Theming at DVC

[Cfabar1]

I have been reading and seeing a lot of things lately about the theming becoming muted or undistinguishable from Marriott etc. at Disney Vacation Club resort rooms.

A lot of conversation seems to center around cost cutting. I thought however that our dues are what fund these furniture purchases, room renovations, etc. not the largesse of the Walt Disney Company, but rather what the owners are paying.

I suppose Disney pays a small portion of these charges with their 2% ownership in each resort, but these expenses would be relatively small. Am I missing something?

I have long thought that the consideration was not financial, but rather to cater to an international audience that may or may not connect with the stories/history/etc. that are being told through the theming in the rooms.

I have also seen and read complaints that the rooms resemble the hotel side rooms. But before, I thought a complaint about DVC was that the rooms were not as good/same level of merchandise as the hotel side rooms.

I tend to prefer the heavily themed resorts. It's part of the Disney experience and magic. Plus the exteriors are so heavily themed, and the buildings that Eisner commissioned are impressive architectural pieces that blend into the construct of Walt Disney World. So I am not happy to see Disney pulling away from it. How can we share with Disney that we would like to see heavily themed rooms continue?

 

[john7994]

That’s certainly a perspective, but not one I share … From my view, I am not interested in heavily themed rooms - or at least - it’s not near the top of my list of things that I want from DVC.

This is the DIS - so complaints / compliments likely will cover the full spectrum (including from non-owners and from those that haven’t even been to the resorts themselves) offering a myriad of theories, insights and probably even a few conspiracies…

I am sure member services will be glad to hear from you, and I would encourage completing the survey on your next visit sharing your thoughts.

 

[Royal Consort]

The stylistic values of the company change dependent on the management at the time. Disney tend to jump on a trend long after that trend has passed and their recent interest is clean lines and minimalist modern styling. It also depends on the project manager of the refurbishments: for example Boulder Ridge vs Boardwalk. One is on theme and the other is beige. I do think it comes down to budget too: Disney are going to try and get the best bang for their buck which means they don't have to increase annual dues if they can get it done cheaply. Disney specifically pointed to the increased refurbishment cost for VGC two years ago as a justification for increasing dues.

I don't think it's about appealing to an international audience either. The statistics show most visitors/owners are domestic and I'd probably argue (as an overseas owner myself) that international owners want themed resorts moreso than the domestic market.That's the whole appeal of flying to Disney! Perhaps I'm an exception though because I bought Riviera (that many criticise as 'unthemed') because I like the European flavour, room, tower (rather than various builidngs) and upmarket aspect. The style of Beach Club and Yacht Club leave me empty. I also own two highly themed resorts in VGF and VGC so Riviera offsets it.

I roll my eyes about the Marriot comments as I don't perceive any DVC/Disney resort as anything close to a Marriot. I don't know what Marriots everyone else is staying at that I've somehow missed...

Just as an aside, you praise Eisner here but criticised the Swolphin in another thread: Eisner was the one who pushed for Swolphin as an architectual 'statement', it was his pet project. Does the hideousness of Swolphin cancel out the themeing of Wilderness Lodge?

 

[Travel60]

I like the theming - wilderness lodge should look like a national park lodge, boardwalk should look like a seaside resort, Saratoga springs should look like a New England resort (along with the horse theme), HHI should look low- country. I don't care for Rivieras theming but it seems to have a theme. I can stay in a gray on gray on gray hotel suite anywhere.

 

[Jwaire]

This too shall pass. All design trends come to an end. They're currently chasing what every hotel operator in the world is doing—clean, white, open, hard floors, etc (think HGTV).

The lack of exterior theming is more of a long-term concern—Poly tower, Gran Destino, etc.

 

[tom1944]

I like the theming - wilderness lodge should look like a national park lodge, boardwalk should look like a seaside resort, Saratoga springs should look like a New England resort (along with the horse theme), HHI should look low- country. I don't care for Rivieras theming but it seems to have a theme. I can stay in a gray on gray on gray hotel suite anywhere.

Saratoga Springs should look like a Saratoga Springs NY resort.

