Credit: Theme Park Tourist, FlickrThis week, Walt Disney World Resort abruptly revoked guest access to hotel lobby seating at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. The project is the latest in several ongoing refurbishments at the Deluxe Disney Resort hotel.
This summer, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort partially closed BouTiki, the largest merchandise location in the Great Ceremonial House (the main hotel lobby). Crews replaced the floor and refurbished the store fixtures in phases, offering a limited amount of merchandise while the work continued. That project wrapped up in July. In the weeks since, work has begun on the roof of the Aotearoa building and the resort’s driveway.
On Wednesday, September 17, WDWNT reported that a mystery maintenance project had taken over the lobby at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. New check-in signs adorn each desk. They’re the same shape and style as the previous signs, but feature an image of the Disney Resort’s mascot, Maui, and generic flower designs. The old signs featured text like “Aloha” and “Guest Services,” so the more generic designs may make it possible for Disney cast members to perform different tasks at the same stations depending on guests’ needs.
The most significant change for Disney Resort guests is that stanchions have blocked off the lobby seating area, and a sign reads “Please pardon our Pixie Dust – Work in progress for future enjoyment.” There are no signs of active construction in the area, and all seating, rugs, and other decorative fixtures remain in place.
Walt Disney World Resort hasn’t announced plans to refurbish the lobby at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, so it’s unclear how extensive this new project will be. Disney typically posts a warning on its website before refurbishing Disney Resort hotels, so this may be a minor maintenance project.
In 2023, Disney installed new rugs and replaced the upholstery on the furniture in the Great Ceremonial House at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. In 2024, crews replaced the carpet on the stairs at the back of the building.
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