Walt Disney World Resort: Scheduled to open on Dec. 17, Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows will feature an expansive array of island-inspired accommodations, including intimate Duo Studios designed for two, cozy Deluxe Studios that sleep as many as four, spacious One-Bedroom Villas that sleep as many as five and expansive Two-Bedroom Villas that sleep as many as nine. Fulfilling Members’ wish for more options at this beloved resort, the new tower will add to an assortment of accommodations that, since 2015, has included Deluxe Studios and over-the-water Bora Bora Bungalows.
Each accommodation option in the new tower will celebrate the cultures of Polynesia with light and airy interiors punctuated by rich textures, custom textiles, pops of color and – layering in a touch of Disney magic – artistic story moments inspired by Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Moana.
“Our overall story narrative celebrates Polynesian wayfinding, the wayfinders themselves and the natural elements they were in sync with as they made their travels,” explained Disney Imagineer and Interior Designer Madeleine Day.
Developing the tower with a focus on conservation and sustainability, Disney Imagineers employed pre-fabrication construction techniques that help minimize waste, while aesthetic details include such sustainably crafted show-stoppers as “biophilic” chandeliers made from preserved plant materials, large-scale “Ghost Net Art” sculptures made from reclaimed fishing nets and carpets crafted through a technology that turns plastic waste into a silk-like yarn. Once in operation, the tower is projected to use approximately 30 percent less energy than a typical resort of similar size, thanks to optimized heating and cooling systems, energy-efficient lighting, the first all-electric Walt Disney World restaurant kitchen and more.
We’ll take a look at the tower’s public spaces – including its Wailulu Bar & Grill ("Wailulu" is Hawaiian for "calm waters"), Terrace Gardens and the tower lobby inspired earth, water, wind and fire – in the winter edition of Disney Files Magazine. But first, let’s explore the villas themselves, courtesy of photos captured in a model room representing a One-Bedroom Villa and Deluxe Studio (which, when combined, form a Two-Bedroom Lockoff Villa).
Model room shown. Fixtures and furnishings subject to change. Full kitchen is available in One-Bedroom Villas and larger.
One-Bedroom Villas celebrate the natural element of water, expressed through everything from colorful pull-down-bed murals (the one seen below re-imagines Seven Seas Lagoon as an ocean, with Cinderella Castle rising where the sky meets the sea) to an extraordinarily detailed Manta ray wall sculpture (See at the end of the article for a closer look at more than a dozen symbolic details carved into this deeply meaningful work of art). Pops of color in the upholstery of the dining area’s banquette seatback (a custom pattern “digitally stitched” by a Disney Imagineer) hide swirling nods to the heart of Te Fiti (one of the space’s more subtle Moana moments), as well as hidden Mickeys (see closeup on previous page). The galley-style kitchen offers an example of Imagineers’ embrace of texture, from the woven materials covering soffits and cabinets to a basalt backsplash that mimics the texture of volcanic rock. Speaking of textures, softening the space’s herringbone-patterned, hard-surface floor is one of the villa’s shockingly soft carpets crafted from recycled plastic.
Those colorful celebrations of water (and Moana) continue inside the living room’s fold-down beds, with Gramma Tala’s spirit ray gliding in the moonlight above the queen size bed that pulls down over the sofa (as a wayfinding Moana sails in the distance), and the “shiny” reef of bioluminescent crab Tamatoa adding some goodnight glam to the single bed that unfolds beneath the TV.
Water continues to inspire in the One-Bedroom Villa’s primary bedroom, where a wall-to-wall headboard mural depicts wayfinders exploring the ocean in harmony with the creatures who travel both below and above the sea. Beneath the elevated bed (ideal for storing luggage) is another carpet created from recycled-plastic "silk" – one with a custom design inspired by the organic shapes found within a coral reef.
Equally inspired by organic shapes are wall mirrors above twin vanities flanking the doorway of the bedroom’s ensuite bathroom, giving a visual nod to islands and backed by triangular, ocean blue tiles.
For the Disney Files staff’s favorite detail in the ensuite bathroom, look above the bath itself. It’s there, set against a wall of mother-of-pearl tile, that you’ll find a sculpted tropical flower inspired by the distinctive design style of Disney Legend Mary Blair, who famously helped introduce modern art to the Walt Disney Studio. The flower’s shape mimics designs found in some of Mary Blair’s early concept art for Adventureland, and each petal contains sculpted representations of a different element of Polynesian life.
Model room shown. Fixtures and furnishings subject to change
The tower's Deluxe Studios feature a more-spacious-than-usual kitchenette that includes a dishwasher to eliminate the need for disposable dishware (in support of Disney’s commitment to minimizing waste).
Whereas decorating details in One-Bedroom Villas celebrate water, Deluxe Studios celebrate earth, expressed through the dining area’s mural of island palms (just beyond the dining area’s banquette seating, by the way, is a really handy luggage bench) and a colorful depiction of Moana’s island of Motunui outside the fold-down, queen-sized bed.
The Deluxe Studio bathroom features dual, overlapping “island” mirrors, set against a wall of triangular tile that trades the ocean blue for an earthy green.
Opening the Deluxe Studio’s fold-down, queen-sized bed reveals a dreamy image of Te Fiti while rewarding eagle eyes with sightings of Maui, Moana, Hei Hei and sea creature constellations (take a closer look on this magazine’s cover and back cover).
Richly layered with meaningful details, the art and architecture of the new Island Tower addition to Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows will immerse Members and guests in the stories, traditions and unique cultures of Polynesia. Just how much attention to detail have artists paid to the tower’s design? Let’s take an up-close look at just a single piece of the accommodations’ custom works of art – a sculpted Manta ray that hangs above the dining table in One- and Two-Bedroom Villas. Meticulously designed by a tattoo artist whose work you’ll discover in numerous places both inside and outside the tower, the sculpture may immediately call to mind the majestic sea creature spiritually tied to Gramma Tala in Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Moana. But it’s much more than that – and we aren’t just talking about that upside-down hidden Mickey at the top-center of the ray. Here’s a counter-clockwise breakdown of insights from the artist.
1. The hidden Mickey’s “face” represents a wayfinder’s guiding star.
2. Spearheads represent strength and perseverance.
3. A woven mat represents foundation. Coupled with the spearheads, these two elements are placed at the top of the Manta to represent the traits needed to navigate the journey of life.
4. Symbols represent arms, and the giving and sharing nature of the Polynesian people.
5. Turtle shell scales represent protection of the family.
6. The importance of family is represented by these symbols of people coming together.
7. Fern leaves represent growth and new beginnings.
8. Ocean waves represent the sea.
9. Shark teeth are another symbol of protection (details 7-9 combine to represent protection while traveling).
10. Sea turtle is another symbol of family.
11 Fish hook, while a nod to the demigod Maui in Moana, also represents the ability to bring food to family.
12. Symbols represent the eyes of ancestors watching over us.
13. Pandanus leaves – many of which must come together to weave a mat, represent people coming together from around the world.
Model room shown. Fixtures and furnishings subject to change.
