Island Tower at Polynesian Resort Booking Dates & Details
Disney Vacation Club unveiled details for the Island Tower coming to Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows at Walt Disney World Resort. The tower is under construction and projected to open in December 2024, although no exact opening date has been announced. This shares the booking dates as well as fresh concept art and renderings of the upcoming addition to the Poly.
In keeping with the existing theme of the resort (according to Disney–definitely not to me), the waterfront retreat will immerse guests in the charm of the South Pacific islands, the thrill of exploration, and the beauty of the natural world. The Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows will feature a variety of room types that will sleep from two to nine guests, such as duo studios, spacious one and two-bedroom villas, and brand-new two-bedroom penthouse villas. The tower will also include deluxe studio rooms, adding to the deluxe studio rooms already available at the Poly Villas.
“With stunning views of Magic Kingdom Park and beautiful interiors that bring you into the storytelling of the South Pacific Islands, the Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows will be a spectacular addition to Walt Disney World Resort right in the heart of the magic,” said Bill Diercksen, senior vice president and general manager of Disney Vacation Club.
The new 10-story Island Tower’s architecture will pull inspiration from early concept art of the iconic property by Walt Disney Imagineering, also according to Disney. This expansion will unlock a new experience at the resort, beginning with an exquisite ceiling art installation in the tower’s lobby inspired by the South Pacific Islands and showcasing a variety of native wildlife. Each animal holds a strong connection to the islands and symbolizes values important to the people of the region.
The journey will continue through the lobby as larger-than-life artwork will bring the spirit of the islands to life. From sculptures crafted from recycled fishing nets to chandeliers built of living moss plants, Walt Disney Imagineering has partnered with various artists to create stunning works of art influenced by the heritage of Polynesia and the spirit of conservation, with sprinkles of Disney magic woven throughout.
“Our main story narrative focuses on celebrating Polynesian wayfinding and the natural elements of water, earth, wind and fire. During the artwork development, we focused on three guiding principles: Polynesian stories, sustainability stories and Disney stories. This new tower features works created by contemporary Polynesian artists as well as artwork featuring subtle nods to ‘Moana’ and Disney Legend Mary Blair,” said Walt Disney Imagineer Madeline Day.
The Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows aligns with Disney’s 2030 environmental goals while providing guests with the experience and features they expect from Disney Vacation Club. The tower is projected to use approximately 30 percent less energy than a typical resort of a similar size through a variety of measures, including optimized heating and cooling systems, energy-efficient lighting, and the first all-electric kitchen on Walt Disney World Resort property within the tower’s restaurant.
The majority of the Island Tower was constructed off-site using pre-fabrication techniques that help minimize construction waste. Like Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows, the tower will be a part of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Green Lodging program, which recognizes lodging facilities that make a commitment to conserve and protect Florida’s natural resources.
Disney Vacation Club Members will have access to hotel reservations for Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows beginning on June 4 by contacting Member Services at (800) 800-9800.
Note that this is for bookings with cash, meaning that members will pay the regular rack rate for the Deluxe Villas, which will undoubtedly be astronomical. Disney Vacation Club members will be able to make points-based reservations at a later date.
Likewise, Walt Disney World Annual Passholders will be able to book beginning June 5, 2024 by contacting (407) 934-7639.
All guests can book online or by contacting (407) 934-7639 beginning on June 6, 2024. Both APs and the general public will also, obviously, be booking cash rates at the Island Tower.
Turning to commentary, I’m not a fan of the Island Tower. Nothing about the new concept art or renderings changes anything for me, and I really don’t want to beat a dead horse since I’ve already yammered on about this at length in the commentary to our main post about the Poly Tower.
The inside does nothing for me. I guess I appreciate the use of textures and patterns, but that’s about the only positive I can muster. Otherwise, it’s overly beige and boring, almost the antithesis of the vibrancy of Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. It reminds me a lot of Gran Destino Tower–a hotel I’ve admittedly come to appreciate from a practical perspective–but one key difference is the purported themes of the respective resorts.
What I will add is that it bugs me more than a little that Disney is evoking plans that never made it off the drawing board to argue that this completes the original vision for the Polynesian Resort, as if everything from the past is automatically good. (Meanwhile, every change away from Disney’s past that actually was realized is justified with a Walt quote about forward momentum. Ironic.) For me, this type of defense is counterproductive, revealing that the substance of the thing cannot speak for itself. If it could, why not just let its merits make the argument?
Beyond that, this is very different than that concept that had a tower at the heart of the Polynesian. It would be one thing to have a quasi-tower with bungalows radiating out from it. That’s not what this is. Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort was already built one way, with a purposeful design and layout–and no tower. Now it’s getting a tower at the periphery, and in a different style. Is it not obvious how that’s different?
