Island Tower at Polynesian Villas & Bungalows

[maui22]

Wonder why they didn't do this when they installed the Murphy beds a few years ago.

I suspect the entire resort getting new paint color scheme happened after they decided on the Island Tower colors.

For the last 1-2 months, photos around the resort show they have been painting hotel longhouses. I believe PVB longhouses started recently as well. I recall seeing the Notice of Commencements for PVB addresses (longhouses and bungalows). I believe the work is being done by a company out of Georgia that someone posted was a painting company. Almost positive this filing was after the hotel side longhouses started receiving their new exterior painting colors.

Kind of like selling a house. Make it look new/fresh and it will sell better.

 

[eticketplease]

That is some super sleuth speculation right there @maui22 and I'm here for it!!!

Yes thanks @maui22 for all your efforts!!

 

[DonkeyHoTay]

Hope this question doesn't get me banned for not finding the answer myself in one of the earlier 199 pages, but is it reasonable to assume the existing point chart for a long house deluxe studio lake view will be close to the points for a Tower deluxe studio theme park view?

 

[Cabius]

Hope this question doesn't get me banned for not finding the answer myself in one of the earlier 199 pages, but is it reasonable to assume the existing point chart for a long house deluxe studio lake view will be close to the points for a Tower deluxe studio theme park view?

The consensus expectation is that:

Tower Standard = Longhouse Standard
Tower Preferred = Longhouse Lake View
Tower Theme Park = new, higher category

This is based on the fact that cash prices are the same for Standard and for Lake/Preferred views, with TPV being a higher cash rate than the other two.

 

[eticketplease]

The consensus expectation is that:

Tower Standard = Longhouse Standard
Tower Preferred = Longhouse Lake View
Tower Theme Park = new, higher category

This is based on the fact that cash prices are the same for Standard and for Lake/Preferred views, with TPV being a higher cash rate than the other two.

Also to note this is how they handled the resort studios at VGF.

 

[eticketplease]

Hope this question doesn't get me banned for not finding the answer myself in one of the earlier 199 pages, but is it reasonable to assume the existing point chart for a long house deluxe studio lake view will be close to the points for a Tower deluxe studio theme park view?

Ask Ask Ask!!

We may not reply until page 250 but someone will get you an answer like @Cabius did for you.

 

[Genie+]

Yeah I don’t think Poly Tower needs to increase the point chart relative to the longhouses. The tower rooms seem to be relatively smaller to original studios, the 1BR not twice the size, etc. And the tower gets to lean on a much higher ratio of non-standard views than the longhouses, which are something like 80%+ standard view. The average point cost per square foot is going to be higher at the tower even if the point chart is based directly from original PVB. They’d still end up with alot more points to sell per sf.

 

[hockeydad21]

Hope this question doesn't get me banned for not finding the answer myself in one of the earlier 199 pages, but is it reasonable to assume the existing point chart for a long house deluxe studio lake view will be close to the points for a Tower deluxe studio theme park view?

How dare you have the audacity to ask a question that may or may not have been covered in the 600+ pages discussing the Poly Tower written across 4+ Disboards threads!

 

[Cabius]

How dare you have the audacity to ask a question that may or may not have been covered in the 600+ pages discussing the Poly Tower written across 4+ Disboards threads!

To be fair, only like 70% of this thread has actually been about the PIT. We've taken a few, ahem, diversions.

 

[mkatsy]

I suspect the entire resort getting new paint color scheme happened after they decided on the Island Tower colors.

For the last 1-2 months, photos around the resort show they have been painting hotel longhouses. I believe PVB longhouses started recently as well. I recall seeing the Notice of Commencements for PVB addresses (longhouses and bungalows). I believe the work is being done by a company out of Georgia that someone posted was a painting company. Almost positive this filing was after the hotel side longhouses started receiving their new exterior painting colors.

Kind of like selling a house. Make it look new/fresh and it will sell better.

It’s probably like anything else in the house, you renovate one thing and it makes everything else look dumpy so you end up painting the whole place

 

[Mikey15]

Yeah I don’t think Poly Tower needs to increase the point chart relative to the longhouses. The tower rooms seem to be relatively smaller to original studios, the 1BR not twice the size, etc. And the tower gets to lean on a much higher ratio of non-standard views than the longhouses, which are something like 80%+ standard view. The average point cost per square foot is going to be higher at the tower even if the point chart is based directly from original PVB. They’d still end up with alot more points to sell per sf.

“Shrinkflation,” DVC style. Same points, smaller rooms that sleep fewer people.

While a lot of things in this world the per sqft cost gets lower the bigger you go though, I don’t believe DVC’s ever been an example to point to. So many resorts have 1bd = 2x Studio, 2bd = Studio + 1bd, and the premium 2bd options (cabins and bungalows) or GVs all priced as premium options. “Value” in DVC is multiple cheap Studios, and not the premium-positioned full kitchen, W/D-equipped villas.

 

[nlenguyen]

“Shrinkflation,” DVC style. Same points, smaller rooms that sleep fewer people.

