The newest resort accommodations at the Walt Disney World Resort are actually part of one of the original Disney Resorts created in 1971.  The Polynesian Villas and Bungalows are part of the Disney Vacation Club and have added some amazing new views and rooms to a classic Disney favorite.

Polynesian Villas & Bungalows - Lake View Deluxe Studio

After many, many months of construction that has been transforming Disney's Polynesian Resort the fruits of that labor are now ready to be experienced!  Starting on April 1, 2015 the newest rooms are available to the public.  There are 3 new classes of rooms: Lake View Deluxe Studios, Standard View Deluxe Studios, & 2 Bedroom On-The-Water Bungalows.

Only WDWorld was there for opening day and spent the first available night in one of the Lake View Deluxe Studios.



The new Studios here are the largest one at the Walt Disney World measuring in at 447 sq ft.  The rooms are designed to handle 5 adult sized people.  There is a queen sized bed, a double sized sleep sofa and a twin sized fold down bed that is positioned beneath the television.

This new feature to allow a 5th adult to fit in the room is starting to show up across other Deluxe offerings across Disney World.  For those of you that are used to the tiny fold down bed that can be found at Disney's Port Orleans Riverside Resort, rest assured this new bed is much longer.  It is just as long as a traditional twin and my 6' 5" teenage son spent the night in the bed shown above.



The other major new feature in the room is that there are two bathrooms in this studio!  One houses a tub with shower and a toilet, while the other contains a shower with traditional shower head and the rainfall shower head that is amazing!  This way two people can shower at once and speed up the time it takes getting ready in the morning (or evening)!  Definitely a great feature.




The Polynesian style decorations and furniture in the room fit the style well and do a great job at making the "escape" to Hawaii complete.  The DVC Resorts have done an excellent job over the past several years at paying significant attention to the detail and theming of the resorts and rooms.



The last great feature is the improved emphasis on storage in the room.  The bed has been redesigned to allow for underbed storage and even has drawers.  The surf-board inspired coffee table opens to reveal secret storage as well.  This combined with the fold up bed under the flat screen tv has created a spacious room with ample storage of luggage and items.




The lake view studios provide a great view of the Seven Seas Lagoon and the new waterfront bungalows.  They also serve as an idea place to watch the Wishes Fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom or the nightly Electrical Light Parade as it makes its way across the lagoon.

Review Summary

The new Lake View Deluxe Studios at the Polynesian Villas and Bungalows are exactly what you want when you stay at a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel.  They are spacious, comfortable and allow families to easily get ready quickly during the morning prior to a long day a the Disney World Theme Parks.  The worst part of these resorts is having to check out.  These are truly places that your family will not want to leave.

Many families will no doubt claim the Polynesian Villas & Bungalows as their new favorite place to stay during their Disney World Vacation and we can't argue with them.  Disney has a winner with these newly designed rooms.  We highly recommend them!

One of the most anticipated additions to the Disney Vacation Club at the Walt Disney World Resort is now here!  The spectacular Villas & Bungalows at Disney's Polynesian Resort are now available for sale to current DVC members and to the general public starting February 9.



The first waterfront DVC Bungalows include incredible views of the Seven Seas Lagoon and the Magic Kingdom theme park.  Each Bungalow contains 2 bedrooms and has their own private plunge pool amongst the amenities.  They will sleep 8 guests in a fashion designed to resemble what you might find on an island in the South Pacific.  The Bungalows have two full bathrooms, a kitchen, washer and dryer, and large dining and living room spaces for gatherings.

Also to be found as additions to the Polynesian Resort are 360 Deluxe Studios that can sleep up to 5 guests each and feature a kitchenette, enhanced storage space for convenience and comfort, and two separate bathroom areas, one a full bathroom with a tub/shower and another one with a shower and sink, allowing more people to get ready at one time. A pull-down armoire bed showcases painted artwork from the popular Disney film, Lilo & Stitch..  These will be the first DVC Studios that can adjoin another Deluxe Studio.

