Construction began eight months before opening day . Like the Contemporary , the Polynesian was a product of WED Enterprises , the architectural firm of Welton Becket and Associates , and United States Steel Corp . With the Contemporary , rooms were built off-site and slid into the A-Frame tower . The Poly ’ s original longhouses also utilized rooms fabricated off-site and were set into place by cranes , one on top of the other . The eight original longhouses — Bali Hai , Bora Bora , Hawaii , Fiji , Maui , Samoa , Tahiti , and Tonga — contained a total of 492 guest rooms .
OPENING-DAY VIBES The official grand opening occurred on October 24 , 1971 . Celebrities like Bob Hope and Lucille Ball , along with executives and members of the media , were entertained with an incredible luau , authentic cuisine , and Polynesian dancers right on the beach . The next evening , the Electrical Water Pageant debuted . Luaus continued to be held on the beach until Luau Cove opened in 1972 .
Room rates on opening day were a nifty $ 29 to $ 44 a night !
Then
The lobby used to be full of lush vegetation . PHOTO BY RAY HORWATH
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THEN AND NOW After passing through the doors , you were once greeted by a beautiful three-story waterfall with over 75 different species of plant life . In 2014 , the waterfall and much of the lush florae that inhabited the lobby were removed .
The original Great Ceremonial House gave off tropical ’ 70s vibes . This was phased out in 1985 in favor of traditional décor . In 1996 , Disney replaced the blue and green checkered floor with tiles that resembled large stones . Today , if you look over the second-floor balcony , you can spot a hidden stone Mickey below .
The current design of the lobby . PHOTO BY LAURIE SAPP
Coral Isle Café was the groovy Quick-Service spot , but you could also eat from the buffet at South Seas Room or dine Table-Service at Papeete Bay Verandah Restaurant . These were replaced by Kona Café in 1998 and by BouTiki and ‘ Ohana in 1995 , respectively . Located just outside of ‘ Ohana , Tambu Lounge is the only restaurant to keep its name .
There were several original specialty stores , including Polynesian Princess for women and Robinson Crusoe Esq . for men . News from Civilization , a small gift shop , eventually became part of Capt . Cook ’ s after a couple of other facelifts .
100 MAGICAL ISSUES
Look for this hidden Mickey in the stonework as you enter the main lobby . PHOTO BY TATJANA LAZAR