Luau Cove demolition progressing at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort to clear land for new Disney Vacation Club tower

mysto2 hours ago

An authentic Polynesian building would have ONE floor. Mic drop.

DisneyHead1236 hours ago

Actual dedication to authenticity no, of course not - I think authenticity is one of the corporate buzzwords of the moment. Just like a company might talk about “sustainability” - and actually do some good things environmentally speaking - but a corporation really isn’t dedicated to helping the Earth in the sense that a nonprofit is. I don’t know that they’re actually moving away from theming or if over-the-top theming came to be seen as gauche for awhile there. The thematic version of My Super Sweet 16, if you will. Everything has been understated, natural and neutral for awhile now. I admit that just a few short years ago I was very into the “sad beige baby” trend for my son, lol (Google if you’re unfamiliar), complete with a sad beige nursery. That aesthetic was and still is very in - but my guess is that it will give way to something more over than understated soon, as the pendulum swings. My guess is also that the over the top look of Epic Universe will really kick this into high gear in the theme park universe. Nintendo World makes even a bright, colorful area like Toy Story Land look positively sparse by comparison. There is a looot of theming happening there.

lazyboy97o8 hours ago

You don’t think they’d be highlighting the contemporary Polynesian architectural influences if they were there? A themed experience isn’t something like an exhibition hall where there can be a disconnect between venue and subject. The whole point is immersion, the venue being the subject of the experience.

Sir_Cliff14 hours ago

Yes, I really don't see this as a dedication to authenticity so much as reflecting their increasing move away from theming the hotels. You could design an office building and decorate the interiors with art from First Nations people from Australia and it wouldn't make that building authentic to their culture, for example. Aulani provides an example of where they have created a themed environment working with local artists. This seems more like a standard hotel featuring decor by Polynesian artists as part of the interior design scheme. It's better than just putting up artwork from Lilo & Stitch or Moana, but they have to decorate the place with art from somewhere and this was a logical option more than a drive for authenticity by the people who designed the hotel as far as I can tell.

The Hatbox Ghost14 hours ago

I appreciate your response, thank you! That's what I had assumed as well, but what peeked my curiosity is that this is the only section of the tower that they have painted white. And it's been left in this "boxed" pattern for months while they paint around the white areas. Anyhow, that's why the white areas stood out to me as 'finished'. 🤷‍♂️

mattpeto18 hours ago

The leaked blueprints that went around these forums revealed a restaurant I believe, along with a 2 bathroom 1 bedroom room layout (Like Kidani and BLT-IIRC).

donaldtoo20 hours ago

Nobody should knock the tiki aesthetic, as tons of businesses have made bank on it over the decades, including Disney…!!!!! :hilarious:;)

BrianLo20 hours ago

It’s nicer than 99% of actual infrastructure/hotels in Polynesia though. 😂

splah1 day ago

of course! it comes down to thoughtful consideration in design. the parks aren't recreating real-life they are amplifying the best parts, the most intriguing parts, the parts that people (and especially people unfamiliar with the source) happily want to explore. my view is they want to be so "authentic" they end up creating things that exist already and are afraid to explore what makes those things unique in the first place. they risk creating a museum of fakes vs. an invitation to explore a place deeper. and a bigger philosophical question, why does something in a theme park need to be "authentic" in the first place? respectful & appropriate, yes. Authentic what does it mean to be in authentic in a purely manufactured environment. the polynesian is not a real place, it shouldn't be, and it shouldn't be held to "real" standards because it's not real. this hotel tower doesn't capture the feeling of escaping to a tropical island, there's no charm. i've never been to hawaii, but which hotel inspires me to go. the unique fun one, or the generic modern one? (as an aside i think that's why SWGE feels flat, they made a fantastical world real. i agree that's what a real outpost probably would look like on the galaxy's edge, but is that somewhere where i want to be? where's the life, where's the charm?)

_caleb1 day ago

Fair point, if that is indeed what’s happening here. I’m no expert in Polynesian hotel architecture. But it’s an interesting question: can some degree of authenticity be achieved using non-indigenous typologies?

lazyboy97o1 day ago

Reducing the authenticity to mere decoration doesn’t really change that dynamic. If anything it makes it worse, it’s a thin layer on top of a completely different typology.

lazyboy97o1 day ago

They’ve been using light colored bonding agents on the building.

Earlie the Pearlie1 day ago

I agree with most said above. I don’t want to be like “oh authenticity is the worst thing ever!” because I don’t think that’s true. There’s definitely a middle ground between actual offensive stereotyping and 100% commitment to being absolutely authentic, and I think that Disney is overcorrecting towards the latter. Some authenticity is great! Part of what makes Animal Kingdom and World Showcase’s theming so fantastic is their use of real artifacts, work by local artists, and commitment to realism. But, despite being a huge EPCOT enthusiast and a big appreciator of AK, if you asked me whether I would rather spend time in an authentic Harambe or Morocco, or a highly stylized and not “grounded” Adventureland a la Paris… I think I would pick the Adventureland. It’s more fun for me!

MisterPenguin1 day ago

I pink, therefore I hem.