Agreed! The location is the only thing that makes me even consider staying there.
2 Likes
When we stayed at the Poly in 1988 it was so awesome, bright, cheerful, upscale, magical.
When we stayed at the Poly in 2008 it was such a downer. Dark, clunky, several items in the room needed maintenance. Didn’t even seem like the same place.
2 Likes
Reflections has been stopped and the information about it on Disney websites has disappeared
The Wilderness Lodge already has Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs there for a Character Dinner at the Artist’s Point Restaurant. Another example of forcing IP into the wrong place. Moana at the Poly in comparison is a much better fit.
1 Like
Would you elaborate on why that feels like the wrong place? It struck me as a great fit - I think of the wilderness as where the dwarfs cottage would have been - near the edge of the kingdom…?
3 Likes
Disney description of the Wilderness Lodge:
Escape to the rustic majesty of America’s Great Northwest. Inspired by turn-of-the-century National Park lodges, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge celebrates American craftsmanship and honors the beauty of the untamed wilderness.
The Dwarf’s Cottage is in a forest in Germany.
Two entirely different places.
3 Likes
Thank you.
As someone who only knew the name it made sense. I see what you are saying.
I would like to see strong Disney IPs in every spot. But I don’t use the resorts for anything other than food. Those guests with a sense of home will rightly view that differently than I. 
2 Likes
YES! More IP!
What I love about WDW is being transported to fantastical places that don’t exist in real life.
Polynesia exists in real life, but WDW is the only place in the world I could go to visit Motunui. Same for Snow White’s forest or Batuu, or Hogwarts or Pandora. I want to go places that can only be created by Imagineering.
3 Likes
Actually, I don’t mind IP in that way. But shoe-horning IP into places seems like an afterthought and is not transportive at all.
Create Star Wars land, create Hogsmeade, create TSL, etc. But the idea of plopping The Incredibles into the Contemporary seems horrid. There is no logical connection whatsoever and seems to take the concept of what the Contemporary is supposed to be and completely loses focus.
Moana into Poly? I guess that makes sense.
2 Likes
I mean, theres a silver lining!
3 Likes
Well actually, you can visit Hogwarts at Pinewood Studios near London. They have the actual movie sets recreated there.
Personally I like some areas of WDW to be IP free.
World Showcase was intended to showcase the countries represented. Not a fictitious place.
And I love the ambience of places like WL, AKL and GF without having a Disney IP in my face. No problems with having some character themed restaurants at resorts, but I also like non character theming such as Sana’a or Victoria Falls at AKL or the New Orleans theming at POFQ etc. The subtle touches like the Lion King headboards at Kidani or the Fantasia splash play area and beautiful artwork around Riviera are perfect, but I don’t want Lion King villas at Kidani.
As for the Poly I can see why Moana fits, although I’ve not seen the movie. But I would hate for life size models of the characters around the grounds a la POP.
2 Likes
From what I read, which seems like not a lot, sounds like it will be touches like lion king at AKL.
1 Like
Apparently Motu Nui is a real island:
I think Moana deserves to have more presence in WDW and Poly is the best place to fit it in.
4 Likes
Agreed. There’s already the option at AoA for those wanting extreme Lion King theming. Sometimes a subtle connection works better.
My main issue with IP’s is when multiple from different stories are in the same place at the same time. I get the magic of little girls being able to see several princesses in one meal, but it damages the story for me. Why is Jasmine in Cinderella’s castle? Why are a bunch of princesses in a Norwegian castle and not the Norwegian ones? Why are Ariel and Rapunzel and their significant others meeting up at an Italian restaurant on a boardwalk? The riverboat in Fantasmic is cool but makes my head explode.
2 Likes
It calls me!
5 Likes
This was what Bob Chapek said last year about adding IP to the parks:
.
A lot of times people say, “why does everything have to have a franchise orientation?” Because that’s our barrier to entry. Because if any of our competitors had our intellectual property, guess what? They would be doing the exact same thing we’re doing, but they don’t have it. We do. So we’re going to build it. We’re going to sustain it. We’re going to create this world where everybody works together to create storytelling across time, across territories, geographies and across lines of business to create something that’s bigger than any one of those individual pieces.
When WDW added Snow White & 7 Dwarfs to Artist’s Pointe, they took one of the least popular restaurants and made it into one of the hardest to get ADR at WDW. It remains to be seen what is instore for the Poly with Moana being added.
3 Likes
I agree with him 100%.
I like tie ins, otherwise there’s no point for me to visit WDW vs SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, Dollywood. It’s the IP that brings us in.
We always stay off property, bc it’s a place to sleep for us. But the resorts that I eyeball are the ones with character decor in the rooms. Someday when my family is smaller again (
) I believe we will try some.
I do wish it was more cohesive. Completely agree. They are not great at that all the time.
Like aside from my DW suddenly insisting on ADRs at O’Hana if Maui’s on the menu?
Let’s just hope WDW doesn’t decide to redo the Coronado Springs Resort into the Coco-Ronado Springs Resort.
3 Likes
I guess I find the architecture of the Contemporary in line with the architecture of the villain’s lair in The Incredibles. Sort of Bond-villain futuresque with a monorail running through it.
3 Likes