Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is undergoing some much-needed repairs following a series of complaints about deteriorating conditions, including “rotting” vegetation.
Earlier this month, guests at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort took to social media to share their disappointment with the Deluxe Resort hotel’s conditions, particularly around the Seven Seas Lagoon. One of the most vocal critics, X (formerly known as Twitter) user @Savethedmagic, shared their frustration after paying Deluxe Resort prices for a less-than magical experience:
Disney’s ‘Modern Polynesian’ – fronted by rotting vegetation. This is the view people are paying top dollar for. This water looks awful. Doesn’t feel like a Polynesian Island; it looks like a sewer carrying away waste. This used to be so beautiful, and the lake was the draw.
Days later, Walt Disney World Resort began work on the exterior of the Polynesian Village Resort, particularly focusing on repairs to the Aotearoa building. The building, which suffered damage during Hurricane Milton in October 2024, has had its overhang missing for nearly a year. According to WDWNT, Disney has finally begun repairs, with construction crews working on two corners of the building. The area is secured with yellow flags and fences protecting construction equipment.
Reports also indicate that Disney crews are working on the laundry building’s roof. The carved faces on the exterior of the building are currently covered by plastic tarps to protect them from damage during the ongoing work.
Interestingly, one of the affected buildings was originally home to the Tangaroa Terrace restaurant, which closed in 1996. Since then, the space has been used as a backstage area for Disney cast members.
Walt Disney World Resort has not made any official statements regarding the ongoing repair work. However, it’s not uncommon for Disney to remain tight-lipped about maintenance updates, especially when the changes don’t directly affect the guest experience.
Have you noticed weather damage at any other Walt Disney World Resort hotels? Disney Dining would love to hear from you in the comments!
The story is not entirely accurate. It implies the “repairs” picked up the pace after the Savethemagic posted their comment on July 30th We were at Poly last week of June and they were already working on several of the areas mentioned. No arguments that improvements were needed. But they were working on them, along with major changes to the Poly entrance and ongoing roadway improvements.
The sad thing is, all of these type of things were almost unimaginable years ago, when Disney was just Disney. Having become the giant media conglomerate has really affected the things that made a trip to Disney so magical. As a kid, I remember being fascinated that I never saw any (or very little) trash, worn or faded paint, etc. It is still and amazing vacation destination, but it has definitely lost some luster from the days gone by.