Other changes are coming to the Polynesian Resort as well this Spring and Summer.  The initial group of DVC rooms and Bungalows are scheduled to open for use starting on April 1, 2015!

Who else is excited to check these out first hand?

The Disney Vacation Club has officially announced what rumours have speculated for months.  The newest addition to the DVC at the Walt Disney World Resort will be part of the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.  The new villas will include 147 villas to open late in 2013 near Disney's Wedding Pavilion.  This will be the second Disney Vacation Club property to be located along the Magic Kingdom Monorail loop joining the recently added Bay Lake Tower Villas at Disney's Contemporary Resort.


Here is the official announcement from the Disney Vacation Club:

Villas in the works for Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Disney Vacation Club is developing an estimated 147 villas as part of the previously announced expansion of Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.

Estimated to open in late 2013 near Disney's Wedding Pavilion, the resort's slated to become the 12th Disney Vacation Club property.

"We continually look for ways to expand Disney Vacation Club by creating resort experiences that our Members will love," said Claire Bilby, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Disney Vacation Club. "With the continued popularity of Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort, we are thrilled to offer our Members and Guests a new resort option along the monorail beam with easy access to the Magic Kingdom Park, as well as a variety of shopping, dining and recreation experiences."

The Walt Disney World Resort is known for its stunning Resort Hotels that are vacation destinations unto themselves.  Not the least of which are the Disney Vacation Club Resorts.  In this article we will look at the Top 6 Disney Vacation Club Resorts located at Disney World.

Disney World Top 6 Disney Vacation Club Resorts
The Disney Vacation Club, aka DVC, is the unique Disney version of timeshare ownership that has become very popular.  Along with this popularity has come a multitude of Resorts that each have qualities to make them people's favorites.  Ranking them is not easy and is sure to delight some and upset others.  Without further adieu here is the Top 6:


6. Old Key West Resort - The original Disney Vacation Club Resort is still home to the most relaxing DVC Resort.  They have truly captured the laid back atmosphere of the Florida Keys.  It is hard to believe that you are still in the center of Disney World.  It really is a 'Home Away From Home."
5. Bay Lake Tower At Disney's Contemporary Resort - The newest DVC Resort At Disney World is the first to be just a monorail ride away from the Magic Kingdom and affords spectacular views of Disney World's first theme park.  Rooftop Lounge is only open to DVC Members staying at this resort and provides a magical way to view Wishes.


4. Boardwalk Resort - The east coast feeling of the Boardwalk has been recreated at this favorite resort of many.  Its close proximity to Epcot and Disney's Hollywood Studios cuts down on the time spent riding the Disney World Buses.  Night Time entertainment on Disney's Boardwalk is literally just outside your door to enjoy.


3. Wilderness Lodge Villas - The feeling of the great American National Park Lodges of the Northwest has been magically created in this beautiful resort.  The imagery is spectacular both inside and out.  The pool area even has its own geyser.  You can't help feeling special when you get to stay somewhere as wonderful as this.


2. Beach Club Resort - Two words: Stormalong Bay!  This eastern seaboard themed resort not only is a short walk from Epcot, but also has what many people consider to be Disney World's 3rd Water Park as its resort pool.  This makes the resort a favorite of families with children during the summer months.  Also a close walk to Disney's Boardwalk and a boat ride to Disney's Hollywood Studios.


1. Animal Kingdom Villas - The Animal Kingdom Lodge and Villas provide a unique experience to Disney World and anywhere else.  The masterful architecture of the buildings creates an experience that transports you to Africa in the grandest fashion.  The Resort has its own savannahs populated with Zebras, Giraffes, Ostriches, Ankole Cattle, and more.  The restaurants: Boma, Jiko, and Sanaa are all top notch and provide African flavors that complement the surroundings.  When you are here you may forget about the theme parks at Disney World, it is an amazing resort throughout and worthy of the top spot on our rankings.

