They are moving Reflections over to the Poly.

[nomorethan8]

So it seems DVC is building the Reflections resort over at the Poly.

https://dvcfan.com/2022/03/15/new-dvc-tower-coming-to-the-disneys-polynesian-village-resort/

 

[bama_ed]

Good.

It will go in the spot vacated by the departed Spirit of Aloha Show, Theater, and related area.

After they build a solid wall around Seven Seas Lagoon (desirable real estate for time shares), they may come back to the patch of dirt behind Pioneer Hall.

But I'm predicting future DVC building plans will be rolled out for the patch of land between TTC and Contemporary on the Lagoon side of the Monorail track. I've read that the original long-term (1970s) design plan called for an Atlantis style of resort (lots of glass and water/fountains) but that the ground was not firm/stable enough to support building there.

But fifty years later, technology has probably caught up where if Disney throws a couple (Million) dollars at new construction techniques, they will build something there that they can sell.

Hope they do it soon so that they can delay building behind Pioneer Hall. I hate the current scrim and empty sky view back there but would hate looking at a DVC resort more.

Thanks for the update, @nomorethan8.

Bama Ed

PS - the Reflections design, as we had it behind Pioneer Hall, was uninspiring. Any kind of Poly/South Seas decorating flair would help the basic lame design. They found some more desirable land, they got a basic design on the shelf, they'll just change the paint, wallpaper, and some kitchy lobby objects and charge a bazillion per point.

PPS - one more plug for my RV/Trailer DVC timeshare idea of Camp Davy Crockett which would be across the street from the entrance of Fort Wilderness in the direction of Epcot. RV/trailer sales are hot and this would be the time to roll this out. You could build a golf cart trail to Best Friends Pet Care (because campers can travel with the pets but on park days might want to take them to BF). I've been plugging Camp Davy Crockett for 10 years at least I bet. Disney has so much land they can spare that section for us lowly ground huggers.

 

[StormyCA]

I saw that news and thought the same thing: "Whew, saved (for the time being)!". But I still get the jitters when I see all that vacant land between WL and FtW!

I love your Camp Davy Crockett idea. But much better if they can put it where the defunct (we hope) Reflections was going to be. Two birds with one stone. Make it a completely separate facility with its own entrance, trading posts, dock, pools etc. Only a walking/golf cart path to connect it to Pioneer Hall.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

I don't think 'Reflections' replacement was my first thought, but I can see how folks get there. It sounds like the monorail location is extremely popular with DVC, so they continue to build more. At least this will be a new build - the refurb studios in the original Poly DVC are pretty so-so for us, except for the location. And the current 'expansion' of GF by remodeling current buildings isn't of interest to us either.

I also agree with bama_ed and his comment about something at CR. We viewed that section from the monorail earlier this month, and that is a significant piece of land that isn't much more than an eye-sore right now - the location seems perfect for something new, DVC or not.

 

[DL1WDW2]

I vote for Camp DVCrockett!
and DvContemporary Wing too!

Can DVC cram a new monorail into the transportation Budget ?
Otherwise feel sorry for the guests paying for the deluxe monorail resort experience .
Well maybe they have a budget for a boat at least with all that money they have saved by delaying the return of the boats to & from Contemporary to FtW.

 

[bama_ed]

Can DVC cram a new monorail into the transportation Budget ?
Otherwise feel sorry for the guests paying for the deluxe monorail resort experience .
Well maybe they have a budget for a boat at least with all that money they have saved by delaying the return of the boats to & from Contemporary to FtW.

There has been complaining in the past about the age and reliability of the current monorail fleet. There was talk that the electrical infrastructure that supports the monorail is of a size/type/design not currently used in modern day similar systems. And the vendor that produced the current fleet had issues too (bought out, bankrupt, don't recall).

I agree completely that for the deluxe hotels and DVC's along the Seven Seas Lagoon monorail loop, they should be served by a modern, reliable transportation system that is already in place. Leave the bus and boat options for Wilderness Lodge and the Fort. I get that the monorail won't be extended anywhere but the monorail they currently have should be worth the price they charge.