 

[intamin]

I like the theming - wilderness lodge should look like a national park lodge, boardwalk should look like a seaside resort, Saratoga springs should look like a New England resort (along with the horse theme), HHI should look low- country. I don't care for Rivieras theming but it seems to have a theme. I can stay in a gray on gray on gray hotel suite anywhere.

I own at Riviera but I do wish it had the exterior of Portofino Bay at Universal. The boats in the lake is a nice touch and the color palette is nicer although it's based on Italian Riviera whereas Disney's was ambiguous at first but seems more in line with French Riviera? I'll be the first to admit I don't really know anything about Europe/European architecture. I wish they did a white or cream color instead so everyone can stop complaining about RIV's colors lol. What drew us to RIV wasn't as much the exterior of the building but the rooms and the skyliner and the fact that it's contract lasts 28 years longer than the other Epcot/HS area resorts.

 

[AstroBlasters]

Just don’t let the team that remodeled the Jazz Kitchen anywhere near the VGC refurb.

 

[walt34]

I own at Riviera but I do wish it had the exterior of Portofino Bay at Universal. The boats in the lake is a nice touch and the color palette is nicer although it's based on Italian Riviera whereas Disney's was ambiguous at first but seems more in line with French Riviera?

Background: I can reach the Italian Riviera by car in 4 to 6 hours from where I live. I own a DVC contract at VGF.
I like Disney's Riviera, the location, the Skyliner, the rooms but the theming seems to be a bit off to me. Whereas many Disney resorts 'heighten' the theming of what inspired them, often with a whimsical spin, the Riviera seems to be more muted than its inspiration. It seems to me to be based more on the French side (which is less colorful than the Italian Riviera) to start with and then they tuned it further down. Maybe they just lacked the courage to go for something as colorful as Universal's Portofino Bay as not to displease anyone? I feel it's also a missed opportunity as a more colorful theme would have fit nicely with the neighboring Caribbean Beach Resort. Some of it could be rectified with a new coat of paint during a future refurbishment? Maybe I'll buy then?

 

[emchen]

I roll my eyes about the Marriot comments as I don't perceive any DVC/Disney resort as anything close to a Marriot. I don't know what Marriots everyone else is staying at that I've somehow missed...

Brilliant!

Just as an aside, you praise Eisner here but criticised the Swolphin in another thread: Eisner was the one who pushed for Swolphin as an architectual 'statement', it was his pet project. Does the hideousness of Swolphin cancel out the themeing of Wilderness Lodge?

So true!

 

[BeachClub2014]

I like the theming at the Riviera. I am definitely no expert on the French Riviera, but when you Google French Riviera hotels, a whole lot of them look a lot like the one built by DVC.

 

[walt34]

I like the theming at the Riviera. I am definitely no expert on the French Riviera, but when you Google French Riviera hotels, a whole lot of them look a lot like the one built by DVC.

Oh, it certainly takes its inspiration from there. But if you look at Le Negresco as an example (and I would assume it is one of the more direct inspirations), its facade is more detailed, more playful and its colors are less dark. One could have expected for Disney to take it maybe even a step further instead of toning it down. I'm certainly not telling anyone to not like the Riviera and maybe it is a matter of perspective? Maybe the VGF looks toned down to someone who knows the Hotel del Coronado in California?

 

[BeachClub2014]

Oh, it certainly takes its inspiration from there. But if you look at Le Negresco as an example (and I would assume it is one of the more direct inspirations), its facade is more detailed, more playful and its colors are less dark. One could have expected for Disney to take it maybe even a step further instead of toning it down. I'm certainly not telling anyone to not like the Riviera and maybe it is a matter of perspective? Maybe the VGF looks toned down to someone who knows the Hotel del Coronado in California?

Totally understand, and agree. It really is about perspective and expectations. For example, many people adore the Polynesian because of its theming. I used to live in Oahu and never saw anything remotely resembling the Poly on that island.

 

[🍀TwinsMom]

We own and love Riviera, but I do think the outside grey color is too dark and can look downright ominous in cloudy/rainy conditions. We love the interior and grounds.