One of the newest Disney Vacation Club Resorts is called Kidani Village.  It is one of two Disney Vacation Club (DVC) locations at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge.  While the DVC Jambo House section shares space within the Animal Kingdom Lodge, the DVC Kidani Village is a stand alone part of the resort with its own lobby, pool area, restaurant, DVC member's area, and Disney Transportation Bus Stop.

When the Disney Vacation Club, aka DVC, announced in early 2007 that they were starting to sell ownership interest in the to be built Animal Kingdom Villas there was a lot of excitement.

Bay Lake Tower at the Contemporary Resort is the third Disney Vacation Club (DVC) property to open in 2009.

The first was the initial phase of the Kidani Village at the Animal Kingdom Villas. Next came the Treehouse Villas at Saratoga Springs, and now Bay Lake Tower has opened on August 4th.

Bay Lake Tower (BLT)is a 15 story crescent shaped tower that is added to the 38 year old Contemporary Resort complex that was part of the opening of the Walt Disney World Resort on October 1, 1971.

This resort becomes the first DVC property that is on the Disney World Monorail loop near the Magic Kingdom. The BLT houses 295 two-bedroom equivalent villas decorated in a fashion consistent with the Contemporary Resort's theming.

With its close proximity to the Magic Kingdom, BLT was built to take full advantage of the views. In addition to having many of the villas facing the Magic Kingdom, there is the Top of the World lounge and observation deck, offering sweeping views of Walt Disney World Resort, as well as a unique perspective for the “Wishes” nighttime fireworks spectacular at Magic Kingdom.

Disney’s Contemporary Resort is easily accessed by way of the Sky Way Bridge which takes guests from the 5th floor of Bay Lake Tower directly to the 4th floor Grand Canyon Concourse of Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Here they have close access to the monorail, shopping, and the Contemporary's restaurants, including kid favorite Chef Mickey's.

BLT also has added a new zero entry pool complex including a water slide, separate whirlpool spa and an interactive children’s water feature – all overlooking picturesque Bay Lake.

Here are some interesting facts about the construction of Bay Lake Tower:

• There are 167 miles of post-tensioning cable running through the concrete slabs. These cables could stretch from Bay Lake Tower to Disney’s Vero Beach Resort and back.
• There are 1,398 tons of reinforcing steel, known as rebar, within the structure. This is equal to the weight of 254 full-grown elephants.
• Bay Lake Tower rests on a foundation of more than 800 concrete piles that are 16 inches in diameter and extend 70 feet into the ground. Stacked on top of one another, these would reach more than 10 miles into the sky.

Although Bay Lake Tower is a DVC Resort, anyone can make reservations there, although availability may be limited during certain times.

This is certainly an exciting addition to one of the Walt Disney World Resorts original attractions.

Today the Disney Vacation Club announced that Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort will open in the fall of 2009 as DVC's latest resort.

Speculation had been going on for some time as to whether the 15 story building connected to the original Contemporary resort by a skyway would indeed be an addition to the growing list of DVC resorts.

The Disney Vacation Club also announced that sales for Bay Lake Tower would begin on September 21st, starting with existing DVC members first.

The new tower will contain approximately 300 units made up of studios, 1 bedroom, 2 bedroom, & 3 bedroom villas. It will also have a new pool area with waterslide.

The views will be mainly of either the Bay Lake and Pool or the Magic Kingdom. Nearly floor to ceiling windows will be included in most of the units to take advantage of the wonderful views.

Besides being the first DVC resort where you can either board a monorail or walk to the Magic Kingdom, it will also have spectacular views of the park and a rooftop fireworks observation deck.

The new resort is expected to be one of the most popular when it opens due to its views and proximity to the Magic Kingdom.

For additional information follow this link to Disney's official press release

or this link to official Disney video: Deevy See's Video of Bay Lake Tower