 

[brocklesnar69]

This is also the thing that actually bothers me most. Once you left the GCH you felt like you were in a tropical paradise, well the Polynesian islands. Now instead of a nice little stream that trickled down towards the pool and all the landscaping that surrounded it we have a patchy grass field.

But hey, you can see Cinderalla's Castle from the lobby now! Well, the tip of it if you squint hard enough.

So what else have they significantly altered besides just the lobby? I remember when you entered the lobby from the outside there was a little pond with some tropical trees. It really set the modd for the inside, but now that the inside is gone, I guess it makes no difference. Is that exterior pond still there?

 

[916chipndale]

So what else have they significantly altered besides just the lobby? I remember when you entered the lobby from the outside there was a little pond with some tropical trees. It really set the modd for the inside, but now that the inside is gone, I guess it makes no difference. Is that exterior pond still there?

When walking into the GCH from the front (where the Magical Express bus drops off and what not) those water features are surprisingly still there. But outside the back of the GCH walking towards the pool they took out the little stream that was once there. Really took out a lot of landscaping back there
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/59/aa/07/59aa070a53db352b276f8fe098128473.jpg
http://cdn.wdwmagic.com/imgstore/El...quality=90&encoder=freeimage&progressive=true

top is before, below is after. Both photos are not mine. I don't want to talk to much about the pool area cause the thread is really about the lobby, but if you want check out iThemeParks videos on YouTube. I believe he/she has walk throughs of the Polynesian prior to and after the refurb, it is quite a difference.

 

[huntconn]

We visited the Poly this summer to see how everything was looking. We were staying at the CR (loved it btw!) for the 1st time. Our family of Poly lovers, like many others, are avoiding the Poly while the construction is ongoing. I was pleasantly surprised by many of the changes. I loved many of the additions like the Pineapple Lanai, Trader Sam's and the Tiki Terrace. I actually liked the new lobby much more than I thought I would. I thought it looked much nicer than it did in pictures. With that being said, I still prefer the old lobby. There was a uniqueness to it that just doesn't exist any longer. I can understand liking the new lobby. I just can't grasp preferring it to the old one. But I understand it is all just one's opinion.

 

[freediverdude]

The new lobby looks nice- I think I might have preferred more of an homage to the old one though, like a bigger display of foliage and flowers in the middle along with the statue, maybe about twice or 3 times the size of what is there now would have been nicer.

 

[freediverdude]

This is also the thing that actually bothers me most. Once you left the GCH you felt like you were in a tropical paradise, well the Polynesian islands. Now instead of a nice little stream that trickled down towards the pool and all the landscaping that surrounded it we have a patchy grass field.

But hey, you can see Cinderalla's Castle from the lobby now! Well, the tip of it if you squint hard enough.

Part of it might be that I know they had a really bad drainage problem right in that area when it would rain hard. That whole area behind the back GCH doors would become a big puddle, and sometimes the water would even come into the GCH near the doors. So it's possible they had to take the trees out to keep from interfering with the drain pipes. I wish they had kept that little stream though, that was a cool feature. I don't know where they would have put the children's play area though.

 

[TJA]

I loved the old and also love the new!! Any type of change always makes me sad, and I'll forever remember the old lobby. But I love the "new" look, the "new" grounds out by the bungalows, the "new" pool area.....everything is just gorgeous!

 

[mrsmith9]

I did not want to like the new lobby, but I do. The bottle necks have been eliminated. It is now easier to navigate, and more comfortable to just lounge and people watch.

I do NOT like the fact that you can now see the castle from Front Door and Portico. I hate that the clear cut all lush vegetation behind the GCH.

 

[DISNEY1975]

I can hear the water now

 

[limabeanmom2003]

We have been staying at PVR since the 70's and I have to say....I love the new lobby

 

[brocklesnar69]

But hey, you can see Cinderalla's Castle from the lobby now! Well, the tip of it if you squint hard enough.

Seeing as how you can see it from a ton of other places, the Poly is one place I'd prefer to be enveloped in polynesian atmosphere. I don't give a darn about seeing the Castle from there. As it looks and sounds, they've pretty much gutted the atmosphere and made it just like any other generic 4 star hotel.

 

[brocklesnar69]

I can hear the water now

I miss it already. It's gonna be a sad occasion going back and having all this be gone.

 

[DemoBri1]

I haven't experienced the new lobby yet (going in November), but I loved the fountain in the old lobby. While I think the new design will help flow through resort's lobby I just think you don't mess with tradition.

 

[Baron Hardup]

Just got back and I was shocked to see the waterfall gone! It is very nice . . . for a Marriot/Hilton/Best Western, etc. Corporate Disney is killing what made WDW special. I imagine someday the Castle will be replaced with a gift shop. Universal seems to be the only thing left in Orlando putting together a product worthy of Walt's name.

 

[maxiesmom]

Just got back and I was shocked to see the waterfall gone! It is very nice . . . for a Marriot/Hilton/Best Western, etc. Corporate Disney is killing what made WDW special. I imagine someday the Castle will be replaced with a gift shop. Universal seems to be the only thing left in Orlando putting together a product worthy of Walt's name.

They didn't take it out to be kill-joys. It was a huge mildew making machine. Which I would guess is not the healthiest thing to have around.

 

[clapton]

I know a lot of people were sad to see the big fountain go but I think it was time for a change and some much needed updating. I like the open feel of the lobby now and all the other changes to the resort as well. We are looking forward to our stay in a DVC villa this Spring!

 

[gdrj]

I will need to do a walk thru in a few weeks to see how I feel about it. However at this moment I like the original lobby so much more.

I like that you say you need to actually see it in person.