Island Tower at Disney's Polynesian Villas & Bungalows: A Firsthand Look at Disney World's Newest Hotel

Image: Wave Break Terrace at night. (Photo Credit: Brooke McDonald)

by Brooke McDonald
Last updated: 1:15 PM ET, Thu December 19, 2024

One of Walt Disney World's most iconic resorts officially unveiled a significant addition on Dec. 17. The Island Tower at Disney's Polynesian Villas & Bungalows, the Disney Vacation Club (DVC) arm of Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, adds a broad range of new room layouts to the property's existing collection of 380 DVC units, as well as a new restaurant, pool area and a stunning new spot to watch Magic Kingdom fireworks.

Blending past, present, and future, the Island Tower's design celebrates the cultural richness and natural beauty of the Polynesian Islands while paying homage to early concepts for the original 1971 Polynesian Resort. Eagle-eyed guests can spot plenty of references and shared design elements from the existing buildings, along with subtle Disney details — most inspired by Moana, but it's Disney's commitment to cultural authenticity, environmental sustainability — and continual enhancement of its Disney Vacation Club spaces and amenities — that take center stage here.

Walt Disney Imagineering creative director Cinde Meade describes Island Tower's design aesthetic as the "Disney version of tropical modernism," characterized by "clean architectural lines, a lot of warm, subtle textures and color palettes inspired by nature."

If that sounds like the modern, minimalist aesthetic common to most hotel chains, it's not. The stunning lobby is as ornate as it is neutral, with different materials, textures and light treatments adding richness and depth to every corner of the building.

An "undulating, wood-wave ceiling" channels the ocean, dotted with island-shaped panels "tattooed" with patterns of animals that inhabit Polynesian Islands from Hawaii to New Zealand.

An abstract chandelier representing a deconstructed stick chart, a navigational tool used by the Polynesians, pays homage to their wayfinding tradition.

"The Polynesians traversed hundreds and hundreds of miles and inhabited over 1000 different islands that are all unique and diverse, so we want to celebrate the beauty of the islands' diversity," says Meade.

Variations of island shapes and sizes appear in countless iterations throughout the tower, from room numbers and mirrors to tabletops.

Sustainability Stories Told Through Design

Sustainability and conservation have been as foundational as cultural authenticity to the development of Island Tower, says Walt Disney Imagineering senior architect Brian Haulter.

"We knew that sustainability was integral to the design and to the stories we wanted to tell here," he says.

Using natural elements not only as inspiration but as physical materials helps seamlessly weave together authentic Polynesian traditions, Disney storytelling, and environmental responsibility.

And these details don't just enhance the space — they educate. Haulter points to the "biophilic chandeliers," dramatic preserved moss columns that hang from the ceiling, adding a bright pop of green for color and blurring the boundaries between architecture and nature.

These and other organic features, like the restaurant's tranquil, reflective fountains and the lobby's wood-carved columns patterned with motifs representing earth, water, fire, and wind, celebrate the deep connection between the Polynesian people and their natural environment.

From the pandan leaves etched into the Earth column to the Fire column honoring the islands' volcanic origins, these design choices pay homage to nature's role in shaping Polynesian life.

Throughout the space, animals critical to Polynesian culture and ecosystems, like birds, fish, and sea turtles, appear in subtle yet meaningful ways. "We're telling the story of the creatures that are so important to everyday Polynesian life," says Haulter.

Their presence — mirrored in the moss columns, hanging art, and other design details — highlights the beauty of the biodiversity of the islands and the importance of preserving it.

A stunning three-story mural paying homage to Moana and Moana 2 adds calming turquoise ocean tones to the space. The piece, which primarily showcases familiar animal characters like the crab, manta ray, and whale shark, works seamlessly in the space, even without familiarity with the films.

Built for the Future: Sustainable Construction at Island Tower

Island Tower's emphasis on sustainability and conservation is underscored through storytelling and the building's construction. Prefabricated modular techniques minimize construction waste, and systems like optimized heating and cooling, energy recovery ventilators and heat pumps for cool heating substantially improve energy efficiency.

"Island Tower is projected to use 30% less energy than a typical resort of the same size," Haulter says.

Guest room rugs adorned with designs representing the sea, sand and coral are woven using yarn made from recycled plastic, and the addition of dishwashers in studios helps eliminate the pandemic-era introduction of single-use, individually plastic-wrapped utensils and servingware.

Expanded Disney Vacation Club Room Layouts Give Families More Options

Disney's Polynesian Villas & Bungalows boasts some fan-favorite Disney Vacation Club room types — studio villas that are among the biggest at Walt Disney World and feature a popular split-bathroom and bucket list-worthy overwater bungalows. But, the resort also lacked the broader range of units offered by most other DVC resorts, which cater to a wider range of families.

The new tower fills gaps across the spectrum and debuts some of the most beautiful — and functional — DVC rooms yet. Here's the rundown, plus links to tours for all room layouts:

Duo Studios: These compact rooms sleep two guests plus an infant under 3. A Murphy-style pull-down bed offers a comfy queen-sized mattress at night but folds up during the day, allowing plenty of living space.