Bama Ed

PS-but I would like my small boats back between WL/FW/CR.

 

[jo-jo]

I vote for Camp DVCrockett!
and DvContemporary Wing too!

Can DVC cram a new monorail into the transportation Budget ?
Otherwise feel sorry for the guests paying for the deluxe monorail resort experience .
Well maybe they have a budget for a boat at least with all that money they have saved by delaying the return of the boats to & from Contemporary to FtW.

How does one get from Contemporary to FtW now?

 

[FtW Mike]

How does one get from Contemporary to FtW now?

Breast stroke or dog paddle

 

[jo-jo]

How does one get from Contemporary to FtW now?

thank you, so just to be sure, backstroke not allowed or does that cost extra as an upgraded option?

 

[acgardne]

thank you, so just to be sure, backstroke not allowed or does that cost extra as an upgraded option?

You have to buy the Mickey-branded flippers and snorkel combo for an upcharge.

 

[Teamubr]

How does one get from Contemporary to FtW now?

My back stroke isn't what it used to be, so I take the monorail over to MK and then the big boat to the Fort. Not nearly as convenient as the little boats, but it works.

j

 

[Stratman50th]

How does one get from Contemporary to FtW now?

Probably the quickest would be walk or ride to Magic Kingdom and take the Fort Wilderness boat over.
I figured you might want a real answer before these clowns (sadly I must include myself in their number) go on for 4 more pages. LOL!

 

[FtW Mike]

Probably the quickest would be walk or ride to Magic Kingdom and take the Fort Wilderness boat over.
I figured you might want a real answer before these clowns (sadly I must include myself in their number) go on for 4 more pages. LOL!

Hey I resemble that that remark Don

 

[jo-jo]

Probably the quickest would be walk or ride to Magic Kingdom and take the Fort Wilderness boat over.
I figured you might want a real answer before these clowns (sadly I must include myself in their number) go on for 4 more pages. LOL!

Well at least no one suggested I harness a few sea turtles with leis from ohana while using stale mickey pretzels lashed together for a raft. Now that would be crazy. Everyone knows old dried up waffles work much better. Just coat them with butter and they are waterproof.

 

[FtW Mike]

For those considering doing the Back Stroke. That option is only available to those in the Lightning Lane thru Genie Plus The 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Submarine can be accessed but only by those pre register with Genie Plus as an Individual Attraction Same restrictions apply for The Gus and Ellie Balloon Ride. It is unconfirmed at this time that the assorted watercraft in Magic Kingdom now all have HEAVILY ARMED Security to prevent them from being Hijacked

 

[rideswithchrist]

I was excited when I heard about the move to expand the Poly- I figured it meant they would love that area alone for awhile.... and MAYBE expand the Fort. Hopefully Disney will realize that the Fort offers them MORE money by keeping large families onsite... even if it is not a much income, it is a marked increase over those that stay offsite I'm sure.

 

[nomorethan8]

Hopefully Disney will realize that the Fort offers them MORE money by keeping large families onsite... even if it is not a much income, it is a marked increase over those that stay offsite I'm sure.

Every time we are at the Fort, It seems like we pay 10 times the amount a campsite cost, every day, outside of the Fort. With large families it is real easy to do that. Tickets, meals, Mini ears.

I wish the would utilize the former Reflections area for something. Something special. Not just a hotel. But a destination.

PPS - one more plug for my RV/Trailer DVC timeshare idea of Camp Davy Crockett which would be across the street from the entrance of Fort Wilderness in the direction of Epcot. RV/trailer sales are hot and this would be the time to roll this out. You could build a golf cart trail to Best Friends Pet Care (because campers can travel with the pets but on park days might want to take them to BF). I've been plugging Camp Davy Crockett for 10 years at least I bet. Disney has so much land they can spare that section for us lowly ground huggers.

