Bar Installed, Beach Chairs Arrive, and More Work on DVC Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Resort

With just a few weeks to go before Disney Vacation Club’s new Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows opens to guests, crews are working quickly to complete final touches.

DVC Island Tower Construction

A construction site with trucks, machinery, and containers surrounded by trees under a partly cloudy sky.
Construction site with various vehicles and equipment, including cranes, trucks, and storage containers, surrounded by palm trees and under a cloudy sky.

The staging area in the parking lot of Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort hasn’t changed much. There are large storage containers and several construction vehicles, including a few different lifts.

A construction site with trucks, equipment, and workers in front of a multi-story building under a cloudy sky.

A turtle mural was completed on the south side of the tower a few weeks ago. More of the ground around the tower has been paved. The retaining walls around this end of the tower have yet to be painted.

Construction workers and equipment at a hotel building site under a cloudy sky.

We saw the beginnings of a mural on the section between the south wing and main tower but it has been painted over with a light orange color. The concrete wall on the first floor has been stripped of paint. Tarps were removed from some balcony railings on the south wing.

Construction site with two large cranes in front of a multi-story building under a partly cloudy sky. Workers and equipment are visible around the area.

Parts of the porte-cochère still need to be covered with final paneling. Right now, sheathing is exposed on the columns and edges of the roof. Crew members in lifts were working on the porte-cochère near the entrance doors.

Construction workers building a structure with a wooden roof, white columns, and a green beam. A forklift and safety barriers are present.
Construction workers are building a covered entryway with scaffolding and ladders. Orange safety barriers surround the area.

Some rock-like pavement has been installed under the porte-cochère. The columns closest to the entrance doors have some brown wood panels featuring Polynesian designs.

Construction workers operate lifts around a multi-story building under construction. Scaffolding and materials are visible below a partly cloudy sky.

Crews have started painting another mural on the tower above the elevator bay windows. Again, the concrete walls around the first floor here were stripped of paint. But crews have added new rock designs along the bottom of the walls.

A multi-story building under construction with scaffolding and workers on site, surrounded by some trees and a small dirt area.
Exterior view of a multi-story building with balconies and palm trees in front.

Crews were walking around the north wing, but we didn’t see any major updates on the exterior. There are still some tarps on balconies as they are finished up.

Construction workers in neon vests work on a sandy area surrounded by palm trees, with a small vehicle in use and a cloudy sky above.
Construction workers in green shirts setting up barriers at a sandy area near a building with palm trees in the background. A sign indicates the direction to marina transportation.

As we traveled to view the other side of the tower, we noticed crew members working on the beach of Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. This appears to be a basic refurbishment.

Red-roofed building by a body of water, with green barricades along the walkway.
A pathway beside a waterway is lined with green barriers and a wooden fence. Tall palm trees and a wooden building are visible in the background under a blue sky with clouds.

Part of the walkway around the marina is blocked by green barriers. The nets on the railings have been lifted and may be replaced soon.

Large multi-story hotel building by a calm body of water under a cloudy sky.

More progress is visible on this side of the tower, which faces the Seven Seas Lagoon.

A waterfront hotel with multiple balconies reflects in a calm body of water under a partly cloudy sky.
A waterside hotel with palm trees and a dock, where a group of people in fluorescent vests are visible.

A large group of crew members was visible on the ground at the north end of the tower. They appeared to be working on the walkway near the water.

A large multi-story brown and beige building under construction is reflected in a body of water. Construction equipment and workers are visible in front of the building.
Large multi-story building under construction near a waterfront, with soil and equipment on the ground and barriers in the water.

Curved elements now surround a large column near the center of the tower. Most of the walls on this side are now covered in paneling and paint, but a few strips of weather-proof sheathing are exposed around the column.

A six-story building under construction, with workers, vehicles, and scaffolding in front. The sky is partly cloudy.
Partially constructed hotel facade, revealing an unfinished room with a large arch and a ladder inside.

The terrace garden on the north wing has an arched element inside. The walls of the garden space are painted with a nature mural.

Multi-story building with glass balconies. A section is under construction with scaffolding and a covered area.
Scaffolding set up in a recessed section of a building facade with beige walls and multiple windows. Construction materials are visible, with some covered by tarps.

The other terrace garden is full of scaffolding, perhaps for the installation of another arched framework.

A multi-story apartment building with balconies, surrounded by palm trees, under a partly cloudy sky.

It looks like plants have been installed in the flowerbeds between the main tower and the south wing. They are currently covered by tarps. The walls in this space were also painted relatively recently.

Construction site with machinery and workers in front of a multi-story building near water, with palm trees in the foreground.
Construction site near a building with workers, heavy machinery, and palm trees.

The bar has been installed under the rounded roof of Wailulu Bar & Grill. The roof now has thatching and the columns are covered in brown paneling. There are tiny holes in the columns, likely for light fixtures.

Construction workers in safety gear install a large circular structure under a thatched roof. Tools and equipment are scattered around the site.

The bar has a black bamboo-like exterior. Crew members were working on the installation.

Construction site with workers, two small excavators, and ladders by a building with balconies. Area is partially fenced near a body of water.

The rest of the roof over the outdoor seating area is not quite complete. Temporary railings along the edge of the roof are for crew member safety. Hanging in the seating area are large lamps. Crews are also completing landscaping between the restaurant and the water.

Large hotel building near a pool and waterfront, with palm trees and a clear blue sky.

The pool area has come a long way in recent weeks. The pool and hot tub are now full of water. Turf has been installed in spaces nearby, with palm trees offering shade.

Outdoor pool area surrounded by palm trees and a multi-story hotel building under a partly cloudy sky.
wdw polynesian dvc island tower construction 11.11.2024 4887

Beach chairs are in place around the pool, hot tub, and splash pad. They are covered in tarps to keep them protected while work wraps up. There are also some tables and chairs.

Hotel building with palm trees and an outdoor swimming pool area under construction, surrounded by green fencing.
Outdoor swimming pool under construction, surrounded by palm trees and partially covered lounge chairs, with building machinery in the background.

Black fences surround the pool deck. Signs for the pool, which is called Cove Pool, have been installed. These include rules for the pool and spa.

A fenced outdoor swimming pool surrounded by palm trees and lounge chairs. A sign with pool rules is visible on the left.

At the splash pad, we can now see Moana standing on her outrigger. The life-size figure was officially revealed in October. The splash pad is separated from the pool with its own fence and gate.

A pool area surrounded by trees with a nearby restaurant. Two beverage machines are visible, and a canopy-style structure provides shade.
View of a building entrance partially obscured by trees, with a fence in the foreground and a glimpse of a pool area.

Behind Moana and her boat, we saw a couple of Coca-Cola Freestyle machines. Above a nearby doorway, where a crew member was entering, is a new “Restrooms” sign.

The Island Tower opens to guests on December 17, 2024. Check out more details of the Island Tower’s artwork.

For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

The post Bar Installed, Beach Chairs Arrive, and More Work on DVC Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Resort appeared first on WDW News Today.