If the Island Tower weren’t being wedged in between the Grand Floridian and Polynesian, forever altering the ‘skyline’ of the monorail loop, I wouldn’t have nearly as much issue with it. If this exact same design were being built out on Western Way near Coronado or the All Stars, it would be fine. Still not my favorite style, but I’d be willing to give it the benefit of the doubt after being pleasantly surprised by Gran Destino Tower. From the outside, this looks better than that! The issue here is all about where it’s going–what’s around and “connected” to it.
Along similar lines, it should be obvious how this differs from Aulani, which is also a tower resort, but was master-planned and has visual cohesion as a result. This is more like the ex post facto additions of Gran Destino and Riviera Resorts. Even though I don’t love the exterior appearance of Gran Destino, at least it has become the focal point of Coronado Springs. It’s not perfect, but Imagineering really made lemonade out of lemons there. (The stakes were also lower–Coronado Springs was not beloved nor is it park-adjacent.) I don’t see how that’ll conceivably be possible here.
It’s also amusing to me the number of Walt Disney World fans who are advocating for a “wait and see” approach with the Island Tower at the Poly. As if it’s going to become…less tall? More centralized? Somehow a longhouse? In keeping with the visual identity of the Poly, despite all signs to the contrary in the concept art?
Obviously, I don’t think the construction we’re seeing right now is the finished product. This Island Tower is not going to be a plain concrete big box. I assume it’ll resemble the concept art, and I’m making my critiques on that basis, not that of unfinished construction.
At the end of the day, none of this matters. The Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows could be themed to a Home Depot or prison and it’d still sell like hotcakes. Obviously, it’ll be better than that, and I say that even as a critic of the cash-grab project. The rooms will undoubtedly be nice, marrying form and function just like all of the other recent DVC rooms–which are excellent. The location near Magic Kingdom, connection to the beloved Poly, and modern rooms and amenities will all make the Island Tower an easy sell.
Heck, I’m looking forward to staying at the Island Tower. Maybe that makes me a hypocrite, but me “protesting” by staying away isn’t going to get the tower unbuilt. Not only that, but it being a compelling resort from a usability perspective does not mean it’s well-themed or appropriately-placed, nor does that invalidate critique of the same. Both can be true! Things can be wildly successful and even fantastic in some regards, but still not up to Imagineering’s high standards for themed design. To each their own, though, so if you’re excited for this and think it’s a great addition to the Magic Kingdom ‘skyline,’ then more power to you.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Will you be booking the Island Tower via a cash rate as soon as reservations open, or will you wait for availability with points? Are you optimistic or pessimistic about the Island Tower being added to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Yawn.
I don’t go to Disney properties for this aesthetic that is so commonplace- the the exterior of this tower and the interior. My favorite themed hotel is the Poly. I love the colors, the sounds, the smells, etc. I am still bitter about the lobby waterfall being removed! I love the kitschy, tiki vibe that the Poly has and this is just the anthesis of it. I am not saying that it does not look nice, it is just such a fail for this property- inside and out.
I agree that the beige is boring but actually think that the pops of color and the art they’re describing have the potential to be gorgeous…but that it would’ve had more of an impact on darker wood paneling, a la AKL and WL. BUT people are constantly complaining about how dark those hotels are (I’m not saying I agree with those people, those hotels are my favorite), so I think Disney was trying to steer clear of that. And with millennials of millennial grey fame being the ones in their 30s/40s with stable careers and young families who are in the market to prepay their future Disney vacations, Disney thought this beige would appeal to the target audience lol.
Oh I’m sure Disney has done its market research and knows the demo that is most likely to buy this, likes this.
I totally agree with that approach when it comes to rooms–and think DVC/Disney have done a great job there (and that the critics are largely wrong). I think chasing trends is foolish when it comes to core hotel design (or lack thereof), though, and they should’ve gone for something themed and evergreen since it’s still going to look like this in ~5 years when something else is trendy and this is passe.
This is why I just recently purchased DVC resale and not direct. Well, one of the reasons anyway. The last three WDW DCV offering have felt soulless to me–why would I pay a premium to stay there? I’ll be at the Wilderness Lodge or Animal Kingdom Lodge if anyone need me.
Hey! I also only own DVC resale and those are my same two home resorts (great minds and all…)
At the end of the day, theme park environments should be themed.
It looks like a combo of Aulani and Gran Destino. I stayed at Gran Destino in February and loved it! At least I can see the nods to Dali and Gaudi in the architecture inside and out. It works at Coronado since that resort already had three distinct areas, so a fourth one isn’t out of place What were they going with on this project? I see nothing Polynesian in this design.
