Construction updates
As we have withnessed during this major effort to redesign the Polynesian and add in Disney Vacation Club, things have changed throughout the process. If you look at my timeline in the DVC (Disney Vacation Club) section of my web pages, you have seen dates change since we first started talking about this in 2011. Even the dates of when things would start eventually changed. I am sure I will have no less than a thousand more articles about construction dates before all this is done but for now, here is what I know.
I want to start with a statement about the Disney staff that has been designing the changes for the Polynesian. They is an extremely talented group that contrary to the belief of some, have the best interest of the loyal Polynesian guests in mind when they have developed ideas for the resort. Some things have not turned out spectacular and even I have been critical of them but there have been some great changes already and the best is yet to come.
One thing that I don’t think everyone realizes is that Disney is not all one big entity when it comes to these things. There are so many different parts of Disney involved in this project and sometimes because of this things get changed from the original concept to what you see as the final product. The original concepts for the changes to the resort were amazing but once they got from one coast to the other and then approved to be implemented some of these things got a little watered down. I personally think there are too many filters in this process and I think they need to trust in those with the vision of what will be a hit for the guests. I get that they can’t do everything the designers dream up but they need to have some faith in their design team. I heard that Trader Sam’s out at the Disneyland Hotel almost did not happen because some group thought it would be a failure…..well we all know how that turned out.
Although the pool area was going to be a much grander design than what we will see, I still think it will turn out to be a great new area with many new amenities to enjoy. We can now see them starting the process as they begin taking the top of the volcano apart. This will be made into a smaller rock formation that surrounds the existing slide and pool. That change along with the new kids wet play area (similar in looks to the one in Aulani), the new hot tub area and larger pool deck will make this area a much more enjoyable spot to relax. Reading the construction schedule, there seems to be some sort of kid’s play waterfall and kiddy pool as part of it also. I keep getting asked if there are renderings of the new pool area and I can tell you that DIsney has renderings for everything but I have shared all that I can for now. All that I can share has been posted to my Facebook page.
Once they are done with the Nanea pool (main pool) area they will start an extensive redesign of the East pool and Tangaroa Terrace building. The redesign of the East pool will be amazing but I don’t know how far into next summer this work will go. I was told that both pool areas will be fenced off and access will be with a room key only.
I will get to what I see as the current schedule at the end of all this but I wanted to mention the pools because I believe they will be the projects that take the longest. The only other thing that I think will take longer will be the last building for DVC (Tokelau). Tokelau was sort of a last minute addition to the DVC collection and schedules for it are hard to come by.
I mentioned how Disney is not all one big Disney but many different parts that sometimes work as if they are separate companies. With this sort of thing we get confusion, disorganization and inconsistent information. We have seen how guests are given different information when booking trips. Some people are notified of construction and others are not. People call the resort number and are told different things. I know the notices that go out are signed by the Polynesian General Manager but don’t be too hard on him if you did not get notified. I believe this is all handled by another part of Disney. Also with things changing so often, not a lot of information is given to the Cast Members in the call centers or at the resort so don’t be too hard on them if they don’t know every detail or every date of what is going on at the resort.
Other reasons you may not be notified about construction before your visit may be because you booked through Expedia or a Travel Agent that does not share your address with the Polynesian. The travel agent may be getting the construction notifications and not passing it along. Many of the good ones will make sure you are notified.
Speaking of not being too hard on Cast Members, I wrote on my Facebook page a long message in response to a lot of feedback I have been getting of frustrated guests getting upset at and yelling at Cast Members at the Polynesian Resort. I understand that if people go there and did not expect to see all the construction that it can be upsetting but there is no reason to take it out on anyone that works there. These people have to deal with this stuff every day and have no control over it. How would you like people coming into your work every day and yelling at you because something your company decided to do upset them but you have absolutely nothing to do with it? These rude guests have made things that much worse for these Cast Members and it is really affecting their lives. I am all about helping people so they can have an amazing and memorable vacation but it is just a vacation. THese are the lives of these people that show up every day to work hard at making your stay a good one. Take out your frustrations somewhere else. People say that some of the Cast Members have lost the Aloha Spirit that we are so used to seeing from the staff at the Polynesian but I don’t think that is true with everyone. Also the Aloha Spirit works both ways. Maybe if you treat the staff with some kindness and respect they will pass that along to the next guest.