While a lot of things in this world the per sqft cost gets lower the bigger you go though, I don’t believe DVC’s ever been an example to point to. So many resorts have 1bd = 2x Studio, 2bd = Studio + 1bd, and the premium 2bd options (cabins and bungalows) or GVs all priced as premium options. “Value” in DVC is multiple cheap Studios, and not the premium-positioned full kitchen, W/D-equipped villas.

You are right. I do think that the kitchen and W/D do not equal 2 studios, but it is a convenience thing. I have been keeping track of cash rates vs point charts and it seems you can get to a break even point faster if you just book studios, it has taken us a lot longer to break even when using 1 and 2 bedrooms.

 

[WinterSolider]

“Shrinkflation,” DVC style. Same points, smaller rooms that sleep fewer people.

While a lot of things in this world the per sqft cost gets lower the bigger you go though, I don’t believe DVC’s ever been an example to point to. So many resorts have 1bd = 2x Studio, 2bd = Studio + 1bd, and the premium 2bd options (cabins and bungalows) or GVs all priced as premium options. “Value” in DVC is multiple cheap Studios, and not the premium-positioned full kitchen, W/D-equipped villas.

I would MUCH rather have a 1BR than two studios for the same price. My goal isn't to cram as many human beings as possible into as many sleeping surfaces as possible. My wife and I like to sleep in a king bed. We like privacy from our children. We like cooking our own hot breakfast in the morning.

And from an operating cost perspective, kitchen appliances cost a lot to clean and maintain so the price to square foot ratio should not be expected to be equal to rooms with beds only.

 

[eticketplease]

I have been keeping track of cash rates vs point charts and it seems you can get to a break even point faster if you just book studios, it has taken us a lot longer to break even when using 1 and 2 bedrooms.

I’m assuming the same is true when staying at various resorts as well. A night at VGF would be closer of 2 nites at CCV when trying to calculate break even?

 

[Kailunkat]

To be fair, only like 70% of this thread has actually been about the PIT. We've taken a few, ahem, diversions.

It's been a fun ride though!

I would MUCH rather have a 1BR than two studios for the same price. My goal isn't to cram as many human beings as possible into as many sleeping surfaces as possible. My wife and I like to sleep in a king bed. We like privacy from our children. We like cooking our own hot breakfast in the morning.

THIS! Convenience versus overall space - convenience wins for me every time. King bed is a must, kitchenette and fridge is super important. A DOOR . Washer dryer, dishwasher (!!!) in the room are a major upgrade that makes the trip so much easier. I'll trade money for time any day.

 

[Mikey15]

To be fair, only like 70% of this thread has actually been about the PIT. We've taken a few, ahem, diversions.

The real points chart was the friends we made along the way

 

[MyDogTink]

What’s the view on waiving title insurance if buying Poly directly from DVC?

 

[Genie+]

What’s the view on waiving title insurance if buying Poly directly from DVC?

I waived my title insurance last year buying VGF direct. It saved about $185.

Even though it is not a significant expense compared to what we’re buying, it seemed unnecessary to me. Other people like having that peace of mind but I searched and searched and could not come up with one good reason or case where someone needed to use the title insurance on a direct purchase. The only thing that came up was possibly fixing of a typo or error on finalized contract.

Title insurance on RESALE is something I’d never pass up. That is protecting the buyer from potential issues that could arise from the chain of previous owners, like liens and other legal disputes. It could also help if the broker messed up certain things.

But with direct there are no previous owners besides DVD. Unlike resale, the points are very clear cut as it is a new unused contract. I just made sure to read everything I signed to make sure all the details were right. Names spelled correctly, contract details, pricing, etc.

 

[GoingSince1990]

I always chuckle when people bring up buying title insurance for a direct DVC purchase. Talk about a pointless waste of money. “But it only costs $X!” OK then, you’ve thrown away $X.

 

[WinterSolider]

I waived my title insurance last year buying VGF direct. It saved about $185.

Even though it is not a significant expense compared to what we’re buying, it seemed unnecessary to me. Other people like having that peace of mind but I searched and searched and could not come up with one good reason or case where someone needed to use the title insurance on a direct purchase. The only thing that came up was possibly fixing of a typo or error on finalized contract.

Title insurance on RESALE is something I’d never pass up. That is protecting the buyer from potential issues that could arise from the chain of previous owners, like liens and other legal disputes. It could also help if the broker messed up certain things.

But with direct there are no previous owners besides DVD. Unlike resale, the points are very clear cut as it is a new unused contract. I just made sure to read everything I signed to make sure all the details were right. Names spelled correctly, contract details, pricing, etc.

I always chuckle when people bring up buying title insurance for a direct DVC purchase. Talk about a pointless waste of money. “But it only costs $X!” OK then, you’ve thrown away $X.

That's true for new resorts, but what about resorts that have been muddied by Disney ROFRing existing contracts?

Like isn't the pool of direct points at Poly "tainted" by the fact that some of those points have been out in the wild and then bought back by Disney through ROFR? In theory you might be purchasing a deeded interest in something that somebody else once had a claim on even though it's a direct purchase.