The Island Tower is only the third Disney Vacation Club property to offer this smaller unit, and this version has dramatically improved upon its predecessors at Disney's Riviera Resort and the Villas at Disneyland Hotel. Notable enhancements include a substantial kitchenette, more natural light, and a split bathroom that moves the sink and vanity into the main room, giving more bathroom space to the living and sleeping areas.

Deluxe Studios: Adding to the 360 existing DVC studios at the Polynesian, the Island Towers introduces a smaller deluxe studio alternative to the existing villas, sleeping four plus an infant rather than five, in most cases offered at a lower point or cash price.

One- and Two-Bedroom Villas: These sleep between five and nine guests plus an infant and have two or three full bathrooms, a full kitchen and dining areas, a washer and dryer, and private patios (all units from studio to two-bedroom penthouses have private patios).

Fireworks and Views from the Terrace Gardens

Island Tower guests have access to existing Polynesian resort amenities like the Lava and Oasis Pools, kids splash area, and quick- and table-service dining. The tower also adds a Cove pool, Moana's Voyage splash area, and a new fitness center, which is open to all guests staying at the resort.

One tower offering is exclusive to Island Tower guests only and requires a tower room key for access. Four terrace gardens, each themed to a different island, feature unique artwork, comfy seating, and views of either Disney's Oak Trail and Magnolia Golf Courses or views of Magic Kingdom and Seven Seas Lagoon.

Inspiration for the open-air terrace gardens came from original 1960s concept art, which originally featured a soaring tower and terraced gardens.

Music accompanies fireworks on the terraces facing the Magic Kingdom, which are clearly visible over Cinderella Castle in the distance. I was able to watch Happily Ever After and the Electrical Water Pageant from the Wave Break Terrace during a media preview, and the stunning vista, framed with Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and Disney's Contemporary Resort on either side of Magic Kingdom, is now one of my favorite fireworks views at Walt Disney World.

"You get such a beautiful view of the resort in a way that nobody's ever seen this resort before," David Michael Stofcik, Executive Architect, Walt Disney Imagineering, says, while also offering reassurance that the tower was positioned to avoid blocking the views of the Polynesian's nearest existing building.

Island-Inspired Flavors at Wailulu Bar & Grill

Situated just off the resort lobby, Wailulu Bar & Grill offers table-service dining and pool bar walk-up ordering outside. Wailulu can be translated as "at the water's edge" or "calm water." Appropriately, the lobby entrance is situated just next to the pillar, which is themed to water. In the outdoor seating area, booths are surrounded by calm, reflective fountain pools.

The decor furthers the lobby color scheme and overarching sustainability message, too. A parade of colorful fish sculpted from reclaimed fishing nets adds pops of blues and greens overhead.

"The fish are made from ghost nets — fishing nets that are lost at sea, then reclaimed and woven into these beautiful mixed textures," Meade explains, noting that the team worked with the director of the ghost net art project on the installation.

Near the restaurant's entrance, a piece of wall art mimics the colors and textures of a coral reef, but it's actually made from textiles recycled from fashion industry waste.

Above banquette seating lining the restaurant wall, another version of a deconstructed stick chart breaks up colorful tiles that beautifully reflect the natural light by day and cast a brilliant glow at night.

Wailulu's Polynesian Island-inspired menu draws on culinary influences and ingredients from various islands, including Guam, Easter Island, and Hawaii. Dishes are a mix of new takes on traditional island fare, like Poke Bowls, Loco Moco, and Musubi, and common dishes reimagined with island ingredients.

"We did a lot of familiar items in a unique and creative way — items very tied to the culture and cuisine of the islands," said Walt Disney World culinary director Brian Piasecki. "We also purposefully stayed away from ingredients you wouldn't find there, like blueberries and white potatoes."

One delicious example of a reimagined dish is the Sweet Potato Hummus, served with breadfruit tostones instead of the traditional pita bread.

"We wanted to respect the authenticity of their cuisine and highlight ingredients that are integral to their cuisine," said Bobby Rivera, Walt Disney World Chef de Cuisine, Concept Development. "Breadfruit is very important to the indigenous people of many Polynesian islands so we wanted to showcase it. It's very simple but it's a very important ingredient to them."

A runaway hit for a more typical poolside dish is the Wayfinder Burger, a "smashburger"-style preparation of two pressed patties, American cheese, onion jam and volcano sauce on a sweet bun.

Wailulu's beverage program also prioritizes island ingredients, like teas, in everything from non-alcoholic Hibiscus Iced Tea to a sparkling, fermented Owl's Brew Black Tea & Pineapple on draft, created specially for the restaurant. The Banana Old Fashioned is also getting early rave reviews.

Disney Vacation Club: A Value Alternative for Deluxe Disney Resort Stays

Rooms in the Island Tower are available to all guests to book with cash, but a Disney Vacation Club membership does offer a unique value to frequent Disney travelers, particularly those who would typically stay in one of Disney's deluxe-tier resorts.

By purchasing an annual allotment of points rather than cash for individual stays, DVC members can lock in long-term savings on stays at any of the 17 Disney Vacation Club resorts, including destinations at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and beach locations like Aulani in Hawaii and Hilton Head Island. In addition to access to larger rooms and enhanced amenities like full kitchens, washers, and dryers, DVC members also enjoy perks like exclusive member lounges and discounts on dining and tickets.

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