Completely Agree!

 

[bama_ed]

PPS - one more plug for my RV/Trailer DVC timeshare idea of Camp Davy Crockett which would be across the street from the entrance of Fort Wilderness in the direction of Epcot. RV/trailer sales are hot and this would be the time to roll this out. You could build a golf cart trail to Best Friends Pet Care (because campers can travel with the pets but on park days might want to take them to BF). I've been plugging Camp Davy Crockett for 10 years at least I bet. Disney has so much land they can spare that section for us lowly ground huggers.

I just double-checked the archives. It's been 7 years (not 10) since I started advocating for a RV/Trailer DVC across the road from Fort Wilderness in the direction of Epcot. Although it feels like it's been a lot longer .....

That was plenty of time for the machinations of corporate Disney to come up with a design, "leak" the drawings/plans out and wait for the fan critique (isn't that how it's done?), and then make revisions and release the public announcement. I live in a college town with a successful college football team. A lot of gameday condo/housing "press releases" occur (on this piece of land in this time frame with these amenities) and then they wait to see if there is a surge of interest/buying/down payments before they pull the trigger on their property options to actually BUY the property and execute the plan. More often than not, nothing comes of it.

That's what happened with Reflections. Not a surprise with the lame design and with the recent DVC Resort 2.0 resale restrictions.

But if they had rolled out an RV/Trailer DVC long ago, listened to the feedback ("plans, what plans?" ), shelved it (while making changes based on potential customer demand), and then had it sitting there on a shelf WAITING for a perfect camper opportunity, they could have pivoted from their primary plans, Plan A (Reflections) and executed Plan B (Camp Davy Crockett). And scraping dirt and putting up some surface trimmings would be cheap and very profitable. And it would cash in on an under-served market that would literally THROW money at the company. Building Reflections (with different paint, wallpaper, and lobby kitch) at the Poly just removes another easy future opportunity off the table (Seven Seas shoreline).

Disney's DVC business model seems to require every acre of land to produce BLT-like profits. That's not realistic.

So DVC will continue to harvest low-hanging fruit like the Seven Seas Lagoon shoreline, Epcot's monorail line into THAT theme park, convert more hotel resort rooms/wings to time shares, and then maybe circle back to the dirt behind Pioneer Hall. We can't escape it forever. We can only hope it gets delayed. And delayed. And delayed. While campsite prices are high along with demand, we can still enjoy what we have as we can.

Bama Ed

PS -

Disney will not expand the Fort with campsites again (not BLT-like profits).

Disney will not build a Camp Davy Crockett on Bay Lake behind Pioneer Hall (not enough profit potential for shoreline property).

PPS - And to show I'm willing to put my money where my mouth is, I'll bet @tiggerdad's pickup truck on it.

 

[JP6972]

Hoping your PS will not's does the whole reverse psychology thing on Disney exec's. and they put in the sites just to prove you wrong.

 

[bama_ed]

Hoping your PS will not's does the whole reverse psychology thing on Disney exec's. and they put in the sites just to prove you wrong.

I hope you're right, @JP6972. They could put in the sites to spite me but that would require a change in corporate behavior that I haven't seen in several decades. Nobody in the corp ladder seems willing to stick their neck out, take a chance, and follow their heart.

Instead they salute the corporate flag, play it safe, follow the business case process, and further their careers.

Bama Ed

Ps - I often kid that corp WDW has a hidden bunker of interns that monitor social media and provide feedback up the line on what the "interwebz" are saying. Not that they do anything with that info. (see my comments above). Us campers are the low-spend (at Disney), low profit potential guests so we are WAY down the food chain of profitable guest categories (although I'm sure they put a number on us). Now, you and me know that some of the RV's that park at Fort Wilderness cost more than the homes for the WDW corporate types but that money doesn't accrue to Disney's bottom line. So I'm fairly free to speak my mind knowing it will be ignored in the corporate suites.