Okay, now back to the timing of all this. It has been difficult to determine what will happen when because at the resort the management is telling the staff that the Great Ceremonial House could be done by Thanksgiving. I have been holding off announcing that because right away I did not believe it. After checking with a few sources that are not at the resort I believe that to be false. The part that is disturbing is that I could see if they were off by a few weeks or even a month or two but from what I am told things will not be done until 2015 and some stuff will be well into 2015. Originally the Great Ceremonial House was scheduled to be completed in early December 2014. Even the official web site has a notice of the Great Ceremonial House being under construction until December 2014. Then they started the project late. I know they have been working hard to get things completed and it was possible that they could finish by the end of the year but if you look at the official web page it changed its notice to say early 2015 for the Great Ceremonial House. Also when I ask the people who 
would know about the Great Ceremonial House opening before Thanksgiving, they say “No way”. The target for the new front desk is to be completed by early November but I don’t have a good idea of when the main entrance will be completed. The center lobby may open back up in mid December if they stay on schedule but things have been running late. As for Trader Sam’s, I am told it will not be done until Spring 2015 at the earliest and possibly early Summer 2015.
Disney Vacation Club was going to try and be completed by the end of the year. There was speculation that early sales to current DVC members could start in October or November. I don’t think we will see that happen. Right now the schedule is saying things will not be done until early 2015 with some of the last details in March 2015.
Taking from the detailed construction schedule, this is how the planning is going as of right now.
DVC boardwalk re-decking and hand rails mid December 2014
DVC Bungalows site work complete mid-January 2015
DVC Bungalow inspections early Feb 2015
DVC Bungalow test stays mid-March 2015
DVC Moorea studios completion mid December 2014
DVC Moorea studios Inspections early January 2015
DVC Moorea test stays in early January 2015
DVC Pago Pago studio completion early January 2015
DVC Pago Pago studio test stays in early March 2015
Kiddy pool area work to begin in October 2014 Spa layout to start in October 2014
Kids wet play area (separate from kiddy pool) will start in November 2014 Firepits, Cabanas, showers and signs around pool will be installed in February 2015 Kids Wet Play area completed in early March 2015 Pool renovations are listed as going into mid April 2015 Trader Sam’s work started early October 2014
Construction schedule shows Trader Sam’s completed by the beginning of the year but other sources tell me we won’t see it open until almost summer of 2015. Maybe this is when the construction crew is done and Disney takes over. We will have to keep an eye on this one. All projects finish date is mid June 2015 but we know that can change in the next 8 months.
I think by the end of the year we will start getting a better idea of how things are going but I thought I would share what I could for now.
There was a permit filed the end of September that indicated work will be done to the kitchen area that ‘Ohana and Kona Cafe share so I would expect some closures at some point. I don’t know when or for how long. We saw some closures at Kona Cafe for breakfast and lunch while they were replacing the skylights (as I indicated on my Facebook page). Just outside the new Moana Merchantile recently got walled off for some work recently.
To follow the construction updates and photos, go to my page http://www.tikimanpages.com/poly/the-resort/dvc/item/191-disney-vacation-club
Thanks to Robert Velasco for some of the photos.
Mahaloween Luau
Last month I went down to Disneyland to meet up with some east coast friends. While I was down there I attended the first Mahaloween Luau at Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki bar. I got some photos and information and handed it over to a much better writer than I, Jim “Hurricane” Hayward and his Atomic Grog.com site. If you would like to read the report on the event it has some information about the Trader Sam’s coming to the Polynesian resort.
Thanks for the contributions
I have been lucky enough to have so many of you contribute to my site over the years. Some of you have become very close friends and have helped make my site even better. Many of the best contributors have to remain nameless but you know how much I appreciate your help.
I want to give a special thank you to Tim Tracy for his photo and video contributions as well as his report on his stay. We will be seeing more of his work all around my site pages as I do some updates.
I also want to thank the Epcot Explorer for a great collection of old Polynesian Resort photos. Many of them I have never seen and I will be adding them to the history section of my pages for all to enjoy but make sure you go and check out the page at http://epcotexplorer.tumblr.com/