A crime we lost the luau for this.
I’ve been on the “give them the benefit of the doubt, wait and see” side of the fence, expecting something that (inappropriately tall tower aside) would look like the Poly inside and out.
Now I’ve seen the concept art you included in your post, for the interior of the tower. “Beige and boring” indeed— there’s no better description than that. That’s not the Poly, that’s my local Holiday Inn.
So, I waited until I saw, but now I’ve seen, and I’m joining you on the disapproving side. Not that my opinion will matter to Disney, alas.
WHO ARE THESE DESIGNERS?!!! I don’t care how much “symbolism” they put into the design, Polynesia is anything BUT beige! I’m so disappointed!
“…inspired by the original concept art for the Polynesian which included a tower that was never built”
**MAYBE THAT’S BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT BETTER OF IT**
Well, hopefully the food/drinks will at least be good.
Am I the only one who reads the press release language as “We used a design tried and rejected by the Imagineers who originally designed WDW?”
Even if they copied the beautiful design of Aulani – which they did not – it still wouldn’t work at this size due to the scale with the other resort buildings. (I have to admit, I’d still like it a lot more.)
I just sent huge chunks of this article to my group chat because I agree with your point exactly. Do I hate this aesthetically and conceptually because it’s so disappointing? Yes. Would I absolutely buy points here if I were joining DVC? Also yes.
It really is sad. My friend (also a DVC member) was lamenting the latest refurb of Beach Club Villas rooms, and I reminded her that in a few years it could be corrected, unlike this debacle. This thing will outlive us all. So sad, especially as the ground it sits on was literally my favorite real estate in all of WDW. My plan is to use my points to stay ON THE OTHER SIDE of the Polynesian and just try not to look toward this thing.
LMAO, Home Depot or a prison.
I also see your post under this is about “Reflections” and then you can really see the similarities. How uninspired.
I realize Disney is a business first, and adding as many rooms as possible to one of the most expensive AND popular resorts is a no brainer. I’m just worried about the precedent being set for “good enough” projects. The concept art (at least based of the interior) isn’t bad…it’s just not amazing. Nevertheless, I completely agree it’ll sell like hot cakes. My only hope is that like paid resort parking, guest satisfaction will be so negative that they’ll scale back any future similar projects.
Secondary market prices for DVC points seem to be in free fall, and the addition of more DVC units here and at Fort Wilderness may accelerate that trend.
Tom, once again your commentary is spot on. “make it LESS tall” and your prison analogy is correct. I can’t even fathom the astronomical points it will take to get a theme park view (although it will be a clear view) but also the “standard” points better be SIGNIFICANTLY less as they will look over a very busy, and soon to be even busier, wider road. That view currently is horrendous. Will they increase boat service? Because that is a positive but the monorail is packed all day long. Perhaps they will try to encourage people to walk?
I immediately thought of the comparisons to Grand Destino. So I am not sure how this style is both Polynesian and Spanish at the same time??
I think it’s pretty wild that Disney hasn’t gotten a fleet of electric bikes around the monorail loop. Or heck, if the walkway is wide enough to accommodate throw one of the parking lot trams on the walkway as well. I haven’t enjoyed a ride on the monorail in at least 5 years because it’s so overcrowded.
As a long-time Disney vacationer and long-time DVC member, passholder, D23 member, I’m not a fan and it does ruin the look of the whole area and it ruins the monorail ride where you used to have views of the water in that area. I also am not seeing mention of a new restaurant, which means the restaurants on the monorail loop will be slammed and the quality of those restaurants will surely go further downhill. You are correct though, individuals who have no long-standing love of Disney will flock to these rooms and rave about their look on social media and Disney will win in the end. I guess, for me personally, this win for Disney may be such a loss for my family that we decide our Disney relationship ends here. Mind you, it’s not just this change that would prompt that decision, but all decisions they have made over the last decade leading up to this final nail in the coffin for us. It’s sad and it sounds dramatic, but I’ve grown up with Disney and to me this really is heartbreaking.
“the first all-electric kitchen on Walt Disney World Resort property within the tower’s restaurant.”
Yet still never addressed if it’s a new association… right?
I mostly worry about capacity on the monorail, and how this will work points-wise, since I’m a poly contract holder.
I know- the points question is huge. We’ve been sitting back for years wondering whether they are going to turn the 2 bedrooms into bungalow level points craziness, and whether/how many more points we need to use what we have already.
They destroyed the Poly, formerly the best hotel on property. I’m thinking folks will flock to it though regardless.