I wonder if they overcompensated to keep the color from being bleached out too quickly in the strong sun?

 

[mamaofsix]

I have been reading and seeing a lot of things lately about the theming becoming muted or undistinguishable from Marriott etc. at Disney Vacation Club resort rooms.

A lot of conversation seems to center around cost cutting. I thought however that our dues are what fund these furniture purchases, room renovations, etc. not the largesse of the Walt Disney Company, but rather what the owners are paying.

I suppose Disney pays a small portion of these charges with their 2% ownership in each resort, but these expenses would be relatively small. Am I missing something?

I have long thought that the consideration was not financial, but rather to cater to an international audience that may or may not connect with the stories/history/etc. that are being told through the theming in the rooms.

I have also seen and read complaints that the rooms resemble the hotel side rooms. But before, I thought a complaint about DVC was that the rooms were not as good/same level of merchandise as the hotel side rooms.

I tend to prefer the heavily themed resorts. It's part of the Disney experience and magic. Plus the exteriors are so heavily themed, and the buildings that Eisner commissioned are impressive architectural pieces that blend into the construct of Walt Disney World. So I am not happy to see Disney pulling away from it. How can we share with Disney that we would like to see heavily themed rooms continue?

You are correct - the refurbs are funded by dues. That means that complaints of Disney 'cutting costs' are a bit off. I would say it's more to do with the project managers for each project. VGF and Boulder Ridge Refurbs have been amazing and added MORE theming, not less. Whoever did Boardwalk and Beach Club lacked creativity.

My biggest complaint is not theming, but a lack of standard hotel bedding. I would happily pay higher dues to have proper blankets / comforters on each bed instead of a thin sheet. This is one area Disney COULD learn from a Marriott.

This is Marriott's hotel bedding collection:

 

[Stargazer65]

Saratoga springs should look like a New England resort

Saratoga Springs should look like a Saratoga Springs NY resort.

I think it's time to start a sidebar where we argue over whether New York is/is not part of New England.

 

[Jwaire]

Totally understand, and agree. It really is about perspective and expectations. For example, many people adore the Polynesian because of its theming. I used to live in Oahu and never saw anything remotely resembling the Poly on that island.

This is a common misconception.

The Polynesian is an extension of Adventureland and was designed as a love letter to the post-war Tiki culture of the 40s and 50s. There's some nods from the French Polynesian, like the concept of the Great Ceremonial House with the outer longhouses, the previous lobby water garden, now the bungalows, etc. However, I don't think WDI ever intended it to be authentic, just like Adventureland is not authentic.

I wouldn't consider Frontierland, New Orleans Square (Disneyland) or Liberty Square authentic representations of those regions either.

Aulani is supposed to have taken actual culture nods from Hawaiian culture.

 

[john7994]

I think it's time to start a sidebar where we argue over whether New York is/is not part of New England.

I think Massachusetts when I think of New England, but I’m from the Midwest which I never understood that designation either for that matter …

 

[tom1944]

I think it's time to start a sidebar where we argue over whether New York is/is not part of New England.

I present my case. New York is as much New England as it is Canada, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_England

 

[Jwaire]

I like the theming at the Riviera. I am definitely no expert on the French Riviera, but when you Google French Riviera hotels, a whole lot of them look a lot like the one built by DVC.

It gets a lot of heat and I do think some of the exterior and interior elements were budget cut, but there was much more thought put into Riviera than most people imagine.

“Overall we have a European expression but for our details and theming we really focused on the Riviera region between the areas of France and Italy,” says Missy Renard, Art Director at Walt Disney Imagineering. “We didn’t want to pick a particular hotel and recreate it. There’s no fun in that. Plus we are looking at a region that covers three countries so we didn’t want to boil them down to a site in one of them. Instead we took inspiration from many different things, which gave us our Disney artistic license, and then we brought it all together.”

https://www.forbes.com/sites/csylt/...ng-european-style-in-orlando/?sh=14fa0c1b6a78

I give Riviera a pass, but there's no excuse for Gran Destino, which is beloved by tons of people on this board despite its casino-hotel like exterior. I'll take the Swolphin over it any day.