April 01–Disney World has started showing off some of the changes it has made to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, one of its original on-property hotels.
The new elements of the project range from hovering-above-waterfront bungalows to a remodeling of the Great Ceremonial House, the Disneyfied name of the hotel’s lobby.
The 20 Bora Bora Bungalows, which debut Wednesday, are located on the Seven Seas Lagoon and each are outfitted with personal plunge pools and views of Cinderella Castle (and nightly fireworks) across the water at Magic Kingdom. They have two bedrooms and two baths apiece.
Hotel rooms at the Polynesian have been converted into 360 “deluxe studio villas,” which sleep five people and are part of the Disney Vacation Club lineup.
The Polynesian is the 13th location in the DVC portfolio. It “is both iconic and beloved,” said Ken Potrock, DVC general manager. It’s a site that’s been requested by DVC members, Potrock said.
“It’s been percolating for quite a while,” he said. “We needed to do it in a way that whatever you see that’s new should not look new. It should look like it’s been part of this resort since 1971.”
The Polynesian’s lobby underwent a dramatic rehab that removed the large, longstanding fountain from the center of the room. A tiki god now stands in that spot, creating more elbow room and another view of the castle.
Work continues on the main pool area just outside the Great Ceremonial House.
An intimate lounge called Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto already is drawing attention. The space, which has a capacity of 51 patrons, entered a soft-opening phase last weekend. Some visitors waited as long as four hours to enter.
Trader Sam’s features exotic drinks (Polynesian Pearl, Shrunken Zombie Head, HippopotoMai-Tai) and appetizers in a dark, tiki-heavy environment. Special effects — black lighting, animatronics, scenes of volcanoes and heavy rain through faux windows — are activated when key libations are delivered. Bartenders and other workers also are trained to be animated.
“It was awesome inside,” said Orlando’s Brian Wayne, who waited an hour to get a seat in Trader Sam’s on Sunday. “There’s not a lot of seating, that’s the only bad thing I would say. But I do like how intimate it is.”
The lounge, open from 4 p.m. to midnight daily, is based on a similar establishment at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, Calif.
The atmosphere is similar to an establishment that closed at Disney’s Pleasure Island in 2008, Wayne said.
“It’s a small little piece of the Adventurers Club,” he said. “That’s what’s nice to have back, to be in that environment again.”
Denise Preskitt, owner of Mousesteps website, predicted the space would be popular with locals, despite the snug size.
“I know you have, like, 70,000 cast members, and then you have passholders and then tourists. I’m not seeing it as big a draw for those who are staying at the resort,” she said. “I don’t know that standard guests are going to necessarily get it.”
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